There are 20 waterways and associated waterway corridors (comprising 26,742 acres) in the Planning Area that have been identified as eligible for inclusion in the NWSRS due to their ORVs and free-flowing characteristics. Chapter 3 and Appendix F describe the process used to identify WSR eligible waterways (WSR eligible waterway segments) and lists the ORVs, preliminary designations (wild, scenic, or recreational), and suitability determinations for each.

This section describes proposed management actions for WSR eligible waterway segments likely to result in impacts to other resources, resource uses, and special designations. This section also describes the effects of management actions on the ORVs and other WSR-related qualities identified in these areas (i.e., their free-flowing nature and the characteristics that justified their tentative classifications).

Adverse impacts from management of WSR eligible waterways result from actions that restrict resource uses or the management of resources; beneficial impacts are those that enhance other resource uses or the management of resources. Adverse impacts to WSR eligible waterways are those that diminish free-flowing characteristics, ORVs, and characteristics that justified their tentative classifications as wild, scenic, or recreational waterways; beneficial impacts are those that preserve and enhance these qualities. ORVs include scenic, recreational, geologic, fish, wildlife, cultural, historic, and other similar values (e.g., ecologic/biologic diversity, paleontological, or botanic values). Adverse impacts to ORVs generally result from surface-disturbing activities (such as mineral development, ROW and road construction, and vegetation treatment and timber harvesting) or other activities that can affect vegetation or damage resources, such as concentrated livestock grazing and off-road motorized vehicle use.

Direct impacts result from management actions prescribed to WSR eligible waterway segments that restrict other resource uses or activities. Direct impacts also result from resource uses or activities (or restrictions thereof) within WSR eligible waterway corridors that affect their tentative classifications. Indirect impacts include management actions prescribed to overlapping special designations (e.g., WSAs) that may contribute to the preservation of free-flowing characteristics, ORVs, and characteristics that justified their tentative classifications.