Resources

National Guidance and Support

The NPS Wild and Scenic River (WSR) Program works to reduce the risks of WSR resource degradation and adverse litigation outcomes. Our efforts improve awareness of WSR study and management responsibilities throughout the NPS, helping to ensure the agency will continue to protect and enhance the rivers placed under its care. The following highlights the Program's work: 

Law and Policy

• Policy Guidance from the Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Council and NPS policy and materials that support consistent management for the National WSR System and provide the basis for training and technical assistance.

Communication and Outreach

• Tips and Tools for Community Engagement on Rivers toolkit contains a compilation of resources that all rivers, designated or not, can use for youth engagement, and recreation, river access and stewardship.
• Wild and Scenic River Currents and other WSR news highlights river work at the national and local river level.
• Junior River Ranger Booklet Guidelines provide themes and templates to help develop a Junior River Ranger program for your river. When developing your Junior River Ranger booklet, be sure to first review the information in the National Park Service’s Junior Ranger program kit (“hard copy” kit and companion website).

Planning and Development

• Planning Products help guide WSR-related resource management. The WSR Act has specific planning requirements. The Program can work with river managers to develop planning products and more clearly describe river values, making it easier to ensure these values are protected and enhanced, and to evaluate whether proposed federal water resources projects should proceed.
• Program Development and Financial Support includes activities to create a community of practice to protect and share resources and expertise for WSR management. This work is done through the NPS Wild and Scenic Rivers Steering Committee which is a policy interpreting body who works to establish service-wide policies and guidelines. The Program works to ensure eligibility and special consideration for WSRs for NPS, DOI, and external funding sources. 

Resource Management

• Resource Management Technical Assistance/Consultation is project-specific advice that can help ensure that WSR requirements are met in a transparent and consistent manner, resource values are protected and enhanced, and litigation risk is reduced.

The Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Council (IWSRCC)

Because the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System (NWSRS) operates across the 4 land-managing agencies, training is often accomplished via efforts from the IWSRCC. The Council has collaborated with various partners to develop tools, competencies, live and on demand trainings, and guidance documents to support wild and scenic river training.

• Rivers.gov to explore the entire NWSRS and view interagency training resources.
• Frequently Asked Questions related to wild and scenic river management are answered with the ability to search by terms or topics.
• Technical (How-To) Papers produced by the IWSRCC and vetted through all four agencies.

River Management Society (RMS)

The River Management Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering river professionals. The River Training Center offers trainings, workshops, and webinars for professionals and volunteers who study, protect, and manage them.

• The Recently Designated Wild and Scenic Rivers Training Series is a useful tool for new river managers and those who want to learn more about Wild and Scenic River basics in easily digestible, three-to-five-minute videos.
• In-depth Wild and Scenic Rivers Resource from RMS includes ‘Must Know’ management tools, a Partnership Wild and Scenic Rivers toolkit, and a variety of on-demand trainings and webinars.