YELLOWSTONE CENTER FOR RESOURCES ANNUAL1998 REPORT YELLOWSTONE CENTER FOR RESOURCES ANNUAL REPORT 1998 Yellowstone Center for Resources National Park Service Yellowstone National Park,Wyoming YCR–AR–98 1999 Suggested Citation: Yellowstone Center for Resources. 1999. Yellowstone Center for Resources Annual Report, 1998. Yellowstone Center for Resources, National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park, Wyo- ming, YCR–AR–98. Table of Contents Introduction iv Museum Program 18 Research Library and Archives 22 Part I. Resource Highlights 1 Conservation of an Historic Buggy 1 Part III. Natural Resource Programs 23 New Archeological Obsidian Source 1 Air, Land, and Water 23 Flooding of Archival Storage 2 Bears 25 Bison Plan and National Academy Birds 32 Report Released 2 Bison 37 Tribal Consultations on Bison Concerns 3 Fish and Other Aquatic Resources 39 Yellowstone Heritage and Research Center 3 Geology and Geothermal Resources 49 Opal Terrace/Executive House 4 Vegetation 53 Grizzly Bears Meet Recovery Targets in 1998 5 Wildlife Management and Monitoring 55 Old Faithful Slows, Ferris Fork Heats Up 5 Wolves 59 Whirling Disease Found in Yellowstone 6 Lake Trout in Yellowstone Lake 6 Part IV. Yellowstone Center for Resources and Part II. Cultural Resource Programs 7 Parkwide Support 65 Archeology 8 Spatial Analysis Center 65 Cultural Landscapes 13 Resource Information 68 Paleontology 14 Funding and Personnel 71 Ethnography 14 Federal Highways Compliance 15 Appendix I. Personnel Roster for 1998 74 Historic Resources 16 Appendix II. Publications, Reports, and Papers 76 iii Introduction In 1998 the Yellowstone Center for Resources supervisor of all bird and mammal programs. (YCR) benefited from the park’s reallocation of its The end of 1998 marked the departure of Stuart base operating budget. It’s not a particularly glam- E. “Stu” Coleman, Chief of the Branch of Natural orous topic—not like restoring wolves after a 60- Resources, who retired after more than 11 years in year absence, or hosting the first conference devoted Yellowstone and additional assignments in other to the subject of the varied human experiences and park units such as Everglades, Lava Beds, and Great influences on greater Yellowstone, but the reality is Smoky Mountains. Stu helped shape a major evolu- that the quality and quantity of work that we can do tion in NPS resource management as his staff grew, to understand and preserve Yellowstone’s precious from four full-time natural resource specialists (in- cultural and natural resources depends almost en- cluding himself) previously assigned to the Chief tirely on how robust a recurring staff and budget we Ranger to 15 professionals with expertise in fisher- have. In previous years the YCR, which had been ies, mammals, birds, plants, and geology aligned created in 1993 by combining personnel that were with the park’s other resource specialists in the formerly assigned to several of the park’s other divi- YCR. He was a strong advocate of using interdisci- sions, relied upon non-recurring funds to pay a sig- plinary teams to accomplish projects such as lake nificant portion of permanent employees’ salary trout mitigation and wolf restoration, and continu- costs and to pay for special projects. Although the ally pushed to improve Yellowstone’s inventory and division’s funding level for 1998 was approximately monitoring programs. And he personally contrib- the same as in 1997, the increased base allocation uted significant time and energy to resolution of the put the YCR’s recurring expenses on sound footing, New World Mine proposal which, if permitted, and boosted the ability of the professional resource would have changed forever the socioeconomic and specialists to focus on accomplishing the monitoring environmental conditions in and around the north- and management activities for which they were pri- east entrance to Yellowstone and the affected water- marily responsible. sheds. His unique sense of humor has especially Not coincidentally, the improved budgetary situ- been missed around the YCR, and we wish him a ation allowed us to strengthen our staff expertise. In rich and rewarding post-park life enjoying his fam- 1998, cultural resources gained its first permanent ily, his garden, and his beloved antique cars. full-time archivist, Lee Whittlesey, a long-time fix- The specific projects tended to in 1998 are docu- ture around the basement of the Albright Visitor mented in this report. We continue to endeavor to Center (where the park archives is located) but until make available a record of work completed as well recently, one who stayed without the security or as our shortfalls, so that we might track our progress benefit of being a permanent employee. An agree- toward our program goals and objectives. Interested ment was also reached that will ultimately result (in readers may find more detailed information about the year 2000) in the transfer of regional archeolo- specific projects on file at the YCR, on the park’s