NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Monday, October 24, 1994

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

94-606 - Big Thicket (Texas) - Flooding

A "meteorological nightmare" occurred over southeast Texas on October 17th when
a slow moving cold front, the remains of Hurricane Rosa, and warm moist air
collided, causing over 30 inches of rain to fall on the area.  President
Clinton declared a national disaster in 26 Texas counties the following day. 
The park lies within six of these counties.  Although the heavy rainfall ended
late on October 18th, the situation in the area remains serious.  Waters in the
Neches River and in local creeks and bayous are well above flood stage, and
numerous roads are still closed, including State Highway 105 and I-10 between
Houston and Beaumont.  Water across SH 105 was still rising on Friday.  Pine
Island Bayou was expected to crest at 37.5 feet above flood level at Sour Lake
during the day and maintain that crest for up to 12 hours.  Village Creek
crested at 25.4 feet above flood level on Tuesday night at Kountze.  The Corps
of Engineers advised park staff that they would continue to open the floodgates
at B.A. Steinhagen Reservoir on Friday until they attained maximum flow. 
Releases on Thursday reached 22,057 cubic feet per second (cfs).  The Corps has
advised that the release rate at maximum flow would be somewhere between 35,000
and 40,000 cfs by sometime during early morning hours on Saturday.  This high
flow was expected to cause additional flooding on the Neches River, which
officials said would crest at 12 feet above flood level at Beaumont on
Saturday.  A backflow of water from the river was expected at both Pine Island
Bayou and Village Creek.  ICS has been implemented in the park, and rangers
from Jean Lafitte have arrived to provide assistance.  The park has been
working cooperatively with local agencies on road blockades and on search and
other operations.  It is not yet possible to estimate the damage caused to the
park.  Until the water recedes, most areas will remain inaccessible.  [Ron
Switzer, Superintendent, BITH, 10/18, 19, 20 and 21]

94-607 - Big Cypress (Florida) - Accidental Fatal Shooting

On the afternoon of October 21st, J.M. took two shots at two wild pigs
in a stand of palmetto in the park's Turner River unit, then called to his
friend and fellow hunter, J.F.  When J.F. failed to respond,
J.M. went looking for him and found him lying on the ground, dying from a
gunshot wound.  J.M. summoned a pediatrician who was in the hunting party,
but the doctor was unable to save J.F.  All indications are that the
shooting was accidental.  Neither hunter was wearing safety orange, as is
required by NPS regulations.  [Marty Huseman, Acting CR, BICY, 10/21] 

              [More pending incident reports tomorrow....]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No field reports today.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No notes.

MEMORANDA

"National Park Service Thematic Outline for American History", signed by acting
Chief Historian on October 18th and sent to all areas.  The text follows:

"The National Park Service has long used a thematic framework or outline of
American history and prehistory in studying, planning for, and interpreting
historic sites.  Such an outline was last published in 1987 in a yellow
paperback titled History and Prehistory in the National Park Service and the
National Historic Landmarks Program.

"Four years ago, Congress directed us to revise this outline, in cooperation
with outside professional organizations, to better reflect current scholarship
and represent the diversity of America's past.  We recently completed this task
and transmitted the revised outline to Congress.  (A copy is attached to the
original).

"The preamble to the outline summarizes its development, intended use, and
underlying philosophy.  It will serve us and other interested parties in
evaluating historic properties for the National Register of Historic Places,
for National Historic Landmark designation, and for potential addition to the
National Park System; in assessing how well American history is represented in
existing parks and other protected areas; and in enhancing park interpretive
programs to provide a fuller understanding of the nation's past.  Given the
broad, conceptual nature of the outline, it will often need to be supplemented
by more detailed outlines as particular topics are addressed.

"We plan to publish guidance and develop training for use of the revised
outline this fiscal year.  Meanwhile, feel free to call Patty Henry
(202/343-8163), Barry Macintosh (202/343-8169), or me (202/343-8164) with any
questions you may have about the outline and its use."

MEETINGS/TRAINING CALENDAR

Calendar appears in the morning report every other Monday.  If you know of a
conference, meeting or training session with Servicewide interest and
implications, please forward the listing to WASO Ranger Activities.  Entries
are listed no earlier than FOUR months before the event.  Asterisks indicate
new entries; brackets at end of entry indicate source of information:

10/31-11/4 -- "Partners in Paleontology: Protecting Our Fossil Heritage", Fourth
Conference on Fossil Resources, Colorado Springs, CO.  Hosted by
Florissant Fossil Beds and BLM.  The conference is a workshop
designed for staffs of federal, state and local government agencies
and cooperating organizations, including managers, resource
specialists, law enforcement specialists, interpreters, curators
and associated researchers.  Contact: Maggie Johnson, 719-748-3253. 
[Brian Lakes, FLFO]

10/31-11/4 -- Environmental Safety and Health, Denver, CO (tentative).  This
course will cover environmental laws and regulations, including the
Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, the
Compensation and Liability Act, OSHA and DOT regulations relating
to hazardous materials, and related laws.  Principal emphasis is
placed on practical application and implementation of these laws to
protect workers.   For further information, call Betty Evans at
303-231-5213.

