Water Resources Divison 

National Park Service 

1201 Oakridge Drive, Suite 250

Fort Collins, CO 80525

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C ATM

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Natural Resource Program Center 
Water Resources Division 

SUMMARY OF FY09 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Madison River, Yellowstone National Park. Photo by NPS

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Natural Resource Program Center
Grand Canyon National Park. Photo by Kevin Noon.
Water Resources Division 

SUMMARY OF FY09 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Natural Resource Program Center

1201 Oakridge Drive, Suite 250

Fort Collins, CO 80525

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Washington, DC
Crater Lake National Park. Photo by Jim Harte
Natural Resource Challenge Aquatic Resource Field Professionals Highlights .................................. 31

Appendix A - Technical Assistance ..................................................................................................................... 33

Appendix B - Summary of Water Resources Division Funding ................................................................ 61

Appendix C - Awards/Publications/Presentations/Webinars .................................................................. 73

Appendix D - Staff .................................................................................................................................................... 79

Contents

Comments from the Division Chief ...................................................................................................................... 5

Highlights of FY2009 Accomplishments ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Oceans and Coastal Resources Highlights ........................................................................................................ 9

Mapping of Submerged Habitats in Ocean and Great Lakes Parks ....................................................................................................................... 10

NPS and NOAA Move Forward on Oceans, Climate and Marine Protected Areas ............................................................................................ 11

Coastal-Marine Natural Resource Condition Assessments for Four Parks Off er Insights ............................................................................... 12

Planning and Evaluation Highlights ................................................................................................................... 14

Wetlands Visitor Experience, and the Field of Honor - Flight 93 National Memorial ...................................................................................... 16

A Biosphere Reserve in Peril: Great Smoky Mountains National Park .................................................................................................................. 17

Water Operations Highlights ................................................................................................................................. 18

NPS-USGS Water Quality Partnership Program ............................................................................................................................................................. 19

Restoration of Quitobaquito Pond - Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument .................................................................................................. 20

Rocks, Water, Visitors, and Gorges - NRPC Provides Technical Assistance to Taiwan’s First National Park ............................................... 21

Dynamic Stream Channels at Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site ......................................................................................................... 22

Contaminants of Emerging Concern are Prevelent and Widespread in Parks ................................................................................................... 23

WRD Finalizes Standards and Guidelines for Natural Resource Condition Assessments .............................................................................. 24 

Water Rights Highlights ......................................................................................................................................... 25

Water Rights Branch Contributes to Scientifi c Understanding of the Source of Furnace Creek Springs in Death Valley 

National Park .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26

Groundwater Monitoring Well Construction Completed at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve ........................................ 27

Decision Regarding an Application to Withdraw Groundwater Near Wind Cave National Park ............................................................... 28

Applications Filed for Four State-based Instream Flow Water Rights for Great Basin National Park ......................................................... 29

Black Canyon Water Right - Decreed and Delivered ................................................................................................................................................... 30 

Dinner time for Grizzly Bear. Yellowstone

 National Park. Photo by NPS.
4 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustra Grios Ventre River Floodplain, Grand Teton National Park. Photo by Gwen Gerber tive material. 
 National Park Service 5

This report represents the 19th 

consecutive yearly summary 

of the accomplishments of the 

National Park Service Water Resources Division (WRD), including a full accounting of our budget and the services provided to 

the various units of the National 

Park System. The report is a 

collaborative eff ort of the entire WRD staff , and in preparing it, we 

have the opportunity to stand back and take stock of the number 

of parks and offi ces with whom we’ve worked and the breadth of 

issues with which we’ve been involved. 

WRD is a Division of the Natural Resource Program Center (NRPC) 

within the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate 

(NRSS). We work in partnership with our sister NRPC Divisions and 

the NRSS leadership to support regions, networks, and parks in 

carrying out the National Park Service water and aquatic resource 

preservation, protection, and management mission. 

In 2009 WRD continued to provide a high level of support to parks 

in addressing a wide variety of water and aquatic resources-related 

issues. In January, the Colorado Water Court issued a fi nal decree 

quantifying the reserved water right for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This decree stemmed from a mediated settlement agreement with more than 2 dozen stakeholders, and ended 

an over 20-year struggle to quantify the park’s water right. The fi rst 

high fl ows under this water right were delivered in April of 2009. 

WRD became heavily involved in 2009 reviewing a number of “fast 

tracked” solar energy development projects in the Mojave Desert. 

These were projects proposing to utilize solar-concentrating technology, a technology that can consume considerable quantities of 

ground water for cooling purposes. WRD’s engagement in these 

projects lead to changes that would better insure protection of the 

regional ground water aquifers that support park aquatic habitats, 

including the pool at Devil’s Hole – where the Devil’s Hole Pupfi sh 

resides as an endangered species. During this period, NPS also 

requested cooperator status with the Bureau of Land Management 

in the preparation of a programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on Solar Energy development on public lands. WRD is now 

representing the Service in that eff ort.

2009 also saw fi nal approval of the NPS Alaska Region Wetland 

Mitigation Banking Program. This program, in which WRD took a 

lead in crafting, allows Alaska parks to use 

various individual wetland mitigation banks to compensate for 

unavoidable adverse impacts on wetlands as required 

under NPS Director’s Order.

Other examples of 2009 accomplishments include: the hosting of a service wide workshop to review prototype projects 

and development of revised project standards and guidelines 

for conducting WRD-funded Natural Resource Condition Assessments; continued support to the Vital Signs Water Quality 

Monitoring Program in 32 NPS monitoring networks, and continued development of the service wide STORET water quality 

database, which now contains over 5 million results from over 

45,000 monitoring stations; hydrologeologic analyses and advice 

on well construction to 21 parks; support to wetland restoration 

projects in 12 parks; completion, with the support of the NPS 

Inventory and Monitoring Program, of marine benthic habitat 

maps for 5 parks in cooperation with partners; and participation 

on the Western Regional Panel of the Aquatic Nuisance Species 

Task Force to develop a quagga / zebra mussel action plan for 

the western United States. 

 2009 also saw WRD, in coordination with parks, Regions, and our 

sister Divisions in the Natural Resource Program Center craft an 

implementation plan for a new NPS Oceans and Coastal Resources Program, scheduled for initial funding in 2010. The implementation plan stemmed from input from a superintendent’s workshop held in the fall, and a service wide ocean park managers 

workshop held in August. First year implementation of this plan 

will increase NPS capacity to address coastal and marine 

resource protection issues in 79 NPS ocean and Great Lakes 

parks. 

As we look ahead to 2010 we can’t help but be aware of the 

daunting challenge confronting parks in preserving and restoring park water and aquatic resources. America’s water supplies 

are being stretched to their limits, and the pressure for increased 

water supply development will continue to challenge parks 

attempting to protect the availability of water to park aquatic 

ecosystems. 

Comments from the Division Chief

Bill Jackson, PhD
 National Park Service 6

This water availability issue is compounded by the country’s need 

to develop new energy resources and achieve a greater level of energy independence, as many forms of energy production are major 

water consumers. With the Great Lakes serving as the poster child, 

the issue of invasive aquatic nuisance species has become pervasive and complicates eff orts to preserve and restore park aquatic 

resources. As a society, we’re becoming ever more aware of the 

huge number of “emerging” or recently detected contaminants in 

our waters, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and 

exotic agricultural and industrial chemicals. We’re only beginning 

to understand how these compounds aff ect aquatic wildlife. 

Finally, all of these emerging and growing threats are overlaid by 

the reality of a changing climate. Changes in the hydrologic cycle 

and water quality, at all of its global, spatial, and temporal scales 

will be a central, vehicle by which climate warming will infl uence 

the landscapes and ecosystems of National Parks. These hydrology-induced changes loom as huge and have potential to infl uence 

all park aquatic ecosystems, not only those at limits of their climate 

ranges.

We look forward in 2010 to working with Parks, Regions, Networks, 

and out sister NRSS Programs on all of these emerging challenges. 

As a fi nal note, 2009 also saw the retirement of Mark Flora, a long 

time member of the Water Resources Division and Chief of the 

Division’s Planning and Evaluation Branch. Mark’s distinguished 

career resulted in his personally visiting and assisting over 100 

National Park units. Mark leaves a strong legacy of accomplishment 

and will be missed by his friends throughout the National Park 

Service.

 Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park (Photo by Kevin Noon)
 National Park Service 7

Highlights of FY2009 Accomplishments Water Resources Division

• Completed the settlement of a reserved water right for Black Canyon 

of the Gunnison National Park through an agreement with more than 

two dozen stakeholders and, working with these stakeholders through 

the Department of Justice, secured a fi nal decree from the Colorado 

Water Court for the right on December 31, 2008.

• Received favorable rulings from the Nevada State Engineer resulting 

from a 2007 NSE hearing in which NPS sought protection of Devils Hole, 

a detached unit of Death Valley National Park, (Ruling 5902 and Order 

1197, Nov. 4, 2008) from wells moved closer to Devils Hole, and actively 

supported these decisions during the appeals phase. 

• Responded to increased activity for renewable energy development 

on public lands by providing staff to serve as the NPS point of contact 

for the BLM’s Solar Energy Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and providing input to the BLM on ways to accomplish the Secretary’s renewable energy objectives while preserving the environment.

• Provided oversight and technical assistance for ongoing development of Resource Stewardship Strategies at Valley Forge National Park

and Pecos National Historical Park.

• Provided technical assistance in planning, design, and implementation of wetland restoration projects at Sequoia National Park, Grand 

Teton National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Hubbell Trading 

Post National Historic Site, Palo Alto Battlefi eld National Historical Park, 

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Channel Islands National 

Park, Death Valley National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 

Fire Island National Seashore, Redwood National and State Parks and 

George Washington Memorial Parkway.

• Authored and obtained fi nal approval for the NPS Alaska Region Wetland Mitigation Banking Program: Umbrella Mitigation Bank Instrument.

The purpose is to allow Alaska parks to use various individual wetland 

mitigation banks to compensate for unavoidable adverse impacts on 

wetlands, as required under NPS Director’s Order #77-1: Wetland Protection. 

• Worked with the Western Regional Panel of the Aquatic Nuisance 

Species Task Force to develop a quagga /zebra mussel action plan for 

the western US.

• Represented the National Park Service on an interagency

 Incident Command Team charged with preventing extinction of the 

Devils Hole pupfi sh.

• Fully supported the Vital Signs Water Quality Monitoring 

program by providing full funding and support for the design and 

implementation of water quality monitoring programs in 32 

networks.

• Initiated nine new-start water quality assessment projects through 

the NPS-USGS water quality partnership program. In addition, implemented revisions in the Partnership program that will signifi cantly improve and strengthen the partnership and lead to closer coordination 

between the two agencies at the park and regional levels.

• Provided hydrogeologic analyses and advice on well 

construction to 21 parks to help them protect groundwater 

resources while still meeting their demand for potable water supplies 

for visitors and staff .

• Assisted the State of Montana Department of Environmental Quality 

by providing protective water quality measures for 

Yellowstone National Park during development of the Final 

Reclamation Design for the removal of the McLaren Tailings from Soda 

Butte Creek.

• Assisted parks in the completion of 13 fl oodplain statements of fi ndings. 

• Completed benthic habitat maps for Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Virgin Islands National Park, and Virgin Islands Coral Reef 

National Monument. Draft habitat maps were completed for Glacier 

Bay National Park & Preserve, Biscayne National Park, and Dry Tortugas 

National Park; fi nal maps will be available in FY 2010. 

• Completed resource condition assessments for Acadia National Park, 

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Fire Island National Seashore,

and Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.

• Working with the Geologic Resources Division, designed, developed, 

and conducted a workshop for 52 ocean and coastal park and region 

resource managers to distill lessons learned and best practices, forge 

eff ective Servicewide approaches, and draft guidance to strengthen 

NPS ability to address resource protection issues in ocean and coastal 

parks. A workshop report will be published in FY 2010

• Finalized an agreement between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NPS to increase scientifi c and educational partnerships to support resource protection, and to improve 

relations, communication, and information exchange between the two 

agencies. The agreement was signed by acting NPS Director Dan Wenk 

and NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco. 

• Nominated 10 ocean and coastal parks to the National System of 

Marine Protected Areas maintained by the NOAA Marine Protected 

Areas Center. Parks will benefi t by sharing science, information, and 

technologies with state and federal partners.
8 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustra Beachwalkers at Point Reyes National Seashore. Photo by NPS tive material. 
9 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Oceans and Coastal Resources Highlights

Jeff rey Cross, Branch Chief

Ocean and Coastal Resources Branch

 The Ocean and Coastal Resources Branch (OCRB) is|responsible for 

leadership and coordination of NPS ocean responsibilities,|policies, 

and interests in the Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate. The goals of the Branch are to acquire broad-based support 

in ocean and coastal sciences and technologies, develop servicewide 

ocean policies and programs, and provide technical assistance and 

support to parks.

The NPS 2006 Ocean Park Stewardship Action Plan calls for 

increasing the organizational and scientifi c emphasis to manage over 

5,100 miles of coast and more than three million acres of ocean and 

Great Lakes waters across 26 states and territories. The Ocean and 

Coastal Resources Branch provides the organizational structure and 

focus for coordination within the NRPC and with parks, regional offi ces, the Submerged Resources Center, and other entities to meet 

servicewide goals for ocean and coastal resource stewardship.

The branch provides leadership in developing short and long-term strategies for enhancing the NPS scientifi c, technical, and organizational 

capacity for ocean and coastal resource stewardship. The Branch works closely with the Geologic Resources Division on critical science and 

management needs related to shoreline processes and park resources. The Branch also works closely National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, other federal and state agencies, universities and private partners to further the goals of ocean 

and coastal stewardship. 

During 2009, OCRB staff provided a variety of servicewide and park specifi c technical assistance, coordinated multiple Coastal Watershed 

Assessment and Benthic Habitat Mapping Program projects in ocean and coastal parks. These programs are described in separate articles. 

Signifi cant accomplishments under the Ocean Park Stewardship Action Plan include development of regional and park-specifi c action plans 

by the NPS Northeast, Southeast, Great Lakes, Pacifi c West and Alaska Regions. For more information, see http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff /

oceans/conserve.htm and http://www.nature.nps.gov/water/marine.cfm.

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Cruise ship in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve (Photo by Jeff Cross 2009)
 National Park Service 10

Submerged habitat map of

upper Muir Inlet in Glacier Bay 

National Park & Preserve

Mapping of Submerged Habitats 

in Ocean and Great Lakes Parks

Parks face ever increasing impacts from coastal development, recreational use, land-based 

pollution, non-native species and climate change. 

To address these issues eff ectively, park managers 

need comprehensive knowledge about the type, 

geographic extent and condition of submerged resources within parks. Unlike terrestrial units, mangers 

of ocean and coastal parks cannot readily observe 

their resources. Their most spectacular topography 

and geographic features are hidden from casual view 

and can only be detected by systematic surveys that 

are logistically diffi cult and expensive, which explains 

why submerged resources remain unmapped for the 

majority of these units. 

In 2008, the NRPC began a servicewide program 

to coordinate mapping of submerged habitats in 

ocean and Great Lakes parks. The objective of the 

program is to produce high-quality, standardized 

habitat maps that support resource assessments and 

management planning for parks with submerged 

resources. Geospatial information describing underwater habitats and the distribution and abundance 

of marine plants and animals is critical to understanding and improving the condition of ocean 

and coastal parks. 

The NRPC has partnered with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on pilot benthic mapping projects in the following ocean and 

coastal parks: Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, 

Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes 

National Seashore, Sleeping Bear Dunes National 

Lakeshore, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Virgin 

Islands National Park, Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, Buck Island Reef National Monument, and Salt River Bay National Historic Park and 

Ecological Preserve. 

The NRPC is also working with NOAA and 

NatureServe through the Federal Geographic Data 

Committee to develop a national mapping standard for classifying submerged habitats. Benthic 

habitat maps are needed to support resource assessment, management and conservation needs 

at park, region and national levels. The use of a 

standard national benthic habitat mapping classifi cation scheme will ensure compatibility and 

widespread use of ocean and coastal habitat information at multiple geographic scales in the NPS 

and by other federal and state agencies.
 National Park Service 11

Photos By NPS

NPS and NOAA Move Forward on 

Oceans, Climate and Marine 

Protected Areas

Cliff McCreedy

Ocean and Climate Science Agreement 

Signed

On Monday, June 22, 2009, National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator 

Jane Lubchenco and NPS Acting Director Dan Wenk 

signed an interagency agreement on ocean and 

climate science and marine resource stewardship. 

