Geologic Resources Division 2001 Annual Report

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Geologic Resources Division 2001 Annual Report National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center Geologic Resources Division 2001 Annual Report ◆ Geologic Resources Division 1999-2000 Report Geologic Resources Division 2001 Annual Report Geologic Resources Division Denver, Colorado U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC NPS D-2268, October 2002 Cover: Canyonlands National Park, photo by John Burghardt Opposite: Glacier National Park, photo by Deanna Greco. i National Park Service ◆ Bifrost room, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, photo by Ronal C. Kerbo. ii ◆ Geologic Resources Division 1999-2000 Report CONTENTS ◆ Comments from the Division Chief.......1 The Division refines its GPRA connections.......2 Challenge Shifting sands: The challenges of managing NPS coastal resources.......5 SEGSA marine and coastal science and sediments session.......5 Cave and karst coordination.......6 The challenge to protect paleontological resources in the Park Service.......8 The Geologic Resources Inventory.......9 Geology outreach - Earth Science Week 2001 .......11 Science Based Management/Professionalization Days in the life of a mineral examiner in Denali National Park and Preserve.......13 Gravel planning progress pays off in Alaska and Pacific West Parks.......14 Rock mechanics assessment: Geohazards & risk.......15 Contaminants Technical Advisory Group assists parks on oil and gas site cleanups.......16 Survey of NPS paleontology needs and paleontology resource inventory initiative.......17 Reflecting on the GIP program's successes and needs: A one year summary .......18 Natural resources law & policy course for superintendents.......19 Fair market value for mineral rights: The action behind the scenes.......19 Inventory and monitoring of geothermal resources becomes a hot issue.......20 Resource Protection 2001 Minerals management program highlights.......23 Shi Shi beach: A case study underscoring the importance of verifying mineral ownership.......26 Special thanks to the Solicitor's Office.......27 Enforcement action in the oil patch: Case study of Premium at Big Thicket.......28 Fossils in the NPS: The big picture.......29 Dredging and disposal in park waters - A policy issue that surfaced in 2001.......30 The new energy boom - How do we protect NPS resources and values?.......31 New Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument takes gravel-planning lessons from the Division.......32 Oil and gas management planning update.......33 Restoration Disturbed lands restoration & abandoned mineral lands reclamation programs.......35 Division spearheads NRPC restoration group.......37 First steps towards dam removal, Lassen Volcanic National Park.......38 Geomorphology and human activities.......39 Flood damage assessment at New River Gorge National River .......40 iii National Park Service ◆ Collaboration 2001 Geologic Society of America annual convention.......43 GSA field trip at Cape Cod National Seashore.......43 GeoScientists-in-the-Parks sponsored positions in 2001.......44 National Cave and Karst Research Institute-progress and activities .......45 The NPS partnership with the Association of American State Geologists.......46 Speleological volunteers aid the NPS.......47 National Park Service/United States Geological Survey partnership advances park resource management.......48 Park Assistance Division park assistance listing.......51 Alaska Region.......51 Intermountain Region.......51 Midwest Region.......53 National Capitol Region.......54 Northeast Region.......54 Pacific West Region.......54 Southeast Region.......56 Servicewide.......56 Geologic Resources Division staff profiles.......59 Organization and addresses.......63 iv ◆ Geologic Resources Division 2001 Report Comments from the Division Chief agendas, as well as geologic inventories and education- by: David B. Shaver related efforts. The Challenge increase also provided funding for two additional disturbed lands restoration specialists/ It is indeed a pleasure to introduce the 2001 Geologic geomorphologists in the Division, and a significant increase Resources Division Annual Report. As you look through the in funding for park projects through the Natural Resources report and read the particular items, I think you'll agree that Preservation Program account. The on-the-ground project 2001 was a good year for the accomplishments of this program were noteworthy and are Division. The year saw described in the Restoration Section of this report. significant growth and development in the The Science Based Management Section includes articles Division's "new" program about selected cases where the Division's professional staff areas, such as coastal provided technical geoscience and policy or regulatory resources, paleontology, and assistance to NPS field staff in carrying out complex park disturbed lands restoration. projects. These cases are broad-ranging from hands-on This progress was a direct fieldwork (such as rock mechanics and placement of geolo- result of new staff capabili- gists in parks) to involvement in park planning to very ties added in late FY2000 specialized expertise areas (such as mining claim validity and due to a Natural Resource mineral appraisal) to law and policy training for superinten- Challenge funding increase. The year 2001 also saw contin- dents. ued strong accomplishments in the Division's efforts to assist park managers in dealing effectively with mineral develop- The Resource Protection Section includes overview articles ment in and near park boundaries. With much gratitude, I about the Division's long established minerals management note that none of the program accomplishments could have program and also a selection of rather broad ranging park been achieved without dedicated staff in the parks, regions, case studies. Many more of the park specific case studies and support offices and the robust support from attorneys could have been presented. However, in the interest of with the DOI Solicitor's Office. This is true in all areas, brevity, most park assistance efforts of the Division are whether establishing new Servicewide programs or imple- summarized in the last section of the report entitled, Park menting NPS minerals management and restoration efforts in Assistance. parks. Our programs only succeed and bring value to the NPS through the committed staff in these other organizational The Restoration Section begins with an overview of the areas -- our thanks to all of you! Division's disturbed lands restoration and abandoned mineral land reclamation program followed by some selected case In an effort to facilitate the reader's understanding and to link examples. Again, most park specific projects are noted in the the Division's program areas to broader NPS themes, we have Park Assistance Section. As noted above, this is a program organized this report under the following five general themes: area that experienced significant growth beginning with FY2000 Natural Resource Challenge-related funding and ➤ The Natural Resources Challenge staffing increases, both within the Division and other divi- sions within the Natural Resources Program Center (NRPC). ➤ Science Based Management and Professional Support The Division's role in coordinating this integrated NRPC program is noted in a sidebar in the Restoration section. ➤ Resource Protection The Collaboration Section presents articles on selected topics ➤ Restoration of Disturbed Lands chosen from the Division's broad ranging work to develop partnerships with external agencies and organizations. All of ➤ Collaboration with Partners these partnership efforts are aimed at providing parks with access to and field assistance from geoscience specialists in The final section of the report, Park Assistance, contains a academia, other governmental agencies, and the private listing that summarizes most of the particular park resource sector. We are continually amazed at the interest of these management assistance that Division staff was involved in external groups and the enthusiasm and commitment they during the year. display toward work in and with parks. While it requires a significant amount of staff time, this program area also brings The Natural Resources Challenge Section includes articles very positive feedback to Division staff. addressing the Division's new program areas funding by the FY2000 base funding increase. These are program areas that It is indeed a joy to work with people, within the Service and the Division was given nominal responsibility for at the time outside our organization, who are committed to and derive of our formation in 1995, but did not have the funding and great personal satisfaction from working with resource staff expertise necessary to implement until the Challenge preservation in parks. We hope you enjoy this report and find increase was provided. Specifically, this includes our cave it of value. Please let me know if you have comments or and karst, coastal, and paleontology resource management suggestions for improvement. ◆ 1 National Park Service ◆ The Division refines its GPRA known paleontological localities in parks being in good connections condition in 2001. The key means for documenting and by: Bob Higgins, Chief, Science and Technical Services measuring success under this goal is through surveys. In Branch, and Carol McCoy, Chief, Policy and Regulations 2001, 31 parks reported on the paleontology goal. While far Branch fewer parks reported than anticipated, those that did report identified a cumulative total of 2,963 fossil sites and consid- ered 684 of
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