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

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fronti,ge for traiLer courts, gravel extraction operations,
and recr8ational sUbdivisions--activities that detract from
the river's wild and scenic values.

Increased land acquisition costs

Because of the speculation in river frontage and inflcl-
tion in land values, the costs of acquiring lands and ease-
ments, which are planned for needed access and protection
once a river is added to the national system, have increased
dramatically while the completion of many river studies has
been delayed.

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The Forest Service initially scheduled the Skagit River
study for submission to the Congress in 1973. A variety of
problems delayed completion and submission of the study until
1977., During the 4-year delay beyond the scheduled comple-
tion date, estimated costs for planned acquisitions along the
Skagit increased from $520 per acre to $2,670 per acre. The
estimated' cost per acre of proposed acquisitions along the
Bruneau River increased from $140 per acre to $260 per acre
while completion of the study was delayed; During the 3 2/3-
year delay in completion of the Forest Service's study of
Michigan's Pere Marq~ette River, estimated acquisition costs
increased from $360 per acre to $850 per acee. Estimated
land values along the Snake River, currently under study by
the Forest Service, have increased from $8,000 per acre to
$15,000 pe r acre since authori za tion of the study in 1975.

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Acquisition costs of these magnitudes, attributable to
inflation of land values while completion of studies is
delayed, are unnecessarily increasing the total costs of
adding.new rivers to the national system.

Disruption of plans for other potential
. ~ projects

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Along some river corridors, projects have been propo~ed
which may be precluded if the river is eventually designated
into the national system. Proposed projects, which require
approval or participation by a Federal agency and which may
adversely affect the river's potential for inclusion into
the national system, can~~t pro~eed during the study period.
t'lhen river studies are lIut completed in a timely manner,
these proposed projects are held in abeyance, which may
result in disruption of long-range plans and incr~ased proj-
ect costs if the project is eventually approved. '

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Public utilities planning an expanded hydroelectric
project on ~alifornia's TuolU~lne kiver supported prompt

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