Sample records for national monument yosemite

  1. Cruise survey of oxidant air pollution injury to Pinus ponderosa and Pinus jeffreyi in Saguaro National Monument, Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Final report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Duriscoe, D.M.

    1990-08-01

    The yellow pine populations in Saguaro National Monument, Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were surveyed in 1986 to evaluate and quantify the extent and severity of ozone injury (chlorotic mottle) to foliage of ponderosa and Jeffrey pines. A total of 3780 trees were observed. Severity of ozone injury was quantified, using an approximate square root transformation of the percentage of foliage exhibiting chlorotic mottle in branches pruned from each tree. Foliage of different ages was examined separately. Of all trees examined at Saguaro National Monument, 15% had visible chlorotic mottle; at Yosemite, 28%; and atmore » Sequoia and Kings Canyon, 39%. Severity of injury averaged very slight for all three parks, with least injury at Saguaro and greatest at Sequoia and Kings Canyon.« less

  2. Quantitative rock-fall hazard and risk assessment for Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stock, Greg M.; Luco, Nicolas; Collins, Brian D.; Harp, Edwin L.; Reichenbach, Paola; Frankel, Kurt L.

    2014-01-01

    Rock falls are common in Yosemite Valley, California, posing substantial hazard and risk to the approximately four million annual visitors to Yosemite National Park. Rock falls in Yosemite Valley over the past few decades have damaged structures and caused injuries within developed regions located on or adjacent to talus slopes highlighting the need for additional investigations into rock-fall hazard and risk. This assessment builds upon previous investigations of rock-fall hazard and risk in Yosemite Valley and focuses on hazard and risk to structures posed by relatively frequent fragmental-type rock falls as large as approximately 100,000 (cubic meters) in volume.

  3. Yosemite National Park

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    Naked summits alternate with forested lowlands in Yosemite Valley, part of California’s Yosemite National Park. During the Pleistocene Ice Age, glaciers sculpted the underlying rocks in this region, leaving behind canyons, waterfalls, rugged peaks, and granite domes. As the ice retreated, forests grew, but forests only extend as high as 2,900 meters (9,500 feet) above sea level. Above the tree line are rocky landscapes with sparse alpine vegetation. So from the sky, Yosemite Valley appears as a light-and-dark patchwork of forest, rock, and shadow. The Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus on NASA’s Landsat 7 satellite captured this true-color image of part of Yosemite Valley on August 18, 2001. The valley runs roughly east-west, and tall granite peaks lining the valley’s southern side cast long shadows across the valley floor. On the valley’s northern side, steep slopes appear almost white. Along the valley floor, roadways form narrow, meandering lines of off-white, past parking lots, buildings, and meadows. On the north side of Yosemite Valley is El Capitan. Shooting straight up more than 915 meters (3,000 feet) above the valley floor, El Capitan is considered the largest granite monolith in the world. This granite monolith sits across the valley from Bridalveil Fall, one of the valley’s most prominent waterfalls. Read more: go.nasa.gov/2bzGo3d Credit: NASA/Landsat7 NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

  4. Meadow Fire in Yosemite National Park, California

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    The Meadow Fire in Yosemite National Park is a remote, hold-over lightning caused fire which began on September 4 and is located five miles east of Yosemite Valley, CA. The fuel burning is timber and brush. There is active fire behavior with long range spotting. The National Park Service reports that a fire, that may be a spot fire, from the Meadow lightning-caused fire, was discovered at approximately 12:30 PM, Sunday September 7. The fire is approximately 2,582 acres. It is burning within the Little Yosemite Valley on both sides of the Merced River. All trails in the area are closed. Approximately 100 hikers and backpackers were evacuated from the fire area in Little Yosemite Valley. Half-Dome, a popular tourist destination, has been closed. The fire is burning in Yosemite Wilderness. Eighty-five hikers and climbers were also evacuated from the summit of Half Dome by helicopters from the California Highway Patrol, US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park, and CAL Fire. This natural-color satellite image was collected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite on Sept. 07, 2014. Actively burning areas, detected by MODIS’s thermal bands, are outlined in red. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption: NASA/Goddard, Lynn Jenner with information from the National Park Service and the National Interagency Coordination Center. NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

  5. 78 FR 44596 - Minor Boundary Revision at Yosemite National Park

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-24

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [NPS-PWR-YOSE-13178; PS.SPWLA0028.00.1] Minor Boundary Revision at Yosemite National Park AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notification of Boundary Revision. SUMMARY: The boundary of Yosemite National Park is modified to include 80 acres...

  6. 47. Photocopy of microfiched construction drawing by Yosemite National Park, ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    47. Photocopy of microfiched construction drawing by Yosemite National Park, California, date unknown. (Microfiched drawing located at the Denver Service Center, #104/5048). ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (SHEET 2 OF 2, Weastern Section). - Yosemite Hydroelectric Power Plant, Highways 120 & 140, Yosemite Village, Mariposa County, CA

  7. 46. Photocopy of microfiched construction drawing by Yosemite National Park, ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    46. Photocopy of microfiched construction drawing by Yosemite National Park, California, date unknown. (Microfiched drawing located at the Denver Service Center, #104/5048). ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (SHEET 1 OF 2, Eastern Section). - Yosemite Hydroelectric Power Plant, Highways 120 & 140, Yosemite Village, Mariposa County, CA

  8. An Interpretive Study of Yosemite National Park Visitors' Perspectives Toward Alternative Transportation in Yosemite Valley

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    White, Dave D.

    2007-01-01

    The National Park Service (NPS) is increasingly focusing on alternative transportation systems in national parks to address environmental and social problems arising from a historical reliance on personal automobiles as the primary means of visitor access. Despite the potential advantages, alternative transportation may require a reorientation in the way that Americans have experienced national parks since the advent of auto-tourism in the early twentieth century. Little research exists, however, on visitor perspectives towards alternative transportation or the rationale underlying their perspectives. It remains unclear how transportation systems affect visitors’ experiences of the park landscape or the factors influencing their travel behavior in the parks. This report presents an interpretive study of visitor perspectives toward transportation management in the Yosemite Valley area of Yosemite National Park, California. Qualitative analysis of 160 semi-structured interviews identified individual psychological factors as well as situational influences that affect visitors’ behavior and perspectives. Individual psychological factors include perceived freedom, environmental values and beliefs, prior experience with Yosemite National Park and other national parks, prior experience with alternative transportation in national parks, and sensitivity to subjective perceptions of crowding. Situational factors included convenience, access, and flexibility of travel modes, as well as type of visit, type of group, and park use level. Interpretive communication designed to encourage voluntary visitor use of alternative transportation should focus on these psychological and situational factors. Although challenges remain, the results of this study suggest approaches for shaping the way Americans visit and experience their national parks to encourage environmental sustainability.

  9. An interpretive study of Yosemite National Park visitors' perspectives toward alternative transportation in Yosemite Valley.

    PubMed

    White, Dave D

    2007-01-01

    The National Park Service (NPS) is increasingly focusing on alternative transportation systems in national parks to address environmental and social problems arising from a historical reliance on personal automobiles as the primary means of visitor access. Despite the potential advantages, alternative transportation may require a reorientation in the way that Americans have experienced national parks since the advent of auto-tourism in the early twentieth century. Little research exists, however, on visitor perspectives towards alternative transportation or the rationale underlying their perspectives. It remains unclear how transportation systems affect visitors' experiences of the park landscape or the factors influencing their travel behavior in the parks. This report presents an interpretive study of visitor perspectives toward transportation management in the Yosemite Valley area of Yosemite National Park, California. Qualitative analysis of 160 semi-structured interviews identified individual psychological factors as well as situational influences that affect visitors' behavior and perspectives. Individual psychological factors include perceived freedom, environmental values and beliefs, prior experience with Yosemite National Park and other national parks, prior experience with alternative transportation in national parks, and sensitivity to subjective perceptions of crowding. Situational factors included convenience, access, and flexibility of travel modes, as well as type of visit, type of group, and park use level. Interpretive communication designed to encourage voluntary visitor use of alternative transportation should focus on these psychological and situational factors. Although challenges remain, the results of this study suggest approaches for shaping the way Americans visit and experience their national parks to encourage environmental sustainability.

  10. A spatial analysis of wilderness campsites in Lyell Canyon, Yosemite National Park

    Treesearch

    Steven R. Lawson; Peter Newman

    2001-01-01

    During the summer of 1999, Yosemite National Park staff collected GPS data to inventory the number and distribution of wilderness campsites in Lyell Canyon, Yosemite National Park. The data were collected after one month of campsite restoration work had been conducted by a student work crew. This study integrated the GPS data with digital raster graphics data for Lyell...

  11. 75 FR 26272 - Final Environmental Impact Statement; Environmental Education Center, Yosemite National Park...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-11

    ...; Environmental Education Center, Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County, CA; Notice of Approval of Record of...-190, as amended) and the regulations promulgated by the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR 1505... education center in Yosemite National Park. The requisite no-action ``wait period'' was initiated February...

  12. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in visitors to a national park--Yosemite Valley, California, 2012.

    PubMed

    2012-11-23

    On August 16, 2012, the California Department of Public Health announced two confirmed cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in California residents who had stayed overnight in Yosemite National Park, launching an investigation by the National Park Service, California Department of Public Health, and CDC. On August 27, Yosemite National Park announced two additional cases, and by October 30, 10 cases had been confirmed.

  13. Vehicle Procurement Lessons Learned at Yosemite National Park.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-02-28

    In seeking to obtain replacement buses for its Valley Shuttle fleet, Yosemite National Park encountered numerous uncertainties in the procurement process that complicated what was intended to be a relatively straightforward purchase. The analysis tha...

  14. NASA Spacecraft Images Wildfire Near Yosemite National Park

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-06-21

    This image, acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft, is of the Carstens, Calif. wildfire which continues to burn in the foothills west of Yosemite National Park. Vegetation is displayed in green and burned and bare areas are dark to light gray.

  15. Geologic map of Yosemite National Park and vicinity, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Huber, N.K.; Bateman, P.C.; Wahrhaftig, Clyde

    1989-01-01

    This digital map database represents the general distribution of bedrock and surficial deposits of the Yosemite National Park vicinity. It was produced directly from the file used to create the print version in 1989. The Yosemite National Park region is comprised of portions of 15 7.5 minute quadrangles. The original publication of the map in 1989 included the map, described map units and provided correlations, as well as a geologic summary and references, all on the same sheet. The database delineates map units that are identified by general age and lithology following the stratigraphic nomenclature of the U.S. Geological Survey. The scale of the source maps limits the spatial resolution (scale) of the database to 1:125,000 or smaller.

  16. Historical rock falls in Yosemite National Park, California (1857-2011)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stock, Greg M.; Collins, Brian D.; Santaniello, David J.; Zimmer, Valerie L.; Wieczorek, Gerald F.; Snyder, James B.

    2013-01-01

    Inventories of rock falls and other types of landslides are valuable tools for improving understanding of these events. For example, detailed information on rock falls is critical for identifying mechanisms that trigger rock falls, for quantifying the susceptibility of different cliffs to rock falls, and for developing magnitude-frequency relations. Further, inventories can assist in quantifying the relative hazard and risk posed by these events over both short and long time scales. This report describes and presents the accompanying rock fall inventory database for Yosemite National Park, California. The inventory database documents 925 events spanning the period 1857–2011. Rock falls, rock slides, and other forms of slope movement represent a serious natural hazard in Yosemite National Park. Rock-fall hazard and risk are particularly relevant in Yosemite Valley, where glacially steepened granitic cliffs approach 1 km in height and where the majority of the approximately 4 million yearly visitors to the park congregate. In addition to damaging roads, trails, and other facilities, rock falls and other slope movement events have killed 15 people and injured at least 85 people in the park since the first documented rock fall in 1857. The accompanying report describes each of the organizational categories in the database, including event location, type of slope movement, date, volume, relative size, probable trigger, impact to humans, narrative description, references, and environmental conditions. The inventory database itself is contained in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (Yosemite_rock_fall_database_1857-2011.xlsx). Narrative descriptions of events are contained in the database, but are also provided in a more readable Adobe portable document format (pdf) file (Yosemite_rock_fall_database_narratives_1857-2011.pdf) available for download separate from the database.

  17. 75 FR 39581 - Yosemite Valley Plan; Yosemite National Park; Mariposa, Madera, and Tuolumne Counties, California...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-07-09

    ... processes in Yosemite Valley, to ameliorate environmental impacts, to preserve cultural resource values, and... of No Significant Impact (FONSI decisions) for Yosemite Lodge area redevelopment and improvements at...

  18. 76 FR 52013 - Notice of Continuation of Visitor Services-Yosemite National Park

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-19

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Notice of Continuation of Visitor Services--Yosemite National Park AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: Under the terms of the existing concession contract, the National Park Service intends to request a continuation of...

  19. 36 CFR 7.63 - Dinosaur National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Dinosaur National Monument. 7.63 Section 7.63 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.63 Dinosaur National Monument. (a) Commercial...

  20. Exploring National Parks & Monuments: Students Can Discover National Monuments, National Parks & Natural Wonders

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curriculum Review, 2009

    2009-01-01

    This article presents an interview with Cynthia Light Brown, author of "Discover National Monuments, National Parks: Natural Wonders," a book that introduces readers ages 8-12 to the history and science behind some of the amazing natural sites in the United States. In this interview, Cynthia Light Brown describes how she became interested in…

  1. 36 CFR 7.26 - Death Valley National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Death Valley National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.26 Death Valley National Monument. (a) Mining. Mining in Death Valley National Monument is subject to the following regulations, which are...

  2. Seismic Monitoring of Rock Falls in Yosemite National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zimmer, V. L.; Stock, G. M.; Sitar, N.

    2008-12-01

    Between 1857 and 2007, more than 600 landslide events have been documented in Yosemite National Park, with the vast majority of events occurring as rock falls in Yosemite Valley. The conditions leading to and triggering rock fall are understood in approximately 50 percent of cases, but in the other 50 percent, there were no apparent triggers. Occasionally, large rock falls have been preceded by smaller events that, in retrospect, may have been precursors. Close range seismic monitoring presents an opportunity to study the conditions leading up to rock fall, as well as the mechanics of the actual rock fall as recorded seismically. During the winter of 2007-08, we conducted a rock fall seismic monitoring feasibility study in Yosemite Valley. A station consisting of an 8 Hz geophone and an accelerometer was placed on a ledge 1000 feet above the valley floor, in a historically active rock fall area known as the Three Brothers. At least two rock falls in this area were recorded by the instrumentation and witnessed by visitors, representing the first time rock falls have been recorded with seismic instrumentation in Yosemite Valley. Significant energy was recorded in a wide frequency range, from a few Hz to approximately 150 Hz, limited by the geophone response and attenuation of the signal due to distance to the source (400 m). Furthermore, there exists a weak signal approximately 5-10 seconds before the obvious rock fall signature. We hypothesize that the weak signal represents rock fall initiation manifesting as the first blocks sliding down the cliff face, while the stronger impulses represent these blocks impacting ledges and the bottom talus field. This study demonstrated that rock fall monitoring is feasible with seismic instrumentation, and serves as the catalyst for future studies using a network of sensors for more advanced analysis.

  3. Virtual Reality Website of Indonesia National Monument and Its Environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wardijono, B. A.; Hendajani, F.; Sudiro, S. A.

    2017-02-01

    National Monument (Monumen Nasional) is an Indonesia National Monument building where located in Jakarta. This monument is a symbol of Jakarta and it is a pride monument of the people in Jakarta and Indonesia country. This National Monument also has a museum about the history of the Indonesian country. To provide information to the general public, in this research we created and developed models of 3D graphics from the National Monument and the surrounding environment. Virtual Reality technology was used to display the visualization of the National Monument and the surrounding environment in 3D graphics form. Latest programming technology makes it possible to display 3D objects via the internet browser. This research used Unity3D and WebGL to make virtual reality models that can be implemented and showed on a Website. The result from this research is the development of 3-dimensional Website of the National Monument and its objects surrounding the environment that can be displayed through the Web browser. The virtual reality of whole objects was divided into a number of scenes, so that it can be displayed in real time visualization.

  4. 78 FR 4872 - Minor Boundary Revision at Governors Island National Monument

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-23

    ... INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Patti Reilly, Governors Island National Monument, 10 South Street--Slip 7... Revision at Governors Island National Monument AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION...), the boundary of Governors Island National Monument is modified to include an additional 0.13-acre of...

  5. 7. YOSEMITE VALLEY SHUTTLE BUS AT SENTINEL BRIDGE SHUTTLE BUS ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    7. YOSEMITE VALLEY SHUTTLE BUS AT SENTINEL BRIDGE SHUTTLE BUS AND PARKING LOT AREA. LOOKING WNW. GIS: N-37 40 36.2 / W-119 44 45.0 - Yosemite National Park Roads & Bridges, Yosemite Village, Mariposa County, CA

  6. Rim Fire Expands into Yosemite National Park

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    The Rim Fire burning in the Stanislaus National Forest in California has crossed into the Yosemite National Park. The fire has burned more than 105,000 acres, approximately 162 square miles, of brush, oak and pine trees in steep and marginally accessible terrain. This image was taken by the Suomi NPP satellite's Day-Night Band around 0950Z on August 23, 2013. Credit NASA/NOAA NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

  7. Creating Conditions for Policy Change in National Parks: Contrasting Cases in Yellowstone and Yosemite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yochim, Michael J.; Lowry, William R.

    2016-05-01

    Public agencies face significant political obstacles when they try to change long-standing policies. This paper examines efforts by the U.S. National Park Service to change long-term policies in Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks. We argue that, to be successful, the agency and pro-change allies must expand the sphere of conflict to engage the support of the broader American public through positive framing, supportive science, compelling economic arguments, consistent goals, and the commitment of other institutional actors. We show that the agency is capable of creating these conditions, as in the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone, but we argue that this is not always the outcome, as in reducing automobile congestion in Yosemite Valley.

  8. Creating Conditions for Policy Change in National Parks: Contrasting Cases in Yellowstone and Yosemite.

    PubMed

    Yochim, Michael J; Lowry, William R

    2016-05-01

    Public agencies face significant political obstacles when they try to change long-standing policies. This paper examines efforts by the U.S. National Park Service to change long-term policies in Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks. We argue that, to be successful, the agency and pro-change allies must expand the sphere of conflict to engage the support of the broader American public through positive framing, supportive science, compelling economic arguments, consistent goals, and the commitment of other institutional actors. We show that the agency is capable of creating these conditions, as in the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone, but we argue that this is not always the outcome, as in reducing automobile congestion in Yosemite Valley.

  9. 36 CFR 7.6 - Muir Woods National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Muir Woods National Monument. 7.6 Section 7.6 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE...) Fires. Fires are prohibited within the monument. (b) [Reserved] (c) Fishing. Fishing is prohibited...

  10. 36 CFR 7.6 - Muir Woods National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Muir Woods National Monument. 7.6 Section 7.6 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE...) Fires. Fires are prohibited within the monument. (b) [Reserved] (c) Fishing. Fishing is prohibited...

  11. 36 CFR 7.19 - Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Canyon de Chelly National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.19 Canyon de Chelly National Monument. (a) Visitors are prohibited from entering the canyons of Canyon de Chelly National Monument unless...

  12. 36 CFR 7.19 - Canyon de Chelly National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Canyon de Chelly National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.19 Canyon de Chelly National Monument. (a) Visitors are prohibited from entering the canyons of Canyon de Chelly National Monument unless...

  13. Twenty-eight years of wilderness campsite monitoring in Yosemite National Park

    Treesearch

    Laurel Boyers; Mark Fincher; Jan van Wagtendonk

    2000-01-01

    The research, resource management and wilderness staffs in Yosemite National Park recently completed the third 10-year cycle of a wilderness campsite impact monitoring program. Initial results indicate an overall improvement in conditions due to a strong restoration program, decreased use and increased visitor education. Lessons learned point to the necessity for ample...

  14. 75 FR 9612 - Minor Boundary Revision of Pinnacles National Monument

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-03

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Minor Boundary Revision of Pinnacles National Monument AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Announcement of boundary revision. SUMMARY: This notice announces the revision to the boundary of Pinnacles National Monument, pursuant to the authority...

  15. The Geologic Story of Colorado National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lohman, Stanley William

    1981-01-01

    From 1946 until about 1956 I carried out fieldwork intermittently on the geology and artesian water supply of the Grand Junction area, Colorado, the results of which have been published. The area mapped geologically contains about 332 square miles in the west-central part of Mesa County and includes all of Colorado National Monument. During the field work several successive custodians or superintendents and several park naturalists urged that upon completion of my professional paper I prepare a brief account of the geology of the Monument in terms understandable by laymen, and which could be sold at the Visitor Center. This I was happy to do and there resulted 'The geologic story of Colorado National Monument', published by the Colorado and Black Canyon Natural History Association in cooperation with the National Park Service. This report contained colored sketches by John R. Stacy and a colored cover, but the photographs and many of the drawings were reproduced in black and white.

  16. GLACIER BAY NATIONAL MONUMENT WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, ALASKA.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brew, David A.; Kimball, Arthur L.

    1984-01-01

    Glacier Bay National Monument is a highly scenic and highly mineralized area about 100 mi west of Juneau, Alaska. Four deposits with demonstrated resources of nickel, copper, zinc, and molybdenum have been identified within the monument and eleven areas of probable or substantiated mineral-resource potential have been identified. The monument is highly mineralized in comparison with most areas of similar size elsewhere in southeastern Alaska, and present estimates of mineral resources are considered conservative.

  17. Geologic Map of Wupatki National Monument and Vicinity, Coconino County, Northern Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Billingsley, George H.; Priest, Susan S.; Felger, Tracey J.

    2007-01-01

    Introduction The geologic map of Wupatki National Monument is a cooperative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Park Service, and the Navajo Nation to provide geologic information for resource management officials of the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Navajo Indian Reservation (herein the Navajo Nation), and visitor information services at Wupatki National Monument, Arizona. Funding for the map was provided in part by the Water Rights Branch of the Water Resources Division of the National Park Service. Field work on the Navajo Nation was conducted under a permit from the Navajo Nation Minerals Department. Any persons wishing to conduct geologic investigations on the Navajo Nation must first apply for, and receive, a permit from the Navajo Nation Minerals Department, P.O. Box 1910, Window Rock, Arizona 86515, telephone (928)-871-6587. Wupatki National Monument lies within the USGS 1:24,000-scale Wupatki NE, Wupatki SE, Wupatki SW, Gray Mountain, East of SP Mountain, and Campbell Francis Wash quadrangles in northern Arizona. The map is bounded approximately by longitudes 111? 16' to 111? 32' 30' W. and latitudes 35? 30' to 35? 37' 40' N. The map area is in Coconino County on the southern part of the Colorado Plateaus geologic province (herein Colorado Plateau). The map area is locally subdivided into three physiographic parts, the Coconino Plateau, the Little Colorado River Valley, and the San Francisco Volcanic Field as defined by Billingsley and others (1997) [fig. 1]. Elevations range from 4,220 ft (1,286 m) at the Little Colorado River near the northeast corner of the map area to about 6,100 ft (1,859 m) at the southwest corner of the map area. The small community of Gray Mountain is about 16 mi (26 km) northwest of Wupatki National Monument Visitor Center, and Flagstaff, Arizona, the nearest metropolitan area, is about 24 mi (38 km) southwest of the Visitor Center (fig. 1). U.S. Highway 89 provides access to the west entrance of

  18. 36 CFR 7.42 - Pipestone National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.42 Pipestone National Monument. (a) An American Indian desiring to quarry and work “catlinite” pipestone shall first secure a permit from the...

  19. 36 CFR 7.42 - Pipestone National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.42 Pipestone National Monument. (a) An American Indian desiring to quarry and work “catlinite” pipestone shall first secure a permit from the...

  20. A walk through the hydroclimate network in Yosemite National Park: River chemistry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Peterson, Dave; Smith, Richard; Hager, Stephen

    2004-01-01

    Visitors to Yosemite National Park (YNP) are fully aware of the weather, snowmelt, waterfalls (Photo 1), and river discharge and river and lake water temperature. They are not, however, thinking about river chemistry because you can’t see, hear, or feel it. So a river chemistry article in Nature Notes needs a familiar background before we break out the instruments.

  1. Modern geomorphology in a post-glacial landscape and implications for river restoration, eastern Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Minear, J. T.; Wright, S. A.; Roche, J. W.

    2011-12-01

    Yosemite National Park, USA, is one of the most popular national parks in the country with over 3.9 million visitors annually. The majority of tourists visit a relatively small area around the Merced River in scenic eastern Yosemite Valley, which has resulted in degradation to the river and streambanks. The National Park Service is updating the long-term management plan for the Merced River which includes river restoration. A key component determining the success of future river restoration efforts is the transport and supply of sediment. For this study, we investigate the modern geomorphology of the eastern Yosemite Valley region. For the watershed and reach analyses, we draw from a variety of topographic and hydrologic records, including 20-years of data from permanent cross sections, aerial and ground-based LiDAR surveys, and a nearly 100-year hydrologic record. In addition, we utilize hydraulic and sediment transport models to investigate channel velocities, bed shear stress and sediment transport at the reach scale. From the watershed-scale analysis, it is likely that large-scale remnant glacial features exert a primary control on the sediment supply to the study area with relatively small volumes of both suspended and bedload sediment being contributed to the study site. Two of the three major watersheds, Tenaya Creek and the upper Merced River, likely contribute only small amounts of bedload downstream due to low-gradient depositional reaches. Though little-known, the third major watershed, Illilouette Creek, is the only watershed capable of contributing larger amounts of bedload material, though the bedload material is likely contributed only during high flow events. High flows in the Yosemite Valley region have two different distributions: large early winter storm events above the 20-year return interval, and moderate snowmelt flows at and below the 20-year return interval. Sediment transport analyses indicate that bedload transport is dominated by

  2. Petroglyph National Monument : acoustical monitoring 2010

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-01-01

    During the summer of 2010 (August September), the Volpe Center collected baseline acoustical data at Petroglyph National Monument (PETR) at two sites deployed for approximately 30 days each. The baseline data collected during this period will hel...

  3. NPDES Permit for Colorado National Monument in Colorado

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Under National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit number CO0034975, the National Park Service is directed to have no discharge from the wastewater treatment lagoons at the Colorado National Monument in Mesa County, Colorado.

  4. Availability of Additional Water for Chiricahua National Monument, Cochise County, Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Johnson, Phillip W.

    1962-01-01

    The Chiricahua National Monument is in the eastern part of Cochise County, Ariz. The monument is about 35 miles southeast of Wilicox in the north end of the Chiricahua Mountains which border Sulphur Springs Valley on the west. The area is drained by two intermittent washes, one in Bonita and the other in Rhyolite Canyons. Shake Spring is the present source of water for the monument. It ranges in rate of flow from 2 to 12 gpm (gallons per minute) and during dry periods It is not adequate to support the requirements of the monument. Ample water to meet the present and future needs of the Chiricahua National Monument is available from a combination of several sources - undeveloped springs or seeps, capture of runoff out of the canyons, and wells drilled in the alluvium.

  5. Wupatki National Monument : Acoustical Monitoring 2010

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-05-01

    During the summer of 2010 (July - August), the Volpe Center collected baseline acoustical data at Wupatki National Monument (WUPA) at two sites deployed for approximately 30 days at each site. The baseline data collected during this period will help ...

  6. Tuzigoot National Monument: Acoustical Monitoring 2010

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-05-01

    During the summer of 2010 (July-August), the Volpe Center collected baseline acoustical data at Tuzigoot National Monument (TUZI) at a site deployed for approximately 30 days. The baseline data collected during this period will help park managers and...

  7. 43 CFR 3811.2-2 - Lands in national parks and monuments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Lands in national parks and monuments... SUBJECT TO LOCATION Lands Subject to Location and Purchase § 3811.2-2 Lands in national parks and monuments. The Mining in the Parks Act (16 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), effectively withdrew all National Parks and...

  8. 43 CFR 3811.2-2 - Lands in national parks and monuments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Lands in national parks and monuments... SUBJECT TO LOCATION Lands Subject to Location and Purchase § 3811.2-2 Lands in national parks and monuments. The Mining in the Parks Act (16 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), effectively withdrew all National Parks and...

  9. 43 CFR 3811.2-2 - Lands in national parks and monuments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-10-01

    ... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Lands in national parks and monuments... SUBJECT TO LOCATION Lands Subject to Location and Purchase § 3811.2-2 Lands in national parks and monuments. The Mining in the Parks Act (16 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), effectively withdrew all National Parks and...

  10. 43 CFR 3811.2-2 - Lands in national parks and monuments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-10-01

    ... 43 Public Lands: Interior 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Lands in national parks and monuments... SUBJECT TO LOCATION Lands Subject to Location and Purchase § 3811.2-2 Lands in national parks and monuments. The Mining in the Parks Act (16 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.), effectively withdrew all National Parks and...

  11. Staircase Falls Rockfall on December 26, 2003, and Geologic Hazards at Curry Village, Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wieczorek, Gerald F.; Snyder, James B.; Borchers, James W.; Reichenbach, Paola

    2007-01-01

    Since 1857, several hundred rockfalls, rockslides, and debris flows have been observed in Yosemite National Park. At 12:45 a.m. on December 26, 2003, a severe winter storm triggered a rockfall west of Glacier Point in Yosemite Valley. Rock debris moved quickly eastward down Staircase Falls toward Curry Village. As the rapidly moving rock mass reached talus at the bottom of Staircase Falls, smaller pieces of flying rock penetrated occupied cabins. Physical characterization of the rockfall site included rockfall volume, joint patterns affecting initial release of rock and the travel path of rockfall, factors affecting weathering and weakening of bedrock, and hydrology affecting slope stability within joints. Although time return intervals are not predictable, a three-dimensional rockfall model was used to assess future rockfall potential and risk. Predictive rockfall and debris-flow methods suggest that landslide hazards beneath these steep cliffs extend farther than impact ranges defined from surface talus in Yosemite Valley, leaving some park facilities vulnerable.

  12. Restoration of multiple-rut trails in the Tuolumne meadows of Yosemite National Park

    Treesearch

    Sean Eagan; Peter Newman; Susan Fritzke; Louise Johnson

    2000-01-01

    This study presents the techniques used in a restoration project in Tuolumne Meadows on the old Glen Aulin trail in Yosemite National Park from 1990 to 1994 and the results of follow-up monitoring in the summer of 1998. The project restored the natural hydrology and soils to a 4,200-foot section of abandoned trail which had two to six one-foot deep ruts. The project...

  13. The use of geographic information for fire management planning in Yosemite National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; van Wagtendonk, Kent A.; Meyer, Joseph B.; Paintner, Kara J.

    2002-01-01

    Fire has played a critical role in the ecosystems of Yosemite National park for millennia. Before the advent of Euro-Americans, lightning fires and fires set by Native Americans burned freely across the landscape. These fires burned periodically, with the interval between fires dependent on the availability of ignition sources, adequate fuels, and weather conducive to burning. As a result, different vegetation types burned at different intervals.

  14. Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Chiricahua National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Powell, Brian F.; Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Halvorson, William L.; Anning, Pamela

    2009-01-01

    This report summarizes the results of the first comprehensive inventory of vascular plants and vertebrates at Chiricahua National Monument (NM) in Arizona. This project was part of a larger effort to inventory vascular plants and vertebrates in eight National Park Service units in the Sonoran Desert Network of parks in Arizona and New Mexico. In 2002, 2003, and 2004 we surveyed for plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Chiricahua NM to document the presence of species within the boundaries of the monument. Because we used repeatable study designs and standardized field methods, these inventories can serve as the first step in a biological monitoring program for the monument. This report is also the first summary of previous research from the monument and therefore it provides an important overview of survey efforts to date. We used data from our inventory and previous research to compile complete species lists for the monument and to assess inventory completeness. We recorded a total of 424 species, including 37 not previously found at the monument (Table 1). We found 10 species of non-native plants and one non-native mammal. Most non-native plants were found along the western boundary of the monument. Based on a review of our inventory and past research at the monument, there have been a total of 1,137 species of plants and vertebrates found at the monument. We believe the inventories of vascular plants and vertebrates are nearly complete and that the monument has one of the most complete inventories of any unit in the Sonoran Desert Network. The mammal community at the monument had the highest species richness (69 species) and the amphibian and reptile community was among the lowest species richness (33 species) of any park in the Sonoran Desert Network. Species richness of the plant and bird communities was intermediate. Among the important determinants of species richness for all groups is the geographic location of the monument

  15. Walnut Canyon National Monument : Acoustical Monitoring 2010

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-06-01

    During the summer of 2010 (July - August), the Volpe Center collected baseline acoustical data at Walnut Canyon National Monument (WACA) at a site deployed for approximately 30 days. The baseline data collected during this period will help park manag...

  16. Montezuma Castle National Monument : acoustical monitoring 2010

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-03-01

    During the summer of 2010 (July-August), the Volpe Center collected baseline acoustical data at Montezuma Castle National Monument (MOCA) at two sites deployed for approximately 30 days each. The baseline data collected during this period will help p...

  17. REU Site: Yosemite Research Training in Environmental Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Conklin, M. H.; Dayrat, B.

    2009-12-01

    The Yosemite Research Training in Environmental Science offers undergraduate students a unique opportunity to actively experience field research in Environmental Science in a premier National Park, over a nine-week period in the summer. The Yosemite REU is a collaboration between three institutions: the University of California at Merced, Yosemite National Park, and the USGS Western Ecological Research Center. Student activities mainly consist of individual research projects, spanning a broad range of disciplines such as Ecology, Geosciences, Biodiversity, Conservation, Restoration, and Hydrology. All projects include a strong field component. Students are exposed to the benefits of multi-disciplinary research in weekly meetings in which all students talk about their most recent work. Students present their research in Yosemite Valley at the end of the program before a public audience (including visitors). Research training is provided by mentors from UC Merced (Schools of Natural Sciences, Engineering, and Social Sciences) and the USGS Western Ecological Research Center. In addition to their interactions with their mentors and other faculty, students have opportunities to meet with NPS professionals engaged in park-related activities, to learn more about the integration of science with resources management and about potential careers in research and science outside academia. Students also participate in field trips led by UCM, USGS, and NPS scientists, focusing on Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. Students attend a weekly seminar in Environmental Science with a broad diversity of speakers, including researchers as well as other science-related professionals, such as freelance science writers and illustrators, as well as NPS scientists and staff. Finally, student participants engage in several other activities, including outreach (e.g., a day-long meeting with high-school Central Valley students from underrepresented minorities). The Yosemite REU has already run for

  18. Truffle abundance in recently prescribed burned and unburned forests in Yosemite National Park: Implications for mycophagous mammals

    Treesearch

    M. Meyer; M. North; S. Roberts

    2008-01-01

    Truffles are an important food resource for wildlife in North American forests, but decades of fire exclusion have altered the availability of this resource. In Yosemite National Park, resource management policies seek to restore essential forest processes such as fire while minimizing adverse...

  19. Temporal and spatial variation of atmospherically deposited organic contaminants at high elevation in Yosemite National Park, California, USA.

    PubMed

    Bradford, David F; Stanley, Kerri A; Tallent, Nita G; Sparling, Donald W; Nash, Maliha S; Knapp, Roland A; McConnell, Laura L; Massey Simonich, Staci L

    2013-03-01

    Contaminants used at low elevation, such as pesticides on crops, can be transported tens of kilometers and deposited in adjacent mountains in many parts of the world. Atmospherically deposited organic contaminants in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, USA, have exceeded some thresholds of concern, but the spatial and temporal distributions of contaminants in the mountains are not well known. The authors sampled shallow-water sediment and tadpoles (Pseudacris sierra) for pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyls in four high-elevation sites in Yosemite National Park in the central Sierra Nevada twice during the summers of 2006, 2007, and 2008. Both historic- and current-use pesticides showed a striking pattern of lower concentrations in both sediment and tadpoles in Yosemite than was observed previously in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks in the southern Sierra Nevada. By contrast, PAH concentrations in sediment were generally greater in Yosemite than in Sequoia-Kings Canyon. The authors suggest that pesticide concentrations tend to be greater in Sequoia-Kings Canyon because of a longer air flow path over agricultural lands for this park along with greater pesticide use near this park. Concentrations for DDT-related compounds in some sediment samples exceeded guidelines or critical thresholds in both parks. A general pattern of difference between Yosemite and Sequoia-Kings Canyon was not evident for total tadpole cholinesterase activity, an indicator of harmful exposure to organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides. Variability of chemical concentrations among sites, between sampling periods within each year, and among years, contributed significantly to total variation, although the relative contributions differed between sediment and tadpoles. Copyright © 2013 SETAC.

  20. 77 FR 14568 - Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed General Management Plan, Pinnacles National Monument...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-12

    ...] Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed General Management Plan, Pinnacles National Monument, San Benito and... Environmental Impact Statement. SUMMARY: The National Park Service is terminating the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the General Management Plan, Pinnacles National Monument, California. A...

  1. 76 FR 53695 - Notice of Public Meeting, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Advisory...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-29

    ... Mountains National Monument Advisory Committee (MAC) will meet as indicated below. DATES: September 19, 2011... Room, 38686 El Cerrito Road, Palm Desert, California. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Foote, Monument Manager, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, 1201 Bird Center Drive, Palm...

  2. 76 FR 72437 - Minor Boundary Revision at Colorado National Monument

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-23

    ...Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 460l- 9(c)(1), the boundary of Colorado National Monument is modified to include an additional two and forty-five hundredths (2.45) acres of land identified as Tract 01-140, tax parcel number 2697-343-04-009. The land is located in Mesa County, Colorado, immediately adjacent to the current eastern boundary of Colorado National Monument. The boundary revision is depicted on Map No. 119/106,532 dated January 2011. The map is available for inspection at the following locations: National Park Service, Intermountain Land Resources Program Center, 12795 W. Alameda Parkway, Lakewood, CO 80225-0287 and National Park Service, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.

  3. 36 CFR 7.73 - Buck Island Reef National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ...), seashells, corals, dead coral, sea fans, sponges and all associated reef invertebrates, plants, fruits and... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Buck Island Reef National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.73 Buck Island Reef National Monument...

  4. 36 CFR 7.73 - Buck Island Reef National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ...), seashells, corals, dead coral, sea fans, sponges and all associated reef invertebrates, plants, fruits and... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Buck Island Reef National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.73 Buck Island Reef National Monument...

  5. 36 CFR 7.73 - Buck Island Reef National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ...), seashells, corals, dead coral, sea fans, sponges and all associated reef invertebrates, plants, fruits and... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Buck Island Reef National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.73 Buck Island Reef National Monument...

  6. 36 CFR 7.73 - Buck Island Reef National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...), seashells, corals, dead coral, sea fans, sponges and all associated reef invertebrates, plants, fruits and... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Buck Island Reef National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.73 Buck Island Reef National Monument...

  7. 36 CFR 7.73 - Buck Island Reef National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...), seashells, corals, dead coral, sea fans, sponges and all associated reef invertebrates, plants, fruits and... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Buck Island Reef National... INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.73 Buck Island Reef National Monument...

  8. Petroglyph National Monument : acoustical monitoring 2010 and 2012

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-03-01

    During the summer of 2010 (August September) and winter of 2012 (February April), baseline acoustical data were collected at Petroglyph National Monument (PETR) at two sites deployed for approximately 30 days each. The baseline data collected...

  9. Characteristics of pinyon-juniper woodlands in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument: Changes since Monument establishment and prospects for future monitoring

    Treesearch

    Christopher Witt; John D. Shaw

    2010-01-01

    Recent data from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program have documented spatial and temporal patterns of drought-related mortality across woodlands of the Southwest (Shaw et al. 2005). In the early 1990s, FIA collected data on forested land now included in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM or the Monument) as part of a...

  10. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument : Acoustical Monitoring 2010

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2013-05-01

    During the summer of 2010 (July - August), the Volpe Center collected baseline acoustical data at Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (SUCR) at a site deployed for approximately 30 days. The baseline data collected during this period will help pa...

  11. Tuzigoot National Monument : acoustical monitoring 2010 and 2012

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-03-01

    During the summer of 2010 (July - August) and winter of 2012 (March-April) baseline acoustical data were collected at Tuzigoot National Monument (TUZI) at a site deployed for approximately 30 days during each period. The baseline data collected durin...

  12. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument acoustical monitoring 2010

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-11-01

    During September 2010, The Volpe Center collected baseline acoustical data at Casa Grande National Monument (CAGR), at one site for 28 days. The baseline data collected during this period will help park managers and planners estimate the effects of f...

  13. Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Tuzigoot National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Powell, Brian F.; Albrecht, E.W.; Halvorson, William Lee; Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Anning, P.; Docherty, K.

    2005-01-01

    Executive Summary From 2002 to 2004, we surveyed for plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Tuzigoot National Monument (NM) and adjacent areas in Arizona. This was the first effort of its kind in the area and was part of a larger effort to inventory vascular plants and vertebrates in eight National Park Service units in Arizona and New Mexico. In addition to our own surveys, we also compiled a complete list of species that have been found by previous studies. We found 330 species, including 142 that had not previously been recorded at the monument (Table 1). We found 39 species of non-native plants, 11 non-native fishes, three non-native birds, and one non-native species each of amphibian and mammal. Based on our work and that of others, there have been 597 species of plants and vertebrates found at the monument. The bird community at the monument had the highest species richness of any national park unit in central and southern Arizona. We found all other taxa to have intermediate species richness compared to other park units in the region. This extraordinary species richness observed for birds, as well as for some other taxa, is due primarily to Tavasci Marsh and the Verde River, two critical sources of perennial water, which provide habitat for many regionally rare or uncommon species. The location of the monument at the northern edge of the Sonoran Desert and at the southern edge of the Mogollon Rim also plays an important role in determining the distribution and community composition of the plant and vertebrate communities. Based on our findings, we believe the high number of non-native species, especially fish and plants, should be of particular management concern. We detail other management challenges, most notably the rapid increase in housing and associated commercial development near the monument, which will continue to impact the plant and vertebrate communities. Based on our data and a review of past studies, we believe the

  14. Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Powell, Brian F.; Halvorson, William L.

    2007-01-01

    Executive Summary We summarized inventory and monitoring efforts for plants and vertebrates at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (NM) in Arizona. We used data from previous research to compile complete species lists for the monument and to assess inventory completeness. There have been 1,031 species of plants and vertebrates observed at the monument. Most of the species on the list are documented by voucher specimens. There are 59 non-native species established in the monument: one mammal, three birds, and 55 non-native plants. Most non-native plant species were first recorded along roads. In each taxon-specific chapter, we highlight areas that contribute disproportionately to species richness or that have unique species for the monument. Of particular importance are Quitobaquito Springs and Pond, which are responsible for the monument having one of the highest number of bird species in the Sonoran Desert Network of parks. Quitobaquito also contains the only fish in the monument, the endangered Quitobaquito pupfish (Cyprinodon eremus). Other important resources for the plants and vertebrates include the xeroriparian washes (e.g., Alamo Canyon) and the Ajo Mountains. Based on the review of past studies, we believe the inventories of vascular plants and vertebrates are nearly complete and that the monument has one of the most complete inventories of any unit in the Sonoran Desert Network.

  15. Quantitative rock-fall hazard and risk assessment for Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stock, Greg M.; Luco, Nicolas; Collins, Brian D.; Harp, Edwin L.; Reichenbach, Paola; Frankel, Kurt L.

    2012-01-01

    caused injuries within developed regions located on or adjacent to talus slopes, highlighting the need for additional investigations into rock-fall hazard and risk. This assessment builds upon previous investigations of rock fall hazard and risk in Yosemite Valley (Wieczorek et al., 1998, 1999; Guzzetti et al., 2003; Wieczorek et al., 2008), and focuses on hazard and risk to structures posed by relatively frequent fragmental-type rock falls (Evans and Hungr, 1999), up to approximately 100,000 m3 in volume.

  16. Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Powell, Brian F.; Albrecht, Eric W.; Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Halvorson, William L.; Anning, Pamela; Docherty, Kathleen

    2006-01-01

    Executive Summary This report summarizes results of the first comprehensive biological inventory of Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (NM) in southern Arizona. Surveys at the monument were part of a larger effort to inventory vascular plants and vertebrates in eight National Park Service units in Arizona and New Mexico. In 2001 and 2002 we surveyed for vascular plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Casa Grande Ruins NM to document the presence, and in some cases relative abundance, of species. By using repeatable study designs and standardized field techniques, which included quantified survey effort, we produced inventories that can serve as the basis for a biological monitoring program. Of the National Park Service units in the region, no other has experienced as much recent ecological change as Casa Grande Ruins NM. Once situated in a large and biologically diverse mesquite bosque near the perennially flowing Gila River, the monument is now a patch of sparse desert vegetation surrounded by urban and commercial development that is rapidly replacing agriculture as the dominant land use in the area. Roads, highways, and canals surround the monument. Development, and its associated impacts, has important implications for the plants and animals that live in the monument. The plant species list is small and the distribution and number of non-native plants appears to be increasing. Terrestrial vertebrates are also being impacted by the changing landscape, which is increasing the isolation of these populations from nearby natural areas and thereby reducing the number of species at the monument. These observations are alarming and are based on our review of previous studies, our research in the monument, and our knowledge of the biogeography and ecology of the Sonoran Desert. Together, these data suggest that the monument has lost a significant portion of its historic complement of species and these changes will likely intensify as

  17. Food habits of American black bears as a metric for direct management of humanbear conflict in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Greenleaf, S.S.; Matthews, S.M.; Wright, R.G.; Beecham, J.J.; Leithead, H.M.

    2009-01-01

    The management of human-American black bear (Ursus americanus) conflict has been of significant concern for Yosemite National Park (YNP) personnel since the 1920s. Park managers implemented the YNP Human-Bear Management Plan in 1975 in an effort to reduce human-bear conflicts, especially in the extensively developed Yosemite Valley (YV). We used scat analysis to estimate annual and seasonal food habits of black bears in YV during 2001-02. We assessed the success of efforts to reduce the availability of anthropogenic foods, including garbage, by examining changes in the diet compared to a study from 1974-78 (Graber 1981). We also quantified consumption of non-native fruit to address its possible contribution to human-bear conflicts. The annual percent volume of human-provided food and garbage in black bear scats in YV decreased from 21% to 6% between 1978 and 2002, indicating YNP efforts have been effective. We found high use of non-native apples by bears throughout YV. Non-native food sources could be contributing to habituation and food conditioning, given their proximity to developed areas of YV. We recommend that YNP managers continue to (1) adapt and improve their management tools to address changing circumstances, (2) quantify the success of new management tools, and (3) reduce the availability of non-native food sources. ?? 2009 International Association for Bear Research and Management.

  18. 76 FR 12714 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Marianas Trench Marine National Monument...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-03-08

    ... Collection; Comment Request; Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Knowledge and Attitudes Survey AGENCY... questions on awareness, knowledge, and attitudes regarding the Monument, preferences for management and... activities. Additional questions include experiences with and attitudes toward existing uses of coastal and...

  19. Using the minimum requirement concept to manage research in the Yosemite Wilderness

    Treesearch

    Mark Fincher

    2007-01-01

    Ninety-five percent of Yosemite National Park is designated wilderness. More than 30 million people live within a day’s drive of the park, and visitation to the wilderness is more than 400,000 people annually. Yosemite is also popular with researchers. In recent years the park has received about 100 research permit applications per year, of which about 75 percent are...

  20. A case study: Death Valley National Monument California-Nevada

    Treesearch

    Daniel Hamson; Ristau Toni

    1979-01-01

    With passage of the Mining in the Parks Act (P.L. 94-429) in 1976, the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, was given the responsibility of preparing a report to Congress outlining the environmental consequences of mining on claims within Death Valley National Monument. In addition, the Secretary of the Interior is required to formulate a recommendation...

  1. 77 FR 1082 - Call for Nominations for the Carrizo Plain National Monument Advisory Council, California

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-01-09

    ...The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is soliciting nominations from the public to fill four positions on the Carrizo Plain National Monument Advisory Committee (MAC). MAC members provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on the management of public lands in the Carrizo Plain National Monument.

  2. Quantifying the fire regime distributions for severity in Yosemite National Park, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thode, Andrea E.; van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; Miller, Jay D.; Quinn, James F.

    2011-01-01

    This paper quantifies current fire severity distributions for 19 different fire-regime types in Yosemite National Park, California, USA. Landsat Thematic Mapper remote sensing data are used to map burn severity for 99 fires (cumulatively over 97 000 ha) that burned in Yosemite over a 20-year period. These maps are used to quantify the frequency distributions of fire severity by fire-regime type. A classification is created for the resultant distributions and they are discussed within the context of four vegetation zones: the foothill shrub and woodland zone; the lower montane forest zone; the upper montane forest zone and the subalpine forest zone. The severity distributions can form a building block from which to discuss current fire regimes across the Sierra Nevada in California. This work establishes a framework for comparing the effects of current fires on our landscapes with our notions of how fires historically burned, and how current fire severity distributions differ from our desired future conditions. As this process is refined, a new set of information will be available to researchers and land managers to help understand how fire regimes have changed from the past and how we might attempt to manage them in the future.

  3. Rock falls from Glacier Point above Camp Curry, Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wieczorek, Gerald F.; Snyder, James B.

    1999-01-01

    A series of rock falls from the north face of Glacier Point above Camp Curry, Yosemite National Park, California, have caused reexamination of the rock-fall hazard because beginning in June, 1999 a system of cracks propagated through a nearby rock mass outlining a future potential rock fall. If the estimated volume of the potential rock fall fails as a single piece, there could be a risk from rock-fall impact and airborne rock debris to cabins in Camp Curry. The role of joint plane orientation and groundwater pressure in the fractured rock mass are discussed in light of the pattern of developing cracks and potential modes of failure.

  4. Hydrologic characteristics of the Agua Fria National Monument, central Arizona, determined from the reconnaissance study

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fleming, John B.

    2005-01-01

    Hydrologic conditions in the newly created Agua Fria National Monument were characterized on the basis of existing hydrologic and geologic information, and streamflow data collected in May 2002. The study results are intended to support the Bureau of Land Management's future water-resource management responsibilities, including quantification of a Federal reserved water right within the monument. This report presents the study results, identifies data deficiencies, and describes specific approaches for consideration in future studies. Within the Agua Fria National Monument, the Agua Fria River flows generally from north to south, traversing almost the entire 23-mile length of the monument. Streamflow has been measured continuously at a site near the northern boundary of the monument since 1940. Streamflow statistics for this site, and streamflow measurements from other sites along the Agua Fria River, indicate that the river is perennial in the northern part of the monument but generally is intermittent in downstream reaches. The principal controls on streamflow along the river within the monument appear to be geology, the occurrence and distribution of alluvium, inflow at the northern boundary and from tributary canyons, precipitation, and evapotranspiration. At present, (2004) there is no consistent surface-water quality monitoring program being implemented for the monument. Ground-water recharge within the monument likely results from surface-water losses and direct infiltration of precipitation. Wells are most numerous in the Cordes Junction and Black Canyon City areas. Only eight wells are within the monument. Ground-water quality data for wells in the monument area consist of specific-conductance values and fluoride concentrations. During the study, ground-water quality data were available for only one well within the monument. No ground-water monitoring program is currently in place for the monument or surrounding areas.

  5. Montezuma Castle National Monument : acoustical monitoring 2010 and 2012

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-03-01

    During the summer of 2010 (July-August)and winter of 2012 (March-May) baseline acoustical data were collected at Montezuma Castle National Monument (MOCA), at two sites deployed for approximately 30 days each. The baseline data collected during these...

  6. 76 FR 18773 - Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, et al...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-05

    ... Islands, et al.; Monument Management Plan, Comprehensive Conservation Plans, and Environmental Assessment... the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA), intend to prepare the monument management... the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) contained therein. When the draft MMP is complete, we will...

  7. Water resources of Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sumsion, C.T.

    1976-01-01

    Dinosaur National Monument, partly in the Rocky Mountain System and partly in the Colorado Plateaus physiographic province, covers an area of 322 square miles (834 square kilometres) in northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah. The climate is generally cool and pleasant in May, early June, September, and October; winters are cold. Normal annual precipitation ranges from less than 8 to more than 16 inches (203 to 406 millimetres).Geologic formations in the monument range in age from upper Precambrian to Holocene, but not all ages are represented. The monument is on the south limb of the east-trending regional fold representing the Uinta Mountains. Faults and subsidary folds on the south slope of the Uinta Mountains complicate the geology and hydrology of the area.None of the surface streams in the monument are diverted for public supply, but the Green and Yampa Rivers are a recreational resource for boaters. The flow of the Green River is regulated by Flaming Gorge Reservoir; however, flood potentials are estimated for the Yampa River and three smaller streams. Facilities in the monument are not endangered by probable mean annual floods, but may sustain some damage to facilities by the 25- or 50-year floods.Major aquifers in the monument are sandstone and limestone formations, but these formations are drained in the higher areas. Alluvium along the major stream channels yields small amounts of water to wells, but some of the water is not of suitable chemical quality for public supply. All public water supplies in 1971 were obtained from wells, and the use of water during 1970 was estimated to be 15 million gallons (46 acre-feet or 0.057 cubic hectometres). Most of the ground water obtained from sandstone and limestone is of suitable chemical quality for public supply.

  8. Observations of elk movement patterns on Fossil Butte National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Olexa, Edward M.; Soileau, Suzanna Carrithers.; Allen, Leslie A.

    2014-01-01

    The elk herd that frequents Fossil Butte National Monument, a subset of the West Green River elk population, provides visitors with seasonal opportunities to view an iconic species of the western United States. Throughout the year, these elk range across a variety of private, State, and Federal lands within close proximity to the Monument. These lands are managed differently for various uses which can create challenging wildlife-management issues and influence the herd’s seasonal movements and distribution. Research lead by the USGS investigates some of the factors associated with these seasonal changes.

  9. VIEW OF BATTLE MONUMENT SANITARIUM MONUMENT IN BACKGROUND AND BIVOUAC ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    VIEW OF BATTLE MONUMENT SANITARIUM MONUMENT IN BACKGROUND AND BIVOUAC OF DEAD TABLET IN FOREGROUND. VIEW TO SOUTHEAST. - Hot Springs National Cemetery, Virginia Medical Center 500 North Fifth Street, Hot Springs, Fall River County, SD

  10. 76 FR 4721 - Minor Boundary Revision of Lava Beds National Monument

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-26

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Minor Boundary Revision of Lava Beds National Monument AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notification of boundary revision. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 460l- 9(c)(1), the boundary of the Petroglyph Point...

  11. Factors associated with the severity of interacting fires in Yosemite National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; van Wagtendonk, Kent A.; Thode, Andrea E.

    2012-01-01

    In 1972, Yosemite National Park established a wilderness fire zone in which lightning fires were allowed to run their courses under prescribed conditions. This zone was expanded in 1973 to include the 16 209 ha Illilouette Creek basin, just to the southeast of Yosemite Valley. From 1973 through 2011, there have been 157 fires in the basin. Fire severity data were collected on all 28 of those fires that were larger than 40 ha. The proportion burned in each fire severity class was not significantly associated with fire return interval departure class. When areas were reburned, the proportion of unchanged severity fire decreased while the proportion of high severity fire increased. The proportion of fire severity of the subsequent fires was associated with the number of years since last burned, the burning index, and the severity of the previous fires. The main effects were significant for unchanged severity and low severity, and the interaction between return interval class and burning index class was significant for high severity. Most vegetation types remained the same when burned with unchanged, low, or moderate severity, while high severity often resulted in conversion to montane chaparral. The factors that were associated with reburn severity worked in combination with each factor influencing some aspect of severity. Managers and scientists can use this information to better understand the role fire plays in these ecosystems and how to best manage this dynamic ecological process.

  12. Climatic water deficit, tree species ranges, and climate change in Yosemite National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lutz, James A.; Van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; Franklin, Jerry F.

