How does the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act protect a river?
If the river flows through land that is owned by a federal agency, the river and its related lands are directly managed in a way that conserves the area’s important resources. If the river flows through land that is privately owned, the administering federal agency seeks to protect the important river-related resources through agreements with the government agencies and landowners who manage the resources. Protection is achieved by: • identifying the important resources and their conservation needs; • bringing together those who have jurisdiction over the important resources, such as landowners, municipal and county governments, and state agencies; and • working together to create a mutually agreed-upon river management plan.
