PACIFIC NORTHWEST RIVERS STUDY 



Method for Assessing the Significance of River Segments 

 and Systems for Recreational Resources in Montana 



June 1986 



LEAD AGENCY 



Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks 

 1420 E. Sixth Avenue 

 Helena, MT 59620 



SENIOR RESOURCE EXPERT AND STAFF 



Paul Pacini, Senior Resource Expert 



Stewart Allen, River Recreation Research Coordinator 



Jim Traub, River Recreation Research Assistant 



COOPERATING RESOURCE EXPERTS 



Wendell Beardsley, U.S. Forest Service 



Bob Lund, Bureau of Land Management 



Dr. Stephen McCool, University of Montana 



INTRODUCTION 



The Pacific Northwest Rivers Study was initiated to assess the 

 significance of river segments and systems for a variety of fish, 

 wildlife, natural, recreational, and cultural resource values. 

 The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks was 

 designated to take the lead in assessing the value of rivers for 

 Recreational Resources in the state of Montana. 



This report describes the methods used to complete the 

 assessment. The Category Description section provides background 

 on the rationale for Montana's inventory method. The Value Class 

 section describes the end product of this portion of the 

 study — the classes into which river segments were grouped. The 

 Criteria section explains the nine criteria Montana used to 

 inventory river segments. The Standards section explains how the 

 criteria and professional judgment were used to assign rivers to 

 value classes. 



