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| Owyhee Canyonlands: A Living Legacy is Born |
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Idaho Rivers United has been working for years to protect the incredible rivers of the Owyhee Canyonlands. After much hard work and negotiation, that vision is reality. On March 30 President Barack Obama signed the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009, a package of 160 bills that included wild & scenic and wilderness protections for meandering rivers and vast sweeps of land throughout the United States.
Senator Mike Crapo introduced the Owyhee Public Lands Management Act in Congress in 2006, then re-introduced it in its current form in April 2008. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed the bill in the spring of 2008. Later in 2008, the bill was included in the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2008 that ultimately stalled near the end of the year.
Senate majority leader Harry Reid introduced the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 at the start of the 2009 congressional session with senate passage occurring on Jan. 15th 2009. The House of Representatives passed the act on March 25.
Signing of this comprehensive bill designated 517,000 acres of Wilderness on public lands in Idaho and established 316 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers. It was Idaho's single largest addition to the National Wilderness Preservation System and the Wild and Scenic Rivers system since 1980's Central Idaho Wilderness Act.
Idaho Rivers United has supported and continues to support the Owyhee Initiative because it:
- Protects the most spectacular landscapes, rivers and wildlife habitat in the Owyhee Canyonlands.
- Helps end decades of costly and bitter battles over how best to manage and maintain our precious public lands and rivers in Owyhee County.
- Protects a way of life unique to Owyhee County, and protects ranching families and family businesses by providing more certainty about public land management.
- Provides the Bureau of Land Management with better tools for managing public lands and waters in the region.
- Protects tribal interests and the rich Native American heritage of the region.
In addition to calling for the Wild & Scenic and wilderness designations, Senator Crapo's bill:
- Established a conservation and research center to recommend and coordinate scientific research in the Canyonlands.
- Provided an infrastructure to stop indiscriminate off-road and off-trail travel by motorized vehicles.
- Ensured continued federal and local collaboration in protecting resources.
- Protected access for recreationists to the rivers and wildlands to be protected.
Rivers designated in the bill include some of the most spectacular, unprotected rivers and canyons in the United States. All river segments are located in Idaho. They include:
- East Fork Owyhee (also know as the Main Stem)
- North Fork Owyhee
- South Fork Owyhee
- Bruneau
- Jarbidge
- Little Jacks Creek
- Big Jacks Creek
- Sheep Creek
- As well as sections of key Owyhee tributaries, including Deep Creek, Battle Creek, Red Canyon Creek and Dickshooter Creek.
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1-800-574-7481 | info@idahorivers.org | PO Box 633, Boise, ID 83701 | This site created and donated by
SMG
