Welcome!
Welcome to the fourth edition of Wild and Scenic River Currents, an annual newsletter designed to share stories about National Park Service (NPS) wild and scenic rivers and the community of people working to protect and enhance them. This edition of Wild and Scenic River Currents highlights a diverse range of activities on our wild and scenic rivers in 2021, from new outreach and education initiatives to preservation of cultural landscapes to grappling with management challenges posed by climate change. We continue to be amazed by all the accomplishments on our wild and scenic rivers, especially during these turbulent times, and we appreciate the many contributions to Wild and Scenic River Currents this year. Thank you for all that you do to keep our rivers clean, healthy, and free-flowing!
Corita Waters, Co-Lead, and Susannah Erwin, Acting Co-Lead, of the NPS WSR Program
National Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Highlights
Throughout the past year, the NPS Wild and Scenic Rivers program has been working hard to assist and collaborate with rivers across the nation. With new guidance released in RM 46, community scientists collecting water quality data at 106 Wild and Scenic Rivers with Adventure Scientists, and the River Management Society’s River Training Center’s workshops and trainings, we have made strides this year in protecting and managing our Wild and Scenic Rivers. Read more about these accomplishments in the stories below.
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NPS Wild and Scenic Rivers ProgramRM 46 Brings New Agency Guidance
With great rivers comes great responsibility; NPS publishes Reference Manual 46 agency guidance.
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MobilizingCommunity Scientists for Water Quality
Adventure Scientists is mobilizing community scientists to collect water quality data at WSRs across the nation!
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The River Training CenterTrained Agency River Managers
The River Management Society's River Training Center (RTC) provided multiple online and in-person training workshops this year.
Connection & Protection
From improving recreational opportunities to expanding stewardship through community engagement, this section highlights the many unique projects that NPS and its partners carried out in 2021 to connect people to Wild and Scenic Rivers.
Stewardship & Science
With new scientific publications, projects to remove invasive species, and binational partnerships these stories highlight a comprehensive approach to science and stewardship in Wild and Scenic Rivers across the nation.
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The unique challenges of theRio Grande Wild and Scenic River
The future of the Rio Grande WSR depends on binational partnership. Learn about the unique challenges this river faces.
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Bluestone NSR (BLUE)Works to Recover a Threatened Species
Learn about a project to assist in the recovery of Virginia spiraea in both BLUE and Gauley River National Recreation Area (GARI).
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Two new publications fromNAU's Free-flowing Rivers Lab
Explore two recently published papers from the Northern Arizona University’s Free-flowing Rivers Lab.
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Westfield WSR isSlowing the Spread of Invasive Species
The Westfield Wild & Scenic R&R (Remove & Restore) project is working to slow the spread of invasive species.
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New project to address issues in theUpper Nemasket Watershed
TRSC is funding and participating in a community-based project to address longstanding issues in the Upper Nemasket River Watershed.
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Removing Variable Milfoil ThroughPowerful Partnerships
Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association gets grant from the Lamprey Advisory Committee to find and remove this invasive freshwater plant.
Our Changing Climate
Our modern climate is changing rapidly and managers must work diligently to address and adapt to the changes it brings.
Climate Change Impacts on the
Snake River HeadwatersWater Quality
Monitoring water quality in Wild and Scenic Rivers is essential to the health of our watersheds. By identifying issues, we can answer the question: Is this water safe for recreation?
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Lamprey River, NHQuantifying Water Quality
The Lamprey River Advisory Committee (LRAC) uses Wild Scenic River funds to find out: Is the river's water safe for fishing and swimming?
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Virgin River WSR is the Site of aBenthic Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom
A benthic harmful cyanobacteria bloom is discovered in a pristine wild and scenic river.
Land Additions
Through powerful partnerships, vital land and water is being conserved within Wild and Scenic River watersheds.
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13 New Additions to theNational Rivers Project
The River Management Society added 13 new wild and scenic river segments to the National Rivers Project in Alaska.
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Hunterdon Land TrustPreserves 500 Acres Along the Delaware
Within the last year, Hunterdon Land Trust helped preserve six properties, totaling more than 500 acres along the Delaware River.
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Conserving Land and Water ThroughThe Forest Legacy Program
The Forest Legacy Program is protecting significant forest areas from development and fragmentation in the Nashua River Watershed.
Cultural Resources
While many are drawn to rivers for their scenic and recreational values, there is often more than meets the eye at our Wild and Scenic Rivers. These stories highlight rivers celebrating the Outstanding Remarkable Value of cultural resources within their watersheds.
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More than Meets the Eye:Cultural Resources at a WSR
There is more than meets the eye on the St. Croix WSR. Evidence of the past may be waiting around the next bend or just below the surface.
