In the original Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968Congress declared it the policy of the nation to protectand preserve selected American rivers and their immedi-ate environments for the benefit and enjoyment of pres-ent and future generations. The Act made free-flowingrivers and their contextual environments nationally sig-nificant. In doing so Congress specifically identifiedseven resource types it considered worthy of protectionon these riverscapes. These were labeled “outstanding-ly remarkable values,” namely scenic, recreational,geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or othersimilar values. The nature of six of the seven values isself-evident. In application since 1968, the seventh cate-gory, the so-called “other similar values,” has come toinclude hydrology, paleontology, and botany resources,among others. Section 3(b) of the original Act limits thepotential acreage in any given Wild and Scenic River unitto an average of not more than 320 acres of land permile measured from the ordinary high water mark onboth sides of the river.

The Niobrara Scenic River Designation Act of 1991amended the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act by designatingseventy-six miles of the Niobrara River between theBorman Bridge southeast of Valentine to the NebraskaHighway 137 bridge north of Newport. Consistent withlimitations set forth in the original Act, the protectedacreage in the new unit could not exceed 24,320 acres,which was the simple calculation of 320 acres of landper mile multiplied by the seventy-six-mile length of thedesignated reach.

In the 1991 Niobrara Act, Congress did not specificallyidentify for the Niobrara any of the seven core outstand-ingly remarkable values that ought to be protectedthough it labeled the unit a Scenic River, implying awatershed still largely primitive with shorelines largelyundeveloped. Nebraska’s congressional delegation didspeak eloquently in preauthorization testimony of theNiobrara as a “biological crossroads,” a “canoeists’ andoutdoor persons’ paradise,” and of its “unique historical,paleontological and archaeological significance.” In itssilence in the legislation, however, Congress placed theresponsibility of determining the Niobrara’s outstand-ingly remarkable values on the assigned managing agen-cies.

This section documents and assesses the Niobrara'sriver-related values based on existing scientific data andinformed professional judgment. This boundary analy-sis process commenced anew in the summer of 2000employing methodology commended by the InteragencyWild and Scenic Rivers Coordinating Council.

The purpose of this resource assessment is to documentthose river-related values or features that are truly "out-standingly remarkable" and those that, while not out-standingly remarkable, are meritorious and contributesubstantially to the river's setting or to the function ofthe river ecosystem or cultural context. To qualify as anoutstandingly remarkable value, the river-relatedresource must be a unique, rare, or exemplary feature ina regional or national context. The region of compari-son for the Niobrara River is generally considered to bethe central Great Plains.

Specific criteria for the individual outstandingly remark-able values are described in the opening paragraph foreach of the values. The criteria used in this NiobraraRiver assessment are given in a December 1999 technicalreport titled "The Wild & Scenic River Study Process"prepared by the Interagency Wild and Scenic RiversCoordinating Council. The seven criteria are followedby a discussion of the respective resources existing with-in the Niobrara River valley, and a finding and rationalefor a determination of significance. The descriptionsummarizes information on the existing condition of therespective resources drawn largely from the AffectedEnvironment section of this plan. As applicable, thedescription may also address any possible threats toresource values. This resource assessment also identifiesthe specific location of individual values if they do notoccur throughout the seventy-six-mile reach.

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Introduction

Resource Assessment Process

Niobrara National Scenic River Boundary

1. Scenic Value

Discussion

The designated seventy-six-mile Niobrara River reach isparticularly renowned for its aesthetically pleasing land-scape and diversity of plant groups and ecosystems, acondition of diversity widely held as comprising the sce-nic wonder of the Niobrara. Congress spoke to thisnotion directly and repeatedly in preauthorization testi-mony. The Niobrara is noted in scientific literature forthe many plants that exist in the valley at or beyond theirnormal geographic limits. Plant species of eastern, west-ern, and northern forest ecosystems and three GreatPlains prairie ecosystems meet and intermingle in thedesignated reach. Some 160 plants in the river valley areat the edge of their natural range.

