RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

Attention: Directorate
           Regional and Park Chief Rangers, USPP, BIFC, FLETC
           Ranger Activities Division Information Network

Day/Date:  Wednesday, April 15, 1992

INCIDENTS

92-86 - Big South Fork (Tennessee) - Follow-up on Probable Drowning

The body of J.S., 31, was recovered by a fisherman on the Big
South Fork River on April 12th.  J.S. disappeared on March 19th when his
boat capsized.  The park had employed divers, a dog from the Kentucky State
Police, and a helicopter in a week-long search and drag in areas where the
dog had alerted, but had been unsuccessful in its efforts to find him. 
J.S.'s body was found about a quarter mile from where he was last seen. 
[Telefax from John Cannon, CR, BISO, 4/14]

92-120 - Mammoth Cave (Kentucky) - Sewage Spill

On the evening of April 7th, an overflowing sewer line was discovered in the
park.  The sewer line, which carries effluent from the park residential
area, had plugged up part-way down the northwest flank of Mammoth Dome Sink,
and sewage was spilling from beneath a manhole cover, onto the side of a
hill, then running to the bottom of the hill and sinking into the ground. 
Rangers and maintenance crews responded quickly and were able to clear the
obstruction.  Although its not known when the spill began, an interpreter in
the Mammoth Dome section of the cave had noticed and reported a foul odor
there to the park's science and resource management division that afternoon. 
Resource management personnel acquired water samples in Mammoth Dome on the
morning of the 8th and detected no odor at that time.  Main shaft waters in
the dome had a bacterial density of 6900 colonies/100 ml, which indicated
moderate sewage contamination.  On the evening of the 10th, samples were
again drawn; this time only 500 colonies/100 ml were detected.  This rapid
decrease in bacterial density suggests that the adverse impact of the sewage
leak on cave water quality will be relatively short-lived.  One more sample
will be drawn in the near future to confirm this hypothesis.  [Telefax from
Bill Springer, RAD/SERO, 4/14]

92-121 - Indiana Dunes (Indiana) - Suicide

The body of B.V., 21, was found in his car in the park by South
Shore train workers who were checking a passenger trainman's report of a
suspicious vehicle sitting near the tracks.  B.V., a former Burns Harbor
fireman, was one of four volunteer firemen charged with theft and arson
following an incident in which a local greenhouse was entered, items were
stolen, and the structure was set on fire.  The death has been ruled a
suicide.  [Telefax from Tom Thompson, RAD/MWRO, 4/14]

92-122 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Drowning

C.C., 16, of Las Vegas, was swimming in Gypsum Wash with several
friends on April 10th when he decided to swim alone across the wash and
back, a distance of about one half mile.  C.C. never made it back, and he
was reported as missing to rangers the following day.  His body was found
later that day.  His death has been ruled a drowning.  [Allene Vassar, LAME,
via CompuServe message from Herb Gercke, RAD/WRO, 4/14]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Noatak (Alaska) - Range Overuse Study

Concerns about possible over-harvest and range overuse by the little-known
and previously unstudied moose population in the park and its environs
prompted the NPS and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to begin a
cooperative research project this spring.  Working from April 1st to the
9th, crews darted 83 moose, radio-collared 50 of the animals, and ear-tagged
all of them.  One moose was killed during the project.  Moose are relative
newcomers to the area, and their immigration may be an indication of global
warming.  [Al Loovas, Chief Scientist, NR/ARO, 4/14]

USS Arizona (Hawaii) - Botanic Garden

The ranger and maintenance staffs at the Arizona Memorial have established a
native Hawaiian plant botanical garden on the visitor center grounds.  The
park is located on the shores of Pearl Harbor within an active military
base, and most of the shoreside habitat there has been disturbed or changed
over time.  This garden, which will serve as a demonstration area, will
attempt to visually recreate the shores of Pearl Harbor before the first
visitors arrived.  It will contain 23 coastal species, three of which are
threatened.  The garden will be dedicated on Earth Day, April 24th.  [Paul
Fodor, CR, USAR, 4/14]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

1) We are aware of the problems some parks have had with seasonal law
enforcement registers.  Parks that checked the block for law enforcement
commission under item #57 on the weighted criteria for seasonal park
rangers, which asks what certifications are REQUIRED for the job, received a
list containing only those applicants who already had commissions.  Those
who simply selected #2 in the "Position/Option" block on the front of the
form received all applicants for enforcement positions.  If you would like a
list of all potential candidates, including those who have completed a
training academy by the start of the season or who have served in the past
as sworn enforcement officers in other agencies, please ask for a new
register from the Seasonal Hiring Unit through your regional personnel
office and stipulate that you want the limitation in item #57 removed.  The
remaining selection criteria must remain the same as on your previous
request.  [Dick Martin, RAD/WASO]

2) On February 5th, we noted the 100th birthday of Fred McLaren, a renowned
first-generation park ranger and father of three distinguished rangers. 
We've since heard that Fred died on March 19th.  Condolences may be sent to
his wife, Ruth, at 21088 Little Valley Road, Poulsbo, WA 98370.  [Terry
Wood, E&AA]

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: Brady at Operation Alliance program review, El Paso, TX
(4/13-4/15).

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Sisto at regulations conference,
St. Louis, MO, and on AL (4/13-4/20); Halainen on AL (4/17); Marriott at
Operation Alliance program review, El Paso, TX (4/13-4/15).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Gale at fire review, Shenandoah, VA, and New
River Gorge, WV (4/13-4/19); Farrel attending ICAPS meeting and briefing
Directorate on structural fire program status, Washington, DC (4/13-4/16);
Bristol at InciNet hardware committee meeting, Eugene, OR (4/15-4/17).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone:  Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-4874/6039 or 202-208-4874/6039
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5572/5573 or 202-208-5572/5573

Telefax:    Branch of R&VP - FTS 268-6756 or 202-208-6756
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - FTS 268-5977 or 202-208-5977

CompuServe: Branch of R&VP - WASO-RANGER
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO-FIRE-WO

SEAdog:     Branch of R&VP - 1/650
            Branch of F&A (WASO) - 1/655