ABSTRACT:Efforts to protect free flowing streams of state significance have met with limited success. Some states established large numbers of “instant” scenic rivers through legislation, then have worked out procedures to add new streams. Other have inadequate current funding and staff to implement the law. The chief barriers to growth of the systems are:lack of program staffing and funding and support in some states,slowness of the study and planning process,landowner uncertainties about the effects on their property and rights, andlegal complexities.There are few difficulties experienced in evaluation criteria, but a lack of objective rating systems may cause future problems.The state systems which have grown require careful planning, thorough communications with landowners, flexible land use control programs, and systematic education of community leaders about the values and operation of the program. State systems now protect about four times the river mileage of the federal wild and scenic rivers program. This gap is likely to widen even more, if state programs can achieve their growth potential. No state appears to be yet near to achieving the full purpose of the policy makers who designed and instituted the scenic rivers progr
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