The Ocean and Coastal Resources Branch coordinated development and approval of the agreement 

for NPS. The agreement states that NPS and NOAA 

“share common goals of conserving the natural and 

cultural resources and recreational values of oceans, 

coasts and uplands and of enhancing scientifi c and 

public understanding of the ecological, climatic, 

and oceanographic processes that aff ect these 

resources.” The agencies are working together on 

marine mapping, resource assessments, climate 

and weather observations, education and other 

areas. However, NPS information needs will greatly 

expand for climate and ocean science. Climate 

change will require new approaches and partnerships to protect and restore the ecological and 

physical integrity of ocean and coastal parks, and 

to assess their adaptability to sea-level rise, ocean 

warming and acidifi cation and other impacts. NPS 

will increase collaborations with NOAA, USGS and 

FWS as it moves forward with the Climate Change 

Response Program, regional Ocean Park Stewardship Strategies, and accomplishing the goals of the 

President’s new National Policy for the Stewardship 

of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes. Elements of the NPS-NOAA agreement include:

• Scientifi cally assess and promote the conservation of coastal and marine fauna, fl ora and habitat 

resources, including threatened and endangered 

species and impacts of aquatic invasive species

• Acquire climate observations and develop and 

deliver useful information, products, and services 

for the climate change research and monitoring 

needs of NPS 

• Produce maps and digital geospatial data on 

coastal and marine habitats and ocean circulation 

• Expand public awareness and education of 

ocean and coastal resources to inform and 

educate visitors, students, and the public

• Build upon existing agreements and collaborative programs regarding submerged cultural 

resources, such as shipwrecks and other cultural 

sites in parks and marine sanctuaries

The agreement provides a senior policy level 

endorsement and program framework to ensure 

that the NPS-NOAA partnership will fl ourish and 

expand.

Thirty-one Parks Proposed for National System of 

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are geographically 

defi ned places in the marine and coastal environment protected by federal, state, tribal, or local authorities. More than 2,500 MPA sites span the open 

ocean, coastal areas, inter-tidal zones, estuaries, and 

the Great Lakes, including 38 units of the National 

Park System that contain submerged resources. 

Executive Order No. 13158 requires federal MPA 

agencies to utilize MPAs more eff ectively as management tools, via establishment of “a scientifi cally 

based comprehensive national system of MPAs 

representing diverse marine ecosystems and the 

nation’s natural and cultural resources.” NOAA and 

the Department of the Interior are directed by 

Executive Order 13158 to assess the extent of the 

nation’s marine ecosystems and cultural resources 

protected in existing MPAs, develop a gap analysis, 

and make recommendations for strengthening and 

expanding the National System. 

On April 22, 2009 NOAA and the Department of 

the Interior announced the fi rst step; formation of 

the National System of MPAs. The National System 

will encompass a wide variety of state and federal 

MPAs. However, the breadth of aquatic and terrestrial resources within their boundaries makes 

National Parks unique from other sites such as 

National Marine Sanctuaries, which contain only 

marine areas. Ocean and coastal parks encompass 

watersheds from headwaters to the open ocean, 

and islands from ridge to reef and kelp forest. 
12 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Looking Across the forzen Great 

South Bay from Talisman boardwalk, 

Fire Island Seashore. Photo by: Diane 

Abell, R.L.A.

Photo on the next page: 

Kaloko-Honokohau National 

Historical Park. Photo by Kevin Noon.

Coastal-Marine Natural Resource 

Condition Assessments for Four 

Parks Off er Insights

Eva DiDonato, Marine Pollution 

Ecologist, Ocean and Coastal 

Resources Branch

Eff orts began in 2003 to assess coastal water 

resources and watershed conditions for coastal 

parks through the Natural Resource Challenge. 

Reports from these assessments characterize the 

relative health or status of upland, wetland, riparian, marine, estuarine and Great Lakes 

resources within the National Park System. Working through partnerships with universities in the 

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units, 

collaborations with other federal agencies and 

contracts with private organizations, 29 of these 

reports have been published, and 18 others are in 

progress. In FY09, assessment reports have been 

published in four coastal parks-Acadia

 National Park (ACAD), Lake Clark National Park 

and Preserve (LACL), Sleeping Bear Dunes

 National Lakeshore (SLBE) and Fire Island 

National Seashore (FIIS). 

Assessment reports provide valuable insights into 

factors aff ecting the health of park resources for 

use by natural resource managers. Some 

important fi ndings from the recently published 

reports include:

• ACAD-Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen, 

sulfur, mercury and other contaminants are producing multiple eff ects on both abiotic and biotic 

components of terrestrial and aquatic 

systems, including high mercury levels in fi sh and 

other animals, and chronically elevated nitrogen 

concentrations in streams.

• LACL-Within coastal LACL a decline in 

sockeye salmon productivity was associated at 

least in part with the eff ects of accelerated glacier 

melt and turbidity. This suggests that climate 

warming and attendant shifts in the timing and 

quality of streamfl ow within LACL have the potential to infl uence the spawning success of salmon 

within the park.

• SLBE-Aquatic invasive species are a major threat 

to SLBE resources. Aquatic ecosystems are threatened by the continued introduction of new exotic 

species, mainly through the discharge of ballast 

water from commercial ships. 

• FIIS-Erosion hot spots associated with 

shore-line hardening on the bay side of Fire Island 

are a signifi cant threat to the resources of FIIS. 

Sea-level rise will undoubtedly amplify this threat.

“You have to love it before 

you are moved to save it”

 - SYLVIA EARLE
13 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 
14 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Planning and Evaluation Highlights

Mark Flora, Chief

Planning and Evaluation Branch

Planning and Evaluation Branch (PEB) activities in FY 2009 were focused on: (i) exploring ways to use new planning-related products to better 

integrate natural resource and science information into the National Park Service’s Resource Stewardship Strategy process; (ii) adding 

fl exibility to NPS Servicewide policy for protection of wetlands through the use of mitigation banking arrangements; (iii) providing programmatic oversight and funding accountability for WRD and NRPC-funded projects; and (iv) providing direct support to NPS units in water 

resources planning, wetlands protection and restoration, and fi sheries restoration and management.

With the impending completion and publication of Physical Resources Foundation Reports for Pipe Spring National Monument, Big Thicket 

National Preserve and White Sands National Monument, the PEB’s planning program continues to extend natural resource and science support to the NPS planning process. For these reports, the WRD collaborated with the Geological Resources Division and Air Resources Division 

to expand the scope of earlier eff orts beyond water resources and encompass a full suite of physical resources including water, air, geology 

and soils. Building upon this success, the PEB has also begun to expand support to include biological resources in an integrated NRPC-wide 

eff ort to support and guide Resource Stewardship Strategies development in “pilot” eff orts at Pecos National Historical Park and Valley Forge 

National Historical Park. 

The Planning Program also began integrating the eff ects of climate change into the NPS planning process. PEB staff participated in pilot efforts to develop alternative climate change scenarios for use in the planning process at Assateague Island National Seashore and Wind Cave 

National Park. PEB staff were also selected to represent the Water Resources Division on both the NPS Climate Change Planning Working 

Group and the NPS Climate Change Science Working Group, furthering the ability to integrate the climate change dynamic into the planning 

process.

During the year, the PEB’s Wetlands Protection Program provided extensive support to the fi eld on wetlands regulatory issues, wetland condition and functional assessments, and wetlands restoration. A major accomplishment was development of the NPS Alaska Region Wetland 

Mitigation Banking Program - Umbrella Mitigation Bank Instrument, which establishes a prototype wetland mitigation banking program for 

the Alaska Region. Wetlands Program staff also began work on a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Park Foundation to create 

a trust fund for wetlands mitigation at Palo Alto Battlefi eld NHP and Padre Island NS. Funding for the mitigation would come from wetland 

compensation money generated by oil & gas activities at Padre Island NS. 

In the regulatory arena, PEB wetlands specialists provided policy guidance and/or environmental compliance review for more than 20 proposed projects that could adversely aff ect wetland resources within NPS units. PEB wetlands specialists also worked closely with the Geologic 

Resources Division in using the NPS 9B regulatory process to assess potential wetland-related impacts from proposed exploration and drilling 

operations at Padre Island National Seashore and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.

The Wetlands Protection Program also provided programmatic oversight and technical support for wetlands restoration projects at Sequoia 

NP, Grand Teton NP, Rocky Mountain NP, Hubbell Trading Post NHS, Palo Alto Battlefi eld NHP, Great Sand Dunes NP, Channel Islands NP, Death 

Valley NP, Golden Gate NRA, Fire Island NS, Point Reyes NS, Redwood NP and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. 

