WSP04519

• File Number: 7630.285
• Description: Wild and Scenic - General
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 5/22/1978
• Author: US GAO
• Title: Federal Protection and Preservation of Wild and Scenic Rivers is Slow and Costly - By the Comptroller General - Report to the Congress of the United States
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

000455

In his May 23, 1977, message to the Congress,
Pr~sident Carter proposed legislation to add segments of
eIght rivers to the national system. These riv~[s are

--Bruneav River,

Idaho;

--Pere Marqu~tte

River, Michigan;
Colorado; r

--Dolo~es Rivet,

--Rio Grande River, Texas;

--Salmon Riverr Ida~o;

--Skagit River, washington,

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--Upper Delaware River, P~nnsylvani~ and New York;
and

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--Upper Mississippi River, Minnesota.

Addin~ riy~t(~~e national system

Rivers may be added to the national system by Federal
legislation and by the Secretary of the Int~rior for State-
protected rivers. Of the 11 rivers added to the system since
passase of the 1968 aet, 6 were designated by Federal legis-
lation; 4 were designate0 by the Secretary of the Interior;
and I, the Lower St. Croix, was designated partly by Federal
legislation and partly by Interior.

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A river study is generally required before passage of
Federal legislation adding a river to the national syste~.
These studies are conducted under the leadership of the
Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (if a portion of
the river flows through a national forest or if agriculture
and forestry are of major import<.nce) or by the Department
of the Interior'~ Bureau of Outdoor Recreation (BaR). 11
Some studies are conducted under joint AgricUlture-Interior
leadership. A river study assesses the eligibility of a

liOn Jan. 3D, 1978, the Bureau of Outdoor Recreucion was
- renamed the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service.
The responsibility for conducting river studies and pre-
parinq reports to the President and the Congress was trans-
ferred from the Burenu of Outdoor Recreation to the
National Park Service effective ^pr. I, 1978,

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