As examples, ponderosa pine forest and savanna, aRocky Mountain vegetative standard, occurs at its east-ern limit in the Niobrara Valley. Eastern deciduous for-est mixing bur oak, American elm, black walnut, greenash, basswood, and hackberry, among other species, hasextended up the valley, while northern or boreal forestfeaturing paper birch, hybrid aspen, ferns, and severalspecies of club mosses is found on cool, moist, north-facing slopes. These plants apparently have survived asrelicts of the Pleistocene ice age, when they were morewidely distributed across the Great Plains.

Three types of grassland plant communities are alsofound in the area. The Niobrara provides a botanicaltransition between the tallgrass prairie of the morehumid east and the dryer shortgrass prairie to the west.Sandhills mixed-grass prairie covers the upland countrysouth of the river, where plant species adapted to uniquesandy conditions. Along the river and to the north, on

clayey soils, mixed-grass prairie is found without thespecialized sandhills plants. Also along the river, smallremnant patches of tallgrass prairie can be found onmoist river bottoms.

The Niobrara River is a stable flowing stream fed mostlyby groundwater discharge from the adjacent sandhills.The area is within the northern extent of the Ogallala orHigh Plains aquifer. The entrenchment of the NiobraraRiver drains local groundwater into cold springs, whichflow constantly and favor northern vegetation types.Waterfalls form where spring-fed creeks pour over hard-er rock layers. Smith Falls, the highest waterfall inNebraska, and Fort Falls, are among the most notable ofapproximately two-hundred waterfalls found to existwithin the unit.

Changes to vegetation occurring after homesteadinginclude the introduction of nonnative grasses andweeds. The forested areas have grown denser, largelydue to fire suppression and the reduction of timber cut-ting. Fire suppression has resulted in the spread of east-ern red cedar, a native plant that was formerly held incheck by prairie fires that once occurred as frequently asevery three to five years.

Modern developments are uncommon in the area. Thisis not a landscape encumbered with power lines andvestiges of modern America. Aged iron bridges andscattered ranches, instead, dot the unit and shape a cul-tural landscape many generations old. Recreationaldevelopments in the form of seasonal and permanenthomesites, canoe accesses, and campgrounds exist, par-ticularly in the western third of the unit, but they gener-ally blend with the natural environment rather than dis-rupt it.

The unique and inherently sound, largely untransformedvegetative condition of the Niobrara Valley, where sixcontinental ecosystems prosper and mix, is a broadlyoccurring condition existing from rim top and beyondto rim top and beyond, from Borman Bridge toNebraska Highway 137, and encompassing more than150,000 acres. See maps 3 and 4.

Finding

This seventy-six-mile reach of the Niobrara River retainsa timeless natural character with a splendid and nation-ally recognized mixing of distinct ecosystems, some attheir farthest continental range. Waterfalls add an addi-

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Discussion of Outstandingly Remarkable Values

Outstandingly Remarkable Criteria

The landscape elements of landform, vegetation, water,

color, and related factors result in notable or exemplary

visual features and/or attractions. When analyzing scenic

values, additional factors such as seasonal variations in

vegetation, scale of cultural modifications, and the length

of time negative intrusions (such as power lines) are

viewed may be considered. Scenery and visual attractions

may be highly diverse over the majority of the river or

river segment.

tional, exhilarating dimension and combine to make thescenery highly diverse. This unique natural conditioncontributes directly to other values, particularly Geologyand Fish and Wildlife discussed below. Despite pres-sures to expand recreational offerings and develop sea-

sonal and permanent homesteads, the valley remainslargely undeveloped. Roads are few and powerlines andsmokestacks do not mar the vistas. The scenic quality ofthe Niobrara River is found to be an outstandinglyremarkable value.

21

A clear, spring branch canyon stream cascades over bedrock in the western portion of the Scenic River.