In FY 09, PEB’s Fisheries Management Program provided technical assistance to more than 15 parks and regional offi ces. This included involvement in such high profi le issues as management of the Devil’s Hole pupfi sh at Death Valley National Park, response to the introduction 

of invasive quagga mussels into waters of the Intermountain and Pacifi c West Regions, and development of an emergency prevention and 

response plan for the potential introduction of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia into the Lake Superior.
15 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

The Fisheries Management Program also continued a fi ve-year program of native fi sh and fi sh habitat restoration through the Servicewide 20% 

Fee Funding Program. This year’s eff orts focused on research of coaster brook trout habitat at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, completing 

stream crossing mitigation and habitat restoration for endangered mussels at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, fi sh habitat 

restoration at Point Reyes National Seashore and Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and exotic fi sh removal / native fi sh 

restoration at North Cascades National Park. 

A change in the Fisheries Management Program will occur in October, 2009 with the addition of Nic Medley to the program. Nic will be coming 

to the Water Resources Division from the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, where he has served as an Ecologist / Fisheries Biologist 

for the last several years. Nic brings extensive experience in applied fi sheries research, impact assessment, habitat restoration and endangered 

species protection to the program. 

During FY09, PEB staff provided programmatic oversight, technical review, and guidance for 48 funded projects totaling over $4.8 million, provided technical advice, policy review, and regulatory review for 10 Wetland Statements of Findings, provided Servicewide review and comment 

on 7 EIS/EA documents, and completed policy / technical review of the water-related aspects of 11 NPS planning documents including General 

Management Plans, Resource Stewardship Strategies and other planning studies. 

PEB staff members are also proud of the numerous opportunities we’ve had during the year to directly serve parks by providing technical

support at the request of regional, network and park staff s. In FY 2009, the PEB provided project oversight and/or technical assistance to all 

seven NPS regional offi ces and 91 individual units of the National Park System. The Planning and Evaluation Branch is proud to be part of the 

National Park Service and looks forward to providing continued 

service to the NPS in FY 2010.

Photos courtesy of Kevin Noon. 
 National Park Service 16

NPS Photo, 2009

Wetlands, Visitor Experience, and the 

Field of Honor – Flight 93 National 

Memorial

by Kevin F. Noon, PhD, Wetlands 

Specialist

The Flight 93 National Memorial Act authorized construction 

of a national memorial in southern Pennsylvania worthy of 

commemorating the passengers and crew who courageously 

gave their lives to thwart an attack on the National Capital. 

The memorial will encompass 1,355 acres comprised of the 

crash site, the debris fi eld and areas where human remains 

were found, lands necessary for viewing and accessing the 

memorial, and a 30-acre wetland. The initially proposed 

design would destroy all 30 acres of the wetland. WRD staff 

worked with the memorial architects and the construction 

contractors to maintain the integrity of the design while preserving as much of the wetland as possible. The memorial 

designers agreed that preserving wetland habitat would be an 

opportunity to provide added value to the visitor’sexperience. 

WRD staff made recommendations and revised construction 

drawings in order to avoid and reduce the initially proposed 

wetland impact. Through a series of iterations, we recommended eliminating unnecessary fi ll in the wetland and using 

a boardwalk for the primary access across the wetland, which 

brought the total wetland impact from 30 acres down to 2 

acres. In order to maintain our no-net-loss of wetlands policy 

and enhance the visitor experience, WRD staff designed a 

2-acre created wetland that would expand the existing wetland and wrap around the proposed access road and walk 

way.

“...a national memorial in southern 

Pennsylvania worthy of commemorating 

the passengers and crew who courageously 

gave their lives to thwart an attack on the 

National Capital.”

NPS Ph t 2009
 National Park Service 17

Voting during Scoping Workshop (Weeks, 2009)

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) is faced with serious problems concerning its physical resources. Many of these problems 

center around the fact that 56% of GRSM streams monitored have acid neutralizing capacities < 50 μeq/L, making them extremely sensitive 

to acidifi cation. This, coupled with the upper elevations in the park receiving some of the highest rates of acid deposition in North America 

is an equation for trouble. Nitrate (NO3) and sulfate (SO4), primarily from regional auto exhaust and coal-fi red plants, are major pollutants 

in the park. During storm events, pH may drop as much as 2 full units, which can mobilize metals toxic to biota. Since the 1980s, six brook 

trout populations have been lost to what appears to be stream acidity. 

GRSM requested assistance from the NPS Water Resources Division (WRD) in 2009 to prioritize the park’s physical resource issues and assess 

the current direction of the park’s natural resource programs. One of the major questions to answer is, “How well are the park’s natural 

resource programs integrating with each other to adequately defi ne and address the high-priority issues degrading priority park resources?” 

In response to the technical assistance request, a physical esource team was assembled in 2009 with expertise in water, soils,

 geology, and air resources. The objective of the team is to produce a Physical Resources Information and Issues Overview report in 2010 

that summarizes the current understanding of physical resources at the park, defi nes the priority issues, and provides some multi-discipline 

strategies to begin addressing select issues. 

One of the important elements in producing this report is the outcome from a workshop held at the park in June 2009 with park staff 

and invited participants. Workshop participants included federal and state agency personnel, academicians, and others with expertise or 

knowledge on physical resources in and around the park. The workshop, facilitated by WRD, generated discussions focused on air, 

geologic, soil, and water resource issues at GRSM. At the end, workshop participants voted on what they felt were the most important issues facing the park. The issues and voting prioritization collected from the workshop will form the backbone of the analysis in this Physical Resources Information and Issues Overview report. 

A Biosphere Reserve in Peril: 

Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park

Don Weeks, Hydrologist

David Vana-Miller, 

Planning Program Leader,

Planning and Evaluation Branch
18 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Water Operations Highlights

Gary W. Rosenlieb, Chief,

Water Operations Branch

The Water Operations Branch is responsible for providing technical assistance to the National Parks in the areas of water quality, 

fl oodplain and groundwater monitoring, restoration and management. Major programs supported, managed, or funded by WOB 

include Natural Resource Condition Assessments, Floodplain 

Compliance, USGS-NPS Water Quality Partnership, and Vital Signs 

Monitoring for water quality. 

Notable achievements by WOB this year are described in the following articles. The fi ndings from a joint International 

technical assistance eff ort in Taroko National Park, Taiwan with 

the Geologic Resource Division is described by Mike Martin who 

was invited by the Taiwanese Government to investigate and provide recommendations on the management of geologic hazards. 

WOB geohydrologist Larry Martin assisted with a restoration effort in support of the endangered Quitobaquito pupfi sh and the 

Sonoyta mud turtle that had promising results at Quitobaquito 

springs and pond in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. The 

springs and pond have experienced declining water levels in 

recent years. Rick Inglis discusses assessment work that he completed at Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site. The assessment identifi ed the geomorphic processes currently active and 

the future trend of the shape and pattern of the stream system 

which the park plans to use in its landscape interpretive program. 

Finally, Dr. Roy Irwin summarizes recent fi ndings from numerous studies in and around parks on contaminants of emerging 

concern.

Major program accomplishments include the initiation Natural 

Resource Condition Assessments for 31 park units across the 7 

NPS regions. The USGS-NPS Water quality partnership funded fi ve 

new in FY2009 for a total of $451,300, and 10 new projects were 

selected for funding in FY2010.

The branch continued to provide technical assistance on a myriad 

of hydrology and water quality issues. A complete 

listing of the assistance is provided in an appendix to this 

report. Some of the more high-profi le eff orts included:

• Provided Assistance for the completion of 13 fl oodplain statements of fi ndings.

• Organized and led a Natural Resource Condition Assessment 

pilot review process and meeting, resulting in draft 

revised project standards and guidance for FY09 and later-year 

NRCA project starts.

• Fully supported the Vital Signs Water Quality Monitoring program by providing full funding and support for the design and 

implementation of water quality monitoring programs in 32 

networks.

• Increased the servicewide STORET database to more than 5 

million results for 3,122 physical, chemical, or biological characteristics from 45,571 monitoring locations in support of 1,071 

diff erent projects conducted in or near 256 units of the National 

Park System. 

• Provided hydrogeologic analyses and advice on well construction to 21 parks to help them protect groundwater resources 

while still meeting their demand for potable water supplies for 

visitors and staff .

