The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act gives communities
​the power to customize designation to meet local needs.


The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act is inherently flexible.  It was designed this way to encourage MORE local participation in the river’s management.  There is no such thing as a standard Wild and Scenic Designation.  Every designation is different because every river and every community is different.  The Crystal River Wild and Scenic effort seeks only that feature of the Act that will prohibit the building of dams and out-of-basin diversions on the main stem of the Crystal River.

Let it flow free forever

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Crystal Mill photo by Sarah Johnson

Wild and Scenic WILL

  • Protect 39 miles of the main stem of the Crystal River from dams and diversions to other watersheds
  • Protect our homes, private property, and lifestyles along the banks of the Crystal River from the future threat of dams or out-of-basin diversions
  • Prevent the expense of enormous local taxpayer dollars spent fighting future dam and out-of-basin diversion projects
  • Benefit local economies, agriculture, recreation, the environment, and provide additional leverage for funding river restoration projects

Wild and Scenic WILL NOT

  • Give the federal government power to take private property
  • Prohibit development of private property
  • Take away private landowner rights – landowners will be able to use their land just as they had before the designation. The only restriction is that landowners will not be able to build a dam or out-of-basin diversion on the Crystal River. This restriction also serves as a PROTECTION from other land and water rights owners who may seek to build a dam or out-of-basin diversion on the Crystal.
  • Alter existing water rights or state water law and jurisdiction.  All existing water rights remain unchanged.
  • Permit the federal government to change local private land-uses
  • Permit the federal government to control zoning of private lands
  • Limit access to public lands - The forest service currently manages public land along the Crystal as Wild and Scenic, but WITHOUT PROTECTION.  Under formal Wild & Scenic designation, most, if not all, existing public access and uses would continue but WITH PROTECTION from dams and out-of-basin diversions.​