2. Recreational Value

Discussion

Drawn by opportunities to explore and enjoy theuntrammeled scenery of a Great Plains river and valley,people enjoy a surprising array of recreational activitieswithin the Niobrara corridor from the Borman Bridge toNebraska Highway 137. While sightseeing, photography,hunting, and fishing are popular activities, canoeing,kayaking, and tubing the Niobrara are easily the mostheralded and fashionable forms of recreation luringthousands of regional and national visitors to the unitannually. While the river is widely marketed by state andlocal tourism officials, the Niobrara has also garneredextraordinary national attention. In January 1988, forinstance, Backpacker magazine proclaimed the Niobraraas one of America’s “10 best paddling rivers.” In April2000 National Geographic Adventure magazine labeledthe Niobrara as one of America’s 100 best outdooradventures. About 12,785 commercially outfittedfloaters launched at Fort Niobrara in 2003, along withanother 1,208 independents. While counts are not yetgenerated at other access sites, heavy summer dispersedput-in also occurs at Berry Bridge, Smith Falls StatePark, and Brewer Bridge.

Camping is also a popular activity in the unit, both atSmith Falls State Park, Meadville , and at private camp-grounds along the canoeable reach. Some 72,400 visi-tors were recorded at the state park in 2002, drawn bythe scenery, opportunities to explore and photographthe spectacular falls, float the river, and camp on itsbanks. More than 18,750 campers used the park in2002. Aside from Meadville, camping across the ScenicRiver is closely linked to canoe or tube use and associat-ed commercial outfitting.

Sightseeing by personal automobile is growing in popu-larity on the Niobrara, grounded in opportunities toview the diverse wildlife and cultural resources of theFort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, the lofty falls atSmith Falls State Park (where before a bridge wasinstalled in 1994 viewers either waded the river orarrived by canoe), and explore the valley’s seasonaldiversity from a network of primary and secondaryroads. Two popular valley overlooks, the so-calledSparks overlook, a simple shoulder turnout on the northrim several miles south of Sparks, and the well devel-oped Fred Thomas Wildlife Management Area overlookon Nebraska Highway 7 north of Bassett, offer equallydramatic views of the valley and adjacent sandhills to thesouth.

Developed trails at the Fort Niobrara Refuge and SmithFalls State Park augment sightseeing by vehicle, allowingfor quiet explorations of the riverfront, waterfalls, andsouth valley rim.

Hunting has an enduring appeal in the Niobrara Valley,featuring an array of traditional opportunities, trophyhunting, and the emergence of small commercial hunt-ing lodges, cabins, and bed and breakfasts in the valleyitself and in the surrounding gateway communities.

The varied recreational activities of the Niobrara arewidely scattered throughout the unit, with boating uselargely occurring in the western third of the designatedreach, sightseeing spotted throughout the unit but gen-erally associated with existing roads, and hunting andfishing widespread and typically dependent upon per-mitted access to private land. See maps 5 and 6.

Finding

Lured by dramatic, untrammeled scenery and friendlywater, canoeing and tubing the Niobrara River are stellaractivities with enthusiastic and loyal followings. Withthe addition of camping and sightseeing at places likeSmith Falls State Park and the Fred Thomas WildlifeManagement Area complementing long-available oppor-tunities at the Fort Niobrara Refuge, recreational use ofthe Niobrara National Scenic River is a growth industrydrawing regional and national audiences. The recre-ational attributes of the Niobrara Valley are found tocomprise an outstandingly remarkable value.

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Outstandingly Remarkable Criteria

Recreational opportunities are, or have the potential to be,

popular enough to attract visitors from throughout or

beyond the region of comparison or are unique or rare

within the region. Visitors are willing to travel long dis-

tances to use the river resources for recreational purposes.

River-related opportunities could include, but are not lim-

ited to, sightseeing, wildlife observation, camping, photog-

raphy, hiking, fishing, hunting and boating.

3. Geologic Value

Discussion

From its origins in the Hartville Uplift in easternWyoming, the Niobrara River meanders an easterly,leisurely course across northern Nebraska, traversing acorner of the Sandhills in Cherry County until reachingthe vicinity of Valentine where, for the next forty miles,the river runs a constrained bedrock channel of theRosebud and Valentine formations. The Niobrara in thislocation is the only Nebraska river flowing directly overits bedrock substrate, this occurrence giving rise to thepopular canoeable reach of the river with its characteris-tic increased river velocity, frequent stretches of rapidsand riffles, and surge flows. In the proximity of theNorden Bridge, the riverbed again widens and the waterslows, dropping its sand load to form a continuouslychanging, braided streambed.

