Outstanding Resources

OUTSTANDINGLY REMARKABLE VALUES (ORVs)

For a river to attain ‘Wild and Scenic’ status, it must be free-flowing and possess one or more ORVs. The Farmington River has several which help to make it such a special place:

Recreation – Fishing, boating, tubing, camping, picnicing, hiking, biking, swimming

Fish and Wildlife – Bald eagles, river otters, trout, salmon, black bears

Scenic – Adjoining lands not altered much by humans, beautiful Satan’s Kingdom, adjacent state forests, scenic ridges along both sides of river

Historic – Old communities, 19th-century structures (mills), archaeological sites, historic buildings

HOW ARE ORVs ASSESSED?

  • The determination that a river area contains ORVs is a professional judgment on the part of a study team, based on objective, scientific analysis.
  • In order to be assessed as outstandingly remarkable, a river-related value must be a unique, rare, or exemplary feature that is significant at a comparative regional or national scale.