    2010-01-01

    Aim  (1) To calculate annual potential evapotranspiration (PET), actual evapotranspiration (AET) and climatic water deficit (Deficit) with high spatial resolution; (2) to describe distributions for 17 tree species over a 2300-m elevation gradient in a 3000-km2 landscape relative to AET and Deficit; (3) to examine changes in AET and Deficit between past (c. 1700), present (1971–2000) and future (2020–49) climatological means derived from proxies, observations and projections; and (4) to infer how the magnitude of changing Deficit may contribute to changes in forest structure and composition.Location  Yosemite National Park, California, USA.Methods  We calculated the water balance within Yosemite National Park using a modified Thornthwaite-type method and correlated AET and Deficit with tree species distribution. We used input data sets with different spatial resolutions parameterized for variation in latitude, precipitation, temperature, soil water-holding capacity, slope and aspect. We used climate proxies and climate projections to model AET and Deficit for past and future climate. We compared the modelled future water balance in Yosemite with current species water-balance ranges in North America.Results  We calculated species climatic envelopes over broad ranges of environmental gradients – a range of 310 mm for soil water-holding capacity, 48.3°C for mean monthly temperature (January minima to July maxima), and 918 mm yr−1 for annual precipitation. Tree species means were differentiated by AET and Deficit, and at higher levels of Deficit, species means were increasingly differentiated. Modelled Deficit for all species increased by a mean of 5% between past (c. 1700) and present (1971–2000). Projected increases in Deficit between present and future (2020–49) were 23% across all plots.Main conclusions  Modelled changes in Deficit between past, present and future climate scenarios suggest that recent past changes in forest structure and

  13. The Newest Monument: The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Social Studies and the Young Learner, 2011

    2011-01-01

    This article features the newest monument, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. The memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be an engaging landscape experience to convey four fundamental and recurring themes throughout Dr. King's life--democracy, justice, hope, and love. Natural…

  14. Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Montezuma Castle National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Drost, Charles A.; Halvorson, William Lee

    2006-01-01

    Executive Summary We summarize past inventory efforts for vascular plants and vertebrates at Montezuma Castle National Monument (NM) in Arizona. We used data from previous research to compile complete species lists for the monument and to assess inventory completeness. There have been 784 species recorded at Montezuma Castle NM, of which 85 (11%) are non-native. In each taxon-specific chapter we highlight areas of resources that contributed to species richness or unique species for the monument. Of particular importance are Montezuma Well and Beaver and Wet Beaver creeks and the surrounding riparian vegetation, which are responsible for the monument having one of the highest numbers of bird species in the Sonoran Desert Network of park units. Beaver Creek is also home to populations of federally-listed fish species of concern. Other important resources include the cliffs along the creeks and around Montezuma Well (for cliff and cave roosting bats). Based on the review of past studies, we believe the inventory for most taxa is nearly complete, though some rare or elusive species will be added with additional survey effort. We recommend additional inventory, monitoring and research studies.

  15. Use of regression‐based models to map sensitivity of aquatic resources to atmospheric deposition in Yosemite National Park, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clow, David W.; Nanus, Leora; Huggett, Brian

    2010-01-01

    An abundance of exposed bedrock, sparse soil and vegetation, and fast hydrologic flushing rates make aquatic ecosystems in Yosemite National Park susceptible to nutrient enrichment and episodic acidification due to atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S). In this study, multiple linear regression (MLR) models were created to estimate fall‐season nitrate and acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) in surface water in Yosemite wilderness. Input data included estimated winter N deposition, fall‐season surface‐water chemistry measurements at 52 sites, and basin characteristics derived from geographic information system layers of topography, geology, and vegetation. The MLR models accounted for 84% and 70% of the variance in surface‐water nitrate and ANC, respectively. Explanatory variables (and the sign of their coefficients) for nitrate included elevation (positive) and the abundance of neoglacial and talus deposits (positive), unvegetated terrain (positive), alluvium (negative), and riparian (negative) areas in the basins. Explanatory variables for ANC included basin area (positive) and the abundance of metamorphic rocks (positive), unvegetated terrain (negative), water (negative), and winter N deposition (negative) in the basins. The MLR equations were applied to 1407 stream reaches delineated in the National Hydrography Data Set for Yosemite, and maps of predicted surface‐water nitrate and ANC concentrations were created. Predicted surface‐water nitrate concentrations were highest in small, high‐elevation cirques, and concentrations declined downstream. Predicted ANC concentrations showed the opposite pattern, except in high‐elevation areas underlain by metamorphic rocks along the Sierran Crest, which had relatively high predicted ANC (>200 μeq L−1). Maps were created to show where basin characteristics predispose aquatic resources to nutrient enrichment and acidification effects from N and S deposition. The maps can be used to help guide

  16. 36 CFR 7.59 - Grand Portage National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... routes within the National Monument: (1) The trail from County Road 73 (near the Grand Portage Trading... powerline right-of-way road from Country Road 73 which moves across the Grand Portage Trail. (3) The logging road which moves across the Grand Portage Trail in NE 1/4, SE 1/4, Section 32, T64N, R6E. (4) Abandoned...

  17. BLOEDNER MONUMENT (32ND INDIANA, 1ST GERMAN MONUMENT), SECTION C, FRONT ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    BLOEDNER MONUMENT (32ND INDIANA, 1ST GERMAN MONUMENT), SECTION C, FRONT ELEVATION DETAIL OF EAGLE. VIEW TO NORTHEAST. - Cave Hill National Cemetery, 701 Baxter Avenue, Louisville, Jefferson County, KY

  18. BLOEDNER MONUMENT (32ND INDIANA, 1ST GERMAN MONUMENT), SECTION C, FRONT ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    BLOEDNER MONUMENT (32ND INDIANA, 1ST GERMAN MONUMENT), SECTION C, FRONT ELEVATION DETAIL OF GERMAN TEXT. VIEW TO NORTHEAST. - Cave Hill National Cemetery, 701 Baxter Avenue, Louisville, Jefferson County, KY

  19. 76 FR 69241 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-08

    ... Collection; Comment Request; Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument Mokupapapa Discovery Center Exhibit... collection. Mokupapapa Discovery Center (Center) is an outreach arm of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National... of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in...

  20. Preliminary investigation of structural controls of ground-water movement in Pipe Spring National Monument, Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Truini, Margot; Fleming, John B.; Pierce, Herb A.

    2004-01-01

    Pipe Spring National Monument, near the border of Arizona and Utah, includes several low-discharge springs that are the primary natural features of the monument. The National Park Service is concerned about the declines in spring discharge. Seismic-refraction and frequency-domain electromagnetic-induction methods were employed in an attempt to better understand the relation between spring discharge and geologic structure. The particular method used for the seismic-refraction surveys was unable to resolve structural features in the monument. Electromagnetic surveys delineated differences in apparent conductivity of the shallow subsurface deposits. The differences are attributable to differences in saturation, lithology, and structure of these deposits.

  1. 78 FR 64973 - Call for Nominations for the Bureau of Land Management's Carrizo Plain National Monument Advisory...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-30

    ...The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is soliciting nominations from the public to fill positions on the Carrizo Plain National Monument Advisory Committee (MAC). MAC members provide advice and recommendations to the BLM on the management of public lands in the Carrizo Plain National Monument.

  2. 75 FR 61415 - Admiralty National Monument: Tongass National Forest; Alaska; Expansion of Tailings Disposal...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-10-05

    ... Samuelson, Interdisciplinary Team Leader, Tongass National Forest Minerals Program Leader, 8510 Mendenhall...'' including wetlands, habitat, and the intrinsic characteristics that warranted the Monument's initial... Doc. 2010-24907 Filed 10-4-10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-11-P ...

  3. Aztec Ruins National Monument. Teacher's Guide, Grades 4-7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nichols, Theresa, Comp.

    This teacher's guide is for educators in classrooms, outdoor education, youth groups, scouting, and after-school programs to teach about the Aztec Ruins National Monument (New Mexico). The teaching materials in the guide support the New Mexico educational standards in science, social studies, language arts, mathematics, and art. Since the guide's…

  4. 75 FR 21034 - Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Agua Fria National Monument and Bradshaw...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-22

    ....241A] Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Agua Fria National Monument and Bradshaw... availability of the Record of Decision (ROD)/Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Agua Fria National... of the planning area during prehistoric or historic times. The Agua Fria National Monument includes...

  5. The fishes of George Washington Carver National Monument, Missouri, 2003

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Justus, B.G.; Petersen, James C.

    2005-01-01

    Fish were collected at six sites at George Washington Carver National Monument by seining and electrofishing during a base-flow period on July 17-18, 2003. Approximately 700 fish were collected and identified at the six sampling sites. Those individuals represented 17 species (and 1 hybrid) and 13 genera. The number of species collected at the five stream sites ranged from 9 to 12; a hybrid sunfish and 4 species were collected from a pond. Fish collected at stream sites were typical of small headwater streams and no species collected in this study are federally-listed threatened or endangered species. The three most common species were the southern redbelly dace, central stoneroller, and green sunfish. Some differences existed between the assemblages (groups of species) collected in 2003 and in the previous inventories. Four of the 17 fish species collected in this inventory previously had not been collected at the monument. However, 11 species collected in one or more of the previous inventories were not collected in this effort. There is no indication that a change in environmental conditions is responsible for the absence of these species; more likely reasons are seasonal variability, extirpation, low population density, and misidentification. Four species collected at George Washington Carver National Monument may be of special interest to National Park Service managers and others. The cardinal shiner and stippled darter are endemic to the Ozark Plateaus. The Arkansas darter is considered a species of conservation concern by the State of Missouri. The grass carp is an introduced species.

  6. History of Fire and Fire Impacts at Tonto National Monument, Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Phillips, Barbara G.

    1997-01-01

    A study of the history of fire and fire impacts on desert plants of Tonto National Monument was made in 1990-1991 by the author. Four major fires and several minor ones have occurred on the monument since 1942, all lightning caused. Twenty photo stations set up after the 1964 Schultz Fire were found and replicate photos made at the rebar-marked sites. Photographic documentation of the impacts of several fires made comparison of vegetation changes over time possible. Five monitoring plots were established in March and April 1990, representing a variety of vegetation associations in burned and unburned areas. An inventory of plants of the monument was completed in 1964 by Burgess (1965) prior to the first major fire. Comparisons of change across the 26-year span were made during this study. The effects of fire?in some areas multiple fires?were determined and reported on.

  7. Assessing fire effects on forest spatial structure using a fusion of Landsat and airborne LiDAR data in Yosemite National Park

    Treesearch

    Van R. Kane; Malcolm P. North; James A. Lutz; Derek J. Churchill; Susan L. Roberts; Douglas F. Smith; Robert J. McGaughey; Jonathan T. Kane; Matthew L. Brooks

    2014-01-01

    Mosaics of tree clumps and openings are characteristic of forests dominated by frequent, low-and moderate-severity fires. When restoring these fire-suppressed forests, managers often try to reproduce these structures to increase ecosystem resilience. We examined unburned and burned forest structures for 1937 0.81 ha sample areas in Yosemite National Park, USA. We...

  8. Geohydrology of Pipe Spring National Monument area, northern Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Truini, Margot

    1999-01-01

    Pipe Spring National Monument is on the Arizona Strip, an area between the Utah border to the north and the north rim of the Grand Canyon to the south. Four springs at the base of Winsor Point on Winsor Mountain (known collectively as Pipe Spring) are a part of the historical significance of the monument. The relation between declining discharges from springs in the monument and ground-water development north of the monument was studied to provide information that could be used for management of the monument resources. Ground-water elevations from wells indicate that ground-water movement is from north to south along the west side of a branch of Sevier Fault. Faulting in the areas has downthrown permeable water-bearing sediments relative to impermeable sediments and is evinced by cliffs along the western and northern edges and flat-lying areas to the east. The Navajo Sandstone and Kayenta Formation are the primary water-bearing units on the west side of the fault. The semipermeable sediments of the Chinle and Moenkopi Formations on the east side of the fault inhibit ground-water movement from the west to the east side of the fault. Ground water south of Moccasin Canyon is higher in total dissolved solids than ground water north of Moccasin Canyon. Wells north of Moccasin Canyon are open primarily in the Navajo Sandstone, and wells south of Moccasin Canyon are open primarily in the upper sandstone facies of the Kayenta Formation. A water-budget estimate for the study area indicates a storage deficit of 780 acre-feet per year. This deficit suggests that some recharge may be occurring outside the study area. Oxygen and hydrogen stable- isotopic data suggest no isotopic variation in recharging waters in the study area and surrounding region. Radiocarbon and tritium activities indicate apparent ground-water ages at wells and springs are between 45 and 9,000 years.

  9. Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Powell, Brian F.; Albrecht, Eric W.; Halvorson, William L.; Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Docherty, Kathleen; Anning, Pamela

    2006-01-01

    Executive Summary This report summarizes the results of the first comprehensive biological inventory of Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (NM) in western New Mexico. This project was part of a larger effort to inventory plants and vertebrates in eight National Park Service units in Arizona and New Mexico. Our surveys address many of the objectives that were set forth in the monument's natural resource management plan almost 20 years ago, but until this effort, those goals were never accomplished. From 2001 to 2003 we surveyed for vascular plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Gila Cliff Dwellings NM to document presence of species within the boundaries of the monument. For all taxonomic groups that we studied, we collected 'incidental' sightings on U.S. Forest Service lands adjacent to the monument, and in a few cases we did formal surveys on those lands. Because we used repeatable study designs and standardized field techniques, these inventories can serve as the first step in a biological monitoring program for Gila Cliff Dwellings NM and surrounding lands. We recorded 552 species at Gila Cliff Dwellings NM and the surrounding lands (Table 1). We found no non-native species of reptiles, birds, or mammals, one non-native amphibian (American bullfrog), and 33 non-native plants. Particularly on lands adjacent to the monument we found that the American bullfrog was very abundant, which is a cause for significant management concern. Species of non-native plants that are of management concern include red brome, bufflegrass, and cheatgrass. For a park unit of its size and geographic location, we found the plant and vertebrate communities to be fairly diverse; for each taxonomic group we found representative species from a wide range of taxonomic orders and/or families. The monument's geographic location, with influences from the Rocky Mountain, Chihuahuan Desert, and Madrean ecological provinces, plays an important role in determining

  10. Investigation and hazard assessment of the 2003 and 2007 Staircase Falls rock falls, Yosemite National Park, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wieczorek, G.F.; Stock, Gregory M.; Reichenbach, P.; Snyder, J.B.; Borchers, J.W.; Godt, J.W.

    2008-01-01

    Since 1857 more than 600 rock falls, rock slides, debris slides, and debris flows have been documented in Yosemite National Park, with rock falls in Yosemite Valley representing the majority of the events. On 26 December 2003, a rock fall originating from west of Glacier Point sent approximately 200 m 3 of rock debris down a series of joint-controlled ledges to the floor of Yosemite Valley. The debris impacted talus near the base of Staircase Falls, producing fragments of flying rock that struck occupied cabins in Curry Village. Several years later on 9 June 2007, and again on 26 July 2007, smaller rock falls originated from the same source area. The 26 December 2003 event coincided with a severe winter storm and was likely triggered by precipitation and/or frost wedging, but the 9 June and 26 July 2007 events lack recognizable triggering mechanisms. We investigated the geologic and hydrologic factors contributing to the Staircase Falls rock falls, including bedrock lithology, weathering, joint spacing and orientations, and hydrologic processes affecting slope stability. We improved upon previous geomorphic assessment of rock-fall hazards, based on a shadow angle approach, by using STONE, a three-dimensional rock-fall simulation computer program. STONE produced simulated rock-fall runout patterns similar to the mapped extent of the 2003 and 2007 events, allowing us to simulate potential future rock falls from the Staircase Falls detachment area. Observations of recent rock falls, mapping of rock debris, and simulations of rock fall runouts beneath the Staircase Falls detachment area suggest that rock-fall hazard zones extend farther downslope than the extent previously defined by mapped surface talus deposits.

  11. Results of the Level-1 Water-Quality Inventory at the Pinnacles National Monument, June 2006

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Borchers, James W.; Lyttge, Michael S.

    2007-01-01

    To help define baseline water quality of key water resources at Pinnacles National Monument, California, the U.S. Geological Survey collected and analyzed ground water from seven springs sampled during June 2006. During the dry season, seeps and springs are the primary source of water for wildlife in the monument and provide habitat for plants, amphibians, and aquatic life. Water samples were analyzed for dissolved concentrations of major ions, trace elements, nutrients, stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, and tritium. In most cases, the concentrations of measured water-quality constituents in spring samples were lower than California threshold standards for drinking water and Federal threshold standards for drinking water and aquatic life. The concentrations of dissolved arsenic in three springs were above the Federal Maximum Contaminant Level for drinking water (10 g/L). Water-quality information for samples collected from the springs will provide a reference point for comparison of samples collected from future monitoring networks and hydrologic studies in the Pinnacles National Monument, and will help National Park Service managers assess relations between water chemistry, geology, and land use.

  12. Developing a monitoring protocol for visitor-created informal trails in Yosemite National Park, USA.

    PubMed

    Leung, Yu-Fai; Newburger, Todd; Jones, Marci; Kuhn, Bill; Woiderski, Brittany

    2011-01-01

    Informal trails created or perpetuated by visitors is a management challenge in many protected natural areas such as Yosemite National Park. This is a significant issue as informal trail networks penetrate and proliferate into protected landscapes and habitats, threatening ecological integrity, aesthetics, and visitor experiences. In order to develop effective strategies for addressing this problem under an adaptive management framework, indicators must be developed and monitoring protocol must be established to gather timely and relevant data about the condition, extent, and distribution of these undesired trail segments. This article illustrates a process of developing and evaluating informal trail indicators for meadows in Yosemite Valley. Indicator measures developed in past research were reviewed to identify their appropriateness for the current application. Information gaps in existing indicator measures were addressed by creating two new indices to quantify the degree of informal trailing based on its land fragmentation effects. The selected indicator measures were applied to monitoring data collected between 2006 and 2008. The selected measures and indices were evaluated for their ability to characterize informal trail impacts at site and landscape scales. Results demonstrate the utility of indicator measures in capturing different characteristics of the informal trail problem, though several metrics are strongly related to each other. The two fragmentation indices were able to depict fragmentation without being too sensitive to changes in one constituent parameter. This study points to the need for a multiparameter approach to informal trail monitoring and integration with other monitoring data. Implications for monitoring programs and research are discussed.

  13. Developing a Monitoring Protocol for Visitor-Created Informal Trails in Yosemite National Park, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leung, Yu-Fai; Newburger, Todd; Jones, Marci; Kuhn, Bill; Woiderski, Brittany

    2011-01-01

    Informal trails created or perpetuated by visitors is a management challenge in many protected natural areas such as Yosemite National Park. This is a significant issue as informal trail networks penetrate and proliferate into protected landscapes and habitats, threatening ecological integrity, aesthetics, and visitor experiences. In order to develop effective strategies for addressing this problem under an adaptive management framework, indicators must be developed and monitoring protocol must be established to gather timely and relevant data about the condition, extent, and distribution of these undesired trail segments. This article illustrates a process of developing and evaluating informal trail indicators for meadows in Yosemite Valley. Indicator measures developed in past research were reviewed to identify their appropriateness for the current application. Information gaps in existing indicator measures were addressed by creating two new indices to quantify the degree of informal trailing based on its land fragmentation effects. The selected indicator measures were applied to monitoring data collected between 2006 and 2008. The selected measures and indices were evaluated for their ability to characterize informal trail impacts at site and landscape scales. Results demonstrate the utility of indicator measures in capturing different characteristics of the informal trail problem, though several metrics are strongly related to each other. The two fragmentation indices were able to depict fragmentation without being too sensitive to changes in one constituent parameter. This study points to the need for a multiparameter approach to informal trail monitoring and integration with other monitoring data. Implications for monitoring programs and research are discussed.

  14. Hydraulic and Geomorphic Assessment of the Merced River and Historic Bridges in Eastern Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California: Sacramento, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Minear, J. Toby; Wright, Scott A.

    2013-01-01

    The Merced River in the popular and picturesque eastern-most part of Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California, USA, has been extensively altered since the park was first conceived in 1864. Historical human trampling of streambanks has been suggested as the cause of substantial increases in stream width, and the construction of undersized stone bridges in the 1920s has been suggested as the major factor leading to an increase in overbank flooding due to deposition of bars and islands between the bridges. In response, the National Park Service at Yosemite National Park (YNP) requested a study of the hydraulic and geomorphic conditions affecting the most-heavily influenced part of the river, a 2.4-km reach in eastern Yosemite Valley extending from above the Tenaya Creek and Merced River confluence to below Housekeeping Bridge. As part of the study, present-day conditions were compared to historical conditions and several possible planning scenarios were investigated, including the removal of an elevated road berm and the removal of three undersized historic stone bridges identified by YNP as potential problems: Sugar Pine, Ahwahnee and Stoneman Bridges. This Open-File Report will be superseded at a later date by a Scientific Investigations Report. A two-dimensional hydrodynamic model, the USGS FaSTMECH (Flow and Sediment Transport with Morphological Evolution of Channels) model, within the USGS International River Interface Cooperative (iRIC) model framework, was used to compare the scenarios over a range of discharges with annual exceedance probabilities of 50-, 20-, 10-, and 5- percent. A variety of topographic and hydraulic data sources were used to create the input conditions to the hydrodynamic model, including aerial LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), ground-based LiDAR, total station survey data, and grain size data from pebble counts. A digitized version of a historical topographic map created by the USGS in 1919, combined with estimates of

  15. Geologic history of the Yosemite Valley

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Matthes, Francois E.

    1930-01-01

    Projection of the longitudinal profiles of these hanging valleys forward to the axis of the Merced Canyon shows that they are closely accordant in height. Their profiles indicate a series of points on a former profile of the Merced with respect to which the side streams had graded their courses prior to the last uplift. This old profile can be extended upward into the glaciated part of the Merced Canyon above El Portal and even into the profoundly glaciated Yosemite Valley, accordant points being furnished by a number of hanging side valleys (due allowance being made for glacial erosion suffered by those valleys). However, not all the hanging valleys of the Yosemite region are accordant with this set. Several of them, including the upland valley of Yosemite Creek, constitute a separate set indicating another old profile of the Merced at a level 600 to 1,000 feet higher than the first. Others, including the hanging gulch of lower Bridalveil Creek, point to an old profile of the Merced about 1,200 feet lower than the first. There are thus three distinct sets of hanging valleys produced in three cycles of stream erosion. The valleys of the upper set, like those of the middle set, were left hanging as a result of rapid trenching by the Merced induced by an uplift of the range, there having been two such uplifts. Only the valleys of the lower set hang because of glacial deepening and widening of the Yosemite Valley, the cycle in which they were cut having been interrupted by the advent of the Pleistocene glaciers. They consequently indicate the preglacial depth of the Yosemite Valley. That depth, measured from the brow of El Capitan, was about 2,400 feet; measured from the rim at Glacier Point it was about 2,000 feet.

  16. America National Parks Viewed in 3D by NASA MISR Anaglyph 4

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-08-25

    Just in time for the U.S. National Park Service's Centennial celebration on Aug. 25, NASA's Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite is releasing four new anaglyphs that showcase 33 of our nation's national parks, monuments, historical sites and recreation areas in glorious 3D. Shown in the annotated image are Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Manzanar National Historic Site, Devils Postpile National Monument, Yosemite National Park, and parts of Death Valley National Park. MISR views Earth with nine cameras pointed at different angles, giving it the unique capability to produce anaglyphs, stereoscopic images that allow the viewer to experience the landscape in three dimensions. The anaglyphs were made by combining data from MISR's vertical-viewing and 46-degree forward-pointing camera. You will need red-blue glasses in order to experience the 3D effect; ensure you place the red lens over your left eye. The images have been rotated so that north is to the left in order to enable 3D viewing because the Terra satellite flies from north to south. All of the images are 235 miles (378 kilometers) from west to east. These data were acquired July 7, 2016, Orbit 88051. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20892

  17. Incorporating physical activity measures into environmental monitoring of national parks: an example from Yosemite.

    PubMed

    Walden-Schreiner, Chelsey; Leung, Yu-Fai; Floyd, Myron F

    2014-09-01

    To address increasing prevalence of obesity and associated chronic disease, recent national initiatives have called upon federal agencies to promote healthy lifestyles and provide opportunities for physical activity. In response, the U.S. National Park Service has developed strategies promoting health through physical activity in addition to its well-established biodiversity and landscape conservation mission. Incorporating physical activity measures with routine environmental monitoring would help identify areas where parks can promote active pursuits with minimal environmental impact. This study provides one example of how protocols developed for visitor and environmental monitoring can generate data to evaluate physical activity. Researchers implemented an observational study in high-use meadows of Yosemite National Park during the summer of 2011. Variables measured include the spatial location of visitors and activity type. Metabolic equivalents (METs) were assigned to activity categories and analyzed for average energy expenditure. Mean METs values indicated sedentary to light physical activity across the meadows, with greater means in areas with boardwalks or paved pathways. Data leveraged in this study provide park managers an example of adapting existing monitoring programs to incorporate indicators relevant to physical activity evaluation and how physical activity may impact resource conditions in national parks.

  18. Meteorology and hydrology in Yosemite National Park: A sensor network application

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lundquist, J.D.; Cayan, D.R.; Dettinger, M.D.

    2003-01-01

    Over half of California's water supply comes from high elevations in the snowmelt-dominated Sierra Nevada. Natural climate fluctuations, global warming, and the growing needs of water consumers demand intelligent management of this water resource. This requires a comprehensive monitoring system across and within the Sierra Nevada. Unfortunately, because of severe terrain and limited access, few measurements exist. Thus, meteorological and hydrologic processes are not well understood at high altitudes. However, new sensor and wireless communication technologies are beginning to provide sensor packages designed for low maintenance operation, low power consumption and unobtrusive footprints. A prototype network of meteorological and hydrological sensors has been deployed in Yosemite National Park, traversing elevation zones from 1,200 to 3,700 m. Communication techniques must be tailored to suit each location, resulting in a hybrid network of radio, cell-phone, land-line, and satellite transmissions. Results are showing how, in some years, snowmelt may occur quite uniformly over the Sierra, while in others it varies with elevation. ?? Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2003.

  19. Hantavirus infections among overnight visitors to Yosemite National Park, California, USA, 2012.

    PubMed

    Núñez, Jonathan J; Fritz, Curtis L; Knust, Barbara; Buttke, Danielle; Enge, Barryett; Novak, Mark G; Kramer, Vicki; Osadebe, Lynda; Messenger, Sharon; Albariño, César G; Ströher, Ute; Niemela, Michael; Amman, Brian R; Wong, David; Manning, Craig R; Nichol, Stuart T; Rollin, Pierre E; Xia, Dongxiang; Watt, James P; Vugia, Duc J

    2014-03-01

    In summer 2012, an outbreak of hantavirus infections occurred among overnight visitors to Yosemite National Park in California, USA. An investigation encompassing clinical, epidemiologic, laboratory, and environmental factors identified 10 cases among residents of 3 states. Eight case-patients experienced hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, of whom 5 required intensive care with ventilatory support and 3 died. Staying overnight in a signature tent cabin (9 case-patients) was significantly associated with becoming infected with hantavirus (p<0.001). Rodent nests and tunnels were observed in the foam insulation of the cabin walls. Rodent trapping in the implicated area resulted in high trap success rate (51%), and antibodies reactive to Sin Nombre virus were detected in 10 (14%) of 73 captured deer mice. All signature tent cabins were closed and subsequently dismantled. Continuous public awareness and rodent control and exclusion are key measures in minimizing the risk for hantavirus infection in areas inhabited by deer mice.

  20. Hantavirus Infections among Overnight Visitors to Yosemite National Park, California, USA, 2012

    PubMed Central

    Núñez, Jonathan J.; Fritz, Curtis L.; Knust, Barbara; Buttke, Danielle; Enge, Barryett; Novak, Mark G.; Kramer, Vicki; Osadebe, Lynda; Messenger, Sharon; Albariño, César G.; Ströher, Ute; Niemela, Michael; Amman, Brian R.; Wong, David; Manning, Craig R.; Nichol, Stuart T.; Rollin, Pierre E.; Xia, Dongxiang; Watt, James P.

    2014-01-01

    In summer 2012, an outbreak of hantavirus infections occurred among overnight visitors to Yosemite National Park in California, USA. An investigation encompassing clinical, epidemiologic, laboratory, and environmental factors identified 10 cases among residents of 3 states. Eight case-patients experienced hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, of whom 5 required intensive care with ventilatory support and 3 died. Staying overnight in a signature tent cabin (9 case-patients) was significantly associated with becoming infected with hantavirus (p<0.001). Rodent nests and tunnels were observed in the foam insulation of the cabin walls. Rodent trapping in the implicated area resulted in high trap success rate (51%), and antibodies reactive to Sin Nombre virus were detected in 10 (14%) of 73 captured deer mice. All signature tent cabins were closed and subsequently dismantled. Continuous public awareness and rodent control and exclusion are key measures in minimizing the risk for hantavirus infection in areas inhabited by deer mice. PMID:24565589

  1. Unusual July 10, 1996, rock fall at Happy Isles, Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wieczorek, G.F.; Snyder, J.B.; Waitt, R.B.; Morrissey, M.M.; Uhrhammer, R.A.; Harp, E.L.; Norris, R.D.; Bursik, M.I.; Finewood, L.G.

    2000-01-01

    Effects of the July 10, 1996, rock fall at Happy Isles in Yosemite National Park, California, were unusual compared to most rock falls. Two main rock masses fell about 14 s apart from a 665-m-high cliff southeast of Glacier Point onto a talus slope above Happy Isles in the eastern part of Yosemite Valley. The two impacts were recorded by seismographs as much as 200 km away. Although the impact area of the rock falls was not particularly large, the falls generated an airblast and an abrasive dense sandy cloud that devastated a larger area downslope of the impact sites toward the Happy Isles Nature Center. Immediately downslope of the impacts, the airblast had velocities exceeding 110 m/s and toppled or snapped about 1000 trees. Even at distances of 0.5 km from impact, wind velocities snapped or toppled large trees, causing one fatality and several serious injuries beyond the Happy Isles Nature Center. A dense sandy cloud trailed the airblast and abraded fallen trunks and trees left standing. The Happy Isles rock fall is one of the few known worldwide to have generated an airblast and abrasive dense sandy cloud. The relatively high velocity of the rock fall at impact, estimated to be 110-120 m/s, influenced the severity and areal extent of the airblast at Happy Isles. Specific geologic and topographic conditions, typical of steep glaciated valleys and mountainous terrain, contributed to the rock-fall release and determined its travel path, resulting in a high velocity at impact that generated the devastating airblast and sandy cloud. The unusual effects of this rock fall emphasize the importance of considering collateral geologic hazards, such as airblasts from rock falls, in hazard assessment and planning development of mountainous areas.

  2. EAARL topography: George Washington Birthplace National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brock, John C.; Wright, C. Wayne; Patterson, Matt; Nayegandhi, Amar; Patterson, Judd

    2007-01-01

    This Web site contains Lidar-derived topography (first return and bare earth) maps and GIS files for George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Virginia. These lidar-derived topography maps were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program, FISC St. Petersburg, the National Park Service (NPS), Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, Inventory and Monitoring Program, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Wallops Flight Facility. One objective of this research is to create techniques to survey coral reefs and barrier islands for the purposes of geomorphic change studies, habitat mapping, ecological monitoring, change detection, and event assessment. As part of this project, data from an innovative instrument under development at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, the NASA Experimental Airborne Advanced Research Lidar (EAARL) are being used. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in this realm for measuring subaerial and submarine topography wthin cross-environment surveys. High spectral resolution, water-column correction, and low costs were found to be key factors in providing accurate and affordable imagery to coastal resource managers.

  3. Air Quality at Devils Postpile National Monument, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, USA

    Treesearch

    Joel D. Burley; Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Monica Buhler; Barbara Zielinska; Donald Schweizer; Ricardo Cisneros; Susan Schilling; Jennifer Chapman Varela; Mark McDaniel; Michelle Horn; Deanna Dulen

    2016-01-01

    Ambient concentrations of O3, PM2.5, NH3, NO, NO2, HNO3, SO2 and VOCs were measured at Devils Postpile National Monument (DEPO) during the summer seasons of 2013 and 2014. The measurements were impacted by the Aspen and Rim Fires in...

  4. Investigation of and Response to 2 Plague Cases, Yosemite National Park, California, USA, 2015.

    PubMed

    Danforth, Mary; Novak, Mark; Petersen, Jeannine; Mead, Paul; Kingry, Luke; Weinburke, Matthew; Buttke, Danielle; Hacker, Gregory; Tucker, James; Niemela, Michael; Jackson, Bryan; Padgett, Kerry; Liebman, Kelly; Vugia, Duc; Kramer, Vicki

    2016-12-01

    In August 2015, plague was diagnosed for 2 persons who had visited Yosemite National Park in California, USA. One case was septicemic and the other bubonic. Subsequent environmental investigation identified probable locations of exposure for each patient and evidence of epizootic plague in other areas of the park. Transmission of Yersinia pestis was detected by testing rodent serum, fleas, and rodent carcasses. The environmental investigation and whole-genome multilocus sequence typing of Y. pestis isolates from the patients and environmental samples indicated that the patients had been exposed in different locations and that at least 2 distinct strains of Y. pestis were circulating among vector-host populations in the area. Public education efforts and insecticide applications in select areas to control rodent fleas probably reduced the risk for plague transmission to park visitors and staff.

  5. Ground-Water Reconnaissance at Pinnacles National Monument, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Evenson, R.E.

    1962-01-01

    Ground-water supplies at Pinnacles National Monument have been obtained from springs that occur in fractures and along bedding planes of volcanic flows and deposits, and from springs discharged from perched water in a sedimentary fanglomerate formation. The spring-water yield is barely adequate to supply existing camp facilities, and therefore a supplemental water supply is necessary before existing campgrounds can be expanded. This supplemental water can be supplied by good-quality ground water obtained from shallow wells drilled in the alluvium of Chalone Creek. The yield of properly constructed wells in this area should exceed 10 gallons per minute.

  6. 36 CFR 7.52 - Cedar Breaks National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., snowmobiling will be permitted on the main Monument road and parking areas from the south boundary to the north boundary and on the Panguitch Lake road from its junction with the main Monument road east to the east park... is also open for snowmobile travel. (2) On roads designated for snowmobile use, only that portion of...

  7. 36 CFR 7.52 - Cedar Breaks National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ..., snowmobiling will be permitted on the main Monument road and parking areas from the south boundary to the north boundary and on the Panguitch Lake road from its junction with the main Monument road east to the east park... is also open for snowmobile travel. (2) On roads designated for snowmobile use, only that portion of...

  8. 36 CFR 7.52 - Cedar Breaks National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ..., snowmobiling will be permitted on the main Monument road and parking areas from the south boundary to the north boundary and on the Panguitch Lake road from its junction with the main Monument road east to the east park... is also open for snowmobile travel. (2) On roads designated for snowmobile use, only that portion of...

  9. 36 CFR 7.52 - Cedar Breaks National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ..., snowmobiling will be permitted on the main Monument road and parking areas from the south boundary to the north boundary and on the Panguitch Lake road from its junction with the main Monument road east to the east park... is also open for snowmobile travel. (2) On roads designated for snowmobile use, only that portion of...

  10. 36 CFR 7.52 - Cedar Breaks National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., snowmobiling will be permitted on the main Monument road and parking areas from the south boundary to the north boundary and on the Panguitch Lake road from its junction with the main Monument road east to the east park... is also open for snowmobile travel. (2) On roads designated for snowmobile use, only that portion of...

  11. Terrestrial vegetation monitoring protocol for the Mediterranean Coast Network—Cabrillo National Monument, Channel Islands National Park, and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: Standard Operating Procedures, Version 1.0

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Tiszler, John; Rodriguez, Dirk; Lombardo, Keith; Sagar, Tarja; Aguilar, Luis; Lee, Lena; Handley, Timothy; McEachern, A. Kathryn; Harrod Starcevich, Leigh Ann; Witter, Marti; Philippi, Tom; Ostermann-Kelm, Stacey

    2016-01-01

    These Standard Operating Procedures are one part of a two-part protocol for monitoring terrestrial vegetation in the Mediterranean Coast Network. The second part of the protocol is the narrative:Tiszler, J., D. Rodriguez, K. Lombardo, T. Sagar, L. Aguilar, L. Lee, T. Handley, K. McEachern, L. Starcevich, M. Witter, T. Philippi, and S. Ostermann-Kelm. 2016. Terrestrial vegetation monitoring protocol for the Mediterranean Coast Network—Cabrillo National Monument, Channel Islands National Park, and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: Narrative, version 1.0. Natural Resource Report NPS/MEDN/NRR—2016/1296. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.National parks in the Mediterranean Inventory and Monitoring Network:Cabrillo National Monument (CABR)Channel Islands National Park (CHIS)Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SAMO)

  12. Natural Bridges National Monument photovoltaic power plant operations manual

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Coleman, S. D.

    1982-02-01

    After a basic introduction and overview of the photovoltaic system at the Natural Bridges National Monument, a history of the project and a description of the installation, safety procedures essential for all operators and maintenance personnel are discussed. Locations and detailed descriptions of the equipment are provided to permit operators to identify the system controls and equipment. Step by step system operation procedures are described, including diesel generator start up and photovoltaic power system turn on. Information is provided about routine monitoring and maintenance of the system.

  13. Investigation of and Response to 2 Plague Cases, Yosemite National Park, California, USA, 2015

    PubMed Central

    Danforth, Mary; Novak, Mark; Petersen, Jeannine; Mead, Paul; Kingry, Luke; Weinburke, Matthew; Buttke, Danielle; Hacker, Gregory; Tucker, James; Niemela, Michael; Jackson, Bryan; Padgett, Kerry; Liebman, Kelly; Vugia, Duc

    2016-01-01

    In August 2015, plague was diagnosed for 2 persons who had visited Yosemite National Park in California, USA. One case was septicemic and the other bubonic. Subsequent environmental investigation identified probable locations of exposure for each patient and evidence of epizootic plague in other areas of the park. Transmission of Yersinia pestis was detected by testing rodent serum, fleas, and rodent carcasses. The environmental investigation and whole-genome multilocus sequence typing of Y. pestis isolates from the patients and environmental samples indicated that the patients had been exposed in different locations and that at least 2 distinct strains of Y. pestis were circulating among vector–host populations in the area. Public education efforts and insecticide applications in select areas to control rodent fleas probably reduced the risk for plague transmission to park visitors and staff. PMID:27870634

  14. Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Tonto National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Albrecht, Eric W.; Powell, Brian F.; Halvorson, William L.; Schmidt, Cecilia A.

    2007-01-01

    This report summarizes the results of the first biological inventory of plants and vertebrates at Tonto National Monument (NM). From 2001 to 2003, we surveyed for vascular plants and vertebrates (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) at Tonto NM to record species presence. We focused most of our efforts along the Cave Springs riparian area, but surveyed other areas as well. We recorded 149 species in the riparian area, and 369 species overall in the monument, including 65 plant species and four bird species that were previously unrecorded for the monument. We recorded 78 plant species in the riparian area that previous studies had not indicated were present there. Several species of each taxonomic group were found only in the riparian area, suggesting that because of their concentration in this small area these populations are vulnerable to disturbance and may be of management concern. Four of the bird species that we recorded (Bell's vireo, yellow warbler, summer tanager, and Abert's towhee) have been identified as riparian 'obligate' species by other sources. Bird species that are obligated to riparian areas are targets of conservation concern due to widespread degradation of riparian areas in the desert southwest over the last century. The flora and fauna of the riparian area would benefit from continued limited public access. The dependence of the riparian area on the spring and surface flow suggests monitoring of this resource per se would benefit management of the riparian area's flora and fauna as well. The monument would benefit from incorporating monitoring protocols developed by the Sonoran Desert Network Inventory and Monitoring program rather than initiating a separate program for the riparian area. Park managers can encourage the Inventory and Monitoring program to address the unique monitoring challenges presented by small spatial areas such as this riparian area, and can request specific monitoring recommendations. We suggest that repeat

  15. 76 FR 63324 - Notice of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Advisory Committee Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLUT030000-L17110000-PH0000-24-1A] Notice of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Advisory Committee Meeting AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA...

  16. Predicting patterns of non-native plant invasions in Yosemite National Park, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Underwood, E.C.; Klinger, R.; Moore, P.E.

    2004-01-01

    One of the major issues confronting management of parks and reserves is the invasion of non-native plant species. Yosemite National Park is one of the largest and best-known parks in the United States, harbouring significant cultural and ecological resources. Effective management of non-natives would be greatly assisted by information on their potential distribution that can be generated by predictive modelling techniques. Our goal was to identify key environmental factors that were correlated with the percent cover of non-native species and then develop a predictive model using the Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Production technique. We performed a series of analyses using community-level data on species composition in 236 plots located throughout the park. A total of 41 non-native species were recorded which occurred in 23.7% of the plots. Plots with non-natives occurred most frequently at low- to mid-elevations, in flat areas with other herbaceous species. Based on the community-level results, we selected elevation, slope, and vegetation structure as inputs into the GARP model to predict the environmental niche of non-native species. Verification of results was performed using plot data reserved from the model, which calculated the correct prediction of non-native species occurrence as 76%. The majority of the western, lower-elevation portion of the park was predicted to have relatively low levels of non-native species occurrence, with highest concentrations predicted at the west and south entrances and in the Yosemite Valley. Distribution maps of predicted occurrences will be used by management to: efficiently target monitoring of non-native species, prioritize control efforts according to the likelihood of non-native occurrences, and inform decisions relating to the management of non-native species in postfire environments. Our approach provides a valuable tool for assisting decision makers to better manage non-native species, which can be readily adapted to

  17. A preliminary population study of alcove bog orchid (Platanthera zothecina) at Navajo National Monument, Arizona

    Treesearch

    Laura E. Hudson

    2001-01-01

    This study on Platanthera zothecina (alcove bog orchid) was initiated by the National Park Service after a recent threatened and endangered species survey at Navajo National Monument. It is listed as Category 2 (species of special concern) by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Category 3 (likely to become endangered) by the Navajo Nation. Because P. zothecina is a...

  18. Rockfall hazard and risk assessment in the Yosemite Valley, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Guzzetti, F.; Reichenbach, P.; Wieczorek, G.F.

    2003-01-01

    Rock slides and rock falls are the most frequent types of slope movements in Yosemite National Park, California. In historical time (1857-2002) 392 rock falls and rock slides have been documented in the valley, and some of them have been mapped in detail. We present the results of an attempt to assess rock fall hazards in the Yosemite Valley. Spatial and temporal aspects of rock falls hazard are considered. A detailed inventory of slope movements covering the 145-year period from 1857 to 2002 is used to determine the frequency-volume statistics of rock falls and to estimate the annual frequency of rock falls, providing the temporal component of rock fall hazard. The extent of the areas potentially subject to rock fall hazards in the Yosemite Valley were obtained using STONE, a physically-based rock fall simulation computer program. The software computes 3-dimensional rock fall trajectories starting from a digital elevation model (DEM), the location of rock fall release points, and maps of the dynamic rolling friction coefficient and of the coefficients of normal and tangential energy restitution. For each DEM cell the software calculates the number of rock falls passing through the cell, the maximum rock fall velocity and the maximum flying height. For the Yosemite Valley, a DEM with a ground resolution of 10 ?? 10 m was prepared using topographic contour lines from the U.S. Geological Survey 1:24 000-scale maps. Rock fall release points were identified as DEM cells having a slope steeper than 60??, an assumption based on the location of historical rock falls. Maps of the normal and tangential energy restitution coefficients and of the rolling friction coefficient were produced from a surficial geologic map. The availability of historical rock falls mapped in detail allowed us to check the computer program performance and to calibrate the model parameters. Visual and statistical comparison of the model results with the mapped rock falls confirmed the accuracy of

  19. 77 FR 14567 - Notice of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Advisory Committee Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-03-12

    ... development of a Hole-In-The-Rock corridor management strategy, future meeting dates and other matters as may... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management [LLUT030000-L17110000-PH0000-24-1A] Notice of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Advisory Committee Meeting AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management...

  20. The effects of wildfire on the peak streamflow magnitude and frequency, Frijoles and Capulin Canyons, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Veenhuis, J.E.

    2004-01-01

    In June of 1977, the La Mesa fire burned 15,270 acres in and around Frijoles Canyon, Bandelier National Monument and the adjacent Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. The Dome fire occurred in April of 1996 in Bandelier National Monument, burned 16,516 acres in Capulin Canyon and the surrounding Dome Wilderness area. Both canyons are characterized by extensive archeological artifacts, which could be threatened by increased runoff and accelerated rates of erosion after a wildfire. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the National Park Service monitored the fires' effects on streamflow in both canyons. Copyright 2004 ASCE.

  1. Goat Moths (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) of the Hanford Site and Hanford National Monument, Washington State

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Three species of goat moths are recorded at the Hanford Nuclear Site and Hanford National Monument in south central Washington State. They are: Comadia bertholdi (Grote), 1880, Givira cornelia (Neumoegen & Dyar), 1893, and Prionoxystus robiniae (Peck), 1818. The general habitat of the Hanford area...

  2. Is Managed Wildfire Protecting Yosemite National Park from Drought?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boisrame, G. F. S.; Thompson, S. E.; Stephens, S.; Collins, B.; Kelly, M.; Tague, N.

    2016-12-01

    Fire suppression in many dry forest types has left a legacy of dense, homogeneous forests. Such landscapes have high water demands and fuel loads, and when burned can result in catastrophically large fires. These characteristics are undesirable in the face of projected warming and drying in the Western US. This project explores the potential of managed wildfire - a forest management strategy in which fires caused by lightning are allowed to burn naturally as long as certain safety parameters are met - to reverse the effects of fire suppression. The Illilouette Creek Basin in Yosemite National Park has experienced 40 years of managed wildfire, reducing forest cover and increasing meadow and shrubland areas. We have collected evidence from field measurements and remote sensing which suggest that managed wildfire increases landscape and hydrologic heterogeneity, and likely improves resilience to disturbances such as fire and drought. Vegetation maps created from aerial photos show an increase in landscape heterogeneity following the introduction of managed wildfire. Soil moisture observations during the drought years of 2013-2016 suggest that transitions from dense forest to shrublands or meadows can increase summer soil moisture. In the winter of 2015-2016, snow depth measurements showed deeper spring snowpacks in burned areas compared to dense forests. Our study provides a unique view of relatively long-term effects of managed wildfire on vegetation change, ecohydrology, and drought resistance. Understanding these effects is increasingly important as the use of managed wildfire becomes more widely accepted, and as the likelihood of both drought and wildfire increases.

  3. Impact of a century of climate change on small-mammal communities in Yosemite National Park, USA.

    PubMed

    Moritz, Craig; Patton, James L; Conroy, Chris J; Parra, Juan L; White, Gary C; Beissinger, Steven R

    2008-10-10

    We provide a century-scale view of small-mammal responses to global warming, without confounding effects of land-use change, by repeating Grinnell's early-20th century survey across a 3000-meter-elevation gradient that spans Yosemite National Park, California, USA. Using occupancy modeling to control for variation in detectability, we show substantial ( approximately 500 meters on average) upward changes in elevational limits for half of 28 species monitored, consistent with the observed approximately 3 degrees C increase in minimum temperatures. Formerly low-elevation species expanded their ranges and high-elevation species contracted theirs, leading to changed community composition at mid- and high elevations. Elevational replacement among congeners changed because species' responses were idiosyncratic. Though some high-elevation species are threatened, protection of elevation gradients allows other species to respond via migration.

  4. Fire and the distribution and uncertainty of carbon sequestered as above-ground tree biomass in Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lutz, James A.; Matchett, John R.; Tarnay, Leland W.; Smith, Douglas F.; Becker, Kendall M.L.; Furniss, Tucker J.; Brooks, Matthew L.

    2017-01-01

    Fire is one of the principal agents changing forest carbon stocks and landscape level distributions of carbon, but few studies have addressed how accurate carbon accounting of fire-killed trees is or can be. We used a large number of forested plots (1646), detailed selection of species-specific and location-specific allometric equations, vegetation type maps with high levels of accuracy, and Monte Carlo simulation to model the amount and uncertainty of aboveground tree carbon present in tree species (hereafter, carbon) within Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. We estimated aboveground carbon in trees within Yosemite National Park to be 25 Tg of carbon (C) (confidence interval (CI): 23–27 Tg C), and in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park to be 20 Tg C (CI: 18–21 Tg C). Low-severity and moderate-severity fire had little or no effect on the amount of carbon sequestered in trees at the landscape scale, and high-severity fire did not immediately consume much carbon. Although many of our data inputs were more accurate than those used in similar studies in other locations, the total uncertainty of carbon estimates was still greater than ±10%, mostly due to potential uncertainties in landscape-scale vegetation type mismatches and trees larger than the ranges of existing allometric equations. If carbon inventories are to be meaningfully used in policy, there is an urgent need for more accurate landscape classification methods, improvement in allometric equations for tree species, and better understanding of the uncertainties inherent in existing carbon accounting methods.

  5. Occurrence and distribution of trace elements in snow, streams, and streambed sediments, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska, 2002-2003

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brabets, Timothy P.

    2004-01-01

    Cape Krusenstern National Monument is located in Northwest Alaska. In 1985, an exchange of lands and interests in lands between the Northwest Alaska Native Association and the United States resulted in a 100-year transportation system easement for 19,747 acres in the monument. A road was then constructed along the easement from the Red Dog Mine, a large zinc concentrate producer and located northeast of the monument, through the monument to the coast and a port facility. Each year approximately 1.3 million tonnes of zinc and lead concentrate are transported from the Red Dog Mine via this access road. Concern about the possible deposition of cadmium, lead, zinc and other trace elements in the monument was the basis of a cooperative project with the National Park Service. Concentrations of dissolved cadmium, dissolved lead, and dissolved zinc from 28 snow samples from a 28 mile by 16 mile grid were below drinking water standards. In the particulate phase, approximately 25 percent of the samples analyzed for these trace elements were higher than the typical range found in Alaska soils. Boxplots of concentrations of these trace elements, both in the dissolved and particulate phase, indicate higher concentrations north of the access road, most likely due to the prevailing southeast wind. The waters of four streams sampled in Cape Krusenstern National Monument are classified as calcium bicarbonate. Trace-element concentrations from these streams were below drinking water standards. Median concentrations of 39 trace elements from streambed sediments collected from 29 sites are similar to the median concentrations of trace elements from the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water-Quality Assessment database. Statistical differences were noted between trace-element concentrations of cadmium, lead, and zinc at sites along the access road and sites north and south of the access road; concentrations along the access road being higher than north or south of the road. When

  6. Celebrating the Immigrant: An Administrative History of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, 1952-1982. Cultural Resource Management Study 10.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blumberg, Barbara

    This book focuses on the history of the Statue of Liberty National Monument from 1952 through 1982. It describes how the monument has come to symbolize an expanding set of ideals, how the symbolism has produced responses in various groups of people ranging from celebrations to physical attacks upon the Statue, and the manner in which the monument…

  7. SECTION 29 (FOREGROUND), WITH 14TH NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT MONUMENT IN ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    SECTION 29 (FOREGROUND), WITH 14TH NEW HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT MONUMENT IN CENTER FOREGROUND AND 114TH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS MONUMENT IN CENTER BACKGROUND. VIEW TO NORTHWEST. - Winchester National Cemetery, 401 National Avenue, Winchester, Winchester, VA

  8. Twentieth-century decline of large-diameter trees in Yosemite National Park, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lutz, J.A.; van Wagtendonk, J.W.; Franklin, J.F.

    2009-01-01

    Studies of forest change in western North America often focus on increased densities of small-diameter trees rather than on changes in the large tree component. Large trees generally have lower rates of mortality than small trees and are more resilient to climate change, but these assumptions have rarely been examined in long-term studies. We combined data from 655 historical (1932-1936) and 210 modern (1988-1999) vegetation plots to examine changes in density of large-diameter trees in Yosemite National Park (3027 km2). We tested the assumption of stability for large-diameter trees, as both individual species and communities of large-diameter trees. Between the 1930s and 1990s, large-diameter tree density in Yosemite declined 24%. Although the decrease was apparent in all forest types, declines were greatest in subalpine and upper montane forests (57.0% of park area), and least in lower montane forests (15.3% of park area). Large-diameter tree densities of 11 species declined while only 3 species increased. Four general patterns emerged: (1) Pinus albicaulis, Quercus chrysolepis, and Quercus kelloggii had increases in density of large-diameter trees occur throughout their ranges; (2) Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus lambertiana, and Pinus ponderosa, had disproportionately larger decreases in large-diameter tree densities in lower-elevation portions of their ranges; (3) Abies concolor and Pinus contorta, had approximately uniform decreases in large-diameter trees throughout their elevational ranges; and (4) Abies magnifica, Calocedrus decurrens, Juniperus occidentalis, Pinus monticola, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Tsuga mertensiana displayed little or no change in large-diameter tree densities. In Pinus ponderosa-Calocedrus decurrens forests, modern large-diameter tree densities were equivalent whether or not plots had burned since 1936. However, in unburned plots, the large-diameter trees were predominantly A. concolor, C. decurrens, and Q. chrysolepis, whereas P. ponderosa

  9. Assessing possible visitor-use impacts on water quality in Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clow, David W.; Peavler, Rachael S.; Roche, Jim; Panorska, Anna K.; Thomas, James M.; Smith, Steve

    2011-01-01

    There is concern that visitor-use associated activities, such as bathing, dish washing, wastewater production, and stock animal use near lakes and streams, could cause degradation of water quality in Yosemite National Park. A study was conducted during 2004–2007 to assess patterns in nutrient and Escherichia coli (E. coli) concentrations in the Merced and Tuolumne Rivers and characterize natural background concentrations of nutrients in the park. Results indicated that nutrient and E. coli concentrations were low, even compared to other undeveloped sites in the United States. A multiple linear regression approach was used to model natural background concentrations of nutrients, with basin characteristics as explanatory variables. Modeled nitrogen concentrations increased with elevation, and modeled phosphorus concentrations increased with basin size. Observed concentrations (±uncertainty) were compared to modeled concentrations (±uncertainty) to identify sites that might be impacted by point sources of nutrients, as indicated by large model residuals. Statistically significant differences in observed and modeled concentrations were observed at only a few locations, indicating that most sites were representative of natural background conditions. The empirical modeling approach used in this study can be used to estimate natural background conditions at any point along a study reach in areas minimally impacted by development, and may be useful for setting water-quality standards in many national parks.

  10. Pullman transportation plan : a transportation and access plan for Pullman National Monument and the surrounding neighborhood

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-09-01

    The Pullman Transportation Plan provides a holistic set of recommendations to improve access to and from Pullman National Monument and its surrounding neighborhoods for both visitors and residents. In this plan, we identify short-, medium-, and long-...

  11. Bufo canorus Camp 1916, Yosemite Toad.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Davidson, Carlos; Fellers, Gary M.; Lannoo, Michael

    2005-01-01

    Yosemite toads (Bufo canorus) are endemic to the Sierra Nevada, California, from Ebbetts Pass, Alpine County to the Spanish Mountain area, Fresno County (Karlstrom 1962, 1973; Stebbins 1966; unpublished Sierra National Forest survey data, 1995, 2002). Sites occur from 1,950–3,444 m elevation, with the majority of sites between 2,590–3,048 m (Karlstrom, 1962). Jennings and Hayes (1994a) estimate that populations have disappeared from 50% of historically reported sites, although the overall range of the species may have only contracted in the far north and in western Fresno County. Disappearances have been concentrated at lower elevation sites on the western edge of the range, with greater persistence at higher elevation sites (Davidson et al., 2002).

  12. European Earwig, Forficula auricularia L. (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) at the Hanford Reach National Monument, Washington State

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The European earwig, Forficula auricularia L., was surveyed using pitfall traps at three sites at the Hanford Reach National Monument in south central Washington state. Pitfall traps were collected weekly from April 2002 through April 2003. The earwig was consistently taken during all months of the...

