NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MORNING REPORT

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

INCIDENTS

Zion NP

Park Closed Due To Rising River Levels

Zion National Park is currently closed as a precaution due to rising river levels and potential flood damage to roads and infrastructure. The area has been saturated with heavy rains from the storms that have been pummeling California and parts of the Southwest. Zion Lodge and Watchman Campground in Zion Canyon are being evacuated to prevent the possibility of park visitors being trapped in the park by rising water levels. The park will be closed until the river level begins to drop and damage can be assessed. The river level early yesterday morning was 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). The level was predicted to reach 8,000 cfs late on Tuesday. The normal cfs at this time of the year is 40 to 50 cfs. [Ron Terry]

OTHER NEWS

The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. To see the full text, including images, NPS employees should go to the InsideNPS home page ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=index). Non-NPS employees can see most of them on the NPS Digest page ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/):

Servicewide - Rangers working on the Wind River Indian Reservation this summer launched a drive to collect children's books for schools and communities there. To date, over 7,500 books have been contributed.

Natural Resources Program Center - The Council for the Conservation of Migratory Birds has held its second annual meeting and completed a charter. The NPS belongs to this interagency federal council, which was established by executive order to improve protection of migratory birds.

San Juan NHS - The production crew for “Ghost Hunters,” a cable television series, filmed an episode of the show at Castillo San Cristobal and Castillo San Felipe Del Morro during a five-day period in early December. Photo.

Midwest Region - Laura A. Miller, currently chief of interpretation and cultural resources at Little Rock Central High School NHS, has been named the first superintendent of President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home NHS.

Denver Service Center - Christy Fischer, writer/editor at Denver Service Center, will be retiring on December 31st after 34 years with the Federal government.

Pacific West Region - Stephen E. Butterworth, Pacific West Region's energy manager. has announced that he will retire on December 31st after almost 42 years of service with the National Park Service. Photo.

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Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).

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