gist Dr. Ann Johnson, who has been stationed here web site at http://www.nps.gov/yell and in the park’s but has owed her work time to many parks in the Research Library. region, to tend fulltime to Yellowstone business. The park also hired Dr. Glenn Plumb into a newly John D. Varley established position as Wildlife Section Leader and Director, Yellowstone Center for Resources iv Part I. Resource Highlights CONSERVATION OF AN HISTORIC BUGGY An 11-passenger buggy was selected to be the first vehicle in the park’s collec- tion to receive much-needed professional conservation treatment because of its rarity and its embodiment of the way many middle class people visited Yellow- stone early in this century. Manufactured by Studebaker Brothers, the buggy was used to transport passengers by the Livingston-based Shaw & Powell Camping Company, which operated in the park from 1898 to 1916. Although it had been stored outside for decades, the buggy is now the only Shaw & Powell vehicle in good condition known to still exist. With funding provided through the Yellow- stone Park Foundation, it was stabilized and missing parts were replaced with compatible materials, and all salvageable original parts and indications of the history of its use were preserved. The buggy and related artifacts and photographs are now on display in the lobby of the Old Faithful Inn. NEW ARCHEOLOGICAL OBSIDIAN SOURCE This past summer archeological specimens found in the Hayden Valley, on Big Game Ridge, and in a site on the north shore of Yellowstone Lake were found to contain obsidian from Park Point, on the east side of Yellowstone Lake. The identi- fication of artifact-grade obsidian is important to understanding the sources, distri- bution, and use of archeological obsidian within Yellowstone, and this was the first time Park Point obsidian has been identified as having been used for archeological tools. Park Point is a secondary source in which the obsidian occurs as cobbles that have been moved from their original position by water and gravity. Identifica- tion was made through the trace element fingerprint. This discovery illuminates 1 2 Resource Highlights building’s drains and pipes to be repaired, pur- chased water alarms to be wired into the building’s central alarm system, and began prepar- ing a plan to address future disasters. This is the third flood that has affected archival storage in the Albright Visitor Center, and provided a vivid dem- onstration of the need for a new storage facility. BISON PLAN AND NATIONAL ACADEMY REPORT RELEASED After years of This buggy, once used to transport Yellowstone visitors, was the first vehicle in the park’s collection preparation, the draft to receive professional conservation treatment. Environmental Im- pact Statement for the Interagency Bison some of the complexity of prehistoric obsidian Management Plan usage in the park and indicates travel by early was released for pub- inhabitants along the east side of Yellowstone lic comment in June Lake, but additional research is needed to clarify 1998. The purpose of the proposed action is to the geological origin, age and distribution of this maintain a wild, free-ranging population of bison material. and address the risk of brucellosis transmission to protect the economic interest and viability of the FLOODING OF ARCHIVAL STORAGE livestock industry in the state of Montana. All alternatives require the cooperation of the state of As preparations were underway to close the Montana, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Albright Visitor Center for the holiday weekend Park Service, and the Animal and Plant Health on December 24, someone reported that a water Inspection Service. Every alternative envisions pipe had burst in the boiler room adjacent to the the bison population being managed primarily park archives, located in the basement. There through natural processes within Yellowstone Na- cultural resources staff found about two inches of tional Park, and all call for monitoring and addi- water covering the floor, reaching some piles of tional research as well as human treatment of bi- records and maps that were awaiting proper stor- son held in capture or quarantine facilities. To age. Staff worked quickly to shut off the flow and manage bison and address concerns about public contact other cultural resource members at home safety and private property damage, risk of brucel- to bring mops, buckets, a vacuum, and squeegees. losis transmission to livestock, and eventually They plunged and hauled away the water that had eliminate brucellosis in bison and other wildlife pooled because of a clogged drain, and salvaged populations, alternatives range from minimal some of the damaged materials using blow dryers. management, emphasis on public hunting, and Fans and space heaters were set up and checked aggressive brucellosis control through programs daily to dry the remaining wet areas under the to capture, test, and remove or vaccinate bison map cabinets and storage units.