America's Most Endangered Rivers - (Page 34) NUMBER 8 MA I N E A l l a g a s h W i l d e r n e s s Wa t e r w a y THR E AT : LOS S O F W I L D A N D S C E N I C RI V E R P R O T E C T I O N S Summary Once a crown jewel of the nation’s Wild and Scenic Rivers System, the unique character of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in northern Maine is in jeopardy. State river managers are being pressured to dilute or strip protections that safeguard the river’s recreational, economic and ecological values. In 2008, the 40th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, the state must strengthen, not weaken, protections for the Allagash and, by example, help uphold the integrity of rivers protected under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act nationwide. heart of the largest intact forest ecosystem east of the Mississippi. The banks of the Allagash are home to iconic species such as the pine marten, river otter, moose, loon, and the only breeding population of Canada lynx in the eastern United States. The clear waters of the Allagash provide ideal habitat for one of the largest native coldwater fisheries remaining in the eastern United States. For generations the Allagash has been a top destination for multi-day wilderness canoeing trips. A thriving industry of outfitters and guides serves visitors from across the country who wish to float a river that shows few signs of civilization. These very characteristics made the Allagash Wilderness Waterway an obvious early choice for the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. In 1970, the river became the first to be included in the state-administered component of the System. The Allagash’s “wild” designation is reserved for rivers that are generally accessible only by trail, and represent vestiges of primitive America. The Threat Over time, the state of Maine has allowed a growing number of drive-up access points, boat launches, and other intrusions into the Allagash Wilderness Waterway despite a mandate ALLAGASH RIVER AT-A-GLANCE RIVER LENGTH: 92 miles WATERSHED AREA: 1,240 square miles LARGEST TOWN IN THE WATERSHED: Allagash, ME (pop. 277) PERCENTAGE OF TREE COVER IN WATERSHED: near 100% DID YOU KNOW? The Allagash Wilderness Waterway was the first state-managed waterway to be included in the state-administered component of the national Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The River The Allagash Wilderness Waterway is a 92-mile-long ribbon of rivers, lakes, and streams winding through the A M E R I C A’ S M O S T E N D A N G E R E D R I V E R S ™ : 2 0 0 8 E D I T I O N | A L L A G A S H W I L D E R N E S S WAT E R WAY W W W. A M E R I C A N R I V E R S . O R G DEAN BENNETT http://www.americanrivers.org
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.