The valley’s south-facing slopes particularly expose theMiocene-age Valentine Formation and the less visibleAsh Hollow Formation lying directly above it. Fewsprings emerge from either of these formations, owing totheir loamy and silty nature. On the opposite, north-fac-ing slopes, water originating in the Ogallala aquiferunderlying the Sandhills finds its way along the top ofthe relatively impervious Rosebud Formation to emer-gences in side canyons and valleys known locally as“springbranch canyons.” This water flows to the riverfrom permanent, cool springs and large and small water-falls.

The Niobrara’s waterfalls appear in a wondrous array,from the near seventy-foot-tall Smith Falls and sixty-foot-tall Fort Falls to the delicate Stairstep Falls featurednationally in a “Postcard from Nebraska” video reportairing July 23, 1995, on the CBS Sunday Morning televi-sion show. Some falls tumble deep in the springbranch

canyons and others cascade directly into the river. Morethan two hundred waterfalls are recorded in the desig-nated reach.

The geology of the Niobrara Valley is an intrinsic valueoccurring from rim top to rim top, and fully from theBorman Bridge to Nebraska Highway 137. As with thescenic quality discussed above, the geological valueencompasses more than 150,000 acres in the NiobraraValley.

Finding

The dynamic and evolved geology of the Niobrara Valleyis a delicate mix of well-watered, shady, and cool north-facing gradients; wider, sun-drenched south facingslopes; the diversity of a riverbed flowing variously overrock and sand substrate; and the tumble of water overhard rock. In their abundance and unexpected variety,the waterfalls of the Niobrara alone are unique to bothNebraska and the Great Plains. This multifaceted geolo-gy, in turn, supports the incredibly diverse and rich biotadiscussed above as the inherent quality in the ScenicOutstandingly Remarkable Value, and the diversity ofthe river's fish and wildlife and remarkable paleontologydetailed in respective outstandingly remarkable valuediscussions below. Because of individual uniquenessesand inextricable links to the river's flora, fauna, andpaleontology, the Niobrara's geology is found to be anoutstandingly remarkable value.

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Outstandingly Remarkable Criteria

The river, or the area within the river corridor, contains

one or more examples of a geological feature, process, or

phenomenon that is unique or rare within the region of

comparison. The feature(s) may be in an unusually active

stage of development, represent a “textbook” example,

and/or represent a unique or rare combination of geologic

features (erosional, volcanic, glacial, or other geologic

structures).

Fort Falls.

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The Niobrara River Valley is home to both free-roaming and enclosed elk herds.

4. Fish And Wildlife Value

Discussion

The Niobrara River drainage contains the largest num-ber of fish species occurring in Nebraska. Fish speciesspecifically recorded in the Scenic River reach includethe plains topminnow, red shiner, sand shiner, creekchub, white sucker, and Iowa darter. The Scenic Riveralso contains several species representing glacial relictpopulations, including the pearl dace and blacknoseshiner. The latter species are almost entirely limited inNebraska to the cool, clear side streams of the ScenicRiver.

Cold-water fish are present in several Scenic River tribu-taries, including brook trout and rainbow trout. Somesport fishing occurs, but this reach of the Niobrara is notgenerally regarded as a unique fishing river. Warm-water species such as channel catfish and panfish speciesincluding bluegill and green sunfish also inhabit theNiobrara and provide some angling opportunity.

An amazing array of Great Plains mammals exist in theNiobrara Valley. White-tailed deer, mule deer, free-ranging moose, beaver, mink, coyote, rabbits, squirrels,skunks, foxes, and other mammals thrive along the river.Larger animals like bison and elk occur in fenced enclo-sures, though free-ranging elk are sighted as well.Occasionally mountain lions are seen in the forestedhills of the river valley. Documented sightings of riverotter, a state threatened species, have been recordedalong the designated portion of the Niobrara but its cur-rent population is unknown.

The Scenic River is distinctive in that it supports threemammal species that are uniquely associated with theNiobrara. Bailey’s eastern woodrat, a southern speciesthat possibly moved north during a warm, wet period, isnow found as an isolated population in the centralNiobrara Valley. The olive-backed pocket mouse is alsofound in the valley, this western species noted at theeastern limits of its range. The southern bog lemming, arare mammal of northeastern origin, occurs within theNiobrara Valley at its interface with the Sandhills.