  13. Short-term response of Holcus lanatus L. (Common Velvetgrass) to chemical and manual control at Yosemite National Park, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Jones, Laura J.; Ostoja, Steven M.; Brooks, Matthew L.; Hutten, Martin

    2015-01-01

    One of the highest priority invasive species at both Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks is Holcus lanatus L. (common velvetgrass), a perennial bunchgrass that invades mid-elevation montane meadows. Despite velvetgrass being a high priority species, there is little information available on control techniques. The goal of this project was to evaluate the short-term response of a single application of common chemical and manual velvetgrass control techniques. The study was conducted at three montane sites in Yosemite National Park. Glyphosate spot-spray treatments were applied at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% concentrations, and compared with hand pulling to evaluate effects on cover of common velvetgrass, cover of other plant species, and community species richness. Posttreatment year 1 cover of common velvetgrass was 12.1% ± 1.6 in control plots, 6.3% ± 1.5 averaged over the four chemical treatments (all chemical treatments performed similarly), and 13.6% ± 1.7 for handpulled plots. This represents an approximately 50% reduction in common velvetgrass cover in chemically- treated plots recoded posttreatment year 1 and no statistically significant reduction in hand pulled plots compared with controls. However, there was no treatment effect in posttreatment year 2, and all herbicide application rates performed similarly. In addition, there were no significant treatment effects on nontarget species or species richness. These results suggest that for this level of infestation and habitat type, (1) one year of hand pulling is not an effective control method and (2) glyphosate provides some level of control in the short-term without impact to nontarget plant species, but the effect is temporary as a single year of glyphosate treatment is ineffective over a two-year period.

  14. Emergency assessment of post-fire debris-flow hazards for the 2013 Rim Fire, Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Staley, Dennis M.

    2013-01-01

    Wildfire can significantly alter the hydrologic response of a watershed to the extent that even modest rainstorms can produce dangerous flash floods and debris flows. In this report, empirical models are used to predict the probability and magnitude of debris-flow occurrence in response to a 10-year rainstorm for the 2013 Rim fire in Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest, California. Overall, the models predict a relatively high probability (60–80 percent) of debris flow for 28 of the 1,238 drainage basins in the burn area in response to a 10-year recurrence interval design storm. Predictions of debris-flow volume suggest that debris flows may entrain a significant volume of material, with 901 of the 1,238 basins identified as having potential debris-flow volumes greater than 10,000 cubic meters. These results of the relative combined hazard analysis suggest there is a moderate likelihood of significant debris-flow hazard within and downstream of the burn area for nearby populations, infrastructure, wildlife, and water resources. Given these findings, we recommend that residents, emergency managers, and public works departments pay close attention to weather forecasts and National-Weather-Service-issued Debris Flow and Flash Flood Outlooks, Watches and Warnings and that residents adhere to any evacuation orders.

  15. Movements and habitat use of Yosemite toads (Anaxyrus (formerly Bufo) canorus) in the Sierra National Forest, California

    Treesearch

    Christina T. Liang

    2013-01-01

    The Yosemite Toad (Anaxyrus (Bufo) canorus) is a high-elevation species endemic to the central Sierra Nevada mountain range in California whose populations are in decline. There is limited information on their terrestrial movement and habitat use, which impairs our understanding of the ecology and habitat...

  16. Debris flow hazard assessment for the Oregon Caves National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Friday, John

    1983-01-01

    After experiencing a devastating debris flow in the Oregon Caves National Monument, the National Park Service needs an evaluation of the hazard of additional flows. Soil properties at six random sites were compared with those at the source of the debris flow. Although all sites had soils that could become unstable with sufficient moisture, soil at one site had properties similar to those at the scar and the potential for another flow was confirmed. The report suggests that winter weather conditions be closely monitored and compared to the antecedent conditions prior to the known failure. When the threshold for additional mass wasting is believed imminent, appropriate action can be taken to insure the safety of work personnel and the public. The peak streamflow that preceded the 5,200 cu yds of debris is estimated to have a 0.5 percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. (USGS)

  17. 78 FR 50089 - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Monument Advisory Committee; Meeting/Conference Call

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-16

    ... meeting/ conference call include review of the GSENM Campground and Day Use Business Plan, formulation of... hours a day, seven days a week. Replies will be received during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY..., pursuant to the Monument Management Plan (MMP), FLPMA, and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972. As...

  18. 36 CFR 7.63 - Dinosaur National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... privileges in the monument. Such interpretation excludes mature children who, as of that date, were... per day per cow or horse and ten cents per day per sheep as damages. (7) The Superintendent may accept... as may be determined by the Superintendent as necessary to avoid damage to the range. All, or a...

  19. 36 CFR 7.63 - Dinosaur National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... privileges in the monument. Such interpretation excludes mature children who, as of that date, were... per day per cow or horse and ten cents per day per sheep as damages. (7) The Superintendent may accept... as may be determined by the Superintendent as necessary to avoid damage to the range. All, or a...

  20. 36 CFR 7.63 - Dinosaur National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... privileges in the monument. Such interpretation excludes mature children who, as of that date, were... per day per cow or horse and ten cents per day per sheep as damages. (7) The Superintendent may accept... as may be determined by the Superintendent as necessary to avoid damage to the range. All, or a...

  1. Construction materials, monuments and environment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prikryl, R.; Siegesmund, S.; Török, A.; Brimblecombe, P.; Gomez-Heras, M.

    2012-04-01

    Construction materials (natural stone, aggregates, bricks, cement, lime, mortar, etc.) form a wide and heterogeneous group both from the genetic and technological point of view. These materials deserve attention from the scientific community due to their long-term use, importance for society and sensitivity to the environment. Most geomaterials have also been used in important monuments designated as a part of the World Cultural Heritage and/or make part of national monuments. Despite of the wide-ranges of studies and our rapidly increasing understanding of material behaviour, our knowledge is still rather limited in many aspects. This concerns the characterisation of traditional raw materials, the knowledge of their processing and use, and/or durability and compatibility assessment. The exploitation and sustainable use of these materials are also new and emerging challenges in the modern society. The use of local materials for monuments can be considered as a part of our cultural and technological heritage, which has, however, significantly deteriorated during the past several decades. This paper summarizes the general topics related to a modern analysis of traditional construction materials derived from the Earth, and on the characteristic aspects of the behaviour of these materials on selected monuments.

  2. Deposition and accumulation of airborne organic contaminants in Yosemite National Park, Calfornia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mast, Alisa M.; Alvarez, David A.; Zaugg, Steven D.

    2012-01-01

    Deposition and accumulation of airborne organic contaminants in Yosemite National Park were examined by sampling atmospheric deposition, lichen, zooplankton, and lake sediment at different elevations. Passive samplers were deployed in high-elevation lakes to estimate surface-water concentrations. Detected compounds included current-use pesticides chlorpyrifos, dacthal, and endosulfans and legacy compounds chlordane, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane-related compounds, dieldrin, hexachlorobenzene, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Concentrations in snow were similar among sites and showed little variation with elevation. Endosulfan concentrations in summer rain appeared to coincide with application rates in the San Joaquin Valley. More than 70% of annual pesticide inputs from atmospheric deposition occurred during the winter, largely because most precipitation falls as snow. Endosulfan and chlordane concentrations in lichen increased with elevation, indicating that mountain cold-trapping might be an important control on accumulation of these compounds. By contrast, chlorpyrifos concentrations were inversely correlated with elevation, indicating that distance from source areas was the dominant control. Sediment concentrations were inversely correlated with elevation, possibly because of the organic carbon content of sediments but also perhaps the greater mobility of organic contaminants at lower elevations. Surface-water concentrations inferred from passive samplers were at sub-parts-per-trillion concentrations, indicating minimal exposure to aquatic organisms from the water column. Concentrations in sediment generally were low, except for dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane in Tenaya Lake, which exceeded sediment guidelines for protection of benthic organisms.

  3. Investigation of water quality in the Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve, Saguache County, Colorado, February 1999 through September 2000: Qualifying for outstanding waters designation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ferguson, Sheryl A.

    2003-01-01

    Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve is located on the eastern side of the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado. The monument covers 60.4 square miles in Saguache and Alamosa Counties and lies at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, where a unique combination of climate, topography, and hydrology has created and maintained the Nation?s tallest inland sand dunes. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which rise to more than 14,000 feet to the north and east of the dunes, are the source of several streams that flow around the dunes and eventually recharge the aquifer beneath the valley. Sand Creek and Medano Creeks are the largest of the streams in the monument that originate in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains; several ephemeral streams flow into Sand Creek and Medano Creek. Maintaining the high surface-water quality in the Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve is identified as a critical issue by the National Park Service. Additionally, the National Park Service has indicated a desire to pursue an Outstanding Waters Designation, which offers the highest level of water-quality protection available under the Clean Water Act and Colorado regulations. This designation is designed to prevent any degradation from existing conditions (Chatman and others, 1997). Assessment is needed to evaluate whether the water quality of the streams in the monument meets the requirements for an Outstanding Waters Designation. Historically, prospecting and mining activities have occurred in the watersheds of Sand and Medano Creeks; currently, however, there is no mining activity in those watersheds. In addition, the camping and recreation that occur upstream from the monument on national preserve lands and water activities that occur in Medano Creek during the summer are a potential source of human-waste contamination. Figure 1. Location of study area, sampling sites, and indication of sites that meet or exceed instream standards. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS

  4. Social Interest in The Polish Doctrine of Monument Preservation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antoszczyszyn, Marek

    2017-10-01

    The paper discusses a controversy surrounding the latest amendment to the text of the Polish Parliament Act Conservation and the Care of Monuments (2015). It is a common dictum that any edifice cannot exist without good foundations. In this particular case of the mentioned above Act, definition of monument appears to be such a basis. A social interest is one of the constituent elements of the definition mentioned above. In the first part of the paper the notion of the social interest expression has been discussed, particularly from national and international points of view. The second part of the paper comprises some examples from the Polish monument preservation experience with the use of comparison method supported by case study. Only three big Polish cities: Warsaw, Wroclaw and Szczecin are involved in the presented case study but it must be emphasized that many other places on Polish territory experienced the same. Basing on the faith of these cities, the results and discussion chapter proves fundamental discrepancy in social interest notion between national and international scopes using some analytical methods. Finally, in the discussion chapter some proposals for the future amendment of monument definition in the Act of Conservation and the Care of Monuments have been provided.

  5. Wetland occupancy of pond-breeding amphibians in Yosemite National Park, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fellers, Gary M.; Kleeman, Patrick M.; Miller, David A.W.

    2015-01-01

    We estimated wetland occupancy and population trends for three species of pond-breeding anurans in Yosemite National Park from 2007-2011. We used a double survey technique in which two observers independently surveyed each site on the same day. Double surveys allowed us to calculate detectability for the three most common anurans within the park: Rana sierrae, Anaxyrus canorus, and Pseudacris regilla. Annual estimates of detectability were generally high; mean detectability ranged from 73.7% + 0.6 (SE) for any life history stage of A. canorus to 86.7% + 0.7 for sites with P. regilla reproduction (eggs or larvae present). Detectability was most variable for Anaxyrus canorus, which ranged from 45.9% to 99.7%. The probability of occupancy for R. sierrae was highest in larger, low-elevation wetlands that lacked fish. Anaxyrus canorus were more common in shallow high-elevation ponds; their occurrence was minimally impacted by the presence of fish. Finally, occurrence of P. regilla was largely unrelated to wetland size and elevation, but like R. sierrae, they were less likely to occupy sites with fi sh. Occupancy showed no trend over the five years of our study for R. sierrae or A. canorus when considering either sites with any life stage or only sites with reproduction. However, P. regilla showed a modest downward trend for sites with any life stage and sites with reproduction. Our results for R. sierrae run counter to expectations given recent concern about the decline of this species, while our findings for P. regilla raise concerns for this widespread and generally common species.

  6. Working the Indian Field Days: The Economy of Authenticity and the Question of Agency in Yosemite Valley

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cothran, Boyd

    2010-01-01

    Originally conceived by National Park Service (NPS) officials as a way to "revive and maintain the interest of Indians in their own games and industries," the Yosemite Indian Field Days were part rodeo, part pageant, and part craft fair. Through its activities, the Field Days offered white tourists the opportunity to encounter…

  7. A survey of macromycete diversity at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Bandelier National Monument, and Los Alamos County; A preliminary report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jarmie, N.; Rogers, F.J.

    The authors have completed a 5-year survey (1991--1995) of macromycetes found in Los Alamos County, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Bandelier National Monument. The authors have compiled a database of 1,048 collections, their characteristics, and identifications. The database represents 123 (98%) genera and 175 (73%) species reliably identified. Issues of habitat loss, species extinction, and ecological relationships are addressed, and comparisons with other surveys are made. With this baseline information and modeling of this baseline data, one can begin to understand more about the fungal flora of the area.

  8. Modeling the effects of fire severity and spatial complexity on Small Mammals in Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Roberts, Susan L.; Van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; Miles, A. Keith; Kelt, Douglas A.; Lutz, James A.

    2008-01-01

    We evaluated the impact of fire severity and related spatial and vegetative parameters on small mammal populations in 2 yr- to 15 yr-old burns in Yosemite National Park, California, USA. We also developed habitat models that would predict small mammal responses to fires of differing severity. We hypothesized that fire severity would influence the abundances of small mammals through changes in vegetation composition, structure, and spatial habitat complexity. Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) abundance responded negatively to fire severity, and brush mouse (P. boylii) abundance increased with increasing oak tree (Quercus spp.) cover. Chipmunk (Neotamias spp.) abundance was best predicted through a combination of a negative response to oak tree cover and a positive response to spatial habitat complexity. California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) abundance increased with increasing spatial habitat complexity. Our results suggest that fire severity, with subsequent changes in vegetation structure and habitat spatial complexity, can influence small mammal abundance patterns.

  9. 50 CFR 404.4 - Access to Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... INTERIOR AND NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT... defects or deficiencies that restrict maneuverability or impair normal navigation. (11) Any pollution.... (4) Any pollution incident or goods lost overboard within the Monument, the reporting area, or the U...

  10. Surface ozone at the Devils Postpile National Monument receptor site during low and high wildland fire years

    Treesearch

    Andrzej Bytnerowicz; Joel D. Burley; Ricardo Cisneros; Haiganoush K. Preisler; Susan Schilling; Donald Schweizer; John Ray; Deanna Dulen; Christopher Beck; Bianca Auble

    2013-01-01

    Surface ozone (O3) was measured at the Devils Postpile National Monument (DEPO), eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, during the 2007 (low-fire) and 2008 (high-fire) summer seasons. While mean and median values of O3 concentrations for the 2007 and 2008 summer seasons were similar, maximum O3...

  11. An investigation of the impact of inorganic air pollutants on soils in Saguaro National Monument, Tucson, Arizona

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gladney, E.S.; Ferenbaugh, R.W.; Stolte, K.W.

    1993-08-01

    Environmental data related to the evaluation of inorganic air pollution input to the Saguaro National Monument ecosystem were collected over four years. The data specific to soils are presented in this document. The enrichment factor approach is employed to provide a framework for simplified interpretation of this large collection of data.

  12. Construction of a photovoltaic power system at Natural Bridges National Monument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benoit, A. E.

    1980-12-01

    A 100 kW peak photovoltaic (PV) power system at Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah is described. This system is the largest of its kind in the world. The construction phases of the program are described, and a chronological history of the events and problems encountered when such a large and complex task is undertaken in a remote area with very limited fabrication facilities is given. This experiment demonstrates the application of solar energy to the variety of loads found in a small and remote community. This solar energy system was designed to meet all electrical requirements when there is no utility grid, with only occasional back-up from an existing diesel generator.

  13. 77 FR 39794 - Notice of Release From Federal Grant Assurance Obligations at Fresno Yosemite International...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-05

    .... Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21), Public Law 106-181 (Apr. 5, 2000... Assurance Obligations at Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Fresno, CA AGENCY: Federal Aviation... approximately 13.35 acres of airport property at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT), Fresno...

  14. Ferguson rock slide buries California State Highway near Yosemite National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harp, E.L.; Reid, M.E.; Godt, J.W.; DeGraff, J.V.; Gallegos, A.J.

    2008-01-01

    During spring 2006, talus from the toe area of a rock-block slide of about 800,000 m3 buried California State Highway 140, one of the main routes into heavily-visited Yosemite National Park, USA. Closure of the highway for 92 days caused business losses of about 4.8 million USD. The rock slide, composed of slate and phyllite, moved slowly downslope from April to June 2006, creating a fresh head scarp with 9-12 m of displacement. Movement of the main rock slide, a re-activation of an older slide, was triggered by an exceptionally wet spring 2006, following a very wet spring 2005. As of autumn 2006, most of the main slide appeared to be at rest, although rocks occasionally continued to fall from steep, fractured rock masses at the toe area of the slide. Future behavior of the slide is difficult to predict, but possible scenarios range from continued scattered rock fall to complete rapid failure of the entire mass. Although unlikely except under very destabilizing circumstances, a worst-case, rapid failure of the entire rock slide could extend across the Merced River, damming the river and creating a reservoir. As a temporary measure, traffic has been rerouted to the opposite side of the Merced River at about the same elevation as the buried section of Highway 140. A state-of-the-art monitoring system has been installed to detect movement in the steep talus slope, movement of the main slide mass, local strong ground motion from regional earthquakes, and sudden changes in stream levels, possibly indicating damming of the river by slide material. ?? 2008 Springer-Verlag.

  15. Ferguson rock slide buries California State Highway near Yosemite National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harp, Edwin L.; Reid, Mark E.; Godt, Jonathan W.; DeGraff, Jerome V.; Gallegos, Alan J.

    2008-01-01

    During spring 2006, talus from the toe area of a rock-block slide of about 800,000 m3 buried California State Highway 140, one of the main routes into heavily-visited Yosemite National Park, USA. Closure of the highway for 92 days caused business losses of about 4.8 million USD. The rock slide, composed of slate and phyllite, moved slowly downslope from April to June 2006, creating a fresh head scarp with 9-12 m of displacement. Movement of the main rock slide, a re-activation of an older slide, was triggered by an exceptionally wet spring 2006, following a very wet spring 2005. As of autumn 2006, most of the main slide appeared to be at rest, although rocks occasionally continued to fall from steep, fractured rock masses at the toe area of the slide. Future behavior of the slide is difficult to predict, but possible scenarios range from continued scattered rock fall to complete rapid failure of the entire mass. Although unlikely except under very destabilizing circumstances, a worst-case, rapid failure of the entire rock slide could extend across the Merced River, damming the river and creating a reservoir. As a temporary measure, traffic has been rerouted to the opposite side of the Merced River at about the same elevation as the buried section of Highway 140. A state-of-the-art monitoring system has been installed to detect movement in the steep talus slope, movement of the main slide mass, local strong ground motion from regional earthquakes, and sudden changes in stream levels, possibly indicating damming of the river by slide material.

  16. Surveillance for White-Nose Syndrome in the bat community at El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico, 2011

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Valdez, Ernest W.

    2012-01-01

    From late winter to summer 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey Arid Lands Field Station conducted mist-netting efforts at El Malpais National Monument and on adjacent lands belonging to Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to detect the occurrence of white-nose syndrome or causal fungal agent (Geomyces destructans). During this assessment, 421 bats belonging to 8 species were documented at El Malpais National Monument and adjacent lands. None of these captures showed evidence for the presence of white-nose syndrome or G. destructans, but it is possible that the subtle signs of some infections may not have been observed. Throughout the field efforts, Laguna de Juan Garcia was the only water source located on El Malpais National Monument and was netted on June 20 and 27, July 25, and August 2, 2011. During these dates, a total of 155 bats were captured, belonging to eight species including: Corynorhinus townsendii (Townsend's Big-Eared Bat), Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat), Lasionycterics noctivagans (Silver-Haired Bat), Myotis ciliolabrum (Small-Footed Myotis), M. evotis (Long-eared myotis), M. thysanodes (Fringed Myotis), M. volans (Long-Legged Myotis), and Tadarida brasiliensis (Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat). Overall, Laguna de Juan Garcia had the greatest number of captures (79 bats) during one night compared to the other sites netted on adjacent lands and had the greatest species diversity of 8 species netted, not including Euderma maculatum (Spotted Bat) that was detected by its audible calls as it flew overhead. Laguna de Juan Garcia is an important site to bats because of its accessibility by all known occurring species, including the less-maneuverable T. brasiliensis that is known to form large colonies in the park. Laguna de Juan Garcia is also important as a more permanent water source during drought conditions in the earlier part of the spring and summer, as observed in 2011.

  17. A 10kW photovoltaic/hybrid system for Pinnacles National Monument

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ball, T.J.; DeNio, D.

    1997-12-31

    Visitors to the Chaparral area of the Pinnacles National Monument now can enjoy this beautiful section of the park without the constant drone of diesel generators, thanks to a recently installed photovoltaic/hybrid system. Electrical power had been supplied by two 100 KW diesel generators operating 24 hours per day. The diesels were running lightly loaded resulting in poor efficiency and high operating cost. Applied Power Corporation under contract with the National Park Service designed and supplied a 10 KW photovoltaic array, 200 KW hr battery bank and 24 KW of inverters to power the maintenance facility, visitor center and rangermore » residences. A new 20 KW propane generator was installed to provide supplemental power, totally eliminating the storage and transport of diesel fuel at this site. The Pinnacles PV/Hybrid system was brought on line in early 1996 and the park is now benefiting from the cost savings associated with the system.« less

  18. Stability of GNSS Monumentation: Analysis of Co-Located Monuments in the UNAVCO Plate Boundary Observatory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blume, F.; Herring, T.; Mattioli, G. S.; Feaux, K.; Walls, C. P.; Austin, K. E.; Dittmann, S. T.

    2017-12-01

    Geodetic-quality permanent GNSS stations have used a number of different monument styles for the purpose of ensuring that the motions of the GNSS antenna reflect those of the Earth's crust while minimizing non-tectonic motions near the surface. Monuments range from simple masts mounted on buildings or drilled into bedrock, costing a few hundred dollars to machine-drilled-braced monuments in soil costing tens of thousands. The stability of an individual monument will depend on its design, the construction techniques used to install it, and the local surface geology where it is installed. Previous studies have separately investigated pairs of identical monuments at a single site, monument type performance using global statistical analysis, and multiple monument styles at a single site, yet the stability of different monument types in similar geologic conditions has not been adequately determined. To better characterize the stability of various monument styles in diverse geologic conditions UNAVCO constructed two additional monuments at five existing PBO stations in 2013. Deep drilled-braced, short drilled-braced, and single mast type monuments were installed at sites with bedrock at the surface; deep drilled-braced, short driven-braced and pillar type monuments were installed at sites with alluvium or soil at the surface. The sites include a variety of geographic, hydrologic, and geologic conditions. Data collected from the PBO Multi-Monument Experiment have been analyzed using a variety of methods. Each site is characterized using quality-control parameters such as multipath, signal-to-noise and previously determined seasonal variations. High-precision processing by PBO Analysis Centers with GAMIT and GIPSY use regional and global schemes and yield time-series with millimeter-level that determine noise content, overall site stability relative to other PBO sites and differential motions between the individual monuments. Sub-millimeter results from single

  19. Geochemical Differences between two adjacent streams in the Tenaya Lake region of Yosemite National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antweiler, R.; Andrews, E. D.

    2010-12-01

    Tenaya and Murphy Creeks are two small, intermittent streams with drainage basins adjacent to each other in the Tenaya Lake region of Yosemite National Park. Tenaya Creek has a drainage basin area of 3.49 km2 ranging in elevation from 2491 to 3012 m; Murphy Creek has a drainage basin size of 7.07 km2 ranging in elevation from 2485 to 2990 m. Both basins are underlain by the Half Dome and Cathedral Peak Granodiorites (Bateman et al, 1983), with chemical compositions that are practically indistinguishable (Bateman et al, 1988). Both streams derive all of their water from snowmelt and rainfall, normally going dry by early August each year. Tenaya Creek flows primarily south-southwest, whereas Murphy Creek predominantly flows south. For nearly all of Tenaya Creek’s length it is bordered by the Tioga Pass Road, the only highway in Yosemite National Park which crosses the Sierras; on the other hand, all of Murphy Creek (except its mouth) is wilderness. During the summers of 2009 and 2010, both creeks were sampled along most of their lengths for major and trace elements. In addition, both streams have been sampled near their mouths periodically during the spring and summer (until they go dry) since 2007. Water discharge has been continuously monitored during this time. Because these streams derive all of their water from snowmelt and rainfall, the water chemistry of each must originate from atmospheric deposition, weathering of the bedrock and/or human or animal inputs. These factors, along with the similarity of the geology, topography and basin orientation, suggest that the water chemistries of the creeks should be similar. Instead, while measured sulfate concentrations in Tenaya and Murphy Creeks are similar in their upper reaches, Tenaya Creek sulfate values are almost double in the lower reaches. No other major or trace element showed a similar pattern, although sodium, potassium, calcium and rubidium showed modest increases. Other concentration differences between

  20. Climate, lightning ignitions, and fire severity in Yosemite National Park, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lutz, J.A.; van Wagtendonk, J.W.; Thode, A.E.; Miller, J.D.; Franklin, J.F.

    2009-01-01

    Continental-scale studies of western North America have attributed recent increases in annual area burned and fire size to a warming climate, but these studies have focussed on large fires and have left the issues of fire severity and ignition frequency unaddressed. Lightning ignitions, any of which could burn a large area given appropriate conditions for fire spread, could be the first indication of more frequent fire. We examined the relationship between snowpack and the ignition and size of fires that occurred in Yosemite National Park, California (area 3027 km2), between 1984 and 2005. During this period, 1870 fires burned 77 718 ha. Decreased spring snowpack exponentially increased the number of lightning-ignited fires. Snowpack mediated lightning-ignited fires by decreasing the proportion of lightning strikes that caused lightning-ignited fires and through fewer lightning strikes in years with deep snowpack. We also quantified fire severity for the 103 fires >40 ha with satellite fire-severity indices using 23 years of Landsat Thematic Mapper data. The proportion of the landscape that burned at higher severities and the complexity of higher-severity burn patches increased with the log10 of annual area burned. Using one snowpack forecast, we project that the number of lightning-ignited fires will increase 19.1% by 2020 to 2049 and the annual area burned at high severity will increase 21.9%. Climate-induced decreases in snowpack and the concomitant increase in fire severity suggest that existing assumptions may be understated-fires may become more frequent and more severe. ?? IAWF 2009.

  1. Preliminary report on the Late Pleistocene and Holocene diatoms of Swamp Lake, Yosemite National Park, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Starratt, Scott W.; Anderson, R. Scott

    2013-01-01

    Swamp Lake, Yosemite National Park, is the only known lake in California containing long sequences of varved sediments and thus has the potential to provide a high-resolution record of climate variability. This preliminary analysis of the diatom assemblages from a 947-cm-long composite sediment core (freeze core FZ02–05; 0–67 cm, Livingstone core 02–05; 53–947 cm) shows that the lake has been freshwater, oligotrophic, and circumneutral to alkaline throughout its ~16,000-year-long history. The first sediments deposited in the lake show that the vegetation in the watershed was sparse, allowing organic matter-poor silt and clay to be deposited in the basin. The basin filled quickly to a depth of at least 5 m and remained at least that deep for most of the sediment record. Several short intervals provided evidence of large fluctuations in lake level during the Holocene. The upper 50 cm of the core contains evidence of the Medieval Climate Anomaly and Little Ice Age.

  2. A network extension of species occupancy models in a patchy environment applied to the Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus canorus)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Berlow, Eric L.; Knapp, Roland A.; Ostoja, Steven M.; Williams, Richard J.; McKenny, Heather; Matchett, John R.; Guo, Qinghau; Fellers, Gary M.; Kleeman, Patrick; Brooks, Matthew L.; Joppa, Lucas

    2013-01-01

    A central challenge of conservation biology is using limited data to predict rare species occurrence and identify conservation areas that play a disproportionate role in regional persistence. Where species occupy discrete patches in a landscape, such predictions require data about environmental quality of individual patches and the connectivity among high quality patches. We present a novel extension to species occupancy modeling that blends traditionalpredictions of individual patch environmental quality with network analysis to estimate connectivity characteristics using limited survey data. We demonstrate this approach using environmental and geospatial attributes to predict observed occupancy patterns of the Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus (= Bufo) canorus) across >2,500 meadows in Yosemite National Park (USA). A. canorus, a Federal Proposed Species, breeds in shallow water associated with meadows. Our generalized linear model (GLM) accurately predicted ~84% of true presence-absence data on a subset of data withheld for testing. The predicted environmental quality of each meadow was iteratively ‘boosted’ by the quality of neighbors within dispersal distance. We used this park-wide meadow connectivity network to estimate the relative influence of an individual Meadow’s ‘environmental quality’ versus its ‘network quality’ to predict: a) clusters of high quality breeding meadows potentially linked by dispersal, b) breeding meadows with high environmental quality that are isolated from other such meadows, c) breeding meadows with lower environmental quality where long-term persistence may critically depend on the network neighborhood, and d) breeding meadows with the biggest impact on park-wide breeding patterns. Combined with targeted data on dispersal, genetics, disease, and other potential stressors, these results can guide designation of core conservation areas for A. canorus in Yosemite National Park.

  3. Ground-Water Flow Direction, Water Quality, Recharge Sources, and Age, Great Sand Dunes National Monument, South-Central Colorado, 2000-2001

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rupert, Michael G.; Plummer, Niel

    2004-01-01

    Great Sand Dunes National Monument is located in south-central Colorado along the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley. The Great Sand Dunes National Monument contains the tallest sand dunes in North America; some rise up to750 feet. Important ecological features of the Great Sand Dunes National Monument are palustrine wetlands associated with interdunal ponds and depressions along the western edge of the dune field. The existence and natural maintenance of the dune field and the interdunal ponds are dependent on maintaining ground-water levels at historic elevations. To address these concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study, in collaboration with the National Park Service, of ground-water flow direction, water quality, recharge sources, and age at the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. A shallow unconfined aquifer and a deeper confined aquifer are the two principal aquifers at the Great Sand Dunes National Monument. Ground water in the unconfined aquifer is recharged from Medano and Sand Creeks near the Sangre de Cristo Mountain front, flows underneath the main dune field, and discharges to Big and Little Spring Creeks. The percentage of calcium in ground water in the unconfined aquifer decreases and the percentage of sodium increases because of ionic exchange with clay minerals as the ground water flows underneath the dune field. It takes more than 60 years for the ground water to flow from Medano and Sand Creeks to Big and Little Spring Creeks. During this time, ground water in the upper part of the unconfined aquifer is recharged by numerous precipitation events. Evaporation of precipitation during recharge prior to reaching the water table causes enrichment in deuterium (2H) and oxygen-18 (18O) relative to waters that are not evaporated. This recharge from precipitation events causes the apparent ages determined using chlorofluorocarbons and tritium to become younger, because relatively young precipitation water is mixing with older waters

  4. Erosion assessment at the Petroglyph National Monument area, Albuquerque, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gellis, A.C.

    1995-01-01

    Areas of the Petroglyph National Monument, specifically those located along the West Mesa escarpment, are being affected by erosion and gullying. A reconnaissance along the 17-mile-long escarpment identified 50 gullies. The gullies were given a qualitative ranking of Class I, least erosion, to Class IV, highest erosion. Of the 50 gullies identified, 21 were assigned Class I, 22 to Class II, 6 to Class III, and 1 to Class IV. Although the gullies may not be a direct threat to petroglyphs, the effects of gullying may have a greater effect on the aesthetics of the monument and the residences located downgradient from a gully. Most of the gullies were found along the northern part of the escarpment. This area, which is more developed than the southern areas of the escarpment, contains many dirt roads and nonpaved foot and bicycle paths. These features channel surface runoff and increase erosion. Thirty of the 50 gullies were noted as being connected to the runoff from dirt roads. High-intensity storms during the summer of 1991 may have caused or increased gullying. Analyses of these storms indicate recurrence intervals of rainfall of no more than 2 years. Indirect measurements of peak discharge in La Boca Negra Arroyo after the August 22, 1991, storm indicate that this runoff event may have a frequency of no more than 10 years. Regional frequency reports on rainfall and data collected at the rain gages indicate that gullying and erosion that occurred during the summer of 1991 were not a result of infrequent rainfall or runoff events.

  5. Distributed snow data as a tool to inform water management decisions: Using Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) at the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park, City and County of San Francisco.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graham, C. B.

    2016-12-01

    The timing and magnitude of spring snowmelt and runoff is critical in managing reservoirs in the Western United States. The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park provides drinking water for 2.6 million customers in over 30 communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Power generation from Hetch Hetchy meets the municipal load of the City and County of San Francisco. Water from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is also released in the Tuolumne River, supporting critical ecosystems in Yosemite National Park and the Stanislaus National Forest. Better predictions of long (seasonal) and short (weekly) term streamflow allow for more secure water resource planning, earlier power generation and ecologically beneficial releases from the Reservoir. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is fed by snow dominated watersheds in the Sierra Mountains. Better knowledge of snowpack conditions allow for better predictions of inflows, both at the seasonal and at the weekly time scales. The ASO project has provided the managers of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir with high resolution estimates of total snowpack and snowpack distribution in the 460 mi2 Hetch Hetchy. We show that there is a tight correlation between snowpack estimates and future streamflow, allowing earlier, more confident operational decisions. We also show how distributed SWE estimates were used to develop and test a hydrologic model of the system (PRMS). This model, calibrated directly to snowpack conditions, is shown to correctly simulate snowpack volume and distribution, as well as streamflow patterns.

  6. Monumental-IT: A "Robotic-Wiki" Monument for Embodied Interaction in the Information World

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mokhtar, Tarek Hassan Amin

    2011-01-01

    Conventional monuments are concrete manifestations of memories without the capacity to reflect individual interpretations of history. In an increasingly digital society, however, there is a need for configurable monuments reflecting our contemporary, open and complex community. "Monumental-IT" reflects the dynamic and inclusive character of our…

  7. Three-Dimensional Recording of Bastion Middleburg Monument Using Terrestrial Laser Scanner

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Majid, Z.; Lau, C. L.; Yusoff, A. R.

    2016-06-01

    This paper describes the use of terrestrial laser scanning for the full three-dimensional (3D) recording of historical monument, known as the Bastion Middleburg. The monument is located in Melaka, Malaysia, and was built by the Dutch in 1660. This monument serves as a major hub for the community when conducting commercial activities in estuaries Malacca and the Dutch build this monument as a control tower or fortress. The monument is located on the banks of the Malacca River was built between Stadhuys or better known as the Red House and Mill Quayside. The breakthrough fort on 25 November 2006 was a result of the National Heritage Department through in-depth research on the old map. The recording process begins with the placement of measuring targets at strategic locations around the monument. Spherical target was used in the point cloud data registration. The scanning process is carried out using a laser scanning system known as a terrestrial scanner Leica C10. This monument was scanned at seven scanning stations located surrounding the monument with medium scanning resolution mode. Images of the monument have also been captured using a digital camera that is setup in the scanner. For the purposes of proper registration process, the entire spherical target was scanned separately using a high scanning resolution mode. The point cloud data was pre-processed using Leica Cyclone software. The pre-processing process starting with the registration of seven scan data set through overlapping spherical targets. The post-process involved in the generation of coloured point cloud model of the monument using third-party software. The orthophoto of the monument was also produced. This research shows that the method of laser scanning provides an excellent solution for recording historical monuments with true scale of and texture.

  8. Preliminary hydrogeologic assessment near Tassi and Pakoon Springs, western part of Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Truini, Margot

    2013-01-01

    Tassi and Pakoon Springs are both in the Grand Wash Trough in the western part of Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument on the Arizona Strip. The monument is jointly managed by the National Park Service (NPS) and the Bureau of Land Management. This study was in response to NPS’s need to better understand the influence from regional increases in groundwater withdrawals near Grand Canyon-Parashant on the groundwater discharge from Tassi and Pakoon Springs. The climate of the Arizona Strip is generally semiarid to arid, and springs in the monument provide the water for the fragile ecosystems that are commonly separated by large areas of dry washes in canyons with pinyon and juniper. Available hydrogeologic data from previous investigations included water levels from the few existing wells, location information for springs, water chemistry from springs, and geologic maps. Available groundwater-elevation data from the wells and springs in the monument indicate that groundwater in the Grand Wash Trough is moving from north to south, discharging to springs and into the Colorado River. Groundwater may also be moving from east to west from Paleozoic rocks in the Grand Wash Cliffs into sedimentary deposits in the Grand Wash Trough. Finally, groundwater may be moving from the northwest in the Mesoproterozoic crystalline rocks of the Virgin Mountains into the northern part of the Grand Wash Trough. Water discharging from Tassi and Pakoon Springs has a major-ion chemistry similar to that of other springs in the western part of Grand Canyon-Parashant. Stable-isotopic signatures for oxygen-18 and hydrogen-2 are depleted in the water from both Tassi and Pakoon Springs in comparison to other springs on the Arizona Strip. Tassi Spring discharges from multiple seeps along the Wheeler Fault, and the depleted isotopic signatures suggest that water may be flowing from multiple places into Lake Mead and seems to have a higher elevation or an older climate source. Elevated water

  9. Water-resources investigations in Dinosaur National Monument, Utah-Colorado, fiscal year 1970

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sumsion, C.T.

    1971-01-01

    Water-resources data were acquired during fiscal year 1970 by the U.S. Geological Survey at Dinosaur National Monument, Utah-Colorado, for the U.S. National Park Service as part of a continuing project. The data provide a basis for planning the development, management, and use of the available water resources to provide adequate water supplies. Thirty-one springs, 19 in relatively inaccessible areas, were evaluated as sources of water supplies. Seven potential well sites were evaluated for drilling depths in specific aquifers. A well drilled in Echo Park near the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers was tested. The pumping test showed the well to yield 130 gallons per minute with a drawdown of 1.96 feet; specific capacity of the well at 130 gallons per minute is 66 gallons per minute per foot. Water samples for chemical analysis were - collected from nine springs and one well; all except that from Disappointment Spring, were of good chemical quality.

  10. A complex baleen whale call recorded in the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument.

    PubMed

    Nieukirk, Sharon L; Fregosi, Selene; Mellinger, David K; Klinck, Holger

    2016-09-01

    In fall 2014 and spring 2015, passive acoustic data were collected via autonomous gliders east of Guam in an area that included the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument. A short (2-4 s), complex sound was recorded that features a ∼38 Hz moan with both harmonics and amplitude modulation, followed by broad-frequency metallic-sounding sweeps up to 7.5 kHz. This sound was recorded regularly during both fall and spring surveys. Aurally, the sound is quite unusual and most resembles the minke whale "Star Wars" call. It is likely this sound is biological and produced by a baleen whale.

  11. Coupling the NASA-CASA ecosystem model with a hydrologic routing algorithm for improved water management in Yosemite National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Teaby, A.; Johnson, E. R.; Griffin, M.; Carrillo, C.; Kannan, T.; Shupe, J. W.; Schmidt, C.

    2013-12-01

    Historic trends reveal extreme precipitation variability within the Yosemite National Park (YNP) geographic region. While California obtains greater than half of its annual water supply from the Sierra Nevada, snowpack, precipitation, and runoff can fluctuate between less than 50% and greater than 200% of climatological averages. Advances in hydrological modeling are crucial to improving water-use efficiency at the local, state, and national levels. The NASA Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) is a global simulation model that combines multi-year satellite, climate, and other land surface databases to estimate biosphere-atmosphere exchange of energy, water, and trace gases from plants and soils. By coupling CASA with a Hydrological Routing Algorithm known as HYDRA, it is possible to calculate current water availability and observe hydrological trends within YNP. Satellite-derived inputs such as surface evapotranspiration, temperature, precipitation, land cover, and elevation were included to create a valuable decision support tool for YNP's water resource managers. These results will be of enhanced importance given current efforts to restore 81 miles of the Merced River within the park's boundary. Validations of model results were conducted using in situ stream gage measurements. The model accurately simulated observed streamflow values, achieving a relatively strong Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient. This geospatial assessment provides a standardized method which may be repeated in both national and international water-stressed regions.

  12. Metal exposure and effects in voles and small birds near a mining haul road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska.

    PubMed

    Brumbaugh, William G; Mora, Miguel A; May, Thomas W; Phalen, David N

    2010-11-01

    Voles and small passerine birds were live-captured near the Delong Mountain Regional Transportation System (DMTS) haul road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument in northwest Alaska to assess metals exposure and sub-lethal biological effects. Similar numbers of animals were captured from a reference site in southern Cape Krusenstern National Monument for comparison. Histopathological examination of selected organs, and analysis of cadmium, lead, and zinc concentrations in liver and blood samples were performed. Voles and small birds captured from near the haul road had about 20 times greater blood and liver lead concentrations and about three times greater cadmium concentrations when compared to those from the reference site, but there were no differences in zinc tissue concentrations. One vole had moderate metastatic mineralization of kidney tissue, otherwise we observed no abnormalities in internal organs or DNA damage in the blood of any of the animals. The affected vole also had the greatest liver and blood Cd concentration, indicating that the lesion might have been caused by Cd exposure. Blood and liver lead concentrations in animals captured near the haul road were below concentrations that have been associated with adverse biological effects in other studies; however, subtle effects resulting from lead exposure, such as the suppression of the activity of certain enzymes, cannot be ruled out for some individual animals. Results from our 2006 reconnaissance-level study indicate that overall, voles and small birds obtained from near the DMTS road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument were not adversely affected by metals exposure; however, because of the small sample size and other uncertainties, continued monitoring of lead and cadmium in terrestrial habitats near the DMTS road is advised.

  13. Metal exposure and effects in voles and small birds near a mining haul road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brumbaugh, William G.; Mora, Miguel A.; May, Thomas W.; Phalen, David N.

    2010-01-01

    Voles and small passerine birds were live-captured near the Delong Mountain Regional Transportation System (DMTS) haul road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument in northwest Alaska to assess metals exposure and sub-lethal biological effects. Similar numbers of animals were captured from a reference site in southern Cape Krusenstern National Monument for comparison. Histopathological examination of selected organs, and analysis of cadmium, lead, and zinc concentrations in liver and blood samples were performed. Voles and small birds captured from near the haul road had about 20 times greater blood and liver lead concentrations and about three times greater cadmium concentrations when compared to those from the reference site, but there were no differences in zinc tissue concentrations. One vole had moderate metastatic mineralization of kidney tissue, otherwise we observed no abnormalities in internal organs or DNA damage in the blood of any of the animals. The affected vole also had the greatest liver and blood Cd concentration, indicating that the lesion might have been caused by Cd exposure. Blood and liver lead concentrations in animals captured near the haul road were below concentrations that have been associated with adverse biological effects in other studies; however, subtle effects resulting from lead exposure, such as the suppression of the activity of certain enzymes, cannot be ruled out for some individual animals. Results from our 2006 reconnaissance-level study indicate that overall, voles and small birds obtained from near the DMTS road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument were not adversely affected by metals exposure; however, because of the small sample size and other uncertainties, continued monitoring of lead and cadmium in terrestrial habitats near the DMTS road is advised.

  14. Semi-Continuous Measurements of Aerosol Chemical Composition During the Summer 2002 Yosemite National Park Special Study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Collette, J; Lee, T; Heath, J

    2003-02-16

    Semi-continuous measurements of fine particle composition were made over a period of several weeks in summer 2002 in Yosemite National Park, California. These included measurement of aerosol ionic composition (by PILS- Particle-Into-Liquid System) and aerosol carbon (by dual wavelength aethalometer and an R&P particulate carbon monitor). The data reveal that aerosol composition at the site is highly :variable in time, with a strong diurnal cycle. Interestingly, however, different diurnal cycles were sometimes observed for different chemical constituents of the particles. Organic carbon was observed to dominate fine particle mass, with some periods apparently associated with influx of smoke from wildfiresmore » in the western U.S. Measurements of fine particle carbon isotopes revealed the fraction of carbon from biogenic sources to range from approximately 73 to 95%. The ionic fraction of the aerosol was usually dominated by ammoniated sulfate. During most periods, PM{sub 2.5} nitrate was found primarily in sea salt particles from which chloride had been displaced. Strong variations in the extent of ammonia neutralization of sulfate were also observed. The ability to observe rapid changes in aerosol composition using these semi-continuous aerosol composition measurements is helpful for understanding the dynamic chemical composition of fine particles responsible for regional haze.« less

  15. Recent rates of carbon accumulation in montane fens ofYosemite National Park, California, U.S.A.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Drexler, Judith; Fuller, Christopher C.; Orlando, James L.; Moore, Peggy E.

    2016-01-01

    Little is known about recent rates of carbon storage in montane peatlands, particularly in the western United States. Here we report on recent rates of carbon accumulation (past 50 to 100 years) in montane groundwater-fed peatlands (fens) of Yosemite National Park in central California, U.S.A. Peat cores were collected at three sites ranging in elevation from 2070 to 2500 m. Core sections were analyzed for bulk density, % organic carbon, and 210Pb activities for dating purposes. Organic carbon densities ranged from 0.026 to 0.065 g C cm-3. Mean vertical accretion rates estimated using210Pb over the 50-year period from ∼1960 to 2011 and the 100-year period from ∼1910 to 2011 were 0.28 (standard deviation = ±0.09) and 0.18 (±-0.04) cm yr-1, respectively. Mean carbon accumulation rates over the 50- and 100-year periods were 95.4 (±25.4) and 74.7 (±17.2) g C m-2 yr-1, respectively. Such rates are similar to recent rates of carbon accumulation in rich fens in western Canada, but more studies are needed to definitively establish both the similarities and differences in peat formation between boreal and temperate montane fens.

  16. Cultural Connections: Lion Funerary Monument

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Arts: The Art Education Magazine for Teachers, 2004

    2004-01-01

    This article describes the Grecian "Lion Funerary Monument" dating back to about 350 BC. Significant historical, cultural, and artistic elements of the ancient monument are highlighted. Details about the artist based on the monument itself are also described and questions to consider are provided.

  17. Retreat and stagnation of Little Ice Age glaciers in Yosemite National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stock, G. M.; Anderson, R. S.; Painter, T. H.

    2016-12-01

    The high peaks of Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada, California, retain several small (<1 km2) glaciers formed during the Little Ice Age. The largest of these, the Lyell and Maclure glaciers, occupy the headwaters of the Tuolumne River and have been the subject of detailed scientific study since the late 19th century. We repeated historical photographs, field surveys, and velocity measurements on these glaciers to document their response to climate change. Field surveys and remote sensing data indicate that glacier surface areas have diminished by 67-78% since 1883, with 10% of that loss coinciding with the 2012-2015 California drought. The naturalist John Muir first measured the velocity of the Maclure Glacier in 1872, finding that the glacier moved about 2.6 cm/day during the late summer and early autumn. We reproduced Muir's measurements over the same seasonal period and found the glacier to be moving at the same rate, despite the marked reduction in surface area. Time-averaged velocities measured over a four-year period show strong seasonality, with rates near zero in winter. Much of the present movement of the Maclure Glacier must therefore occur as sliding at the bed, which is apparently enhanced by greater melt. The adjacent Lyell Glacier displayed virtually no movement over the same four-year time period, likely because it has thinned below a critical threshold; both glaciers have thinned by more than 40 m since 1932, with thinning up to 3 m/yr during the 2012-2015 drought. New remote sensing data collected as part of NASA's Airborne Snow Observatory project offer opportunities to measure glacier volume and mass balance changes from 2012 onward. Numerical modeling of glacier mass balance will help to predict the timing of complete glacier loss and to assess the associated hydrological impacts on downstream ecosystems.

  18. Reducing visitor noise levels at Muir Woods National Monument using experimental management.

    PubMed

    Stack, David W; Peter, Newman; Manning, Robert E; Fristrup, Kurt M

    2011-03-01

    Noise impacts resources and visitor experience in many protected natural areas, and visitors can be the dominant source of noise. This experimental study tested the efficacy and acceptability of signs asking visitors to be quiet at Muir Woods National Monument, California. Signs declaring a "quiet zone" (at the park's Cathedral Grove) or a "quiet day" (throughout the park) were posted on a randomized schedule that included control days (no signs). Visitor surveys were conducted to measure the cognitive and behavioral responses of visitors to the signs and test the acceptability of these management practices to visitors. Visitors were highly supportive of these management practices and reported that they consciously limited the amount of noise they produced. Sound level measurements showed substantial decreases on days when signs were posted. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

  19. Assessment of the DORIS network monumentation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saunier, J.

    2016-12-01

    Stability of the monumentation is essential for precise positioning applications to minimize velocity uncertainties and noises in the position data. In charge of the DORIS global tracking network deployment since the beginning, IGN, in consultation with CNES, designed three standard monuments compliant with the DORIS system requirements and general geodetic specifications, and suitable for various site configurations: building roofs, concrete pedestals or pillars. This paper describes the monument types in use in the DORIS network according to the current required specifications and provides a comparative assessment of the stability of the monuments over the network based on three methods: a theoretical study of the mechanical behavior of the metallic structures, a misclosure analysis taken during ground surveys and a qualitative approach taking into account different factors. This overview of the network monumentation gives new key numbers following the previous network assessment performed by Fagard (2006). Significant improvements have been made following the continuous efforts to renovate the network monumentation. These results are relevant for the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) goals of measurement stability for the geodetic techniques. Today, two-thirds of the DORIS network monuments are compliant with the standards aiming at stability of 0.1 mm/y. This stability result has been measured for 16 of the 58 stations more than 10 y after its installation while monuments with more than 1 mm antenna tilts are over 10 y old when specifications were less stringent. The grading and scoring grid drawn up for each monument led to the mapping of the stability of the current DORIS network. Finally, we present a number of further actions to monitor the monument stability and provide new elements for the network monumentation assessment, exploring two different approaches: analysis of the time series and direct measurements using devices placed on each monument.

  20. Spatially characterizing visitor use and its association with informal trails in Yosemite Valley meadows.

    PubMed

    Walden-Schreiner, Chelsey; Leung, Yu-Fai

    2013-07-01

    Ecological impacts associated with nature-based recreation and tourism can compromise park and protected area goals if left unrestricted. Protected area agencies are increasingly incorporating indicator-based management frameworks into their management plans to address visitor impacts. Development of indicators requires empirical evaluation of indicator measures and examining their ecological and social relevance. This study addresses the development of the informal trail indicator in Yosemite National Park by spatially characterizing visitor use in open landscapes and integrating use patterns with informal trail condition data to examine their spatial association. Informal trail and visitor use data were collected concurrently during July and August of 2011 in three, high-use meadows of Yosemite Valley. Visitor use was clustered at statistically significant levels in all three study meadows. Spatial data integration found no statistically significant differences between use patterns and trail condition class. However, statistically significant differences were found between the distance visitors were observed from informal trails and visitor activity type with active activities occurring closer to trail corridors. Gender was also found to be significant with male visitors observed further from trail corridors. Results highlight the utility of integrated spatial analysis in supporting indicator-based monitoring and informing management of open landscapes. Additional variables for future analysis and methodological improvements are discussed.

  1. Spatially Characterizing Visitor Use and Its Association with Informal Trails in Yosemite Valley Meadows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walden-Schreiner, Chelsey; Leung, Yu-Fai

    2013-07-01

    Ecological impacts associated with nature-based recreation and tourism can compromise park and protected area goals if left unrestricted. Protected area agencies are increasingly incorporating indicator-based management frameworks into their management plans to address visitor impacts. Development of indicators requires empirical evaluation of indicator measures and examining their ecological and social relevance. This study addresses the development of the informal trail indicator in Yosemite National Park by spatially characterizing visitor use in open landscapes and integrating use patterns with informal trail condition data to examine their spatial association. Informal trail and visitor use data were collected concurrently during July and August of 2011 in three, high-use meadows of Yosemite Valley. Visitor use was clustered at statistically significant levels in all three study meadows. Spatial data integration found no statistically significant differences between use patterns and trail condition class. However, statistically significant differences were found between the distance visitors were observed from informal trails and visitor activity type with active activities occurring closer to trail corridors. Gender was also found to be significant with male visitors observed further from trail corridors. Results highlight the utility of integrated spatial analysis in supporting indicator-based monitoring and informing management of open landscapes. Additional variables for future analysis and methodological improvements are discussed.

  2. Great gray owls (Strix nebulosa) in Yosemite National Park: on the importance of food, forest structure, and human disturbance

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    van Riper, Charles; Fontaine, Joseph J.; van Wagtendonk, Jan W.

    2013-01-01

    We studied great gray owls (Strix nebulosa Forster) in Yosemite National Park, California, measuring variables that could potentially influence patterns of occurrence and conservation of this stateendangered species. We found that owl presence was closely tied to habitat (red fir (Abies magnified A. Murray) and the abundance of meadows), prey, and snags across the landscape. We also found that indicators of human recreational activities negatively influenced owl distribution and habitat use. Great gray owls appear to prefer mid-elevation red fir forest with meadows that are drier and more productive in terms of small mammal populations. That these areas also have the highest human activity presents a paradox, both for individual owls and for the future conservation and management of this California endangered species. The extent to which human recreation in natural areas affects animal behavior, species distribution, and productivity is a growing issue in natural area management. We present information that will allow land managers to better understand how existing natural resources, coupled with human recreation, influence the distribution and habitat use of the great gray owl.

  3. Tephrochronology and Stratigraphy of Silicic and Basaltic Volcanic Ash Layers at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Idaho, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walkup, L. C.; Prassack, K. A.; Hart, W. K.; Wan, E.

    2016-12-01

    Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (HAFO) is home to a diverse early-middle Pliocene ( 4.2-3.0 Ma) faunal assemblage. The Glenns Ferry Formation, exposed within the Monument and in surrounding areas, preserves lacustrine and fluvial deposits interbedded with tephra and lava flows establishing a broad chronostratigraphic context for the fossils. Despite multiple attempts by previous studies to date several volcanic horizons within the Glenns Ferry Formation, the precise chronostratigraphy of specific key fossil localities within the Monument remains poorly constrained. HAFO contains many type specimens, including that of the newly described river otter Lontra weiri (Prassack, 2016). The chronologies of type specimens are especially important because they establish the first and, in some cases, only known occurrence of a species in the fossil record. Refined chronology also allows for community-level reconstructions of fauna across ancient landscapes. Thus, multiple silicic and basaltic tephra distributions were mapped, sampled, petrographically characterized, analyzed by electron microprobe (EMP), and correlated across the Monument to provide a refined spatial and temporal framework for specific fossil localities. Previous tephrochronologic studies focused on the Fossil Gulch and Peters Gulch areas. This investigation extends the mapped distribution extent of the tephra layers identified by other workers. To further support the updated tephrochronologic framework, several tephra samples from type localities were also analyzed using EMP and correlated with samples collected during this study. We also present a new age of 3.07± 0.23 Ma for an upper tephra horizon, measured via ITPFT and DCFT glass fission track methods. This age is in agreement with a previously suggested age of 3.15 Ma for this horizon based on regional tephra correlation and more precisely constrains the age of an important underlying fossil site.

  4. Contaminants assessment in the coral reefs of Virgin Islands National Park and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bargar, Timothy A.; Garrison, Virginia H.; Alvarez, David A.; Echols, Kathy

    2013-01-01

    Coral, fish, plankton, and detritus samples were collected from coral reefs in Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS) and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICR) to assess existing contamination levels. Passive water sampling using polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and semi-permeable membrane devices found a few emerging pollutants of concern (DEET and galaxolide) and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Very little persistent organic chemical contamination was detected in the tissue or detritus samples. Detected contaminants were at concentrations below those reported to be harmful to aquatic organisms. Extracts from the POCIS were subjected to the yeast estrogen screen (YES) to assess potential estrogenicity of the contaminant mixture. Results of the YES (estrogen equivalency of 0.17–0.31 ng/L 17-β-estradiol) indicated a low estrogenicity likelihood for contaminants extracted from water. Findings point to low levels of polar and non-polar organic contaminants in the bays sampled within VICR and VIIS.

  5. Constructing Seasonal Climograph Overlap Envelopes from Holocene Packrat Midden Contents, Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharpe, Saxon E.

    2002-05-01

    Five Neotoma spp. (packrat) middens are analyzed from Sand Canyon Alcove, Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado. Plant remains in middens dated at approximately 9870, 9050, 8460, 3000, and 0 14C yr B.P. are used to estimate Holocene seasonal temperature and precipitation values based on modern plant tolerances published by Thompson et al. (1999a, 1999b). Early Holocene vegetation at the alcove shows a transition from a cool/mesic to a warmer, more xeric community between 9050 and 8460 14C yr B.P. Picea pungens, Pinus flexilis, and Juniperus communis exhibit an average minimum elevational displacement of 215 m. Picea pungens and Pinus flexilis are no longer found in the monument. Estimates based on modern plant parameters (Thompson et al., 1999a) suggest that average temperatures at 9870 14C yr B.P. may have been at least 1° to 3°C colder in January and no greater than 3° to 10°C colder in July than modern at this site. Precipitation during this time may have been at least 2 times modern in January and 2 to 3 times modern in July. Discrepancies in estimated temperature and precipitation tolerances between last occurrence and first occurrence taxa in the midden record suggest that midden assemblages may include persisting relict vegetation.

