The direct study area includes the cities along the stretch of the river from the headwaters north of Vernon, BC, Canada to the Zosel dam at Oroville, Washington, USA. (The associated sections of the river south to it junction with the Columbia at Brewster Washington are also of interest, albeit indirectly). This northern (primarily Canadian) stretch of river is subject to a consistent regulatory regime (including the consequences of the relevant international agreements governing waterflow and retention), as well as a shared sense of place and history.