Bats are documented in the Niobrara Valley and repre-sent an important component of the mammal communi-ty. Keen’s bat and the Brazilian free-tailed bat have onlybeen found in the central Niobrara Valley. Keen’s bat isassociated with moist, eastern-type habitats, while theBrazilian free-tailed bat ordinarily has an affinity forsouthern, neo-tropical habitats.

A diverse array of birds also inhabit the Niobrara Valley.Five western bird species reach their eastern limits in thevalley, while six northern oriented species reach theirsouthern limits in the valley. The central reach of theNiobrara Valley is ecologically significant because itserves as an east-west avian corridor and importantmeeting ground, especially for forest-dependent species.Hybridization of eastern and western associated species,such as indigo and lazuli buntings, yellow-shafted andred-shafted flickers, and Baltimore and Bullock’s oriolesare vivid testaments to the biological uniqueness of theScenic River. Bald eagles are especially common in win-

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Outstandingly Remarkable Criteria

Fish values may be judged on the relative merits of either

fish populations, habitat, or a combination of these river-

related conditions. As relates to populations, the river is

nationally or regionally an important producer of resident

and/or anadromous fish species. Of particular signifi-

cance is the presence of wild stocks and/or federal or state

listed (or candidate) threatened, endangered or sensitive

species. Diversity of species is an important consideration

and could, in itself, lead to a determination of “outstand-

ingly remarkable.” As relates to habitat, the river provides

exceptionally high quality habitat for fish species indige-

nous to the region of comparison. Of particular signifi-

cance is habitat for wild stocks and/or federal or state list-

ed (or candidate) threatened, endangered or sensitive

species. Diversity of habitats is an important considera-

tion and could, in itself, lead to a determination of “out-

standingly remarkable.”

Wildlife values may be judged on the relative merits of

either terrestrial or aquatic wildlife populations or habitat

or a combination of these conditions. As relates to popula-

tions, the river, or area within the river corridor, contains

nationally or regionally important populations of indige-

nous wildlife species. Of particular significance are species

considered to be unique, and/or populations of federal or

state listed (or candidate) threatened, endangered, or sen-

sitive species. Diversity of species is an important consid-

eration and could, in itself, lead to a determination of “out-

standingly remarkable.” As relates to habitat, the river, or

area within the river corridor, provides exceptionally high

quality habitat for wildlife of national or regional signifi-

cance, and/or may provide unique habitat or a critical

link in habitat conditions for federal or state listed (or can-

didate) threatened, endangered, or sensitive species.

Contiguous habitat conditions are such that the biological

needs of the species are met. Diversity of habitats is an

important consideration and could, in itself, lead to a

determination of “outstandingly remarkable.”

ter months, but are also seen in lesser numbers through-out the year.

The Niobrara Valley is seasonal home to several threat-ened and endangered bird species. The interior leasttern and piping plover nest on sandbars east of NordenBridge. In September 2002, the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService designated the river east of Norden Bridge ascritical habitat for piping plovers. The river also providesimportant resting and forage habitat for several migrat-ing birds, including whooping cranes.

The Niobrara Valley is home to several wildlife speciesthat do not receive much attention but indeed are signif-icant to the overall biodiversity and integrity of the riverand its ecosystems. Some ninety-two species of butter-flies have been recorded in the valley and sixteen speciesreach the edge of their range there. Hybridization ofthree species, the Red-spotted purple, Weidemeyeri’sadmiral, and Eastern viceroy are noted as evolutionaryand genetically significant and provide excellent oppor-tunities for research.

Reptiles also occupy a special niche within the NiobraraValley. The ringneck snake occurs in deciduous forestoriented areas of the valley and reaches its western limitsthere while the eastern hognose snake also occurs in thevalley and is otherwise only marginally distributedacross the Sandhills.

