The department is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to establish a State system of rivers to be known as the New Jersey Wild and Scenic Rivers System, which shall comprise river areas classified, designated and administered as wild, scenic, recreational, or developed recreational rivers. Such river areas shall be administered by the department or by a local commission as provided in section 9 of this act. Such administration shall reflect the classification of such river area so as to prevent incompatible management or development which could detract from the quality or alter the character of such area. The administration of all State-owned lands within any wild river area shall be consistent with the administration of lands included within the New Jersey Natural Areas System pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1975, c. 363 (C. 13:1B-15.12a et seq.); provided, however that such lands within such river areas shall be deemed to be in addition to, and not a part of, the New Jersey Natural Areas System for the purposes of section 4 of P.L.1975, c. 363 (C. 13:1B-15.12a3). Such classifications shall be as follows:

a. Wild river areas, which are those rivers, or sections thereof, that are free of impoundment and generally inaccessible except by trail, with watersheds or shorelines essentially primitive and undeveloped and waters unpolluted.

b. Scenic river areas, which are those rivers, or sections thereof, that are free of impoundment, with watersheds or shorelines still largely primitive and undeveloped, but accessible in places by road.

c. Recreational river areas, which are those rivers, or sections thereof, that are readily accessible, that may have some development along their shorelines, and that may have undergone some impoundment or diversion prior to their inclusion in the New Jersey Scenic River System.

d. Developed recreational rivers, which are those rivers, or sections thereof, that are readily accessible, that may have substantial development along their shorelines, that may have undergone substantial impoundment or diversion, but which remain suitable for a variety of recreational uses.

L.1977, c. 236, s. 4, eff. Sept. 28, 1977.