16. Value classes ;ire the categories to vliich each river segment will be 

 assigned to denote its recreational value or significance. 



On the worksheet, place each segment into one of the value classes, and use 

 the space marked "Fxplanation" to briefly list the primary reason (s) for 

 the value class assignment. 



Read the definitions attached to the five value classes carefully, and use 

 your Intuition to match the segment to a value class. The qualitv of the 

 recreation experiences that take place along the segment should plav a 

 large role in value class assignment. Quality can be defined in a number 

 of ways, but managers should have an idea of what is perceived as a 

 high-quality experience along a given segment. 



The outstanding category should be reserved only for the best of the best. 

 These river segments should represent the pinnacle of recreational 

 opportunities in Montana. Class IT segments are still extremely important 

 recreational resources that may have potential to provide top-quality 

 recreational experiences. The study will have little credibility or 

 utility if all segments were rated as outstanding, so a range of value 

 classes should be identified. 



Value class assignment should be based on existing recreational values and 

 uses, not on nebulous future or potential values. However, if planned 

 development, designation, or other imminent changes are scheduled to occur, 

 they may be considered in the rating. 



A good technique would be to assign rivers in your region to the value 

 classes and then study the list to see if the clusters of rivers make sense 

 intuitively. Each class would Ideally have different types of rivers in 

 it. Class I, for example, should not contain only Whitewater segments, or 

 primitive segments. It is important to remember that a high-value or 

 lower-value river segment will not have a stereotype; many different types 

 of rivers having vastly different characteis could all be in the same value 

 class. 



I. Outstanding recreational resources are exceptionally fine, popular or 

 well-known recreational settings that nearly everyone would agree arc 

 "Blue Ribbon" resources. They are unique within a region or provide 

 very high-quality recreational opportunities. These segments would 

 likely have many attributes (criteria) that are highly-valued within 

 the region, and agreement that the river belongs in this class should 

 be unanimous among tlic raters. Recreational users mav be willing to 

 travel long distances or endure difficult access to use these 

 resources. Use of this class should be reserved. For example, in the 

 state's stream evaluation system for fisheries, only about 10 percent 

 of the river reaches are in the highest-value class. 



II. Substantial recreational resources are highly valued, but not quite as 

 much as segments in Class T. These segments would likely contain 

 about five or more criteria ratings judged to be desirable within the 

 region. Very important recreational settings (among the finer in the 

 state or region), capable of providing top-quality recreational 

 experiences . 



-U- 