• Provided assistance to the State of Montana Department of 

Environmental Quality by providing protective water quality 

measures for Yellowstone National Park for the development of 

the Final Reclamation Design for the removal of the 

McLaren Tailings from Soda Butte Creek.

• Directed the stakeholder group in a technical evaluation of 

a groundwater model developed for the Pines Ash Landfi ll that 

concluded it was unsound and was not credible or 

usable in evaluating potential threats to park resources at 

Indiana Dunes National Seashore.

On behalf of our staff at WOB I will say that it is always and honor 

and privilege to assist with the protection and management of 

our nation’s cultural and natural resources heritage.
 National Park Service 19

Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo by NPS 

NPS-USGS WATER QUALITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

Barry Long, Hydrologist

Water Operations Branch

The NPS-USGS Water Quality Partnership Program was initiated under the Clean Water Action Plan and is funded by the USGS Water Resources Division Offi ce of Water Quality. Since 1999, more than $22 million has been allocated for partnership water quality projects in 

parks. Through 2009, 150 partnership projects have been initiated in 107 national park units; 138 of these projects have been completed. 

Five new projects were funded in FY2009 for a total of $451,300, and 10 new projects were selected for funding in FY2010. Additional information on the program is available at http://water.usgs.gov/nps_partnership/.

USGS Water Quality Partnership Program Projects

Final Year Funded Projects - FY2009

NPS Region Park Project Title FY2009 Funding

 $(000s) 

Alaska WRST Water-Quality Monitoring in Support of the McCarthy Road 100.00

Intermountain GLAC Baseline Assessment of Water Quality and Aquatic Communities 

 of the North Fork of the Flathead River 99.70

Intermountain ROMO Assessment of Nitrogen Saturation and Episodic Acidifi cation Status 100.00

Intermountain ROMO Eff ects of Nitrogen Limitation and Biological Characteristics of 

 High-Elevation Lakes 74.50

Intermountain YELL Continous Chloride Measurement as an Indicator of Geothermal 

 and Volcanic Hazards 50.00

Midwest MULTI Determine Nutrient Conditions, Cycling, and Biological Eff ects

 in Two Riverine Parks, SACN and MISS 98.30

National Capital ROCR Organic Wastewater Chemicals in Rock Creek Park 100.00

Northeast SAIR Real-Time Monitoring of Sodium and Chloride 7.30

 

Pacifi c West PRES Analyze Sulfer and Mercury Biogeochemistry in Crissy Marsh 50.00

Southeast CONG Investigate Infl uence of Seasonal Flood Waters on Mercury Methylation 78.80

 TOTAL 758.60

Photo by NPS 
 National Park Service 20

Quitobaquito Pond in December 2009. Water level is 14 inches 

below overfl ow pipe. (Photo by larry Martin, 2009)

Restoration of Quitobaquito Pond - Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Tim Tibbitts, Wildlife Biologist, Organ Pipe Cactus 

National Monument

Larry Martin, Hydrogeologist

Water Operations Branch

Quitobaquito springs and pond are located in the southwest part of ORPI, a few hundred meters north of the international border. As one of 

the few reliable sources of water in a desert environment, the area has been inhabited and manipulated by humans for at least 11,000 years. 

The pond and surrounding area include multiple special-status cultural and natural resources, including the endangered Quitobaquito pupfi sh and the Sonoyta mud turtle.

The pond and berm were last renovated in 1962: the pond was dredged and the berm was constructed to its current confi guration. This 

work included installation of an overfl ow pipe through the berm to control the high water level in the pond. This pipe is the reference mark 

for measuring the elevation of the pond surface.

Springfl ow was suffi cient to maintain the pond surface elevation and provide overfl ow of excess water through the pipe until 1996 when the 

water level in the pond dropped a few inches below the outfl ow pipe. This decline was initially attributed to decreased fl ow from the springs 

due to a prolonged drought and encroachment of vegetation into the spring areas. From 1996 to 2005, the pond level fl uctuated moderately, but generally remained within 3 to 4 inches of the overfl ow pipe. In July 2005, the pond level fell to 11.5 inches below the overfl ow pipe, 

a record low, but recovered with the onset of the summer monsoon. New record low levels occurred in: June 2006, -16.75 inches; July 2007, 

-20 inches; and July 2008, -28 inches. At this point, the pond had contracted to about half of its normal surface area and had a depth of 0.5 to 

2 inches over most of that area. It was susceptible to encroaching vegetation and near total elimination by drying.

Hydrologic monitoring and investigations led to the conclusion that the most likely cause of the problem was leakage through the pond 

bottom and/or berm. In August 2009, a temporary coff erdam was constructed to allow repair work in the southeast part of the pond. This 

section was drained. Vegetation, including rotting tree roots, was removed from the berm. Several layers of fi ll and bentonite were laid down 

and compacted to create a low permeability layer on the bottom and sides of the pond. These eff orts were at least partially successful. Water 

level in the pond continued to rise through autumn 2009, despite the continued low infl ow (13 gpm) from the springs. The water level was 

14 inches below the overfl ow pipe in mid-December 2009. However, the rate of water level rise has slowed. Additional work is needed to seal 

other areas of leakage from the pond bottom and berm, most notably in the vicinity of a leaning cottonwood tree.

Quitobaquito Pond in July 2008. Water level is 28 inches below overfl ow 

pipe. (Photo by Larry Martin, 2009)
21 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

The east coast of Taiwan in the Taroko area (NPS 

2009).

NRPC staff discussing rockfall hazard with the 

Taroko National Park staff along the Tunnel of Nine 

Turns hiking trail (NPS 2009).

Rocks, Water, Visitors, and Gorges - NRPC Provides 

Technical Assistance to Taiwan’s First National Park

Mike Martin, Hydrologist

Water Operations Branch

Taroko National Park is located on the east coast of Taiwan (http://www.taroko.gov.

tw). It encompasses over 227,000 acres and spans an elevation range from sea level 

to 12,440 ft. Due to this great variation in elevation and the park’s location near the 

Tropic of Cancer, there is a wide assemblage of vegetation and ecological zones within 

its boundaries. 

The landscape of Taroko is some of the most dramatic in East Asia. Due to ongoing 

tectonic uplift, the east coast of Taiwan in the area of Taroko rises abruptly out of the 

Pacifi c Ocean, reaching immediate elevations in excess of 3000 feet and, ultimately, 

elevations over 12,000 feet, creating an alpine biome near the Tropic of Cancer. At 

odds with the tectonic uplift are powerful erosive forces that continually work in 

concert to produce an extremely geomorphically active landscape. Many of the 

common mass wasting processes, such as isolated rock-falls, debris fl ows, and slope 

failures, constantly re-shape the land surface.

These natural geomorphic processes have collided with human use of the gorge 

and the surrounding highlands. From a park management perspective, this confl ict

is exacerbated by over 5 million visitors, who annually visit Taroko for its scenic beauty 

and recreational opportunities. Unfortunately, some of the most popular tourist sites 

also have a high degree of associated geologic hazard. Many visitors incur substantial 

personal risk just by participating in the “standard stops”.

In 2009, NPS staff from the Geologic and Water Resources Divisions of the NRPC

 traveled to Taroko National Park to provide technical consultation for geologic and 

hydrologic hazards associated with several popular tourist stops in the park. Specifi c 

recommendations to mitigate both rockfall and fl oodfl ows ranged from structural 

stabilization to improved visitor management. In addition, NPS personal also 

participated in four seminars and workshops on: park management in the United 

States, geologic hazard evaluation, disaster warning and response, and river 

management objectives. The culmination of this 20-day fi eld exercise was a 

comprehensive set of recommendations presented formally to representatives of 

the Taiwanese Government and to park staff and informally in a fi nal report.

Recognizing that the Jeff erson collection was a national treasure, the committee on 

the Library acquired new materials across the subject range to maintain its comprehensiveness. Antici pating the argument that his library might be too comprehensive.
 National Park Service 22

The mission of Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site is to preserve and protect the continuum of trading post operations and 

its ties to the local community. Yet, the geomorphic history of the location is tied to the uses made of the landscape, which have 

changed over the last century.

An 1858 account described the Trading Post area as “a pretty creek running between steep earth banks ten or twelve feet high”. 

By 1895 the gully had fi lled in. Photos taken in 1915 show a fl ock of sheep in a sandy steep-sided wash with a nearly level streambed next to the Trading Post. This is evidence that heavy grazing by sheep probably stripped the vegetation from the watershed,

eroded a vast amount of sediment, and created the sandy wash. 

