RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                       MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           CC: RAD Information Net

Day/date: Monday, May 7, 1990

INCIDENTS

90-91 - Buffalo River (Arkansas) - Flooding

The heavy rains in the south central states led to significant flooding in
the park late last week. Over six inches of rain fell between the early
morning hours of May 1st and 10 a.m. on the 3rd. The following river
heights and impacts were recorded at stations along the river, moving
successively from upstream down to the confluence with the White River:

* Ponca - The river crested at 15.9 feet at 8:30 a.m. on the 3rd, then
dropped to 7.7 feet 24 hours later. The water flowed over Highway 43,
which parallels the river in Boxley Valley. Damage at the park's access
site was unknown as it was still under water.

* Steel Creek - River readings were the same as at Ponca. The rising water
briefly threatened the ranger station there. Damage at this point is
also not yet known.

*  Kyles landing - One comfort station washed away; others were completely
submerged when the river crested, but remained in place.

* Erbie - A portion of the campground and access area were submerged. Total
damage is not yet known, but road damage is probable. Several picnic
tables were also pulled from their anchors.

* Pruitt - The river crested at 24.5 feet at 2 p.m. on the 3rd, then dropped
to 12 feet by 7 a.m. the following day. Road erosion and loss of signs
are probable.

* Tyler Bend - The river crest reached 38.6 feet at Highway 65 at 5 p.m.
on the 3rd - the sixth highest level recorded in recent history. It was
down to 27.3 feet at 6 a.m. on the 4th. Pavement peeled up throughout
the campground there, and the campground was closed.

* Buffalo Point - The river crested at 46 feet at 1 a.m. on the 4th, then
fell back to 41.8 feet by 6 a.m. Only one loop of the campground was
opened on Friday.

* Rush - The campground was closed due to damage to the access road.

(Carl Hinrichs, CR, BUFF, via CompuServe message from RAD/SWRO, 6 p.m. EDT,
5/4/90).

90-92 - Ozark River (Missouri) - Flooding

The heavy rains which fell in the area late in the week caused the Current
and Jacks Fork Rivers to reach flood levels. The Jacks Fork River crested
at 11 feet above normal, causing water damage to comfort stations in the
Alley Spring campground. Campers were moved out, and the campground
remained closed until Friday. The Current River crested at over 15 feet in
several of the developed areas along its banks, causing the campgrounds at
Pulltite and Powder Mill to be closed overnight. These campgrounds were
also reopened on Friday. As of Sunday afternoon, the river was just over a
foot above normal at its highest and was continuing to drop. The most
damage which occurred in the park was at Alley Spring campground, which was
covered in sediment and had silt in its restrooms. The bridge at Cedar
Grove at the upper end of the Current River also suffered some erosional
damage at its ends. (Tom Graham, CR, OZAR, via CompuServe message, 10:30
a.m. EDT, 5/4/90, and telephone report, 5:30 p.m. EDT, 5/6/90).

90-93 - Fort Smith (Arkansas) - Flooding

The park received 1.65 inches of rain on May 1st, 3.84 inches on the 2nd and
2.84 inches on the 3rd. The basement of the visitor center was flooded with
just under four inches of water on Tuesday. Approximately ten acres of the
park were under water, including portions of the Denver Service Center
project near the river. (Tom Crowson, CTRM, FOSM, via CompuServe message
from RAD/SWRO, 6 p.m. EDT, 5/4/90).

90-94 - Natchez Trace (Mississippi/Tennessee) - MVA with Fatality

On the morning of May 2nd, B.M., 37, of Winfield, Louisiana, was
driving southbound on a state highway when he lost control of his tractor
trailer on a sharp curve, went off the road, and overturned several times.
The truck was hauling heavy duty drilling pipe. Mississippi Highway Patrol
is investigating. (Telephone report from Steve Smith, RAD/SERO, noon EDT,
5/3/90).

FIRE SITUATION

1) FIRE SITUATION - Preparedness Level I

2) FIRE SUMMARY

No information available.

3) FIRE NARRATIVES

a) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE:

N/A

b) OTHER AGENCIES:

- Krone, also known as DOF 293 (Florida Department of Forestry) -
Firefighters were able to contain the fire on Friday as a result
of some assistance from the weather. A rain cell put out the
south head of the fire, and higher humidity - up from 9% early in
the week to 60% on Friday - made it possible for crews to
attack and suppress the north head. Four helicopters, a hand crew
and one fire behavior analyst from the park assisted state crews
in their efforts.

(Information on Krome Fire from Kevin Kacer, FMO, BICY, 1730 EDT, 5/6/90).

RESOURCE PROTECTION/MANAGEMENT

Lake Clark (Alaska) - Park rangers, working with Alaska Department of Fish
and Game biologists, successfully added radio transmitter collars to 11
caribou of the Mulchatna caribou herd last week. The caribou were captured
by a net shot from the struts of a helicopter. The collars were attached
and the animals released without the use of immobilizing agents. At the
present time, there are 35 collared animals in the herd. The joint
federal-state monitoring project was begun in 1981. The state of Alaska
provides the radio collars, personnel and funding for the collaring
activities and coordinates an annual photo census count. The staff of lake
Clark provides monthly aerial tracking flights of the collared animals and
assists with the annual photo census count. When the project was begun, the
herd numbered less than 10,000 animals and there was concern for the health
of the herd. Today the herd is estimated to number over 70,000 animals.
The increase in numbers is felt to be due to a combination of factors,
including good range conditions, mild weather in recent years, minimal
natural predation, light hunting pressure, and more efficient counting
practices. The radio transmitters have greatly facilitated the monitoring
of the herd's growth and expansion into new calving areas and new range
lands. (Bob Gerhard, Management Assistant, LACL).

