Just as Utahns sometimes grin when Midwestern "flatlanders" refer to a small hill in their region as a "mountain," many states with mighty rivers like the Mississippi, the Ohio and the Missouri look at Utah's rivers and see little brooks. As the old vaudeville line has it, "If you live on the Nile, all other rivers are 'juve-niles."'

Still, Utah's rivers may not be especially wide and deep, but they are spectacular. And for such reasons, Utahns should not steer away from becoming part of the National Wild and Scenic River system. Right now the state is among only 12 not on board, though open houses are being held in Heber City, Oakley and Provo to consider several Utah rivers for the designation.

Utah does a good job with its rivers. Part of that is because so much "riverscape" belongs to the Bureau of Land Management, and state agencies are very aware of the need to beautify and care for the state's waterways. But that said, linking up with the Wild and Scenic River system would add a layer of protection and caution.

Almost all of the surrounding states — Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, even Arizona — have rivers on the Wild and Scenic River list. Utah is conspicuous by its absence. As of 2005, 156 rivers were on the national list — including 47 in Oregon alone. Utah should be there as well.

Sen. Frank Church of Idaho was the driving force behind getting the river act passed. In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed it into law. The designation doesn't "lock up" a river and keep human endeavors at bay. It simply puts a priority on maintaining the integrity of a river and attempts to preserve its natural personality.

Unlike the big rivers in the Midwest, Utah's rivers are not in danger of catching fire from contamination soon, but it's best to take care of business now so that future generations won't have to.

Rivers in Utah might not be grand expanses of water, but anyone who has rafted on the Green or Colorado, fished the Logan or the Provo or stood above the grand confluence of rivers in southern Utah knows the character of the state's waterways is unique, majestic and worth preserving.

A National Wild and Scenic River designation would go a long way to making sure some of those rivers will be.