An airborne laser fluorosensor has been used to make concurrent, near-continuous (microscale) profiles of chlorophyll-a, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and the beam attenuation coefficient along the Columbia and Snake rivers. Cross-reference between profiles is used to expose anomalies and explain ambiguities encountered in their interpretation. The unique potential for remote sensing of DOC concentrations is based on a strong correlation with the fluorescence of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Similarly, the reciprocal of the remotely sensed water Raman emission is shown to be a reliable predictor of the beam attenuation coefficient.