Finding

The importance of native habitat in the seventy-six-mile-long Niobrara National Scenic River is a value closelyassociated with the diverse and rich biota referencedabove that comprises a core quality in the ScenicOutstandingly Remarkable Value. By themselves any ofthe valley’s animals can seem insignificant. But whenexamined within the context of traditional ranges andthe unique diversity and intermingling of ecosystems,the profusion of habitats and animal species become anoutstanding example of Great Plains biological diversity.The Scenic River is doubly unique in that it serves as anecological crossroads for several species of fish, birds,mammals, reptiles, and invertebrates, and a major areafor hybridization and evolution. As well, portions of theScenic River are important as potential critical habitatfor several threatened or endangered species. Accord-ingly, fish and wildlife and corresponding habitats arefound to be an outstandingly remarkable value found

from rim-top to rim-top and throughout the seventy-six-mile length of the Scenic River.

5. Historic Value

Discussion

This segment of the Niobrara Valley has witnessedhuman occupancy from the time of Paleo-Indians some7,500 to 11,500 years before the present, to the era ofcattle ranching, a cultural legacy arriving in the 1880sand persisting in modern time. Archaeological sitesassociated with Indian occupation are recorded in thevalley, but none are listed in the National Register.White explorers traversed the river in the 1850s but leftno traces. The United States Army established FortNiobrara in 1879, largely to ensure peaceful Indian rela-tions at the nearby Rosebud Sioux Reservation. Onearmy structure survives and the fort site is listed in theNational Register of Historic Places. The arrival of theFremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad in 1883opened northcentral Nebraska to cattle ranching andhomesteading, and several saw and flourmills wereoperating along the Niobrara River by the mid-1880s.Residents of Valentine, a community founded concur-rently with Fort Niobrara, built the Cornell Dam in1915-16 as a source of water and electricity. The damceased functioning in the fall of 1984 though it survivespresently. Serving homesteaders, eight iron truss bridgesspanned the Niobrara in the first quarter of the twenti-eth century. Four are listed in the National Register.

Finding

The historic uses of the Niobrara River corridor for sea-sonal camping, as the site of a military post overseeingan Indian agency, and associated with community devel-opment or homesteading are typical of river settings in

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Outstandingly Remarkable Criteria

The river, or area within the river corridor, contains a

site(s) or feature(s) associated with a significant event, an

important person, or a cultural activity of the past that

was rare or one-of-a-kind in the region. Many such sites

are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A his-

toric site(s) and/or feature(s) is 50 years old or older in

most cases.

the region. While several sites and structures are listedin the National Register of Historic Places, none areunusual within the region of comparison. History,therefore, is not considered an outstandingly remarkablevalue for the Niobrara National Scenic River.

6. Cultural Value

Discussion

Though used by Indians as a seasonal camping andhunting landscape for millennia, the Niobrara Valley isnot known to possess sites of unique cultural signifi-cance as is commonly associated with places like BearButte and Spirit Mound, South Dakota, Devils Tower,Wyoming, or the pipestone quarries in Minnesota. Suchdesign values as may have been associated with theUnited States Army’s development and garrisoning ofFort Niobrara were long ago compromised with aban-donment and post-abandonment destruction of thatsite. Activities associated with cattle ranching, however,do comprise a traditional cultural value and landscapethat are now more than a century old and still evincingthe distinctive melding of a human endeavor on adiverse and delicate landscape. Testimony beforeCongress as the unit was being established applaudedthis characteristic Niobrara legacy, noting how this tra-dition of stewardship contributed to the outstandingnatural integrity of the valley.

Finding

The saga of cattle ranching in the Niobrara Valley is alegacy worthy of careful study, both for its perpetuationof a renowned Western cultural institution and becauseit so directly preserved the natural character of the land-scape. While deserving of specific study and memorial-ization, however, the cattlemen’s legacy on the Niobrarahas many parallels on other riverscapes within theregion. In fact, careful land stewardship generally asso-

ciated with cattle ranching is a renowned tradition inNebraska and across the Great Plains and not so much alocalized attribute. As such, the cultural resources of theNiobrara are not found to be an outstandingly remark-able value when compared with other rivers in theregion.

7. Other Similar Values (Paleontology)

Discussion

Congressional testimony preceding the establishment ofthe Niobrara National Scenic River repeatedly laudedthe paleontology of the valley as nationally exceptional.One Nebraska congressman boldly quoted University ofNebraska paleontologist Michael Voorhies, who labeledthe Niobrara “the best bone hunter’s river in the world.”Indeed, the designated reach is extraordinarily rich indocumented fossil sites and has been studied by thenation’s scientific community for nearly 125 years. Of164 catalogued sites in the study area, fifteen were ratedas internationally significant, thirty-seven as nationallysignificant, and 106 as regionally significant. Someeighty species of extinct vertebrates were first identifiedin the project area, including fifty-six mammals, thirteenreptiles, eight amphibians, two birds, and one fish.

Type localities are where a previously unknown specieswas first discovered. The project area contains twenty-six type localities. Diversity of species found at a site isscientifically noteworthy. No less than 146 vertebratespecies were found at one site, a locale renowned as thebest of its type in North America. Another site has pro-duced eighty-nine mammal species (more than anyother single fossil quarry in the world). Yet another siteproduced eighty-four microvertebrate species, and a latePleistocene faunal site along the river yielded the onlyknown remains of several species of northern forestmammals on the Great Plains. Of these sites, sometwenty have been recommended for inclusion in theNational Register of Historic Places, that assessment

35

Outstandingly Remarkable Criteria

The river, or area within the river corridor, contains a

site(s) where there is evidence of significant historic,

archaeological, ethnographic, or design values. The site

may have unique natural and built features and the

dynamics inherent in natural processes and continued

human and animal occupation.

Outstandingly Remarkable Criteria

While no specific national evaluation guidelines have been

developed for the “other similar values” category, assess-

ments of additional river-related values consistent with the

foregoing guidance may be developed — including, but not

limited to, hydrology, paleontology, and botany resources.

noting that the sites in the area contribute to our under-standing of prehistory of vertebrate life on the NorthAmerican Great Plains. See maps 7 and 8.

Finding

The designated reach of the Niobrara River is interna-tionally renowned for the multiplicity of known speciesand type localities associated with the study of mammalevolution in North America. These paleontologicalresources have been studied by scientists for more than125 years, and vigorous research continues. The paleon-tological resources of the Niobrara Valley are found tobe an outstandingly remarkable value.

The Niobrara Scenic River Designation Act of 1991amending the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 obli-gated the National Park Service to develop a boundaryto facilitate protection of the Niobrara National ScenicRiver and associated outstandingly remarkable values.The Niobrara’s outstandingly remarkable values aredetermined to include Scenic, Recreational, Geologic,Fish and Wildlife, and Paleontological. The threeboundary alternatives detailed below are not linked tospecific management alternatives. Any boundary alter-native could be chosen independent of any managementalternative selected. The National Park Service does notintend to post or fence the Scenic River boundary. TheNational Park Service may do surveying only if neededto resolve a matter of concern or dispute.

A boundary acts to highlight the most exemplary rivercorridor resources, defined as its outstandingly remark-able values. Unlike a boundary for a reservoir or high-way construction project, this Scenic River boundarydoes not define land to be purchased. The Wild andScenic Rivers Act encourages landscape protection bymeans other than federal purchase, although federalpurchase of land is authorized. The Act also encouragesthe managing federal agency to cooperate with state andlocal governments, organizations, and individuals toplan, protect, and manage river resources. Assistancecould be provided for protection of river-relatedresources inside or outside the boundary. Agreementsto do so may include financial assistance. Cooperativeplanning and agreements with local governments and

private landowners can take place either inside or out-side of the boundaries.

The National Park Service cooperated with several stateand federal agencies and institutions to gather informa-tion and analyze the river’s resources. This database wasused to develop the preceding outstandingly remarkablevalue maps for scenic, recreational, and paleontologicalresources and three different boundary alternatives thatseek to protect and enhance the values which caused theNiobrara to be included in the Wild and Scenic RiversSystem.

Boundary Alternative 1 encompasses one-quarter mile(0.25) of land from the ordinary high water mark oneach side of the Niobrara River for the seventy-six-milelength of the designated reach from Borman Bridge tothe Nebraska Highway 137 highway bridge north ofNewport. This boundary includes portions of the con-gressionally designated wilderness within the FortNiobrara National Wildlife Refuge.

