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<br />002438 <br />COLORADO WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH <br /> <br />I NST ITUTE <br /> <br />~'lC::'; i"':", "'. <br />1'< <br />'1"1 <br />1,1: <br />II' l)'1"1I.j ,-, <br />Ii .Jl-u'~ Ln <br />C,'fl". <br /> <br />:-:i'.lr::r-'::-1~~ <br /> <br />1981 <br /> <br />CULi~;. <br /> <br />NaturaIResourcesPOLICy~'IBackgroundPAPER <br /> <br />colorado state university <br />fort collins <br /> <br />January, 1981 <br /> <br />WILD AND SCENIC RIVER'STUDIES: <br />SOUND BASE FOR WATER RESOURCE PLANNING?l! <br /> <br />Background <br /> <br />Interest in prpservation of some American streams in their natural <br />state dates back to 1960 when the National Park Service, responding to an <br />inquiry from the Select Committee on National Water Resources of the Senate, <br />recommended ",.,that certain streams be preserved in their free-flowing <br />condition because their natural scenic, scientific, esthetic, and recreational <br />values outweigh their value for water development ,land control purposes.,,", <br />A joint "Wild River Study" was initiated in 1963 by the Secretary of <br />the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to investigate the need for <br />a nationwide system of wild rivers, to develop and establish criteria and <br />methods for river evaluation, and to identify those rivers or streams <br />having "wild river" qualities, This study was completed in 1964 and served <br />as the basis for the initial wild river legislation in Congress. <br />The Wild and Scenic River Act (Public Law 90-542) was passed by the <br />United States Congress on October 2, 1968, providing for a National Wild <br />and Scenic Rivers System, <br /> <br />The Act <br />The Wild and Scenic River Act establishes a national policy for <br />preservation of certain streams in their natural state if they possess <br />outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geological, fish and wildlife, <br /> <br />1/ The purpose of this report is to objectively evaluate the Draft Environ- <br />mental Impact Statement and Study Report covering the Cache la Poudre <br />River in Colorado, It is not an endorsement for either, <br /> <br />TI-]e purr-osC' of thl! Nillur(-~i Q;f'S(J:FCf;~: Policy Bcl<:kground Papers I~ to pr''.."l'lide el'l"!v awareness of new lflformation for <br />public policy-mal<lng oflifJials a~ it becornes avaiiabi':~. The P'-'\pers a,I'l urlec!ited pr0!lmini-u'/drafts subject to revision, Gorrection <br />and even sllbst<l:ntlvP changes W;l1.,n t'1(-; study is completed. In rn:1ny C.:1ses, tr18 Papers 8re brief summaries <br />No sLloparting documentallon is prOVided, i3nd i.-:terpreT3tion of thp. In!ormaticll r.ontained herein has not been attempted <br />by the 8L.lthor, A,nyon'" 8XpeCilng ~o u'>e the da.ta IS i~'VI led to consul: the author COIlCC~r1lng its proper interpretation. The Papers <br />are not intended to Sli(lQ('c:1 apptopnate policy. <br />The USN e>f info~f:l,qti,-)rj c"t!tained in these Popers should rr~cognize the fori~goinG ~-!isclalml:" of accuracy and <br />complpteness, T!ley must h0, sanSlrlcr('ri prelinlln~\;y res('arch !'esl~lts and ll'eatec accordingly. <br />