Oregon Scenic Landscape Picture Named, "It's A Long Way Down"
Oregon Scenic Landscape Picture Named, "Out Of The Dark"
In 1969, Congress passed the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The Act declared that certain rivers possessing extraordinary scenic, recreational, fishery, or wildlife values shall be preserved in their free-flowing state, together with their immediate environments, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.
The Rouge river is recognized as a world-class destination, was a charter member of this august group. Federally designated rivers receive extra protection from incompatible development, pollution, and dams. They also make for great raft trips!
Waterways selected for the National Wild and Scenic Rivers were designated wild, scenic, or recreational. Different reaches of the same river may have different designations.
"Wild" rivers are those rivers or segments of rivers that are free of impoundments (dams) and generally inaccessible except by tail, with watersheds or shorelines essentially primitive and water unpolluted.
"Scenic" rivers are those rivers or segments of rivers that are free of impoundments, with shorelines or watersheds still largely primitive and shorelines largely undeveloped, but accessible in places by roads.
"Recreational" rivers are those rivers or segments of rivers that are readily accessible by road or railroad, that may have some development along their shorelines, and that may have undergone some impoundment or diversion in the past.
