This spring the BLM's Southwest Resource Advisory Council submitted its WILD & SCENIC SUITABILITY RECOMMENDATIONS for the San Miguel and Dolores Rivers and Tributaries. 13 of the original 21 eligible segments were recommended as suitable. We appreciate the efforts of all who participated in determining the future of the San Miguel River and those of you who wrote letters of support! THANK YOU!

The BLM's Uncompahgre Field Office expects to release the DRAFT Resource Management Plan (RMP), including the Wild & Scenic Suitability, in early 2012. We will keep you informed of the public comment process as it will be necessary to support these findings in light of ongoing threats to the flows and habitat of the San Miguel River.

For more information about the ongoing RMP process CLICK HERE

For the recent W&S RECOMMENDATIONS and additional BLM Wild & Scenic information CLICK HERE

For a simple list of segments click READ MORE below.

ELIGIBLE SEGMENTS and FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS for San Miguel and Dolores Rivers

(For a more detailed report CLICK HERE)

BEAVER CREEK - Suitable for Recreation

DRY CREEK - Not Suitable

NATURITA CREEK - Not Suitable

SALTADO CREEK - Suitable for Wild

SAN MIGUEL #1 - Suitable for Recreational

SAN MIGUEL #2 - Suitable for Wild

SAN MIGUEL #3 - Suitable for Recreational

SAN MIGUEL #5&6 - Suitable for Recreational

TABEGUACHE CREEK #1 - Suitable for Wild

TABEGUACHE CREEK #2 - Not Suitable

LOWER DOLORES - Suitable for Scenic

NORTH FORK MESA CREEK - Not Suitable

DOLORES RIVER #2 - Suitable for Recreational

ICE LAKE CREEK #2 - Not Suitable

LA SAL CREEK #1 - Not Suitable

LA SAL CREEK #2 - Suitable for Recreational

LA SAL CREEK #3 - Suitable for Wild

LION CREEK - Not Suitable

SPRING CREEK - Not Suitable

DOLORES RIVER #1 - Suitable for Wild

CONSERVATION VALUES MAPS from the Center for Native Ecosystems.

BLM suitability is an administrative designation that does not apply to private land or water rights. It does not come with any water rights. A federal designation is a separate legislative process determined by Congress that could include water rights and additional protections. The current process is strictly a BLM administrative decision to determine if the "eligible" sections are "suitable" which would direct the BLM to protect "outstanding or remarkable resource values" in the river and river corridor.

The Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office (UFO) is also preparing an updated Resource Management Plan (RMP) and associated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This includes the BLM lands surrounding the San Miguel River in San Miguel County and the majority of BLM lands in Western Montrose County. An RMP, similar to a county master plan, is a land use plan that describes broad multiple-use guidance for managing public lands administered by the BLM.