The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 preserves selected rivers in a free-flowing condition. These rivers possess outstanding scenic, recreation, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, or cultural values. Federal assistance for water development projects on designated wild and scenic rivers is prohibited. Approximately 325,000 acres within national forests in California have been designated part of the Wild and Scenic River system. In the state, 1,900 miles of river are under Wild and Scenic protection.

The state of California also has a Wild and Scenic Rivers system. State-designated rivers which flow through national forests include the Van Duzen, the East Fork Carson, and the West Walker Rivers.

A Nationwide Rivers Inventory prepared by the Department of the Interior in 1979 lists 67 individual river segments in California that could possibly be eligible for listing. These river segments total almost 3,000 miles, approximately 1,200 of which are within national forests. During the land management planning process, the Forest Service reviewed suitability of the inventoried rivers within forest boundaries, and added other rivers with potential for wild and scenic designation. There are preliminary recommendations to designate 46 individually named rivers, totaling about 570 miles, in draft and final forest plans and separate draft studies in the region.

Types of Wild and Scenic Designation

There are three possible types of Wild and Scenic Designation, which depend upon the river’s characteristics.

• Wild: undeveloped, with river access by trail only
• Scenic: undeveloped, with occasional river access by road
• Recreational: some development is allowed, with road access

National Wild and Scenic Rivers in the National Forests

• American River, and North Fork American; Tahoe NF
• Big Sur River; Los Padres NF
• Eel River, North Fork and Middle Fork; Six Rivers, Mendocino NFs
• Feather River, Middle Fork; Plumas NF
• Kern River, North Fork and South Fork; Sequoia, Inyo NFs
• Kings River, and Middle Fork Kings; Sierra, Sequoia NFs
• Klamath River; Klamath, Six Rivers NFs
• Salmon River, North Fork and South Fork; Klamath NF
• Merced River, and South Fork Merced; Sierra, Stanislaus NFs
• Sespe River; Los Padres NF
• Sisquoc River; Los Padres NF
• Smith River, and Middle, North, and South Fork; Six Rivers NF
• Trinity River; Shasta-Trinity, Six Rivers NFs
• Tuolumne River, Stanislaus NF