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24-790: The lake discharges into Big Grizzly Creek, a tributary of the Middle Fork Feather River . Grizzly Valley Dam is an earth-and-rock dam 800 feet (240 m) long and 115 feet (35 m) high, with 10 feet (3.0 m) of freeboard. The California Department of Water Resources manages the dam. Located in Plumas National Forest , Lake Davis is the centerpiece of the Lake Davis Recreation Area, which supports boating, campground camping, cross-country skiing, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, picnicking, snowmobiling, swimming, and wildlife viewing. During 1996-97 Lake Davis

48-480: Is home to some of the best wild trout fishing in California. The Grizzly Valley is a 21 sq mi (54 km ) landform of the upper Middle Fork Feather watershed that receives 29-37 inches of annual precipitation. The valley is the location of Lake Davis , an impoundment of Big Grizzly Creek by the 1967 Grizzly Valley Dam. National Wild and Scenic River The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System

72-564: Is joined by Sulphur Creek. In the area of Graeagle , It is joined by Frazier Creek, flowing out of Gold Lake, then Gray Eagle Creek, flowing out of Long Lake. After flowing through the Mohawk Valley, it then turns westwards into a canyon. Jamison Creek and Nelson Creek enter from the left, then Onion Valley Creek a few miles onward. Bear Creek, Willow Creek and the North Fork Middle Fork Feather River all come in from

96-519: The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ; this is less than one-quarter of one percent of the nation's rivers, which flow over 3.5 million miles (5,600,000 kilometers) across the United States. By comparison, more than 75,000 large dams across the country have modified at least 600,000 miles (970,000 km), or about 17 percent of American rivers. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of

120-793: The National Landscape Conservation System , and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska . State-managed Wild and Scenic Rivers are subject to the same protections as federally administered rivers. These state rivers can be added to the National System by the Secretary of the Interior following an application by the governor of the state the river flows through. Designated rivers are assigned one or more classifications: Wild, Scenic, or Recreational. These classifications are based on

144-486: The U.S. Congress or the Secretary of the Interior . In 1968, as part of the original act, eight rivers were designated as National Wild and Scenic Rivers ( Clearwater , Eleven Point , Feather , Rio Grande , Rogue , St. Croix , Salmon , and Wolf ). As of November 2018 , 209 rivers, totaling 12,754 miles of river in 40 states and Puerto Rico, have Wild and Scenic status. By comparison, more than 75,000 large dams across

168-819: The 50th Anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. On August 2, 2018, 20 miles (32 km) of East Rosebud Creek in Montana were designated as a Wild and Scenic, the first Wild and Scenic designation in Montana in over 40 years. Designation as a Wild and Scenic River specifically protects the free-flowing nature of rivers in both federal and non-federal areas, something the Wilderness Act and other federal designations cannot do. Despite misplaced fears, WSR designation does not alter private property rights. Federally administered National Wild and Scenic Rivers are managed by one or more of

192-593: The DFG again utilized rotenone in September 2007, after lowering the water level. DFG's justification for the action was their concern that pike might escape the lake and enter the Sacramento River system, potentially harming native anadromous fish species such as steelhead and salmon . The effort was controversial because pike are popular gamefish and considerable effort had already been spent on unsuccessful attempts to rid

216-493: The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to protect and enhance rivers found to be regionally and nationally significant. Rivers may be designated by Congress or, if certain requirements are met, the Secretary of the Interior . Each designated river is administered by either a federal, state, or tribal agency, or as a partnership between any number of these government entities and local NGOs . Designated segments need not include

240-497: The benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dams and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes." (Wild & Scenic Rivers Act) The Act established

264-677: The country have modified at least 600,000 miles, or about 17%, of American rivers. Selected rivers in the United States are preserved for possessing Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs) that fall into the 8 categories: Scenic, Recreation, Geologic, Fish, Wildlife, Historic, Culture, or Other similar values. These values can be considered synonymous with ecosystem services , or those goods and services that nature provides freely and that ultimately benefit society. Rivers (or sections of rivers) so designated are set out for protection and enhancement in perpetuity by preserving their free-flowing condition from dams and development that would otherwise diminish