  6. Weathering Grade Classification of Granite Stone Monument Using Reflectance Spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hyun, C.; Roh, T.; Choi, M.; Park, H.

    2009-05-01

    Stone monument has been placed in field and exposed to rain and wind. This outdoor environment and air pollution induced weathering of stone monument. Weathering grade classification is necessary to manage and conserve stone monuments. Visual interpretation by geologist and laboratory experiments using specimens fallen off from the monument to avoid damage on the monument have been applied to classify weathering grade conventionally. Rocks and minerals absorb some particular wavelength ranges of electromagnetic energy by electronic process and vibrational process of composing elements and these phenomena produce intrinsic diagnostic spectral reflectance curve. Non-destructive technique for weathering degree assessment measures those diagnostic absorption features of weathering products and converts the depths of features related to abundance of the materials to relative weathering degree. We selected granite outcrop to apply conventional six folded weathering grade classification method using Schmidt hammer rebound teste. The correlations between Schmidt hammer rebound values and absorption depths of iron oxides such as ferric oxide in the vicinity of 0.9 micrometer wavelength and clay minerals such as illite and kaolinite in the vicinity of 2.2 micrometer wavelength, representative weathering products of granite, were analyzed. The Schmidt hammer rebound value decreased according to increase of absorption depths induced from those weathering products. Weathering grade classification on the granite stone monument was conducted by using absorption depths of weathering products This research is supported from National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and we appreciate for this.

  7. Critical Loads of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition for Aquatic Ecosystems in Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nanus, L.; Clow, D. W.; Sickman, J. O.

    2016-12-01

    High-elevation aquatic ecosystems in Yosemite (YOSE) and Sequoia and Kings Canyon (SEKI) National Parks are impacted by atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition associated with local and regional air pollution. Documented effects include elevated surface water nitrate concentrations, increased algal productivity, and changes in diatom species assemblages. Annual wet inorganic N deposition maps, developed at 1-km resolution for YOSE and SEKI to quantify N deposition to sensitive high-elevation ecosystems, range from 1.0 to over 5.0 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Critical loads of N deposition for nutrient enrichment of aquatic ecosystems were quantified and mapped using a geostatistical approach, with N deposition, topography, vegetation, geology, and climate as potential explanatory variables. Multiple predictive models were created using various combinations of explanatory variables; this approach allowed us to better quantify uncertainty and more accurately identify the areas most sensitive to atmospherically deposited N. The lowest critical loads estimates and highest exceedances identified within YOSE and SEKI occurred in high-elevation basins with steep slopes, sparse vegetation, and areas of neoglacial till and talus. These results are consistent with previous analyses in the Rocky Mountains, and highlight the sensitivity of alpine ecosystems to atmospheric N deposition.

  8. Orientation of Hittite Monuments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    González-García, A. César; Belmonte, Juan Antonio

    The possible astronomical or topographical orientations of the Hittite monuments of the Bronze Age has remained unexplored until recently. This would provide an important insight into how temporality was imprinted by this culture in sacred spaces and in the landscape. The authors' analysis of a statistically significant sample of Hittite temples - and a few monumental gates - has demonstrated that ancient Hittite monuments were not randomly orientated as previously thought. On the contrary, there were well-defined patterns of orientation that can be interpreted within the context of Hittite culture and religion.

  9. 77 FR 30319 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement for General Management Plan, Fort Pulaski National Monument, GA

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-22

    ... Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the General Management Plan (GMP) and Wilderness Study for Fort... of the monument, the DEIS/GMP/Wilderness Study describes three alternatives including the NPS... and enjoyment of the monument's resources. An up-to-date GMP is needed to address how visitors access...

  10. Water-quality data for Navajo National Monument, northeastern Arizona--2001-02

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thomas, Blakemore E.

    2003-01-01

    Water-quality data are provided for six sites in Navajo National Monument in northeastern Arizona. These data describe the current water quality and provide baseline water-quality information for monitoring future trends. Water samples were collected from six sites near three ancient Indian ruins during September 2001 to August 2002. Two springs and one well near Betatakin Ruin, one spring is near Keet Seel Ruin, and one spring and one stream are near Inspection House Ruin. Water from all the sites is from the N aquifer, a regional sandstone aquifer that is the source of drinking water for most members of the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe in northeastern Arizona. Concentrations of dissolved solids, major ions, trace elements, and uranium were low at the six sites. Dissolved-solids concentration ranged from 94 to 221 milligrams per liter. Concentrations of dissolved nitrate (as nitrogen) were generally low (less than 0.05 to 0.92 milligrams per liter) and were within the range of concentrations at other N-aquifer sites within 20 miles of the study area. Water samples from Inscription House Spring, Navajo Creek Tributary (near Inscription House Ruin), and Keet Seel Ruin Spring contained indicators of human or animal wastes--fecal coliform and Escherichia coli bacteria.

  11. SECTION L FROM FLAGPOLE TOWARD SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT (HIDDEN ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    SECTION L FROM FLAGPOLE TOWARD SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT (HIDDEN BY TREES). VIEW TO SOUTHEAST. - Bath National Cemetery, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Juan Avenue, Bath, Steuben County, NY

  12. Geologic map of the Gila Hot Springs 7.5' quadrangle and the Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Catron and Grant Counties, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ratté, James C.; Gaskill, David L.; Chappell, James R.

    2014-01-01

    The Gila Hot Springs quadrangle is of geologic interest with respect to four major features, which are: 1)\tThe caves of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument 2)\tThe hot springs associated with the faults of the Gila Hot Springs graben 3)\tThe Alum Mountain rhyolite dome and eruptive center 4)\tA proposed segment of the southeastern wall of the Gila Cliff Dwellings caldera The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument consists of two tracts. The caves that were inhabited by the Mogollon people in the 14th century are in the main tract near the mouth of Cliff Dweller Canyon in the Little Turkey Park 7.5' quadrangle adjoining the northwest corner of the Gila Hot Springs quadrangle. The second tract includes the Cliff Dwellings National Monument Visitor Center at the confluence of the West and Middle Forks of the Gila River in the northwest corner of the Gila Hot Springs quadrangle. Both quadrangles are within the Gila National Forest and the Gila Wilderness except for a narrow corridor that provides access to the National Monument and the small ranching and residential community at Gila Center in the Gila River valley. The caves in Cliff Dweller Canyon were developed in the Gila Conglomerate of probable Miocene? and Pleistocene? age in this area by processes of lateral corrosion and spring sapping along the creek in Cliff Dweller Canyon. The hot springs in the Gila River valley are localized along faults in the deepest part of the Gila Hot Springs graben, which cuts diagonally northwest-southeast across the central part of the quadrangle. Some of the springs provide domestic hot water for space heating and agriculture in the Gila River valley and represent a possible thermal resource for development at the Cliff Dwellings National Monument. The Alum Mountain rhyolite dome and eruptive center in the southwestern part of the quadrangle is a colorful area of altered and mineralized rocks that is satellitic to the larger Copperas Canyon eruptive center, both being

  13. An analysis of wilderness water in Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and Yosemite national parks for coliform and pathologic bacteria.

    PubMed

    Derlet, Robert W; Carlson, James R

    2004-01-01

    To determine the prevalence of coliform and potentially pathogenic bacteria in remote backcountry alpine lakes and streams of national parks in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Water was sampled at 55 predetermined lakes and streams that would stratify the risk, based on sites used by backpackers, sites used by pack animals, and uncontaminated wild areas. Sites were distributed among Kings Canyon (15), Sequoia (17), and Yosemite (23). Water was collected using Millipore bacterial samplers, which provided specific counts of coliform and other bacteria in each water sample and also served as a transport media from the wilderness to the laboratory. On return to the laboratory, bacteria were harvested from the samplers and subjected to specific identification and qualitative analysis using standard microbiology techniques for the analysis of water. Coliform bacteria were detected in 22 of the 55 sites. All of these sites were below areas used by backpackers or pack animals. Thirty-three sites were free of coliforms. These sites included both those used lightly by backpackers and those with no human or domestic animal use. All samples contained expected amounts of normal aquatic bacteria including Pseudomonas, Rahnella aquatilis, Serratia spp, and nonpathogenic species of Yersinia. Most sampling sites in these national parks are free of coliform or pathogenic organisms. Low levels of coliform bacteria are found in some bodies of water where the watershed has been affected by human or pack animal travel.

  14. The use of multi-temporal Landsat Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data for mapping fuels in Yosemite National Park, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Van Wagtendonk, Jan W.; Root, Ralph R.

    2003-01-01

    The objective of this study was to test the applicability of using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values derived from a temporal sequence of six Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) scenes to map fuel models for Yosemite National Park, USA. An unsupervised classification algorithm was used to define 30 unique spectral-temporal classes of NDVI values. A combination of graphical, statistical and visual techniques was used to characterize the 30 classes and identify those that responded similarly and could be combined into fuel models. The final classification of fuel models included six different types: short annual and perennial grasses, tall perennial grasses, medium brush and evergreen hardwoods, short-needled conifers with no heavy fuels, long-needled conifers and deciduous hardwoods, and short-needled conifers with a component of heavy fuels. The NDVI, when analysed over a season of phenologically distinct periods along with ancillary data, can elicit information necessary to distinguish fuel model types. Fuels information derived from remote sensors has proven to be useful for initial classification of fuels and has been applied to fire management situations on the ground.

  15. 32 CFR 553.21 - Monuments and inscriptions at private expense.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Monuments and inscriptions at private expense. 553.21 Section 553.21 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY... future maintenance in the event repairs are necessary. The Department of the Army will not be liable for...

  16. SOUTHWEST SIDE AND SOUTHEAST FRONT OF RODMAN MONUMENT. VIEW TO ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    SOUTHWEST SIDE AND SOUTHEAST FRONT OF RODMAN MONUMENT. VIEW TO NORTHEAST. - Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal, 0.25 mile north of southern tip of Rock Island, Rock Island, Rock Island County, IL

  17. NORTHWEST BACK AND SOUTHWEST SIDE OF RODMAN MONUMENT. VIEW TO ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    NORTHWEST BACK AND SOUTHWEST SIDE OF RODMAN MONUMENT. VIEW TO EAST. - Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal, 0.25 mile north of southern tip of Rock Island, Rock Island, Rock Island County, IL

  18. Radioactivity in fossils at the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument.

    PubMed

    Farmer, C Neal; Kathren, Ronald L; Christensen, Craig

    2008-08-01

    Since 1996, higher than background levels of naturally occurring radioactivity have been documented in both fossil and mineral deposits at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument in south-central Idaho. Radioactive fossil sites occur primarily within an elevation zone of 900-1000 m above sea level and are most commonly found associated with ancient river channels filled with sand. Fossils found in clay rich deposits do not exhibit discernable levels of radioactivity. Out of 300 randomly selected fossils, approximately three-fourths exhibit detectable levels of natural radioactivity ranging from 1 to 2 orders of magnitude above ambient background levels when surveyed with a portable hand held Geiger-Muller survey instrument. Mineral deposits in geologic strata also show above ambient background levels of radioactivity. Radiochemical lab analysis has documented the presence of numerous natural radioactive isotopes. It is postulated that ancient groundwater transported radioactive elements through sand bodies containing fossils which precipitated out of solution during the fossilization process. The elevated levels of natural radioactivity in fossils may require special precautions to ensure that exposures to personnel from stored or displayed items are kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).

  19. Rock-fall potential in the Yosemite Valley, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Wieczorek, G.F.; Morrissey, M.M.; Iovine, Giulio; Godt, Jonathan

    1999-01-01

    We used two methods of estimating rock-fall potential in the Yosemite Valley, California based on (1) physical evidence of previous rock-fall travel, in which the potential extends to the base of the talus, and (2) theoretical potential energy considerations, in which the potential can extend beyond the base of the talus, herein referred to as the rock-fall shadow. Rock falls in the valley commonly range in size from individual boulders of less than 1 m3 to moderate-sized falls with volumes of about 100,000 m3. Larger rock falls exceeding 100,000 m3, referred to as rock avalanches, are considered to be much less likely to occur based on the relatively few prehistoric rock-fall avalanche deposits in the Yosemite Valley. Because the valley has steep walls and is relatively narrow, there are no areas that are absolutely safe from large rock avalanches. The map shows areas of rock-fall potential, but does not predict when or how frequently a rock fall will occur. Consequently, neither the hazard in terms of probability of a rock fall at any specific location, nor the risk to people or facilities to such events can be assessed from this map.

  20. NASA's Terra Spacecraft Eyes Smoke Plumes from Massive Rim Fire Near Yosemite

    Atmospheric Science Data Center

    2014-05-15

    article title:  NASA's Terra Spacecraft Eyes Smoke Plumes from Massive Rim Fire Near Yosemite   ... on NASA's Terra spacecraft, showing extensive, brownish smoke. The imaged area measures 236 by 215 miles (380 by 346 kilometers). ...

  1. CANNONS BESIDE MEMORIAL WALK, WITH RODMAN MONUMENT AT LEFT BACKGROUND. ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    CANNONS BESIDE MEMORIAL WALK, WITH RODMAN MONUMENT AT LEFT BACKGROUND. VIEW TO NORTHWEST. - Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal, 0.25 mile north of southern tip of Rock Island, Rock Island, Rock Island County, IL

  2. An analysis of human pathogens found in horse/mule manure along the John Muir Trail in Kings Canyon and Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks.

    PubMed

    Derlet, Robert Wayne; Carlson, James Reynolds

    2002-01-01

    To determine the prevalence of microorganisms that are potentially pathogenic for humans in horse/mule manure along the John Muir Trail (JMT). Random samples of horse/mule manure were collected along sections of the JMT in Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia national parks (NP), as well as in portions of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and selected JMT/PCT access trails. Convenience samples of wild animal scat found within I mile of trails were also collected. The fresh specimens were individually preserved both in 0.9% saline and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-containing tubes and stored at 4 degrees C until time of analysis. Bacteriological analysis was performed using standard microbiology laboratory procedures. PVA samples were stained with trichrome and were then examined by a parasitologist. Collection: A total of 186 trail miles were sampled, including 113 on the JMT (Yosemite 37, Kings 53, and Sequoia 23). The PCT samplings included 24 miles, and NP and wilderness area access trails added an additional 49 miles. A total of 102 samples were collected, which included 81 samples from pack animals and 21 identified as having come from wild animals. Pack Animal Bacteria: All plated specimens grew large numbers of commensal gut flora. Potential pathogenic bacteria were found in only 12 samples and included Hafnia alvei (4), Serratia odorifera (1), Citrobacter freundii (1), Escherichia vulneris (1), Clostridium clostridioforme (1), Yersinia enterocolitica (1), Sherwinella putraformus (1), and Enterobacter spp (4). No Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella, or Aeromonas were found. Microscopic examination for protozoal organisms revealed occasional commensal ciliates and I Giardia. Wild Animal Pathogens: One specimen grew Y enterocolitica, and another grew Enterobacter amnigenus. We found a low prevalence of human pathogens in pack animal manure on the JMT.

  3. MEMORIAL WALK WITH CANNONS AT LEFT AND RODMAN MONUMENT AT ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    MEMORIAL WALK WITH CANNONS AT LEFT AND RODMAN MONUMENT AT RIGHT. VIEW TO SOUTHWEST. - Rock Island National Cemetery, Rock Island Arsenal, 0.25 mile north of southern tip of Rock Island, Rock Island, Rock Island County, IL

  4. Continuous 1985-2012 Landsat monitoring to assess fire effects on meadows in Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Soulard, Christopher E.; Albano, Christine M.; Villarreal, Miguel; Walker, Jessica

    2016-01-01

    To assess how montane meadow vegetation recovered after a wildfire that occurred in Yosemite National Park, CA in 1996, Google Earth Engine image processing was applied to leverage the entire Landsat Thematic Mapper archive from 1985 to 2012. Vegetation greenness (normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]) was summarized every 16 days across the 28-year Landsat time series for 26 meadows. Disturbance event detection was hindered by the subtle influence of low-severity fire on meadow vegetation. A hard break (August 1996) was identified corresponding to the Ackerson Fire, and monthly composites were used to compare NDVI values and NDVI trends within burned and unburned meadows before, immediately after, and continuously for more than a decade following the fire date. Results indicate that NDVI values were significantly lower at 95% confidence level for burned meadows following the fire date, yet not significantly lower at 95% confidence level in the unburned meadows. Burned meadows continued to exhibit lower monthly NDVI in the dormant season through 2012. Over the entire monitoring period, the negative-trending, dormant season NDVI slopes in the burned meadows were also significantly lower than unburned meadows at 90% confidence level. Lower than average NDVI values and slopes in the dormant season compared to unburned meadows, coupled with photographic evidence, strongly suggest that evergreen vegetation was removed from the periphery of some meadows after the fire. These analyses provide insight into how satellite imagery can be used to monitor low-severity fire effects on meadow vegetation.

  5. High-resolution three-dimensional imaging and analysis of rock falls in Yosemite valley, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stock, Gregory M.; Bawden, G.W.; Green, J.K.; Hanson, E.; Downing, G.; Collins, B.D.; Bond, S.; Leslar, M.

    2011-01-01

    We present quantitative analyses of recent large rock falls in Yosemite Valley, California, using integrated high-resolution imaging techniques. Rock falls commonly occur from the glacially sculpted granitic walls of Yosemite Valley, modifying this iconic landscape but also posing signifi cant potential hazards and risks. Two large rock falls occurred from the cliff beneath Glacier Point in eastern Yosemite Valley on 7 and 8 October 2008, causing minor injuries and damaging structures in a developed area. We used a combination of gigapixel photography, airborne laser scanning (ALS) data, and ground-based terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) data to characterize the rock-fall detachment surface and adjacent cliff area, quantify the rock-fall volume, evaluate the geologic structure that contributed to failure, and assess the likely failure mode. We merged the ALS and TLS data to resolve the complex, vertical to overhanging topography of the Glacier Point area in three dimensions, and integrated these data with gigapixel photographs to fully image the cliff face in high resolution. Three-dimensional analysis of repeat TLS data reveals that the cumulative failure consisted of a near-planar rock slab with a maximum length of 69.0 m, a mean thickness of 2.1 m, a detachment surface area of 2750 m2, and a volume of 5663 ?? 36 m3. Failure occurred along a surfaceparallel, vertically oriented sheeting joint in a clear example of granitic exfoliation. Stress concentration at crack tips likely propagated fractures through the partially attached slab, leading to failure. Our results demonstrate the utility of high-resolution imaging techniques for quantifying far-range (>1 km) rock falls occurring from the largely inaccessible, vertical rock faces of Yosemite Valley, and for providing highly accurate and precise data needed for rock-fall hazard assessment. ?? 2011 Geological Society of America.

  6. NEW YORK (8TH NY ARTILLERY) MONUMENT, SECTIONS B AND D, ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    NEW YORK (8TH NY ARTILLERY) MONUMENT, SECTIONS B AND D, WITH BRICK PERIMETER WALL BEHIND. VIEW TO SOUTH¬WEST. - Cold Harbor National Cemetery, 6038 Cold Harbor Road, Mechanicsville, Hanover County, VA

  7. Geologic map of Colorado National Monument and adjacent areas, Mesa County, Colorado

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Scott, Robert B.; Harding, Anne E.; Hood, William C.; Cole, Rex D.; Livaccari, Richard F.; Johnson, James B.; Shroba, Ralph R.; Dickerson, Robert P.

    2001-01-01

    New 1:24,000-scale geologic mapping in the Colorado National Monument Quadrangle and adjacent areas, in support of the USGS Western Colorado I-70 Corridor Cooperative Geologic Mapping Project, provides new interpretations of and data for the stratigraphy, structure, geologic hazards in the area from the Colorado River in Grand Valley onto the Uncompahgre Plateau. The plateau drops abruptly along northwest-trending structures toward the northeast 800 m to the Redlands area and the Colorado River in Grand Valley. In addition to common alluvial and colluvial deposits, surficial deposits include Holocene and late Pleistocene charcoal-bearing valley-fill deposits, late to middle Pleistocene river-gravel terrace deposits, Holocene to middle Pleistocene younger, intermediate, and old fan-alluvium deposits, late to middle Pleistocene local gravel deposits, Holocene to late Pleistocene rock-fall deposits, Holocene to middle Pleistocene young and old landslide deposits, Holocene to late Pleistocene sheetwash deposits and eolian deposits, and Holocene Cienga-type deposits. Only the lowest part of the Upper Cretaceous Mancos Shale is exposed in the map area near the Colorado River. The Upper and Lower? Cretaceous Dakota Formation and the Lower Cretaceous Burro Canyon Formation form resistant dipslopes in the Grand Valley and a prominent ridge on the plateau. Less resistant strata of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation consisting of the Brushy Basin, Salt Wash, and Tidwell Members form slopes on the plateau and low areas below the mountain front of the plateau. The Middle Jurassic Wanakah Formation nomenclature replaces the previously used Summerville Formation. Because an upper part of the Middle Jurassic Entrada Formation is not obviously correlated with strata found elsewhere, it is therefore not formally named; however, the lower rounded cliff former Slickrock Member is clearly present. The Lower Jurassic silica-cemented Kayenta Formation forms the cap rock for the Lower

  8. Water-quality data collected to determine the presence, source, and concentration of lead in the drinking water supply at Pipe Spring National Monument, northern Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Macy, Jamie P.; Sharrow, David; Unema, Joel

    2013-01-01

    Pipe Spring National Monument in northern Arizona contains historically significant springs. The groundwater source of these springs is the same aquifer that presently is an important source of drinking water for the Pipe Spring National Monument facilities, the Kaibab Paiute Tribe, and the community of Moccasin. The Kaibab Paiute Tribe monitored lead concentrations from 2004 to 2009; some of the analytical results exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency action level for treatment technique for lead of 15 parts per billion. The National Park Service and the Kaibab Paiute Tribe were concerned that the local groundwater system that provides the domestic water supply might be contaminated with lead. Lead concentrations in water samples collected by the U.S. Geological Survey from three springs, five wells, two water storage tanks, and one faucet were less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency action level for treatment technique. Lead concentrations of rock samples representative of the rock units in which the local groundwater resides were less than 22 parts per million.

  9. 36 CFR 401.10 - Monument Trust Fund Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Monument Trust Fund Program... MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS § 401.10 Monument Trust Fund Program. Pursuant to the provisions of 36 U.S.C. 2106(d), the Commission operates a Monument Trust Fund Program (MTFP) in countries where there is a Commission...

  10. EAARL Topography - George Washington Birthplace National Monument 2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brock, John C.; Nayegandhi, Amar; Wright, C. Wayne; Stevens, Sara; Yates, Xan

    2009-01-01

    These remotely sensed, geographically referenced elevation measurements of Lidar-derived bare earth (BE) and first surface (FS) topography were produced as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Florida Integrated Science Center (FISC), St. Petersburg, FL; the National Park Service (NPS), Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, Kingston, RI; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Wallops Flight Facility, VA. This project provides highly detailed and accurate datasets of the George Washington Birthplace National Monument in Virginia, acquired on March 26, 2008. The datasets are made available for use as a management tool to research scientists and natural resource managers. An innovative airborne Lidar instrument originally developed at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, and known as the Experimental Advanced Airborne Research Lidar (EAARL) was used during data acquisition. The EAARL system is a raster-scanning, waveform-resolving, green-wavelength (532-nanometer) Lidar designed to map near-shore bathymetry, topography, and vegetation structure simultaneously. The EAARL sensor suite includes the raster-scanning, water-penetrating full-waveform adaptive Lidar, a down-looking red-green-blue (RGB) digital camera, a high-resolution multi-spectral color infrared (CIR) camera, two precision dual-frequency kinematic carrier-phase GPS receivers, and an integrated miniature digital inertial measurement unit, which provide for submeter georeferencing of each laser sample. The nominal EAARL platform is a twin-engine Cessna 310 aircraft, but the instrument may be deployed on a range of light aircraft. A single pilot, a Lidar operator, and a data analyst constitute the crew for most survey operations. This sensor has the potential to make significant contributions in measuring sub-aerial and submarine coastal topography within cross-environmental surveys. Elevation measurements were collected over the survey area using the EAARL

  11. Effects of Packstock Use and Backpackers on Water Quality in Yosemite National Park, California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Forrester, H.; Clow, D. W.; Roche, J. W.; Heyvaert, A.

    2016-12-01

    Visitor use, primarily backpacker camping, packstock (horse and mule) trail use, and packstock grazing, in designated Wilderness, increases the potential for negative effects on water quality. To determine the effects of visitor use on water quality in Wilderness in Yosemite National Park, we collected and analyzed surface-water samples for water quality indicators, consisting of fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli), nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus), suspended sediment concentration (SSC), and hormones (e.g. estrogen compounds) during the summers of 2012-2014. We collected samples upstream and downstream from different types of visitor use at routine intervals (weekly or biweekly) and during storms. Additionally, we sampled upstream and downstream from meadows, and targeted different types of visitor use during a park-wide synoptic sampling campaign (n=63). At packstock stream crossings, statistically significant (P≤0.05) increases in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and SSC occurred downstream from crossings compared to upstream conditions during routine sampling (median difference: 3 CFU 100ml-1, and >0.3 mg l-1, respectively) and during storms (median difference: 32 CFU 100ml-1, and 2.9 mg l-1). At backpacker campsites, during routine sampling, significant increases occurred downstream from backpacker camping for E. coli (median difference: 1 CFU 100ml-1), and estrogen hormones were detected. At packstock grazing areas, which are located in meadows, no significant increases were detected for any of the measured water quality indicators downstream from grazing. Most synoptic sample concentrations were near or below detection limits. Our results indicate that under current use levels: 1) packstock trail use and backpacker camping are associated with detectable effects on water quality, which are most pronounced during storms; 2) increases in water quality indicators were not detected downstream from meadows where packstock were grazed; and 3) environmental

  12. Rockfall susceptibility mapping of Yosemite Valley (USA) using a high-resolution digital elevation model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pannatier, A.; Oppikofer, T.; Jaboyedoff, M.; Stock, G. M.

    2009-04-01

    In Yosemite National Park (California, USA) rockfalls from the steep valley flanks are frequent (>600 documented events in 150 years) and threaten infrastructure in this popular tourist area. This study focuses on a methodology to map the susceptibility to rockfall initiation based on a high-resolution digital elevation model (HRDEM) obtained from aerial laser scanning (1 meter cell size). This methodology is based on geometric factors derived from the HRDEM, i.e., the steepness of the topography, the presence of joints or fractures enabling either a planar or a wedge failure mechanism, and a high denudation potential. The slope angle histogram computed using standard GIS routines was simulated using Gaussian distributions, which were attributed to different parts of the topography, i.e., the cliffs, the valley flanks and the valley floor. Slopes steeper than 36° are found to form cliffs and thus potentially lead to rockfalls. A morpho-structural analysis of the HRDEM was performed in Coltop3D software to determine the major discontinuity sets that shape the topography. Kinematic analyses were made for each of these 7 discontinuity sets in order to determine the HRDEM cells that fulfil the geometric criteria for a planar or wedge failure mechanism. Most of the cliffs in Yosemite Valley enable one or both of these failure mechanisms. The denudation potential was assessed using the sloping local base level (SLBL) concept. The SLBL defines a basal erosion surface and the above lying rock masses (up to 400 m in some of the vertical cliffs) are susceptible to erosion by mass wasting. A thickness of 20 m above the SLBL surface was chosen as lower limit for the denudation potential criterion. The HRDEM cells that satisfy 1, 2 or all 3 criteria are considered having low, moderate and high susceptibility to rockfall initiation. The areas with highest susceptibility (El Capitan, Glacier Point, Yosemite Falls and Half Dome) coincide well with post-glacial talus accumulations

  13. Habitat suitability of patch types: A case study of the Yosemite toad

    Treesearch

    Christina T. Liang; Thomas J. Stohlgren

    2011-01-01

    Understanding patch variability is crucial in understanding the spatial population structure of wildlife species, especially for rare or threatened species.We used a well-tested maximum entropy species distribution model (Maxent) to map the Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus (= Bufo) canorus) in the Sierra Nevada...

  14. Soil characteristics and plant exotic species invasions in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bashkin, Michael A.; Stohlgren, Thomas J.; Otsuki, Yuka; Lee, Michelle; Evangelista, Paul H; Belnap, Jayne

    2003-01-01

    The Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument (GSENM) contains a rich diversity of native plant communities. However, many exotic plant species have become established, potentially threatening native plant diversity. We sought to quantify patterns of native and exotic plant species and cryptobiotic crusts (mats of lichens, algae, and mosses on the soil surface), and to examine soil characteristics that may indicate or predict exotic species establishment and success. We established 97 modified-Whittaker vegetation plots in 11 vegetation types over a 29,000 ha area in the Monument. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and multiple linear regressions were used to quantify relationships between soil characteristics and associated native and exotic plant species richness and cover. CCA showed that exotic species richness was significantly (P<0.05) associated with soil P (r=0.84), percentage bare ground (r=0.71), and elevation (r=0.67). Soil characteristics alone were able to predict 41 and 46% of the variation in exotic species richness and cover, respectively. In general, exotic species invasions tend to occur in fertile soils relatively high in C, N and P. These areas are represented by rare mesic high-elevation habitats that are rich in native plant diversity. This suggests that management should focus on the protection of the rare but important vegetation types with fertile soils.

  15. Carbon System Dynamics within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kealoha, A. K.; Winn, C. D.; Kahng, S.; Alin, S. R.; Mackenzie, F. T.; Kosaki, R.

    2013-12-01

    Continuous underway measurements of atmospheric CO2, oceanic pCO2, pH, salinity, temperature, and oxygen were collected in surface waters within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM). Transects were conducted in the summers of 2011 and 2012 and encompassed the entire length of monument waters from approximately 21° to 28°N. Discrete samples were obtained from the underway system for the determination of spectrophotometric pH and titration alkalinity. The discrete pH samples were used to assess the consistency of the underway pH electrode and indicate that the electrode generated consistent and precise data over the duration of each cruise. The underway data collected over the entire transects show considerable variability in carbon parameters and reflects mainly the intense biological activity that occurs within coral reef ecosystems in and around the atolls comprising the Northwestern Hawaiian Archipelago. The impact of organic and inorganic metabolism on the carbon system in nearshore water was based primarily on measurements taken at French Frigate Shoals (FFS), where our most intense sampling occurred. For this analysis, all of the data collected within the area encompassed by the atoll and the surrounding ocean roughly 10 km from the 50-meter depth contour were included. These data, which span an approximate 300-km2 area, clearly show that nearshore metabolic processes influence surface water chemistry out to at least 10 km away from the shallow-water environment. Our data also show that, while the spatio-temporal complexities associated with analyzing underway data can complicate the interpretation of pCO2 and pH variability, an obvious diel trend in total alkalinity (TA) was apparent. In addition, plotting temporal changes in total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and TA revealed the relative contributions of organic and inorganic metabolism to net reef metabolism.

  16. Water-quality data for Walnut Canyon and Wupatki National Monuments, Arizona, 2001-02

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Thomas, Blakemore E.

    2003-01-01

    Water-quality data are provided for four sites in Walnut Canyon and Wupatki National Monuments in north-central Arizona. These data describe the current water quality and provide baseline water-quality information for monitoring future trends. Water samples were collected from a ground-water seep and well in Walnut Canyon and from a spring and a river in Wupatki during September 2001 to September 2002. Water from the four sites is from four different sources. In Walnut Canyon, Cherry Canyon seep is in a shallow local aquifer, and the Little Colorado River contains ground-water discharge from several aquifers and runoff from a 22,000 square-mile drainage area. Concentrations of dissolved solids were similar within the two monuments; the range for water samples from Walnut Canyon was 203 to 248 milligrams per liter, and the range for water samples from Wupatki was 503 to 614 milligrams per liter. Concentrations of trace elements were generally low in water samples from the three ground-water sites--Cherry Canyon seep, Walnut Canyon headquarters well, and Heiser Spring. The water sample collected from the Little Colorado River, however, had high concentrations of aluminum (4,020 micrograms per liter), antimony (54 micrograms per liter), arsenic (14.3 micrograms per liter), and iron (749 micrograms per liter) relative to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Primary and Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels. Concentrations of nitrate (as nitrogen) in water samples from the four sites were generally low (0.11 to 1.8 milligrams per liter) and are within the upper 25 percent of nitrate concentrations measured in the regional aquifer near Flagstaff in 1996 and 1997. Water samples from Cherry Canyon seep, Heiser Spring, and the Little Colorado River contained total coliform bacteria. Fecal coliform and Escherichia coli bacteria were found in water samples from Cherry Canyon seep and the Little Colorado River.

  17. Detecting the influence of rare stressors on rare species in Yosemite National Park using a novel stratified permutation test

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Matchett, John R.; Stark, Philip B.; Ostoja, Steven M.; Knapp, Roland A.; McKenny, Heather C.; Brooks, Matthew L.; Langford, William T.; Joppa, Lucas N.; Berlow, Eric L.

    2015-01-01

    Statistical models often use observational data to predict phenomena; however, interpreting model terms to understand their influence can be problematic. This issue poses a challenge in species conservation where setting priorities requires estimating influences of potential stressors using observational data. We present a novel approach for inferring influence of a rare stressor on a rare species by blending predictive models with nonparametric permutation tests. We illustrate the approach with two case studies involving rare amphibians in Yosemite National Park, USA. The endangered frog, Rana sierrae, is known to be negatively impacted by non-native fish, while the threatened toad, Anaxyrus canorus, is potentially affected by packstock. Both stressors and amphibians are rare, occurring in ~10% of potential habitat patches. We first predict amphibian occupancy with a statistical model that includes all predictors but the stressor to stratify potential habitat by predicted suitability. A stratified permutation test then evaluates the association between stressor and amphibian, all else equal. Our approach confirms the known negative relationship between fish and R. sierrae, but finds no evidence of a negative relationship between current packstock use and A. canorus breeding. Our statistical approach has potential broad application for deriving understanding (not just prediction) from observational data.

  18. Detecting the influence of rare stressors on rare species in Yosemite National Park using a novel stratified permutation test

    PubMed Central

    Matchett, J. R.; Stark, Philip B.; Ostoja, Steven M.; Knapp, Roland A.; McKenny, Heather C.; Brooks, Matthew L.; Langford, William T.; Joppa, Lucas N.; Berlow, Eric L.

    2015-01-01

    Statistical models often use observational data to predict phenomena; however, interpreting model terms to understand their influence can be problematic. This issue poses a challenge in species conservation where setting priorities requires estimating influences of potential stressors using observational data. We present a novel approach for inferring influence of a rare stressor on a rare species by blending predictive models with nonparametric permutation tests. We illustrate the approach with two case studies involving rare amphibians in Yosemite National Park, USA. The endangered frog, Rana sierrae, is known to be negatively impacted by non-native fish, while the threatened toad, Anaxyrus canorus, is potentially affected by packstock. Both stressors and amphibians are rare, occurring in ~10% of potential habitat patches. We first predict amphibian occupancy with a statistical model that includes all predictors but the stressor to stratify potential habitat by predicted suitability. A stratified permutation test then evaluates the association between stressor and amphibian, all else equal. Our approach confirms the known negative relationship between fish and R. sierrae, but finds no evidence of a negative relationship between current packstock use and A. canorus breeding. Our statistical approach has potential broad application for deriving understanding (not just prediction) from observational data. PMID:26031755

  19. Alien plant species threat assessment and management prioritization for Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gerlach, John D.; Moore, P.E.; Johnson, Brent; Roy, D.G.; Whitmarsh, Patrick; Lubin, D.M.; Graber, D.M.; Haultain, Sylvia; Pfaff, Anne; Keeley, J.E.

    2002-01-01

    Executive SummaryThis document reports the results of alien species surveys at Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Yosemite national parks. It includes the findings of a comprehensive literature review of the biology and ecology of all alien plant species found during these surveys and the ranking of those species for prioritizing management and control programs. Surveys primarily targeted areas of human disturbance, such as campgrounds, corrals, developments, roads, trails and pastures. Alien species richness was compared across elevational gradients within the parks. To compare and contrast species composition among sites, an exploratory cluster analysis of the sites included in the speciesrichness- by-elevation figures was conducted using ordination techniques. All alien species discovered during the directed surveys were grouped into one of four management priority categories based on their attributes, potential impacts, and geographical extent. Category 1 species are aliens that are currently restricted to a relatively small number of sites in each park and have either been shown to greatly affect native vegetation or have a high probability of causing serious impacts. Category 2 species are restricted to a relatively small number of sites and are ones that generally have a lesser effect on native vegetation. Category 3 species are broadly distributed in the parks, are apparently increasing their ranges within the parks, and are those that have been shown to have a great impact on native vegetation. Category 4 species are those that were detected by the surveys but not assigned to one of the three ranked categories and are considered low priority.

  20. Water availability and flood hazards in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Frank, Frank J.; Oster, E.A.

    1979-01-01

    The rock formations of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument area are aquifers that can be expected to yield less than 10 gallons of water per minute to wells. The most permeable of the geologic units is the alluvium that occurs at low elevations along the John Day River and most of the smaller streams. Wells in the alluvial deposits can be expected to yield adequate water supplies for recreational areas; also, wells completed in the underlying bedrock at depths ranging from 50 to 200 feet could yield as much as 10 gallons per minute. Pumping tests on two unused wells indicated yields of 8 gallons per minute and 2 gallons per minute. Nine of the ten springs measured in and near the monument area in late August of 1978 were flowing 0.2 to 30 gallons per minute. Only the Cant Ranch spring and the Johnny Kirk Spring near the Sheep Rock unit had flows exceeding 6 gallons per minute. Chemical analyses of selected constituents of the ground water indicated generally low concentrations of dissolved minerals. Although cloudbursts in the Painted Hills unit could generate a flood wave on the valley floors, flood danger can be reduced by locating recreational sites on high ground. The campground in Indian Canyon of the Clarno unit is vulnerable to cloudburst flooding. About 80 percent of the proposed campground on the John Day River in the Sheep Rock unit is above the estimated level of 1-percent chance flood (100-year flood) of the river. The 1-percent chance flood would extend about 120 feet from the riverbank into the upstream end of the campground. (USGS).

  1. Commercial Function as a Treat to the Monument - 25 Years of Experience in the Commercialization of Monuments in Gdansk, Poland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ratajczyk – Piatkowska, Elzbieta

    2017-10-01

    The principles of the market economy adopted in Poland in the nineties have significantly touched the resources of immovable monuments. As a result, monuments have become a product of culture subject to the rules of the free market; and state ownership, patronage and decision-making practice has now been replaced by private interest. Practical monument use has also changed with the shift in ownership of objects after privatization and further advances in technology and the economy. Accordingly, the subject of this research addresses the issue of ensuring protection as well as the profitability of monumental objects of heritage under private investment in association with municipal and state ownership. The nineties of the twentieth century in Poland marked a period of rapid revival in trade based on market principles and openness to contemporary global trends in the design of commercial facilities. Thus, commercial function as a new use has been used for the commercialization of the monument. After 25 years of experience, it turns out that this new use may pose a threat to the conditions of monument preservation. The spatial and location specifics of the monument are poorly matched to the organizational form of trade and product range, despite the huge variety of these forms; the result is bankruptcy of the commercial operation and the consequent loss of use for the monument. Unused objects will eventually be destroyed. Studies have shown that functions supporting the creation of culture, especially museums, are optimal for the use of monuments. The museum function provides sufficiently high prestige and spatial stability, and allows for the maximum preservation of authentic elements, thus performing an additional role as museum piece.

  2. Hygroscopic Characteristics of Organic Laden Ambient Aerosols in Yosemite National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Malm, W. C.; Day, D. E.; Kreidenweis, S. M.; Collett, J. L.; Carrico, C. M.; Lee, T.; Bench, G.; Carrillo, J.

    2003-12-01

    Water absorption by inorganic compounds can be modeled with some degree of certainty; however, water uptake by ambient organic aerosols remains speculative. To improve the understanding of organic hygroscopicity, an aerosol characterization study was conducted at Yosemite National Park, California, starting in July and ending in the first week of September 2002. High time resolution measurement (15-minute time increments) of PM2.5 ionic species (Cl-, SO42-, NO3-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+) were measured using PILS (Particle-Into-Liquid-System)/IC (Ion Chromatography). Commercially available annular denuders and a PM2.5 cyclone (URG) were used upstream of the PILS/IC to remove particles greater than 2.5 μm and acidic and basic gases. A dual wavelength aethalometer and an R&P particulate carbon monitor were used to measure carbon on a semi-continuous basis while a DRUM sampler allowed for semi-continuous estimates of concentrations of elements associated with crustal material. Standard IMPROVE type samplers were used to measure 24-hr integrated samples of these same aerosols. Two nephelometers operated in tandem, one dry and the other with a controlled humidity environment, were used to measure f(RH) = bscat(RH)/bscat,dry, where bscat(RH) is the scattering coefficient measured at some relative humidity and bscat,dry is the scattering coefficient measured at RH <10%. The aerosol composition was highly variable in time, with a strong diurnal cycle. Organic carbon mass was observed to be, on the average, 70% of the fine mass with days where its contribution was well over 95% of the mass. Measurements of carbon isotopes revealed the fraction of carbon from biogenic sources to range from approximately 73 to 95%. Water soluble potassium was highly correlated with carbon mass, suggesting the influence of wood smoke. The ionic fraction of the aerosol consisted primarily of ammonium sulfate and in most cases nitrate was in the form of sodium nitrate. Fine soil mass was

  3. Fine-scale habitat characteristics related to occupancy of the Yosemite Toad, Anaxyrus canorus

    Treesearch

    Christina T. Liang; Robert L. Grasso; Julie J. Nelson-Paul; Kim E. Vincent; Amy J. Lind

    2017-01-01

    Fine-scale habitat information can provide insight into species occupancy and persistence that is not apparent at the landscape-scale. Such information is particularly important for rare species that are experiencing population declines, such as the threatened Yosemite Toad (Anaxyrus canorus). Our study examined differences in physical...

  4. Generating Co-Management at Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pinel, Sandra Lee; Pecos, Jacob

    2012-03-01

    Collaborative planning theory and co-management paradigms promise conflict prevention and the incorporation of indigenous knowledge into plans. Critics argue that without devolved power to culturally legitimate institutions, indigenous perspectives are marginalized. Co-management practice in North America is largely limited to treaty-protected fish and wildlife because federal agencies cannot devolve land management authority. This paper explores why the Pueblo de Cochiti, a federally recognized American Indian Tribe, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management sustained an rare joint management agreement for the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico despite a history of conflict over federal control of customary tribal lands that discouraged the Pueblo from working with federal agencies. Based on the participant interviews and documents, the case suggests that clear agreements, management attitudes, and the direct representation of indigenous forms of government helped achieve presumed co-management benefits. However, parties enter these agreements strategically. We should study, not assume, participant goals in collaborative processes and co-management institutions and pay special attention to the opportunities and constraints of federal laws and institutional culture for collaborative resource management with tribal and local communities.

  5. The Development of Mobile Application to Introduce Historical Monuments in Manado

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rupilu, Moshe Markhasi; Suyoto; Santoso, Albertus Joko

    2018-02-01

    Learning the historical value of a monument is important because it preserves cultural and historical values, as well as expanding our personal insight. In Indonesia, particularly in Manado, North Sulawesi, there are many monuments. The monuments are erected for history, religion, culture and past war, however these aren't written in detail in the monuments. To get information on specific monument, manual search was required, i.e. asking related people or sources. Based on the problem, the development of an application which can utilize LBS (Location Based Service) method and some algorithmic methods specifically designed for mobile devices such as Smartphone, was required so that information on every monument in Manado can be displayed in detail using GPS coordinate. The application was developed by KNN method with K-means algorithm and collaborative filtering to recommend monument information to tourist. Tourists will get recommended options filtered by distance. Then, this method was also used to look for the closest monument from user. KNN algorithm determines the closest location by making comparisons according to calculation of longitude and latitude of several monuments tourist wants to visit. With this application, tourists who want to know and find information on monuments in Manado can do them easily and quickly because monument information is recommended directly to user without having to make selection. Moreover, tourist can see recommended monument information and search several monuments in Manado in real time.

  6. Ground-water resources and water-supply alternatives in the Wawona area of Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Borchers, J.W.

    1996-01-01

    Planning efforts to implement the 1980 General Management Plan, which recommends relocating park administrative facilities and employee housing from Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, California, have focused on the availability of water at potential relocation sites within the park. Ground-water resources and water-supply alternatives in the Wawona area, one of several potential relocation sites, were evaluated between June 1991 and October 1993. Ground water flowing from Biledo Spring near the headwaters of Rainier Creek, about 5 miles southeast of Wawona, is probably the most reliable source of good quality ground water for Wawona. A dilute calcium bicarbonate ground water flows from the spring at about 250 gallons per minute. No Giardia was detected in a water sample collected from Biledo Spring in July 1992. The concentration of dissolved 222radon at Biledo Spring was 420 picoCuries per liter, exceeding the primary drinking-water standard of 300 picoCuries per liter proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This concentration, however, was considerably lower than the concentrations of dissolved 222radon measured in ground water at Wawona. The median value for 15 wells sampled at Wawona was 4,500 picoCuries per liter. Water- quality samples from 45 wells indicate that ground water in the South Fork Merced River valley at Wawona is segregated vertically. Shallow wells produce a dilute calcium sodium bicarbonate water that results from chemical dissolution of minerals as water flows through fractured granitic rock from hillside recharge areas toward the valley floor. Tritium concentrations indicate that ground water in the shallow wells originated as precipitation after the 1960's when testing of atmospheric nuclear devices stopped. Ground water from the deep flowing wells in the valley floor is older sodium calcium chloride water. This older water probably originated either as precipitation during a climatically cooler period or as

  7. Rock fall simulation at Timpanogos Cave National Monument, American Fork Canyon, Utah, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harp, E.L.; Dart, R.L.; Reichenbach, P.

    2011-01-01

    Rock fall from limestone cliffs at Timpanogos Cave National Monument in American Fork Canyon east of Provo, Utah, is a common occurrence. The cave is located in limestone cliffs high on the southern side of the canyon. One fatality in 1933 led to the construction of rock fall shelters at the cave entrance and exit in 1976. Numerous rock fall incidents, including a near miss in 2000 in the vicinity of the trail below the cave exit, have led to a decision to extend the shelter at the cave exit to protect visitors from these ongoing rock fall events initiating from cliffs immediately above the cave exit. Three-dimensional rock fall simulations from sources at the top of these cliffs have provided data from which to assess the spatial frequencies and velocities of rock falls from the cliffs and to constrain the design of protective measures to reduce the rock fall hazard. Results from the rock fall simulations are consistent with the spatial patterns of rock fall impacts that have been observed at the cave exit site. ?? 2011 Springer-Verlag.

  8. Rock fall simulation at Timpanogos Cave National Monument, American Fork Canyon, Utah, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Harp, Edwin L.; Dart, Richard L.; Reichenbach, Paola

    2011-01-01

    Rock fall from limestone cliffs at Timpanogos Cave National Monument in American Fork Canyon east of Provo, Utah, is a common occurrence. The cave is located in limestone cliffs high on the southern side of the canyon. One fatality in 1933 led to the construction of rock fall shelters at the cave entrance and exit in 1976. Numerous rock fall incidents, including a near miss in 2000 in the vicinity of the trail below the cave exit, have led to a decision to extend the shelter at the cave exit to protect visitors from these ongoing rock fall events initiating from cliffs immediately above the cave exit. Three-dimensional rock fall simulations from sources at the top of these cliffs have provided data from which to assess the spatial frequencies and velocities of rock falls from the cliffs and to constrain the design of protective measures to reduce the rock fall hazard. Results from the rock fall simulations are consistent with the spatial patterns of rock fall impacts that have been observed at the cave exit site.

  9. The genetics of amphibian decline: population substructure and molecular differentiation in the Yosemite toad, Bufo canorus (Anura, Bufonidae) based on single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP) and mitochondrial DNA sequence data

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Shaffer, H. Bradley; Fellers, Gary M.; Magee, Allison; Voss, S. Randal

    2000-01-01

    We present a comprehensive survey of genetic variation across the range of the narrowly distributed endemic Yosemite toad Bufo canorus, a declining amphibian restricted to the Sierra Nevada of California. Based on 322 bp of mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence data, we found limited support for the monophyly of B. canorus and its closely related congener B. exsul to the exclusion of the widespread western toad B. boreas. However, B. exsul was always phylogenetically nested within B. canorus, suggesting that the latter may not be monophyletic. SSCP (single-strand conformation polymorphism) analysis of 372 individual B. canorus from 28 localities in Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks revealed no shared haplotypes among these two regions and lead us to interpret these two parks as distinct management units for B. canorus. Within Yosemite, we found significant genetic substructure both at the level of major drainages and among breeding ponds. Kings Canyon samples show a different pattern, with substantial variation among breeding sites, but no substructure among drainages. Across the range of B. canorus as well as among Yosemite ponds, we found an isolation-by-distance pattern suggestive of a stepping stone model of migration. However, in Kings Canyon we found no hint of such a pattern, suggesting that movement patterns of toads may be quite different in these nearby parklands. Our data imply that management for B. canorus should focus at the individual pond level, and effective management may necessitate reintroductions if local extirpations occur. A brief review of other pond-breeding anurans suggests that highly structured populations are often the case, and thus that our results for B. canorus may be general for other species of frogs and toads.

  10. Geophysical Surveys of the Hydrologic Basin Underlying Yosemite Valley, California.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maher, E. L.; Shaw, K. A.; Carey, C.; Dunn, M. E.; Whitman, S.; Bourdeau, J.; Eckert, E.; Louie, J. N.; Stock, G. M.

    2017-12-01

    UNR students in an Applied Geophysics course conducted geophysical investigations in Yosemite Valley during the months of March and August 2017. The goal of the study is to understand better the depth to bedrock, the geometry of the bedrock basin, and the properties of stratigraphy- below the valley floor. Gutenberg and others published the only prior geophysical investigation in 1956, to constrain the depth to bedrock. We employed gravity, resistivity, and refraction microtremor(ReMi) methods to investigate the interface between valley fill and bedrock, as well as shallow contrasts. Resistivity and ReMi arrays along three north-south transects investigated the top 50-60m of the basin fill. Gravity results constrained by shallow measurements suggest a maximum depth of 1000 m to bedrock. ReMi and resistivity techniques identified shallow contrasts in shear velocity and electrical resistivity that yielded information about the location of the unconfined water table, the thickness of the soil zone, and spatial variation in shallow sediment composition. The upper several meters of sediment commonly showed shear velocities below 200 m/s, while biomass-rich areas and sandy river banks could be below 150 m/s. Vs30 values consistently increased towards the edge of the basin. The general pattern for resistivity profiles was a zone of relatively high resistivity, >100 ohm-m, in the top 4 meters, followed by one or more layers with decreased resistivity. According to gravity measurements, assuming either -0.5 g/cc or -0.7 g/cc density contrast between bedrock and basin sediments, a maximum depth to bedrock is found south of El Capitan at respectively, 1145 ± 215 m or 818 ± 150 m. Longitudinal basin geometry coincides with the basin depth geometry discussed by Gutenberg in 1956. Their results describe a "double camel" shape where the deepest points are near El Capitan and the Ahwahnee Hotel and is shallowest near Yosemite Falls, in a wider part of the valley. An August Deep

  11. Vegetation response to fire and postburn seeding treatments in juniper woodlands of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Evangelista, P.; Stohlgren, T.J.; Guenther, D.; Stewart, S.

    2004-01-01

    We compared 3 naturally ignited burns with unburned sites in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Each burn site was restored with native and nonnative seed mixes, restored with native seeds only, or regenerated naturally. In general, burned sites had significantly lower native species richness (1.8 vs. 2.9 species), native species cover (11% vs. 22.5%), and soil crust cover (4.1% vs. 15%) than unburned sites. Most burned plots, seeded or not, had significantly higher average nonnative species richness and cover and lower average native species richness and cover than unburned sites. Regression tree analyses suggest site variation was equally important to rehabilitation results as seeding treatments. Low native species richness and cover, high soil C, and low cover of biological soil crusts may facilitate increased nonnative species richness and cover. Our study also found that unburned sites in the region had equally high cover of nonnative species compared with the rest of the Monument. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) dominated both burned and unburned sites. Despite the invasion of cheatgrass, unburned sites still maintain higher native species richness; however, the high cover of cheatgrass may increase fire frequency, further reduce native species richness and cover, and ultimately change vegetation composition in juniper woodlands.

  12. Understanding and managing experiential aspects of soundscapes at Muir woods national monument.

    PubMed

    Pilcher, Ericka J; Newman, Peter; Manning, Robert E

    2009-03-01

    Research has found that human-caused noise can detract from the quality of the visitor experience in national parks and related areas. Moreover, impacts to the visitor experience can be managed by formulating indicators and standards of quality as suggested in park and outdoor recreation management frameworks, such as Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP), as developed by the U.S. National Park Service. The research reported in this article supports the formulation of indicators and standards of quality for human-caused noise at Muir Woods National Monument, California. Phase I identified potential indicators of quality for the soundscape of Muir Woods. A visitor "listening exercise" was conducted, where respondents identified natural and human-caused sounds heard in the park and rated the degree to which each sound was "pleasing" or "annoying." Certain visitor-caused sounds such as groups talking were heard by most respondents and were rated as annoying, suggesting that these sounds may be a good indicator of quality. Loud groups were heard by few people but were rated as highly annoying, whereas wind and water were heard by most visitors and were rated as highly pleasing. Phase II measured standards of quality for visitor-caused noise. Visitors were presented with a series of 30-second audio clips representing increasing amounts of visitor-caused sound in the park. Respondents were asked to rate the acceptability of each audio clip on a survey. Findings suggest a threshold at which visitor-caused sound is judged to be unacceptable, and is therefore considered as noise. A parallel program of sound monitoring in the park found that current levels of visitor-caused sound sometimes violate this threshold. Study findings provide an empirical basis to help formulate noise-related indicators and standards of quality in parks and related areas.

  13. America National Parks Viewed in 3D by NASA MISR Anaglyph 1

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-08-25

    Just in time for the U.S. National Park Service's Centennial celebration on Aug. 25, NASA's Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite is releasing four new anaglyphs that showcase 33 of our nation's national parks, monuments, historical sites and recreation areas in glorious 3D. Shown in the annotated image are Walnut Canyon National Monument, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, Grand Canyon National Park, Pipe Spring National Monument, Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Navajo National Monument, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Natural Bridges National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, and Arches National Park. MISR views Earth with nine cameras pointed at different angles, giving it the unique capability to produce anaglyphs, stereoscopic images that allow the viewer to experience the landscape in three dimensions. The anaglyphs were made by combining data from MISR's vertical-viewing and 46-degree forward-pointing camera. You will need red-blue glasses in order to experience the 3D effect; ensure you place the red lens over your left eye. The images have been rotated so that north is to the left in order to enable 3D viewing because the Terra satellite flies from north to south. All of the images are 235 miles (378 kilometers) from west to east. These data were acquired June 18, 2016, Orbit 87774. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20889

  14. Utilizing remote sensing to supplement ground monitoring of Diorhabda elongata as a control agent for Tamarix ramosissima in Dinosaur National Monument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Archambault, V.; Auch, J.; Landy, J.; Rudy, G.; Seifert, C.; Schmidt, C.; Skiles, J.

