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C'J C\l (J:) C\l o o Problem Area 2, ABA 1303. Wild and scenic river along the Rio Grande in Texas. :;;' The u.s. Congress, in response to recreational demand for less crowded natural and scenic areas, passed th~ 1968 National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, Public Law 90-542. This Actrecog- nized the necessity for the preservation of natural, free-flowing waterways. The Act provides for the inclusion of rivers or sections of rivers of national significance in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The only Texas river segment specifically listed for possible inclusion was the Rio Grande upstream from Amistad Reservoir. A study of the Rio Grande from Presdio to'Amistad Reservoir was made to determine if this segment of the'Rio Grande should be included'in the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The study was directed by the U.S. Depart~ent of the Interior, Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. Other agencies involved in this analysis included the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, Inter- national Boundary and Water Commission, and the Texas Parks arid Wildlife Department. In May, 1976, the final environmental state- ment was released proposing inclusion of a portion of the Rio Grande in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The proposed Rio Grande segment (191.2 river miles) is bounded on the west by the Chihuahua-Coahuila stateline in Mexico, and on the east by the Terrell-Val Verde county line in Texas. A minimum 9,600 acres of adjacent land, ,l'xc1udingBig Bend National Park, is proposed for inclusion to protect the scenic, historic and archeologic values of the river segment. The canyons of the proposed Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River lie within the Chihuahuan Desert Biotic region, which is character- ized by low annual rainfall (8-10 inches), daily and annual tempera- ture extremes, relatively sparse vegetation, and desert fauna. The Rare Plant Study Center at the University of Texas identif{ed five plant species as acutely endangered in this area. These include the Shrinor's brickel1ia, _~liff thistle, cliff bedstraw, Maravillas milkwort, ~nd Emorya suaveolens. Correspondingly, numerous animal species occurring in the Rio Grande canyons are listed as endangered or threatened by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Those species listed as endangered include: the Big Bend gambusia, .American peregrine falcon,- and Mexican wolf.", Threatened species are listed as: the Mexican stoneroller, Big Bend turtle, ,Chihuahua Shiner, .Bluntnose Shiner, and Concho River pupfish. 24 " \.: ,.. , ~ " ,,;<. o~ -