RANGER ACTIVITIES DIVISION
                           MORNING REPORT

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

Day/Date:  Thursday, April 8, 1993

Broadcast: By 0830 ET

INCIDENTS

93-153 - NCR Areas (Virginia/Maryland/DC) - Follow-up on Oil Spill

As of last weekend, clean-up efforts were being limited to surface cleaning
and removal of retrievable pockets of oil due to high water in the Potomac
River.  All clean-up operations are being handled by Clean Harbors, the
contractor hired by Colonial Pipeline, and consist of removal of logs and
woody debris which has become supersaturated with oil.  Areas which have
been cleaned include Great Falls and portions of the shoreline along George
Washington Memorial Parkway, Piscataway Park, and Oxon Cove.  Efforts have
been frustrated by the continuing flow of saturated materials during periods
of high water.  Wildlife impacts are being monitored.  Initial evaluations
of bald eagle nesting sites were completed late last week, and a few other
animals - including turtles, a beaver and a Canada goose - have been removed
for cleaning.  Several small fish kills have also been reported; these kills
may not have been caused by the spill, though, since mortality is normal for
several species of fish who spawn at this time of the year.  Long-term
impacts of the spill are being evaluated, as concern has been expressed
regarding the extended exposure of riparian, flood plain and tidal marsh
vegetation to the oil.  Concerns have also been raised regarding several
migratory species which are moving through the area at this time. 
Monitoring of sensitive locations by park resource management staffs is on-
going.  Costs to date have been limited.  Planning is underway for fishery
monitoring programs and vegetative inventories.  [John Howard, NCRO, 4/2]

93-166 - Lake Mead (Nevada) - Diving Fatality

J.D., 41, of Rio Grando, New Mexico, and a friend spent the
afternoon of April 3rd diving in about 50 feet of water 200 feet off the
shore of Boulder Beach.  While on their way back in, they decided to make
one last dive to use up their oxygen.  When J.D. failed to surface, his
companion made several fruitless rescue dives, then reported the incident to
rangers.  A park dive team responded; they failed to find J.D.'s body that
evening, but recovered it in 30 feet of water at noon the following day.  It
appears that J.D.'s air ran out, and that he drowned because he was unable
to release his borrowed and unfamiliar weight belt.  [Scotty Olson, LAME,
4/5]

93-167 - Joshua Tree (California) - Climbing Fatality

Just before noon on April 3rd, D.C., 31, was climbing with a group
in the park when he fell and sustained a fatal injury.  D.C. was placing
a cam in a crevice to secure himself while climbing a rock face when he
slipped and fell about 15 feet.  This fall pulled the cam out, causing
D.C. to fall even further and strike his head.  Members of his party were
able to evacuate D.C. and transport him to a nearby hospital, where he
was pronounced dead.  [Kipp Knapp, JOTR, 4/5]

93-168 - Saguaro (Arizona) - MVA with Fatality

On April 2nd, D.S., 21, of Tucson, was killed and two others were
critically injured in a two-vehicle motor vehicle accident on Sandario Road
in the Tucson Mountain District.  Alcohol was a contributing factor in the
accident.  Pima County sheriff's deputies are investigating the accident. 
[Paula Rooney, SAGU, 4/5]

93-169 - Saguaro (Arizona) - Suicide

A hiker discovered the body of 19-year-old M.S.W. of Tucson
near the Douglas Springs trailhead on the morning of April 6th.  Evidence
indicates that M.S.W. committed suicide.  At the time of the discovery,
rangers and county deputies were beginning a search for M.S.W., who'd
been missing since April 2nd.  The search began when his vehicle was found
burglarized at the trailhead on the 5th.  [Paula Rooney, SAGU, 4/7]

93-170 - Yosemite (California) - Drug Arrest

On March 31st, G.C. was arrested for possession of controlled
substances for distribution following a two-week investigation by rangers
Fred Elchlepp and N.S. Hinson.  G.C., who was travelling with her
daughter, was en route to meet her drop-off contact at Yosemite Lodge at the
time of her arrest.  Rangers found 150 grams of Marijuana and 15 grams of
dried psilocybin mushrooms in a safe in the trunk of her '91 Caprice.  Also
found in the locked safe were scales and packaging materials.  Investigators
had learned that G.C. had been supplying assorted narcotics to the park
on a weekly basis since at least last August.  Asset forfeiture proceedings
on the vehicle are in progress.  [Leslie Crossland, YOSE, 4/5]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

NOTES

1) The story of the September, 1990, incident in which Harpers Ferry rangers
captured the man who had murdered two hikers on the Appalachian Trail is
scheduled to appear on "Top Cops" on CBS this evening.

STAFF STATUS

Division Chief: No leave or travel scheduled.

Branch of Resource and Visitor Protection: Henry at LAC training conference
(4/3-4/9); Berkowitz at ARPA conference (4/4-4/10).

Branch of Fire and Aviation: Clark at meeting with Rocky Mountain NP staff
(4/7-4/9), Broyles at annual safety managers' meeting (4/4-4/6).

Prepared by WASO Division of Ranger Activities

Telephone: Branch of R&VP - 202-208-4874
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5572
Telefax:   Branch of R&VP - 202-208-6756
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - 202-208-5977
cc:Mail:   Branch of R&VP - WASO Ranger Activities
           Branch of F&A (WASO) - WASO Fire and Aviation