There are six waterways in eastern Oklahoma that are considered so environmentally and economically significant they're given special consideration and protection from the state. These so-called Scenic Rivers were profiled in a special half-hour radio doc created by StateImpact reporters Joe Wertz and Logan Layden in 2014. This doc was originally aired as a four-part radio series, and we are pleased to re-broadcast it today on StudioTulsa. "Along the Watershed" tells the story of Oklahoma's Scenic Rivers -- their history, their plight, their beauty, the ongoing efforts to protect and preserve them, and the various clashes regarding these waterways that have happened over the years between conservation aims and government environmental policies. Recently, it was announced that the Oklahoma Scenic Rivers Commission will disband in early July, a victim of state budget cuts -- thus the commission's mission as well as its employees will be absorbed by the state's Grand River Dam Authority. What will this mean for how and whether these waterways are protected by the State of Oklahoma? Time will tell. Meanwhile, more about this and other StateImpact radio docs can be found here.
StudioTulsa Presents "Along the Watershed" -- StateImpact's 2014 Doc on Oklahoma's Scenic Rivers
