EXHIBIT 99.1

Sacramento, CA - September 16, 2004

AMERICAN RIVER BANKSHARES ANNOUNCES QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND
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Sacramento, CA -September 16, 2004 - The American River Bankshares (Nasdaq:AMRB)

Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of 11.5 cents per common share.
This marks the Company's third quarterly cash dividend. Payable to shareholders
of record as of October 1, 2004, the cash dividend of $0.115 will be distributed
on October 15, 2004.

In 1992 American River Bankshares developed a plan to insure quality and value
for their shareholders. That plan included issuing semi-annual dividends, annual
stock dividends, and repurchasing shares with the objective of increasing
shareholder value. In March of 2004 American River Bankshares enhanced this plan
by increasing the semi-annual cash dividends to quarterly cash dividends.

American River Bankshares is a financial services company and the parent company
of American River Bank, a community business bank that operates a family of
financial service providers. These providers include: American River Bank, with
offices in Sacramento and Placer Counties and North Coast Bank, with offices in
Sonoma County.

Related websites: www.amrb.com, www.americanriverbank.net, and
                  www.northcoastbank.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

In addition to the historical information contained herein, this press release
contains certain forward-looking statements. The reader of this press release
should understand that all such forward-looking statements are subject to
various uncertainties and risks that could affect their outcome. The Company's
actual results could differ materially from those suggested by such
forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such
differences include, but are not limited to, variances in the actual versus
projected growth in assets, return on assets, loan losses, expenses, changes in
the interest environment including interest rates charged on loans, earned on
securities investments and paid on deposits, competition effects, fee and other
non interest income earned, general economic conditions, nationally, regionally,
and in the operating market areas of the Company and its subsidiaries, changes
in the regulatory environment, changes in business conditions and inflation,
changes in securities markets, data processing problems, a decline in real
estate values in the Company's market area, the conduct of the war on terrorism,
the threat of terrorism or the impact of potential military conflicts and the
conduct of war on terrorism by the United States and its allies, as well as
other factors. To gain a more complete understanding of the uncertainties and
risks involved in the Company's business, this press release should be read in
conjunction with the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2003, and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10Q and current
reports on Form 8-K.

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