CALENDAR

Asterisk (*) indicates new entry; plus (+) indicates revised entry.
Brackets at end of entry indicate source of information:

May 13 - 18 - DOT Annual Safety and Occupational Health Seminar, Delta Court
of Flags, Orlando, FL. Professional and collateral duty safety personnel
and managers are encouraged to attend. The registration deadline is April
13th. Inquiries should be made to Bill Andrle, USGS, FTS 959-7556 (703-648-
7556). [WASO Safety].

May 14 - 18 - Design for Parks, Cape Cod NS, MA. Ann Baugh at Albright is
the coordinator. Contact your regional training officer for further
information. [Ann Baugh, Albright].

May 16 - 19 - Third Symposium on Social Science in Resource Management,
College Station, TX. Dr. Jim Gramann is the coordinator. For further
information or details on registration, write Third Symposium on Social
Science in Resource Management, Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism
Sciences, Texas ASM University, College Station, TX 77843-2261 (409-845-
4920). [Chris White, CPSU, Texas ASM]

May 21 - 25 - NPS Minerals Management, Denver, CO. Frank Buono at Albright
is the coordinator. Contact your regional training office for further
information. [Ann Baugh, Albright].

May 21 - 25 - ARPA Training, Saratoga NHB, Stillwater, NY. 40 hours.
Funded by FLETC. [Jim Loach, RAD/WASO]

May 22 - 23 - Western Region Peer Counselor Training, Tucson, Arizona. Herb
Gercke (FTS/Commercial 415-556-1866) is the coordinator. [Herb Gercke, WRO]

May 28 - June 1 - International Symposium on the Biology of Deer,
Mississippi State, MS. Contact Robert D. Brown, Department of Wildlife and
Fisheries, P.O. Drawer LW, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

May 29 - June 2 - "Response *90: Pointe to the Future", 19th Annual NASAR
Conference and Exposition, The Pointe at South Mountain, Phoenix, AZ. Pre-
conference training courses will be offered on a number of topics, including
leadership for emergency response team leaders, ICS-SAR planning section
chief, wilderness medicine, and PLB's. For further information, contact
NASAR, P.O. Box 3709, Fairfax, VA 22038 (703-352-1349). [NASAR]

May 29 - June 1 - National Grazinglands Weed Management Conference, Holiday
Inn Central, Omaha, NE. Contact Jenness Coffey, FTS 343-6380.

June 19 - 22 - NEPA Symposium and Fifteenth Annual Conference of the
National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP), Marriott-
Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX. For further information, call NAEP at 703-660.
2364.

* August 5 - 9 - "Recapturing a Vanishing Heritage", Twelfth North American
Prairie Conference, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa. For
further information, contact Twelfth North American Prairie Conference, 2759
McCollum Science Hall, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614.
[Kurt Topham, HEHO]

October 13 - 19 - "Natural Areas and Yosemite: Prospects for the Future",
Yosemite (10/13-14) and Sheraton Conference Center, Concord, CA (10/15-19).
Sponsored by The Natural Areas Association, Yosemite NP, and The Yosemite
Fund. Inquiries should be directed to Coordinator, NA/Yosemite Centennial
Symposium, GGNRA, Fort Mason Building 201, San Francisco, CA 94123 (415-556-
1009). [Jenness Coffey, RAD/WASO]

November 12 - 15 - "Resource Technology 90", International Symposium on
Advanced Technology in Natural Resource Management, Washington, D.C. For
more information, contact conference coordinator Janette Evans at 303-226-
1688. Harvey Fleet, NPS-GIS, DSC, is coordinating the "Parks and Protected
Areas" segment of the session. [Kathy Jope, RAD/MARO]

November 12 - 17 - Sixth Conference on Research in the National Parks and
Equivalent Reserves, Westin Paso Del Norte Hotel, El Paso, TX. Sponsored by
George Wright Society. For further information, call the 1990 Conference
Committee at 415-556-1866. [George Wright Forum].

November 13 - 16 - "Agency and Inter-agency Response to Natural and
Technological Disasters", Sixth Annual Environmental Roundtable, Interlaken
Resort and Spa, Lake Geneva, WI. Sponsored by MWRO, DOI's Office of
Environmental Affairs (Chicago), USFS (Region 9) and EPA (Region 5). For
further information, contact John Townsend, FTS 864-3475. [John Townsend,
MWRO]

(Calendar appears in each Monday's morning report. If you know of a
conference, meeting or training session with Servicewide interest and
implications, please provide the specifics to Bill Halainen in Ranger
Activities).

STAFF STATUS

- Division Chief: Dabney in Hawaii to assess drug, fire and visitor
  protection operations and speak at training session (5/6-12).

- Branch of Resource & Visitor Protection: Coffey at NAR chief rangers'
  conference on Cape Cod (5/7-11).

- Branch of Fire: Norum and Zuckert at National Fire Danger Advisory Group
  meeting in Big Sur, California (5/7-10); Broyles at RX-90 burn boss cadre
  meeting at CHIR (4/29-5/11).


Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
Telefax:    FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977
CompuServe: WASO-RANGER
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