Laws & Policies

Laws are created by Congress and establish the highest order of legal authority over national parks. Many laws, including the 1916 Organic Act that created the National Park Service, affect all areas managed by the National Park Service. The legislation establishing the Wild and Scenic River System is the 1968 Wild & Scenic Rivers Act and Amendments. Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River was established by section 702 of Public Law 95-625 in 1978.

There are a variety of documents that guide the management of the Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River. Many documents, like the National Environmental Policy Act, articulate legal requirements that federal entities must adhere to. Other documents, like the park's General Management Plan and Superintendent's Compendium, are formal documents that create a "contract" between Big Bend National Park and Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River and the public. Still others, like Director's and Superintendent Orders, direct how Big Bend and the Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River and other national park units will operate.

Park Regulations