Wild & Scenic River Publications

An Introduction to Wild & Scenic Rivers (PDF) — A concise primer on wild and scenic rivers and what designation means to you.

A Compendium of Questions & Answers Relating to Wild & Scenic Rivers (PDF) — Everything you wanted to know about wild and scenic rivers in a Q&A format. These Q&As can also be accessed through a searchable data base.

Core Competencies for River Management (PDF) — What are the knowledge, skills and abilities to look for in river management positions? Here are some guidelines.

Summary of Interagency River Management Training Needs and Available Resources (PDF) — The knowledge, skills and abilities river managers should have and where to find training. This paper complements the Core Competencies paper above.

Designating Rivers Through Section 2(a)(ii) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (PDF) — This paper describes a process for designating rivers into the National System at the request of a state.

Establishment of Wild & Scenic River Boundaries (PDF)

Evaluation of State Water Quality Assessments and the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (PDF)

Evolution of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act: A History of Substantive Amendments 1968-2013 (PDF) — This paper looks at all of the amendments to the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act since its inception and explores the impacts of those amendments.

Congressional Record for Evolution of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act: A History of Substantive Amendments 1968-2013 paper — This page presents the congressional history that was used in this paper.

Implementing the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act: Authorities and Roles of Key Federal Agencies (PDF) — What responsibilities do other agencies have for wild and scenic rivers? Here's the answer.

Instream Flow Protection Strategies for Wild and Scenic Rivers (PDF) — A technical report designed to provide tools and strategies to protect the instream flow needs of federally designated wild and scenic rivers.

Interim Management and Steps to Develop a CRMP (PDF) — This paper provides guidance for interim management of a newly designated wild and scenic river and generalized steps to develop a comprehensive river management plan. It expands the content of Appendix A of the Wild & Scenic River Management Responsibilities paper below.

Protecting Resource Values on Non-Federal Lands (PDF) — How wild and scenic rivers are protected where the federal government doesn't manage the surrounding area.

Steps to Address User Capacities for Wild and Scenic Rivers (PDF) — Every river management plan is required to address user capacities. This paper explains how to determine those capacities.

Water Quantity and Quality as Related to the Management of Wild & Scenic Rivers (PDF) — How to protect water quality and instream flows.

Wild & Scenic River Management Responsibilities (PDF) — Considerations in managing—and developing management plans for—wild and scenic rivers. See also Interim Management and Steps to Develop a CRMP, which expands on Appendix A of this paper.

The Wild & Scenic River Study Process (PDF) — This paper explains the wild and scenic river study process for congressionally authorized and agency-identified study rivers.

The Wild & Scenic Rivers Act: Section 7 (PDF) — This paper describes the standards and procedures used in evaluating the effects of proposed water resources projects.

Wild & Scenic Rivers and the Use of Eminent Domain (115 KB PDF)

Wild & Scenic Rivers Table (PDF) — The full listing of designated wild and scenic rivers, complete with mileage, classifications and managing agencies.

Wild & Scenic Rivers Act Abridged (PDF) — The full act minus the rivers listed in Sections 3(a) and 5(a). The complete text, as well as all the amendments, is available in the section labeled WSR Act & Amendments. Not a Council product.

Wild and Scenic Rivers Guide For Riverfront Property Owners (PDF - Color Brochure) — A concise guide for landowners along designated rivers that outlines their responsibility for management, how Section 7 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act applies to their lands, and how best to protect the value of their lands as well as the values of the river.

Abbreviations & Glossary (PDF) — The abbreviations and glossary of terms used in our publications.

Selected Bibliography of Wild & Scenic River Publications (PDF) — Some of the publications we think are the best at explaining the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System and how river protection is accomplished in this country.

Zipped or Agency-By-Agency, River and State Mileage/Management Spreadsheet (Excel) — This is an Excel file of the complete National Wild and Scenic Rivers System broken down several different ways—miles of river, miles per state, rivers per state, miles per agency, etc.

Departments of the Interior and Agriculture Guidelines For Eligibility, Classification and Management (1982) (From Federal Register) — Not a Council product.

Bureau of Land Management Policy and Program Direction for Identification, Evaluation, Planning and Management of Wild & Scenic Rivers — Not a Council product.

