Buffalo National River (AR)
Severe Flooding Causes Widespread Damage
During the three day period from April 22nd to April 24th, about ten
inches of rain fell on northern Arkansas. Two inches fell on Thursday
morning, followed by four inches on Friday and another four on Saturday
— the latter in just eight hours. These heavy rains caused the
Buffalo River to reach its highest flood level since the record floods
of 1982. In the Upper Buffalo District at Pruitt, the river surged from
3.7 feet to 32 feet. In the Middle Buffalo District near Tyler
Bend, the river stayed above the National Weather Service designated
flood stage of 27 feet for over two days. In the Lower Buffalo District
near Buffalo Point, the river rose more steadily beginning at five feet
and peaking at almost 50 feet. The superintendent closed the river on
Friday, as more rainfall was predicted for the weekend and rapidly
rising flood waters were already filled with dangerous debris. Due to
the timely closure, search and rescue operations were kept to a minimum.
A concessioner paddled his canoe against the current and saved a man who
had flipped his canoe and was holding onto a tree in the rising waters
at Ponca Bridge. Rangers saved a camper in the Lower Wilderness who had
lost his canoe during the night due to the rapidly rising flood waters.
Many vehicles had to be towed to safety, and it appears that only one
was lost to the river. This was a rare event in terms of both the scope
of the flooding and its duration. Flood damage reports currently
being received indicate widespread damage to recreational facilities,
bridges, roads and trails throughout the 135-mile-long river
park.
[Submitted by Robert J. Maguire, Chief Ranger]
Assateague Island National Seashore (VA)
Possible Toxic Substance Overdose
Worcester County dispatch received a report of an unconscious person who was not breathing in the Life of the Dunes parking lot at 6:40 a.m.on Sunday, April 25th. Rangers Andy Zavanelli, Todd Garrett and Dave Rapp headed to the lot, where they met Berlin EMS units and county deputies. They learned that K.K., 26, of Damascus, Maryland, had been found dead there in his sleeping bag. K.K. had reportedly ingested and extract of a tree bark found in South America that is used as part of a "cleansing ritual" and known to produce an intense 15- to 30-minute-long LSD-like reaction. Investigation is continuing with the assistance of the county bureau of investigation.
[Submitted by Mike Anderson, Chief Ranger]
FIRE MANAGEMENT
El Malpais National Monument (NM)
Twin Fire (Wildland Fire,Wildland Fire Use)
Lightning sparked a fire in a remote wilderness area of the monument on Saturday, April 17, 2004. Instead of suppressing this fire, we are using a naturally started fire to restore fire's natural cycle in the malpais ecology and reduce unnatural fuel accumulations. Managing this type of fire requires specifically trained personnel to ensure its effectiveness. A fire use manager, fire behavior analyst, fire effects monitors, NPS and BLM staffs are all involved in this effort. Weather conditions will be closely monitored as wind, temperature and humidity all affect how this fire behaves. (full report)
Fire activity is limited to a few smoldering logs. Resources are in the process of being demobilized. The fire will be turned over to the park to manage later today.
Status: All park areas remain open.
Acreage: 101 acres
Resources Committed: All resources from outside of El Malpais NM will be demobilized by 1300 today.
Estimated containment date: 07/04[Submitted by Leslie DeLong, Leslie_DeLong@nps.gov, 505-285-4641 x18]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (MI)
Max "The White Buffalo" Holden Retires
Resource Management Specialist Max Holden retired on April 3rd after 40 years with the National Park Service.
Max was a compelling force in resource management at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for nearly 30 of those years. From his start in the early 1960s as a ranger at Isle Royale, he progressed to become a tireless advocate for science-based resource management and an unbending defender of natural resources.
Max was one of the truly "old-school", field-oriented resource rangers. Over the course of his career, he tagged turtles, wrestled swans, squeezed fish, breathed smoke, kept deer from getting pregnant, coaxed up rare little plants and birds, kept the fox out of the "gullhouse", wrote hundreds of plans and reports with thoughtfulness and depth, and skied, hiked, and paddled thousands of miles over the most beautiful places in the country.
Throughout his career Max represented the NPS with vigor and professionalism. He perhaps did more to protect the resources of Sleeping Bear Dunes than any other individual employee.
Not bad for a guy with a degree in literature. We'll miss you, O White Buffalo.
[Submitted by Tom Ulrich]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.