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<br />EVALUATION GUIDELINES FOR
<br />TRIBUTARY AND HEADWATERS IN
<br />TIlE PIEDRA WILD AND SCENIC RIVER STUDY
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<br />003151
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<br />In directing the Piedra Study, Public Law 93-621 (hereinafter called the
<br />Act) states, "Piedra, Colorado: The Middle Fork and East Fork from their
<br />sources to their confluence, thence the Piedra to its junction with Colo-
<br />rado Highway 160, including the tributaries and headwaters on National
<br />Forest lands....
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<br />The language in the Act, designating the Piedra for study, substantially
<br />differs from that of most other candidate rivers.ll We interpret the
<br />Act to require evaluating all flowing bodies of water in the Piedra drain-
<br />age including rivers, streams, creeks, runs, kills, rills, and small
<br />lakes. (Paraphrased from Sections 5(a) (47) and 15 (a) of the Act.)
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<br />.TO aid in the determination of eligibility, supplemental guidelines are
<br />proposed. The intent of these guidelines is to:
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<br />1. To insure that each unnamed stream segment is identified through-
<br />out the study. The study team chose a system using stream orders
<br />as set forth in standard drainage basin morphology. 21
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<br />2. To describe, where possible, in an objective and scientific man-
<br />ner, those characters or combination of features that should be
<br />considered when evaluating for "out.standingly remarkiible". value.
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<br />3. Docwnent the basis for study team conclusions.
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<br />The phrase "outstandingly remarkS.ble" has strong emotional appeal but is
<br />difficult to define in fact or objective terms. In reading these supple-
<br />mental guidelines, it is important to bear one qualification .in mind, it
<br />is important. to understand each guideline, ~ ~ important!!. their
<br />collective intent. Although each distinctive character need not. be pres-
<br />ent, each character must be considered in ~aluating the stream segments.
<br />In some eases, just one distinctive character may justify the river's
<br />addition to the National System.
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<br />The Act defines free-flowing: "'Free-flowing', as applied to any river or
<br />section of a river, means existing or flowing in a natural condition with-
<br />out impoundment, diversion, straightening, riprapping, or other modifica-
<br />tion of the waterway. The existence, however, of low dams, diversion
<br />works, and other minor structures at the time any river is proposed for
<br />inelusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System shall not auto-
<br />matically bar its consideration for such inclusion.".
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<br />!! Eneampment and Los Pinos Rivers, COlorado have sill\ilar wording.
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<br />Y Ven Te Chow, IlANDllOOIC OF APPLIED HYDROLOGY, 1964, McGraw-Hill, Inc.
<br />pp.4 (43-45).
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