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

000457

CHAPTER 2

PROCESSES FOR ADDING RIVERS TO T~E

NATIONAL SYSTEM ARE NOT WORKING WELL

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The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act Df 19"8 designated eight
rivers as the original compone~ts of a national wlld and
scenic rivers system. Since 1968 only 11 additional rivers
have received natio~al designation, although 58 pocential
rivers have been designated for study by the Congress, and
many more, including State-administered rivers, have the
potenti.1 for being included. The national system is growing
slowly bec~use the two processes for adding rivers are not
functiuning well. Designation by Federal legislation has
been dela~ed for many rivers because the prer~quisite river
studies have not been conducted eKpeditiously. The other
process, Ilsecretarial designation," is little used because
of incongruities and disincentives in its application.

NATIONAL DESIGNATION DELAYED FOR
"Sll'UDY RIVERS"

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The Wile and Scenic Rivers Act identified 27 rivers
that were believed to have a high potential for inclusion
into the national wild and scenic rivers system and directed
that each be studied to dc~e~mine its suitability for inclu-
sion. Since 1968 am.ndments to the act have added 31 "study
rivers" to the original 27. The studies form the basis of
reports to the President and the Congress and are generally
required before le9islative action designating a river into
the national system. Each study report contains information
and makes recommendatior,s reg,.rding the river's eligibil.ty
for inclusion in the national system and indicat~s how Jses
of the land and water would be enhanced, foreclose~, Or cur-
tailed if the river and its adjacent lands were added to the
system. In conducting the studies, priority is to be given
to those rivers most threatened by adverse develo~ments and
bordered by the greatest proportion of private lands. Also,
the studies ~re to be conducted in close cooperarion ~ith
the affected State and its political subdivisions and are
to include d detpcmination of possible State participation
in t~e preservati0n and administ~ation if the river is adaed
to the national system.

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Since passage of the act, new study requirements have
come into eKistence, including the environmental impact
statemellt requirements of the National Environmental Policy
Act of 1969, various State and Federal water quality acts,

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