Okla. Stat. tit. 82, § 82-896.6: Legislative intent - Construction, operation or

maintenance of dams or related projects.

A. The term "scenic river" as used in the Scenic Rivers Act is

defined as a stream or river designated pursuant to Section 896.5 of

this title and the public use and access areas located within or

adjacent to the stream or river.

B. It is the intent of the Legislature that a stream or river

designated as a scenic river shall be preserved in its free-flowing

condition and shall not be impounded by any large dam or structure

except as specifically authorized by the Legislature.

C. No agency or official of state government shall authorize or

concur in plans of local, state or federal agencies for the

construction, operation, or maintenance of any dam or related

project in or adjacent to any scenic river without legislative

consent, except as needed by the municipalities located in the

counties or the immediate vicinity of the scenic river for their own

municipal or domestic water supply if such uses and structures will

not significantly interfere with the preservation of the stream as a

scenic free-flowing stream.

D. It is recognized by the Legislature that an effective

program for preserving the scenic beauty of the free-flowing streams

and rivers designated as a scenic river area necessarily involves

the cooperation and support of the people in the operating areas of

a designated scenic river, as well as the people using the scenic

river, and the agencies of state government administering these

areas.

E. The primary purpose of the Scenic Rivers Act is to encourage

the preservation of the areas designated as a scenic river area in

their natural scenic state.