U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Responsibilities for Administering the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

(1) Approving or declining to approve Servicewide policy;

(2) Reporting to the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) those rivers identified for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (Rivers System);

(3) Transmitting a map and detailed boundary description for each wild and scenic river, as required by statute, through the appropriate chain of command to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives [Section 4(b)]; and

(4) Approving and sending recommendations from congressionally authorized Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (Act) studies to the Secretary [Section 4(a)].

B. The Chief – National Wildlife Refuge System (Refuge System)

(1) Ensuring that the wild and scenic rivers the Service administers as part of the Refuge System or as partnership rivers are consistently managed in accordance with the laws, policies, and regulations pertaining to: 

     (a) The Refuge System;

     (b) The Rivers System;

     (c) Comprehensive River Management Plans; and

     (d) Cooperation and coordination, as appropriate, to facilitate wild and scenic rivers resource assessments, studies, or management activities;

(2) Developing and updating national Service policy and guidance on the implementation of and compliance with the Act;

(3) Conducting periodic reviews of the wild and scenic rivers program to ensure compliance with this policy and that there are adequate resources for the Service to administer its wild and scenic rivers; 

(4) Concurring with eligibility and suitability findings developed as part of land planning processes and transmitting them to the Director [5(d)(1)];

(5) Reviewing congressionally authorized study findings, maps, boundary descriptions, and classifications for designated rivers and transmitting them to the Director;

(6) Designating a National Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinator; and

(7) Establishing and providing executive oversight of the Service’s Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Committee.

(1) Ensuring compliance with Section 7 Section 7
Section 7 Consultation The Endangered Species Act (ESA) directs all Federal agencies to work to conserve endangered and threatened species and to use their authorities to further the purposes of the Act. Section 7 of the Act, called "Interagency Cooperation," is the mechanism by which Federal agencies ensure the actions they take, including those they fund or authorize, do not jeopardize the existence of any listed species.

Learn more about Section 7 of the Act for wild and scenic rivers and congressionally authorized study rivers;

(2) Concurring with eligibility and suitability findings developed as part of land planning processes and transmitting them to the Chief of the Refuge System [5(d)(1)];

(3) Recommending congressionally authorized study findings, maps, boundary descriptions, and classifications for designated rivers and transmitting recommendations to the Chief of the Refuge System; and

(4) Ensuring Tribal consultations are conducted, as necessary.

D. Regional Refuge Chiefs

(1) Ensuring that the wild and scenic rivers the Service administers as part of the Refuge System or as partnership rivers are consistently managed in accordance with the laws, policies, and regulations pertaining to: 

     (a) The Refuge System;

     (b) The Rivers System;

     (c) Comprehensive River Management Plans; and

     (d) Cooperation and coordination, as appropriate, to facilitate wild and scenic rivers resource assessments, studies, or management activities;

(2) Ensuring that all wild and scenic rivers in their Regions are managed to protect and enhance their free-flowing condition, water quality, outstandingly remarkable value(s), and classification(s);

(3) Reviewing the Act’s Section 7 determinations for wild and scenic rivers and congressionally authorized study rivers and recommending to the Regional Director the appropriate approving official;

(4) Reviewing eligibility and suitability findings developed as part of land planning processes and transmitting them for approval to the Regional Director;

(5) Reviewing congressionally authorized study findings and transmitting recommendations to the Regional Director;

(6) Ensuring maps, boundary descriptions, and classifications for designated rivers are accurate and transmitting them to the Regional Director;

(7) Approving new and revised Comprehensive River Management Plans;

(8) Ensuring management requirements, including any proposed acquisition of lands or interest in lands within the boundary of any wild and scenic rivers, are included in the appropriate budgetary and planning documents in order to effectively carry out the purposes of the Act and the Service’s stewardship obligations;

(9) Ensuring that the Region collaborates with federally recognized Tribes, Alaska Native Corporations (ANC), Alaska Native Organizations (ANO), the Native Hawaiian Community, and State and local agencies in a timely and effective manner on the acquisition and management of refuges or units within the Region that include, or are adjacent to, wild and scenic river areas; and

(10) Notifying the Regional Director when Tribal consultations are necessary.

