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RMNP Guide
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Written by Aaron
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Friday, 14 May 2010 16:41 |
Rocky Mountain National Park will conduct two public meetings on the Grand Ditch Breach Restoration Project the first week of June, 2010. The first meeting will be held in Grand Lake at the Grand Arts Center, 913 Park Avenue on Tuesday, June 1, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The second meeting will be held in Fort Collins at the Harmony Library, 4616 South Shields Street on Thursday, June 3, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
On May 30, 2003, the Grand Ditch, a trans-basin, water-diversion canal in the northwest corner of Rocky Mountain National Park breached its bank.
The breach saturated an adjacent hillslope which gave way, sending a massive mud- and rock-slide down into Lulu Creek and the headwaters of the
Colorado River damaging upland, stream, riparian and wetland habitat over a 1.5-mile distance and 22-acre area. The breach sent an estimated 100 cubic feet per second flow of the ditch down a steep hillside, creating a flood that sent an estimated 47,600 cubic yards of boulders, trees and sediment cascading down into Lulu Creek. Over 20,000 trees were destroyed and approximately 50 different plant species were impacted.
In 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of the National Park Service, filed a civil lawsuit against the Water Storage and Supply Company (WSSC), owners of the Grand Ditch under the terms of the Park System Resource Protection Act (PSRPA), which provides for the payment of
compensation by private parties for damages to park resources. The court case preparations continued for another two years. In May of 2008, an out of court settlement was reached in which the WSSC agreed to pay Rocky Mountain National Park $9 million dollars in damages.
Rocky Mountain National Park is beginning a multi-year process to complete an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to guide the restoration of the breach-impacted area. We will be gathering input from park staff, other agencies and the public to develop a set of alternatives for restoration of the breach-impacted area. The purpose of the restoration project will be to restore the hydrological processes, ecological services and wilderness character impacted by the 2003 Grand Ditch Breach.
Alternatives to be considered will likely include a combination of the following: Allowing natural (passive) restoration to occur where appropriate; stabilizing steep, unstable slopes with an engineered solution; removing deposited sediment and redistributing it through the impacted area or elsewhere; removing dead timber from the impacted area and/or using it in the restoration process; regrading and recontouring areas to restore
appropriate hydrologic processes; native plant restoration with appropriate, locally gathered plant materials; may require the use of motorized equipment such as chainsaws, heavy lift helicopters, and earthmoving equipment; may require temporary fencing to protect native plant restoration areas.
Major issues to be considered in this restoration planning process include short-and-long-term potential impacts to: wilderness character; geological resources; geological hazards; soundscapes; surface and groundwater hydrology; stream channel, floodplain and wetland morphology
and function; water quality; riparian and wetland communities; species of special concern (plants and animals); wildlife habitat; aquatic habitat;
visitor experience; long-term resource productivity; archeological and historical sites.
A newsletter has been prepared that details the issues identified to date. Copies of that information may be obtained from Rocky Mountain National Park’s Information Office, 1000 US Highway 36, Estes Park, Colorado 80517-8397, (970) 586-1206. Information will be available for public review online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/romo
If you wish to comment on the newsletter or on any other issues associated with the plan, you may submit your comments by any one of several methods. You may mail comments to: Grand Ditch Breach Restoration Plan, Rocky Mountain National Park, 1000 US Highway 36, Estes Park,
Colorado 80517-8397. You may also comment via the Internet at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/romo
. Finally, you may hand-deliver comments to:
Superintendent, Rocky Mountain National Park
1000 US Highway 36
Estes Park, Colorado 80517-8397
Comments submitted to the website or by mail are welcome at any time; however, they would be particularly helpful if received by June 16, 2010.
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Written by Aaron
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Wednesday, 12 May 2010 12:23 |
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This morning there was 12 to 14 inches on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park up to 9, 500 feet. Snowplow operators have not gotten above Many Parks Curve (elevation 9,620 feet) on Trail Ridge Road. There is
likely more accumulation at the higher elevations in the park. It is mostly cloudy as of 10:45 a.m.
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Written by Aaron
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Tuesday, 27 April 2010 12:48 |
(WASHINGTON, DC) -- Secretary Of the Interior Ken Salazar has appointed 12 new members to the National Park System Advisory Board. The Board, first authorized in 1935, advises the Secretary and the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) on matters relating to the Service’s work.
“The members of the Board are highly accomplished men and women whose creativity and wisdom will help us prepare for the challenges of the National Parks Service’s second hundred years,” said Secretary Salazar.
Eight of the new members previously served on the independent Second Century Commission that was charged with developing a 21st century vision for the National Park Service. In 2009 the commission submitted a
comprehensive report that included sweeping recommendations for enhancing the ability of the National Park Service to share its natural heritage with all Americans and engage them in its protection.
“The mission of the NPS is more vital than ever as we work to fulfill the promise of President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative,” added Secretary Salazar. “The issues we face today such as the economy, climate change, connecting Americans to the great outdoors, obesity, and the loss of cultural literacy are all areas that the Board can help us address.”