Early management eff orts to reduce the erosion included plantings of tamarisk and Russian olive, which successfully anchored the 

streambanks but encroached into the channel. Runoff from fl oods was concentrated in the main channel and moved more sediment due to the higher energy of the stream fl ow. Sediment was scoured out of the channel, resulting in steeper and taller stream 

banks (stabilized by tamarisk and olive roots). The resulting gully eff ect was hidden in the overgrowth of invasive plants until the 

NPS implemented an eradication program about a dozen years ago. More recently, native vegetation has been planted to encourage biodiversity and natural processes, and a monitoring program has been established. The results indicate the stream channel is 

slowly evolving to the prevailing conditions of available water, sand, and plants.

WRD conducted an assessment of the gullies this past year and described the 

evolution of the drainage network through the park. The assessment identifi ed the 

geomorphic processes currently active and the future trend of the shape and pattern 

of the stream system. The trend under current management is favorable to an 

expanding riparian zone of native plants and will not likely recreate the fl at sandy 

wash of the historic period. The park hopes to include stories about the changing 

landscape to its interpretive eff orts, including historic activities and how these 

activities, including grazing and its impacts on the watershed: loss of vegetation, 

erosion, and creation of a fl at, bare, sand-fi lled, stream channel. 

A forest of exotic planis fi lled the Pueblo Colorado Wash shown here in 1996 (NPS 

photo by Nancy Stone)

Dynamic Stream Channels at 

Hubbell Trading Post National 

Historic Site

Rick Inglis, Hydrologist ick Inglis, Hydrologist

Water Operation Branch ater Operation Branch

Removing exotic species from the wash. 

(NPS Photo)
 National Park Service 23

Emerging contaminants of increasing concern include 

endocrine disrupting compound (EDCs) and a broader group of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). In the National Park 

Service, concern about fi sh in Lake Mead fi rst arose in a 1995 study 

that documented the presence of vitellogenin ( a compound that induces egg production in females) in male carp. This was considered to 

e molecular or cellular level (biomarker) hint of exposure of the fi sh to 

an estrogenic compound. 

In the last 15 years, there has been a great deal of research confi rming 

the widespread presence of endocrine disruption in fi sh downstream 

of sewage treatment plant effl uents. Additional oxidation steps, sometimes combined with other new technologies, can markedly reduce 

the amount of emerging contaminants coming out of the sewage 

treatment plants, although at additional expense. Persistent organochlorine EDCs have also been found in high altitude lakes in Rocky 

Mountain National Park and Glacier National Park Some male trout 

from those lakes had vitellogenin and in some there were also hints 

of intersex, a condition where a male is trying to produce eggs in portions of its reproductive organs (Schwindt et al. 2009).

The focus of research is shifting away from the occurrence of these 

types of cellular or organ-level (biomarker) eff ects in fi sh at specifi c 

geographical locations towards what is causing them and towards 

the potential long term impacts on fi sh populations. In one intriguing 

study in Canada, an entire lake was treated with a highly estrogenic 

compound, ethinyl estradiol (the active ingredient in the human birth 

control pill), which wiped out most of the fathead minnows in the lake 

in two years. However, determining exactly what combinations of 

EDCs and PPCPs might be causing endocrine disruption fi sh and other 

aquatic organisms at specifi c National Park locations, and the exact 

extent of population-level eff ects, will be the challenging focus of 

future work. WRD, the Air Resources Division, and park-based staff are 

continuing to work with collaborators in academia and other agencies 

to help answer these additional questions.

Reference:

Schwindt, A.R., Kent, M.L., Ackerman, L.K., Massey Simonich, S.L., Landers, D.H., Blett, T.F., Schreck, C.B. 2009. Reproductive Abnormalities in 

Trout from Western U.S. National Parks. Transactions of the American 

Fisheries Society 138:522–531

Contaminants of Emerging Concern are 

Prevalent and Widespread in Parks

Roy Irwin, Senior Contaminants Specialist oy Irwin, Senior Contaminants Specialist

Water Operation Branch ater Operation Branch

Bridal Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park (NPS Photo)
24 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Fall River Area, Roaring River Alluvial 

Fan, Rocky Mountain National Park. 

(NPS Photo)

“When the well is dry, we 

know the worth of water.”

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, 

(1706-1790), Poor 

Richard’s Almanac, 1746

WRD Finalizes Standards and Guidelines for Natural 

Resource Condition Assessments

Jeff Albright, Watershed Condition Assessment Program 

Coordinator

Water Operations Branch

Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) project work continued to ramp up in 2009, with 

new projects started for 31 park units across the 7 NPS regions, and 43 other park projects ongoing and at various phases of completion. National project standards and guidelines were revised 

in 2009 based on a “lessons learned” review process. The assessments synthesize existing scientifi c 

data and knowledge in order to report on current resource conditions in NPS park units: by important natural resources and indicators, by ecological attributes, and with overall conditions summarized by park areas. Spatial (GIS map-based) condition reporting is emphasized to enhance usefulness for park planning and decision making purposes, and to assist park reporting to government 

“resource condition status” accountability measures. Information and project reports are available 

at the NRCA Program website: http://www.nature.nps.gov/water/NRCondition_Assessment_Program/Index.cfm 
 National Park Service 25

Water Rights Highlights

Chuck Pettee, Branch Chief

Water Rights Branch

As usual, the WRB continued to participate in hearings in state administrative proceedings, support NPS claims in court proceedings, settle 

issues via stipulated agreements, collect and analyze hydrologic and water-related resource data, and assist parks by being indirectly involved 

in non-NPS led National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessment proceedings. The more unusual work of the branch this year has been 

associated with the major milestones accomplished in previous years. Considerable eff ort in 2009 was spent to implement conditions that were 

attached to the protections earned earlier. In almost all cases, monitoring is a requirement. An article that follows describes the installation of 

the monitoring well network required in the water right decree for Great Sand Dunes NP. Even with the steady accumulation of protective court 

decrees and administrative decisions over the years, it is a rare treat to be able to aff ect an actual change in fl ow conditions within a park to 

benefi t park resources. Such was the case when the Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP decree was implemented by the Bureau of Reclamation 

during the 2009 spring runoff season to produce a peak fl ow for the benefi t of the park’s canyon-related resources. Although not a large 

departure from normal, this fl ow release demonstrated a new factor in the Bureau of Reclamation’s decision-making process for their Aspinall 

Unit Reservoirs. And, sometimes the fi nal decision is not quite fi nal yet. This was the case for the Nevada State Engineer Order establishing a 

protection zone around Devil’s Hole. That Order has been appealed and the branch has been assisting our attorneys at the Offi ce of the Solicitor 

and Department of Justice as the United States joined the lawsuit for the purpose of supporting the Nevada State Engineer.

The WRB collected scientifi c information to support claims for instream fl ow in streams and a spring at Great Basin NP as described in a 

following article. This was the fi rst such claim made by the NPS under Nevada law. Other continuing studies in the vicinity of Great Basin NP are 

being conducted to describe the inter-relationship between groundwater and surface waters that are critical to maintain the park’s waterdependent resources such as caves, streams, springs, riparian communities. We also have a small number of stream and groundwater level 

gauging stations with continuous measurement records for periods that vary from a few to many years. We are compiling these measurements 

into a high quality data record and plan to make those records publicly available.

We are fi nding that water decision-makers are relying more and more on numerical models to explore the potential eff ects of groundwater 

pumping proposals. In response, the NPS needs to increase its involvement in groundwater model development. That involvement may be in 

an advisory or commenting role, in a role to develop scientifi c interpretations to be used for model parameters, in the role of collecting water 

level or fl ow data for use in a model, or in conducting modeling directly by NPS staff or contractors. In 2009, WRB was actively involved in all 

of these roles. Contracting for model development is especially expensive. Because of the limitations of our budget, WRB partnered with other 

NPS budgets to address multiple project needs.