    2008-12-01

    The plant Tamarix ramosissima has invaded significant riparian habitat along the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument. Commonly known as salt cedar or tamarisk, it was introduced from Eurasia to the Southwestern United States to prevent soil erosion along riverbanks and as an ornamental plant. It has since come to affect water resources, recreation, wildlife, and ecosystem services. Various methods used to control tamarisk's spread have had moderate success but have drained National Park Service of human and monetary resources. In June 2006, the salt cedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata) was released as a biological control agent within the park to defoliate and ultimately eradicate the invasive species. This study examines the efficacy of using Landsat TM imagery to supplement ground monitoring of the beetle's spread and its effects on tamarisk in Dinosaur National Monument, and discusses the development of a GIS model to predict annual change in tamarisk cover and beetle populations. Through fieldwork, we determined four areas of interest with favorable attributes for satellite detection. A change detection model was created by layering 2005-2008 data and quantifying mean NDVI. Results show that intra-year NDVI trends may be more effective for accurate detection than single-image year-to-year comparisons largely because intra-year environmental variability is significantly smaller. Additionally, our GIS model predicted significant growth of beetle population, implying that defoliation will become more apparent in future years. However, challenges to detecting this defoliation include the year-to-year variability of environmental factors, low spatial resolution of Landsat TM data, low visibility into parts of the Green River canyon, and the spectral mixing of tamarisk and native vegetation.

  15. Characterization of Petroleum Residue in the Entrada Sandstone, Colorado National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lillis, Paul G.; King, J. David

    2007-01-01

    Introduction As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) petroleum resource assessment of the Uinta-Piceance Province, Colorado and Utah, in 2000 (USGS Uinta-Piceance Assessment Team, 2003), some 170 oils, oil stains, and oil seeps were geochemically characterized and divided into genetic types (Lillis and others, 2003). Recognized oil types include Minturn, Phosphoria, Grassy Trail Creek, Mancos, Mesaverde, and Green River. Subsequent to that study, the existence and general locality of petroleum residue in the Middle Jurassic Entrada Sandstone in Colorado National Monument (CNM) was brought to the attention of the authors (Scott and others, 2001). Because the analysis of such non-commercial petroleum deposits commonly yields valuable regional resource-trend information, we collected and characterized the reported CNM petroleum residue and compared the results with identified oil types in the Uinta-Piceance Province. Three samples of Entrada Sandstone with petroleum residue were collected near Little Park Road along the south edge of the CNM in sec.20, T.12S., R.101W. The approximate extent of the petroleum staining was determined by field testing with solvent, and the stains appear to be restricted to the upper part of the 'board beds' unit (informal name, Scott and others, 2001) of the Entrada Sandstone between the two fault traces of the Glade Park fault.

  16. A map of human impacts to a ``pristine'' coral reef ecosystem, the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Selkoe, K. A.; Halpern, B. S.; Ebert, C. M.; Franklin, E. C.; Selig, E. R.; Casey, K. S.; Bruno, J.; Toonen, R. J.

    2009-09-01

    Effective and comprehensive regional-scale marine conservation requires fine-grained data on the spatial patterns of threats and their overlap. To address this need for the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Monument) in Hawaii, USA, spatial data on 14 recent anthropogenic threats specific to this region were gathered or created, including alien species, bottom fishing, lobster trap fishing, ship-based pollution, ship strike risks, marine debris, research diving, research equipment installation, research wildlife sacrifice, and several anthropogenic climate change threats i.e., increase in ultraviolet (UV) radiation, seawater acidification, the number of warm ocean temperature anomalies relevant to disease outbreaks and coral bleaching, and sea level rise. These data were combined with habitat maps and expert judgment on the vulnerability of different habitat types in the Monument to estimate spatial patterns of current cumulative impact at 1 ha (0.01 km2) resolution. Cumulative impact was greatest for shallow reef areas and peaked at Maro Reef, where 13 of the 14 threats overlapped in places. Ocean temperature variation associated with disease outbreaks was found to have the highest predicted impact overall, followed closely by other climate-related threats, none of which have easily tractable management solutions at the regional scale. High impact threats most tractable to regional management relate to ship traffic. Sensitivity analyses show that the results are robust to both data availability and quality. Managers can use these maps to (1) inform management and surveillance priorities based on the ranking of threats and their distributions, (2) guide permitting decisions based on cumulative impacts, and (3) choose areas to monitor for climate change effects. Furthermore, this regional analysis can serve as a case study for managers elsewhere interested in assessing and mapping region-specific cumulative human impacts.

  17. Soil compaction vulnerability at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Webb, Robert H.; Nussear, Kenneth E.; Carmichael, Shinji; Esque, Todd C.

    2014-01-01

    Compaction vulnerability of different types of soils by hikers and vehicles is poorly known, particularly for soils of arid and semiarid regions. Engineering analyses have long shown that poorly sorted soils (for example, sandy loams) compact to high densities, whereas well-sorted soils (for example, eolian sand) do not compact, and high gravel content may reduce compaction. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (ORPI) in southwestern Arizona, is affected greatly by illicit activities associated with the United States–Mexico border, and has many soils that resource managers consider to be highly vulnerable to compaction. Using geospatial soils data for ORPI, compaction vulnerability was estimated qualitatively based on the amount of gravel and the degree of sorting of sand and finer particles. To test this qualitative assessment, soil samples were collected from 48 sites across all soil map units, and undisturbed bulk densities were measured. A scoring system was used to create a vulnerability index for soils on the basis of particle-size sorting, soil properties derived from Proctor compaction analyses, and the field undisturbed bulk densities. The results of the laboratory analyses indicated that the qualitative assessments of soil compaction vulnerability underestimated the area of high vulnerability soils by 73 percent. The results showed that compaction vulnerability of desert soils, such as those at ORPI, can be quantified using laboratory tests and evaluated using geographic information system analyses, providing a management tool that managers potentially could use to inform decisions about activities that reduce this type of soil disruption in protected areas.

  18. Controls on dripwater chemistry of Oregon Caves National Monument, northwestern United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rushdi, Ahmed I.; Ersek, Vasile; Mix, Alan C.; Clark, Peter U.

    2018-02-01

    Cave dripwater chemistry of Oregon Caves National Monument (OCNM) was studied, where the parameters pH, total alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, strontium, sodium and barium were analyzed at quasi-monthly intervals from 2005 to 2007. Different statistical analyses have been used to investigate the variability of the chemical parameters in the different sites in the OCNM cave system. The dripwater varies in response to seasonal changes in rainfall. The drip rates range from zero in summer to continuous flow in winter, closely following the rainfall intensity. Spatial variations of dripwater chemistry, which is nonlinearly related to dripwater discharge likely, reflect the chemical composition of bedrock and overlying soil, and the residence time of the ground water within the aquifer. The residence time of infiltrated water in bedrock cracks control the dissolution carbonate bedrock, reprecipitation of calcium carbonate and the degree of saturation of dripwater with respect to calcium carbonate minerals. Spatiotemporal fluctuations of dripwater Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios are controlled by dissolution of carbonate bedrock and the degree of calcite reprecipitation in bedrock cracks. This suggests that trace elements in speleothem deposits at the OCNM may serve as paleoclimatological proxies for precipitation, if interpreted within the context of understanding local bedrock chemistry.

  19. Controls on surface water chemistry in the upper Merced River basin, Yosemite National Park, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clow, D.W.; Mast, M.A.; Campbell, D.H.

    1996-01-01

    Surface water draining granitic bedrock in Yosemite National Park exhibits considerable variability in chemical composition, despite the relative homogeneity of bedrock chemistry. Other geological factors, including the jointing and distribution of glacial till, appear to exert strong controls on water composition. Chemical data from three surface water surveys in the upper Merced River basin conducted in August 1981, June 1988 and August 1991 were analysed and compared with mapped geological, hydrological and topographic features to identify the solute sources and processes that control water chemistry within the basin during baseflow. Water at most of the sampling sites was dilute, with alkalinities ranging from 26 to 77 ??equiv. 1-1. Alkalinity was much higher in two subcatchments, however, ranging from 51 to 302 ??equiv. 1-1. Base cations and silica were also significantly higher in these two catchments than in the rest of the watershed. Concentrations of weathering products in surface water were correlated to the fraction of each subcatchment underlain by surficial material, which is mostly glacial till. Silicate mineral weathering is the dominant control on concentrations of alkalinity, silica and base cations, and ratios of these constituents in surface water reflect the composition of local bedrock, Chloride concentrations in surface water samples varied widely, ranging from <1 to 96 ??equiv. 1-1. The annual volume-weighted mean chloride concentration in the Merced River at the Happy Isles gauge from 1968 to 1990 was 26 ??equiv. 1-1, which was five times higher than in atmospheric deposition (4-5 ??equiv. 1-1), suggesting that a source of chloride exists within the watershed. Saline groundwater springs, whose locations are probably controlled by vertical jointing in the bedrock, are the most likely source of the chloride. Sulphate concentrations varied much less than most other solutes, ranging from 3 to 14 ??equiv. 1-1. Concentrations of sulphate in

  20. Bald eagle winter roost characteristics in Lava Beds National Monument, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stohlgren, Thomas J.

    1993-01-01

    This study provided a survey of bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) winter roost habitat (in 4 km2 of potential roost areas) in southern Lava Beds National Monument, California. A systematic-clustered sampling design (n=381 plots) was used to compare forest stand characteristics in two primary roost areas (Caldwell Butte and Eagle Nest Butte) and two potential roost areas (Hidden Valley and Island Butte). A 100 percent inventory of roost trees in Caldwell Butte (n=103 trees) and Eagle Nest Butte (n=44 trees) showed they were spatially clumped and restricted to 12.7 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively, of the study areas. Roost trees, primarily ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), averaged 81.1 ± 1.3 cm dbh (mean ± 1 S.E.) compared to non-roost trees (>35 cm dbh) that averaged 52.2 ± 1.0 cm dbh. Roost trees were generally taller and more open-structured than non-roost trees. All four study sites had adequate numbers of mid-sized trees (10 to 50 cm dbh) to replace the current stock of older, larger roost trees. However, seedling and small trees (<10 cm dbh) in the roost areas were spatially clumped and few, suggesting that maintaining a continuous population of roost trees may be a problem in the distant future. Long-term studies of changing winter roost habitat and eagle use are essential to protect the bald eagle in the northwestern US.

  1. 3 CFR 8335 - Proclamation 8335 of January 6, 2009. Establishment of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... monument-related scientific exploration and research, tourism, and recreational and economic activities and... and enforcement necessary to ensure that scientific exploration and research, tourism, and...

  2. Visitor vehicle emissions study : Yosemite National Park

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2005-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Transportation, John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), Environmental Measurement and Modeling Division (Volpe Center), provided technical support to the : National Parks Foundation as part of a Nat...

  3. 36 CFR 401.10 - Monument Trust Fund Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... perform any deferred maintenance necessary to bring the monument up to a mutually agreeable standard. At... responsibility for its maintenance. To be accepted in the Monument Trust Fund Program, an organization must develop an acceptable maintenance plan and transfer sufficient monies to the Commission to fully fund the...

  4. 36 CFR 401.10 - Monument Trust Fund Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... perform any deferred maintenance necessary to bring the monument up to a mutually agreeable standard. At... responsibility for its maintenance. To be accepted in the Monument Trust Fund Program, an organization must develop an acceptable maintenance plan and transfer sufficient monies to the Commission to fully fund the...

  5. 36 CFR 401.10 - Monument Trust Fund Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... perform any deferred maintenance necessary to bring the monument up to a mutually agreeable standard. At... responsibility for its maintenance. To be accepted in the Monument Trust Fund Program, an organization must develop an acceptable maintenance plan and transfer sufficient monies to the Commission to fully fund the...

  6. Monitoring Atmospheric Deposition of Nitrogen in Alpine Environments in Rocky Mountain and Yosemite National Parks, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roop, H. A.; Clow, D. W.; Mills, J.; Fenn, M. E.

    2011-12-01

    sites was 0.85 ± 0.21 kg/ha, and west-slope sites averaged 0.69 ± 0.12 kg/ha. Greater N deposition on the eastern slope may be related to seasonal upslope (easterly) winds, common during the spring and summer, which transport urban and agricultural pollutants into the mountains. However, an ANOVA analysis indicated that the difference in mean N deposition of the east- and west-sides were not statistically different at p < 0.05. Due to a small sample size, more data are currently being analyzed to determine if these results are representative. Ongoing analysis of samples collected from 2007-2011, in both Rocky Mountain and Yosemite National Parks, will help to place these preliminary results in context and build a more robust database from which the impacts of N deposition on high-elevation watersheds can be quantitatively determined.

  7. Project Mercury - Monument

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1966-11-11

    S66-59963 (9 Nov. 1966) --- Monument at Pad 14 honoring Project Mercury. The Arabic number seven represents the seven original astronauts. The other figure is the astronomical symbol of the Planet Mercury. In background is the Gemini-12 Agena Target Docking Vehicle atop its Atlas launch vehicle at Cape Kennedy, Florida. Photo credit: NASA

  8. The Portuguese Lioz, a Monumental Limestone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silva, Zenaide

    2017-04-01

    Lioz is a microcrystalline limestone which occurs in Portugal and outcrops in the Lisbon area and its neighboring counties Oeiras, Pero Pinheiro, Lameiras. The rock is whitish to light and dark pink and contains 120 million years old rudists fossils. This fossiliferous content imprints a decorative aspect to the rock contributing to its very wide use as construction material and its favorite use in churches and official monuments making it the Royal Stone in Portugal along the XVII and XVIII centuries. Lisbon has the best exposition of Lioz as a fundamental stone in several monuments, the best examples being the Jeronimos Monastery, the Belém Tower, the Cultural Center in Belém and many old churches spread in Lisbon area. Among the latter the Jesuit Church of São Roque is a special example. The fact that the rock stratigraphic sequence allows the different rock colors as white, light and dark pink and a yellow facies variety in a local occurrence (Negrais yellow) makes it a special source for decorative patterns that can be found in a few churches in Lisbon, Évora, Mafra exhibiting "embutidos" technique, of indian origin and inspired on contemporaneous Italian churches. Mafra is the place where a monumental architectural set, composed by three integrated constructions, was built in the XVIII century by king D.João V using Lioz limestone as the main rock material, in all available colors. Along the XVII and XVIII centuries, the rock was transported to some portuguese colonies, mainly as ballast to improve the navigability of the boats, and used at the destinations as construction material for monuments, official buildings and churches. Brazil and especially Salvador, in Bahia, is the best example of that, where Lioz is beautifully exposed in monuments and as true art in many churches where the Portuguese or Italian influences are very strong. All these facts make the Portuguese Lioz Limestone as very representative of the Heritage present in Portugal and its

  9. Habitat modeling and movements of the Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus (=Bufo) canorus) in the Sierra Nevada, California

    Treesearch

    C.T. Liang

    2010-01-01

    The Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus (=Bufo) canorus) is a high-elevation species endemic to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California and is part of the world-wide amphibian declines phenomenon. The toad is thought to have disappeared from over 50% of its historic range even in seemingly undisturbed areas, and...

  10. Orientation and Distribution of Various Dry Stone Monuments of the Sahara

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gauthier, Y.

    2009-08-01

    Stone monuments are important cultural markers and as such help to deciphers the population pattern and its variations through ages. Since it covers millions of square kilometres and very different geographic environments, various groups, with possibly different monuments and rites, are expected to have occupied the Sahara. The situation is quite different on either side of the Ténéré (Niger). Except for the Tibesti mountains, monuments are almost totally absent beyond 16°E, and at least 95% are registered west of this line. While some of these stone monuments have a narrow distribution area, others, on the contrary, are known from the Ténéré (Niger) to the Atlantic Ocean. Data compiled for eight different types reveal different orientation rules with time and location. The ``keyhole'' monuments seem to have a luni-solar alignment as opposed to a the random distribution for rectangular tumuli for instance. The number of monuments registered so far is large enough for regional analyses in order to detect possible space variations.

  11. Acoustical phenomenon in ancient Totonac's monument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sánchez-Dehesa, José; Ha˚Kansson, Andreas; Cervera, Francisco; Meseguer, Francisco; Manzanares-Martínez, Betsabé; Ramos-Mendieta, Felipe

    2004-05-01

    The circle of gladiators is a monument built by Totonac Indians in the ceremonial site of Cempoala, which is located near Veracruz (Mexico). The city is believed to date to around 1200 A.D. The monument is a round structure with crenellated wall tops, and it has a diameter of 13.4 m. Though the deterioration of this monument is noticeable, it presents a singular acoustical phenomenon whose strength had to be probably extraordinary on the date of its construction. In brief, along any diameter in the circle, one can find two focal points such that if one person speaks on one focus, another person located on the other hears the sound reinforced. In other words, this circular place acoustically behaves as if it were elliptical. Here, we report the experimental characterization of the phenomenon and present a theoretical explanation. Also, the intentionality of the Totonacs is speculated since these people are associated with the Mayan culture, which is known by its realizations of environments with astonishing sonic properties. [Work supported by CEAL-UAM of Spain.

  12. Eruption of Trident Volcano, Katmai National Monument, Alaska, February-June 1953

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Snyder, George L.

    1954-01-01

    Trident Volcano, one of several 'extinct' volcanoes in Katmai National Monument, erupted on February 15, 1953. Observers in a U. S. Navy plane, 50 miles away, and in King Salmon, 75 miles away, reported an initial column of smoke that rose to an estimated 30, 000 feet. Thick smoke and fog on the succeeding 2 days prevented observers from identifying the erupting volcano or assessing the severity of the eruption. It is almost certain, however, that during the latter part of this foggy period, either Mount Martin or Mount Mageik, or both, were also erupting sizable ash clouds nearby. The first close aerial observations were made in clear weather on February 18. At this time a thick, blocky lava flow was seen issuing slowly from a new vent at an altitude of 3,600 feet on the southwest flank of Trident Volcano. Other volcanic orifices in the area were only steaming mildly on this and succeeding days. Observations made in the following weeks from Naval aircraft patrolling the area indicated that both gas and ash evolution and lava extrusion from the Trident vent were continuing without major interruption. By March 11 an estimated 80-160 million cubic yards of rock material had been extruded. Air photographs taken in April and June show that the extrusion of lava had continued intermittently and, by June 17, the volume of the pile was perhaps 300-400 million cubic yards of rock material. Ash eruptions also apparently occurred sporadically during this period, the last significant surge taking place June 30. No civilian or military installations have been endangered by this eruption at the date of writing.

  13. Visitor diversity on national forests-how should managers respond?

    Treesearch

    Cassandra Johnson; D.B.K English

    2007-01-01

    Historically, Anglo Americans have been the primary clientèle at nature-based outdoor recreation areas in the United States (Chavez 2001, Dunn et al. 2002). Goldsmith (1 994) highlighted the lack of racial and ethnic diversity among National Park visitors. Citing a Texas A&M study, Goldsmith (1994) reported that less than 1 % of car visitors to Yosemite National...

  14. Air blasts generated by rockfall impacts: Analysis of the 1996 Happy Isles event in Yosemite National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Morrissey, M.M.; Savage, W.Z.; Wieczorek, G.F.

    1999-01-01

    The July 10, 1996, Happy Isles rockfall in Yosemite National Park, California, released 23,000 to 38,000 m3 of granite in four separate events. The impacts of the first two events which involved a 550-m free fall, generated seismic waves and atmospheric pressure waves (air blasts). We focus on the dynamic behavior of the second air blast that downed over 1000 trees, destroyed a bridge, demolished a snack bar, and caused one fatality and several injuries. Calculated velocities for the air blast from a two-phase, finite difference model are compared to velocities estimated from tree damage. From tornadic studies of tree damage, the air blast is estimated to have traveled <108-120 m/s within 50 m from the impact and decreased to <10-20 m/s within 500 m from the impact. The numerical model simulates the two-dimensional propagation of an air blast through a dusty atmosphere with initial conditions defined by the impact velocity and pressure. The impact velocity (105-107 m/s) is estimated from the Colorado Rockfall Simulation Program that simulates rockfall trajectories. The impact pressure (0.5 MPa) is constrained by the kinetic energy of the impact (1010-1012 J) estimated from the seismic energy generated by the impact. Results from the air blast simulations indicate that the second Happy Isles air blast (weak shock wave) traveled with an initial velocity above the local sound speed. The size and location of the first impact are thought to have injected <50 wt % dust into the atmosphere. This amount of dust lowered the local atmospheric sound speed to ???220 m/s. The discrepancy between calculated velocity data and field estimated velocity data (???220 m/s versus ???110 m/s) is attributed to energy dissipated by the downing of trees and additional entrainment of debris into the atmosphere not included in the calculations. Copyright 1999 by the American Geophysical Union.

  15. Air blasts generated by rockfall impacts: Analysis of the 1996 Happy Isles event in Yosemite National Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Morrissey, M. M.; Savage, W. Z.; Wieczorek, G. F.

    1999-10-01

    The July 10, 1996, Happy Isles rockfall in Yosemite National Park, California, released 23,000 to 38,000 m3 of granite in four separate events. The impacts of the first two events which involved a 550-m free fall, generated seismic waves and atmospheric pressure waves (air blasts). We focus on the dynamic behavior of the second air blast that downed over 1000 trees, destroyed a bridge, demolished a snack bar, and caused one fatality and several injuries. Calculated velocities for the air blast from a two-phase, finite difference model are compared to velocities estimated from tree damage. From tornadic studies of tree damage, the air blast is estimated to have traveled <108-120 m/s within 50 m from the impact and decreased to <10-20 m/s within 500 m from the impact. The numerical model simulates the two-dimensional propagation of an air blast through a dusty atmosphere with initial conditions defined by the impact velocity and pressure. The impact velocity (105-107 m/s) is estimated from the Colorado Rockfall Simulation Program that simulates rockfall trajectories. The impact pressure (0.5 MPa) is constrained by the kinetic energy of the impact (1010-1012 J) estimated from the seismic energy generated by the impact. Results from the air blast simulations indicate that the second Happy Isles air blast (weak shock wave) traveled with an initial velocity above the local sound speed. The size and location of the first impact are thought to have injected <50 wt% dust into the atmosphere. This amount of dust lowered the local atmospheric sound speed to ˜220 m/s. The discrepancy between calculated velocity data and field estimated velocity data (˜220 m/s versus ˜110 m/s) is attributed to energy dissipated by the downing of trees and additional entrainment of debris into the atmosphere not included in the calculations.

  16. 36 CFR § 401.10 - Monument Trust Fund Program.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... perform any deferred maintenance necessary to bring the monument up to a mutually agreeable standard. At... responsibility for its maintenance. To be accepted in the Monument Trust Fund Program, an organization must develop an acceptable maintenance plan and transfer sufficient monies to the Commission to fully fund the...

  17. Disruption rates for one vulnerable soil in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Webb, Robert H.; Esque, Todd C.; Nussear, Kenneth E.; Sturm, Mark

    2013-01-01

    Rates of soil disruption from hikers and vehicle traffic are poorly known, particularly for arid landscapes. We conducted an experiment in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (ORPI) in western Arizona, USA, on an air-dry very fine sandy loam that is considered to be vulnerable to disruption. We created variable-pass tracks using hikers, an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), and a four-wheel drive vehicle (4WD) and measured changes in cross-track topography, penetration depth, and bulk density. Hikers (one pass = 5 hikers) increased bulk density and altered penetration depth but caused minimal surface disruption up to 100 passes; a minimum of 10 passes were required to overcome surface strength of this dry soil. Both ATV and 4WD traffic significantly disrupted the soil with one pass, creating deep ruts with increasing passes that rendered the 4WD trail impassable after 20 passes. Despite considerable soil loosening (dilation), bulk density increased in the vehicle trails, and lateral displacement created berms of loosened soil. This soil type, when dry, can sustain up to 10 passes of hikers but only one vehicle pass before significant soil disruption occurs; greater disruption is expected when soils are wet. Bulk density increased logarithmically with applied pressure from hikers, ATV, and 4WD.

  18. Rock face stability analysis and potential rockfall source detection in Yosemite Valley

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matasci, B.; Stock, G. M.; Jaboyedoff, M.; Oppikofer, T.; Pedrazzini, A.; Carrea, D.

    2012-04-01

    Rockfall hazard in Yosemite Valley is especially high owing to the great cliff heights (~1 km), the fracturing of the steep granitic cliffs, and the widespread occurrence of surface parallel sheeting or exfoliation joints. Between 1857 and 2011, 890 documented rockfalls and other slope movements caused 15 fatalities and at least 82 injuries. The first part of this study focused on realizing a structural study for Yosemite Valley at both regional (valley-wide) and local (rockfall source area) scales. The dominant joint sets were completely characterized by their orientation, persistence, spacing, roughness and opening. Spacing and trace length for each joint set were accurately measured on terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point clouds with the software PolyWorks (InnovMetric). Based on this fundamental information the second part of the study aimed to detect the most important failure mechanisms leading to rockfalls. With the software Matterocking and the 1m cell size DEM, we calculated the number of possible failure mechanisms (wedge sliding, planar sliding, toppling) per cell, for several cliffs of the valley. Orientation, spacing and persistence measurements directly issued from field and TLS data were inserted in the Matterocking calculations. TLS point clouds are much more accurate than the 1m DEM and show the overhangs of the cliffs. Accordingly, with the software Coltop 3D we developed a methodology similar to the one used with Matterocking to identify on the TLS point clouds the areas of a cliff with the highest number of failure mechanisms. Exfoliation joints are included in this stability analysis in the same way as the other joint sets, with the only difference that their orientation is parallel to the local cliff orientation and thus variable. This means that, in two separate areas of a cliff, the exfoliation joint set is taken into account with different dip direction and dip, but its effect on the stability assessment is the same. Areas with a high

  19. A brief geological history of Cockspur Island at Fort Pulaski National Monument, Chatham County, Georgia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Swezey, Christopher S.; Seefelt, Ellen L.; Parker, Mercer

    2018-03-09

    Fort Pulaski National Monument is located on Cockspur Island in Chatham County, Georgia, within the Atlantic Coastal Plain province. The island lies near the mouth of the Savannah River, and consists of small mounds (hummocks), salt marshes, and sediment dredged from the river. A 1,017-foot (ft) (310-meter [m])-deep core drilled at Cockspur Island in 2010 by the U.S. Geological Survey revealed several sedimentary units ranging in age from 43 million years old to present. Sand and mud are present at drilling depths from 0 to 182 ft (56 m), limestone is present at depths from 182 ft (56 m) to 965 ft (295 m), and glauconitic sand is present at depths from 965 ft (295 m) to 1,017 ft (310 m). The limestone and the water within the limestone are referred to collectively as the Floridan aquifer system, which is the primary source of drinking water for the City of Savannah and surrounding communities. In addition to details of the subsurface geology, this fact sheet identifies the following geologic materials used in the construction of Fort Pulaski: (1) granite, (2) bricks, (3) sandstone, and (4) lime mud with oyster shells.

  20. Ecology of juvenile hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata) at Buck Island Reef National Monument, US Virgin Islands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hart, Kristen M.; Sartain-Iverson, Autumn R.; Hillis-Starr, Zandy; Phillips, Brendalee; Mayor, Philippe A.; Roberson, Kimberly; Pemberton, Roy A.; Allen, Jason B.; Lundgren, Ian; Musick, Susanna

    2013-01-01

    Surveys of juvenile hawksbills around Buck Island Reef National Monument, US Virgin Islands from 1994 to 1999 revealed distributional patterns and resulted in a total of 75 individual hawksbill captures from all years; turtles ranged from 23.2 to 77.7 cm curved carapace length (CCL; mean 42.1 ± 12.3 cm SD). Juveniles concentrated where Zoanthid cover was highest. Length of time between recaptures, or presumed minimum site residency, ranged from 59 to 1,396 days (mean 620.8 ± 402.4 days SD). Growth rates for 23 juveniles ranged from 0.0 to 9.5 cm year−1 (mean 4.1 ± 2.4 cm year−1SD). Annual mean growth rates were non-monotonic, with the largest mean growth rate occurring in the 30–39 cm CCL size class. Gastric lavages indicated that Zoanthids were the primary food source for hawksbills. These results contribute to our understanding of juvenile hawksbill ecology and serve as a baseline for future studies or inventories of hawksbills in the Caribbean.

  1. 32 CFR 553.21 - Monuments and inscriptions at private expense.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... of simple design, dignified, and appropriate to a military cemetery. The name of the person(s) or the... maintenance of or damage of the monument. (b) Where a monument has been erected to an individual interred in...

  2. View looking north to the base of the monument; view ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    View looking north to the base of the monument; view includes the (1924) Lafayette Statue, a memorial to the French and American soldiers who died in World War I, and the Methodist Church - Mount Vernon Place, Charles & Monument Streets, Baltimore, Independent City, MD

  3. Isolation of five Rubrobacter strains from biodeteriorated monuments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laiz, L.; Miller, A. Z.; Jurado, V.; Akatova, E.; Sanchez-Moral, S.; Gonzalez, J. M.; Dionísio, A.; Macedo, M. F.; Saiz-Jimenez, C.

    2009-01-01

    In the last few years, the microbial colonisation of mural paintings in ancient monuments has been attracting the attention of microbiologists and conservators. The genus Rubrobacter is commonly found in biodeteriorated monuments, where it has been reported to cause rosy discolouration. However, to date, only three species of this genus have been isolated, all from thermophilic environments. In this paper, we studied three monuments: the Servilia and Postumio tombs in the Roman Necropolis of Carmona (Spain), and Vilar de Frades church (Portugal), in search of Rubrobacter strains. In all cases, biodeterioration and the formation of efflorescences were observed, and five Rubrobacter strains were isolated. These isolates showed different physiology and migration in denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, suggesting they might represent new species within this genus. The isolates reproduced some biodeterioration processes in the laboratory and revealed their biomediation in crystal formation.

  4. Potential hazards from floodflows in Grapevine Canyon, Death Valley National Monument, California and Nevada

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bowers, J.C.

    1990-01-01

    Grapevine Canyon is on the western slope of the Grapevine Mountains in the northern part of Death Valley National Monument , California and Nevada. Grapevine Canyon Road covers the entire width of the canyon floor in places and is a frequently traveled route to Scotty 's Castle in the canyon. The region is arid and subject to flash flooding because of infrequent but intense convective storms. When these storms occur, normally in the summer, the resulting floods may create a hazard to visitor safety and property. Historical data on rainfall and floodflow in Grapevine Canyon are sparse. Data from studies made for similar areas in the desert mountains of southern California provide the basis for estimating discharges and the corresponding frequency of floods in the study area. Results of this study indicate that high-velocity flows of water and debris , even at shallow depths, may scour and damage Grapevine Canyon Road. When discharge exceeds 4,900 cu ft/sec, expected at a recurrence interval of between 25 and 50 years, the Scotty 's Castle access road and bridge may be damaged and the parking lot partly inundated. A flood having a 100-year or greater recurrence interval probably would wash out the bridge and present a hazard to the stable and garage buildings but not to the castle buildings, whose foundations are higher than the predicted maximum flood level. (USGS)

  5. McNary Dam, Ice Harbor Dam, and Lower Monumental Dam Smolt Monitoring Program; 1996 Annual Report.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hillson, Todd; Lind, Sharon; Price, William

    1997-07-01

    The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) assumed responsibility for the Smolt Monitoring Program at McNary Dam on the Columbia River in 1990 and at the new juvenile collection facility at Lower Monumental Dam on the Snake River in 1993. In 1996, Smolt Monitoring Program activities also began at the new juvenile collection facility located at Ice Harbor Dam. This report summarizes the 1996 Smolt Monitoring work at all three sites. The work at Ice Harbor consisted of Gas Bubble Trauma (GBT) monitoring only. In general, the 1996 passage season at both the McNary and Lower Monumental sites canmore » be characterized by reduced passage of juveniles through the collection systems due to elevated river flows and spill, and low (<1%) overall facility mortality rates most likely resulting from cooler water temperatures. In accordance with the National Marine Fisheries Service recommendations (NMFS, 1995) all spring migrants were bypassed at McNary Dam in 1996. Mechanical problems within the McNary collection system resulted in collection and sampling activities being delayed until April 18 at this site, while sampling and collection began on the scheduled starting date of April 1 at Lower Monumental Dam. Monitoring operations were conducted through December 14 at McNary Dam and through October 28 at Lower Monumental Dam. An ongoing transportation evaluation summer migrant marking program was conducted at McNary Dam in 1996 by the NMFS. This necessitated the sampling of 394,211 additional fish beyond the recommended sampling guidelines. All total, 509,237 and 31,219 juvenile salmonids were anesthetized and individually counted, examined for scale loss, injuries, and brands by WDFW Smolt Monitoring personnel in 1996 at McNary Dam and Lower Monumental Dam, respectively.« less

  6. Yosemite Hydroclimate Network: Distributed stream and atmospheric data for the Tuolumne River watershed and surroundings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lundquist, Jessica D.; Roche, James W.; Forrester, Harrison; Moore, Courtney; Keenan, Eric; Perry, Gwyneth; Cristea, Nicoleta; Henn, Brian; Lapo, Karl; McGurk, Bruce; Cayan, Daniel R.; Dettinger, Michael D.

    2016-09-01

    Regions of complex topography and remote wilderness terrain have spatially varying patterns of temperature and streamflow, but due to inherent difficulties of access, are often very poorly sampled. Here we present a data set of distributed stream stage, streamflow, stream temperature, barometric pressure, and air temperature from the Tuolumne River Watershed in Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada, California, USA, for water years 2002-2015, as well as a quality-controlled hourly meteorological forcing time series for use in hydrologic modeling. We also provide snow data and daily inflow to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir for 1970-2015. This paper describes data collected using low-visibility and low-impact installations for wilderness locations and can be used alone or as a critical supplement to ancillary data sets collected by cooperating agencies, referenced herein. This data set provides a unique opportunity to understand spatial patterns and scaling of hydroclimatic processes in complex terrain and can be used to evaluate downscaling techniques or distributed modeling. The paper also provides an example methodology and lessons learned in conducting hydroclimatic monitoring in remote wilderness.

  7. Yosemite Hydroclimate Network: Distributed stream and atmospheric data for the Tuolumne River watershed and surroundings

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lundquist, Jessica D.; Roche, James W.; Forrester, Harrison; Moore, Courtney; Keenan, Eric; Perry, Gwyneth; Cristea, Nicoleta; Henn, Brian; Lapo, Karl; McGurk, Bruce; Cayan, Daniel R.; Dettinger, Michael D.

    2016-01-01

    Regions of complex topography and remote wilderness terrain have spatially varying patterns of temperature and streamflow, but due to inherent difficulties of access, are often very poorly sampled. Here we present a data set of distributed stream stage, streamflow, stream temperature, barometric pressure, and air temperature from the Tuolumne River Watershed in Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada, California, USA, for water years 2002–2015, as well as a quality-controlled hourly meteorological forcing time series for use in hydrologic modeling. We also provide snow data and daily inflow to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir for 1970–2015. This paper describes data collected using low-visibility and low-impact installations for wilderness locations and can be used alone or as a critical supplement to ancillary data sets collected by cooperating agencies, referenced herein. This data set provides a unique opportunity to understand spatial patterns and scaling of hydroclimatic processes in complex terrain and can be used to evaluate downscaling techniques or distributed modeling. The paper also provides an example methodology and lessons learned in conducting hydroclimatic monitoring in remote wilderness.

  8. 41 CFR 102-75.455 - May historic monuments be used for revenue-producing activities?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false May historic monuments... PROPERTY 75-REAL PROPERTY DISPOSAL Surplus Real Property Disposal Property for Use As Historic Monuments § 102-75.455 May historic monuments be used for revenue-producing activities? The disposal agency may...

  9. Monumental heritage exposure to urban black carbon pollution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patrón, D.; Lyamani, H.; Titos, G.; Casquero-Vera, J. A.; Cardell, C.; Močnik, G.; Alados-Arboledas, L.; Olmo, F. J.

    2017-12-01

    In this study, aerosol light-absorption measurements obtained at three sites during a winter campaign were used to analyse and identify the major sources of Black Carbon (BC) particles in and around the Alhambra monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that receives over 2 million visitors per year. The Conditional Bivariate Probability Function and the Aethalometer model were employed to identify the main sources of BC particles and to estimate the contributions of biomass burning and fossil fuel emissions to the total Equivalent Black Carbon (EBC) concentrations over the monumental complex. Unexpected high levels of EBC were found at the Alhambra, comparable to those measured in relatively polluted European urban areas during winter. EBC concentrations above 3.0 μg/m3, which are associated with unacceptable levels of soiling and negative public reactions, were observed at Alhambra monument on 13 days from 12 October 2015 to 29 February 2016, which can pose a risk to its long-term conservation and may cause negative social and economic impacts. It was found that road traffic emissions from the nearby urban area and access road to the Alhambra were the main sources of BC particles over the monument. However, biomass burning emissions were found to have very small impact on EBC concentrations at the Alhambra. The highest EBC concentrations were observed during an extended stagnant episode associated with persistent high-pressure systems, reflecting the large impact that can have these synoptic conditions on BC over the Alhambra.

  10. Reproducing stone monument photosynthetic-based colonization under laboratory conditions.

    PubMed

    Miller, Ana Zélia; Laiz, Leonila; Gonzalez, Juan Miguel; Dionísio, Amélia; Macedo, Maria Filomena; Saiz-Jimenez, Cesareo

    2008-11-01

    In order to understand the biodeterioration process occurring on stone monuments, we analyzed the microbial communities involved in these processes and studied their ability to colonize stones under controlled laboratory experiments. In this study, a natural green biofilm from a limestone monument was cultivated, inoculated on stone probes of the same lithotype and incubated in a laboratory chamber. This incubation system, which exposes stone samples to intermittently sprinkling water, allowed the development of photosynthetic biofilms similar to those occurring on stone monuments. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis was used to evaluate the major microbial components of the laboratory biofilms. Cyanobacteria, green microalgae, bacteria and fungi were identified by DNA-based molecular analysis targeting the 16S and 18S ribosomal RNA genes. The natural green biofilm was mainly composed by the Chlorophyta Chlorella, Stichococcus, and Trebouxia, and by Cyanobacteria belonging to the genera Leptolyngbya and Pleurocapsa. A number of bacteria belonging to Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia were identified, as well as fungi from the Ascomycota. The laboratory colonization experiment on stone probes showed a colonization pattern similar to that occurring on stone monuments. The methodology described in this paper allowed to reproduce a colonization equivalent to the natural biodeteriorating process.

  11. A radiographic survey of monumental masonry workers in Aberdeen

    PubMed Central

    Davies, T. A. Lloyd; Doig, A. T.; Fox, A. J.; Greenberg, M.

    1973-01-01

    Lloyd Davies, T. A., Doig, A. T., Fox, A. J., and Greenberg, M. (1973).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,30, 227-231. A radiographic survey of monumental masonry workers in Aberdeen. A survey of radiographic appearances of the lungs of monumental masonry workers in Aberdeen was carried out to determine the present prevalence of abnormalities and to serve as a standard for future comparisons in view of changes in methods of working. No major change could be detected in the status of these granite workers in Aberdeen over the past 20 years but the different methods of survey used by Mair in 1951 and by the present study did not allow of strict comparison. Chest radiographs were reported on by three readers independently using the National Coal Board elaboration of the ILO classification and a score was given to each film using Oldham's method. Multiple regression analysis showed that ϰ-ray changes were related to years in granite but progression was slow in comparison with foundry workers. The prevalence of radiographic appearances of category 1 or greater was 3·0% overall and 4·6% for workers in dusty jobs. Evidence of pneumoconiosis was not observed in workers exposed for less than 20 years. With the environmental control attained the threshold limit values for respirable dust were not often much exceeded. PMID:4353240

  12. Vertebrate paleontology, stratigraphy, and paleohydrology of Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Nevada (USA)

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Springer, Kathleen; Pigati, Jeffery S.; Scott, Eric

    2017-01-01

    Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument (TUSK) preserves 22,650 acres of the upper Las Vegas Wash in the northern Las Vegas Valley (Nevada, USA). TUSK is home to extensive and stratigraphically complex groundwater discharge (GWD) deposits, called the Las Vegas Formation, which represent springs and desert wetlands that covered much of the valley during the late Quaternary. The GWD deposits record hydrologic changes that occurred here in a dynamic and temporally congruent response to abrupt climatic oscillations over the last ~300 ka (thousands of years). The deposits also entomb the Tule Springs Local Fauna (TSLF), one of the most significant late Pleistocene (Rancholabrean) vertebrate assemblages in the American Southwest. The TSLF is both prolific and diverse, and includes a large mammal assemblage dominated by Mammuthus columbi and Camelops hesternus. Two (and possibly three) distinct species of Equus, two species of Bison, Panthera atrox, Smilodon fatalis, Canis dirus, Megalonyx jeffersonii, and Nothrotheriops shastensis are also present, and newly recognized faunal components include micromammals, amphibians, snakes, and birds. Invertebrates, plant macrofossils, and pollen also occur in the deposits and provide important and complementary paleoenvironmental information. This field compendium highlights the faunal assemblage in the classic stratigraphic sequences of the Las Vegas Formation within TUSK, emphasizes the significant hydrologic changes that occurred in the area during the recent geologic past, and examines the subsequent and repeated effect of rapid climate change on the local desert wetland ecosystem.

  13. Washington Monument Grounds, U.S. Reservation 2, Fiveacres, northeast section of ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    Washington Monument Grounds, U.S. Reservation 2, Five-acres, northeast section of the 106-acre,Washington Monument Grounds. Bounded by Constitution Avenue to the north, Madison Drive to the south, 14th Street to the east, and 15th Street to the West, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

  14. 76 FR 7232 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Dinosaur...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-02-09

    .... Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Dinosaur National Monument, Dinosaur, CO AGENCY: National... Service, Dinosaur National Monument, Dinosaur, CO, has completed an inventory of human remains and... Indian tribe that believes itself to be culturally affiliated with the human remains may contact Dinosaur...

  15. Responding to climate change: A toolbox of management strategies: Chapter 11

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cole, David; Stephenson, Nathan L.; Millar, Constance I.

    2010-01-01

    Climate change and its effects are writ large across the landscape and in the natural and cultural heritage of parks and wilderness. They always have been and always will be. The sculpted walls of Yosemite National Park and the jagged scenery of the Sierra Nevada wilderness would not be as spectacular if periods of glaciation had not been followed by periods of deglaciation. High biodiversity in forests of the Great Smoky Mountains reflects a legacy of climate change, migrating species, and isolated climatic refugia. Fossils unearthed at Dinosaur National Monument reflect a time when the climate was very different than it is today, as do ruins left by peoples who practiced agriculture in places in the American Southwest where food production is not possible today. Over eons, climate change has molded the diversity of life and landscape in areas now protected as parks and wilderness.

  16. 38 CFR 38.633 - Group memorial monuments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... aunts; nephews or nieces; cousins; and/or other lineal descendent. (4) Documentary evidence—Official... any governmental body, e.g., the American Battle Monuments Commission, to commemorate the dead from a...

  17. 38 CFR 38.633 - Group memorial monuments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... aunts; nephews or nieces; cousins; and/or other lineal descendent. (4) Documentary evidence—Official... any governmental body, e.g., the American Battle Monuments Commission, to commemorate the dead from a...

  18. 38 CFR 38.633 - Group memorial monuments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... aunts; nephews or nieces; cousins; and/or other lineal descendent. (4) Documentary evidence—Official... any governmental body, e.g., the American Battle Monuments Commission, to commemorate the dead from a...

  19. 38 CFR 38.633 - Group memorial monuments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... aunts; nephews or nieces; cousins; and/or other lineal descendent. (4) Documentary evidence—Official... any governmental body, e.g., the American Battle Monuments Commission, to commemorate the dead from a...

  20. 38 CFR 38.633 - Group memorial monuments.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... aunts; nephews or nieces; cousins; and/or other lineal descendent. (4) Documentary evidence—Official... any governmental body, e.g., the American Battle Monuments Commission, to commemorate the dead from a...

  1. The Digital Monument to the Jewish Community in the Netherlands: a meaningful, ritual place for commemoration

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Faro, Laurie M. C.

    2015-04-01

    The Digital Monument to the Jewish Community in the Netherlands went online in 2005. This monument has been dedicated to preserve the memory of "all the men, women and children who were persecuted as Jews during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, and did not survive the Shoah". In 2010 the Jewish Monument Community was linked to this virtual monument, this website Community offers the possibility to contribute additional information about individual victims remembered in the Digital Monument. The results of this research show that in comparison with commemoration at a traditional material monument, in particular the individual features of this new concept regarding commemoration are valued. Each individual victim may be commemorated and remembered in a very personal manner by telling who the victim was, and how he or she lived on the eve of deportation. The conclusion is that cyberspace may offer a significant and relevant place for, in this case, commemoration practices. Both Digital Monument and Community offer a meaningful place of commemoration of Dutch victims of the Shoah.

  2. Habitat suitability of patch types: a case study of the Yosemite toad

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Liang, Christina T.; Stohlgren, Thomas J.

    2011-01-01

    Understanding patch variability is crucial in understanding the spatial population structure of wildlife species, especially for rare or threatened species. We used a well-tested maximum entropy species distribution model (Maxent) to map the Yosemite toad (Anaxyrus (= Bufo) canorus) in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Twenty-six environmental variables were included in the model representing climate, topography, land cover type, and disturbance factors (e.g., distances to agricultural lands, fire perimeters, and timber harvest areas) throughout the historic range of the toad. We then took a novel approach to the study of spatially structured populations by applying the species-environmental matching model separately for 49 consistently occupied sites of the Yosemite toad compared to 27 intermittently occupied sites. We found that the distribution of the entire population was highly predictable (AUC = 0.95±0.03 SD), and associated with low slopes, specific vegetation types (wet meadow, alpine-dwarf shrub, montane chaparral, red fir, and subalpine conifer), and warm temperatures. The consistently occupied sites were also associated with these same factors, and they were also highly predictable (AUC = 0.95±0.05 SD). However, the intermittently occupied sites were associated with distance to fire perimeter, a slightly different response to vegetation types, distance to timber harvests, and a much broader set of aspect classes (AUC = 0.90±0.11 SD). We conclude that many studies of species distributions may benefit by modeling spatially structured populations separately. Modeling and monitoring consistently-occupied sites may provide a realistic snapshot of current species-environment relationships, important climatic and topographic patterns associated with species persistence patterns, and an understanding of the plasticity of the species to respond to varying climate regimes across its range. Meanwhile, modeling and monitoring of widely dispersing

  3. 13. VIEW OF RAILROAD EXHIBIT AT EL PORTAL. SHAY LOCOMOTIVE ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    13. VIEW OF RAILROAD EXHIBIT AT EL PORTAL. SHAY LOCOMOTIVE IS FROM THE HETCH HETCHY RAILROAD. CABOOSE IS FROM THE YOSEMITE VALLEY RAILROAD. FOREST ROAD IN FOREGROUND IS THE ALIGNMENT OF THE YOSEMITE VALLEY RAILROAD. LOOKING W. GIS: N-37 40 27.0 / W-119 47 10.5 - Yosemite National Park Roads & Bridges, Yosemite Village, Mariposa County, CA

  4. Management of Giant Sequoia in the national parks of the Sierra Nevada, California

    Treesearch

    David J. Parsons; H. Thomas Nichols

    1986-01-01

    Management of giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum,/i> [Lindl.] Buchholz) in Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks focuses on the need for maintaining and, where necessary, restoring natural ecosystem processes. Such a program includes restoration of natural fire regimes, mitigation of impacts from visitor use, support for basic research and...

  5. Calibration of numerical models for small debris flows in Yosemite Valley, California, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bertolo, P.; Wieczorek, G.F.

    2005-01-01

    This study compares documented debris flow runout distances with numerical simulations in the Yosemite Valley of California, USA, where about 15% of historical events of slope instability can be classified as debris flows and debris slides (Wieczorek and Snyder, 2004). To model debris flows in the Yosemite Valley, we selected six streams with evidence of historical debris flows; three of the debris flow deposits have single channels, and the other three split their pattern in the fan area into two or more channels. From field observations all of the debris flows involved coarse material, with only very small clay content. We applied the one dimensional DAN (Dynamic ANalysis) model (Hungr, 1995) and the two-dimensional FLO2D model (O'Brien et al., 1993) to predict and compare the runout distance and the velocity of the debris flows observed in the study area. As a first step, we calibrated the parameters for the two softwares through the back analysis of three debris- flows channels using a trial-and-error procedure starting with values suggested in the literature. In the second step we applied the selected values to the other channels, in order to evaluate their predictive capabilities. After parameter calibration using three debris flows we obtained results similar to field observations We also obtained a good agreement between the two models for velocities. Both models are strongly influenced by topography: we used the 30 m cell size DTM available for the study area, that is probably not accurate enough for a highly detailed analysis, but it can be sufficient for a first screening. European Geosciences Union ?? 2005 Author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

  6. 77 FR 36573 - DRAFT General Management Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Fort Matanzas National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-06-19

    ... Statement (EIS) for the General Management Plan (GMP) for Fort Matanzas National Monument (Monument... EIS/GMP describes the NPS preferred alternative--Alternative B--to guide the management of the... prescriptions to ensure protection, access and enjoyment of the Monument's resources. An up-to-date GMP is...

  7. Yosemite National Park Boundary Expansion Act of 2013

    THOMAS, 113th Congress

    Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA

    2013-04-23

    Senate - 07/31/2013 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 113-93. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  8. 75 FR 17157 - National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission; Notice of Public Meeting

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-04-05

    ... Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at 1 p.m. The meeting will be open to the public. Persons who wish to file a... Congress: (a) H.R. 4197, A bill to authorize the Gold Star Mothers National Monument Foundation to establish a national monument in the District of Columbia. (b) H.R. 4195, A bill to authorize the Peace...

  9. Decay of sandstone monuments in Petra (Jordan): Gravity-induced stress as a stabilizing factor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Řihošek, Jaroslav; Bruthans, Jiří; Mašín, David; Filippi, Michal; Schweigstillova, Jana

    2016-04-01

    As demonstrated by physical experiments and numerical modeling the gravity-induced stress (stress in further text) in sandstone massive reduces weathering and erosion rate (Bruthans et al. 2014). This finding is in contrast to common view that stress threatens stability of man-made monuments carved to sandstone. Certain low- levels of gravity-induced stress can in fact stabilize and protect these forms against weathering and disintegration. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the effect of the stress on weathering of sandstone monuments at the Petra World Heritage Site in Jordan via field observations, salt weathering experiments, and physical and numerical modeling. Previous studies on weathering of Petra monuments have neglected the impact of stress, but the ubiquitous presence of stress-controlled landforms in Petra suggests that it has a substantial effect on weathering and erosion processes on man-made monuments and natural surfaces. Laboratory salt weathering experiments with cubes of Umm Ishrin sandstone from Petra demonstrated the inverse relationship between stress magnitude and decay rate. Physical modeling with Strelec locked sand from the Czech Republic was used to simulate weathering and decay of Petra monuments. Sharp forms subjected to water erosion decayed to rounded shapes strikingly similar to tombs in Petra subjected to more than 2000 years of weathering and erosion. The physical modeling results enabled visualization of the recession of monument surfaces in high spatial and temporal resolution and indicate that the recession rate of Petra monuments is far from constant both in space and time. Numerical modeling of stress fields confirms the physical modeling results. This novel approach to investigate weathering clearly demonstrates that increased stress decreases the decay rate of Petra monuments. To properly delineate the endangered zones of monuments, the potential damage caused by weathering agents should be combined with stress

  10. Water Quality Analysis of Yosemite Creek Watershed, San Francisco, California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Davis, J. R.; Snow, M. K.; Aquino, A.; Huang, C.; Thai, A.; Yuen, C.

    2003-12-01

    Surface water quality in urban settings can become contaminated by anthropogenic inputs. Yosemite Creek watershed is situated on the east side of San Francisco near Bayview Hunters Point and provides an ideal location for water quality investigations in urban environments. Accordingly, students from Philip and Sala Burton High School monitored water quality at three locations for their physicochemical and biological characteristics. Water was tested for pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total dissolved solids, salinity, and oxidation reduction potential. In addition, a Hach DR 850 digital colorimeter was utilized to measure chlorine, fluorine, nitrogen, phosphorous, and sulfate. The biological component was assessed via monitoring benthic macro invertebrates. Specifically, the presence of caddisfly (Trichoptera) were used to indicate low levels of contaminants and good water quality. Our results indicate that water quality and macro invertebrate populations varied spatially within the watershed. Further investigation is needed to pinpoint the precise location of contaminant inputs.

  11. Heritage stones and their deterioration in rock-cut monuments in India

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Vinod K.

    2017-04-01

    India is dotted with thousands of rock- cut monuments of considerable antiquity having artwork of global importance. It is evident from the location of many of these monuments that knowledge of viable selection of site, geotechnical considerations and amenability to sculptures' chisel was vital for construction of rock-cut monuments and sculptures. These rock-cut structures also represent significant achievements of geotechnical and structural engineering and craftsmanship of contemporary period. The paper deals with some of the sites where natural rock-mass exposures were used to hew the monuments and highlight the deterioration owing to geological and climatic conditions. The Kailash temple in Ellora and Ajanta rock-cut caves are among the greatest architectural feats which owe their grandeur to amenability and consistency of basalt of Deccan Volcanic Province from which it is hewn. The Kailash Temple was created through a single, huge top-down excavation 100 feet deep down into the volcanic basaltic cliff rock. These ancient rock cut structures are amazing achievements of structural engineering and craftsmanship. The lava flows are nearly horizontal, competent rock medium facilitated the chiseling for the sculptures. The deterioration of these basalts are seen where the amygdule, vesicles and opening in rock discontinuity had the medium of construction or excavation. The monolithic rock- cut monuments of Mahabalipuram temples are constructed in the form of rathas or chriot and adjoining caves by excavating solid charnockite/granites. The large rock exposures are excavated and cut to perfection with wall decorations and sculptured art. The charnockites are the strongest and the most durable rock, yet quite amenable to fine dressing. These monolithic monuments in charnockite and are cut out of the hillock. The 7th Century monuments now exhibit somewhat rough surface probably due to weathering effect of salt laden winds from the sea side and alteration of feldspars

  12. Secondary Sulfate Mineralization and Basaltic Chemistry of Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho: Potential Martian Analog

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    C. Doc Richardson; Nancy W. Hinman; Lindsay J. McHenry

    2012-05-01

    Secondary deposits associated with the basaltic caves of Craters of the Moon National Monument (COM) in southern Idaho were examined using X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS). The secondary mineral assemblages are dominated by Na-sulfate minerals (thenardite, mirabilite) with a small fraction of the deposits containing minor concentrations of Na-carbonate minerals. The assemblages are found as white, efflorescent deposits in small cavities along the cave walls and ceilings and as localized mounds on the cave floors. Formation of the deposits is likely due to direct and indirectmore » physiochemical leaching of meteoritic water through the overlying basalts. Whole rock data from the overlying basaltic flows are characterized by their extremely high iron concentrations, making them good analogs for martian basalts. Understanding the physiochemical pathways leading to secondary mineralization at COM is also important because lava tubes and basaltic caves are present on Mars. The ability of FTICR-MS to consistently and accurately identify mineral species within these heterogeneous mineral assemblages proves its validity as a valuable technique for the direct fingerprinting of mineral species by deductive reasoning or by comparison with reference spectra.« less

  13. Delineation and hydrologic effects of a gasoline leak at Stovepipe Wells Hotel, Death Valley National Monument, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Buono, A.; Packard, Elaine M.

    1982-01-01

    Ground water is the only local source of water available to the Stovepipe Wells Hotel facilities of the Death Valley National Monument, California. A leak in a service station storage tank caused the formation of a gasoline layer overlying the water table, creating the potential for contamination of the water supply. The maximum horizontal extent of the gasoline layer was mathematically estimated to be 1,300 feet downgradient from the leaky gasoline tank. Exploratory drilling detected the gasoline layer between 900 and 1,400 feet downgradient and between 50 and 150 feet upgradient from the source. Traces of the soluble components of gasoline were also found in the aquifer 150 feet upgradient, and 250 feet distant from the source perpendicular to the direction of ground-water movement. The gasoline spill is not likely to have an effect on the supply wells located 0.4 mile south of the leak source, which is nearly perpendicular to the direction of ground-water movement and the primary direction of gasoline movement in the area. No effect on phreatophytes 2 miles downgradient from the layer is likely, but the potential effects of gasoline vapors within the unsaturated zone on local xerophytes are not known. (USGS)

  14. Conceiving semi-active control devices for large-size monolithic monuments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Casciati, Fabio; El Attar, Adel; Casciati, Sara

    2001-07-01

    CHIME is a research project, funded by the European Union, which investigates the adoption of innovative structural control techniques in view of the seismic rehabilitation of the wide monumental cultural heritage in Mediterranean countries as Egypt, Tunisia and Cyprus. The structural control devices are mainly of the semi-active type. In this particular paper one reports the first results achieved within a case study. It considers an Egyptian large size monolithic monument. Alternative solutions for its seismic rehabilitation are eventually conceived and discussed.

