Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Virginia Scenic Rivers Program was established in 1970 in accordance with the recommendations of Virginia’s Scenic Rivers, A Report by the Commission of Outdoor Recreation, involving a study of 72 main streams and tributaries “which possess great natural and pastoral beauty” aimed at “recommending ways…of protecting and preserving” scenic rivers and streams by public and private effort. The report ultimately recommended 29 streams and stream segments for inclusion in a nascent Virginia Scenic Rivers System. Today, the program recognizes and celebrates 38 outstanding examples of Virginia’s more than 49,000 miles of rivers and tributary streams including many recommended in the Commission’s original report. The program celebrated it’s 50th Anniversary in 2020 and continues to protect Virginia Scenic Rivers consistent with its original intent:
The program is administered by DCR in partnership with citizens, civic groups, and local governments. Although statewide in both scope and importance, the Virginia Scenic Rivers Program exists and grows primarily by way of local citizen involvement. Citizens interested in obtaining designation of a particular river or river segment must proactively communicate with local government officials and DCR staff throughout the designation process to evaluate a potential scenic river segment, identify issues, and address landowner concerns. Thus, the real responsibility for action rests with individual citizens, volunteers, and grassroots supporters and requires their continual cooperation with, as well as the sustained commitment of, local governments. Although DCR provides guidance throughout the designation process, only after this level of commitment has been achieved and the local governing body has officially requested designation does DCR advise the Virginia Board of Conservation and Recreation (BCR), General Assembly, and Governor regarding the same.
The Code of Virginia, §10.1-401 assigns the following duties and powers to the Director of DCR:
The Code of Virginia, §10.1-402, provides that, upon scenic river designation, DCR may review and make recommendations regarding all planning for use and development of water and related land resources including the construction of impoundments, diversions, roadways, crossings, channels, locks, canals, or other uses that change the character of a stream or waterway or destroy its scenic assets.
The Scenic Rivers Act prescribes the powers and duties of the administering agency, DCR, in the Code of Virginia, §10.1-405. These duties include:
The Code of Virginia, §10.1-406.1 gives local the authority, where the Director of DCR has not appointed an advisory committee pursuant to §10.1-401, to appoint a local scenic river advisory committee to advise the local government and the Director in administering the designated scenic river within the local government's jurisdiction.
The Code of Virginia, §10.1-407, states that after designation of a scenic river, no dam or other structure that “impedes natural flow [of the river] shall be constructed, operated or maintained in such river unless specifically authorized by an act of the General Assembly. “Dam or other structure” is defined in this section as “any structure extending from bank to bank of a river that will interfere with the normal movement of waterborne traffic, interfere with the normal movement of fish or wildlife, raise the water level on the upstream side of the structure, or lower the water level on the downstream side of the structure.”
