EXHIBIT 99.1

      American River Bankshares Announces its Fourth Quarter Cash Dividend


Sacramento, CA, December 22, 2005 - American River Bankshares [NASDAQ: AMRB]
announces its fourth quarter cash dividend of 15 cents per share payable on
January 20, 2006 to shareholders of record on January 6, 2006.

The quarterly dividend of 15 cents is a 4.9% increase over the dividend paid in
the prior quarter and a 44% increase over the dividend paid in the same quarter
last year. The previous quarters' cash dividends have been adjusted to reflect
the 5% stock dividend announced in November 2005.

American River Bankshares [NASDAQ: AMRB] is the parent company of American River
Bank ("ARB"), a community business bank serving Sacramento, CA that operates a
family of financial services providers, including North Coast Bank [a division
of "ARB"] in Sonoma County and Bank of Amador [a division of "ARB"] in Amador
County. For more information, please call (916) 851-0123 or visit www.amrb.com;
www.americanriverbank.com; www.northcoastbank.com; www.bankofamador.com.


Forward-Looking Statement
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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, 2004, and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10Q and current
reports on Form 8-K.

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