National Park Service Director’s Order #46 and Reference Manual #46 on Wild and Scenic Rivers. — Not Council products.

Section 7 Flowchart — The Council has developed a flowchart to guide practitioners in determining whether a project proposal is a water resources project subject to Section 7. The flowchart identifies agency roles, references the appropriate evaluative standard in the Council's Section 7 technical report, and contains end notes that provide additional explanatory information. The flowchart does not cover hydropower project activities regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under Part 1 of the Federal Power Act. For FERC hydropower project activities, please see the U.S. Department of Energy RAPID Toolkit.

Section 7 Flowchart

The Council's January 2011 flowcharts are archived and available upon request.

Section 7 Determination Examples — In response to requests from river program managers, Council members have selected examples of Section 7 determinations for common types of water resources projects. Each is an actual determination made by river-administering agency staff from across the country. In some cases, clarifying user notes are included in individual determinations. No single example is best; however, in reviewing the range of examples provided, the practitioner will gain an understanding of how to apply the procedures outlined in the technical report.

Also, don't forget to make use of The Wild & Scenic Rivers Act: Section 7 (PDF). This paper describes the standards and procedures used in evaluating the effects of proposed water resources projects and is found in the Council White Papers section.

Introduction to Section 7 Examples (PDF)

Hydropower Licensing

1. Klamath Project
1. Section 7 Determination Transmittal Letter (PDF)
2. Klamath River Section 7 Map (285 KB PDF)
3. Klamath River Hydropower Project Section 7 Report (PDF)
4. Klamath River Hydropower Project Section 7 Determination (PDF)
2. Hells Canyon Complex Project
1. Hells Canyon Hydropower Project Section 7 Determination & Report (PDF)
3. North Umpqua Project
1. North Umpqua Hydropower Project Section 7 Determination on License Application (PDF)
2. North Umpqua Hydropower Project Section 7 Determination on Draft EIS (PDF)
3. North Umpqua Hydropower Project Section 7 Determination on Final EIS (PDF)

Bridge Construction or Replacement

4. Big Darby Creek County Road 36 Bridge Replacement (PDF)
5. Imnaha River Road Bridge Replacement (PDF)
6. Sturgeon River Bridge Replacement (PDF)

Stabilization Projects

7. Little Miami River Section 14 Study Erosion Project (PDF)
8. Imnaha River Garnett Bank Protection Project (PDF)
9. Upper Deschutes River Mills Bioengineering Project (PDF)

Infrastructure Projects

10. Great Egg Harbor River Boat Dock (PDF)
11. Allegheny River Forest School Outfall Pipe (PDF)
12. Allegheny River Boyle Boat Ramp and Dock (PDF)

The River Partnership Paradigm (PDF) — Prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Wild & Scenic Rivers Act and Federal Water Rights - 2008 (PDF) — Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.

The Wild & Scenic Rivers Act and Federal Water Rights - 2009 (PDF) — Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act at 50: Managers’ Views of Actions, Barriers and Partnerships - 2021 (PDF) — Travis B. Paveglio et al., Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.

Interagency Wild & Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council Members (PDF)

Questions & Answers on the Interagency Council (PDF) — Quick answers to some of the questions we've been asked about ourselves.

National Wild & Scenic Rivers System Logos

The logos below come in both color and black-and-white. The Illustrator and EPS files are vector files that can be scaled to any size. If you're not used to working with vector files, there are the standard TIF and JPG files. The PNG files have transparent backgrounds for use in Powerpoints, web pages, etc.

WSR Sign Standards PDF (Color, Size, Etc. - PDF)

WSR Color Logo AI (1.6 MB)

WSR Color Logo EPS (1.8 MB)

WSR Color Logo TIF (5.4 MB)

WSR Color Logo JPG (839 KB)

WSR Color Logo PNG (70 KB)

WSR B&W Logo AI (1.6 MB)

WSR B&W Logo EPS (1.8 MB)

WSR B&W Logo TIF (1.3 MB)

WSR B&W Logo JPG (430 KB)

WSR B&W Logo PNG (64 KB)

All WSR Logos ZIP (6.8 MB)

WSR 50th Anniversary Logos ZIP (2.9 MB)

WSR 50th Anniversary Spanish Logos ZIP (5.9 MB)