The general objective was to develop a methodology to evaluate selected rivers to determine if they should be included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System as defined in the Wild and Scenic River Act (PL 90-542). Included in the development of the methodology was inventorying resources and resource areas important to wild river states, and evaluating each of these areas in light of river classification. The final step in the proposed methodology determined the trade-offs between outdoor recreation and hydroelectric power production for the Salmon River. The methodology recognizes that the ultimate decision to preserve a wild and scenic river rests largely on a political value judgment. The procedure described permits one to quantify in terms of net benefits measured as consumer surplus values the trade-offs between competing resource uses.