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<br />- -n02433 <br /> <br />ewCB <br />8/31/83 <br /> <br />PIEDRA RIVER <br /> <br />WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY <br /> <br />Backqrourid <br /> <br />Public Law 93-621 designated the Piedra River as a study <br />river. The law specified study of "the Middle Fork and East Fork <br />from their sources to their confluence, thence the Piedra to its <br />junction with Colorado Highway 160, including the tributaries and <br />headwaters on National Forest Lands." This study authorization <br />was Later amended to eliminate the tributaries and headwaters on <br />national forest lands. The study was carried out by a joint <br />Federal/State team starting in 1976. <br /> <br />Eliqibility and Classification <br /> <br />Of the 53 miles of river studied, 51 miles were found to be <br />eligible for designation. Thirty-two and one-half miles were <br />classified as wild river area, 12.9 miles as scenic river area, <br />and 5.5 miles as recreational river area. <br /> <br />Issues and Concerns (as expressed by the public) <br /> <br />The major issues regarding river designation expressed by <br />the public were: . <br /> <br />o The Federal government should not force private <br />landowners to open their lands to public use (through <br />easements) since the river runs mainly through public <br />lands and the public currently has access to most of the <br />river across these public lands. <br /> <br />o The Federal government should not use des~nation as a <br />means to control water use. <br /> <br />o Notoriety surrounding designation of the river will <br />attract and encourage recreation use levels that will <br />degrade the existing river environment. <br /> <br />o Designation is the only means of guaranteeing protection <br />of the physical, biotic, and ecological environment of <br />the river and its free-flowing character. <br /> <br />o Lumber and livestock uses, which insure local economic <br />stability, must not be impaired. <br /> <br />705 <br />PR <br />