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o on 373 . . Two points need to be stressed. The Act is conservative; it does not try to make developed rivers into wilderness rivers but tries to keep them from losing the values they have when designated. The river need not be improved but cannot be degraded. Second, the Act does not interfere with existing uses of the land and water-- they continue unless the landowner chooses to give them up. If he does not chOOse to, he cannot be made to give them up. Studyinq the Rivers The Act requires a river to meet two general tests before it is declared eligible for the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System: it must be free-flowing, .and it must have one or more "outstandingly remarkable values." The Act also requires that, in addition to answering these questions, the study report tell Congress and the people certain other things--for example, what is the pattern of landownership along the river, what land uses could be enhanced or foreclosed if the river is put into the system? The study report and the accompanying environmental impact statement recommend whether or not the river should be included and describe the consequences of doing so. In cases where a river is found ineligible or not recom- mended for designation--the Big Thompson in Rocky Mountain National Park had outstanding geologic and fish and wildlife values but was not recommended--the report tells why. If the river is found eligible, the study determines what level of classification it qualifies for: Wild River Area -- a "vestige of primitive America," with shorelines and adjacent lands accessible mostly by trail. Scenic River Area -- these areas have some roads and limited development. Recreational River Area -- these areas may contain commu- nities, have paralleling roads, railroads, and bridges. These categories are applied on the basis of development along the river as it is now, and they are findings of fact, not recommen- dations. A wild River Area, for instance, merely has limited access and development; it is not necessarily a wilderness area, and it could be entirely placid and have no whitewater at all. A Recrea- tional River Area would be more heavily developed, but it might not have any recreational use. This category does not mandate develop- ment or enhancement. If a river is designated and classified as Recreational, the agency that manages it need not put in recrea- tional developments. If a river qualifies as a Scenic River Area, the managing agency need not try to close its roads, limit its access, and try to make it qualify as a Wild River Area. Finally, these categories are ascertained during the study but applied only after designation. The study team uses these classification' levels to make economic analyses of what will happen in the river area if it is -2-