NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Monday, August 3, 2009
NOTICE
Ozark NSR
Flash Flooding Swamps Campers And Strands Visitors
The campers in Alley Spring campground were awakened at 4 a.m. on July 30th when their air mattresses began moving or objects started hitting the sides of their tents or trailers. Rain that had begun around 10 p.m. the previous evening had caused a flash flood that swamped the popular campground. In less than three hours, the Jack's Fork River rose from six to ten vertical feet, depending on the location along the river. The flash flood missed the gauges at the upper part of the Jacks Fork and struck lower sections of the river. Park staff from all divisions, along with Missouri Water Patrol officers, evacuated the campers to higher ground. The campground had about 48 sites occupied by over 200 people. Many had to leave their tents, trailers, or vehicles in the water. In the haze of pre-dawn, officers used boats to rescue campers, taking them across the dark to bring them to safety. After the campground was evacuated, the officers searched the entire Jacks Fork River for canoeists who might be camping on gravel bars. Many private and commercial canoes had floated away during the night with the rising river. No lives were lost, but there was a large amount of property damage to the campsites and to park visitors' property, including vehicles or campers that were totally destroyed. Brad Conway served as the incident commander, and the established partnership with Missouri Water Patrol allowed for quick action. Upstream, Spring Valley endured a heavy mid-morning rainstorm. A group touring the Round Spring Cave emerged from the 2 p.m. tour to find the bridge crossing a small creek to be on one side of a torrential current. Park protection rangers boated to the site and evacuated the 15 visitors plus interpreter to the opposite shore. The group remained calm and in good spirits, with the three children on the tour calling it an “adventure” and the adults exchanging e-mails to share their photos. [Elisa Kunz]
Shiloh NMP
High Winds Cut Swath Of Damage Through Park
High winds produced by a thunderstorm passing through the area hammered the northern end of the park on the evening of July 30th. Scores of large trees were toppled in and around historic Chambers field, a half mile west of the battlefield visitor center, temporarily blocking the main park entrance road. The swath of destruction, nearly 300 yards wide, extended northward, slicing through the surrounding forest and into the small residential community located on Hagy Lane, which borders Shiloh's northern boundary. Damage extended for nearly a mile. The park lost electrical service as utility lines located in the Hagy community were toppled by falling trees, but work crews managed to restore service before sunrise the following morning. A number of private residences in Hagy suffered minor damage, but luckily no injuries were reported by park neighbors or park employees residing in nearby government residences north of Pittsburg Landing. Although some near misses occurred, none of the nearly 1,000 commemorative monuments, markers, cannon, and historic structures protected in the 114-year-old park were harmed. [Stacy D. Allen, Chief Ranger]
Sequoia-Kings Canyon NPs
Marijuana Eradicated From More Than 70 Illegal Sites
From July 12th through 25th, NPS law enforcement personnel participated in intensive marijuana interdiction efforts with 15 other agencies under Operation S.O.S. (“Save Our Sierra”), organized by the Fresno County Sheriffs Office. Northern portions of Kings Canyon National Park are located within Fresno County, as well as a highway corridor connecting two frontcountry areas of the park. During the operation, over 400,000 marijuana plants were eradicated from 71 illegal cultivation sites. Most cultivation sites were located on public lands and tied to Mexican drug trafficking organizations. Law enforcement also made over 80 arrests, served five warrants, confiscated 32 weapons, and seized 46 pounds of processed marijuana, three vehicles, and over $40,000 cash. Drug trafficking and associated support activity have been detected with increasing frequency by rangers in Kings Canyon in recent years. Much of this illegal activity has occurred along the Highway 180 corridor between the Grant Grove and Cedar Grove Subdistricts in Kings Canyon. A total of 29 NPS law enforcement personnel took part in the operation, including rangers from Yosemite NP, a number of special agents from the Investigative Services Branch, and the Pacific West Region Special Event and Tactical Team. NPS personnel conducted 24-hour highway interdiction during the course of the two week operation, disrupting drug trafficking supply lines during what is considered peak marijuana season. Over 40 arrests were made by NPS personnel. One known cultivation site in adjacent Sequoia National Park was abandoned due to nearby pressure and activity by law enforcement.
Operation S.O.S. took a multi-tiered approach to combating the marijuana problem, focusing on education, investigation, prosecution, eradication, and restoration. A media tour was permitted during the clean-up of a site by the High Sierra volunteer trail crew. Director Gil Kerlikowske of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the nation's “Drug Czar”, was also present and was briefed on the detrimental environmental impacts of the grow sites on federal lands. Working on this operation strengthened interagency ties between NPS and other law enforcement agencies involved in marijuana eradication. This is the second year Sequoia-Kings Canyon has participated in a major, interagency eradication operation. [Kevin Hendricks, Chief Ranger]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories are among those in today's edition of InsideNPS. The first story on the list is the lead story.
Alaska Region - Parks in Alaska have been dealing with the elements - lots of fire in some areas and too much rain in other areas. Flooding closed Kenai Fjords last week, while lightning-caused fires burned in Yukon-Charley, Denali, and Wrangell-St. Elias. Photo.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7992" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7992
Risk Management Division - The new medical standards contract has been awarded to Comprehensive Health Service, Inc. Examination scheduling will resume in the near future.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7994" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7994
Office of Legislative and Congressional Affairs - This week's update on past and upcoming hearings and the status of legislation pertinent to the National Park Service.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7993" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=7993
Natural Resource Program Center - The center is still looking for entries in its natural resource management and research photo contest. If you have a submission, you could win one of 50 new 12 megapixel, rugged, waterproof Olympus digital camera for your park or group. Photo.
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=vieweventscalendararticle&type=Events&id=998" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=vieweventscalendararticle&type=Events&id=998
Russell Cave NM - Seasonal park guide Hannah Newton, 18, was killed in a one-car accident near her home early on the morning of Wednesday, July 29th.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2426" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2426
Boston NHP - Superintendent Terry Savage retired on August 1st after having served in the National Park Service for 42 years and as the superintendent of Boston National Historical Park and Boston African American National Historic Site since November, 2000.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2427" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=2427
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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov).
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