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HighlightingHistoric Values of the Concord River
A new observation deck with an interpretive panel highlights historic values of the Concord River.
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On the Farmington RiverFunding Cultural Landscape Education
Funding has been secured for a second year of educational webinars about a 12,500-year-old Paleo-Indian site on the Farmington River.
Education, Outreach, & Volunteers
From new programming to anniversary celebrations these rivers are helping their communities form deeper connections to the areas they protect.
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New Educational Opportunities at theSPLASH Delaware River Floating Classroom
SPLASH Delaware River Floating Classroom on the Lower Delaware WSR is excited to share two new educational opportunities!
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DEWA/MIDENew Visitor Use Management Plan
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River releases a new VUM.
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Niobrara NSR celebrates 30th Anniversary
The Niobrara National Scenic River celebrated its 30th Anniversary with remembrances, a River Challenge, and announcing new programming!
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Junior Ranger "Let's Go Fishing" Program
Obed WSR partners with the National Parks Foundation to offer monthly Junior Ranger "Let's Go Fishing" Programs.
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Watch this short filmWekiva: A National Treasure
This short film by the Wekiva Wild and Scenic River System Management Committee was featured in the Florida Environmental Film Festival.
People & Resources
At the heart of preserving and protecting our wild and scenic rivers are the people who make it possible. Meet some new faces and celebrate some recent accomplishments of the Wild and Scenic Rivers community.
Welcome to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Community!
Sharon Kim
Outdoor Recreation Planner &
Alaska Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Coordinator
Alaska Regional Office
Sharon Kim is one of two leads for the Wild and Scenic River Program in Alaska for NPS. She has worked for NPS for over twenty years, including starting in 1999 for Alaska parks. Her background is in planning, compliance, and park resource management; and she was Resource Management Division Chief at Kenai Fjords National Park, as well as Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments. She loves water sports - paddleboarding, boating, and fishing in particular.
Adrienne Lindholm
NPS Alaska Wilderness Program Coordinator &
Alaska National Natural Landmark Coordinator &
Alaska Wild and Scenic Rivers Program Coordinator
Adrienne Lindholm co-coordinates the Wild and Scenic Rivers Program for the Alaska Region and has worked for the NPS in Alaska for more than 20 years. In addition, she melds her love of writing, law, science, and public education as the coordinator of Alaska's Wilderness Stewardship Program and National Natural Landmarks Program. Adrienne has trekked across the Arctic, fought off grizzly bears deep in the Alaskan wilderness, and survived harrowing descents of glacial rivers, but without a doubt, her most demanding and rewarding life experience is being a mother to young children.
Bob Krumenaker
Superintendent
Big Bend National Park &
Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River
Bob Krumenaker is superintendent of Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River. His over 40-year NPS career has taken him from half a dozen seasonal jobs in several western parks and monuments to resource and leadership roles in NPS Washington headquarters, in two regional offices and at major national parks from Zion in Utah to Shenandoah in Virginia and the Everglades in Florida. Prior to joining BIBE/RIGR, Bob was superintendent of Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Bob enjoys woodworking and furniture craft, history and good fiction, hiking and other outdoor pursuits.
Steve Black
Superintendent
Little River Canyon National Preserve &
Russell Cave National Monument
Steve Black is the superintendent of Little River Canyon National Preserve and Russell Cave National Monument. He has lived in NE Alabama for the last seven years with his wife Rhonda and their lab Lizzy. In addition to his current parks, Steve has been a superintendent either permanently or on acting at Big Hole NB, Canyon de Cheely NM, Bent's Old Fort NHS, Virgin Islands NP and has been a Park Ranger since 1989.
Congratulations to Jennifer Back!
The Interagency Wild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council (IWSRCC) awarded Jennifer Back, former NPS Wild and Scenic Rivers Science Lead as the recipient of the Jackie Diedrich Excellence in Leadership Award. This award recognizes an individual who has shown outstanding leadership to manage and protect wild and scenic rivers (WSR).
In her 5 years with the IWSRCC, Jen worked tirelessly to advance cross-disciplinary understanding of wild and scenic rivers and encouraged a deeper understanding of the importance of water quality data for long term river protection. Jen provided leadership on the national interagency partnership with Adventure Scientists, helping guide scientific protocol for community science and mentored three Conservation Fellows on water quality research providing a vital more complex understanding of WSR water quality (see ‘Evaluation of State Water Quality Assessments and the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System’).
Contact Us
If you have questions regarding a specific Wild and Scenic River project or want more information on Wild and Scenic Rivers please contact us.
Last updated: January 26, 2022