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Activities prohibited in wilderness: No road construction or permanent structures are <br />allowed in wilderness areas, nor are activities such as logging, mining exploration, and <br />vehicular traffic, although new construction for livestock grazing, such as fences and <br />spring developments, is allowed where needed to protect resources. Motorized and <br />mechanized access in wilderness, including off -road vehicles and mountain bikes is <br />prohibited, except for emergency use (firefighting, rescue, etc.); and for grazing <br />management, and some administrative uses (such as maintenance of water facilities), <br />where non - motorized alternatives aren't practical. <br />Benefits of Wilderness: leaving areas of land — and established traditional activities - as <br />they were at the time the wilderness is designated; protecting watersheds that provide <br />drinking water to cities and rural communities; helping meet the nation's increasing <br />demand for outdoor non - motorized recreation: hiking, hunting, fishing, bird watching, <br />canoeing, camping, and many other activities; providing habitat for wildlife and natural <br />laboratories for scientific research; and serving as a haven from the pressures of our fast - <br />paced, industrialized society. <br />How does wilderness designation affect water rights? Wilderness water rights are <br />non - consumptive, in- stream flow rights. The water flows through and nourishes <br />wilderness and the wildlife and habitat associated with it, then flows out, available for <br />other uses. Wilderness designation does not affect existing water rights, and fully <br />respects other water rights on the stream. Wilderness water rights cannot disrupt existing <br />rights, facilities or project operations. Protection of water flows in wilderness may take a <br />variety of forms, but none impinge on existing rights. Any wilderness water right would <br />have a priority date of the actual reservation, would be junior to all existing water rights, <br />and, therefore would not supplant other, more senior rights. In addition, wilderness water <br />rights apply only to unappropriated water. Because they are junior rights and not "super" <br />rights, wilderness water rights are subject to availability of unappropriated water. A <br />wilderness water right ensures only that when water is available, does wilderness get its <br />decreed portion to help protect natural values. <br />H:\WATER\SWCD\River Protection \Tools- Mechanisms.doc4 /17/08 <br />12 <br />