U.S. Forest Service will begin it look at 18 small rock and mortar dams located within the Emigrant Wilderness of the Stanislaus National Forest.

Forest officials are in the first steps of preparing an Environmental Impact Statement to determine how the national forest will manage these dams.

Forest supervisor Tom Quinn says the study will analyze the ecological and social effects of potential management activities of the dams, most of which were built during the years 1920 to 1951.

Quinn says a draft EIS should be available for public review this fall.