Thirty-eight U.S. states have congressionally protected wild and scenic rivers — but Utah isn't one of them.

Kentucky, Ohio and Connecticut are on the list, but Utah, with its five national parks, six national forests and thousands of acres of wilderness, has zero rivers in the National Wild and Scenic River system.

That could change in a year.

For the first time, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are working with Utah officials to identify all of the rivers on their land that could be part of the system.

When they're finished, there could be up to 2,000 miles and 230 segments of rivers on the table for Congress to consider keeping forever free-flowing.

For some, this will be good news. For others in the state, it is bad.

Hence, the controversy surrounding protecting Utah's rivers has somewhat delayed these studies from previously taking place.

"It's extremely controversial," said Margaret Kelsey, Wild and Scenic River coordinator for the BLM in Utah. "In the West, there isn't a lot of water, and it's the whole idea of water use and knowing that wild and scenic designations could affect water use and that the water possibly wouldn't be used for something else. That's always kicked (the recommended designations) out."

The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was passed by Congress in 1968 after a rash of large-scale dams, including the Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, begun in 1957, were built after World War II. The act's purpose is to preserve "outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic ... historic (and) cultural" rivers in a "free-flowing condition," the act says.

The act also requires the immediate environments of remarkable streams be "protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations."

While that protection does mean that wild and scenic rivers cannot be dammed and nearby developments will be limited, the act is less restrictive than some people would think, said Cathy Kahlow, U.S. Forest Service Scenic River Project team leader in Utah.

"Some people assume because a river is designated they can't use it anymore, and that's not the case," Kahlow said. "What it does mean is you couldn't build a federal-assisted dam on there. You can still fish and canoe and kayak and raft and walk along it and hike. There can be roads along some of the rivers.... It can protect tourism and protect the water sources that people use and appreciate."

According to Kelsey, six of the BLM's field offices in Utah have been studying suitable rivers for the past six years. So far, the agency has identified 30 river segments that will be presented to Congress. Another 118 segments are still being considered. More information on the segments can be found on the BLM's Web site, www.ut.blm.gov/landuseplanning/index.htm.