Chattooga River in the Appalachian Mountains, North Carolina

A river worth protecting. Wild and Scenic Rivers Act

Rivers have long played an important role in life across the United States, supporting communities, wildlife, and industry. President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act into law on October 2, 1968. It created a national system to protect rivers and river segments with outstanding scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, or cultural values. The Act preserves designated rivers in a free-flowing condition, protects their water quality, and aims to safeguard the qualities that made them worthy of designation.

Featured in today's image, the Chattooga River became part of the system in 1974, with nearly 57 miles designated across Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Flowing through the Appalachian Mountains, the river is known for its scenery, whitewater recreation, and wildlife. Often called the crown jewel of the Southeast, the Chattooga offers opportunities for rafting, kayaking, and canoeing. It even served as the model for the fictional Cahulawassee River in James Dickey's 1970 novel 'Deliverance.'