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~, 000650 ') To implement this policy, Congress established the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and designated all or por- tions of eight rivers as original compo- nents of that system to be administered by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture. They are: the Rio Grande, N.M.: Saint Croix, Minn. -Wis. ; and the Wolf, Wis. to be administered by the Interior Department; the Eleven Point, Mo,; Mid- dle Fork of the Feather, Calif.; Middle Fork of the Clearwater, and the Middle Fork of the Salmon in Idaho to be adminis- tered by the Department of Agriculture; and the Rogue in Ore. to be administered jointly by the two Departments. The Act also designates 27 other rivers for detailed study as potential ad- ditions to the national system. These stud- ies are conducted by study teams under the leadership of the Department of the In- terior or the Department of Agriculture, who work in cl(}~e cooperation with States, their political subdivisions, and concerned Federal agencies, are scheduled for com- pletion by October 1978. They will form the basis of reports to the President and Congress. Each study report will contain information and make recommendations about the ri ver's eligibility for inclusion in the national system, and indicate how uses of the land and water would be en- hanced, foreclosed, or curtailed if the river and its adjacent lands were added to the national system. . The task of preserving and adminis- . One of 'he stlldy "~.rJ, the lo....e' Sa;n, Cro;l(, Minn., Wis_, was added 'a tire Irs1em by Public loW' 92.560 on Oclob., 25, 1972. ) tering free-flowing streams is not one that can or should be undertaken solely hy the Federal Government. Therefore, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act encourages States and local governments to participate in this program. To strengthen the objectives of State and local participation. the Act provides a means for including select State-ad- ministered river areas in the national sys- tem. The Allagash Wilderness Waterway in Maine and a portion of the Wolf River in Wisconsin were identified as two such State river areas. On July 19, 1970. the Secretary of the Interior added the Alla- gash Wilderness Waterway to the national system where it receives full Federal pro- tection. Criteria for Inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System All rivers in the national system must be substantially free-flowing and have water of high quality or water that could be restored to that condition. Therefore, the Environmental Protection Agency in cooperation with State water pollution control agencies are heavily involved in the study and selection of rivers for the system. The river and adjacent lands also must be in a natural or esthetically pleasing condition and possess outstand- ing scenic, recreation, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values.