  15. The Return of the Siegesburg - 3D-RECONSTRUCTION of a Disappeared and Forgotten Monument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Deggim, S.; Kersten, T. P.; Lindstaedt, M.; Hinrichsen, N.

    2017-02-01

    Many Cultural Heritage (CH) monuments are destroyed in the past and they are often lost forever. If there is no contemporary metric documentation of the historic objects available, the monument and the information about this monument could be disappeared and forgotten forever. The Siegesburg (also known as Segeberg castle) located on the "Kalkberg" (Chalk Mountain) in Bad Segeberg in Northern Germany, is a typical example for such a monument, which was destroyed by Swedish troops at the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1644. This important monument was only documented by a few historic isometric maps, but the castle and even the later castle ruin were totally destructed and demolished over the last centuries and disappeared forever. Furthermore, this significant memorial is even forgotten in many people's mind. This contribution describes the physical and virtual return of the Siegesburg by 3D reconstruction using historic sources. The laboratory for Photogrammetry & Laser Scanning of the HafenCity University Hamburg conducted this project in co-operation with the museum Alt-Segeberger Bürgerhaus (Old-Segeberg town house). The process of the 3D reconstruction and visualisation of both the Kalkberg and the castle is presented in this paper.

  16. 36 CFR 401.6 - Approval by National Commission of Fine Arts.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... Commission of Fine Arts. 401.6 Section 401.6 Parks, Forests, and Public Property AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS § 401.6 Approval by National Commission of Fine Arts. A design for a... Commission of Fine Arts before the Commission can accept it. ...

  17. 36 CFR 401.6 - Approval by National Commission of Fine Arts.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Commission of Fine Arts. 401.6 Section 401.6 Parks, Forests, and Public Property AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS § 401.6 Approval by National Commission of Fine Arts. A design for a... Commission of Fine Arts before the Commission can accept it. ...

  18. Assessing fire effects on forest spatial structure using a fusion of Landsat and airborne LiDAR data in Yosemite National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kane, Van R.; North, Malcolm P.; Lutz, James A.; Churchill, Derek J.; Roberts, Susan L.; Smith, Douglas F.; McGaughey, Robert J.; Kane, Jonathan T.; Brooks, Matthew L.

    2014-01-01

    Mosaics of tree clumps and openings are characteristic of forests dominated by frequent, low- and moderate-severity fires. When restoring these fire-suppressed forests, managers often try to reproduce these structures to increase ecosystem resilience. We examined unburned and burned forest structures for 1937 0.81 ha sample areas in Yosemite National Park, USA. We estimated severity for fires from 1984 to 2010 using the Landsat-derived Relativized differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (RdNBR) and measured openings and canopy clumps in five height strata using airborne LiDAR data. Because our study area lacked concurrent field data, we identified methods to allow structural analysis using LiDAR data alone. We found three spatial structures, canopy-gap, clump-open, and open, that differed in spatial arrangement and proportion of canopy and openings. As fire severity increased, the total area in canopy decreased while the number of clumps increased, creating a patchwork of openings and multistory tree clumps. The presence of openings > 0.3 ha, an approximate minimum gap size needed to favor shade-intolerant pine regeneration, increased rapidly with loss of canopy area. The range and variation of structures for a given fire severity were specific to each forest type. Low- to moderate-severity fires best replicated the historic clump-opening patterns that were common in forests with frequent fire regimes. Our results suggest that managers consider the following goals for their forest restoration: 1) reduce total canopy cover by breaking up large contiguous areas into variable-sized tree clumps and scattered large individual trees; 2) create a range of opening sizes and shapes, including ~ 50% of the open area in gaps > 0.3 ha; 3) create multistory clumps in addition to single story clumps; 4) retain historic densities of large trees; and 5) vary treatments to include canopy-gap, clump-open, and open mosaics across project areas to mimic the range of patterns found for each

  19. Hurricanes and anchors: preliminary results from the National Park Service regional reef assessment program

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Rogers, Caroline S.

    1994-01-01

    The U .S . National Park Service NPS began a Regional Assessment Program for coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Florida in 1988. Scientists from NPS and six other institutions have now established longterm monitoring sites at Virgin Islands National Park St. John, USVI, Buck Island Reef National Monument St. Croix, USVI, Biscayne National Park Florida and Fort Jefferson National Monument Florida. Hurricane Hugo passed through the USVI in 1989, causing severe destruction in some reef areas while leaving others untouched. Patchy damage to reefs in Florida was also noted after Hurricane Andrew; damage from this August 1992 storm is still being assessed. Fort Jefferson National Monument escaped the onslaught of Andrew. No significant recovery in live coral cover has been evident at the Buck Island or Virgin Islands National Park VINP study sites 3.5 years after Hurricane Hugo. Similarly, no recovery was evident at another site in St. John which was destroyed by a large anchor 4.5 years ago.

  20. Effects of Wildfire on the Hydrology of Capulin and Rito de los Frijoles canyons, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Veenhuis, Jack E.

    2002-01-01

    In June of 1977, the La Mesa wildfire burned 15,270 acres in and around Frijoles Canyon in Bandelier National Monument and the adjacent Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico. The Dome wildfire in April of 1996 in Bandelier National Monument burned 16,516 acres in Capulin Canyon and the surrounding Dome Wilderness area. Both watersheds are characterized by abundant and extensive archeological sites that could be affected by increased runoff and accelerated rates of erosion, which typically occur after a wildfire. The U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the National Park Service monitored the wildfires' effects on streamflow in both canyons. The magnitude of large stormflows increased dramatically after these wildfires; peak flows at the most downstream streamflow-gaging station in Frijoles and Capulin Canyons increased to about 160 times the maximum recorded flood prior to the fire. Maximum peak flow was 3,030 cubic feet per second at the gaging station in Frijoles Canyon (drainage area equals 18.1 square miles) and 3,630 cubic feet per second at the most downstream crest-stage gage in Capulin Canyon (drainage area equals 14.1 square miles). The pre-fire maximum peak flow recorded in these two canyons was 19 and an estimated 25 cubic feet per second, respectively. As vegetation reestablished itself during the second year, the post-fire annual maximum peak flow decreased to about 10 to 15 times the pre-fire annual maximum peak flow. During the third year, maximum annual peak flows decreased to about three to five times the pre-fire maximum peak flow. In the 22 years since the La Mesa wildfire, flood magnitudes have not completely returned to pre-fire size. Post-fire flood magnitudes in Frijoles and Capulin Canyons do not exceed the maximum floods per drainage area for physiographic regions 5 and 6 in New Mexico. For a burned watershed, however, the peak flows that occur after a wildfire are several orders of magnitude larger than normal forested watershed peak

  1. Relevance of cryptic fishes in biodiversity assessments: A case study at Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith-Vaniz, W.F.; Jelks, H.L.; Rocha, L.A.

    2006-01-01

    Because cryptic fishes are difficult to accurately survey, they are undersampled components of coral reef habitats, and their ecological roles have been generally ignored. Fifty-eight enclosed stations were sampled in shoreline, nearshore reef, lagoon, backreef, forereef, and bank/shelf habitats with an ichthyocide (rotenone) at Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Our samples included 55 families and 228 species, 60 previously unreported from St. Croix. Fish assemblages varied across habitat zones with the shoreline assemblage the most distinct. Only 8% of the species were present in all habitats. Multi-dimensional scaling plots of habitat characteristics and Bray-Curtis similarities of fish assemblages revealed similar patterns. Dominant and rare taxa are enumerated for each habitat sampled. Rotenone and visual census data are compared. While visual surveys accumulated more species per unit of effort, rotenone samples accumulated more species by area. Only 36% of the 228 species sampled with rotenone were visually detected, while 70% of the 115 species visually detected were also collected with rotenone. The use of rotenone is controversial but important for obtaining reasonably complete inventories of reef fishes. Misconceptions about rotenone and the advantages and limitations of alternative biodiversity assessment methods are discussed. ?? 2006 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of the University of Miami.

  2. Evaluation of increases in dissolved solids in ground water, Stovepipe Wells Hotel, Death Valley National Monument, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Buono, Anthony; Packard, E.M.

    1982-01-01

    Increases in dissolved solids have been monitored in two observation wells near Stovepipe Wells Hotel, Death Valley National Monument, California. One of the hotel 's supply wells delivers water to a reverse-osmosis treatment plant that produces the area 's potable water supply. Should water with increased dissolved solids reach the supply well, the costs of production of potable water will increase. The reverse-osmosis plant supply well is located about 0.4 mile south of one of the wells where increases have been monitored, and 0.8 mile southwest of the well where the most significant increases have been monitored. The direction of local ground-water movement is eastward, which reduces the probability of the supply well being affected. Honey mesquite, a phreatophyte located about 1.5 miles downgradient from the well where the most significant increases have been monitored, might be adversely affected should water with increased dissolved solids extend that far. Available data and data collected during this investigation do not indicate the source of the dissolved-solids increases. Continued ground-water-quality monitoring of existing wells and the installation of additional wells for water-quality monitoring would be necessary before the area affected by the increases, and the source and direction of movement of the water with increased dissolved solids, can be determined. (USGS)

  3. Coronado National Monument : acoustical monitoring 2010

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-04-01

    During the summer (September October) of 2010, Volpe Center personnel deployed acoustic measurement system at Fort Bowie National Historic Site (FOBO) for approximately one month. The baseline data collected during this period will help park mana...

  4. 5. SOUTH SIDE DRIVE AT CHAPEL STRAIGHT. NOTE BIKE PATH ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    5. SOUTH SIDE DRIVE AT CHAPEL STRAIGHT. NOTE BIKE PATH AND BOULDER LANE EDGING. CHAPEL SPIRE AT CENTER. LOCATION OF OLD YOSEMITE VILLAGE AT CENTER DISTANCE. NORTH DOME AT REAR. LOOKING NNE. GIS: N-37 44 21.8 / W-119 35 39.3 - Yosemite National Park Roads & Bridges, Yosemite Village, Mariposa County, CA

  5. New PBO GPS Station Construction: Eastern Region Network Enhancements and Multiple-Monument Stability Comparisons

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dittmann, S. T.; Austin, K. E.; Berglund, H. T.; Blume, F.; Feaux, K.; Mann, D.; Mattioli, G. S.; Walls, C. P.

    2013-12-01

    The Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) network consists of 1100 continuously operating, permanent GPS stations throughout the United States. The majority of this network was constructed using NSF-MREFC funding as part of the EarthScope Project during FY2003-FY2008. Since FY2009, UNAVCO has operated and maintained PBO through a Cooperative Agreement (CA) with NSF. Construction of new, permanent GPS monuments in the PBO network was the result of two change orders to the original PBO O&M CA. Change Order 33 (CO33) allocated funds to construct additional GPS stations at six locations in the Eastern Region of PBO. Three of these locations were designed to replace poorly performing existing GPS monuments in Georgia, Texas and New York. The remaining three new locations were selected to fill in gaps in network coverage in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Dakota. Construction of all six new sites was completed in September 2013. Important scientific goals for CO33 include improvement of the stable North American reference frame, measurement of the vertical signal associated with the Glacial Isostatic Adjustment, and improved constraints on surface deformation and possible earthquakes, which occur in the low-strain tectonic setting of the eastern North American Plate. Change Order 35 (CO35) allocated funds to construct two additional geodetic monuments at five existing PBO stations in order to test and compare the long-term stability of various monument designs under near-identical geologic conditions. Sites were chosen to yield a variety of geographic, hydrologic and geologic conditions, including both fine-grained alluvium and crystalline bedrock. At each location, three different monuments (deep drill braced, short drill braced/driven-braced, mast/pillar) were built with 10 meter spacing, with shared power systems and data telemetry infrastructure. Construction of these multi-monument test locations began in October 2012 and finished in September 2013. See G010- Berglund

  6. Chimney Rock National Monument Establishment Act

    THOMAS, 112th Congress

    Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO

    2011-03-08

    Senate - 05/11/2011 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-124. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  7. 78 FR 34656 - Record of Decision for the F-15 Aircraft Conversion, 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-06-10

    ... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Department of the Air Force Record of Decision for the F-15 Aircraft Conversion, 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard, Fresno-Yosemite International Airport Final... May 31, 2013, the United States Air Force signed the ROD for the F-15 Aircraft Conversion for the...

  8. Geospatial modeling approach to monument construction using Michigan from A.D. 1000-1600 as a case study.

    PubMed

    Howey, Meghan C L; Palace, Michael W; McMichael, Crystal H

    2016-07-05

    Building monuments was one way that past societies reconfigured their landscapes in response to shifting social and ecological factors. Understanding the connections between those factors and monument construction is critical, especially when multiple types of monuments were constructed across the same landscape. Geospatial technologies enable past cultural activities and environmental variables to be examined together at large scales. Many geospatial modeling approaches, however, are not designed for presence-only (occurrence) data, which can be limiting given that many archaeological site records are presence only. We use maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt), which works with presence-only data, to predict the distribution of monuments across large landscapes, and we analyze MaxEnt output to quantify the contributions of spatioenvironmental variables to predicted distributions. We apply our approach to co-occurring Late Precontact (ca. A.D. 1000-1600) monuments in Michigan: (i) mounds and (ii) earthwork enclosures. Many of these features have been destroyed by modern development, and therefore, we conducted archival research to develop our monument occurrence database. We modeled each monument type separately using the same input variables. Analyzing variable contribution to MaxEnt output, we show that mound and enclosure landscape suitability was driven by contrasting variables. Proximity to inland lakes was key to mound placement, and proximity to rivers was key to sacred enclosures. This juxtaposition suggests that mounds met local needs for resource procurement success, whereas enclosures filled broader regional needs for intergroup exchange and shared ritual. Our study shows how MaxEnt can be used to develop sophisticated models of past cultural processes, including monument building, with imperfect, limited, presence-only data.

  9. Geologic field-trip guide to Medicine Lake Volcano, northern California, including Lava Beds National Monument

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.; Grove, Timothy L.

    2017-08-17

    Medicine Lake volcano is among the very best places in the United States to see and walk on a variety of well-exposed young lava flows that range in composition from basalt to rhyolite. This field-trip guide to the volcano and to Lava Beds National Monument, which occupies part of the north flank, directs visitors to a wide range of lava flow compositions and volcanic phenomena, many of them well exposed and Holocene in age. The writing of the guide was prompted by a field trip to the California Cascades Arc organized in conjunction with the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) quadrennial meeting in Portland, Oregon, in August of 2017. This report is one of a group of three guides describing the three major volcanic centers of the southern Cascades Volcanic Arc. The guides describing the Mount Shasta and Lassen Volcanic Center parts of the trip share an introduction, written as an overview to the IAVCEI field trip. However, this guide to Medicine Lake volcano has descriptions of many more stops than are included in the 2017 field trip. The 23 stops described here feature a range of compositions and volcanic phenomena. Many other stops are possible and some have been previously described, but these 23 have been selected to highlight the variety of volcanic phenomena at this rear-arc center, the range of compositions, and for the practical reason that they are readily accessible. Open ground cracks, various vent features, tuffs, lava-tube caves, evidence for glaciation, and lava flows that contain inclusions and show visible evidence of compositional zonation are described and visited along the route.

  10. Examining patterns of bat activity in Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico, using walking point transects

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ellison, L.E.; Everette, A.L.; Bogan, M.A.

    2005-01-01

    We conducted a preliminary study using small field crews, a single Anabat II detector coupled with a laptop computer, and point transects to examine patterns of bat activity at a scale of interest to local resource managers. The study was conducted during summers of 1996–1998 in Bandelier National Monument in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico, a landscape with distinct vegetation zones and high species richness of bats. We developed simple models that described general patterns of acoustic activity within 4 vegetation zones based primarily on nightly variation and a qualitative index of habitat complexity. Bat acoustic activity (number of bat passes&sol point) did not vary dramatically among a limited sample of transects within a vegetation zone during 1996. In 1997 and 1998, single transects within each vegetation zone were established, and bat activity did not vary annually within these zones. Acoustic activity differed among the 4 vegetation zones of interest, with the greatest activity occurring in riparian canyon bottomland, intermediate activity in coniferous forest and a 1977 burned zone, and lowest activity in piñon-juniper woodlands. We identified 68.5% of 2,529 bat passes recorded during point-transect surveys to species using an echolocation call reference library we established for the area and qualitative characteristics of bat calls. Bat species richness and composition differed among vegetation zones. Results of these efforts were consistent with general knowledge of where different bat species typically forage and with the natural history of bats of New Mexico, suggesting such a method might have value for drawing inferences about bat activity in different vegetation zones.

  11. Mammal inventories for eight National Parks in the Southern Colorado Plateau Network

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bogan, Michael A.; Geluso, Keith; Haymond, Shauna; Valdez, Ernest W.

    2007-01-01

    Historically, the Colorado Plateau has been the subject of many geological and biological explorations. J. W. Powell explored and mapped the canyon country of the Colorado River in 1869 (Powell 1961). C. H. Merriam, V. Bailey, M. Cary, and other employees of the Bureau of Biological Survey conducted biological explorations of the area in the late 1800s. In recent times, researchers such as S. D. Durrant (1952), Durrant and Robinson (1962), D. M. Armstrong (1972), J. S. Findley et al. (1975), D. F. Hoff meister (1986), and J. Fitzgerald et al. (1994) have made considerable contributions to our understanding of the fauna of the Colorado Plateau. Despite earlier efforts, biological details on many regions of the plateau have remained insufficiently explored. In an effort to gather valuable biological information, the National Park Service (NPS) initiated a nationwide program to inventory vascular plants and vertebrates on NPS lands (Stuart 2000). The U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Arid Lands Field Station became a cooperator on this effort in 2001, when we began mammalian inventories on five parks within the NPS Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN): Aztec Ruins National Monument (AZRU), El Morro National Monument (ELMO), Petroglyph National Monument (PETR), Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument (SAPU), and Yucca House National Monument (YUHO). Existing baseline data on mammalian occurrences in these parks varied from very sparse to moderate, with little information available for most parks. In most cases, information was insufficient to assess the status of species of local concern. A final report on inventory efforts on these five parks was submitted in February 2004 (Bogan et al. 2004). In 2003, biologists from the Arid Lands Field Station began work on three additional parks in the SCPN: Bandelier National Monument (BAND), Chaco Culture National Historical Park (CHCU), and El Malpaís National Monument (ELMA). The primary emphasis at

  12. Acid rain and deterioration of monuments: How old is the phenomenon?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Camuffo, Dario

    The first known articles on acid rain appeared when atmospheric pollution reached high levels in the industrial towns of England. Research was carried out to ascertain and interpret earlier documentation, mainly written or printed in Italy, that could throw new light on both the environmental history and the relationship between present-day pollution and weathering of monuments. Very important discussions on dispersion and transport of airborne pollutants, atmospheric scavenging, acid rain, as well as descriptions of effects on fruit, monuments and people, were found in scientific treatises of the 1600s and 1700s. The cause of acidification can be found in volcanic activity, especially that of Stromboli, Vulcano, Vesuvius and Etna, which increased in the 17th and 18th century. Although in the past some pollutants may have reached higher concentrations locally than at present, nowadays air pollution has become a global problem; there are many new species of pollutants and catalysts, and their combined action has increased impressively the environmental risk and the deterioration rate of historic buildings and monuments.

  13. Landscape-scale effects of fire severity on mixed-conifer and red fir forest structure in Yosemite National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kane, Van R.; Lutz, James A.; Roberts, Susan L.; Smith, Douglas F.; McGaughey, Robert J.; Povak, Nicholas A.; Brooks, Matthew L.

    2013-01-01

    While fire shapes the structure of forests and acts as a keystone process, the details of how fire modifies forest structure have been difficult to evaluate because of the complexity of interactions between fires and forests. We studied this relationship across 69.2 km2 of Yosemite National Park, USA, that was subject to 32 fires ⩾40 ha between 1984 and 2010. Forests types included ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), white fir-sugar pine (Abies concolor/Pinus lambertiana), and red fir (Abies magnifica). We estimated and stratified burned area by fire severity using the Landsat-derived Relativized differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (RdNBR). Airborne LiDAR data, acquired in July 2010, measured the vertical and horizontal structure of canopy material and landscape patterning of canopy patches and gaps. Increasing fire severity changed structure at the scale of fire severity patches, the arrangement of canopy patches and gaps within fire severity patches, and vertically within tree clumps. Each forest type showed an individual trajectory of structural change with increasing fire severity. As a result, the relationship between estimates of fire severity such as RdNBR and actual changes appears to vary among forest types. We found three arrangements of canopy patches and gaps associated with different fire severities: canopy-gap arrangements in which gaps were enclosed in otherwise continuous canopy (typically unburned and low fire severities); patch-gap arrangements in which tree clumps and gaps alternated and neither dominated (typically moderate fire severity); and open-patch arrangements in which trees were scattered across open areas (typically high fire severity). Compared to stands outside fire perimeters, increasing fire severity generally resulted first in loss of canopy cover in lower height strata and increased number and size of gaps, then in loss of canopy cover in higher height strata, and eventually the transition to open areas with few or no trees. However

  14. The Early Oligocene Copperas Creek Volcano and geology along New Mexico Higway 15 between Sapillo Creek and the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Grant and Catron Counties, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ratté, James C.; Mack, Greg; Witcher, James; Lueth, Virgil W.

    2008-01-01

    The section of New Mexico Highway 15 between the intersection of NM-15 and NM 35 (aka Sapillo junction) at the south and the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument at the north end of NM –15 occupies an approximately 18 mile long, mile wide, corridor through the eastern part of the Gila Wilderness (Fig. 1). Whereas most of the Gila Wilderness is dominated by silicic, caldera-forming supervolcanoes of Eocene to Oligocene age, this part of NM-15 traverses a volcanic terrain of similar age, but composed mainly of intermediate composition lava flows and minor associated rhyolitic intrusions and pyroclastic rocks, which are related to the here-named Copperas Creek volcano. This volcanic complex is bounded by Basin and Range structures: on the south by the Sapillo Creek graben, and on the north by the Gila Hot Springs graben, both of which are filled with Gila Conglomerate of late Tertiary to Pleistocene(?) age. Hot springs in the Gila River valley are localized along faults in the deepest part of the Gila Hot Springs graben. The cliff dwellings of the National Monument were constructed in caves in Gila Conglomerate in the western part of the Gila Hot Springs graben. The eastern edge of the Gila Cliff Dwellings caldera is buried by younger rocks east of the cliff dwellings, but spectacular cliffs of Bloodgood Canyon Tuff, which fills the caldera, can be viewed along the West Fork of the Gila River from the trail starting at the cliff dwellings. Although this is not intended as a formal road log, highway mileage markers (MM) will be used to locate geologic features more or less progressively from south to north along NM-15.

  15. Reconsideration of Natural Monuments No. 413 (Mungokri Stromatolite) of Chosun Supergroup, Korea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    KONG, Dal Yong; LEE, Seong Joo

    2014-05-01

    Stromatolite-like structures, so-called "Mungokri Stromatolite", which is located along the cliff of creeks in the vicinity of Oman bridge, Mungok-ri, Yeongwol, Kangweondo was designated as Natural Monument No. 413 in March, 2000. The Mungokri Stromatolite resembles LLH(laterally-linked hemispheroid) type stromatolite, each dome of which is laterally connected forming a stromatolite bed. The Mungokri Stromatolite, however, cannot be regarded as stromatolite because domal structure and fine lamination (the most diagnostic character) cannot be observed both in the field and through the petrological thin section. The smooth surface structure and very thin, irregular cracks characterized in the surface of the Mungokri Stromatolite also differ from those of a normal stromatolite. Such differences strongly suggest that the Mungokri Stromatolite is not a stromatolite but an algal mound. If we take considerations: 1) general lithology and sedimentary structures of Socheong island, 2) observation that angles of columns' inclination are not consistent throughout the stromatolite beds, and that vertical columns are also found in stromatolite beds, 3) igneous intrusion that would have caused structural deformation of sedimentary rocks of Socheong island, the inclination of Socheong stromatolites could be better interpreted as a secondary structural deformation probably after formation of stromatolite columns, rather than as a result of heliotropism. Consequently, renaming of the Mungokri Stromatolite, Natural Monument No. 413, is necessary. [Acknowledgments] This research was financially supported by the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage.

  16. Geophysical Exploration of Tyuonyi Pueblo in Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sica, C.; Graham, D.; Peacock, E.; Suen, C.; Creighton, A.; Carchedi, C.; Feucht, D. W.; Civitello, J. A.; Jarret, J.; Martin, C.; Ferguson, J. F.; McPhee, D.; Pellerin, L.

    2017-12-01

    The Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience (SAGE) class of 2017 carried out near-surface geophysical investigations of the Tyuonyi Pueblo of Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico in order to aid trail planning and identification of archeological features that could potentially be impacted. Tyuonyi is located in Frijoles Canyon, carved by the Rito de los Frijoles, between the SE flank of the Jemez Mountains and the Rio Grande, and contains pueblo room blocks, kivas and cavates that were occupied by ancestral Puebloans between 1350 and 1550 CE. SAGE collected seismic refraction, magnetic, electromagnetic (EM) and GPR data along targeted profiles and grids north and east of Tyuonyi Pueblo. Two 30 X 30 m grids of GPR data were recorded along 1-m spaced lines using the 250 MHz Sensors and Software NOGGIN® 250 Smart Tow and processed using the EKKO Project V5 program. Seismic refraction data were collected using a 48-channel Geometrics Strataview recorder and seven spreads with 0.5 m geophone spacing, a 6 m shot point interval, and a hammer source. Shot point offsets between 0.5 m and 48 m provided overlapping subsurface coverage. Seismic data from SAGE 2016 and 2017 were merged into a 168 m-long profile. Magnetic data were collected along 1-m spaced N-S lines in two 30 X 30 m grids and along the seismic line using a Geometrics 858 cesium vapor magnetometer. In addition, EM data were collected using a Geonics, EM-31 system along the seismic line. A velocity model was created to fit the seismic travel times. The GPR images and seismic model can be used to interpret the Quaternary geology of the site. These data trace incision of the Rito de los Frijoles into the Bandelier Tuff over several stages of the canyon development. The seismic model indicates a number of narrow, shallow channels carved into a broader strath. Holocene alluvial terrace deposits overlie the Bandelier Tuff surface, and the Tyuonyi Pueblo was constructed on top of the highest terrace. On the north

  17. Effects of Backpacker Use, Pack Stock Trail Use, and Pack Stock Grazing on Water-Quality Indicators, Including Nutrients, E. coli, Hormones, and Pharmaceuticals, in Yosemite National Park, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Forrester, Harrison; Clow, David; Roche, James; Heyvaert, Alan; Battaglin, William

    2017-09-01

    We investigated how visitor-use affects water quality in wilderness in Yosemite National Park. During the summers of 2012-2014, we collected and analyzed surface-water samples for water-quality indicators, including fecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli, nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon), suspended sediment concentration, pharmaceuticals, and hormones. Samples were collected upstream and downstream from different types of visitor use at weekly to biweekly intervals and during summer storms. We conducted a park-wide synoptic sampling campaign during summer 2014, and sampled upstream and downstream from meadows to evaluate the mitigating effect of meadows on water quality. At pack stock stream crossings, Escherichia coli concentrations were greater downstream from crossings than upstream (median downstream increase in Escherichia coli of three colony forming units 100 mL-1), with the greatest increases occurring during storms (median downstream increase in Escherichia coli of 32 CFU 100 mL-1). At backpacker use sites, hormones, and pharmaceuticals (e.g., insect repellent) were detected at downstream sites, and Escherichia coli concentrations were greater at downstream sites (median downstream increase in Escherichia coli of 1 CFU 100 mL-1). Differences in water quality downstream vs. upstream from meadows grazed by pack stock were not detectable for most water-quality indicators, however, Escherichia coli concentrations decreased downstream, suggesting entrapment and die-off of fecal indicator bacteria in meadows. Our results indicate that under current-use levels pack stock trail use and backpacker use are associated with detectable, but relatively minor, effects on water quality, which are most pronounced during storms.

  18. Characterising reef fish populations and habitats within and outside the US Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument: A lesson in marine protected area design

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Monaco, Mark E.; Friedlander, A.M.; Caldow, Chris; Christensen, J.D.; Rogers, C.; Beets, J.; Miller, J.; Boulon, Rafe

    2007-01-01

    Marine protected areas are an important tool for management of marine ecosystems. Despite their utility, ecological design criteria are often not considered or feasible to implement when establishing protected areas. In 2001, the Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument (VICRNM) in St John, US Virgin Islands was established by Executive Order. The VICRNM prohibits almost all extractive uses. Surveys of habitat and fishes inside and outside of the VICRNM were conducted in 2002-2004. Areas outside the VICRNM had significantly more hard corals, greater habitat complexity, and greater richness, abundance and biomass of reef fishes than areas within the VICRNM. The administrative process used to delineate the boundaries of the VICRNM did not include a robust ecological characterisation of the area. Because of reduced habitat complexity within the VICRNM, the enhancement of the marine ecosystem may not be fully realised or increases in economically important reef fishes may take longer to detect. ?? 2007 The Authors. Journal compilation ?? 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  19. DETAIL OF CONFEDERATE MONUMENT AT FRONT OF CEMETERY, WITH FLAGPOLE ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    DETAIL OF CONFEDERATE MONUMENT AT FRONT OF CEMETERY, WITH FLAGPOLE IN BACKGROUND. VIEW TO SOUTH. - Rock Island Confederate Cemetery, Rodman Avenue, Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, Rock Island County, IL

  20. Beyond Textbook Civics/Teaching the Confederate Monument Controversy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Allen, Stephanie Teachout

    2017-01-01

    Civics education shouldn't be confined to dusty textbooks, as evidenced by this assortment of projects. In one unit, elementary students play out the presidential election--from campaigning to inauguration day--using the Storypath approach. In another project, 5th graders explore the controversy about Confederate monuments by studying a local…

  1. Astronomy, Illumination and Heritage: the Arles-Fontvieille megalithic monuments and their implications for archaeoastronomy and world heritage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sterling Saletta, Morgan

    2015-08-01

    Recent archaeoastronomical research at the Arles-Fontvieille monuments has important implications for establishing potential Outstanding Universal Value of megalithic monuments and establishing the credibility of archaeoastronomical sites. My discovery of seasonal light and shadow hierophanies within the Arles-Fontvieille monuments has interpretive and heritage value implications not only for these sites but for late prehistoric European monuments more generally.While horizon astronomy was very likely used for time-reckoning in the Neolithic, I argue the ‘seasonal illumination hypothesis’ is more appropriate than the ‘celestial targeting paradigm’ not only for the interpretation of the role of astronomy and cosmological symbolism in the construction of the Arles-Fontvieille monuments but also for late prehistoric European tombs with chambers and passages more generally.Multiple lines of evidence suggest a cosmologically symbolic link between houses of the living and houses of the dead in late prehistoric Europe. I will suggest that this practice originated not only in symbolic aspects of domestic dwellings, but also in functional solar orientation.If seasonal illumination was a major impetus for the orientation signatures of late prehistoric European monuments, how best to establish this? Time-lapse photography or video, while not unproblematic, is a powerful method of establishing the credibility of archaeoastronomical sites- one which has been used to great effect at monuments such as Newgrange and Stonehenge. In the past, this method was limited by the cost of equipment and the time needed to visit sites and at specific periods of time. Both of these limitations have been significantly lessened in recent years. Digital cameras have become ubiquitous. More importantly, examples of “crowd-sourcing” research problems in science provide a strategy for field documentation of sites whose level of preservation is sufficient to reveal seasonal illumination

  2. Low-altitude photographic transects of the Arctic network of national park units and Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, July 2013

    Treesearch

    Bruce G. Marcot; M. Torre Jorgenson; Anthony R. DeGange

    2014-01-01

    During July 16–18, 2013, low-level photography flights were conducted (with a Cessna 185 with floats and a Cessna 206 with tundra tires) over the five administrative units of the National Park Service Arctic Network (Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, and...

  3. Survey of aquatic macroinvertebrates and amphibians at Wupatki National Monument, Arizona, USA: An evaluation of selected factors affecting species richness in ephemeral pools

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Graham, T.B.

    2002-01-01

    Ephemeral aquatic habitats in Wupatki National Monument vary from naturally formed pools in arroyos over 5000 years old, to constructed catchment basins with ages estimated at 60-1000+ years old, and borrow pits and stock ponds 30-60 years old. The different ages of these pools provide different histories of colonization by amphibians and aquatic invertebrates, especially temporary pool specialists such as spadefoot toads and branchiopod crustaceans. Ten pools of five different origins and ages were surveyed in August and/or September 1997 for aquatic organisms; a total of 13 surveys were conducted. Twenty-two taxa were found, with the number of species in a pool during any survey ranging from one to 10. Species composition of the communities changed from one sampling date to the next within individual pools. Community structure is an amalgam of species with different dispersal mechanisms that are influenced by different pool characteristics. Age appears to have little effect overall, but may have influenced branchiopod presence/absence. Distance to permanent water, frequency of disturbance, and current pool size were correlated with presence/absence of some species.

  4. Documenting Living Monuments in Indonesia: Methodology for Sustainable Utility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suryaningsih, F.; Purwestri, N.

    2013-07-01

    The systematic documentation of cultural heritage in Indonesia has been developed after the establishment of Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen (1778) and De Oudheidkundige Dienst (1913) by the Netherlands Indies government. After Indonesian independent, the tasks of cultural heritage documentation take over by The Ministry of Culture (now become The Ministry of Education of Culture) with focus on the ancient and classical heritage, so called dead monument. The needed of comprehensive documentation data regarding cultural heritage become significant issues since the government and private sector pay attention to the preservation of heritage building in the urban site, so called living monument. The archives of original drawing plan many times do not fit with the existing condition, while the conservation plan demands a document such as built drawing plan to work on. The technology, methodology and system to provide such comprehensive document of heritage building and site become important, to produce good conservation plan and heritage building regular maintenance. It means the products will have a sustainable and various utility values. Since 1994, Documentation Centre for Architecture - Indonesia (PDA), has established to meet the needs of a comprehensive data of heritage building (living monuments), to utilized as basic document for conservation planning. Not only provide document of the digital drawing such site plan, plan, elevation, section and details of architecture elements, but also document of historic research, material analysis and completed with diagnosis and mapping of building damages. This manuscript is about PDA field experience, working in this subject issue

  5. Monuments and Memorials: Geoscience and the Historic Record

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Williams, E.; Smith, B. L.

    2009-05-01

    Many communities have a cemetery, war memorial, public sculpture or old historic buildings that are an important part of the historic record of that community. Such monuments celebrate achievements, commemorate people who died serving their country, or a prominent former member of the local community. Monuments and memorials can trace the histiry of settlement within a community. After a number of years researching cemeteries and memorials, primarily in western Canada my research partner, a historian, and I, a geoscience educator,have documented many monuments and memorials that are succumbing to basic weathering processes. Original design choices can be dictated by cost, material availability, access to transportation and emotions. Climate, type of material, construction methods, technology used and long-term maintenance can all have significant impacts on the sustainability of that material record. Over the last five years we have given many lectures and workshops on the nature of cemeteries to family historians, historical societies and classroom educators. These workshops and lectures focus on developing a better ommunity understanding of the fragility of the record. Field trips by students of all ages can contextualize both geology and history. Seeing local monumanets can facilitate the development of a sense of time and place as well as an appreciation of the environmental impacts and the longevity of the record. For the earth science student documentation of the installation enable comparisons of weathering rates of different materials, the effects of local climate or impacts of pollution. Being able to go to a local memorial or cemetery to compare diffrent structures brings a powerful local context to the learning. However we both have concerns that modern techniques that enable the creation of more elaborate memorials are actually setting the stage for more rapid deterioration. I will illustrate a cross section of our reseacrh and the impact it has had on

  6. Main Features of a 3d GIS for a Monumental Complex with AN Historical-Cultural Relevance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scianna, A.; La Guardia, M.

    2017-05-01

    The last achievements of technologies in geomatics especially in survey and restitution of 3D models (UAV/drones and laser scanner technologies) generated new procedures and higher standards of quality in representation of archaeological sites. Together with Geomatics, the recent development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) strongly contribute to document and the Cultural Heritage (CH). The representation and documentation of CH using these new technologies has became necessary in order to satisfy different needs: - for restorers in order to acquire a deep knowledge of the cultural good and to define possible strategies of restoration; - for the conservation of information, allowing to preserve the 3D geometry of the monumental complex with the integration of descriptions about architectural elements; - for touristic aims, giving the opportunity of sharing CH information on web, allowing users to visit and explore, in a virtual way, monumental complexes, acquiring information details about architectural elements or the history of monumental complex. Looking through these new scenarios, the development of a 3D Geographic Information System (GIS) applied to a cultural good could be, today, an added value of fundamental importance for full description and data management of monumental complexes. In this work, the main features necessary for the correct construction of a 3D GIS of a monumental complex will be analyzed, with a particular focus on the possibilities for creating a standardized procedure to follow.

  7. Technical Limitations in Merging Secular and Sacred Functions in Monumental Churches

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piatkowska, Ksenia

    2017-10-01

    The abandonment of churches and their adaptation for secular purposes is a current subject in Europe and worldwide. Most cases involve objects that were desacralized and then rebuilt as a whole object for alternative functions. Thus far, the merging of secular and sacred functions in one monumental Catholic church has not raised any issues. The paper describes the case of St. Catherine’s Church in Gdansk, Poland, where sacred function exists parallel to the new secular function being implemented. The study is based on the authentic, professional experience of the author. It describes the technical limitations arising from the need to ensure destinies for the optimal conditions of both sacred and secular function, while avoiding undesirable interference between them. The author further identifies architectural solutions most relevant to current requirements for protection of sacred zones in the church, for preservation of the monument, and for optimal function of a modern science museum. Significant design issues include: the inviolability of the sacred zone, preservation of the historical value of the monument, proper operation of new secular zones in compliance with contemporary standards of safety, performance of the assumed mission and profitability. The research indicates specific areas where the highest probability of collision exists between the sacred and profane and where technical problems are likely to occur.

  8. State of Arts of Monumental Stones Diagnosis and Monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tiano, P.; Riminesi, C.

    2017-08-01

    The conservation and maintenance of a monumental stone building is a complex aim where different disciplines are involved. First step is concerning the determination of the state of conservation of stone material present, than determine its modification on time, as such and after conservation treatments applied on: cleaning, protecting, strengthening. In order to fulfill such objectives suitable parameters must be selected and the most appropriate diagnostic techniques for their quantitative evaluation operated. In this context, the determination of the surface water absorption, moisture content, colour variation and mechanical properties are important parameters for the control, and the monitoring over time, of the state of conservation of the monumental stone surfaces. These parameters are strongly related not only to the stone characteristics but also to the evaluation of products's performance: efficiency and durability. Their rate of variation, determined in monitoring campaigns, is fundamental for elaborate by properly predictive model a schedule maintenance protocol.

  9. Effects of backpacker use, pack stock trail use, and pack stock grazing on water-quality indicators, including nutrients, E. coli, hormones, and pharmaceuticals, in Yosemite National Park, USA

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Forrester, Harrison; Clow, David W.; Roche, James W.; Heyvaert, Alan C.; Battaglin, William A.

    2017-01-01

    We investigated how visitor-use affects water quality in wilderness in Yosemite National Park. During the summers of 2012–2014, we collected and analyzed surface-water samples for water-quality indicators, including fecal indicator bacteria Escherichia coli, nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon), suspended sediment concentration, pharmaceuticals, and hormones. Samples were collected upstream and downstream from different types of visitor use at weekly to biweekly intervals and during summer storms. We conducted a park-wide synoptic sampling campaign during summer 2014, and sampled upstream and downstream from meadows to evaluate the mitigating effect of meadows on water quality. At pack stock stream crossings, Escherichia coli concentrations were greater downstream from crossings than upstream (median downstream increase in Escherichia coli of three colony forming units 100 mL−1), with the greatest increases occurring during storms (median downstream increase in Escherichia coli of 32 CFU 100 mL−1). At backpacker use sites, hormones, and pharmaceuticals (e.g., insect repellent) were detected at downstream sites, and Escherichia coli concentrations were greater at downstream sites (median downstream increase in Escherichia coli of 1 CFU 100 mL−1). Differences in water quality downstream vs. upstream from meadows grazed by pack stock were not detectable for most water-quality indicators, however, Escherichia coli concentrations decreased downstream, suggesting entrapment and die-off of fecal indicator bacteria in meadows. Our results indicate that under current-use levels pack stock trail use and backpacker use are associated with detectable, but relatively minor, effects on water quality, which are most pronounced during storms.

  10. Bacterial bio-mediated calcite precipitation for monumental stones conservation: methods of evaluation.

    PubMed

    Tiano, P; Biagiotti, L; Mastromei, G

    1999-05-01

    The weathering of monumental stones is a complex process inserted in the more general 'matter transformation cycle' operated by physical, chemical and biological factors. The consequence of these combined actions is a loss of cohesion with dwindling and scaling of stone material and the induction of a progressive mineral matrix dissolution. In the case of calcareous stones, calcite leaching increases the material porosity and decreases its mechanical features with a general weakening of the superficial structural strength. Attempts to stop, or at least to slow down, deterioration of monumental stones has been made by conservative treatments with both inorganic or organic products. More recent studies show a new approach to hinder these phenomena by inducing a bio-mediated precipitation of calcite directly inside the stone porosity. This can be achieved either through the application of organic matrix macromolecules extracted from sea shells or of living bacteria. The effectiveness of the treatment using calcinogenic bacteria has been evaluated with laboratory tests specifically developed to evaluate the parameters such as : porosity, superficial strength and chromatic changes, influenced by the treatment itself. The results obtained seem to indicate that this type of treatment might not be suitable for monumental stone conservation.

  11. Assessment of metals exposure and sub-lethal effects in voles and small birds captured near the DeLong Mountain Regional Transportation System Road, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska, 2006

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brumbaugh, William G.; Mora, Miguel A.; May, Thomas W.

    2008-01-01

    Voles (n=6) and small ground-nesting birds (n=12) were live-captured near the DeLong Mountain Regional Transportation System haul road in Cape Krusenstern National Monument in northwest Alaska in 2006 to assess metals exposure and sub-lethal biological effects. Similar numbers of animals were captured from a reference site in southern Cape Krusenstern National Monument for comparison. Histopathological examination of selected organs, blood analysis, and analysis for aluminum, barium, cadmium, lead, and zinc concentrations in liver and blood samples were performed. Voles and small birds captured from near the haul road had about 20 times greater blood and liver lead concentrations and about 3 times greater cadmium concentrations when compared to those from the reference site. Barium and zinc tissue concentrations of animals collected from different sites were not remarkably different, and aluminum concentrations were below the reporting limits in most samples. There was no clear evidence of serious sub-lethal biological effects such as lesions in internal organs or DNA damage in blood in any of the animals. Accordingly, blood and liver lead concentrations in animals captured near the haul road generally were less than tissue concentration thresholds associated with serious biological effects reported from other studies; however, subtle effects resulting from lead exposure, such as the suppression of the activity of certain enzymes, cannot be ruled out for those animals nearest the haul road. Notably, liver lead concentrations of voles and small birds at the reference location were considerably less than those previously reported for similar animals at reference sites in other parts of the United States, Canada, and Europe. Results from this reconnaissance-level study indicate that voles and small birds inhabiting this area are not suffering serious biological effects as a result of metals exposure; however, continued monitoring of lead and other metals is

  12. Resident areas and migrations of female green turtles nesting at Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Hart, Kristen M.; Iverson, Autumn; Benscoter, Allison M.; Fujisaki, Ikuko; Cherkiss, Michael S.; Pollock, Clayton; Lundgren, Ian; Hillis-Starr, Zandy

    2017-01-01

    Satellite tracking in marine turtle studies can reveal much about their spatial use of breeding areas, migration zones, and foraging sites. We assessed spatial habitat-use patterns of 10 adult female green turtles (Chelonia mydas) nesting at Buck Island Reef National Monument, U.S. Virgin Islands (BIRNM) from 2011 – 2014. Turtles ranged in size from 89.0 – 115.9 cm CCL (mean + SD = 106.8 + 7.7 cm). The inter-nesting period across all turtles ranged from 31 July to 4 November, and sizes of the 50% core-use areas during inter-nesting ranged from 4.2 – 19.0 km2. Inter-nesting core-use areas were located up to1.4 km from shore and had bathymetry values ranging from -17.0 to -13.0 m. Seven of the ten turtles remained locally resident after the nesting season. Five turtles (50%) foraged around Buck Island, two foraged around the island of St. Croix, and the other three (30%) made longer-distance migrations to Antigua, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Venezuela. Further, five turtles had foraging centroids within protected areas. Delineating spatial areas and identifying temporal periods of nearshore habitat-use can be useful for natural resource managers with responsibility for overseeing vulnerable habitats and protected marine turtle populations.

  13. 15. DETAIL OF WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION (WPA) MONUMENT LOCATED ON ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    15. DETAIL OF WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION (WPA) MONUMENT LOCATED ON TOP OF BANK JUST SOUTH OF NORTH FOOT BRIDGE - Upper Doughty Dam, 200 feet west of Garden State Parkway, 1.7 miles west of Absecon, Egg Harbor City, Atlantic County, NJ

  14. 36 CFR 7.63 - Dinosaur National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... permittee after his stock are on the range. (vii) No building or other structure shall be erected nor shall... approved by the National Park Service. Any such facilities, structures, or buildings may be removed or... Cub Creek Road section extends from the Chew Ranch Road, 1 mile north of the Green River Bridge, to...

  15. Plant population and habitat characteristics of the endemic Sonoran Desert cactus Peniocereus striatus in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Anderson, Greta; Rutman, Sue; Munson, Seth M.

    2010-01-01

    Peniocereus striatus (Brandegee) Buxb. (Cactaceae) is an endemic Sonoran Desert cactus that reaches its northern range limit in southwestern Arizona. One U.S. population occupies a small area of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument near the U.S./Mexico international boundary, which has been monitored since 1939. An extensive survey conducted in 2002, covering 177 ha, resulted in the discovery of 88 new plants, in addition to the relocation of 57 plants found in previous surveys. Despite potential increases in population size and spatial distribution, mean plant height and number of basal stems has not significantly changed in recent years. Bud scars revealed that a majority of the population was sexually mature. Peniocereus striatus occurrence increased with decreasing slope, spanned every slope aspect, and was highest on rocky soils, but was noticeably low on west and northwest slopes and areas where severe land degradation had previously occurred. Over half of P. striatus plants were nursed by shrubs and subshrubs, while 40% occurred under leguminous trees. A severe frost in January 2002 top-killed 19% of the population, with the greatest damage in drainage bottoms. However, long-term (1944–2002) climate records show that there has been an overall increase in the number of frost free days in the region, which, coupled with land use change, has implications for the future health of this population.

  16. 78 FR 19523 - General Management Plan, Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Lake Meredith National Recreation...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-01

    ... Management Plan, Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and Alibates... Management Plan, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Texas... management alternatives for Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and three management alternatives for...

  17. Monuments in the Structure of an Urban Environment: The Source of Social Memory and the Marker of the Urban Space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antonova, N.; Grunt, E.; Merenkov, A.

    2017-10-01

    The major research objective was to analyze the role of monuments in the formation of local residents’ and guests’ representations about the city, its history and traditions. The authors consider the system of monuments’ location in the urban space as a way of its social construction, as the system of influence on citizens’ aesthetic feelings, as the formation of their attitudes towards maintaining of continuity in the activities of different generations for the improvement of the territory of their permanent residence. Methodology. An urban monument is considered in two ways: as a transfer of historical memory and as a social memory transfer, which includes the experience of previous generations. One of the main provisions of the study is the idea that monuments can lose their former social value, transforming into “simple” objects of a public place. The study was conducted in the city of Yekaterinburg, one of the largest, cultural, scientific and industrial Russian megalopolises in 2015. The primary data was collected using standardized interviews. Four hundred and twenty respondents at the age of and above 18 were questioned on the basis of quota sampling. Interviews with respondents were conducted in order to identify key problems involved and reasons for shaping respondents’ representations of monuments in the urban environment typical for the population of Russian megalopolises. The standardized interview guide included 15 questions. Findings and discussion. Our investigation has revealed that different monuments fulfil various functions in an urban environment (ideological, aesthetic, transferring, valuable, etc.). The study has unequivocally confirmed that objects in the urban space have a different emotional colour background: people paint them in accordance with the feelings that arise in their perception. Hence, some monuments effectively fulfil the functions of social memory transfer: they are remembered, they tell us about the events to

  18. Acoustical features of two Mayan monuments at Chichen Itza: Accident or design?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lubman, David

    2002-11-01

    Chichen Itza dominated the early postclassic Maya world, ca. 900-1200 C.E. Two of its colossal monuments, the Great Ball Court and the temple of Kukulkan, reflect the sophisticated, hybrid culture of a Mexicanized Maya civilization. The architecture seems intended for ceremony and ritual drama. Deducing ritual practices will advance the understanding of a lost civilization, but what took place there is largely unknown. Perhaps acoustical science can add value. Unexpected and unusual acoustical features can be interpreted as intriguing clues or irrelevant accidents. Acoustical advocates believe that, when combined with an understanding of the Maya worldview, acoustical features can provide unique insights into how the Maya designed and used theater spaces. At Chichen Itza's monuments, sound reinforcement features improve rulers and priests ability to address large crowds, and Ball Court whispering galleries permit speech communication over unexpectedly large distances. Handclaps at Kukulkan stimulate chirps that mimic a revered bird (''Kukul''), thus reinforcing cultic beliefs. A ball striking playing field wall stimulates flutter echoes at the Great Ball Court; their strength and duration arguably had dramatic, mythic, and practical significance. Interpretations of the possible mythic, magic, and political significance of sound phenomena at these Maya monuments strongly suggests intentional design.

  19. Up the River of Mercy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Solnit, Rebecca

    1992-01-01

    Presents a landscape historian's perspective of California's Yosemite National Park in which is described the history behind the names and places of Yosemite amidst descriptions of the landscape and significant people. Includes accounts of military ventures, native cultures, gold rush confrontations, and relationships between Native Americans, the…

  20. Pecos National Monument, New Mexico: Its Geologic Setting

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Johnson, Ross Byron

    1969-01-01

    The ruins of the pueblos and missions of Pecos lie on the east bank of Glorieta Creek near its junction with the Pecos River at the south end of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in north-central New Mexico. Here the Pecos River and Glorieta Creek have formed a broad rolling valley in which the red adobe walls of the mission church stand as a striking monument to a historic past. This is beautiful country; the bright hues of red rocks are complemented by the varied greens of the junipers, pi?ons, and ponderosa pines. Northward the Sangre de Cristo Mountains stretch for miles in a blue mist toward the Truchas Peaks and forests of the Pecos Wilderness. A few miles south of the ruins the steep high escarpment of Glorieta Mesa marks, in a general way, the southern termination of the Rocky Mountain System, which here is represented by the Sangre de Cristos. The escarpment of Glorieta Mesa has been formed largely by the Pecos River and its tributaries eroding the soft sedimentary layers. The Pecos flows southward from the high mountains in the north, parallels the mesa escarpment for 15 miles, and breaches the mesa near San Jose. About 1-1/2 miles southwest of the Pecos ruins at Cerro de Escobas is the highest point on Glorieta Mesa. It is the most conspicuous feature of the local landscape and rises to an elevation of 8,212 feet - 1,270 feet above the ruins. The slope of the escarpment here is very steep, rising 6 feet in every 10 horizontal feet. Along the north side of the Glorieta Mesa escarpment is a 30-mile-long natural pass around the south end of the Sangre de Cristos that extends from Canoncito on the west to Starvation Peak on the east (fig. 1). The elevation of the pass is greater than 6,000 feet at all places, and it reaches its summit of 7,432 feet near the village of Glorieta near the west end of the pass. This pass has been used as a major travel route for more than 800 years by the Indians, Spanish, and Americans. The famous Santa Fe Trail passed through

  1. 77 FR 12323 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the General Management Plan, Buck Island Reef National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-02-29

    ...Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 4332(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and National Park Service (NPS) policy in Director's Order Number 2 (Park Planning) and Director's Order Number 12 (Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis, and Decision- making) the NPS announces the availability of a DEIS/GMP for Buck Island Reef National Monument, Virgin Islands. The document provides a framework for management, use, and development options for Buck Island Reef National Monument by the NPS for the next 15 to 20 years. It describes four management alternatives for consideration, including a No-Action Alternative that continues current management policies and the NPS's preferred alternative. The document analyzes the environmental impacts of the alternatives.

  2. Ladder Structures and Magnetic Surveys: New Insights into the Near Surface, Three-Dimensional Shape and Orientation of Plutonic Structures in the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite, Yosemite National Park, California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boyd, J. D.

    2017-12-01

    The study of pluton emplacement and growth history offers a window into the evolution of the continental crust. Plutons, however, are often largely homogeneous in outcrop, lacking reliable structural markers for tracking their emplacement and growth through time. The ladder structures exposed on the glacially polished surfaces of the Tuolumne Intrusive Suite (TIS) in Yosemite National Park, California are an exception. Ladder structures (LS) are eye-catching concentrations of alternating mafic and felsic mineral assemblages in dominantly cresent-shaped, meter to sub-meter scale bands in outcrop that locally terminate into a mafic band forming a circular-shaped enclosure. Their geochemistry and modal mineralogy diverge sharply from host rock trends with large quantities of magnetite, titanite, and zircon in the mafic assemblages. The limited exposure of LS in outcrops has led to much debate as to their true geometries and orientations. The high concentration of magnetite in the LS is fortuitous in that it allows these features to be investigated by magnetic techniques. The preliminary results of new high resolution magnetic surveys of these LS are presented here. A grid of total magnetic intensity (TMI) was collected across the ladder structures. The TMI's were then inverted and modeled to determine the orientation of the magnetic bodies with depth using PyGMI freeware. With sufficient contrast in the magnetic susceptibility (Km) between the feature being imaged and the host rock, meter to sub-meter scale features can be resolved. The average Km of the LS mafic bands and the host rock is approximately 200-850 x10-3 and 15-20×10-3 SI units respectively. These measurements along with oriented samples were collected to determine input parameters (e.g. anisotropy and remanence) for the geocellular model used in this study.

  3. 45. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    45. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National Monument), photographer unknown, undated RANCH HOUSE - Faraway Ranch, Erickson-Riggs Ranch House, State Highway 181, Willcox, Cochise County, AZ

  4. 40. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    40. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National Monument), photographer unknown, 1935 RANCH HOUSE - Faraway Ranch, Erickson-Riggs Ranch House, State Highway 181, Willcox, Cochise County, AZ

  5. 42. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    42. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National Monument), photographer unknown, 1942 RANCH HOUSE - Faraway Ranch, Erickson-Riggs Ranch House, State Highway 181, Willcox, Cochise County, AZ

  6. 43. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    43. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National Monument), photographer unknown, 1950 RANCH HOUSE - Faraway Ranch, Erickson-Riggs Ranch House, State Highway 181, Willcox, Cochise County, AZ

  7. 46. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    46. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National Monument), photographer unknown, undated RANCH HOUSE - Faraway Ranch, Erickson-Riggs Ranch House, State Highway 181, Willcox, Cochise County, AZ

  8. Dead bodies matter: gift giving and the unveiling of body donor monuments in the Netherlands.

    PubMed

    Bolt, Sophie

    2012-12-01

    Body donors are people who voluntarily donate their entire body, after death, to anatomical science. Based on anthropological fieldwork in the Netherlands this article explores the construction of body donor monuments since 2007. These developments are analyzed by means of gift-giving theories. Body donation is a practice in which the medical and scientific value of the donor bodies has always been praised. Increasingly the fact that the bodies represent real human beings who have mourning relatives has also been acknowledged. This change in attitude has resulted in a desire on the part of anatomical professionals to give back a monument, not only for the donors themselves but also, in particular, for the donors' relatives. The great public interest in the monuments has revealed that many of the bereaved, in the absence of having the physical body of the donor, need a symbolic final resting place for their loved ones. © 2012 by the American Anthropological Association.

