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<br />III <br /> <br />CHAPTER :7 <br /> <br />WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS <br /> <br />~duct!-on <br /> <br />The U.S. Congress created a National Wild and Scenic Rivers System <br />upon passage of Public Law 90-542 in 1968. The Act clearly recognized that <br />streams have multiple uses which are often conflicting or rivals, and that <br />we as a nation should act to insure that all uses are equally considered. <br />A key descriptive word, "rival," comes from the latin word "rivalis" <br />meaning "one living by or on the same strE,am as another." Thus, "rival <br />uses" are particularly important when dise,ussing stream, riparian and <br />wetland ecosystems. The declaration of goals and policy for the National <br />Wild and Scenic Rivers System is well articulated to satisfy all users: <br /> <br />It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United <br />States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, <br />with their immediate en~ironments, possess outstandingly <br />remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, <br />historic, cultural, or other silular value:s, shall be <br />preserved in free-flowillg condition, and that they and <br />their immediate environtll<!nts sh.~ll be prot..cted for th.. <br />benefit and enjoyment of present and futur.. generations. <br />The Congress declares that the established national policy <br />of dam and other constrtlction al: approprial:e sections "f <br />the rivers of the Unitecl States needs to 1><, complement..d by <br />a policy that would prelierve other selected rIvers or <br />sections thereof in thdr free-flOWing condition to protect <br />the water quality of such riven! and to fullfill other vital <br />national conservation p~rposes. <br /> <br />To implement the stated policy, Congress estabHshed the National Wild <br />and Scenic Rivers System, and designated ~,ll or portIons of eight rivers as <br />the initial components of that system to be administE!red by the Department <br />of the Interior and the Department of AgrIculture. The 1968 Act also <br />designated 27 additional rivers for detail..d study as: potential additions <br />to the National System. <br /> <br />Policies of th~~ <br /> <br />The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was carefully written to avoid <br />reversing the historical federal emphasis on water resource development. <br />When writing the Act, Congress emphasized development of a complementary <br />policy for protection and development of water resources, and did not place <br />a moratorium on some ongoing, planned and future constructlon. Some of the <br />major policies of the Act include: <br /> <br />preservation of free-flowing conditions, <br />