10/31-11/3 -- "Partnerships for Hazardous Materials Safety", 1994 International
Hazardous Material Spills Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Buffalo,
NY.  Contact: Sarah Bauer, EPA, 202-260-8247.  [Al Brown, EPA]

11/1-3* -- "Rediscovering the Land Ethic: Ecosystem Approaches to Fish and
Wildlife Conservation", Marymount University, Arlington, VA.  This
seminar will provide an overview of issues related to the concepts
and practices of an ecosystem approach to conservation.  Scheduled
speakers are at the forefront of the national debate on the
ecosystem approach.  Contact: Jim Clark, USFWS, 304-725-8467 ext.
401.  [Vicki Person, EDD/WASO]

11/1-6 -- 1994 National Interpreters Workshop, Stouffer Tower City Plaza
Hotel, Cleveland, OH.  Contact: Tom Blodgett, NIW Chair, St. Joseph
County Parks, 32132 SR2, New Carlisle, IN 46552, 219-654-3156. 
[Mike Gurling, OLYM]

11/2-4* -- Annual meeting, New England Museum Association, Portland, ME. 
Contact: Amy Watson, NEMA, Boston NHP, Charlestown Navy Yard,
Boston, MA 02129 (phone: 617-242-2283, fax: 617-241-5797).  [Diane
Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

11/14-18 -- "The Spirit Lives: Reflections and Visions on the 30th Anniversary
of the Wilderness Act", Sixth National Wilderness Conference,
Sweeney Conference Center, Santa Fe, NM.  Sponsored by BLM, NBS,
NPS, FWS, USFS, and the Society of American Foresters' Wilderness
Workgroup.  Conference participants will review the intent of the
Wilderness Act and plan for actions necessary to bring the vision
forward into the 21st century.  Fee: $195.  Contact:  Jim Walters,
505-988-6022, or Jack Potter, 406-888-5441; to be placed on the
mailing list to receive a brochure, contact Peter Keller via
cc:Mail or at 202-208-7029.  

11/15-19 -- Annual Conference, Association for Moving Image Archivists, Boston,
MA. Topics include preservation strategies, ethics, disaster
planning and disaster recovery. Contact: AMIA, 213-856-7637. 
[Diane Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

11/17-18* -- "Highways and Byte-ways: Computer Applications in Museums",
seminar, American Association of Museums, Boston, MA.  Contact:
Annie Storr, 202-289-9113.  [Diane Vogt O'Connor, CSD/WASO]

11/29-12/9 -- Management Program for Natural Resource Managers, Smeal College of
Business Administration, Penn State, PA.  Contact: Mrs. Jean Rose,
Manager of Sales and Customer Relations, Pennsylvania State
University, 310 Business Administration Building, University Park,
PA  16802-3003, 814-865-3435.  [Steve Cinnamon, MWRO]

11/30-12/2 -- 1994 EPA Region 3 SERC/LEPC Conference, Marriott Waterside Hotel,
Norfolk, VA.  Training will focus on the Clean Air Act, the Oil
Pollution Act, worst case scenario planning, federal facility
compliance, a hazmat exercise, and related topics.  Contact:
Charles Stewart, 215-597-3152.  [Al Brown, EPA]

12/2* -- Call for contributions, Fourth International Outdoor Recreation and
Tourism Trends Symposium, to be held May 14-17, 1995, in St. Paul,
MN. You are invited to participate by submitting a proposal to
present or contribute a paper to the symposium proceedings, become
a panel member in a workshop, or prepare an exhibit, display, or
poster session.  Proposals will be judged on the extent to which
they address the implications of the symposium themes below.  The
deadline for submitting proposals is December 2nd.  Contact:
Jerrilyn LaVarre Thompson, Trends Symposium Coordinator, University
of Minnesota, Department of Forest Resources, Cooperative Park
Studies Unit, 115 Green Hall, 1530 North Cleveland Avenue, St.
Paul, MN 55108 (phone: 612-624-3699, fax: 612-625-5212,
Internet:jthompso@mercury.forestry.umn.edu.  [Roger Brown,
SPO/WASO]

12/4-7 -- "The Future of Fish and Wildlife is Now", Midwest Fish and Wildlife
Conference, Indianapolis, IN.  Contact: Ed Theroff, Chairman,
Division of Fish and Wildlife, RR2, Box 477, Mitchell, IN 47446
(812-849-4586).  [Steve Cinnamon, MWRO]

Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

Telephone: 202-208-4874
Telefax:   202-208-6756
cc:Mail:   WASO Ranger Activities
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