  9. 16. Photocopy of photograph (original in possession of Chiricahua National ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    16. Photocopy of photograph (original in possession of Chiricahua National Monument), photographer unknown, c.1917 LILLIANA AND HILDEGARD ERICKSON IN FRONT OF RANCH HOUSE - Faraway Ranch, Willcox, Cochise County, AZ

  10. The Washington National Cathedral: A Place to Gather Together

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Groce, Eric; Groce, Robin

    2011-01-01

    Washington, D.C. is a city widely recognized for its monuments, memorials, and landmarks. Visitors are routinely drawn to the great sites that mark the nation's history such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington Memorial, among others. One site that is often overlooked is the…

  11. RECREATION OF C. 1913 PHOTOGRAPH “MONUMENT IN MEMORY OF THE ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    RECREATION OF C. 1913 PHOTOGRAPH “MONUMENT IN MEMORY OF THE TWENTY-ONE YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE KILLED AS THE RESULT OF AN EXPLOSION IN THE U.S. ARSENAL (NOW WAR COLLEGE) - Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E Street, Southeast, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

  12. Assessment of metal and trace element contamination in water, sediment, plants, macroinvertebrates, and fish in Tavasci Marsh, Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Beisner, Kimberly R.; Paretti, Nicholas V.; Brasher, Anne M.D.; Fuller, Christopher C.; Miller, Matthew P.

    2014-01-01

    Tavasci Marsh is a large freshwater marsh within the Tuzigoot National Monument in central Arizona. It is the largest freshwater marsh in Arizona that is unconnected to the Colorado River and is designated as an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. The marsh has been altered significantly by previous land use and the monument’s managers are evaluating the restoration of the marsh. In light of historical mining activities located near the marsh from the first half of the 20th century, evaluations of water, sediment, plant, and aquatic biota in the marsh were conducted. The evaluations were focused on nine metals and trace elements commonly associated with mining and other anthropogenic activities (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, and Zn) together with isotopic analyses to understand the presence, sources and timing of water and sediment contaminants to the marsh and the occurrence in aquatic plants, dragonfly larvae, and fish. Results of water analyses indicate that there were two distinct sources of water contributing to the marsh during the study: one from older high elevation recharge entering the marsh at Shea Spring (as well as a number of unnamed seeps and springs on the northeastern edge of the marsh) and the other from younger low elevation recharge or from Pecks Lake. Water concentrations for arsenic exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency primary drinking water standard of 10 μg/L at all sampling sites. Surface waters at Tavasci Marsh may contain conditions favorable for methylmercury production. All surficial and core sediment samples exceeded or were within sample concentration variability of at least one threshold sediment quality guideline for As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Several sediment sites were also above or were within sample concentration variability of severe or probable effect sediment quality guidelines for As, Cd, and Cu. Three sediment cores collected in the marsh have greater metal and trace element concentrations

  13. Pansharpening Techniques to Detect Mass Monument Damaging in Iraq

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baiocchi, V.; Bianchi, A.; Maddaluno, C.; Vidale, M.

    2017-05-01

    The recent mass destructions of monuments in Iraq cannot be monitored with the terrestrial survey methodologies, for obvious reasons of safety. For the same reasons, it's not advisable the use of classical aerial photogrammetry, so it was obvious to think to the use of multispectral Very High Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery. Nowadays VHR satellite images resolutions are very near airborne photogrammetrical images and usually they are acquired in multispectral mode. The combination of the various bands of the images is called pan-sharpening and it can be carried on using different algorithms and strategies. The correct pansharpening methodology, for a specific image, must be chosen considering the specific multispectral characteristics of the satellite used and the particular application. In this paper a first definition of guidelines for the use of VHR multispectral imagery to detect monument destruction in unsafe area, is reported. The proposed methodology, agreed with UNESCO and soon to be used in Libya for the coastal area, has produced a first report delivered to the Iraqi authorities. Some of the most evident examples are reported to show the possible capabilities of identification of damages using VHR images.

  14. Site observational work plan for the UMTRA Project site at Monument Valley, Arizona

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    1995-09-01

    The site observational work plan (SOWP) for the Monument Valley, Arizona, US Department of Energy (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project site is one of the first site-specific documents developed to achieve ground water compliance at the site. This SOWP applies information about the Monument Valley site to a regulatory compliance framework that identifies strategies that could be used to meet ground water compliance. The compliance framework was developed in the UMTRA Ground Water programmatic environmental impact statement (DOE, 1995). The DOE`s goal is to implement a cost-effective site strategy that complies with the US Environmental Protection Agencymore » (EPA) ground water standards and protects human health and the environment. The compliance strategy that emerges in the final version of the SOWP will assess potential environmental impacts and provide stakeholder a forum for review and comment. When the compliance strategy is acceptable, it will be detailed in a remedial action plan that will be subject to review by the state and/or tribe and concurrence by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Information available for the preparation of this SOWP indicates active remediation is the most likely compliance strategy for the Monument Valley site. Additional data are needed to determine the most effective remediation technology.« less

  15. Waco Mammoth National Monument Establishment Act of 2011

    THOMAS, 112th Congress

    Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX

    2011-04-14

    Senate - 05/11/2011 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-124. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  16. Waco Mammoth National Monument Establishment Act of 2009

    THOMAS, 111th Congress

    Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX

    2009-03-17

    Senate - 07/15/2009 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 111-92. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  17. 47. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    47. Photocopy of negative (original in possession of Chiricahua National Monument) photographer unknown, undated RANCH HOUSE AND ORCHARD IN SNOW - Faraway Ranch, Erickson-Riggs Ranch House, State Highway 181, Willcox, Cochise County, AZ

  18. Rock fall dynamics and deposition: an integrated analysis of the 2009 Ahwiyah Point rock fall, Yosemite National Park, USA.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Valerie L. Zimmer,; Collins, Brian D.; Greg M. Stock,; Nicholas Sitar,

    2012-01-01

    We analyzed a combination of airborne and terrestrial LiDAR, high-resolution photography, seismic, and acoustic data in order to gain insights into the initiation, dynamics, and talus deposition of a complex rock fall. A large (46 700 m3) rock fall originated from near Ahwiyah Point in eastern Yosemite Valley and fell a total of 730 m to the valley floor on 28 March 2009. Analyses of remote sensing, seismic, and acoustic data were integrated to reconstruct the rock fall, which consisted of (1) the triggering of a 25 400 m3 rock block in an area of intersecting and sometimes highly weathered joint planes, (2) the sliding and subsequent ballistic trajectory of the block from a steeply dipping ledge, (3) dislodging of additional rock from the cliff surface from beneath the rock fall source area, (4) a mid-cliff ledge impact that detached a volume of rock nearly equivalent in volume to the initial block, (5) sliding of the deteriorating rock mass down the remainder of the cliff, and (6) final impact at the base of the cliff that remobilized the existing talus downward and outward and produced an airblast that knocked down hundreds of trees. The depositional geomorphology indicates that the porosity of the fresh talus is significantly lower than that expected for typical blocky talus slopes, likely because the rock debris from this event was pulverized into smaller, more poorly sorted fragments and densified via dynamic compaction when compared to less energetic, fragmental-type rock falls. These results suggest that accumulation of individual rock-fall boulders tends to steepen talus slopes, whereas large, energetic rock falls tend to flatten them. Detachment and impact signals were recorded by seismic and acoustic instruments and highlight the potential use of this type of instrumentation for generalized rock fall monitoring, while LiDAR and photography data were able to quantify the cliff geometry, rock fall volume, source and impact locations, and

  19. Response of mountain meadows to grazing by recreational pack stock

    Treesearch

    David N. Cole; Jan W. van Wagtendonk; Mitchel P. McClaran; Peggy E. Moore; Neil K. McDougald

    2004-01-01

    Effects of recreational pack stock grazing on mountain meadows in Yosemite National Park were assessed in a 5-year study. Yosemite is a designated wilderness, to be managed such that its natural conditions are preserved. Studies were conducted in 3 characteristic meadow types: shorthair sedge (Carex filifolia Nutt.), Brewer’s reed grass (...

  20. Evaluation of the potential for debris and hyperconcentrated flows in Capulin Canyon as a result of the 1996 Dome fire, Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cannon, Susan H.

    1997-01-01

    The Dome fire of April 1996 burned 6684 ha in Bandelier National Monument and the adjacent Sante Fe National Forest. The potential for significant debris- and hyperconcentrated-flow activity in Capulin Canyon is evaluated through 1) a systematic consideration of geologic and geomorphic factors that characterize the condition of the hillslope materials and channels following the fire, 2) examination of sedimentologic evidence for past debris-flow activity in the canyon, and 3) evaluation of the response of the watershed through the 1996 summer monsoon season. The lack of accumulations of dry-ravel material on the hillslopes or in channels, the absence of a continuous hydrophobic layer, the relatively intact condition of the riparian vegetation and of the fibrous root mat on the hillslopes, and the lack of evidence of widespread past debris- and hyperconcentrated-flow activity, even with evidence of past fires, indicate a low potential for debris-flow activity in Capulin Canyon. In addition, thunderstorms during the summer monsoon of 1996 resulted in abundant surface overland flow on the hillslopes which transported low-density pumice, charcoal, ash and some mineral soil downslope as small-scale and non-erosive debris flows. In some places cobble- and boulder-sized material was moved short distances. A moderate potential for debris- and hyperconcentrated-flow activity is identified for the two major tributary canyons to Capulin Canyon based on evidence of both summer of 1996 and possible historic significant debris-flow activity.

  1. 36 CFR 7.26 - Death Valley National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... prescribed to govern the surface use of claims therein: (1) The claim shall be occupied and used exclusively... of an authorized officer or employee of the National Park Service the surface of the claim may be... prescribed when permission is granted. (2) The owner of the claim and all persons holding under him shall...

  2. 36 CFR 7.26 - Death Valley National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... prescribed to govern the surface use of claims therein: (1) The claim shall be occupied and used exclusively... of an authorized officer or employee of the National Park Service the surface of the claim may be... prescribed when permission is granted. (2) The owner of the claim and all persons holding under him shall...

  3. 36 CFR 7.26 - Death Valley National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... prescribed to govern the surface use of claims therein: (1) The claim shall be occupied and used exclusively... of an authorized officer or employee of the National Park Service the surface of the claim may be... prescribed when permission is granted. (2) The owner of the claim and all persons holding under him shall...

  4. 36 CFR 7.26 - Death Valley National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... prescribed to govern the surface use of claims therein: (1) The claim shall be occupied and used exclusively... of an authorized officer or employee of the National Park Service the surface of the claim may be... prescribed when permission is granted. (2) The owner of the claim and all persons holding under him shall...

  5. 76 FR 56220 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement for General Management Plan for Golden Gate National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-12

    ... Environmental Impact Statement for General Management Plan for Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Muir... Management Plan for Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Muir Woods National Monument. SUMMARY: In accord... Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the updating the General Management Plan (GMP) for Golden Gate...

  6. Universal campsite design: an opportunity for adaptive management

    Treesearch

    Jason R. Biscombe; Jeri E. Hall; James F. Palmer

    2001-01-01

    The basic design of campsites has changed little since the 1930s in Yosemite National Park. In heavily used areas, such as Yosemite Valley, this design is leading to environmental impacts from soil compaction, erosion, vegetation damage, and lack of regeneration for many plant species. These sites are also inaccessible to many people with physical disabilities. In the...

  7. Biodiversity of cyanobacteria and green algae on monuments in the Mediterranean Basin: an overview.

    PubMed

    Macedo, Maria Filomena; Miller, Ana Zélia; Dionísio, Amélia; Saiz-Jimenez, Cesareo

    2009-11-01

    The presence and deteriorating action of micro-organisms on monuments and stone works of art have received considerable attention in the last few years. Knowledge of the microbial populations living on stone materials is the starting point for successful conservation treatment and control. This paper reviews the literature on cyanobacteria and chlorophyta that cause deterioration of stone cultural heritage (outdoor monuments and stone works of art) in European countries of the Mediterranean Basin. Some 45 case studies from 32 scientific papers published between 1976 and 2009 were analysed. Six lithotypes were considered: marble, limestone, travertine, dolomite, sandstone and granite. A wide range of stone monuments in the Mediterranean Basin support considerable colonization of cyanobacteria and chlorophyta, showing notable biodiversity. About 172 taxa have been described by different authors, including 37 genera of cyanobacteria and 48 genera of chlorophyta. The most widespread and commonly reported taxa on the stone cultural heritage in the Mediterranean Basin are, among cyanobacteria, Gloeocapsa, Phormidium and Chroococcus and, among chlorophyta, Chlorella, Stichococcus and Chlorococcum. The results suggest that cyanobacteria and chlorophyta colonize a wide variety of substrata and that this is related primarily to the physical characteristics of the stone surface, microclimate and environmental conditions and secondarily to the lithotype.

  8. Surface water data at Los Alamos National Laboratory: 2009 water year

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ortiz, David; McCullough, Betsy

    2010-05-01

    The principal investigators collected and computed surface water discharge data from 73 stream-gage stations that cover most of Los Alamos National Laboratory and one at Bandelier National Monument. Also included are discharge data from three springs— two that flow into Cañon de Valle and one that flows into Water Canyon.

  9. Surface water data at Los Alamos National Laboratory: 2008 water year

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ortiz, David; Cata, Betsy; Kuyumjian, Gregory

    2009-09-01

    The principal investigators collected and computed surface water discharge data from 69 stream-gage stations that cover most of Los Alamos National Laboratory and one at Bandelier National Monument. Also included are discharge data from three springs— two that flow into Cañon de Valle and one that flows into Water Canyon.

  10. 36. Photocopy of photograph (original in possession of Chiricahua National ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    36. Photocopy of photograph (original in possession of Chiricahua National Monument), photographer unknown, c.1915 EMMA ERICKSON AND MRS. COLLINS ON BALCONY OF RANCH HOUSE - Faraway Ranch, Erickson-Riggs Ranch House, State Highway 181, Willcox, Cochise County, AZ

  11. Monitoring of atmospheric particles and ozone in Sequoia National Park: 1985-1987. Final report

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Cahill, T.A.

    1989-06-01

    The Air Quality Group Monitored particles and ozone in Sequoia National Park as part of an effort to understand the impact of acid deposition and other air pollutants on the park's forests and watersheds. For high-elevation ozone measurement, the project developed a new solar-powered ozone monitoring system. The particulate matter sampled was analyzed for elemental content using nuclear techniques. The measurements were correlated with meteorology, known elemental sources, and wet and dry deposition measurements. The results show that particulate matter at Sequoia National Park is similar to that present at other sites on the western slope of the Sierra Nevadamore » range at equivalent elevations. Some anthropogenic species, including nickel and sulfate, are present in higher concentrations at Sequoia than at Yosemite National Park.« less

  12. Evaluation of the Gateway Monument Demonstration Program: Safety, Economic and Social Impact Analysis

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-09-01

    The Gateway Monument Demonstration Program (GMDP) facilitated the construction of freestanding structures or signage along roadways to communicate the name of a city, county or township to motorists. The GMDP spanned a four-year period, commencing on...

  13. Rapid 3-D analysis of rockfalls

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stock, Greg M.; Guerin, A.; Avdievitch, Nikita N.; Collins, Brian D.; Jaboyedoff, Michel

    2018-01-01

    Recent fatal and damaging rockfalls in Yosemite National Park indicate the need for rapid response data collection methods to inform public safety and assist with management response. Here we show the use of multiple-platform remote sensing methods to rapidly capture pertinent data needed to inform management and the public following a several large rockfalls from El Capitan cliff in Yosemite Valley, California.

  14. Time-frequency analysis of GPR data to investigate the damage of monumental buildings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leucci, Giovanni; Masini, Nicola; Persico, Raffaele

    2012-08-01

    The presence of particular microclimatic conditions inside monumental buildings is responsible for bio-deterioration processes. In many cases, efflorescence and moulds are visible on the facades of several monuments of historical importance. In many other cases, the effects of decay processes are not visible, thus making difficult the diagnosis and the consequent setup of effective rehabilitation and preservation interventions, especially in the presence of a complex geometry and/or a large variability of construction materials. In such cases, a valuable contribution could be provided by geophysical methods (such as electrical resistivity, electromagnetic conductivity, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), etc), which have been proved to be successful tools for sub-surface investigation and characterization of historical buildings. In old monumental buildings, the masonry structures frequently exhibit cracks, voids, detachments and high moisture contrasts that can give rise to reflection events in radar signals. However, the complexity of the geometry and the structural heterogeneity that characterize these old structures often make the GPR results difficult to analyse and interpret. In particular, the spatial variation in GPR signal attenuation can provide important information about the electrical properties of the investigated materials that, in turn, can be used to assess the physical parameters associated with damage. In this paper, we propose an approach that analyses the data in the form of ‘frequency maps’ to evidence absorption losses probably linked to higher moisture content. Two real case histories back up the proposed method.

  15. Facade renovation - replacement and restoration of the panels in a monument protected object

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Novotný, Michal

    2017-12-01

    The article deals with problems of reconstruction of the facade and the associated problem of replacement or repair of the panels. In conventional buildings it is a smooth operation, but it is problematic in monument-protected objects. In the case of a common building, it is possible to choose any modern panels and simply replace them, but for historical objects we have to follow the claims and the rules of monument protection. In practice, it usually means the impossibility of use of modern panels, but at least a combination of old and modern technologies. Another possible solution to the problem is renovation, or repairs to the original state of the existing panels, of course with respect to the functionality of such panels. The implementation of such repairs must always be based on the technical and historical survey of the condition of the object and the repairs must be professionally designed. Subsequently, corrections are made, during which it is necessary to pay particular attention to observance of the technological procedures, rules and instructions particularly in terms of monument protection. However, the functionality of the works or elements made with regard to the quality of the environment within the building is not negligible. A common problem is the lack of control of technical requirements and functional requirements. Underestimation of the problems then leads to difficult repairs. The article points to the mistakes and problems of one such construction project on a historically protected chateau building.

  16. 78 FR 72060 - Chimney Rock National Monument Management Plan; San Juan National Forest; Colorado

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-02

    ..., as well as objects of deep cultural and educational value. The plan will also provide for continued... Ranger District office in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and on the San Juan National Forest Web site at www..., direct mailings, emails, and will be posted on the San Juan National Forest Web site. It is important...

  17. Comparison of bacterial communities from lava cave microbial mats to overlying surface soils from Lava Beds National Monument, USA

    PubMed Central

    Read, Kaitlyn J. H.; Hughes, Evan M.; Spilde, Michael N.

    2017-01-01

    Subsurface habitats harbor novel diversity that has received little attention until recently. Accessible subsurface habitats include lava caves around the world that often support extensive microbial mats on ceilings and walls in a range of colors. Little is known about lava cave microbial diversity and how these subsurface mats differ from microbial communities in overlying surface soils. To investigate these differences, we analyzed bacterial 16S rDNA from 454 pyrosequencing from three colors of microbial mats (tan, white, and yellow) from seven lava caves in Lava Beds National Monument, CA, USA, and compared them with surface soil overlying each cave. The same phyla were represented in both surface soils and cave microbial mats, but the overlap in shared OTUs (operational taxonomic unit) was only 11.2%. Number of entrances per cave and temperature contributed to observed differences in diversity. In terms of species richness, diversity by mat color differed, but not significantly. Actinobacteria dominated in all cave samples, with 39% from caves and 21% from surface soils. Proteobacteria made up 30% of phyla from caves and 36% from surface soil. Other major phyla in caves were Nitrospirae (7%) followed by minor phyla (7%), compared to surface soils with Bacteroidetes (8%) and minor phyla (8%). Many of the most abundant sequences could not be identified to genus, indicating a high degree of novelty. Surface soil samples had more OTUs and greater diversity indices than cave samples. Although surface soil microbes immigrate into underlying caves, the environment selects for microbes able to live in the cave habitats, resulting in very different cave microbial communities. This study is the first comprehensive comparison of bacterial communities in lava caves with the overlying soil community. PMID:28199330

  18. Surface Water Data at Los Alamos National Laboratory: 2002 Water Year

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    D.A. Shaull; D. Ortiz; M.R. Alexander

    2003-03-03

    The principal investigators collected and computed surface water discharge data from 34 stream-gaging stations that cover most of Los Alamos National Laboratory and one at Bandelier National Monument. Also included are discharge data from three springs--two that flow into Canon de Valle and one that flows into Water Canyon--and peak flow data from 16 stations.

  19. Surface Water Data at Los Alamos National Laboratory 2006 Water Year

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    R.P. Romero, D. Ortiz, G. Kuyumjian

    2007-08-01

    The principal investigators collected and computed surface water discharge data from 44 stream-gaging stations that cover most of Los Alamos National Laboratory and one at Bandelier National Monument. Also included are discharge data from three springs--two that flow into Canon de Valle and one that flows into Water Canyon--and peak flow data for 44 stations.

  20. A political cultural map to future wilderness, monument and park designation

    Treesearch

    M. A. Nie

    2000-01-01

    This research examines western American political (sub)culture as it pertains to past and future wilderness, monument and park designation. It thus provides a sort of rough map, or cultural compass, in determining the most likely political obstacles (other than political institutions) and detours in the creation of new nonmultiple use areas. It explores landmarks such...

  1. Murals as Monuments: Students' Ideas about Depictions of Civilization in British Columbia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seixas, Peter; Clark, Penney

    2004-01-01

    Around the world people confront monuments that celebrate historical origins, movements, heroes, and triumphs no longer seen as worthy of celebration. While an analysis of these "lieux de memoire" themselves can reveal historical consciousness, the sites become particularly interesting at the moment when they inspire debate, namely, when…

  2. 75 FR 51103 - Notice of Public Meetings for the National Park Service (NPS) Alaska Region's Subsistence...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-18

    ... SRC and Wrangell-St. Elias SRC plan to meet to develop and continue work on National Park Service (NPS... SRC Meeting Date and Location: The Lake Clark National Park SRC meeting will be held on Tuesday... Alaska Regional Office, at (907) 644- 3603. Aniakchak National Monument SRC Meeting Date and Location...

  3. Comments on the Yule Marble Haines block: potential replacement, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mossotti, Victor G.

    2014-01-01

    Marble for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery was cut from the Colorado Yule Marble Quarry in 1931. Although anecdotal reports suggest that cracks were noticed in the main section of the monument shortly after its installation at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, detailed documentation of the extent of cracking did not appear until 1963. Although debate continues as to whether the main section of the Tomb of the Unknowns monument should be repaired or replaced, Mr. John S. Haines of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in anticipation of the permanent closing of the Yule Quarry, donated a 58-ton block of Yule Marble, the so-called Haines block, as a potential backup. The brief study reported here was conducted during mid-summer 2009 at the behest of the superintendent of Arlington National Cemetery. The field team entered the subterranean Yule Marble Quarry with the Chief Extraction Engineer in order to contrast the method used for extraction of the Haines block with the method that was probably used to extract the marble block that is now cracked. Based on surficial inspection and shallow coring of the Haines block, and on the nature of crack propagation in Yule Marble as judged by close inspection of a large collection of surrogate Yule Marble blocks, the team found the block to be structurally sound and cosmetically equivalent to the marble used for the current monument. If the Haines block were needed, it would be an appropriate replacement for the existing cracked section of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Monument.

  4. Surveying World Heritage Islamic Monuments in North Africa: Experiences with Simple Photogrammetric Tools and no Previous Planning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Almagro, A.

    2013-07-01

    Different experiences of surveys of Islamic monuments from different sites of Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco are presented. They have been made with simple tools: one photographic camera and a laser meter, without a previous planning or prevision for the survey, profiting from visits organized during scientific meetings to which the author was invited. Some of these monuments belong to sites included in the World Heritage List, but no metric documents or only low quality information is available. Monumental Almohad gates from Rabat and Marrakech, the al-Badi palace of Marrakech, the minarets of Mansura and the Qala of Beni Hammad, the dome in front of the mihrab of the mosque of Tlemcen are some of the examples to be presented. The methodology applied is based on ideas and tools acquired in CIPA meetings proving the usefulness of these encounters but supporting the idea that "providers" should provide tools and methods and "users" should be responsible for documentation, never missing the opportunity of acquiring knowledge from the heritage during the survey process.

  5. Intercomparison and closure calculations using measurements of aerosol species and optical properties during the Yosemite Aerosol Characterization Study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Malm, William C.; Day, Derek E.; Carrico, Christian; Kreidenweis, Sonia M.; Collett, Jeffrey L.; McMeeking, Gavin; Lee, Taehyoung; Carrillo, Jacqueline; Schichtel, Bret

    2005-07-01

    Physical and optical properties of inorganic aerosols have been extensively studied, but less is known about carbonaceous aerosols, especially as they relate to the non-urban settings such as our nation's national parks and wilderness areas. Therefore an aerosol characterization study was conceived and implemented at one national park that is highly impacted by carbonaceous aerosols, Yosemite. The primary objective of the study was to characterize the physical, chemical, and optical properties of a carbon-dominated aerosol, including the ratio of total organic matter weight to organic carbon, organic mass scattering efficiencies, and the hygroscopic characteristics of a carbon-laden ambient aerosol, while a secondary objective was to evaluate a variety of semi-continuous monitoring systems. Inorganic ions were characterized using 24-hour samples that were collected using the URG and Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) monitoring systems, the micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) cascade impactor, as well as the semi-continuous particle-into-liquid sampler (PILS) technology. Likewise, carbonaceous material was collected over 24-hour periods using IMPROVE technology along with the thermal optical reflectance (TOR) analysis, while semi-continuous total carbon concentrations were measured using the Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P) instrument. Dry aerosol number size distributions were measured using a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and optical particle counter, scattering coefficients at near-ambient conditions were measured with nephelometers fitted with PM10 and PM2.5 inlets, and "dry" PM2.5 scattering was measured after passing ambient air through Perma Pure Nafion® dryers. In general, the 24-hour "bulk" measurements of various aerosol species compared more favorably with each other than with the semi-continuous data. Semi-continuous sulfate measurements correlated well with the 24-hour measurements, but were biased low by

  6. Browns Canyon National Monument and Wilderness Act of 2013

    THOMAS, 113th Congress

    Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO

    2013-12-10

    Senate - 07/23/2014 Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Senate Subcommittee on National Parks. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 113-493. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

  7. Diagnostic histological findings in Yosemite toads (Bufo canorus) from die-off in the 1970s

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Green, D.E.; Sherman, C.K.

    2001-01-01

    Twelve adult and 25 larval Yosemite toad (Bufo canorus) specimens from the eastern Sierra Nevada of California were examined histologically for evidence of infectious, toxicological, and degenerative diseases. The preserved toads were selected from 21 that had been salvaged or collected during a die-off in 1976-1979 that immediately preceded a population decline. Causes of death of four toads were determined histologically; clinical signs and field observations suggested causes of death of three more. Four toads died of infectious diseases, including chytridiomycosis of the skin (N = 1), bacillary septicemia (N = 2), and combined chytridiomycosis and bacterial septicemia (N = 1). Infections by a funguslike organism (Dermosporidium penneri), renal myxozoa (Leptotheca ohlmacheri), larval Rhabdias, various gastrointestinal nematodes, urinary bladder flukes, and lung flukes were detected in five specimens. No evidence of degenerative diseases, virus infections, or intoxications was found. The variety of lethal diseases and our inability to determine the causes of death of five specimens suggests that one or more histologically undetectable diseases or intoxications may have also contributed to the deaths and population decline.

  8. The Culture of Nationalism

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-01

    transformation into tools of the extremist nationalist state applies, at least in its broad strokes, to such other art forms as music , theater, or opera. A...monuments were an effective part of the liturgy of public festivals which the Nazis adopted and extended. This development played a key role in the...an area that provided space for festivals and celebrations. A sort of pilgrimage to these sites of national significance was carried out to worship

  9. Deterioration and Repair of Concrete in the Lower Monumental Navigation Lock Wall.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-06-01

    Lewiston , ID, along the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Because there are no alternate waterways or lock, the transportation system stops if the lock is...tem 3 Page 1 of 1 LOWER SNAKE RIVER PROJECT LOWERGRANITE 7.0 Lewiston LFliLE GOOSE C LOWER ~ MONUMENTAL ~rDN LCOWER SNAKE Tri-cites ICE HAROBO R ASH

  10. Terrestrial scanning or digital images in inventory of monumental objects? - case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Markiewicz, J. S.; Zawieska, D.

    2014-06-01

    Cultural heritage is the evidence of the past; monumental objects create the important part of the cultural heritage. Selection of a method to be applied depends on many factors, which include: the objectives of inventory, the object's volume, sumptuousness of architectural design, accessibility to the object, required terms and accuracy of works. The paper presents research and experimental works, which have been performed in the course of development of architectural documentation of elements of the external facades and interiors of the Wilanów Palace Museum in Warszawa. Point clouds, acquired from terrestrial laser scanning (Z+F 5003h) and digital images taken with Nikon D3X and Hasselblad H4D cameras were used. Advantages and disadvantages of utilisation of these technologies of measurements have been analysed with consideration of the influence of the structure and reflectance of investigated monumental surfaces on the quality of generation of photogrammetric products. The geometric quality of surfaces obtained from terrestrial laser scanning data and from point clouds resulting from digital images, have been compared.

  11. Traffic-related immissions and their impact on historic buildings and monuments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Auras, M.; Beer, S.; Bundschuh, P.; Eichhorn, J.; Mach, M.; Scheuvens, D.; Schorling, M.; von Schumann, J.; Snethlage, R.; Weinbruch, S.

    2012-04-01

    Air quality in Germany has improved essentially over the last decades. Because the concentrations of sulfur dioxide were reduced by more than 90% between 1990 and 2007 acid rain no longer seems to play a relevant role in the weathering of natural stone facades of historic buildings. But in the surroundings of urban traffic hot spots high emissions of nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter (PM10) are observed. Therefore the question arises whether these airborne pollutants bear a potential for future damage of natural stone and other construction materials. In an interdisciplinary research program different approaches were pursued to evaluate the damage potential of today's traffic-induced immissions by exemplarily investigating two German cities, Mainz and Munich. First calculations of average weathering rates for the stones concerned were made using the dose-response functions of the MULTI ASSESS program and the immission data from survey stations at traffic hot spots and at housing areas. Than the distribution of traffic-induced immissions (NO2 and PM10) in the surrounding areas of major traffic pathways was calculated for both cities with the simulation program WINkfz. The resulting maps of mean pollutant concentrations were superimposed to inventory maps of historical monuments to allow the identification of monuments with high pollution loads. Additionally different classes of natural stones were distinguished regarding their chemical reactivity. Two prominent monuments with high traffic-induced pollution loads were selected for small scale simulations of pollutant immissions with the simulation program MISKAM. The dispersion of pollutants to different directions and building heights were calculated and the influence of broadleaf trees in the surrounding of the buildings was evaluated (summer versus winter situation). PM10 measurements were carried out at different building heights of the two buildings. Collection of PM10 dust and single-particle analyses

  12. Hydrogeology and water chemistry of Montezuma Well in Montezuma Castle National Monument and surrounding area, Arizona

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Konieczki, Alice D.; Leake, Stanley A.

    1997-01-01

    Increasing population and associated residential and commercial development have greatly increased water use and consumption in the Verde Valley near Montezuma Well, a unit of Montezuma Castle National Monument in central Arizona. Flow from Montezuma Well and water levels in eight wells that are measured annually do not indicate that the ground-water system has been affected by development. Additional data are needed to develop an adequate ground-water monitoring program so that future effects of development can be detected. Monitoring the ground-water system would detect changes in discharge from the Montezuma Well or changes in the ground-water system that might indicate a potential change of flow to the well. Water samples were collected, and field measurements of specific conductance, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen were made throughout the pond at Montezuma Well during an exploration in May 1991. The exploration included two fissures in the bottom of the pond that were filled with sand. The sand in the fissures was kept in suspension by water entering the pond. Water chemistry indicates that the ground water from the area is a mixed combination of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and bicarbonate type water. The analyses for 18O/16O and 2H/1H show that the water from the wells and springs in the area, including Montezuma Well, has been exposed to similar environmental conditions and could have had similar flow paths. The MODFLOW finite-difference ground-water model was used to develop an uncalibrated interpretive model to study possible mechanisms for discharge of water at Montezuma Well. The study presents the hypothesis that ground water in the Supai Formation is the source of discharge to Montezuma Well because of the differences between the surface elevation of the pond at Montezuma Well and the stage in the adjacent Wet Beaver Creek. A series of simulations shows that upward flow from the Supai Formation is a possible mechanism for discharge to Montezuma

  13. America National Parks Viewed in 3D by NASA MISR Anaglyph 2

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-08-25

    Just in time for the U.S. National Park Service's Centennial celebration on Aug. 25, NASA's Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite is releasing four new anaglyphs that showcase 33 of our nation's national parks, monuments, historical sites and recreation areas in glorious 3D. Shown in the annotated image are Grand Teton National Park, John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway, Yellowstone National Park, and parts of Craters of the Moon National Monument. MISR views Earth with nine cameras pointed at different angles, giving it the unique capability to produce anaglyphs, stereoscopic images that allow the viewer to experience the landscape in three dimensions. The anaglyphs were made by combining data from MISR's vertical-viewing and 46-degree forward-pointing camera. You will need red-blue glasses in order to experience the 3D effect; ensure you place the red lens over your left eye. The images have been rotated so that north is to the left in order to enable 3D viewing because the Terra satellite flies from north to south. All of the images are 235 miles (378 kilometers) from west to east. These data were acquired June 25, 2016, Orbit 87876. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20890

  14. America National Parks Viewed in 3D by NASA MISR Anaglyph 3

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-08-25

    Just in time for the U.S. National Park Service's Centennial celebration on Aug. 25, NASA's Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite is releasing four new anaglyphs that showcase 33 of our nation's national parks, monuments, historical sites and recreation areas in glorious 3D. Shown in the annotated image are Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, San Juan Island National Historic Park, North Cascades National Park, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, and Ross Lake National Recreation Area (also Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, administered by the U.S. Forest Service) MISR views Earth with nine cameras pointed at different angles, giving it the unique capability to produce anaglyphs, stereoscopic images that allow the viewer to experience the landscape in three dimensions. The anaglyphs were made by combining data from MISR's vertical-viewing and 46-degree forward-pointing camera. You will need red-blue glasses in order to experience the 3D effect; ensure you place the red lens over your left eye. The images have been rotated so that north is to the left in order to enable 3D viewing because the Terra satellite flies from north to south. All of the images are 235 miles (378 kilometers) from west to east. These data were acquired May 12, 2012, Orbit 65960. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20891

  15. Assessment of Historical Water-Quality Data for National Park Units in the Rocky Mountain Network, Colorado and Montana, through 2004

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mast, M. Alisa

    2007-01-01

    This report summarizes historical water-quality data for six National Park units that compose the Rocky Mountain Network. The park units in Colorado are Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and Rocky Mountain National Park; and in Montana, they are Glacier National Park, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, and Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. This study was conducted in cooperation with the Inventory and Monitoring Program of the National Park Service to aid in the design of an effective and efficient water-quality monitoring plan for each park. Data were retrieved from a number of sources for the period of record through 2004 and compiled into a relational database. Descriptions of the environmental setting of each park and an overview of the park's water resources are presented. Statistical summaries of water-quality constituents are presented and compared to aquatic-life and drinking-water standards. Spatial, seasonal, and temporal patterns in constituent concentrations also are described and suggestions for future water-quality monitoring are provided.

  16. 77 FR 68825 - Notice of Inventory Completion for Native American Human Remains and Associated Funerary Objects...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-16

    ... Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, National Park Service, Coolidge, AZ; Correction AGENCY: National... Interior, National Park Service, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Coolidge, AZ. The human remains and... notice are the sole responsibility of the Superintendent, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. This...

  17. Ecology and identification of environmental fungi and metabolic processes involved in the biodeterioration of Brazilian soapstone historical monuments.

    PubMed

    Boniek, D; de Castro Mendes, I; Paiva, C A O; de Paula Lana, U G; Dos Santos, A F B; de Resende Stoianoff, M A

    2017-11-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the action of organic acids produced by the fungal population associated with the biodeterioration process of the Twelve Prophets of Aleijadinho, a set of soapstone sculptures in Congonhas, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. For this, samples of fungi were obtained from the surface of each of the 12 outdoor stone sculptures that comprise the set of Prophets. The identification of the colonizing filamentous fungi was performed by classical microbiology and molecular methods. Some species of filamentous fungi-dependent cultivation were detected, and the presence of species Aspergillus versicolor, Curvularia lunata, Epicoccum nigrum, Penicillium citrinum and Pseudocercospora norchiensis indicated a connection with the excretion of organic acids. The acids produced by each of these fungal species were analysed quantitatively by chromatographic methods, revealing potential biodeterioration by the action of acidic metabolites excreted in the stone. Minas Gerais, Brazil, is vulnerable to the activities of mineral extraction industries, posing an imminent risk to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized cities, e.g. Congonhas. Many of these municipalities hold many soapstone religious sculptures and historical monuments. Consequently, soapstone is susceptible to filamentous fungi attack causing irreversible biodeterioration. Despite the concern related to nondestructive sampling of 18th century sculptures, in this study, we have discussed the factors that lead to biodeterioration of soapstone due to organic acid excretion by the fungi that damage the stone, thereby providing an insight in conserving and preserving the soapstone monuments. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  18. Tenement House "Under The Golden Crown" In Wrocław - Renovation Of The Peculiar Monument

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kirschke, Krystyna

    2015-12-01

    Among the many historic buildings in Wroclaw, there is a property address Rynek 29 - Oławska 2, that in 1970 entered in the register of monuments as "a department store, earlier tenement house called "Under the Golden Crown". In the fact it was built in 1961 and it is neither a historical building nor department store. It is, spectacular example of creative retrospective, in the post-war reconstruction of Wroclaw. It has relict of medieval and Renaissance architecture, but the aboveground parts have a skeleton structure of commercial buildings from the early 20th century. In recent years, there is a problem with renovating such buildings. Recognition of these monuments has become a requirement now. Because only in this way in the future, in the course of modernization works, you will be able to avoid bad decisions and unforeseen situations.

  19. Nondestructive evaluation of protective coatings for the conservation of industrial monuments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Welp, Hubert; Lenz, Marcel; Mazzon, Cristian; Dillmann, Christopher; Gerhardt, Nils C.; Prange, Michael; Hofmann, Martin R.

    2017-07-01

    For the conservation of cultural monuments standard anti-corrosion coatings are not applicable because the historical character of the objects would be lost. Alternative transparent coatings have to be evaluated and monitored nondestructively with respect to their effectiveness in protecting metal surfaces. We demonstrate that Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) can be an alternative to the currently used method of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) for the characterization of coating defects and corrosion processes.

  20. Three Dimensional Reconstruction Workflows for Lost Cultural Heritage Monuments Exploiting Public Domain and Professional Photogrammetric Imagery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wahbeh, W.; Nebiker, S.

    2017-08-01

    In our paper, we document experiments and results of image-based 3d reconstructions of famous heritage monuments which were recently damaged or completely destroyed by the so-called Islamic state in Syria and Iraq. The specific focus of our research is on the combined use of professional photogrammetric imagery and of publicly available imagery from the web for optimally 3d reconstructing those monuments. The investigated photogrammetric reconstruction techniques include automated bundle adjustment and dense multi-view 3d reconstruction using public domain and professional imagery on the one hand and an interactive polygonal modelling based on projected panoramas on the other. Our investigations show that the combination of these two image-based modelling techniques delivers better results in terms of model completeness, level of detail and appearance.

  1. 78 FR 77709 - Notice of Extension of Concession Contracts

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-24

    ...-04 3-D River Visions, Inc. Canyonlands National Park. DINO001-04 Adventure Bound, Inc... Dinosaur National Monument. DINO002-04 American River Touring Dinosaur National Association, Inc. Monument. DINO003-04 Outward Bound West..... Dinosaur National Monument. DINO005-04 Holiday River Dinosaur National...

  2. Needle miner infestations in lodgepole pine east of the Sierra crest

    Treesearch

    George R. Struble

    1968-01-01

    The lodgepole needle miner in the Inyo National Forest begins its 2-year-cycle in even-numbered years. In contrast, Coleotechnites milleri (Busck) in Yosemite National Park begins its in the odd-numbered years.

  3. The Neolithic and Bronze Age Monument Complex of Thornborough, North Yorkshire, UK

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harding, Jan

    The Neolithic and Bronze Age monument complex of Thornborough in North Yorkshire highlights the significance of heavenly bodies to religious belief and practice. Its investigation by a novel methodology employing virtual reality technology demonstrates alignments with Orion's Belt and the midwinter sunrise. It is argued that these were deliberate, replicating the seasonal movement of those using the complex and thereby suggesting a close relationship between people's skyscape and life cycles.

  4. Surface temperature patterns in complex terrain: Daily variations and long-term change in the central Sierra Nevada, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lundquist, J.D.; Cayan, D.R.

    2007-01-01

    A realistic description of how temperatures vary with elevation is crucial for ecosystem studies and for models of basin-scale snowmelt and spring streamflow. This paper explores surface temperature variability using temperature data from an array of 37 sensors, called the Yosemite network, which traverses both slopes of the Sierra Nevada in the vicinity of Yosemite National Park, California. These data indicate that a simple lapse rate is often a poor description of the spatial temperature structure. Rather, the spatial pattern of temperature over the Yosemite network varies considerably with synoptic conditions. Empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) were used to identify the dominant spatial temperature patterns and how they vary in time. Temporal variations of these surface temperature patterns were correlated with large-scale weather conditions, as described by National Centers for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research Reanalysis data. Regression equations were used to downscale larger-scale weather parameters, such as Reanalysis winds and pressure, to the surface temperature structure over the Yosemite network. These relationships demonstrate that strong westerly winds are associated with relatively warmer temperatures on the east slope and cooler temperatures on the west slope of the Sierra, and weaker westerly winds are associated with the opposite pattern. Reanalysis data from 1948 to 2005 indicate weakening westerlies over this time period, a trend leading to relatively cooler temperatures on the east slope over decadal timescale's. This trend also appears in long-term observations and demonstrates the need to consider topographic effects when examining long-term changes in mountain regions. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.

  5. 36 CFR 7.46 - Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Virgin Islands Coral Reef... pelagic fish, baitfish, lobsters, conch, whelk, corals, sponges and all associated reef invertebrates, and... OF THE INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.46 Virgin Islands Coral...

  6. 36 CFR 7.46 - Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Virgin Islands Coral Reef... pelagic fish, baitfish, lobsters, conch, whelk, corals, sponges and all associated reef invertebrates, and... OF THE INTERIOR SPECIAL REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.46 Virgin Islands Coral...

  7. Mass coral bleaching due to unprecedented marine heatwave in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Northwestern Hawaiian Islands).

    PubMed

    Couch, Courtney S; Burns, John H R; Liu, Gang; Steward, Kanoelani; Gutlay, Tiffany Nicole; Kenyon, Jean; Eakin, C Mark; Kosaki, Randall K

    2017-01-01

    2014 marked the sixth and most widespread mass bleaching event reported in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, home to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM), the world's second largest marine reserve. This event was associated with an unusual basin-scale warming in the North Pacific Ocean, with an unprecedented peak intensity of around 20°C-weeks of cumulative heat stress at Lisianksi Island. In situ bleaching surveys and satellite data were used to evaluate the relative importance of potential drivers of bleaching patterns in 2014, assess the subsequent morality and its effects on coral communities and 3D complexity, test for signs of regional acclimation, and investigate long-term change in heat stress in PMNM. Surveys conducted at four island/atoll (French Frigate Shoals, Lisianski Island, Pearl and Hermes Atoll, and Midway Atoll) showed that in 2014, percent bleaching varied considerably between islands/atolls and habitats (back reef/fore reef and depth), and was up to 91% in shallow habitats at Lisianski. The percent bleaching during the 2014 event was best explained by a combination of duration of heat stress measured by Coral Reef Watch's satellite Degree Heating Week, relative community susceptibility (bleaching susceptibility score of each taxon * the taxon's abundance relative to the total number of colonies), depth and region. Mean coral cover at permanent Lisianski monitoring sites decreased by 68% due to severe losses of Montipora dilatata complex, resulting in rapid reductions in habitat complexity. Spatial distribution of the 2014 bleaching was significantly different from the 2002 and 2004 bleaching events likely due to a combination of differences in heat stress and local acclimatization. Historical satellite data demonstrated heat stress in 2014 was unlike any previous event and that the exposure of corals to the bleaching-level heat stress has increased significantly in the northern PMNM since 1982, highlighting the increasing

  8. Mass coral bleaching due to unprecedented marine heatwave in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (Northwestern Hawaiian Islands)

    PubMed Central

    Couch, Courtney S.; Burns, John H. R.; Liu, Gang; Steward, Kanoelani; Gutlay, Tiffany Nicole; Kenyon, Jean; Eakin, C. Mark; Kosaki, Randall K.

    2017-01-01

    2014 marked the sixth and most widespread mass bleaching event reported in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, home to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM), the world’s second largest marine reserve. This event was associated with an unusual basin-scale warming in the North Pacific Ocean, with an unprecedented peak intensity of around 20°C-weeks of cumulative heat stress at Lisianksi Island. In situ bleaching surveys and satellite data were used to evaluate the relative importance of potential drivers of bleaching patterns in 2014, assess the subsequent morality and its effects on coral communities and 3D complexity, test for signs of regional acclimation, and investigate long-term change in heat stress in PMNM. Surveys conducted at four island/atoll (French Frigate Shoals, Lisianski Island, Pearl and Hermes Atoll, and Midway Atoll) showed that in 2014, percent bleaching varied considerably between islands/atolls and habitats (back reef/fore reef and depth), and was up to 91% in shallow habitats at Lisianski. The percent bleaching during the 2014 event was best explained by a combination of duration of heat stress measured by Coral Reef Watch’s satellite Degree Heating Week, relative community susceptibility (bleaching susceptibility score of each taxon * the taxon’s abundance relative to the total number of colonies), depth and region. Mean coral cover at permanent Lisianski monitoring sites decreased by 68% due to severe losses of Montipora dilatata complex, resulting in rapid reductions in habitat complexity. Spatial distribution of the 2014 bleaching was significantly different from the 2002 and 2004 bleaching events likely due to a combination of differences in heat stress and local acclimatization. Historical satellite data demonstrated heat stress in 2014 was unlike any previous event and that the exposure of corals to the bleaching-level heat stress has increased significantly in the northern PMNM since 1982, highlighting the

  9. Natural and Enhanced Attenuation of Soil and Groundwater at the Monument Valley, Arizona, DOE Legacy Waste Site—10281

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Waugh, W.J.; Miller, D.E.; Morris, S.A.

    2010-03-07

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Navajo Nation, and the University of Arizona are exploring natural and enhanced attenuation remedies for groundwater contamination at a former uranium-ore processing site near Monument Valley, Arizona. DOE removed radioactive tailings from the Monument Valley site in 1994. Nitrate and ammonium, waste products of the milling process, remain in an alluvial groundwater plume spreading from the soil source where tailings were removed. Planting and irrigating two native shrubs, fourwing saltbush and black greasewood, markedly reduced both nitrate and ammonium in the source area over an 8-year period. Total nitrogen dropped from 350 mg/kgmore » in 2000 to less than 200 mg/kg in 2008. Most of the reduction is attributable to irrigation-enhanced microbial denitrification rather than plant uptake. However, soil moisture and percolation flux monitoring show that the plantings control the soil water balance in the source area, preventing additional leaching of nitrogen compounds. Enhanced denitrification and phytoremediation also look promising for plume remediation. Microcosm experiments, nitrogen isotopic fractionation analysis, and solute transport modeling results suggest that (1) up to 70 percent of nitrate in the plume has been lost through natural denitrification since the mill was closed in 1968, and (2) injection of ethanol may accelerate microbial denitrification in plume hot spots. A field-scale ethanol injection pilot study is underway. Landscape-scale remote sensing methods developed for the project suggest that transpiration from restored native phreatophyte populations rooted in the aquifer could limit further expansion of the plume. An evaluation of landfarm phytoremediation, the irrigation of native shrub plantings with high nitrate water pumped from the alluvial aquifer, is also underway.« less

  10. Visualizing a monumental past: Archeology, Nasser's Egypt, and the early Cold War.

    PubMed

    Carruthers, William

    2017-09-01

    This article examines geographies of decolonization and the Cold War through a case study in the making of archeological knowledge. The article focuses on an archeological dig that took place in Egypt in the period between the July 1952 Free Officers' coup and the 1956 Suez crisis. Making use of the notion of the 'boundary object', this article demonstrates how the excavation of ancient Egyptian remains at the site of Mit Rahina helped to constitute Nasserist revolutionary modernity and its relationship to wider, post-Second World War political geographies. The dig took place as a result of an Egyptian-American collaboration designed to institute the possibility of archeology taking place along the lines of the Point Four modernization program promoted by the United States. The article discusses how this situation not only engendered contention surrounding the role of the international 'experts' appointed to run this excavation work, but also - and as a result - helped to constitute the monumental visual and material shape that archeological evidence relating to the Egyptian past could now take. Egypt's revolution sat within wider Cold War political struggles, yet the 'ground-up' realities of this relationship helped to constitute the sort of past (and future) monumentality proposed by Nasser's government.

  11. Title: Vision of the Reconstruction of Destructed Monuments of Palmyra (3D) as a Step to Rehabiliate and Preserve the Wholesite

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arkawi, A.

    2017-08-01

    Syria is one of the world's most impressive Cultural Heritages in terms of the number and historical significance of its monuments. Palmyra lies in the heart of Syria, an oasis in the midst of the arid desert.it could be considered as a part of this human heritage. In1980 was registered on the world and national heritage list for its huge historical importance. In addition, it was the focus of many studies and researches in the fields of restoration. Then the disaster happened, many monuments were demolished, temple of Ba'al, temple of Bael-shameen, Arch of triumph and the Castle. Lately the Tetrapylon and the Stag. Every Syrian was hurt, the whole world was hurt. The destruction of the city caused its people to become homeless and Palmyra was no longer the oasis we know. We felt pain, so we wanted to make a move, a step forward, to present a work that expresses our love for Palmyra, we organized Palmyra workshop to provide a vision for the reconstruction and revival of the historic site importance. Visions with using new idea & new technology. Palmyra historical areas are considered a large open museum for heritage through history, which is the reason to treat these area as a historical protection precinct and give a vision, ideas, suggestions to the future of Palmary as a first step to preserve the historical buildings& the archeological park.

  12. Characterization of Near-Surface Geology and Possible Voids Using Resistivity and Electromagnetic Methods at the Gran Quivira Unit of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Central New Mexico, June 2005

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ball, Lyndsay B.; Lucius, Jeffrey E.; Land, Lewis A.; Teeple, Andrew

    2006-01-01

    At the Gran Quivira Unit of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument in central New Mexico, a partially excavated pueblo known as Mound 7 has recently become architecturally unstable. Historical National Park Service records indicate both natural caves and artificial tunnels may be present in the area. Knowledge of the local near-surface geology and possible locations of voids would aid in preservation of the ruins. Time-domain and frequency-domain electromagnetic as well as direct-current resistivity methods were used to characterize the electrical structure of the near-surface geology and to identify discrete electrical features that may be associated with voids. Time-domain electromagnetic soundings indicate three major electrical layers; however, correlation of these layers to geologic units was difficult because of the variability of lithologic data from existing test holes. Although resistivity forward modeling was unable to conclusively determine the presence or absence of voids in most cases, the high-resistivity values (greater than 5,000 ohm-meters) in the direct-current resistivity data indicate that voids may exist in the upper 50 meters. Underneath Mound 7, there is a possibility of large voids below a depth of 20 meters, but there is no indication of substantial voids in the upper 20 meters. Gridded lines and profiled inversions of frequency-domain electromagnetic data showed excellent correlation to resistivity features in the upper 5 meters of the direct-current resistivity data. This technique showed potential as a reconnaissance tool for detecting voids in the very near surface.

  13. Earliest direct evidence of monument building at the archaeological site of Nan Madol (Pohnpei, Micronesia) identified using 230Th/U coral dating and geochemical sourcing of megalithic architectural stone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCoy, Mark D.; Alderson, Helen A.; Hemi, Richard; Cheng, Hai; Edwards, R. Lawrence

    2016-11-01

    Archaeologists commonly use the onset of the construction of large burial monuments as a material indicator of a fundamental shift in authority in prehistoric human societies during the Holocene. High- quality direct evidence of this transition is rare. We report new interdisciplinary research at the archaeological site of Nan Madol that allows us to specify where and when people began to construct monumental architecture in the remote islands of the Pacific. Nan Madol is an ancient administrative and mortuary center and the former capital of the island of Pohnpei. It was constructed over 83 ha of lagoon with artificial islets and other architecture built using columnar basalt and coral. We employed geochemical sourcing of basalt used as architectural stone and high-precision uranium-thorium series dates (230Th/U) on coral from the tomb of the first chief of the entire island to identify the beginning of monument building at Nan Madol in AD 1180-1200. Over the next several centuries (AD 1300-1600) monument building began on other islands across Oceania. Future research should be aimed at resolving the causes of these social transformations through higher quality data on monument building.

  14. 76 FR 68625 - Establishment of the Fort Monroe National Monument

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-11-07

    ....S. Army's Coastal Defense Artillery School during the 19th and 20th centuries, and most recently, as... the defense of our Nation and the struggle for freedom. Fort Monroe, designed by Simon Bernard and... System of fortifications in the United States. It has been a bastion of defense of the Chesapeake Bay, a...

  15. Saving tourists: the status of emergency medical services in California's National Parks.

    PubMed

    Heggie, Travis W; Heggie, Tracey M

    2009-01-01

    Providing emergency medical services (EMS) in popular tourist destinations such as National Parks requires an understanding of the availability and demand for EMS. This study examines the EMS workload, EMS transportation methods, EMS funding, and EMS provider status in California's National Park Service units. A retrospective review of data from the 2005 Annual Emergency Medical Services Report for National Park Service (NPS) units in California. Sixteen NPS units in California reported EMS activity. EMS program funding and training costs totaled USD $1,071,022. During 2005 there were 84 reported fatalities, 910 trauma incidents, 663 non-cardiac medicals, 129 cardiac incidents, and 447 first aid incidents. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Yosemite National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and Death Valley National Park accounted for 83% of the total EMS case workload. Ground transports accounted for 85% of all EMS transports and Emergency Medical Technicians with EMT-basic (EMT-B) training made up 76% of the total 373 EMS providers. Providing EMS for tourists can be a challenging task. As tourist endeavors increase globally and move into more remote environments, the level of EMS operations in California's NPS units can serve as a model for developing EMS operations serving tourist populations.

  16. Basaltic caves at Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve as analogs for Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hinman, N. W.; Richardson, C. D.; McHenry, L.; Scott, J. R.

    2010-12-01

    Basaltic caves and lava tubes offer stable physicochemical conditions for formation of secondary minerals. Such features, putatively observed on Mars, intercept groundwater to weather country rock, leading to formation of secondary minerals. Further, caves are stable environments to search for evidence of past life, as they could offer protection from the oxidizing martian atmosphere. Searching for signs of life in a cave that could protect bio/organic compounds would preclude the need for risky drilling on Mars. Craters of the Moon National Monument (COM) offers an opportunity to study caves in Holocene iron-rich basalt flows to characterize secondary mineral deposits and search for organic compounds associated with secondary minerals; COM basalts are a good analog for martian basalts because of their high iron but other elements are higher at COM than on Mars. The Blue Dragon flow (~2.1 ka) contains the majority of the accessible caves and lava tubes. Two types of secondary mineral deposits were observed in these caves: ceiling coatings and crack or floor precipitates. Hematite, silica, and calcite comprise ceiling coatings. The crack and floor precipitates are white, efflorescent deposits in cavities along cave walls and ceilings or in localized mounds on cave floors. The secondary minerals in crack and floor precipitates are mainly thenardite and mirabilite with some minor concentrations of trona and/or burkeite. Organic compounds were found associated with the efflorescent deposits. Formation of the deposits is likely due to chemical leaching of basalt by meteoritic water. To test this, fluids collected from the ceiling and walls of the caves were analyzed. Solutions were modeled with the geochemical code, PHREEQC. The model tracked composition as water evaporated. Selected minerals were allowed to precipitate as they became oversaturated. Among the first minerals to become oversaturated were quartz and calcite, which are observed in ceiling deposits. Iron

  17. Selected caves and lava-tube systems in and near Lava Beds National Monument, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Waters, Aaron Clement; Donnelly-Nolan, Julie M.; Rogers, Bruce W.

