NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Tuesday, March 11, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

96-707 - Yosemite NP (California) - Follow-up on Storm Impacts

Yosemite Valley will reopen to visitors at noon on Friday, March 14th.  Here
are the particulars on what will be opened and who will have access:

o Private vehicles and buses will be allowed to travel on Highways 41 and
120 into the valley, and a limited number of buses may be allowed on
Highway 140 into Yosemite Valley.  If so, they will be required to
accompany the morning and evening employee bus convoy.  Bus entrance to
the valley would be limited to the morning convoy; exit would be
restricted to the evening convoy.  

o No reservations will be necessary to enter the park when visitation
resumes.  The emergency vehicle reservation system for day use
visitation is planned for implementation sometime in May.  The
reservation system is being designed to allow every visitor entry into
Yosemite.  Visitors without reservations for their vehicles may still
enter the park by utilizing public transportation.  Visitors with
campground or lodging reservations inside the park will not need
vehicle reservations. This system is in contrast to the one employed in
previous years, when many visitors were turned away on busy summer
weekends because overcrowding caused the park to restrict access. 

o Reservations for campsites in North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley
are available beginning March 15th for the period from May 15th through
August 14th by calling DESTINET at 800-436-PARK.  Campsites in Upper
Pines campground for the period from July 15th to August 14th will also
go on the reservation system on March 15th.  A handful of campsites in
Upper Pines campground may become available for reservation for the
period of March 14th through July 14th.  Sunnyside walk-in campground
and some sites in Lower Pines campground will be available on a first-
come, first-served basis, beginning on March 14th.  Due to damages
sustained during January's floods, the Upper River and Lower River
campgrounds in Yosemite Valley will not be opened.  These campsites
will be relocated to less environmentally sensitive locations within
Yosemite Valley in accordance with the park's general management plan. 

Representatives from at least 30 national print and electronic media will be
covering Friday's opening event.  [PIO Office, YOSE, 3/10]

97-89 - St. Croix NSR (Minnesota/Wisconsin) - Sewage Spill

About 130,000 gallons of raw sewage was accidently released into the St.
Croix River from the city of Taylors Falls over a 24-hour period beginning on
the afternoon of March 5th.  The sewage apparently came from a sewer line
which burst that afternoon.  The overflow was pumped to a wet well which was
not able to handle the large amount of effluent and overflowed into the St.
Croix River.  The system was repaired by noon the next day.  Park resource
management staff are working with the USFWS, Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency and the city of Taylors Falls to assess the situation and determine
what impacts to the aquatic environment may have resulted.  [Sue Jennings,
RMS, SACN, 3/10]

97-90 - Redwood N&SP (California) - Burglary and Poaching Arrests

Late in February, local officers served search warrants on four locations in
Crescent City and recovered over 700 stolen items, ranging from hand tools
and computer equipment to vehicles and a backhoe.  Six people have been
arrested to date.  Rangers were able to identify government property which
linked the suspects to a string of at least six burglaries which occurred in
the park over the past year.  In addition to the stolen property, officers
recovered two elk which apparently were illegally taken from the park.  A
half pound of methamphetamine was also found.  The suspects were operating in
northwestern California and southern Oregon.  Area parks with unsolved
burglaries may want to contact lead investigating ranger Curt Vade Bon Coeur
at 707-464-6101 x 5053.  [Bob Martin, CR, REDW, 3/7] 

                   [Additional reports pending...]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

No submissions.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Reports pending.

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

No submissions.

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

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