NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                           MORNING REPORT

To:        All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:      Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:  Thursday, May 22, 1997

Broadcast: By 1000 ET

INCIDENTS

97-210 - Delaware Water Gap NRA (NJ/PA) - Sexual Misconduct Arrests

A joint undercover operation to investigate reports of sexual misconduct in
park areas culminated early this week with several arrests.  Rangers from
Delaware Water Gap and the New Jersey state park service and officers from
the Warren county prosecutor's office conducted the operation at the
Kittatinny Point visitor center, Dunfield Creek trail head (on the
Appalachian Trail), and an adjacent rest area on I-80.  During two, four-hour
periods, four individuals were arrested for sexual contact or solicitation
for sexual favors and another 20 individuals approached undercover officers
and engaged in sexually explicit conversations.  The latter were not charged. 
Follow-up interviews and an associated investigation continue.  Ranger Wayne
Valentine was IC for the joint operation.  [Barry Sullivan, New Jersey DR,
DEWA, 5/21]

FIRE ACTIVITY

NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS LEVEL - Level II

LARGE FIRE/INCIDENT SUMMARY 

                                                    Tue      Wed    %   Est
State      Unit              Fire/Incident   IMT    5/20     5/21  Con  Con

OR   Fremont NF              Drews             -     200      200  100  CND
  
WA   State                   Limerick          -     250      250  100  CND

CA   Tahoe NF              * Maybert          T2       -      250   20  NR

AZ   Saguaro NP            * Mica Tank         -       -      100  100  CND

Heading Notes

     Unit --    Agency = BIA area; NF = national forest; RU = CA state resource
                or ranger unit; RD = state ranger district; District = BLM
                district; NWR = USFWS wildlife refuge
     Fire --    * = newly reported fire (on this report); Cx = complex; LSS =
                limited suppression strategy; CSS = containment suppression
                strategy
     IMT --     T1 = Type 1; T2 = Type II; ST = State Team
     % Con --   Percent of fire contained
     Est Con -- Estimated containment date; NEC = no estimated date of
                containment; CND = fully contained; NR = no report; LPS = limited
                protection status

NUMBER OF NEW FIRES (FIVE DAY TREND) 

                    NPS    BIA      BLM     FWS    States   USFS     Total

Saturday, 5/17       -      -         -       -       --     --        --
Sunday, 5/18         1      0         6       0       28     12        47
Monday, 5/19         1     17        12       0        1    113       191
Tuesday, 5/20        2     11         5       0       53     28        99
Wednesday, 5/21      0     23         3       0       62     20       108

TOTAL COMMITTED RESOURCES (FIVE DAY TREND) 

                  Crews     Engines    Helicopters    Airtankers   Overhead

Saturday, 5/17      --         --           -             -            --
Sunday, 5/18        49         13          15             6           271
Monday, 5/19        51         40          25             2           275
Tuesday, 5/20       40         62          20             0            26
Wednesday, 5/21     32         58          16             4            24

CURRENT SITUATION

Large fires were reported in northern California yesterday.  Significant
progress was made on fires in the Northwest.  Increased initial attack
activity was reported in Minnesota.

[NICC Incident Management Situation Reports, 5/22]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

C&O Canal NHP (MD) - Freshwater Mussels

On May 7th, 208 freshwater mussels were returned to their home in the park
after overwintering in holding tanks at a U.S. Geological Service facility in
Leetown, West Virginia.  The mussels were discovered and rescued when a
section of the drained canal bed in the District of Columbia was exposed for
impending flood recovery work last October.  The mussel study occurring here
is unique; it may be the only place where mussels have been removed, then
replaced in their original locations.  This is important to scientists
conducting endangered mussel research and relocation due to construction,
habitat degradation and zebra mussel impacts.  Each mussel was tagged and
will be surveyed routinely to determine survivorship.  The project involves
the NPS, USGS Biological Resources Division and natural resource organization
in both the District and Maryland.  [Dianne Ingram, NRMS, CHOH]

OPERATIONAL NOTES

Trail Project Grant - American Airlines recently donated $1 million to the
National Park Foundation (NPF) to fund NPS trail projects.  An NPS/NPF team
is currently developing eligibility standards and general criteria for
funding allocations.  The final document will be issued by NPF as a request
for proposals in late July.  The American Airlines donation, which was
announced last month, is part of the carrier's new "Miles for Trails"
program, whereby the company gives frequent flyers 500 miles for every $50
donated to NPF.  For further information, contact Wilke Nelson at NPF at 202-
530-1461 or Sue Waldron in WASO at 202-208-5477.  [Sue Waldron, WASO]

MEMORANDA

No submissions.

EXCHANGE

Ammunition - Ocmulgee is looking for .38 special service ammunition.  If you
have any and would like to donate it to a park, please contact chief ranger
Guy LaChine at 912-752-8257, or via cc:Mail at OCMU Administration.  The park
will pay for shipping.

Golf Carts - Redwood is seeking used golf carts as alternatives to GSA
vehicle rentals for their campground operations.  If you have any information
on sources, please contact chief ranger Bob Martin via cc:Mail.

                                *  *  *  *  *

Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by park,
office and/or field area cc:Mail hub coordinators.  Please address requests
for the Morning Report to your servicing hub coordinator.

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

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