Members are appointed by the Secretary of the Interior for terms not to exceed four years. The new appointees are:
· Paul Bardacke, Senior Partner, Sutin, Thayer & Browne, PC, Santa
Fe, New Mexico
· Leonore Blitz, President, Leonore Blitz Consultants, Ltd.,
Washington, DC
· Prof. Linda Bilmes, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA
· Hon. Judy Burke, Mayor of Grand Lake, Colorado, Grand Lake, Co
· Milton Chen, PhD, Executive Director, The George Lucas
Foundation, Nicasio, CA
· Rita Colwell, PhD, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
· Belinda Faustinos, Executive Officer, San Gabriel and Lower Los
Angeles Rivers and Mountain Conservancy, Azusa, CA
· Carolyn Finney, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of
California, Berkeley, CA
· Ronald James, Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer, Carson
City, NV
· Hon. Tony Knowles, Former Governor of Alaska, Anchorage, AK
· Gretchen Long, Board Member, World Resources Institute, Wilson,
WY
· Margaret Wheatley, EdD, Board President, Emeritus, The Berkana
Institute, Provo, UT |
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Written by Aaron
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Thursday, 08 April 2010 12:05 |
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  Rocky Mountain National Park Superintendent Vaughn Baker announced that the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) is the recipient of the 2009 Rocky Mountain National Park Stewardship Award. The National Park Service proudly presents the Stewardship Award to outstanding individuals and organizations that contribute significantly to the stewardship of the park and the surrounding environment. CDOW was selected for this award in recognition of their cooperative efforts advancing the long term protection of Rocky Mountain National Park. The National Park Service and Colorado Division of Wildlife have worked collaboratively over the years to address a variety of issues facing the park. This successful collaboration has produced numerous benefits for park wildlife and habitat. The issues include elk and vegetation management, management of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer and elk populations, boreal toad reintroduction, and education of school children about wildlife and the outdoors. In addition, regular consultation and cooperation at the field level have helped to manage a variety of other species including greenback cutthroat trout, Colorado River cutthroat trout, lynx, wolverine, bear, moose, bighorn sheep and pika.
(The award was presented to Tom Remington, Director, Steve Yamashita, Regional Manager, and Larry Rogstad, Area Wildlife Manager at Rocky
Mountain National Park yesterday and today at the Wildlife Commission Meeting in Pueblo.) |
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Written by Aaron
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Monday, 05 April 2010 15:33 |
Bark beetles continue to be active within Rocky Mountain National Park, impacting large numbers of conifer trees. Starting in early April and ending by Memorial Day weekend, the park is planning to apply a Carbaryl based insecticide to up to 5,000 high-value trees to protect them from bark beetles. Treatment will occur in the following developed areas of the park: Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and Headquarters, Moraine Park Visitor Center, Kawuneeche Visitor Center, Aspenglen, Moraine Park, and Glacier Basin Campgrounds, Bighorn Ranger Station, McGraw Ranch, Holzwarth Historic Site, Timber Creek Campground Water Tank, Leiffer Cabin, Kaley Cottages, Lumpy Ridge Trailhead, and the east and west side park service housing areas.
Last year, nearly 5,000 trees were treated and most of these trees were not attacked by bark beetles. The total number of treated trees will be between 4,000 and 5,000, depending on site conditions. Insecticide will be applied to individual trees to repel beetle attacks. The Longs Peak
Campground will remain chemical free for this year.
The park is also treating up to 300 high value limber pine trees within front country and designated wilderness with verbenone pheromone packets to minimize infestation from bark beetles. Limber pine trees in the park are currently at risk of mountain pine beetle infestation and infection from white pine blister rust. Research is being conducted to identify if any limber pine trees within the park are resistant to white pine blister rust.
The park’s priorities for mitigation of the effects of beetles are focused on removing hazard trees and hazard fuels related to the protection of life and property. For several years, Rocky Mountain National Park has had a proactive bark beetle management program. As of fall 2009, bark beetles
were considered at epidemic levels on the west side of the park and in outbreak status on the east side. In 2010, the park will continue its mitigation efforts, including spraying, removal of hazard trees, prescribed burns, utilizing the air curtain burner, pheromone treatments and
implementing temporary closures in a variety of park locations.
Rocky Mountain National Park will continue to mitigate hazard trees through tree removal at locations throughout the park. Park staff and contracted resources will conduct hazard tree mitigation throughout the year. Planned project sites include: Aspenglen Campground, Moraine Park Campground, Glacier Basin Campground, Longs Peak Campground, the Wild Basin area, Old Fall River Road, Grand Lake Lodge Road, Kawuneeche Visitor Center, Green Mountain Trailhead, Onahu Trailhead, Beaver Creek Picnic Area, Beaver Ponds Picnic Area, Coyote Valley Trailhead, Bowen/Baker Trailhead, Shadow Mountain Lookout, Holzwarth Historic Site, Colorado River Trailhead, Timber Lake Trailhead, Grand County Roads 49 and 491, Colorado River District Boundary Power Lines, Trail Ridge Road Corridor in the Colorado River District, park housing and headquarters areas. Tree removals vary from site to site and temporary site closures can be expected at smaller sites to facilitate safe and efficient project completion. More detailed information will be provided on the Trail Ridge Road Corridor Project. Park staff are focused on minimizing any delays or inconveniences associated with hazard tree removal and providing a safe environment for visitors. Material disposal will involve piles for future burning and consolidation at designated sites for future utilization including firewood collection permits. More information on utilization will be available in the summer of 2010.
For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park please contact the park’s information office at (970) 586-1206 or visit the park’s website
section on forest health at http://www.nps.gov/romo/naturescience/forest_health.htm |
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