MISSOURI NATIONAL RECREATIONAL RIVER National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior NEBRASKA, SOUTH DAKOTA OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES Dear Friends of the Missouri National Recreational River: National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, What comes to mind when you think about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Missouri National Recreational River? Survey, various state agencies from Nebraska and South Dakota, academic institutions, and other river Do you think of a vast midwestern escape where one partners. can experience solitude in nature and enjoy incredible wide open scenery of the river and its surrounding Based on this hard work and thoughtful input, we bluffs? A family friendly destination that provides are pleased to present to you the outstandingly second-to-none opportunities for fishing, boating, remarkable values of the Missouri National and picnicking? A rare example of a natural, large Recreational River. The value statements that follow river system that is home to an abundance and have been developed to provide a strong foundation diversity of plants, fish, birds, and other animals? for the future management and protection of this A waterway with an incredible cultural history that nationally significant river system—to help us focus tells the many stories of its inhabitants, from native our daily attention on the river’s most important people to European settlers? A “living laboratory” aspects. where people of all ages can learn about river We urge you to read these statements and to dynamics, ecology, plants and animals, history, and share your thoughts with us about what makes the other cultures? Missouri and its designated tributaries outstandingly The Missouri National Recreational River is all of this, remarkable to you. Thank you for sharing your and much more. To help us protect this river system passion for the Missouri National Recreational River for the benefit and enjoyment of future generations, by helping to shape its future. we have contemplated this very question to Best regards, determine what makes it outstandingly remarkable. Knowledgeable people from many agencies and Steve Mietz organizations in the region contributed valuable Superintendent information, insight, and perspective to help answer Missouri National Recreational River this question, including representatives from the National Park Service Front cover photo: Fall sunrise near Yankton, South Dakota Photo credit: Linda Gordon Rokosz 2 • Missouri NatioNal recreatioNal river OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES THE WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS ACT AND THE MISSOURI NATIONAL RECREATIONAL RIVER In 1968, Congress passed the Wild and • “Scenic” river areas – Those rivers Scenic Rivers Act. The act “declared to be or sections of rivers that are free of the policy of the United States that certain impoundments, with shorelines or selected rivers of the Nation, which with watersheds still largely primitive and their immediate environments, possess shorelines largely undeveloped, but outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, accessible in places by roads. geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values, shall be preserved • “Recreational” river areas – Those rivers in free-flowing condition, and that they or sections of rivers that are readily and their immediate environments shall be accessible by road or railroad, that may protected for the benefit and enjoyment of have some shoreline development, present and future generations.” and that may have undergone some impoundment or diversion in the past. In 1978 and 1991, Congress used the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate portions of the Missouri River, and two of its tributaries in Nebraska, as components of the national wild and scenic river system. In the designation legislation, Congress directed these reaches to be administered as a “recreational river” by the Department of Interior. Despite being designated separately, the two components are managed by the National Park Service as the Missouri National Recreational River. As stated in the 1978 and 1991 legislative acts, Kayaks on sandbar the designations include: Photo Credit: South Dakota Kayak Challenge 1978 designation: Under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, • Missouri River – “The segment from designated rivers are classified as wild, scenic, Gavins Point Dam, South Dakota, fifty- or recreational. The labels primarily relate to nine miles downstream to Ponca State the degree of development along the river, Park, Nebraska” not the proposed uses. And, regardless of the 1991 designation: classification, each designated river in the national system is to be managed in a way • Missouri River – “The 39 mile segment that protects and enhances the values that from the headwaters of Lewis and Clark prompted its designation. According to the Lake to the Ft. Randall Dam” act, the three classifications are defined as • Niobrara River and Verdigre Creek – follows: “The 25-mile segment [of the Niobrara • “Wild” river areas – Those rivers or River] from the western boundary of sections of rivers that are free of Knox County to its confluence with the impoundments and generally inaccessible Missouri River, including that segment except by trail, with watersheds or of the Verdigre Creek from the north shorelines essentially primitive and municipal boundary of Verdigre, waters unpolluted. These represent Nebraska, to its confluence with the vestiges of primitive America. Niobrara” OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES 3 • Missouri NatioNal recreatioNal river OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES Outstandingly remarkable values (ORVs) are contain the different ORVs. The results of this defined by the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act as evaluation were used to develop segment- the characteristics that make a river worthy of specific ORV descriptions for individual river special protection. Thus, the foundation for segments, providing further evidence and wild and scenic river management is a clearly support for the broad ORV statements. All of defined set of ORVs. The Interagency Wild and these broad statements and segment-specific Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council has issued descriptions are included in the document. The criteria for identifying and defining these following matrix summarizes the evaluation values. The criteria guidance states that: results and provides organization to the ORV • An ORV must be river related or dependent. This means that a value must ○ be located in the river or on its immediate shorelands (generally within 0.25 mile on either side of the river) ○ contribute substantially to the functioning of the river ecosystem ○ owe its location or existence to the presence of the river • An ORV must be rare, unique, or exemplary at a comparative regional or national scale. Such a value would be one that is a conspicuous example from among a number of similar values that are themselves uncommon or extraordinary. Based on these criteria and a careful analysis statements and segment-specific descriptions of the designated reaches of the Missouri that follow. It indicates which segments of the and Niobrara rivers, and Verdigre Creek, the Missouri National Recreational River possess National Park Service has determined that the above-mentioned ORVs. several ORVs are present on the Missouri In addition to ORVs, the free-flowing National Recreational River. condition and water quality of the Missouri The analysis concluded that the Missouri National Recreational River are also integral National Recreational River contains the to its designated status. Because free-flowing following ORVs: cultural, ecological, fish condition and water quality support the and wildlife, geological, recreational, and integrity of the ORVs and are key components scenic. A set of broad statements has been of future management, they are included as developed that articulates each ORV for the part of this ORV statement. entire Missouri National Recreational River. An evaluation process for each ORV was then used to determine which river segments Bow Creek Recreation Area 4 • Missouri NatioNal recreatioNal river OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES ORV Category River Segment Cultural Ecological Fish & Wildlife Geological Recreational Scenic Missouri River (39-Mile District) Fort Randall Dam to Choteau Creek • • • • (RM 880-852) Missouri River (39-Mile District) Choteau Creek to Running Water • • • • • • (RM 852-840) Niobrara River Western boundary of Knox County, • • • • • • NE to confluence with Missouri River Verdigre Creek Northern municipal boundary of Verdigre, NE to confluence with • Niobrara River Missouri River (59-Mile District) Gavins Point Dam to Rush Island • * • (RM 811-804) Missouri River (59-Mile District) Rush Island to Myron Grove • • • • • • (RM 804-787) Missouri River (59-Mile District) Myron Grove to Kate Sweeny Bend • • • • • • (RM 787-767) Missouri River (59-Mile District) Kate Sweeny Bend to Ponca State • • • • • • Park (RM 767-752) *Pending a final determination that will be based on research that confirms the presence of a viable population of the federally endangered scaleshell mussel (Leptodea leptodon). Mulberry Bend Overlook OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES 5 • Missouri NatioNal recreatioNal river Missouri National Recreational River National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Nebraska, South Dakota r ¤£18 e v i ¤£18 V LAKE ANDES R e r NATIONAL s m e i WILDLIFE m ll a Legend i s J o REFUGE e n d R n ( iv A City River Segmee nts UV50 r (! Recreational Site Lake 1 Fort Randall to Choteau