(1) Supporting Service implementation of the Act by: 

     (a) Establishing and coordinating a Service Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Committee with interdisciplinary representatives from national, Regional, and refuge levels;

     (b) Serving as the agency lead representative on the Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council; and

     (c) Coordinating wild and scenic rivers stewardship across Regions, programs, agencies, and national level partners; 

(2) Advising the Chief of the Refuge System on all matters pertaining to wild and scenic rivers;

(3) Providing national support for wild and scenic river planning processes (developing and revising Comprehensive River Management Plans and conducting river studies) and policy processes (distributing Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council technical guidance and Service policy and developing and updating procedural guidance such as an agency handbook);

(4) Ensuring river studies are elevated as necessary, through the Chief of the Refuge System to the Director for action by the Secretary;

(5) Ensuring accuracy and timely input of Service information into the Nationwide Rivers Inventory; 

(6) Providing national support for wild and scenic river policy and core river manager competencies training; and

(7) Developing and maintaining relationships with national-level partnership organizations and other nonprofit groups interested in the management of designated rivers or the inventory, evaluation, and management of potential additions to the Rivers System.

F. Regional Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinators 

(1) Supporting Service implementation of the Act by assisting the efforts of the National Coordinator and refuges; 

(2) Reviewing and providing recommendations on new and revised Comprehensive River Management Plans to the Regional Refuge Chiefs;

(3) Advising the Regional Refuge Chiefs on matters pertaining to wild and scenic rivers and supporting the National Coordinator; and 

(4) Developing and maintaining relationships with States, Regional-level partnership organizations, nonprofit groups, and the general public interested in the management of designated rivers or the inventory, evaluation, and management of potential additions to the Rivers System.

(1) Ensuring Refuge Managers with wild and scenic river responsibilities receive appropriate core competency training to meet their obligations under the Act;

(2) Ensuring Refuge Managers manage wild and scenic rivers to protect and enhance their free-flowing condition, water quality, outstandingly remarkable values, and river classifications; and

(3) Providing program development and support to refuges to ensure wild and scenic rivers studies are conducted and protective management is addressed during the development of land use plans, and subsequent implementation by the Refuge Manager through appropriate monitoring and management actions.

(1) Managing land and water resources associated with each designated or eligible wild and scenic river to protect and enhance their free-flowing condition, water quality, outstandingly remarkable values, and river classification;

(2) Within 1 year of designation, developing and transmitting a map and detailed boundary description and classification for each wild and scenic river, as required by statute, to the Regional Refuge Chief;

(3) Developing and submitting Comprehensive River Management Plans, revisions to Comprehensive River Management Plans, and associated compliance documents for wild and scenic rivers within the boundaries of the refuge or where the refuge has lead management authority;

(4) Cooperating with other co-administrating or lead agencies on the development of Comprehensive River Management Plans and management decisions when rivers are partly within the refuge’s boundaries or are outside the refuge’s boundaries but may impact or be impacted by river management decisions;

(5) Ensuring, to the extent practicable, that Comprehensive River Management Plans consider the plans of Tribes, ANCs, ANOs, the Native Hawaiian Community, and State and local governments;

(6) Conducting assessments of rivers for eligibility for inclusion in the Rivers System during refuge land planning processes, and providing recommendations to Regional Refuge Chiefs;

(7) Ensuring, through State and Federal legal or administrative procedures, water of sufficient quantity and quality for purposes specified within the Act;

(8) Conducting evaluations of all federally proposed or assisted water resources projects pursuant to Section 7 of the Act or cooperating on the evaluations on a multi-jurisdictional river;

(9) Conducting suitability analyses when an eligible river’s free-flowing condition, water quality, outstandingly remarkable values, or classification may be impacted by Service management decisions; and

(10) Conducting congressionally authorized studies under Sections 4 and 5 of the Act and preparing studies under Section 5(a) of the Act for transmittal to Congress.