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<br />0lH356 <br /> <br />7 fJ. i'-c. <br /> <br />Recommendations of the University of Colorado Wilderness Study Group <br />for Classification of the Green and Yampa Rivers according to the Wild <br />and Scenic Rivers Act as amended through Public Law 93-621. <br /> <br />On January 3, 1975, Public Law 93-621, an amendment to the Wild and Scenic <br /> <br />Rivers Act, was passed by Congress. It was mandated by this amendment that the <br /> <br />Green River, the entire segment within the State of Colorado, would be studied <br /> <br />for possible inclusion in the Wild and Scenic Rivers ,system. The segment of the <br /> <br />Yampa River within the boundaries of Dinosaur National Monument (Dinosaur N.M.) <br /> <br />was also mandated for study. <br /> <br />The first question that must be addressed is whether or not the rivers are <br /> <br />eligible for inclusion. The wild and Scenic Rivers Act states: <br /> <br />A wild, scenic, or recreational river area eligible to be included in <br />the system is a free-flowing stream, and the related adjacent land <br />area that possesses one or more of the following values: out- <br />standingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic. fish and wildlife, <br />historical, cultural, or other similar values. <br /> <br />Therefore, two questions must be addressed. Are the Green and Yampa Rivers <br /> <br />free-flowing? Are'the Green and Yampa Rivers outstandingly remarkable? <br /> <br />The sections of the rivers under study contain no impoundments, diversions, <br /> <br />straightening, riprapping, or other modification of the waterway. They therefore <br /> <br />meet the definition set forth in the wiid and Scenic' Rivers Act for a free- <br /> <br />flowing river. In fact, the Yampa River is the last free-flowing tributary to <br /> <br />the Colorado. Although the Green is free-flowing in the section under study, it <br /> <br />does contain a major dam upstream of the study section. <br /> <br />Scenic Values <br /> <br />The outstandingly remarkable scenic features are rbvious to anyone who,has <br /> <br />seen the rivers. Generally, the rivers are bounded by straight, vertical cliffs <br /> <br />of a thousand feet or more. The cliffs on the Yampa are more angular than on the <br /> <br />Green because they have been carved out of a different rock material. The rock <br /> <br />walls are often at a 90 degree angle with the ground on the Green. The rocks of <br /> <br />the Yampa are occasionally at an even larger angle. John Wesley Powell wrote <br />