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OOD4G5 Four of the sev~n stlldies took an av~rage of more than ] years beyond the originally scheduled completio" dates. Reasons ~or delays in thcs~ ~tudies Dre cxplain~rl in detail in i.l~~~elld ixes I t:'jlollgh IV. The river studies did not ffieet t~eir t~rget completion dates primarily because (1) the two study agencics did not provide forffial instructions tor c0n~uctin~ the river studies and (2) the study teams often lacked experie~eed and quali- fied persbnnel. Because formal operating instructions had not been issued, study team members wern often confused a~d indecisive as tJ the proper study methodology to be followed, the information to be gathered and analyzed, and L~e format and content of the study report. I i :1 I '! BOR officials told us that although Burea~ headquarters intended to produce a handbook th~t would outline the steps for conducting a river study, LO formal document was ever issued. A workshr~ on the handboDk was held in June 1974, but not~ing further was accomplished. Forest Service offi- cials also informed llS that at presen. the P0Iest Servi~~ has no formal document to direct riVE' studies; the section of the Forest Service operations manual reserved for wild and scenic rivers instructions has Tiot been prepared. Delays also o~curred in many river studies because study team members lacked infor~ation and guidance on what to do al~out new requirements, such as environmental impact sta:.emen~s and the Water ReS0urce Council's "principles dnd standards.u The Bureau of Outdoor Re~reation did not issue implementing guidelines for principl~s and stand.rds until June 19/6, almost] years after the requireme~t was in effect. Forest Service studies were also del dyed while procedures were corrected and drafts were revised to reflect these new requirements. Forest Service gui~elines for implementing principles and standards were given to study teams in draft in September 1976, almnst ~ years after the re~uirement was in effect, and as of 0~tober 1977 have not been issued in final for~. Study agencies commonly assign only a single full-time staff member to conduct a river study. The person assigned often lacks adequate expertise in conducting planning stu- dies. Some river studies'we reviewed were delayed while inexperienced personnel, handicapged by inadequate ,nstruc- tions and guidelines, spent considerable time learning the proper methodology and content of a wild river study. (See apps. III and IV.) 15