A bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of the Rio Chama River in New Mexico as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
PL 100-633 (S.850), enacted 11/07/1988

102 STAT. 3320 
PUBLIC LAW 100-633—NOV. 7, 1988 
Public Law 100-633 
100th Congress 
An Act 
Nov 7 1988 
"^^ amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of the Rio Chama 
' 
River in New Mexico as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers 
[S. 850] 
System. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF RIO CHAMA RIVER. 
Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)) is 
amended by adding the following new paragraph at the end: 
"( ) RIO CHAMA, NEW MEXICO.—The segment extending from El 
Vado Ranch launch site (immediately south of El Vado Dam) down-
stream approximately 24.6 miles to elevation 6,353 feet above mean 
sea level; to be administered by the Secretary of Agriculture and the 
Secretary of the Interior. For purposes of compliance with the 
planning requirements of subsection (d), the Cooperative Manage-
ment Plan for the river prepared by the Secretary of Agriculture 
and the Secretary of the Interior may be revised and amended to the 
extent necessary to conform to the provisions of this Act. The 
segment of the Rio Chama beginning at the El Vado Ranch launch 
site downstream to the beginning of Forest Service Road 151 shall be 
administered as a wild river and the segment downstream from the 
beginning of Forest Service Road 151 to elevation 6,353 feet shall be 
administered as a scenic river.". 
SEC. 2. PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN SEGMENT OF RIO CHAMA. 
The protections afforded under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act for 
rivers listed in section 5(a) for study for potential addition to the 
national wild and scenic rivers system shall, until Congress deter-
mines otherwise, apply to the segment of the Rio Chama from the 
point at elevation 6,353 feet above mean sea level to the point 
approximately 4.0 miles downstream at elevation 6,283.5 feet above 
mean sea level: Provided, That nothing in this Act or the Wild and 
Scenic Rivers Act shall interfere with the Secretary of the Army's 
operation and management of Abiquiu Dam for purposes authorized 
by section 5 of Public Law 97-140 or otherwise authorized prior to 
December 31,1988. 
SEC. 3. MANAGEMENT OF OTHER RIVER SEGMENT AND FOREST SERVICE 
LANDS. 
(a) The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engi-
neers, the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of 
Land Management, and the Secretary of Agriculture, acting 
through the Forest Service, shall jointly manage the segment of the 
Rio Chama River in New Mexico from elevation 6,283.5 feet above 
mean sea level downstream to elevation 6,235 feet above mean sea 
level. Such management shall be pursuant to— 
(1) the Preferred Alternative for the proposed Santa Fe 
National Forest Plan (dated January 1986); 
PUBLIC LAW 100-633—NOV. 7, 1988 
102 STAT. 3321 
(2) the "Interim Rio Chama River Management Plan", dated 
May 1986 (as that plan may be revised in the "Final Rio Chama 
River Management Plan"); and 
(3) shall be consistent with the operation of Abiquiu Dam for 
purposes authorized by section 5 of Public Law 97-140 or other-
wise authorized prior to December 31, 1988. 
(b) The Secretary of Agriculture shall not acquire, except by 
consent of owner, any interests in the JoUy-Chama Canyon Subdivi-
sion: Provided, That such subdivision lands are maintained in single 
unit private residential use. 
Approved November 7, 1988. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S. 850 (H.R. 1839): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 100-394 accompanying H.R. 1839 (Comm. on Interior and 
Insular Affairs). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 100-568 (Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 133 (1987): Oct. 27, H.R. 1839 considered and passed House. 
Vol. 134 (1988): Oct. 7, S. 850 considered and passed Senate. 
Oct. 19, considered and passed House, amended. 
Oct. 20, Senate concurred in House amendment. 
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