Wild & Scenic Rivers
The Wild and Scenic
Rivers Act of 1968 (Pub. L. 90-542, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 1271-1287)
established the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, which now encompasses 11,300
miles designated from 163 rivers nationwide. The Service manages seven
wild and scenic rivers (1,043 miles) on five National Wildlife Refuge
System units in Alaska. All of these rivers were designated as “wild
rivers” with the passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands
Conservation Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-487) (ANILCA), which also designated
12 Alaska rivers for further study .
ANILCA amended the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in other ways, chiefly
in the methods for identifying lands included within a designated wild
river corridor, and lands withdrawn from mineral entry.
The following Wild and Scenic Rivers are located on refuge lands in
Alaska: