Protecting Scenic Rivers in Mississippi

Bill Quisenberry had been working almost 30 years on a piece of legislation to protect Mississippi's scenic rivers and streams. He finally got it. In 1999, the Mississippi Legislature passed a non-regulatory Scenic Rivers and Streams Program to work with landowners to promote buffers along stream banks.

"Quiz", as his many friends call him, works for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, which is the agency responsible for administering the program.

The new law designates six streams where reaches are available for scenic designation first. Those include Black Creek, Buttahatchie River, Okatoma Creek, Strong River, the Upper Pearl River and the Wolf River. Currently, only Black Creek, a federally designated wild and scenic river has protection.

The Scenic Rivers and Streams Program resulted from a series of public workshops held by a joint legislative committee which was co-chaired by Senator Lynn Posey (D-Union Church) and Representative Dick Livingston (D-Pulaski).

The full committee consisted of Representatives Bo Eaton, Tom Johnson, Joe Ellzey, Warner McBride, Jim Barnett, Jim Ellington, Steve Holland and Bobby Howell; Senators serving on the committee included Billy Harvey, Vince Scoper, Bunky Huggins, Bob Dearing, Clyde Woodfield, Bill Canon, Billy Thames and Joe Stogner. The Mississippi Legislature passed the bill and Governor Kirk Fordice signed it into law. Without the leadership of these elected officials, this program would never have been a reality.

The goal of the Scenic Rivers and Streams Program is to preserve at least a part of the natural beauty and aesthetic values of some of Mississippi's rivers and streams. According to the bill, "To qualify as eligible, the stream must posses unique or outstanding, scenic, recreational, geological, botanical, fish, wildlife, historic or cultural values." In addition, the stream must be a public waterway and not have been channelized in the past five years.

What's the approach you ask? It will be voluntary and incentive-based. Although too early to tell, practices that will protect, restore or enhance the integrity of the river or stream will probably include conservation buffer strips, riparian corridors, wetland enhancement and restoration, bottomland hardwood tree planting and a variety of erosion control practices.

Nominations for streams must be made to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and an advisory council which consists of farmers, landowners, business people, government officials, conservationists and recreational interests, such as canoeing and fishing groups.