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000600 mental Impact Statement are sched- uled tor spring release. Region 3, Mid-Continent, Denver, Colo. A wide variety of river types are located in the Mid-Continent Region, The Great Plains are char- acterized by wide, meandering riv- ers bordered by cottonwood groves and agricuiturai iand. Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana have some- times large, sometimes small, rap- idly descending rivers which origi- nale in the snowfields ot the Rocky Mountains. The rivers of Utah and western Colorado cut through deeply incised canyons of the high desert, providing some of the best whitewater boating opportunities in the area. Representatives of most of these river types are covered by the Nalional Witd and Scenic Rivers System, either as components of the system or as rivers being stud- ied for potential inclusion. Portions of four rivers represent- ative of the high desert region of Utah and western Colorado are being studied for potential inclusion in the National System: the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monu- ment, the Green River from below Flaming Gorge Reservoir to the southern boundary of Dinosaur Na- tional Monument, the Colorado River from a point about 20 miles inside Colorado downstream to ilS confluence with the Dolores River in Utah, and including the Utah seg- menl of the Dolores and the Gunni- son River from the upstream bound~ ary of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument down- stream to its confluence with the North Fork. Bureau of Outdoor Recreation studies of these four rivers were begun in early 1976 and will be completed in 1979. Although Ihe environments sur- rounding these rivers are somewhat similar, each river is distinc!ly dif- ferent. The Colorado River for the first 25 mites meanders through red sandstone canyons that occasionally open into rolling hills. Waterfowl and other wildlife are abundant. Folds and faults are easily seen in the sandstone clifts. The wide, slow, meandering character of ttie first 25 miles changes to a rapid narrow funnel of water for the next 15 miles as the river passes through West- water Canyon. Here the river has cut ifs way through the overlying sandstone and deep into Precam- brian gneiss and schist more than 1. 7 billion years old. These black rocks provide a sharp contrast to the red sandstone which lies above. The scenery and exciting rapids have made this canyon a popular whitewaler rafting river. After leav- ing Westwater Canyon, the river enters a wide, open rolling-hills- type terrain for the remaining 15 miles of study area. The Gunnison River is similar to the Colorado in that it also cuts through dark Precambrian rock. Here, however, the overlying red sandstone is missing. In the Black Canyon ot the Gunnison the some- times sheer walls rise over 1,700 feet from the river to the canyon rim. In places the dark gneiss has been intruded by lighter-colored pegmatite dikes and sills creating a striking network of erratic orange patterns on the walls. The canyon bottom in this area is choked with rocks and boulders which the river flows over and occasionally under. The ruggedness of the area makes boating unsafe, Below the Monu- ment the river continues to wind through canyons 400-800 feet deep. An ouler canyon about 2 miles wide extends upward to 2,000 feet. Al- though this lower river area pro- Vides a good boating opportunity, access is limited to trails, and equipment must be carried in. The proximity and interrelation- ship of the Green and Yampa Rivers made it possible to combine the studies of the two rivers. The Green River study begins in Red Canyon, immediately below Flaming Gorge Dam. For about 15 miles, this river flows through scenic red rock can- yons known for their excellent fish- ing and whitewater boating oppor- tunities. The river then enters a wide valley known as Browns Park, a famous hisloric outlaw hangout and ranching area. Passing through lhe Gates of Lodore, the river enters Dinosaur National Monument for the remaining 44 miles of the study segment. In the Monument, the river passes through the Canyon of Lodore, Echo Park, Whirlpool Can- yon, Island Park, Rainbow Park, and Split Mountain Canyon. This river stretch is one of the best known whitewater rafting areas in the re- gion. The Yampa River also passes through the canyon country of Dinosaur National Monument. In the spring and early summer when run- off is high, this is also a popular whitewater rafting river. The Yampa River contains outstanding geologic, scenic, and fish values. The Dolores River, studied jointly by BOR and the U.S. Forest Service in 1975, provides a transition be- tween the high desert-type river and high mountain streams. The study areq extended from the river's headwaters in the San Juan Moun- tains downstream through the mountains and foothills to the high desert canyon country of the Colo- rado Plateau. The report on the Dolores River notes that the 105- mile section of river between the McPhee Dam site and Bedrock, Colo.. qualifies for inclusion in the Nationat Wiid and Scenic Rivers System. This segment begins in the low foothills of the San Juan Moun- tains and ends on the high desert of the Colorado Plateau. The natural flow of the river is characterized by relatively high flows during the snow-melt and tow flows during the remainder of the year. The most spectacular attraction on the Dolores River is Siick Rock Canyon, a massive, narrow, twist- ing, red sandstone gorge con- sidered the most scenic portion of the river. Some feel it is one of the outstanding portions of desert river left in the southwest-reminiscent of the now-flooded Glen Canyon on the ColoradO River. At the request of Utah's Governor, the segment of the Dolores in Utah is being com- bined with the Colorado River study. 27 ,. I !