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This entry was published on 2017-09-29
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SECTION 15-2707
Classes of river areas includable in system, criteria; management objectives
Environmental Conservation (ENV) CHAPTER 43-B, ARTICLE 15, TITLE 27
§ 15-2707. Classes of river areas includable in system, criteria;

management objectives.

1. The following types of river areas are eligible for inclusion in
the system. All state agencies are hereby directed to pursue policies
with respect to their respective activities, functions, powers and
duties which are designated to enhance the conditions of designated
rivers in accordance with the criteria set forth for such rivers in this
section.

2. All rivers in the system shall be relatively free of pollution and
the water quality thereof of a standard sufficiently high to meet the
primary management purposes enumerated herein.

a. Wild river. Those rivers or sections of rivers that are free of
diversions and impoundments, inaccessible to the general public except
by water, foot or horse trail, and with river areas primitive and
undeveloped in nature and with development, if any, limited to forest
management and foot bridges.

(1) The minimum length of any one section shall be five miles.

(2) In general, the minimum distance from the river shore to a public
highway or a private road open to the public for motor vehicle use,
shall be one-half mile except where a physical barrier exists which
effectively screens the sight and sound of motor vehicles.

(3) Management of wild river areas shall be directed at perpetuating
them in a wild condition as defined herein.

b. Scenic river. Those rivers, or sections of rivers, that are free of
diversions or impoundments except for log dams, with limited road access
and with river areas largely primitive and largely undeveloped or which
are partially or predominantly used for agriculture, forest management
and other dispersed human activities which do not substantially
interfere with public use and enjoyment of the rivers and their shores.

(1) There shall be no minimum length of any one section.

(2) Management of scenic river areas shall be directed at preserving
and restoring the natural scenic qualities of such rivers.

c. Recreational river. Those rivers, or sections of rivers, that are
readily accessible by road or railroad, that may have development in
their river area and that may have undergone some impoundment or
diversion in the past.

(1) There shall be no minimum length of any one section.

(2) Management shall be directed at preserving and restoring the
natural scenic and recreational qualities of such river areas.

d. Exceptions. Limited existing exceptions to the criteria for all
three classes of rivers will not automatically exclude rivers from
designation. Rather, the river area shall be examined as a whole with
its overall worthiness for inclusion being the deciding factor.