What is the planning requirement for a river designated by Congress (under Section 3(a) of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act)?

Prior to 1986, Section 3(b) of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act required the river-administering agency to “prepare a plan for necessary developments in connection with its administration in accordance with such classification.” Through a generic amendment of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act in 1986, Section 3 was amended with a new subsection requiring a “comprehensive management plan . . . to provide for protection of the river values” (Section 3(d)(1)). The comprehensive river management plan (CRMP) must address:

1. Resource protection;


2. Development of lands and facilities;


3. User capacities; and


4. Other management practices necessary or desirable to achieve the purposes of the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act.

Please refer to the Council’s Wild and Scenic River Management Responsibilities (2002) technical report for a detailed description of the contents and key elements of a CRMP.