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Legislation enacted at the end of 1976 added the Missouri Breaks segment of the Missouri River in Montana to the Naliona! System It assigns administration to the Bureau of Land Manage- ment and requires BLM to de- vetop a management plan Within 1 year The final management plan will be lhe product of work. ing sessions with the public and special interest groups BLM wi!! strive for multiple use of the river and ils shorelines From a state- ment prepared by Barry Wirth, Public Information Specialist, BLM's Montana State Office The Missouri River from Gavins Point Dam near Yanklon, SOak, downstream to Ponca State Park, Neb., IS one of the few free-flowing stretches thaI still resembles the river thaI Lewis and Clark viewed on their historic journey of 1804 through 1806 Following lhe Lewis and Clark el(- pedillon, many paddle-wneel boals plied the river adding to the histori- cal and cultural significance of lhe area. This reach of the Missouri is becoming increasingly popular for canoeing and olher forms of recrea- tion, it abounds in resident wildlife, supports an excellent fishery, and is a major resting area for water- fowl during spring and lall migra- lions. Through the efforts of the US. Army Corps of Engineers. this 58- mile segment of river is under study for possibJe inClusion in the Na- lional Wild and Scenic Rivers Sys- tem, New methods are being tested to control erosion and also preserve the environmental values that make Ihis portion of the Missour, so unique and valuable to the Nation. 11'1 the spring of 1976, the Corps ~f Engineers, Missouri River Divi- sion, requesled the Bureau of Out- door Recreation to assist in eva!- uatll'lg the recreation resources and in preparing a report identifying the wild. sceniC, and recreation polen- 30 OOOS(}3 ...... .....~...~ ~">>l"""'"",__~;1Io - ~ -..... - ~.~<';~ -.'''''-''' :.. c.'~ ......~ ..-- ~'... - ~ tlal of this segment of the Missouri River. During the past summer and lall. a study leam of olflcials from the States of Nebraska Bnd South Dakota, various Federal and local agencies, and private entllles con- ducted field studies, analyzed per- tinent data. and delermined that the fiver segmenl meets the basic cri- teria for inclusion in the National System under the "recrealion river" category. Pendll'lg a determinallon as to the etlechveness and environmental acceptability of tne expenmenlal erOSion conltol Clel/lCes now being tested. the Corps report could rec~ ommend designation as a compon- ent of the National System. Th,s plan would constitute the Environmental Quality alternatlVe for th,s reach of the river Other al1ernatives, SUCh as a navigation channel or constncted floodway are also under study The Corps of En- gineers' Missouri River Umbrella Study report IS scheduled tor com- pletion In 1977 The North. SoutfJ. and Middie For,~s at :he Flarheaa River were adde'd to the Na!ional Wild and I The Currenl River IS Dart ol/he Ozark Na/ional Scenic RlVfuwlIYs m MrsSOUfi. Scemc Rivers System by legiSlation passed in October 1976. The legislatIOn requires that de- tailed boundanes be established, thaI the class of river be set, and that a management plan be pre- pared within Or'le year, The Flathead National Forest is presently devel- oping a time-table for completll'lg these requirements, Formulalion 01 the scenic ease- mer'lt acquiSition program is ex- pected 10 begll'l in early Summer 1977 This IS the most crllical phase tram the standpoint of the River System Itself and also Irom the pub- lic interest and concern shown 10 date. The legislation authorized ap- propriation of S6,7 million lor Ihe acquisilion of lanes and interest in lands However none oj It can be made available prior to Oct 1, 1977 On August 27. 1964, Ozar/( Na- tlona/ Scenic River...ays was created "for the purpose of cor.sef\ling and interpreting unlQui;' scenic and Olher nalural values and objects of his. I ,