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288-412: The developmental character of the river's surroundings on the date of designation. Wild rivers are the most remote and undeveloped while Recreational rivers often have many access points, roads, railroads, bridges, and homes located within the designated corridor. Scenic rivers tend to fall somewhere between the Wild and Recreational level of development. It is important to note that a river's classification

312-417: The entire river and may include headwaters and tributaries. For federally administered rivers, the designated boundaries generally average one-quarter mile on either bank in the lower 48 states and one-half mile on rivers outside national parks in Alaska in order to protect river-related values. As of August 2018, the National System protects over 12,700 miles (20,400 km) of 209 rivers in 40 states and

336-650: The four principal land-managing agencies of the federal government. Of the 209 National Wild and Scenic Rivers, the majority are managed by the United States Forest Service , followed by the National Park Service; ten of those managed by the NPS are official units , while most are part of other parks. The remaining WSR are managed under the Bureau of Land Management 's National Conservation Lands, originally called

360-498: The height of the United States environmental era, states: "It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for

384-454: The lake of pike using explosives, nets, shocking, and poison. Since the 2007 treatment, there have been no confirmed cases of northern pike in the lake. Middle Fork Feather River The Middle Fork Feather River is a major river in Plumas and Butte Counties in the U.S. state of California . Nearly 100 miles (160 km) long, it drains about 1,062 square miles (2,750 km ) of

408-621: The nation's rivers. Many waterways and the fish in them were toxic, rendering them unusable by surrounding communities. Populations of aquatic species were declining and people were being relocated from their communities due to rampant dam building. All across the country people were writing letters imploring the President and First lady to protect their beloved rivers. Ultimately, the act was sponsored by Sen. Frank Church ( D - Idaho ) and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on October 2, 1968. A river , or river section, may be designated by

432-523: The quality of their remarkable values. National Wild and Scenic designation essentially vetoes the licensing of new dams on, or directly affecting the designated section of river. It also provides strong protection against federally funded bank and channel alterations that adversely affect river values, protects riverfront public lands from new oil, gas, and mineral development, and creates a federal reserved water right to protect flow-dependent values such as fish habitat. In 2018, America continues to celebrate

456-538: The recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission (ORRRC). Among other things, the commission recommended that the nation protect wild rivers and scenic rivers from development that would substantially change their free-flowing nature and values. At this time, the country was also experiencing rapid degradation of its water resources due to municipal and industrial effluent being released into

480-708: The right as the river courses west-southwest through a tight, steep canyon strewn with rapids. It is then joined by the South Branch Middle Fork Feather River from the left. As the river widens into an arm of Lake Oroville , a reservoir formed by the Oroville Dam , the Fall River joins from the left. The reservoir is fed by the North , Middle, West and South Forks of the Feather River , which once joined in

504-706: The rugged northern Sierra Nevada range. Its headwaters are located near Beckwourth in the largest alpine basin in the Sierra Nevada, the Sierra Valley . The convergence of several streams there creates the Sierra Valley Channels, the largest of which is Little Last Chance Creek, flowing out of Frenchman Lake across the northeast side of the valley. Flowing west, it is joined by Big Grizzly Creek, with waters from Lake Davis . The river continues west, passing Portola and turning northwest at Clio , where it

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528-690: The valley to form the main Feather River. That river continues southwards to join the Sacramento River near the unincorporated community of Plumas Landing . One of the Middle Fork Feather's tributaries, the Fall River, feeds the Feather Falls . The Middle Fork is recognized by the US Government for its untamed beauty and is designated a National Wild and Scenic River for 77.6 miles of its length. The 32.9 mile stretch inaccessible to roads

552-684: Was created by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-542 ), enacted by the U.S. Congress to preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations. The Act is notable for safeguarding the special character of these rivers, while also recognizing the potential for their appropriate use and development. It encourages river management that crosses political boundaries and promotes public participation in developing goals for river protection. The Act, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in

576-467: Was in the national spotlight due to controversy over northern pike and the possibility of poisoning the lake. Following an explosion of the pike population, and the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) decided to treat the reservoir with rotenone , a naturally occurring poison deadly to gilled creatures. After the first attempt failed to eradicate the pike and the population rebounded,

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