WSP05168

• File Number: 7630.225
• Description: Wild and Scenic-Elk River
• State: CO
• Date: 2/1/1970
• Author: US Forest Service
• Title: Elk WSR Study-Background Information-Guidelines for Evaluating Wild Scenic and Recreational River Areas Proposed for Inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Operating Principles/Plan

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PURPOSE

The following criteria supplement those listed in Section 2
of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, which states that rivers
included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System shall
be free-flowing streams which possess outstandingly remark-
able scenic, recreational, geological, fish and wildlife,
historic, cultural and other similar values.

These guidelines are intended to define minimum criteria for
the classification and management of free-flowing river areas
proposed for inclusion in the rrational system by the Secre-
tary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, and
for State rivers included in the system by the Secretary of
the Interior.

In reading these guidelines and in applying them to real
situations of land and water it is important to bear one
important qualification in mind. There is no way for these
statements of criteria to be written so as to mechanically
or automatically indicate which rivers are eligible and what
class they must be. It is important to understand each
criterion; but it is perhaps even more important to under-
stand their collective intent. The investigator has to
exercise his judgment, not only on the specific criteria
as they apply to a particular river, but on the river as
a whole, and on their relative weights. For this reason,
these guidelines are not absolutes. There may be extenuat-
ing circumstances which would lead the appropriate Secre-
tary to recommend, or approve pursuant to Section 2(a)(ii),
a river area for inclusion in the system because it is
exceptional in character and outstandingly remarkable even
though it does not meet each of the criteria set forth in
these guidelines. However, exceptions to these criteria
should be recognized only in rare instances and for compel-
ling reasons.

The three classes of river areas described in Section 2(b)
of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act are as follows:

"(1) Wild river areas--Those rivers or sections of
rivers that are free of impoundments and
generally inaccessible except by trail, with
watersheds or shorelines essentially primitive

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