Okay, that all make sense with what I have read and means a likely change to one of the ports I was considering, which would have been used for ore exports primarily.

Thank you for the feedback, if you'd like to make any specific comments on the diagram below I would appreciate it. Here is what I am looking at right now:

Click image for larger version.  Name: vria_ports.png  Views: 17  Size: 1.83 MB  ID: 126807

Since the port city at 1 was intended to export ore, I'll likely move it to somewhere in A. The other port I will leave.

B is not appropriate for a port city due to both the prevailing winds from the East and the lower draft. There will probably be a town here which has fishing and maybe local shipping when weather is good or someone is paying enough to take the risks.

C is a river canyon of large magnitude with the average shore height in the area being 50+ feet above sea level, no port. There might be a rush town nearby as the canyon waters can be panned for silver and gold which is a huge temptation even given the risks of the water and the neighboring border which does not take kindly to intruders.

D is in the midst of a rainforest. There may be an abandoned port city here, the colonizers did not factor in the aggressiveness of the local flora and fauna and thought they could simply tame it but that proved to not be the case.

Towns upriver from A and B seem likely as they could barge ore and other trade goods down the river to the city or town below. This might be seasonal, I have to find and read some things on barge use during snow melt and spring rainy seasons. If you have suggestions, I am all ears. =)

PS. My definitions for "City" and "Town" are a bit nebulous yet, I will work on those as well as I see what type of trades and resources can support what type of population growth.

- Ernie