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.