This quarter-mile interim boundary is the same as theso-called “study boundary” prescribed in Section 4(d) ofthe Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The total land area forthis boundary alternative is 24,320 acres, the sum a cal-culation derived directly from the Act. This alternative isnot preferred because, although it protects many of theNiobrara’s outstandingly remarkable values, it is not tai-lored to provide maximum protection to the most out-standingly remarkable values, and it does not take intoconsideration practical lines of demarcation such asroads and property lines. It is not considered to meetthe full intent of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Seemaps 9 and 10.

This boundary alternative favors protection of theNiobrara’s outstandingly remarkable Scenic andPaleontological values, owing to their heralded nationaland international recognition, while incorporating butnot always favoring its Recreational, Geologic, and Fishand Wildlife values and staying within the legislated

36

Boundary Alternatives

Boundary Alternative 1

Boundary Alternative 2

acreage limits prescribed in the Wild and Scenic RiversAct. The wilderness area within the Fort NiobraraNational Wildlife Refuge is protected by an Act ofCongress and this boundary follows the ordinary highwater mark through this 5.5-mile portion of the refuge.The presence of other protected lands was also consid-ered and where they exist a minimum setback of twohundred feet above the ordinary high water mark wastypically applied. Exceptions abound, the leased land ofSmith Falls State Park being the most notable. Due tothe complexity of the intertwined biological resourcescomprising the Scenic value and the widely dispersedlocations of important paleontological sites, the bound-ary is substantially wider between the Allen and Nordenbridges. In one instance the boundary extends nearly2.75 miles from the river, and it extends nearly threemiles up Fairfield Creek. The total land area associatedwith this alternative is 22,472 acres. This alternativemeets congressional intent for Wild and Scenic Riverprotection. See maps 11 and 12.

The preferred boundary for the Niobrara NationalScenic River was drawn to protect as equitably as possi-ble the river’s outstandingly remarkable Scenic,Recreational, Geologic, Fish and Wildlife, andPaleontological values, while staying within the legislat-ed acreage limits prescribed in the Wild and ScenicRivers Act. The protected values include unusual orexcellent examples of the river’s distinctive plant ecosys-tems, instances of integrated ecosystems, nearly all ofthe river’s waterfalls including its signature falls, andassociated geological features; riverine landscapes visi-ble from the streambed, key roads, and overlooks, all in

the context of recreational enjoyment; critical habitatsassociated with fish and wildlife resources including thatprescribed by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for cer-tain threatened and endangered species; and an array ofglobal, national, and regional class fossil sites. Severaldocumented National Register historic properties and anumber of other historic sites in the seventy-six-milereach are also included in the preferred boundary alter-native.

As the Fort Niobrara Wilderness is already protected byan Act of Congress, the boundary follows the ordinaryhigh water mark through this portion of the FortNiobrara Refuge. The presence of other protected landswas also considered and where they exist a minimumsetback of two hundred feet above the ordinary highwater mark, measured horizontally, was typicallyapplied. Exceptions abound, the leased land of SmithFalls State Park being the most notable. Due to the com-plexity of the intertwined biological resources compris-ing the Scenic, Geologic, and Fish and Wildlife values,the boundary is generally wider between the refuge andNorden Bridge, but to protect distinctive biologicalresources and viewsheds downriver it expands notice-ably again at the paved Highway 183, 7, and 137 cross-ings. Aside from the wilderness passage, the boundarydoes not measure less than two hundred feet above theordinary high water mark of the river elsewhere, and insome areas it extends nearly one mile from the river. Itextends about 2.5 miles up Fairfield Creek, site of keypaleontological resources. Although the Niobrara’s out-standingly remarkable values encompass more than150,000 acres in the designated reach, the total land areaassociated with this boundary, 23,074 acres, is withincongressionally prescribed limits. This alternative meetscongressional intent for Wild and Scenic River protec-tion. See maps 13 and 14.

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Boundary Alternative 3 (Preferred Alternative)

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Canoeists enjoy one of the Niobrara’s numerous waterfalls that plunge directly into the river.