As always, any successes accrued by the WRB would not be possible without the professional work of park management and staff . We encourage fi eld managers to call on the WRB whenever water rights issues are, or could be, aff ected by management decisions or proposals by park 

neighbors.
26 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

A review of the scientifi c evidence supporting the concept of interbasin fl ow as the source of Furnace Creek springs in Death Valley was 

published as an article in the Journal of Hydrology in 2009 (Belcher et al., 2009). This work reviews the preponderance of evidence supporting the concept of interbasin fl ow in the Death Valley region and the Great Basin. Interbasin fl ow has been established by scientifi c studies 

during the past century as a function of the hydraulic gradient between basins and hydraulic conductivity of the intervening rocks. The 

Furnace Creek springs in Death Valley, California are an example of large volume springs that are widely accepted as being the discharge 

points of regional interbasin fl ow. The fl ow path has been interpreted historically to be through consolidated Paleozoic carbonate rocks in 

the southern Funeral Mountains. However, recently a conceptual model of pluvial and recent recharge has been suggested by researchers 

at Brigham Young University as the source of the Furnace Creek springs. This work demonstrates that there is insuffi cient modern recharge 

and insuffi cient storage potential and permeability within the basin-fi ll units in the Furnace Creek basin for these to serve as a local aquifer. 

Further, the lack of high sulfate content in the spring waters argues against signifi cant fl ow through basin-fi ll sediments and instead suggests fl ow through underlying consolidated carbonate rocks. The maximum temperature of the spring discharge appears to require deep 

circulation through consolidated rocks; the Tertiary basin fi ll is of insuffi cient thickness to generate such temperatures as a result of local 

fl uid circulation. Finally, the stable isotope data and chemical mass balance modeling support the interbasin fl ow conceptual model. This 

publication contributes to the scientifi c evidence supporting the concept of interbasin fl ow and updates the current understanding of the 

source of water to the large springs in Furnace Creek. 

Belcher, WR, Bedinger, MS, Back, JT and Sweetkind, DS. 2009. Interbasin fl ow in the Great Basin with special reference to the southern Funeral Mountains and the source of Furnace Creek springs, Death Valley, California. Journal of Hydrology, Volume 369, Issues 1-2, pp. 30-43. 

Water Rights Branch Contributes to Scientifi c 

Understanding of the Source of Furnace Creek Springs 

in Death Valley National Park.

Jennifer Back, Hydrologist

Water Rights Branch

Death Valley National Park. Photo by NPS
27 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Great Sand Dunes 

National Park. (NPS Photo)

Great Sand Dunes

Acting pursuant to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act of 2000, the United States submitted a claim for the right to 

use, in-place, all groundwater in the unconfi ned aquifer underlying Great Sand Dunes National Park (GRSA). On August 4, 2008, the District Court, granted a decree approving the in-place right to ground water for GRSA. The water right entitles the National Park Service 

(NPS) to specifi c water table elevations at ten monitoring wells located near the south, west, and north park boundaries. The decree 

orders the NPS to install the wells, monitor the water table elevation for a period of 10 years, and return to court to present the ten-year 

record for the Judge’s consideration.

On October 17, 2009, construction of the ten monitoring wells was completed under an Interagency Agreement with the US Geological Survey Central Region Research Drilling Project. The wells are designed to 1) defi ne the Park’s water right elevation along the Park 

boundary, 2) provide long-term monitoring sites in the unconfi ned aquifer, 3) provide early warning capability to the Park for water 

level changes that may impact Park resources, and 4) provide a means for the State Engineer to administer the Park’s water right. The 

wells range in total depth from 76 feet to 400 feet and penetrate, or nearly penetrate, the entire thickness of the unconfi ned aquifer 

at their locations. The wells are screened throughout their entire depths to obtain a water table elevation representative of the entire 

thickness of the aquifer. The wells will be outfi tted with electronics to continuously measure, record, and report water table elevation 

in the unconfi ned aquifer to the Colorado Division of Water Resources (CDWR) who will use the data to administer the Park’s in-place 

groundwater right. The wells will help the Park comply with the Congressional mandate to obtain and exercise water rights to fulfi ll the 

purposes of the Park by maintaining groundwater levels, surface water levels, and stream fl ows on, across, and under the Park.

Groundwater Monitoring Well Construction 

Completed at Great Sand Dunes National 

Park and Preserve

James Harte, Hydrologist

Water Rights Branch
28 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

During September, 2008, the NPS intervened in the matter of Water Permit Application 2633-2 by the Southern Black Hills Water System 

(SBHWS). This application proposed to withdraw 0.67 cubic feet per second (about 300 gallons per minute) of groundwater from the Madison aquifer, not to exceed 484 acre-feet per year, for rural water supply purposes. The proposed point of diversion is located within 1⁄4 mile 

from the southeast boundary of Wind Cave National Park (WICA). The NPS is concerned that the withdrawal associated with this application, if approved, could lower the groundwater table in the Madison aquifer beneath WICA over time. The water levels in the Madison aquifer are responsible for the existence of several lakes within Wind Cave found at points approximately 500 feet below ground surface.

The NPS initiated negotiations with SBHWS to allow groundwater withdrawals while protecting park water resources. These negotiations 

eventually failed and a hearing date was set. On December 10, 2008, NPS Water Resources Division and Offi ce of the Solicitor staff presented testimony at an administrative hearing before the South Dakota Water Management Board and staff from the South Dakota Department 

of the Environment and Natural Resources in Pierre, SD. At the end of the hearing, the Water Management Board approved application 

2633-2 with qualifi cations. While none of the permit qualifi cations specifi cally address NPS concerns over groundwater withdrawals, the 

NPS may benefi t from one qualifi cation which states that the groundwater withdrawals may not have a signifi cant adverse eff ect on water 

fl ow or water quality from Beaver Creek Springs, located downstream of the park.

As a result of this qualifi cation, SBHWS is considering constructing a monitoring well near their production well that they would be able to 

estimate the impacts from their withdrawals on the fl ow at Beaver Creek Springs. The NPS anticipates being able to use information from 

the monitoring well to estimate impacts to the cave lakes. SBHWS has recently contacted NPS about sharing data from this well and other 

NPS needs related to their project.

Decision Regarding an Application to 

Withdraw Groundwater Near Wind Cave 

National Park

Jeff Hughes, Hydrologist

Water Rights Branch

Marc Ohms of WICA reading the staff plate 

in Calite Lake within Wind cave, Photo by 

Jeff Hughes
29 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

John Reynolds of GRBA collecting survey 

data at the Rowland Springs Complex within 

Great Basin National Park. Photo by Jeff 

Hughes. 

In order to protect its surface water resources from groundwater development proposed in nearby Snake Valley, four water right applications were fi led with the State of Nevada for instream fl ows for three streams and one spring system within Great Basin National Park 

(GRBA). The park is concerned about the potential impacts to GRBA surface water sources from the groundwater withdrawals proposed 

by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) located just east of the park.

Applications were fi led for instream fl ow for Snake, Baker and Lehman creeks, and the Rowland Springs complex for recreation purposes, 

which include fi sh and wildlife uses. The NPS used the Tennant Method (Tennant, 1976) to quantify fl ows needed to support a fi shery. 

This method required an estimate of mean annual fl ow for each of the water source. The mean annual fl ows were estimated using available precipitation, snowpack, and streamfl ow data from the park and surrounding region.

Water Rights maps were required to accompany each application and needed to be completed by a licensed Nevada water rights surveyor. NPS staff contracted with a Las Vegas, NV surveying fi rm during the summer of 2009 to collect the required GPS data in the park 

and to prepare the maps. 

The applications were accepted as complete by the State in August, 2009. By the end of the public notice period, the NPS received two 

protests to each application from the same two parties: SNWA and Baker Ranches, Inc. The NPS has requested the State to hold the applications in abeyance (withhold action) until the completion of on-going hydrological data collection eff orts by the NPS and other agencies. The NPS is in the process of preparing for a hearing concerning the SNWA applications to withdraw groundwater in Snake Valley 

and is involved with several studies to assist in determining the potential impacts to the water resources of GRBA from various pumping 

scenarios.

Reference: Tennant, D.L. 1976. Instream fl ow regimes for fi sh, wildlife, recreation, and related environmental resources. In: Instream fl ow 

needs, volume II: Boise, ID. Proceedings of the symposium and specialty conference on instream fl ow needs. May 3-9, American Fisheries 

Society, p 359 – 373.

Applications Filed for Four State-based 

Instream Flow Water Rights for Great Basin 

National Park

Jeff Hughes, Hydrologist

Water Rights Branch
30 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

“Water is the breath of life in 

the arid lands of the west. ”

- National Park Service

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park was established 

in 1933 to preserve one of the most spectacular, steepest, 

and narrowest canyons in the country. Formed by the constant grinding of water and sediment of the Gunnison River, 

the 53-mile long Black Canyon is, in places, deeper than it 

is wide, with canyon walls towering more than 2,000 feet 

above the river. Immediately upstream is Curecanti National 

Recreation Area and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Aspinall 

Unit with its three reservoirs (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, and 

Crystal). These dams, completed between 1966 and 1976, 

regulate the fl ow of the Gunnison River through the Black 

Canyon and have eff ectively decreased the magnitude and 

frequency of high fl ows that once scoured the riverbed and 

formed the canyon.

