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| Wild & Scenic Rivers |
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From the white sand beaches of the Salmon River to the cathedral forests of the Lochsa, Idaho's rivers are some of the most beautiful places in the country. To guarantee that these awe-inspiring rivers and their corridors remain as special as they have always been, many are protected by the National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act.
The National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, created by Congress in 1968, preserves and protects certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations.
The act prevents any new dams or harmful water projects, protects riverside lands and wildlife migration corridors, safeguards clean water, requires development of a comprehensive plan to manage the river, and prohibits activities that would diminish the river's outstanding values.
Protected rivers fall under one of three categories: wild, scenic, or recreational, and are managed by several different government organizations: US Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, US Forest Service, and US Fish & Wildlife Service.
The Wild & Scenic Rivers Act protects more than 11,000 miles of 166 rivers in 38 states. Idaho is home to more than 1,000 miles of America's finest Wild & Scenic rivers, from the famed canyons of the Middle Fork of the Salmon to the St. Joe in North Idaho. These rivers and their corridors provide habitats for wildlife and treasured recreational places for rafters, anglers, campers, cyclists, hikers, and others.
Idaho Rivers United is dedicated to helping uphold the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. Currently, the organization is working to protect the Wild & Scenic Lochsa and Clearwater Corridor from megaloads of oil refinery equipment that several companies are attempting to transport through Highway 12.
IRU is also involved in the Clearwater Basin Collaborative, a cooperative advisory-making body that was established in 2008 to resolve land management conflicts in the Clearwater Basin. IRU hopes to designate up to 996 miles of streams and rivers on the Clearwater and Nez Perce national forests as Wild & Scenic, forever protecting these treasured waterways from dams and development.
For a complete list of Wild & Scenic Rivers in Idaho and other states, click here.
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