Issues Concerning Wild and Scenic River Designations

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Eligibility and Classifi The study team found the Colorado River from the Loma launch site, 20.7 miles upstream from the Colorado -Utah border, down- stream to its confluence with the Dolores River in Utah eligible for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic River System. This 55.7 mile portion of the river was found to contain outstandingly remarkable scenic, geologic, cultural, recreational, and fish and wildlife values. The Dolores River from Gateway, Colorado, down- stream 31 miles to its confluence with the Colorado River in Utah was found eligible for inclusion in the National System. This Lower Dolores reach was found to have outstandingly remarkable scenic, geologic, recreational, and wildlife values. The study team divided the eligible study reaches into segments with the following classification levels (attached map illustrates segment location): Colorado River - Segment A, Loma Launch to Westwater Canyon, 27.7 miles, scenic classification - Segment B, Westwater Canyon to Rose Ranch, 13 miles, wild classification - Segment C, Rose Ranch to Cisco Wash, 11 miles, scenic classification - Segment D, Cisco Wash to Dolores River, 4 miles, recreational classification Lower Dolores River - Segment A, Gateway, Colorado to Fisher Creek, 14 miles, scenic classification Segment B, Fisher Creek to Bridge Canyon, 6 miles, wild classification - Segment C, Bridge Canyon to Colorado River, 11 miles, scenic classification Issues and Concerns (as expressed by the public) The major issues regarding river designation expressed by the public were: o The significant negative impact upon mineral exploration and mining operations; o Hydropower development at the site (approximately 2 :Hiles downstream from the confluence of the Colorado and Dolores Rivers) would be precluded; o The escalation in the rate at which federal lands are being withdrawn; -2-