The Eel is a major river about 196 miles (315 km) long in northwestern California, extending into five counties: Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, and Trinity. In Humboldt, where I took this picture, the Eel River winds through towering redwood trees, some of which can grow over 300 feet tall and live for thousands of years. The river runs through shale and sandstone rocks. Following heavy rains, the Eel River can carry a large amount of sediment. Depending on the sediment type, this sediment scatters sunlight and can impart a blue-green tinge to the water. The Eel River once teemed with abundant native fish and other wildlife, supporting the Wiyot, Sinkyone, Lassik, Nongatl, Yuki, and Wailaki peoples who have lived along it since immemorial. Today, however, the river's Chinook salmon, steelhead, and Pacific lamprey are largely headed toward extinction because of two obsolete dams that make up Pacific Gas & Electric's (PG&E's) Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project. The dams built over a hundred years ago completely block salmon migration and harm river habitat. The Eel River was a healthy ecosystem sustaining up to a million salmon and steelhead yearly. However, those numbers have dropped significantly. If the dams were removed, the Eel River, which is the longest free-flowing river in California, would be connected to nearly 300 miles of cold-water habitat. Doing so offers a slight chance of hope for the future of these species.