    1990-01-01

    Much of the north and south flanks of the Medicine Lake shield were built from molten lava transmitted through lava tubes. These tubes formed beneath the congealing surface of basalt flows in somewhat the same way that a brook may continue to flow beneath a cover of its own winter ice. As molten lava emerges from a vent and flows downslope, congealing lava from the top and sides of the central channel often forms a bridge over the lava stream. The sticking together of bits of lava spatter and fragile lava crusts strengthens the bridge in the manner that thin crusts of floating ice raft together to cover a brook during early stages of a winter freeze. Eruption of basalt lava, however, is a much more violent and spasmodic process than the steady gathering of water that feeds a brook. If liquid lava stops rising from its source deep within the earth, the still-molten lava moving beneath the crusted-over top of a lava flow will continue to drain downhill and may ultimately leave an open lavatube cave-often large enough for people to walk through. It is rare, however, to find such a simple scenario recorded intact among the hundreds of lava-tube caves in the monument. Even before the top and walls of a lava flow have time to cool during a pause in lava supply, a new and violent eruption of lava may refill the open tube, overflow its upper end, and spread a new lava flow beside or on top of the first flow. Even if the original tube is large enough to contain the renewed supply of lava, this tube must deliver the new lava beyond the end of its original flow and thus the lava field extends farther and farther downslope. If the gradient of flow flattens, the tube may subdivide into a number of smaller distributaries, which spread laterally over the more gently sloping ground. 

  18. Museum Institutions in Monuments - Positive and Negative Aspects of Adaptation: The New Amber Museum and Museum of Science in Gdansk, Poland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piatkowska, Ksenia

    2017-10-01

    The issue of the creation and location of new museums is a current topic. The decision of where and how to create new museum facilities will impact successful function in the future. Museums are either located in newly designed buildings or in existing buildings. In general, existing buildings adapted for museum use are either formally under conservational protection or not. With regard to museum location in preserved monuments, the author notes that the true impact on authentic monumental building structure still needs intense research. The adaptation of the Great Mill and St. Catherine’s Church - two preserved medieval objects located in the historical city center of Gdansk - provide case studies to investigate positive and negative aspects. In both cases, the author carried out architectural projects for the functional purposes of museums: The New Amber Museum and Museum of Science. The author concludes that mutual benefits of adaptation result from: the financial means of the museum institution to invest long-term; the institutional respect of the museum towards heritage, which translates into respect for conservational protection; and the competitive advantage created by the monumental features of the building and the privileged location in a well-established, branded space. Negative aspects result from: space limitations of monuments that disable the museum from extending its exposition and thus prevent institutional development; the overly restrictive requirements of restoration that take priority over the museum mission; and the lack of technically functional space required for contemporary museum technologies, which forces unconventional engineering solutions that are more expensive than the location of the museum in a newly constructed building.

  19. 78 FR 40163 - Notice of Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the TransWest Express 600...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-03

    ... Recreation Area and across the Deer Lodge Road that provides access to Dinosaur National Monument. By this... to Dinosaur National Monument; and responding to local government concerns. Three additional route...; high density cultural resource areas; the Old Spanish Trail; Dinosaur National Monument, and sage...

  20. Sedimentary differentiation of aeolian grains at the White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fenton, Lori K.; Bishop, Janice L.; King, Sara; Lafuente, Barbara; Horgan, Briony; Bustos, David; Sarrazin, Philippe

    2017-06-01

    Gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) has been identified as a major component of part of Olympia Undae in the northern polar region of Mars, along with the mafic minerals more typical of Martian dune fields. The source and age of the gypsum is disputed, with the proposed explanations having vastly different implications for Mars' geological history. Furthermore, the transport of low density gypsum grains relative to and concurrently with denser grains has yet to be investigated in an aeolian setting. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a field study at White Sands National Monument (WSNM) in New Mexico, USA. Although gypsum dominates the bulk of the dune field, a dolomite-rich [CaMg(CO3)2] transport pathway along the northern border of WSNM provides a suitable analog site to study the transport of gypsum grains relative to the somewhat harder and denser carbonate grains. We collected samples along the stoss slope of a dune and on two coarse-grained ripples at the upwind margin of the dune field where minerals other than gypsum were most common. For comparison, additional samples were taken along the stoss slope of a dune outside the dolomite transport pathway, in the center of the dune field. Visible and near-infrared (VNIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Raman analyses of different sample size fractions reveal that dolomite is only prevalent in grains larger than ∼1 mm. Other minerals, most notably calcite, are also present in smaller quantities among the coarse grains. The abundance of these coarse grains, relative to gypsum grains of the same size, drops off sharply at the upwind margin of the dune field. In contrast, gypsum dominated the finer fraction (<∼1 mm) at all sample sites, displaying no spatial variation. Estimates of sediment fluxes indicate that, although mineralogical differentiation of wind-transported grains occurs gradually in creep, the process is much more rapid when winds are strong enough to saltate the ⩾1 mm grains. The observed grain

  1. The Ecology of Parasite-Host Interactions at Montezuma Well National Monument, Arizona - Appreciating the Importance of Parasites

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    O'Brien, Chris; van Riper, Charles

    2009-01-01

    Although parasites play important ecological roles through the direct interactions they have with their hosts, historically that fact has been underappreciated. Today, scientists have a growing appreciation of the scope of such impacts. Parasites have been reported to dominate food webs, alter predator-prey relationships, act as ecosystem engineers, and alter community structure. In spite of this growing awareness in the scientific community, parasites are still often neglected in the consideration of the management and conservation of resources and ecosystems. Given that at least half of the organisms on earth are probably parasitic, it should be evident that the ecological functions of parasites warrant greater attention. In this report, we explore different aspects of parasite-host relationships found at a desert spring pond within Montezuma Well National Monument, Arizona. In three separate but related chapters, we explore interactions between a novel amphipod host and two parasites. First, we identify how host behavior responds to this association and how this association affects interactions with both invertebrate non-host predators and a vertebrate host predator. Second, we look at the human dimension, investigating how human recreation can indirectly affect patterns of disease by altering patterns of vertebrate host space use. Finally - because parasites and diseases are of increasing importance in the management of wildlife species, especially those that are imperiled or of management concern - the third chapter argues that research would benefit from increased attention to the statistical analysis of wildlife disease studies. This report also explores issues of statistical parasitology, providing information that may better inform those designing research projects and analyzing data from studies of wildlife disease. In investigating the nature of parasite-host interactions, the role that relationships play in ecological communities, and how human

  2. 76 FR 50494 - National Register of Historic Places; Notification of Pending Nominations and Related Actions

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-15

    ... comments should be submitted by August 30, 2011. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail... Historic Places/National Historic Landmarks Program. COLORADO Huerfano County Veta Pass, 3652, 3665, 3688 Cty. Rd. 443, La Veta, 11000607 Pueblo County Pueblo Christopher Columbus Monument, Median in 100 Blk...

  3. Nanomaterials and preservation mechanisms of architecture monuments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ion, Rodica-Mariana; Radu, Adrian; Teodorescu, Sofia; Fierǎscu, Irina; Fierǎscu, Radu-Claudiu; Ştirbescu, Raluca-Maria; Dulamǎ, Ioana Daniela; Şuicǎ-Bunghez, Ioana-Raluca; Bucuricǎ, Ioan Alin; Ion, Mihaela-Lucia

    2016-12-01

    Knowledge of the chemical composition of the building materials of the monuments may help us to preserve and protect them from the pollution of our cities. The aim of this work is to characterize the materials of the walls from ancient buildings, the decay products that could be appear due to the action of pollution and a new method based on nanomaterials (hydroxyapatite -HAp) for a conservative preservation of the treated walls. Some analytical techniques have been used, as follow: X-ray fluorescence energy dispersive (EDXRF) (for the relative abundance of major, minor and trace elements), FTIR and Raman spectroscopy (for stratigraphic study of cross-sections of multi-layered materials found in wall paintings), Optical microscopy (OM), (for morphology of the wall samples). The nanomaterial suspension HAp applied on the sample surface by spraying, decreased the capillary water uptake, do not modify significantly the color of the samples and induced a reduced mass loss for the treated samples.

  4. 75 FR 7445 - Western Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meetings

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-02-19

    ... measures for non-commercial fishing in the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument and Pacific Remote Islands... fishing in the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument as prescribed in Presidential Proclamation 8337... limited to issues regarding non-commercial fishing in the Rose Atoll Marine National Monument and the...

  5. Contaminant studies in the Sierra Nevadas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sparling, D.W.; Fellers, G.

    2002-01-01

    full text: Several species of anuran amphibians (frogs and toads) are experiencing severe population declines in even seemingly pristine areas of the Sierra Mountains of California. Among the most severely depressed species are the redlegged frog, the foothill and mountain yellow-legged frogs, the Yosemite toad, and the Cascades frog. Several factors, such as habitat fragmentation, introduced predators (especially fish), and disease, have been linked to these declines. But recent evidence from a USGS-led study shows that contaminants are a primary factor. During the past three years, researchers from the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, the Western Ecology Research Center, the USDA Beltsville Agriculture Research Center, and the Texas A&M University have teamed up to conduct an extensive study on airborne pesticides and their effects on amphibian populations in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Previous work on environmental chemistry demonstrated that pesticides from the intensely agricultural Central Valley of California are being blown into the more pristine Sierra Nevada Mountains, especially around Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks. Several pesticides, including diazinon, chlorpyrifos, malathion and endosulfan, can be measured in snow, rainfall, and pond waters in these national parks. With the exception of endosulfan, these pesticides affect and even kill both invertebrates and vertebrate species by inhibiting cholinesterase, an enzyme essential to proper nervous system functioning. In the summer of 2001, we published a paper showing that these same pesticides are now found in adults and the tadpoles of Pacific treefrogs. The results of this landmark study showed that more than 50 percent of the tadpoles and adults sampled in Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks had detectable levels of diazinon or chlorpyrifos and that 86 percent of the Pacific treefrogs sampled in the Lake Tahoe region had detectable levels of endosulfan. In contrast, frogs that were

  6. 78 FR 44592 - Final General Management Plan, Final Wilderness Study, and Final Environmental Impact Statement...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-24

    ... General Management Plan and Wilderness Study (Final EIS/GMP/WS) for Fort Pulaski National Monument... national monument, the Final EIS/GMP/WS will guide the management of the national monument over the next 20... publication of the Environmental Protection Agency's Notice of Availability of the Final EIS/GMP/WS in the...

  7. 78 FR 76855 - Record of Decision for the General Management Plan/Wilderness Study, Fort Pulaski National...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-19

    ... the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the General Management Plan/Wilderness Study (GMP... and development of the national monument in the GMP/WS/ FEIS, Alternative A--no action Alternative, and two action Alternatives. The preferred alternative (Alternative B) from the GMP/ WS/FEIS [[Page...

  8. Draft Genome Sequence of Cyanobacterium Hassallia byssoidea Strain VB512170, Isolated from Monuments in India

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Deeksha; Chandrababunaidu, Mathu Malar; Panda, Arijit; Sen, Diya; Bhattacharyya, Sourav

    2015-01-01

    The draft genome assembly of Hassallia byssoidea strain VB512170 with a genome size of ~13 Mb and 10,183 protein-coding genes in 62 scaffolds is reported here for the first time. This is a terrestrial hydrophobic cyanobacterium isolated from monuments in India. We report several copies of luciferase and antibiotic genes in this organism. PMID:25745001

  9. 75 FR 5803 - Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the New Merced Wild and Scenic River...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-02-04

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the New Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan Yosemite National Park, Mariposa and Madera Counties, CA ACTION: Notice of second extension of public scoping period. SUMMARY...

  10. 40 CFR 230.54 - Parks, national and historical monuments, national seashores, wilderness areas, research sites...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Parks, national and historical....54 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) OCEAN DUMPING SECTION 404(b... under Federal and State laws or local ordinances to be managed for their aesthetic, educational...

  11. Chemistry of selected high-elevation lakes in seven national parks in the western United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Clow, David W.; Striegl, Robert G.; Nanus, Leora; Mast, M. Alisa; Campbell, Donald H.; Krabbenhoft, David P.

    2002-01-01

    A chemical survey of 69 high-altitude lakes in seven national parks in the western United States was conducted during the fallof 1999; the lakes were previously sampled during the fall of 1985, as part of the Western Lake Survey. Lakes in parks in the Sierra/southern Cascades (Lassen Volcanic, Yosemite, Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks) and in the southern RockyMountains (Rocky Mountain National Park) were very dilute; medianspecific conductance ranged from 4.4 to 12.2 μS cm-1 andmedian alkalinity concentrations ranged from 32.2 to 72.9 μeqL-1. Specific conductances and alkalinity concentrations were substantially higher in lakes in the central and northernRocky Mountains parks (Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and GlacierNational Parks), probably due to the prevalence of more reactivebedrock types. Regional patterns in lake concentrations of NO3 and SO4 were similar to regional patterns in NO3 and SO4 concentrations in precipitation, suggestingthat the lakes are showing a response to atmospheric deposition.Concentrations of NO3 were particularly high in Rocky Mountain National Park, where some ecosystems appear to be undergoing nitrogen saturation.

  12. The alkaline volcanic rocks of Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho and the Columbia Hills of Gusev Crater, Mars

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neakrase, L. D.; Lim, D. S. S.; Haberle, C. W.; Hughes, S. S.; Kobs-Nawotniak, S. E.; Christensen, P. R.

    2016-12-01

    Idaho's Eastern Snake River Plain (ESRP) is host to extensive expressions of basaltic volcanism dominated by non evolved olivine tholeiites (NEOT) with localized occurrences of evolved lavas. Craters of the Moon National Monument (COTM) is a polygenetic lava field comprised of more than 60 lava flows emplaced during 8 eruptive periods spanning the last 15 kyrs. The most recent eruptive period (period A; 2500-2000 yr B.P.) produced flows with total alkali vs. silica classifications spanning basalt to trachyte. Coeval with the emplacement of the COTM period A volcanic pile was the emplacement of the Wapi and King's Bowl NEOT 70 km SSE of COTM along the Great Rift. Previous investigations have determined a genetic link between these two compositionally distinct volcanic centers where COTM compositions can be generated from NEOT melts through complex ascent paths and variable degrees of fractionation and assimilation of lower-middle crustal materials. The Mars Exploration Rover, Spirit, conducted a robotic investigation of Gusev crater from 2004-2010. Spirit was equipped with the Athena science payload enabling the determination of mineralogy (mini-Thermal Emission Spectrometer, Pancam multispectral camera, and Mössbauer spectrometer), bulk chemistry (Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer) and context (Pancam and Microscopic Imager). During sol 32 Spirit investigated an olivine basalt named Adirondack, the type specimen for a class of rock that composes much of the plains material within Gusev Crater and embays the Columbia Hills. Following the characterization of the plains material, Spirit departed the plains targeting the Columbia Hills and ascending at Husband Hill. During Spirit's ascent of Husband Hill three additional classes of volcanic rock were identified as distinct by their mini-TES spectra; Wishstone, Backstay and Irvine. These rocks are classified as tephrite, trachy-basalt and basalt, respectively, and are the first alkaline rocks observed on Mars. These

  13. Monuments of the Giza Plateau

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ruggles, Clive L. N.

    The colossal pyramids of the pharaohs Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), and Menkaure (Mycerinus) have attracted a huge amount of astronomical interest over the years, both scholarly and popular. Less attention is usually given to the broader context of structures on the Giza Plateau. One of the most notorious ideas connecting the Giza Plateau with astronomy is that the three large pyramids are laid out on the ground so as to reflect the appearance of the three stars of Orion's Belt in the sky. This idea is unsupportable for several reasons but has succeeded in generating huge public interest. Of much greater serious interest is the fact that the three main pyramids were oriented cardinally to extraordinary precision, which raises the questions of why this was important and how it was achieved. Another idea that has attracted serious attention but also some confusion is that the orientations of some narrow shafts within Khufu's pyramid might have been deliberately aligned upon particular stars. The overall layout of monuments on the plateau may certainly have been designed so as to emphasize certain solar phenomena, for symbolic and ideological reasons relating to a dominant sun cult. It is also possible that it formed part of a wider cosmological "master plan" extending to other pyramids and temples up to 20 km distant.

  14. Draft Genome Sequence of Cyanobacterium Hassallia byssoidea Strain VB512170, Isolated from Monuments in India.

    PubMed

    Singh, Deeksha; Chandrababunaidu, Mathu Malar; Panda, Arijit; Sen, Diya; Bhattacharyya, Sourav; Adhikary, Siba Prasad; Tripathy, Sucheta

    2015-03-05

    The draft genome assembly of Hassallia byssoidea strain VB512170 with a genome size of ~13 Mb and 10,183 protein-coding genes in 62 scaffolds is reported here for the first time. This is a terrestrial hydrophobic cyanobacterium isolated from monuments in India. We report several copies of luciferase and antibiotic genes in this organism. Copyright © 2015 Singh et al.

  15. In-situ diagnosis of stone monuments; the Ruin Garden in Székesfehérvár

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Theodoridou, Magdalini; Török, Ákos

    2014-05-01

    Székesfehérvár is a city in central Hungary, located around 65 km southwest of Budapest. In the Middle Ages (11th and 12th centuries), the city was a Royal residence and until the Turkish occupation in 1543, one of the most important cities of Hungary. The Ruin Garden of Székesfehérvár is a unique assemblage of monuments belonging to the cultural heritage of Hungary due to its important role in the Middle Ages as the coronation church for the kings of the Hungarian Christian Kingdom and the burial place for fifteen kings and other members of the royal families and the high nobility. It was also the home of the royal treasury and relics. It is comprised of a provostal church dedicated to Virgin Mary, so called today "Royal Basilica", royal tombs and related ecclesial and lay buildings. Since it has been nominated for "National Memorial Place", its present and future protection is required. Its several reconstructions and expansions throughout Hungarian history introduce another aspect of the importance of the historical site. By a quick overview of the current state of the monument, the presence of several lithotypes could be found among the remained building and decorative stones. Therefore, the research related to the materials in order to understand their composition, structure, origin and behavior was crucial not only for the conservation of that specific monument but also for a series of other historic structures in the Hungarian territory. In order to help the study of the Ruin Garden in Székesfehérvár, a series of maps was created based on in-situ investigations. Five wall sections were selected for the sake of the different lithotypes distribution and the different construction periods were the ruins belong to. The total mapped area covers about 30 m2 of the existing walls surfaces. Three different kinds of maps were designed for each wall section. The first series of maps depicts the different construction periods of the selected section of the

  16. Solar energy system performance evaluation: Seasonal report for Colt Yosemite, Yosemite National Park, California

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1980-01-01

    The system's operational performance from May 1979 through April 1980 is described. Solar energy satisfied 23 percent of the total performance load, which was significantly below the design value of 56 percent. A fossil savings of 80.89 million Btu's or 578 gallons of fuel oil is estimated. If uncontrolled losses could have been reduced to an inconsequential level, the system's efficiency would have been improved considerably.

  17. Aquifer-test evaluation and potential effects of increased ground-water pumpage at the Stovepipe Wells Hotel area, Death Valley National Monument, California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Woolfenden, L.R.; Martin, Peter; Baharie, Brian

    1988-01-01

    Ground-water use in the Stovepipe Wells Hotel area in Death Valley National Monument is expected to increase significantly if the nonpotable, as well as potable, water supply is treated by reverse osmosis. During the peak tourist season, October through March, ground-water pumpage could increase by 37,500 gallons per day, or 76%. The effects of this additional pumpage on water levels in the area, particularly near a strand of phreatophytes about 10,000 feet east of the well field, are of concern. In order to evaluate the effects of increased pumpage on water levels in the Stovepipe Wells Hotel area well field, two aquifer tests were performed at the well field to determine the transmissivity and storage coefficients of the aquifer. Analysis of the aquifer test determined that a transmissivity of 1,360 feet squared per day was representative of the aquifer. The estimated value of transmissivity and the storage-coefficient values that are representative of confined (1.2 x .0004) and unconfined (0.25) conditions were used in the Theis equation to calculate the additional drawdown that might occur after 1, 10, and 50 years of increased pumpage. The drawdown calculated by using the lower storage-coefficient value represents the maximum additional drawdown that might be expected from the assumed increase in pumpage; the drawdown calculated by using the higher storage-coefficient value represents the minimum additional drawdown. Calculated additional drawdowns after 50 years of pumping range from 7.8 feet near the pumped well to 2.4 feet at the phreatophyte stand assuming confined conditions, and from 5.7 feet near the pumped well to 0.3 foot at the phreatophyte stand assuming unconfined conditions. Actual drawdowns probably will be somewhere between these values. Drawdowns measured in observation wells during 1973-85, in response to an average pumpage of 34,200 gallons per day at the Stovepipe Wells Hotel well field, are similar to the drawdowns calculated by the Theis

  18. Monumentalizing Disaster and Wreak-Construction: A Case Study of Haiti to Rethink the Privatization of Public Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atasay, Engin; Delavan, Garrett

    2012-01-01

    This paper is a theoretical effort to support but complicate critiques of disaster capitalism and neoliberal strategies to profit from public education. We put into conversation a discursive analysis following Michel Foucault and a spatial analysis following Henri Lefebvre that focus on monumentalized disasters. We argue that neoliberalism carries…

  19. Monitoring and research to describe geomorphic effects of the 2011 controlled flood on the Green River in the Canyon of Lodore, Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mueller, Erich R.; Grams, Paul E.; Schmidt, John C.; Hazel, Joseph E.; Kaplinski, Matt; Alexander, Jason A.; Kohl, Keith

    2014-01-01

    In 2011, a large magnitude flow release from Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Wyoming and Utah, occurred in response to high snowpack in the middle Rocky Mountains. This was the third highest recorded discharge along the Green River downstream of Flaming Gorge Dam, Utah, since its initial closure in November 1962 and motivated a research effort to document effects of these flows on channel morphology and sedimentology at four long-term monitoring sites within the Canyon of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah. Data collected in September 2011 included raft-based bathymetric surveys, ground-based surveys of banks, channel cross sections and vegetation-plot locations, sand-bar stratigraphy, and painted rock recovery on gravel bars. As part of this surveying effort, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data were collected at benchmarks on the canyon rim and along the river corridor to establish a high-resolution survey control network. This survey control network allows for the collection of repeatable spatial and elevation data necessary for high accuracy geomorphic change detection. Nearly 10,000 ground survey points and more than 20,000 bathymetric points (at 1-meter resolution) were collected over a 5-day field campaign, allowing for the construction of reach-scale digital elevation models (DEMs). Additionally, we evaluated long-term geomorphic change at these sites using repeat topographic surveys of eight monumented cross sections at each of the four sites. Analysis of DEMs and channel cross sections show a spatially variable pattern of erosion and deposition, both within and between reaches. As much as 5 meters of scour occurred in pools downstream from flow constrictions, especially in channel segments where gravel bars were absent. By contrast, some channel cross sections were stable during the 2011 floods, and have shown almost no change in over a decade of monitoring. Partial mobility of gravel bars occurred, and although in some locations

  20. Montane conifer fuel dynamics, Yosemite National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    van Wagtendonk, J.W.; Moore, P.E.

    1997-01-01

    Litter and woody fuel accumulation rates over 7 years for 7 montane Sierra Nevada conifer species, including giant sequoia, ponderosa pine, sugar pine, Jeffrey pine, incense-cedar and white fir. Data are from four sites per size class per species with four size classes each. Nonspatial, georeferenced.

  1. 36 CFR 7.16 - Yosemite National Park.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... eating and drinking establishments and sale of food and drink. (1) No restaurant, coffee shop, cafeteria, short order cafe, lunch room, tavern, sandwich stand, soda fountain, or other eating and drinking... right of inspection at all reasonable times for the purpose of ascertaining whether eating and drinking...

  2. 36 CFR 7.16 - Yosemite National Park.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... eating and drinking establishments and sale of food and drink. (1) No restaurant, coffee shop, cafeteria, short order cafe, lunch room, tavern, sandwich stand, soda fountain, or other eating and drinking... right of inspection at all reasonable times for the purpose of ascertaining whether eating and drinking...

  3. 36 CFR 7.16 - Yosemite National Park.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... eating and drinking establishments and sale of food and drink. (1) No restaurant, coffee shop, cafeteria, short order cafe, lunch room, tavern, sandwich stand, soda fountain, or other eating and drinking... right of inspection at all reasonable times for the purpose of ascertaining whether eating and drinking...

  4. 36 CFR 7.16 - Yosemite National Park.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... eating and drinking establishments and sale of food and drink. (1) No restaurant, coffee shop, cafeteria, short order cafe, lunch room, tavern, sandwich stand, soda fountain, or other eating and drinking... right of inspection at all reasonable times for the purpose of ascertaining whether eating and drinking...

  5. 36 CFR 7.16 - Yosemite National Park.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... eating and drinking establishments and sale of food and drink. (1) No restaurant, coffee shop, cafeteria, short order cafe, lunch room, tavern, sandwich stand, soda fountain, or other eating and drinking... right of inspection at all reasonable times for the purpose of ascertaining whether eating and drinking...

  6. 78 FR 39583 - Fisheries in the Western Pacific; Fishing in the Marianas Trench, Pacific Remote Islands, and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-02

    ... Remote Islands, and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS... Marianas Trench, Pacific Remote Islands, and Rose Atoll Marine National Monuments. These are [[Page 39584...

  7. Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Coronado National Memorial

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Powell, Brian F.; Swann, Don E.; Halvorson, William L.

    2007-01-01

    We conducted inventories for amphibians and reptiles, birds, and mammals; and summarized past inventories for vascular plants at Coronado National Memorial (NM) in Arizona. We used our data as well as data from previous research to compile species lists for the memorial, assess inventory completeness, and make suggestions on future monitoring efforts. There have been 940 species of plants and vertebrates recorded at Coronado NM (Table 1), of which 46 (5%) are non-native. The species richness of the memorial is one of the highest in the Sonoran Desert Network of park units, third only to park units that are two and one-half (Chiricahua National Monument), 19 (Saguaro National Park) and 70 (Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument) times larger in area. The high species diversities are due to the large elevational gradient, overlap of bigeographical regions, wide range of geology and soils, and diverse vegetation communities present at the memorial. Changes in species composition have occurred at the memorial over the last 20 years in all major taxonomic groups. These changes are likely due to increases in grassy plant species (both native and non-native) at the lower elevations of the memorial. We suspect that grassy plant cover has increased because of changes in grazing intensity, introduction of some non-native species, and a recent fire. All recent vertebrate inventories have yielded grassland obligate species not previously recorded at the memorial. Based on the review of past studies, we believe the inventory for most taxa, except bats, is nearly complete, though some rare or elusive species will likely be added with additional survey effort.

  8. Biological and Management Implications of Fire-Pathogen Interactions in the Giant Sequoia Ecosystem

    Treesearch

    Douglas D. Piirto; John R. Parmeter; Fields W. Cobb; Kevin L. Piper; Amy C. Workinger; William J. Otrosina

    1998-01-01

    An overriding management goal for national parks is the maintenance or, where necessary, the restoration of natural ecological processes. In Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks, there is concern about the effects of fire suppression on the giant sequoia-mixed conifer forest ecosystem. The National Park Service is currently using prescribed fire management...

  9. Optical, Physical and Chemical Properties of Tar Balls Observed During the Yosemite Aerosol Characterization Study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hand, Jenny L.; Malm, W. C.; Laskin, Alexander

    2005-11-09

    The Yosemite Aerosol Characterization Study of summer 2002 (YACS) occurred during an active fire season in the western U. S., and provided an opportunity to investigate many unresolved issues related to the radiative effects of biomass burning aerosols. Single particle analysis was performed on field collected aerosol samples using an array of electron microscopy techniques. Amorphous carbon spheres, or “tar balls”, were present in samples collected during episodes of high particle light scattering coefficients that occurred during the peak of a smoke/haze event. The highest concentrations of light-absorbing carbon from a dual-wavelength aethalometer (λ = 370 and 880 nm) occurredmore » during periods when the particles were predominantly tar balls, indicating they do absorb light in the UV and near-IR range of the solar spectrum. Closure experiments of mass concentrations and light scattering coefficients during periods dominated by tar balls did not require any distinct assumptions of organic carbon molecular weight correction factors, density, or refractive index compared to periods dominated by other types of organic carbon aerosols. Measurements of the hygroscopic behavior of tar balls using an environmental SEM indicate that tar balls do not exhibit deliquescence, but do uptake some water at high (~83 %) relative humidity. The ability of tar balls to efficiently scatter and absorb light, and to absorb water has important implications for their role in regional haze and climate fence.« less

  10. Extent of endocrine disruption in fish of western and Alaskan National Parks

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Schreck, Carl B.; Kent, Michael

    2013-01-01

    In 2008 2009, 998 fish were collected from 43 water bodies across 11 western Alaskan national parks and analyzed for reproductive abnormalities. Exposure to estrogenic substances such as pesticides can induce abnormalities like intersex. Results suggest there is a greater propensity for male intersex fish collected from parks located in the Rocky Mountains, and specifically in Rocky Mountain NP. Individual male intersex fish were also identified at Lassen Volcanic, Yosemite, and WrangellSt. Elias NPs. The preliminary finding of female intersex was determined to be a false positive. The overall goal of this project was to assess the general health of fish from eleven western national parks to infer whether health impacts may be linked to contaminant health thresholds for animal andor human health. This was accomplished by evaluating the presence of intersex fish with eggs developing in male gonads or sperm developing in female gonads using histology. In addition, endocrine disrupting compounds and other contaminants were quantified in select specimens. General histologic appearance of the gonadal tissue and spleen were observed to assess health.

  11. April 2009 Abruzzo earthquake. Multisensor approach for the seismic rehabilitation of monuments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masini, Nicola; Cifani, Giandomenico; Gabellone, Francesco; Geraldi, Edoardo; Gizzi, Fabrizio T.; Lapenna, Vincenzo; Liberatore, Domenico; Piscitelli, Sabatino; Pignatti, Stefano; Soldovieri, Francesco

    2010-05-01

    The widespread presence of movable and immoveable high cultural value assets make crucial the necessity of their protection, especially in order to mitigate the vulnerability to extreme environmental events, such as the seismic one. The latter represents the environmental risk factor which affect more than other environmental events the cultural heritage because of the big concentration of monuments and archaeological resources in several seismogenetic areas of the Mediterranean Basin, Middle East, South and Central America. Protecting monumental heritage, historical centres and archaeological sites from the effects of devastating earthquakes has been the focus of scientific and engineering endeavour for more than 50 years. Each earthquake not only provides additional information from the seismological point of view but it also stimulates effort to develop new and more advanced operative intervention strategies for the ready protection and restoration of damaged artefacts and structures of cultural value. Focusing our attention of Italian earthquakes, if the 1993 Umbria and Marche earthquake favoured a re-thinking of some repairing and rehabilitation techniques based on the use of reinforced concrete, the last earthquake occurred in Abruzzo on april 2009 allowed to improve the techniques for ready intervention and the procedures of evaluation of the seismic damage of churches and palaces. In such context, a significant effort has been undertaken in the experiencing of integrated approaches based on the use of different sensors and methods for the imaging of subsurface geological structures, the characterization of the mechanical behaviour of structures and the analysis of the state of decay of stone materials and frescoes. This papers deals with the results obtained by means of a multisensor approach performed to support effective and compatible interventions of restoration on a medieval architectural complex near L'Aquila. In particular, the following diagnostic

  12. Airborne Measurements and Emission Estimates of Greenhouse Gases and Other Trace Constituents From the 2013 California Yosemite Rim Wildfire

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yates, E. L.; Iraci, L. T.; Singh, H. B.; Tanaka, T.; Roby, M. C.; Hamill, P.; Clements, C. B.; Lareau, N.; Contezac, J.; Blake, D. R.; hide

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents airborne measurements of multiple atmospheric trace constituents including greenhouse gases (such as CO2, CH4, O3) and biomass burning tracers (such as CO, CH3CN) downwind of an exceptionally large wildfire. In summer 2013, the Rim wildfire, ignited just west of the Yosemite National Park, California, and burned over 250,000 acres of the forest during the 2-month period (17 August to 24 October) before it was extinguished. The Rim wildfire plume was intercepted by flights carried out by the NASA Ames Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) on 29 August and the NASA DC-8, as part of SEAC4RS (Studies of Emissions, Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys), on 26 and 27 August during its intense, primary burning period. AJAX revisited the wildfire on 10 September when the conditions were increasingly smoldering, with slower growth. The more extensive payload of the DC-8 helped to bridge key measurements that were not available as part of AJAX (e. g. CO). Data analyses are presented in terms of emission ratios (ER), emission factors (EF) and combustion efficiency and are compared with previous wildfire studies. ERs were 8.0 ppb CH4/(ppm CO2) on 26 August, 6.5 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)1 on 29 August and 18.3 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)1 on 10 September 2013. The increase in CH4 ER from 6.5 to 8.0 ppb CH4/(ppm CO2) during the primary burning period to 18.3 ppb CH4/(ppm CO2) during the fire's slower growth period likely indicates enhanced CH4 emissions from increased smoldering combustion relative to flaming combustion. Given the magnitude of the Rim wildfire, the impacts it had on regional air quality and the limited sampling of wildfire emissions in the western United States to date, this study provides a valuable dataset to support forestry and regional air quality management, including observations of ERs of a wide number of species from the Rim wildfire.

  13. Educational use of 3D models and photogrammetry content: the Europeana space project for Cypriot UNESCO monuments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ioannides, M.; Chatzigrigoriou, P.; Bokolas, V.; Nikolakopoulou, V.; Athanasiou, V.

    2016-08-01

    Digital heritage data are now more accessible through crowdsourcing platforms, social media and blogs. At the same time, evolving technology on 3D modelling, laser scanning and 3D reconstruction is constantly upgrading and multiplying the information that we can use from heritage digitalisation. The question of reusing the information in different aspects rises. Educators and students are potential users of the digital content; developing for them an adaptable environment for applications and services is our challenge. One of the main objective of the EU Europeana Space project is the development of a holistic approach for educating people (grown ups and kids) on Monuments that are listed at UNESCO world heritage list, in Cyprus. The challenge was the use of Europeana Data (Pictures and the 3D objects) in a way that the information on the platform would be comprehensible by the users. Most of the data have little metadata information and they lack history and cultural value description (semantics). The proposed model ction is based on the cross cultural approach which responds to the multicultural features of present era but at the same time to the contemporary pedagogical and methodological directions. The system uses all innovative digital heritage resources, in order to help the user, in a UX friendly way, to learn about the different phases of the monument, the history, the pathology state, the architectural value and the conservation stage. The result is a responsive platform, accessible through smart devices and desktop computers, (in the frame of "Bring Your Own Device" a.k.a. BYOD) where every Monument is a different course and every course is addressed to different age groups (from elementary level to adults' vocational training).

  14. Description and User Manual for a Web-Based Interface to a Transit-Loss Accounting Program for Monument and Fountain Creeks, El Paso and Pueblo Counties, Colorado

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kuhn, Gerhard; Krammes, Gary S.; Beal, Vivian J.

    2007-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs Utilities, the Colorado Water Conservation Board, and the El Paso County Water Authority, began a study in 2004 with the following objectives: (1) Apply a stream-aquifer model to Monument Creek, (2) use the results of the modeling to develop a transit-loss accounting program for Monument Creek, (3) revise an existing accounting program for Fountain Creek to easily incorporate ongoing and future changes in management of return flows of reusable water, and (4) integrate the two accounting programs into a single program and develop a Web-based interface to the integrated program that incorporates simple and reliable data entry that is automated to the fullest extent possible. This report describes the results of completing objectives (2), (3), and (4) of that study. The accounting program for Monument Creek was developed first by (1) using the existing accounting program for Fountain Creek as a prototype, (2) incorporating the transit-loss results from a stream-aquifer modeling analysis of Monument Creek, and (3) developing new output reports. The capabilities of the existing accounting program for Fountain Creek then were incorporated into the program for Monument Creek and the output reports were expanded to include Fountain Creek. A Web-based interface to the new transit-loss accounting program then was developed that provided automated data entry. An integrated system of 34 nodes and 33 subreaches was integrated by combining the independent node and subreach systems used in the previously completed stream-aquifer modeling studies for the Monument and Fountain Creek reaches. Important operational criteria that were implemented in the new transit-loss accounting program for Monument and Fountain Creeks included the following: (1) Retain all the reusable water-management capabilities incorporated into the existing accounting program for Fountain Creek; (2) enable daily accounting and transit

  15. 78 FR 77165 - Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Monument Butte Area Oil...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-12-20

    ... implemented. Based on the foregoing documents and a review of information from the Utah Division of Oil, Gas... Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Monument Butte Area Oil and Gas Development..., and cumulative environmental impacts of a proposal to develop oil and natural gas in Duchesne and...

  16. Characterization of water quality and suspended sediment during cold-season flows, warm-season flows, and stormflows in the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds, Colorado, 2007–2015

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Miller, Lisa D.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.

    2017-09-01

    From 2007 through 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, conducted a study in the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds, Colorado, to characterize surface-water quality and suspended-sediment conditions for three different streamflow regimes with an emphasis on characterizing water quality during storm runoff. Data collected during this study were used to evaluate the effects of stormflows and wastewater-treatment effluent discharge on Fountain and Monument Creeks in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, area. Water-quality samples were collected at 2 sites on Upper Fountain Creek, 2 sites on Monument Creek, 3 sites on Lower Fountain Creek, and 13 tributary sites during 3 flow regimes: cold-season flow (November–April), warm-season flow (May–October), and stormflow from 2007 through 2015. During 2015, additional samples were collected and analyzed for Escherichia coli (E. coli) during dry weather conditions at 41 sites, located in E. coli impaired stream reaches, to help identify source areas and scope of the impairment.Concentrations of E. coli, total arsenic, and dissolved copper, selenium, and zinc in surface-water samples were compared to Colorado in-stream standards. Stormflow concentrations of E. coli frequently exceeded the recreational use standard of 126 colonies per 100 milliliters at main-stem and tributary sites by more than an order of magnitude. Even though median E. coli concentrations in warm-season flow samples were lower than median concentrations in storm-flow samples, the water quality standard for E. coli was still exceeded at most main-stem sites and many tributary sites during warm-season flows. Six samples (three warm-season flow and three stormflow samples) collected from Upper Fountain Creek, upstream from the confluence of Monument Creek, and two stormflow samples collected from Lower Fountain Creek, downstream from the confluence with Monument Creek, exceeded the acute water

  17. Integration of New Methods in Soils and Geomorphology Applied to Cultural Resources Management on Military Lands. Geoarchaeology Workshop

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-10-01

    unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 on the cover A petroglyph (rock art) in the Agua Fria National Monument...Fluorescence Petroglyphs can be found throughout the 71,000 acres that make up the Agua Fria National Monument. Photo credit: Bureau of Land Management...Andy DoD-Navy NAVFAC SW – SCIR Young, Craig Contractor Far Western Anthropological Research Group Big Rocks in the Agua Fria National Monument

  18. In View of Current and Future Fiscal Restraints and the Need for Efficiency and Joint Operations, What Is the Army’s Primary Role in Defense Support to Civil Authorities During Homeland Disaster and Emergency Events

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-13

    Army forces provide other designated support for DSCA. Army support to national events such as Olympics , inaugurations, or state funerals are...wildfires continued to rage around Yosemite National Park , the National Guard deployed an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to assist the site commander. The...Studies by AYOKUNLE O. OLADIPOFANYI, MAJOR, U.S. ARMY B.S., Park University, Parkville, Missouri, 2006 Fort Leavenworth

  19. 41 CFR 102-75.450 - What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic monument?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What type of property is... Historic Monuments § 102-75.450 What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic... Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT...

  20. 41 CFR 102-75.450 - What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic monument?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What type of property is... Historic Monuments § 102-75.450 What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic... Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT...

  1. 41 CFR 102-75.450 - What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic monument?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false What type of property is... Historic Monuments § 102-75.450 What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic... Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT...

  2. 41 CFR 102-75.450 - What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic monument?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false What type of property is... Historic Monuments § 102-75.450 What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic... Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT...

  3. 41 CFR 102-75.450 - What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic monument?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false What type of property is... Historic Monuments § 102-75.450 What type of property is suitable or desirable for use as a historic... Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT...

  4. Groundwater resources of the Devils Postpile National Monument—Current conditions and future vulnerabilities

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Evans, William C.; Bergfeld, Deborah

    2017-06-15

    This study presents an extensive database on groundwater conditions in and around Devils Postpile National Monument. The database contains chemical analyses of springs and the monument water-supply well, including major-ion chemistry, trace element chemistry, and the first information on a list of organic compounds known as emerging contaminants. Diurnal, seasonal, and annual variations in groundwater discharge and chemistry are evaluated from data collected at five main monitoring sites, where streams carry the aggregate flow from entire groups of springs. These springs drain the Mammoth Mountain area and, during the fall months, contribute a significant fraction of the San Joaquin River flow within the monument. The period of this study, from fall 2012 to fall 2015, includes some of the driest years on record, though the seasonal variability observed in 2013 might have been near normal. The spring-fed streams generally flowed at rates well below those observed during a sequence of wet years in the late 1990s. However, persistence of flow and reasonably stable water chemistry through the recent dry years are indicative of a sizeable groundwater system that should provide a reliable resource during similar droughts in the future. Only a few emerging contaminants were detected at trace levels below 1 microgram per liter (μg/L), suggesting that local human visitation is not degrading groundwater quality. No indication of salt from the ski area on the north side of Mammoth Mountain could be found in any of the groundwaters. Chemical data instead show that natural mineral water, such as that discharged from local soda springs, is the main source of anomalous chloride in the monument supply well and in the San Joaquin River. The results of the study are used to develop a set of recommendations for future monitoring to enable detection of deleterious impacts to groundwater quality and quantity

  5. 75 FR 52019 - Notice of Inventory Completion: University of Colorado Museum, Boulder, CO

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-08-24

    ... close to present-day Dinosaur National Monument. However, catalogue records suggest that the human... holdings were later added to Dinosaur National Monument. There is a clear gift agreement from Charlie...

  6. Selected hydrologic data for Fountain Creek and Monument Creek basins, east-central Colorado

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kuhn, Gerhard; Ortiz, Roderick F.

    1989-01-01

    Selected hydrologic data were collected during 1986, 1987, and 1988 by the U.S. Geological Survey for the Fountain Creek and Monument Creek basins, east-central Colorado. The data were obtained as part of a study to determine the present and projected effects of wastewater discharges on the two creeks. The data, which are available for 129 surface-water sites, include: (1) About 1,100 water quality analyses; (2) about 420 measurements of discharge, (3) characteristics of about 50 dye clouds associated with measurements of traveltime and reaeration , and (4) about 360 measurements of channel geometry. (USGS)

  7. The Geologic Story of Arches National Park

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lohman, Stanley William

    1975-01-01

    According to former Superintendent Bates Wilson (1956), Prof. Lawrence M. Gould, of the University of Michigan, was the first to recognize the geologic and scenic values of the Arches area in eastern Utah and to urge its creation as a national monument. Mrs. Faun McConkie Tanner told me that Professor Gould, who had done a thesis problem in the nearby La Sal Mountains, was first taken through the area by Marv Turnbow, third owner of Wolfe cabin. (See p. 12.) When Professor Gould went into ecstasy over the beautiful scenery, Turnbow replied, 'I didn't know there was anything unusual about it.'

  8. Images Show Severity of California Drought

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2014-07-23

    The effects of California severe multiyear drought are seen in this pair of images acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft of the area northeast of Madera, in the Sierra Nevada Moutains foothills between Yosemite National Park and the San Joaquin Valley

  9. Earth Observation taken during the Expedition 36 mission

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2013-08-24

    ISS036-E-035683 (24 Aug. 2013) --- One of the Expedition 36 crew members aboard the International Space Station used a 50mm lens to record this image of massive wildfires in and around California's Yosemite National Park on Aug. 24.

  10. 36 CFR 264.13 - Unauthorized use.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... MANAGEMENT Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Symbol § 264.13 Unauthorized use. Except as provided... St. Helens National Volcanic Monument may be subject to criminal penalty under 18 U.S.C. 701. ...

  11. 77 FR 28619 - Notice of Public Meetings, Twin Falls District Resource Advisory Council, Idaho

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-15

    ... District Resource Advisory Council will tour Craters of the Moon National Monument area, following a public... members will tour the Craters of the Moon National Monument area to view the process being used by staff...

  12. 36 CFR 264.11 - Use of symbol.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... MANAGEMENT Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Symbol § 264.11 Use of symbol. Except as provided in § 264.12, use of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument official symbol, including a facsimile...

  13. Seismic and Restoration Assessment of Monumental Masonry Structures

    PubMed Central

    Asteris, Panagiotis G.; Douvika, Maria G.; Apostolopoulou, Maria; Moropoulou, Antonia

    2017-01-01

    Masonry structures are complex systems that require detailed knowledge and information regarding their response under seismic excitations. Appropriate modelling of a masonry structure is a prerequisite for a reliable earthquake-resistant design and/or assessment. However, modelling a real structure with a robust quantitative (mathematical) representation is a very difficult, complex and computationally-demanding task. The paper herein presents a new stochastic computational framework for earthquake-resistant design of masonry structural systems. The proposed framework is based on the probabilistic behavior of crucial parameters, such as material strength and seismic characteristics, and utilizes fragility analysis based on different failure criteria for the masonry material. The application of the proposed methodology is illustrated in the case of a historical and monumental masonry structure, namely the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of the Kaisariani Monastery, a byzantine church that was built in Athens, Greece, at the end of the 11th to the beginning of the 12th century. Useful conclusions are drawn regarding the effectiveness of the intervention techniques used for the reduction of the vulnerability of the case-study structure, by means of comparison of the results obtained. PMID:28767073

  14. Seismic and Restoration Assessment of Monumental Masonry Structures.

    PubMed

    Asteris, Panagiotis G; Douvika, Maria G; Apostolopoulou, Maria; Moropoulou, Antonia

    2017-08-02

    Masonry structures are complex systems that require detailed knowledge and information regarding their response under seismic excitations. Appropriate modelling of a masonry structure is a prerequisite for a reliable earthquake-resistant design and/or assessment. However, modelling a real structure with a robust quantitative (mathematical) representation is a very difficult, complex and computationally-demanding task. The paper herein presents a new stochastic computational framework for earthquake-resistant design of masonry structural systems. The proposed framework is based on the probabilistic behavior of crucial parameters, such as material strength and seismic characteristics, and utilizes fragility analysis based on different failure criteria for the masonry material. The application of the proposed methodology is illustrated in the case of a historical and monumental masonry structure, namely the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of the Kaisariani Monastery, a byzantine church that was built in Athens, Greece, at the end of the 11th to the beginning of the 12th century. Useful conclusions are drawn regarding the effectiveness of the intervention techniques used for the reduction of the vulnerability of the case-study structure, by means of comparison of the results obtained.

  15. Amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) in coastal and montane California, USA Anurans

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fellers, Gary M.; Cole, Rebecca A.; Reinitz, David M.; Kleeman, Patrick M.

    2011-01-01

    We found amphibian chytrid fungus (Bd = Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) to be widespread within a coastalwatershed at Point Reyes National Seashore, California and within two high elevation watersheds at Yosemite NationalPark, California. Bd was associated with all six species that we sampled (Bufo boreas, B. canorus, Pseudacris regilla, Ranadraytonii, R. sierrae, and Lithobates catesbeianus). For those species sampled at 10 or more sites within a watershed, thepercentage of Bd-positive sites varied from a low of 20.7% for P. regilla at one Yosemite watershed to a high of 79.6% forP. regilla at the Olema watershed at Point Reyes. At Olema, the percent of Bd-positive water bodies declined each year ofour study (2005-2007). Because P. regilla was the only species found in all watersheds, we used that species to evaluatehabitat variables related to the sites where P. regilla was Bd-positive. At Olema, significant variables were year, length ofshoreline (perimeter), percentage cover of rooted vegetation, and water depth. At the two Yosemite watersheds, waterdepth, water temperature, and silt/mud were the most important covariates, though the importance of these three factorsdiffered between the two watersheds. The presence of Bd in species that are not declining suggests that some of theamphibians in our study were innately resistant to Bd, or had developed resistance after Bd became established.

  16. Characterization of Stormflows and Wastewater Treatment-Plant Effluent Discharges on Water Quality, Suspended Sediment, and Stream Morphology for Fountain and Monument Creek Watersheds, Colorado, 1981-2006

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Mau, David P.; Stogner, Sr., Robert W.; Edelmann, Patrick

    2007-01-01

    In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, began a study of the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds to characterize water quality and suspended-sediment conditions in the watershed for different flow regimes, with an emphasis on characterizing water quality during storm runoff. Water-quality and suspended-sediment samples were collected in the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds from 1981 through 2006 to evaluate the effects of stormflows and wastewater-treatment effluent on Fountain and Monument Creeks in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, area. Water-quality data were collected at 11 sites between 1981 and 2001, and 14 tributary sites were added in 2003 to increase spatial coverage and characterize water quality throughout the watersheds. Suspended-sediment samples collected daily at 7 sites from 1998 through 2001, 6 sites daily from 2003 through 2006, and 13 tributary sites intermittently from 2003 through 2006 were used to evaluate the effects of stormflow on suspended-sediment concentrations, discharges, and yields. Data were separated into three flow regimes: base flow, normal flow, and stormflow. Stormflow concentrations from 1998 through 2006 were compared to Colorado acute instream standards and, with the exception of a few isolated cases, did not exceed water-quality standards for inorganic constituents that were analyzed. However, stormflow concentrations of both fecal coliform and Escherichia coli (E. coli) frequently exceeded water-quality standards during 1998 through 2006 on main-stem and tributary sites by more than an order of magnitude. There were two sites on Cottonwood Creek, a tributary to Monument Creek, with elevated concentrations of dissolved nitrite plus nitrate: site 07103985 (TbCr), a tributary to Cottonwood Creek and site 07103990 (lower_CoCr), downstream from site 07103985 (TbCr), and near the confluence with Monument Creek. During base-flow and normal-flow conditions, the median

  17. Airborne measurements and emission estimates of greenhouse gases and other trace constituents from the 2013 California Yosemite Rim wildfire

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yates, E. L.; Iraci, L. T.; Singh, H. B.; Tanaka, T.; Roby, M. C.; Hamill, P.; Clements, C. B.; Lareau, N.; Contezac, J.; Blake, D. R.; Simpson, I. J.; Wisthaler, A.; Mikoviny, T.; Diskin, G. S.; Beyersdorf, A. J.; Choi, Y.; Ryerson, T. B.; Jimenez, J. L.; Campuzano-Jost, P.; Loewenstein, M.; Gore, W.

    2016-02-01

    This paper presents airborne measurements of multiple atmospheric trace constituents including greenhouse gases (such as CO2, CH4, O3) and biomass burning tracers (such as CO, CH3CN) downwind of an exceptionally large wildfire. In summer 2013, the Rim wildfire, ignited just west of the Yosemite National Park, California, and burned over 250,000 acres of the forest during the 2-month period (17 August to 24 October) before it was extinguished. The Rim wildfire plume was intercepted by flights carried out by the NASA Ames Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) on 29 August and the NASA DC-8, as part of SEAC4RS (Studies of Emissions, Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys), on 26 and 27 August during its intense, primary burning period. AJAX revisited the wildfire on 10 September when the conditions were increasingly smoldering, with slower growth. The more extensive payload of the DC-8 helped to bridge key measurements that were not available as part of AJAX (e. g. CO). Data analyses are presented in terms of emission ratios (ER), emission factors (EF) and combustion efficiency and are compared with previous wildfire studies. ERs were 8.0 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 on 26 August, 6.5 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 on 29 August and 18.3 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 on 10 September 2013. The increase in CH4 ER from 6.5 to 8.0 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 during the primary burning period to 18.3 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 during the fire's slower growth period likely indicates enhanced CH4 emissions from increased smoldering combustion relative to flaming combustion. Given the magnitude of the Rim wildfire, the impacts it had on regional air quality and the limited sampling of wildfire emissions in the western United States to date, this study provides a valuable dataset to support forestry and regional air quality management, including observations of ERs of a wide number of species from the Rim wildfire.

  18. The Baroque monuments of Modica (Eastern Sicily): assessment of causes of chromatic alteration of stone building materials

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Belfiore, Cristina M.; La Russa, Mauro F.; Pezzino, Antonino; Campani, Elisa; Casoli, Antonella

    2010-09-01

    The Baroque monuments of several cities in eastern Sicily, built of local calcarenitic stone, are often subjected to conservation treatments, since they undergo many forms of alteration and degradation which can cause significant damage. However, a recent study of these building materials (Barone et al. in Environ. Geol. 54:1501, 2008) has demonstrated that some protective products, once applied, cause irreversible chromatic alterations. The façades of the monuments of the historic city centre of Modica are typically creamy yellow in colour, sometimes varying slightly due to the use of various pigments, such as clayey and gypseous earths (La Russa et al. in Appl. Phys. A 92:185, 2008). However, in some cases, these nuances are lost due to the application of protective products. This work provides a petrographic and colorimetric characterisation of the calcarenitic stone used to create the façades of the churches of S. Pietro, S. Maria del Soccorso and S. Maria dell’Annunziata in Modica, also by comparisons with locally quarried samples. In addition, it aims to identify protective substances which may have been used during previous restoration work. Analytical techniques included polarising optical microscopy, spectrophotometric colorimetric tests, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS).

  19. Atmospheric composition and micro-climate in the Alhambra monument, Granada (Spain), in the context of preventive conservation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Horemans, B.; Schalm, O.; De Wael, K.; Cardell, C.; Van Grieken, R.

    2012-07-01

    The world famous Alhambra monument in Granada, Southern Spain, listed as UNESCO world cultural heritage since 1984, represents probably the most beautiful example of Islamic art and architecture from the Middle Ages in Europe. It is visited by ca. 2 million people annually. Granada is situated in a natural basin, surrounded by mountains with altitudes up to 3500 m. Due to this topography and the prevailing low wind speeds, pollution-derived and especially traffic-derived particulate matter often accumulates in the urban air. In order to evaluate the potential conservation risks from the surrounding air, the atmospheric composition in the Alhambra monument was evaluated. Indoor temperature and relative humidity fluctuations were evaluated for their potential degenerative effects. Furthermore, the atmospheric composition in the Alhambra was analyzed in terms of inorganic gases (NO2, SO2, O3, and NH3) and black carbon. It was found that the open architecture protected the indoor environments from developing a potentially harmful microclimate, such as the build-up of humidity resulting from the huge number of daily tourists. On the downside, the strong ventilation made the indoor air hardly different from outdoor air, as characterized by strong diurnal temperature and relative humidity gradients and high traffic-derived pollutant levels.

  20. Geologic map of the national parks in the National Capital region, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Southworth, Scott; Denenny, Danielle

    2006-01-01

    More than 51,000 acres within the National Capital Region (NCR) are administered by the National Park Service (NPS). These parks consist of parkways, trails, statues, monuments, memorials, historic sites, scenic areas, theatres, parks for performing arts, and Civil War battlefields. Although largely established for historical and cultural resources, each park is situated on a landscape that is influenced by bedrock and surficial geology of the central Appalachian mid-Atlantic region. Geologic mapping and field studies conducted for over 130 years are summarized here to provide the earliest history of the parklands. The age, type, names, and the interpreted origin of the rocks, as well as the processes active in the formation of surficial deposits and the landscape are discussed. These data are intended for educational and interpretative programs for visitors as well as the management of natural resources.