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<br />" <br /> <br />DOIJJRE' WILD AND SCENIC RIVER IrDY <br /> <br />FACT SHEET <br /> <br />"f <br /> <br />,~. <br />4;,' Prepared By: <br />The Bureau of Outdoor Recreation, USDI <br />Forest Service, USDA <br />and <br />Colorado Department of Natural Resources <br />October 7, 1975 <br /> <br />1. THE STUDY. Many people wondered why the Dolores River is being <br />studied now - in 1975. Some also asked why the study was being <br />done in such a rush; others asked why the river was studied only <br />in spring 1975 when water levels were unusually high. <br /> <br />Interest in having the Dolores studied for possible Wild and Scenic <br />Rivers designation dates back to the mid-1960's; at that time. <br />members of the Colorado Whitewater Association drafted an early <br />proposal, but nothing came of it. This interest grew in the late <br />1960's and early 1970's along with the national concern about the <br />environment, and about wilderness and wild rivers preservation. <br />Finally, on August 1, 1973, former U.S. Senator Peter Dominick <br />introduced the Colorado Rivers Preservation Act calling for study <br />of 14 State rivers for possible inclusion in the National Wild and <br />Scenic Rivers 'System. The Dolores was one of these. Senator <br />Dominick's bill proceeded through the normal legislative process <br />and eventually became part of a major amendment to the Wild and <br />Scenic Rivers Act. This Act was signed by President Ford on <br />January 3, 1975 and called for study of 29 rivers in the United <br />States - 12 of them in Colorado. Four segments of the Dolores <br />were singled out for consideration: <br /> <br />I. The main stem from its source downstream to Rico (15 miles). <br /> <br />II. The West Dolores from its source downstream to its confluence <br />with the main stem (35 miles). <br /> <br />tl <br /> <br />III. The main stem from a point just below the site of McPhee Dam <br />(major structure of the Bureau of Reclamation's authorized <br />Dolores Project) to 1 mile above the Highway 90 bridge near <br />Bedrock (105 miles). <br /> <br />(:ii>' <br />~~ <br /> <br />IV. The main stem from its confluence with the San Miguel to the <br />Colorado-Utah State line (38 miles). <br /> <br />07G.0 <br />