In 1975, Sarasota County commissioners lobbied to have the Myakka added to the National Wild and Scenic River System. This designation was created by Congress in 1968 to preserve “certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations.” At the time, only a small portion of the Myakka was public and protected (the portion in Myakka River State Park), and Congress was concentrating on rivers in large national parks that allowed for federal management of the rivers. The Myakka did not fit that model.
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