The following is a list of rivers in California, by location:

Far North Coast
Rivers and streams between the Oregon border and Humboldt Bay that empty into the Pacific Ocean: 
Smith River
Rowdy Creek
Klamath River
Trinity River
Salmon River
Scott River
Shasta River
Redwood Creek (Humboldt County)
Little River (Humboldt County)
Mad River
Maple Creek (California)

Tributaries of Humboldt Bay
Jolly Giant Creek
Jacoby Creek
Eureka Slough
Freshwater Slough
Freshwater Creek
Elk River (California)
Salmon Creek (Northern Humboldt County)

North Coast
Rivers and streams between Humboldt Bay and the Golden Gate that empty into the Pacific Ocean: 
Eel River: 
Van Duzen River:
Yaeger Creek
Bull Creek (Humboldt County)
Bear River (Humboldt County) 
Mattole River 
Noyo River 
Big River 
Albion River 
Navarro River 
Garcia River 
Gualala River: 
Wheatfield Fork 
Russian River

Tributaries of San Francisco Bay
Streams that empty into San Francisco Bay or its tributary bays, from north to south:
Petaluma River
Sonoma Creek
Napa River
Sacramento River:
Pit River
McCloud River
Hat Creek
Burney Creek
Fall River
Clear Creek
Cow Creek
Cottonwood Creek
Battle Creek
Mill Creek
Deer Creek
Big Chico Creek
Stony Creek
Butte Creek
Feather River
Fall River
Yuba River
Bear River
Dry Creek
American River
Rubicon River
Gerle Creek
Silver Creek
Slab Creek
Putah Creek
Cache Creek
Cache Slough
Miner Slough
Lindsey Slough
Lookout Slough
Steamboat Slough
Ulatis Creek
Horse Creek
San Joaquin River:
Mokelumne River
Cosumnes River
Bear River
Calaveras River
Stanislaus River
Tuolumne River
Clavey River
Merced River
Chowchilla River
Fresno River
Big Creek
Tulare Lake Basin—this region would overflow into the San Joaquin River during flood years
Kings River
Kaweah River
Tule River
Kern River
Pinole Creek
Alameda Creek
Coyote Creek
Guadalupe River
Stevens Creek
San Francisquito Creek
Redwood Creek (San Mateo County)
San Mateo Creek

Central Coast
Rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean between the Golden Gate and Point Arguello, from north to south:
San Gregorio Creek
Pescadero Creek
San Lorenzo River
Carbonera Creek
Zayante Creek
Bean Creek
Pajaro River
San Benito River
Elkhorn Slough
Salinas River
Estrella River
Nacimiento River
San Antonio River
Carmel River
Little Sur River
Big Sur River
Pfeiffer-Redwood Creek
San Luis Obispo Creek
Santa Maria River
Cuyama River
Sisquoc River
Santa Ynez River

South Coast
Rivers that empty into the Pacific Ocean southeast of Point Arguello, from north to south:
Ventura River
Santa Ynez River
Santa Clara River
Castaic Creek
Piru Creek
Sespe Creek
Malibu Creek
Los Angeles River
Tujunga Wash
Arroyo Seco
Rio Hondo
San Gabriel River
Santa Ana River
Lytle Creek
Mill Creek
San Jacinto River (drains into Lake Elsinore but can overflow into the Santa Ana)
Aliso Creek
San Juan Creek
Santa Margarita River
San Diego River
San Luis Rey River
San Dieguito River
Sweetwater River
Otay River
Tijuana River

Tributaries of the Gulf of California
Rivers that empty into the Gulf of California:
Colorado River

Salton Sea
Rivers that empty into the Salton Sea:
Alamo River
New River
San Gorgonio River
Whitewater River

Great Basin
Rivers in the Great Basin:
Amargosa River
Carson River
Lost River
Mojave River
Owens River
Rock Creek
Big Pine Creek
Bishop Creek
Susan River
Truckee River
Little Truckee River
Walker River

California

California-related lists