The Secretary shall administer, protect, and develop the recreation area in accordance with the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535),[1] and in accordance with any other statutory authorities available to him for the conservation and management of historic and natural resources, including fish and wildlife, to the extent he finds such authority will further the purposes of this subchapter. In developing and administering the recreation area, the Secretary shall take into consideration applicable Federal, State, and local recreation plans and resource use and development plans, including, but not limited to, the Atlanta Regional Commission Chattahoochee Corridor Study, dated July 1972.

The Secretary may enter into cooperative agreements with the State of Georgia, political subdivisions of the State, and other entities to ensure standardized acquisition, planning, design, construction, and operation of the recreation area.

In planning for the development and public use of the recreation area, the Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of the Army to assure that public use of adjacent or related water resource development or flood control projects and that of the recreation area are complementary.

In administering the recreation area, the Secretary may permit fishing in waters under his jurisdiction in accordance with applicable State and Federal laws and regulations. The Secretary, after consultation with the appropriate State agency responsible for fishing activities, may designate zones where, and establish periods when, fishing shall be permitted and issue such regulations as he may determine to be necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection. Except in emergencies, such regulations shall be put into effect only after consultation with the appropriate State agency.

(Pub. L. 95–344, title I, § 103, Aug. 15, 1978, 92 Stat. 475; Pub. L. 106–154, § 2(c), (e)(1), Dec. 9, 1999, 113 Stat. 1737, 1738.)