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The Durango Telegraph -The independent weekly line on Durango and Beyond Page 2 of 3 <br /> The San Juan Public Lands Center is not alone in the search for Wild and Scenic.A local stakeholders group has formed <br /> and is also considering the values of local rivers and streams. Known simply as"The Rivers Work Group,"the broad <br /> cross-section of interests is attempting to bring the community into the Wild and Scenic discussion. <br /> "The effort is meant to create a forum so the community as a whole can discuss these rivers and discuss what it wants to <br /> do with the resource in the future,"said Chuck Wanner,water issues cogrdinator for San Juan Citizens Alliance. <br /> Wanner has a unique perspective on Wild and Scenic Rivers.As president of Preserve Our Poudre,he successfully <br /> lobbied for the Cache la Poudre's designation nearly 20 years ago. Like the Poudre effort,Wanner said a broad <br /> stakeholders'effort is the only hope for a local designation,and the Rivers Work Group represents a good start. In <br /> addition to SJCA,the collaborative effort includes representation from the San Juan Public Lands Center,the Colorado <br /> Water Conservation Board,the Nature Conservancy,the Southwest Water Conservation District, U.S.Congressman John <br /> Salazar and U.S.Senator Ken Salazar's offices,the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Wilderness Support Center. <br /> "We've worked on a process for looking at rivers that starts with a sweep,which identifies all of the values on rivers," <br /> Wanner said."We're also looking at consumptive values like agriculture or drinking water and nonconsumptive scenic or <br /> recreational values." <br /> Unlike the San Juan Public Lands Center,the Rivers Work Group has already narrowed the list of potential candidates for <br /> Wild and Scenic designation.Hermosa and Vallecito creeks,the East and West Forks of the San Juan,and the Animas, <br /> Pine and Piedra rivers have all made the cut.Whether they are deemed suitable is another issue. <br /> "Suitability is determined by social and economic factors,"Wanner said."The question is, 'Does it make sense to <br /> designate a Wild and Scenic river from the perspective of the community and the resource?" <br /> The San Juan Public Lands Center has pledged to consider all user angles as it moves toward releasing a draft <br /> environmental impact statement this September.That draft will eventually give way to a final document,and then one of <br /> the Salazar brothers would have to take the matter before Congress. <br /> "I think it will be a long process,"Zillich commented."But I think there are some people ho are interested and have the <br /> energy to put into it." <br /> Designation or no designation,Southwest Colorado's rivers and streams will benefit from the process.The Rivers Work <br /> Group is taking a holistic approach to each of the rivers and looking at what can be done to protect them regardless of <br /> Wild and Scenic status. <br /> "The group is looking at a number of ways other than Wild and Scenic designation to protect these streams,"Wanner said. <br /> "We're also looking at each of the rivers as a whole rather than at just the eligible sections." <br /> From the Forest Service perspective,potential designation may be as helpful as actual Wild and Scenic status,a turn that <br /> could prevent damage to the watershed over the short term. <br /> "Our job is figuring out which rivers have the best chances,"Zillich concluded.`Then we'll manage them suitably and <br /> preserve those outstandingly remarkable values until the other processes kick in."• <br /> http://www.durangotelegraph.com/telegraph.php?inc=/07-05-31/localnews.htm 6/1/2007 <br />