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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COMPTROLLER GENERI\L' S
REPOR1' TO TlfE r:ONGRESS

FEDERAL PROTECTIO~ AND
~RESERVATION OF WILD AND
SC~NIC RIVERS IS SLOW
MW COS1'LY

DIG EST

Efforts by the Departments of ~he Interior and
Agriculture to protect wild, scenic, and re-
creational rivers of the United States have
been excessively slow and costly.

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A national policy to preserve selected ri~ ~s
in a free-flowinq condition and protect them
for the benefit ~nd enjoyment of present and
futu~e generations was established by the Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. (Sea p. 1.)

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The' act designated eight rivers as components
of the national wild and scenic rivers system
and provided that it be expanded through (1)
legislation following studies of other wild
and sc~nic rivers conducted by Agriculture
and the Interior and (2) addition of State-
administered wild and scenic rivers. (See pp.
5 and 6.)

sLm~ PROGRESS IN DESIGNATItJG R!VERS
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But as of December 1977 only 11 rivers h~d
been added to the national system, although
58 rivers have heen identified. for congres-
sional study as potential additions and many
more, including state-administered rivers,
are potential additions (See p. 7.)

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There are two important reaSOnS for t.he slow
progress:

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--Federal agencies take an inordinate amount
of time--an average of more than 6 1/2 years
from congressional designation--to complete
the studies necessary cO assess a eiver's
eligibility for the n~tional system. (See
p. 10.)

--States have not opted to nominate Rtate-
administered rivers for protection and preser-
vation because national designation contributes
to increased river use, with attendant problems

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