On December 31, 2008, after a year-long negotiation and 

more than 30 years of controversy and legal wrangling, the 

Colorado Water Court issued a decree quantifying a 1933 

federal-reserved water right for the Gunnison River through 

Black Canyon. The decreed water right mimics the natural, 

pre-dam hydrograph and includes a year-round minimum 

basefl ow of 300 cubic feet per second (cfs), and variable 

peak and shoulder fl ows, the magnitudes of which are in 

direct proportion to annual snowpack conditions. The fi nal 

settlement agreement was indeed a true compromise in that 

it recognized the importance of all private and public river 

management issues including existing upstream water users, 

the potential for downstream fl ooding, protection of downstream endangered fi sh habitat, and operation of the Aspinall 

Unit reservoirs and hydropower facilities. 

Protecting and maintaining the character and natural 

integrity of the Black Canyon will require annual exercise 

of the decreed right at or near the target fl ows. In drier 

years, the peak and shoulder fl ows may be relatively small, 

but in average and wetter years the decreed fl ows may be 

quite large and thus require use of reservoir storage and 

result in lost hydropower generation. 

Black Canyon Water Right - Decreed and Delivered

Mark Wondzell, Hydrologist

Water Rights Branch

Gunnison River at Red Rock Canyon, Black Canyon of the Gunnison 

National Park. Photo by NPS

Obviously, this will require annual coordination among the different federal bureaus to balance seemingly confl icting needs, 

while still protecting the unique riparian and riverine resources 

of the Black Canyon. Now, each spring, the National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and other basin users will meet to 

defi ne a target hydrograph for the upcoming year. On May 13, 

2009, the fl ow of the Gunnison River through Black Canyon of 

the Gunnison National Park peaked at 7,340 cfs, thus satisfying 

one aspect of the newly decreed right, and ushering in a new 

era of reservoir operations that will protect the unique resources 

of the Park and restore and maintain the physical processes that 

carved this canyon. 

G i Ri t R d R k C Bl k C f th G i
31 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Natural Resource Challenge Aquatic 

Resource Field Professionals Highlights

Funding from the Natural Resource Challenge helped support 15 

fi eld-based aquatic resource professional positions in FY09. The 

aquatic professional positions were developed to provide the 

National Park Service with both an extension of the functions and 

capabilities provided by the Water Resources Division and the handful of water and aquatic resource professional positions base-funded 

in parks and regions. the positions are designed to provide locallybased expertise to address water resource, fi shery, and/or other 

aquatic issues that are substantial and ongoing in a particular

 watershed or area. The positions are unique in that they are 

designed to support the needs of multiple parks. 

Examples of Field-based Aquatic Resource Professionals’ 

AccomplishmentsFY 2009

• Assisted Death Valley National Park in reviewing EIS public 

 scoping comments for a proposed solar energy development 

 project in the vicinity of Devil’s Hole.

• Represented NPS interests in Nevada at cooperative agency 

 meetings on BLM managed EIS for Clark, Lincoln and White Pine

 Counties groundwater development pipeline project.

• Represented Great Basin National Park interests on an interagency,

 hydrologic technical review panel for the stipulated agreement to 

 monitor, manage and mitigate potential impacts from groundwater

 withdrawals in Spring Valley, Nevada.

• Collaborated with Joshua Tree National Park and Pacifi c West Region 

 to formulate a groundwater study request to the Federal Energy

 Regulatory Commission, outlining additional studies necessary to 

 characterize the potential individual and cumulative impacts associ 

 ated with a proposed groundwater pumped storage, electrical gen

 eration project adjacent to the park.

• Monitored progress on implementation of a Hydrologic Monitoring

 and Mitigation Program developed as part of the Virgin River Habi

 tat Conservation and Recovery Program to evaluate future ground

 water development impacts on surface water and groundwater 

 resources in the Lower Virgin River Basin in Lake Mead National 

 Recreation Area.

• Identifi ed and mitigated current fl ood hazards at Mount Rainier 

 Natonal Park and developed recommendations to minimize future

 fl ood damage.

• Field assessed, with Olympic National Park chronic aggradation 

 and fl ooding issues at Finley Creek. Developed a long-term strategy

 to stabilize the watershed, and protect park infrastructure.

• Investigated bridge about to be undermined by fl ood fl ows at 

 Whitman Mission National Historic Site, and developed measures to

 protect the structure. Provided guidance for long-term riparian

 recovery of newly acquired park property

• Identifi ed need and obtained regional funding support for riparian

 cattle enclosures to improve riparian and wetland conditions at 

 Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.

• Analyzed Acadia National Park’s lake water quality monitoring 

 program based on data dating to the 1940’s. Obtained agreement 

 from the coastal barrier network to allow their statistician to work

 on next steps for this project in 2010.

• Prepared NRPP Natural Resources Management funded proposal 

 (PMIS 148528) “Assessment of Spawning Horseshoe Crabs within

 Mid-Atlantic Coastal NPS Units” to establish citizen based horseshoe

 crab monitoring at Fire Island National Seashore, Gateway National 

 Recreation Area, and Sagamore Hill National Historic Site.

• Provided professional consultation to Fire Island National Seashore

 and partners regarding restoration opportunities and Habitat 

 Evaluation Planning models for the USACE Fire Island to Montauk 

 Point Draft Reformulation Plan.

• Provided a written assessment of potential impacts to water quality

 at Green Springs National Historic Landmark District associated with

 proposed waste water treatment development.

• Implemented ecological monitoring at Gateway National Recreation

 Area to evaluate restoration of 39 acres of salt marsh at Elders Point

 East. 

• Worked with USGS and Gettysburg National Military Park staff to

 organize a water and sediment study for Rock Creek associated with

 potential contamination issues associated with an upstream 

 wastewater treatment plant.

• Worked with Minuteman National Historical Park staff , state of MA, 

 and Town of Lincoln staff to complete installation of a culvert to

 allow passage of fl ows and aquatic species for an ongoing stream 

 daylighting project.

• Provided written review and organized NPS response to a Delaware

 River branch water extraction request for gas production from shale. 

• Worked with USFWS to organize a DOI meeting with the Delaware 

 River Basin Commission to discuss aquatic fl ow needs for the 

 Delaware River and examine the fl exible fl ow release plan.

• Provided technical support for the Natural Resources Condition 

 Assessment and Resource Stewardship Strategy at Valley Forge 

 National Historical Park.

• Provided technical support to Northeast Regional Director regarding 

 Marcellus Shale development and Appalachian Trail research 

 opportunities at the DOI Northeast Regional Directors’ Workshop.

• Provided NPS comments to EPA on the water quality segment of the 

 Executive Order for Chesapeake Bay restoration planning.

• Worked with regional aquatic ecologist and WRD Fishery Program 

 Team Leader to write Experimental Use Permit waiver request for

 EPA in order for Isle Royale’s NPS Ranger III to continue use of 

 disinfection to treat for VHS and other aquatic invasive organisms.

• Assisted with zebra mussel monitoring at Isle Royale National Park 

 at several docks around island following initial discovery at Windigo 

 in September, 2009.

• Assisted with water quality data collection for Great Lakes Network 

 and for Acadia National Park/Isle Royale National Park project to 

 investigate nitrogen/phosphorous in inland lakes.

• Completed fi nal report (“Water quality conditions and patterns on

 the Grand Portage Reservation and Grand Portage National 

 Monument, Minnesota: Implications for nutrient criteria 

 development and future monitoring”) for the Grand Portage Band, 

 Grand Portage National Monument, and the NPS Great Lakes 

 Network. 

• Worked with Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore staff to incorporate

 a re-draft of the Indiana Dunes Coastal Watershed Condition 

 Assessment into the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative templates.

• Provided continued assistance to Isle Royale National Park 

 superintendent on invasive species issues and ballast water 

 treatment.

• Continued drafting fi nal report on the spatial, seasonal, and 

 long-term water quality trends at eight sites in and near Mississippi 

 National River and Recreation Area. 

• Analyzed preliminary results from the 2008 nitrogen source study 

 on the Lower St. Croix River.
32 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

• With USGS partners, conducted historical data analysis to 

 evaluate potential causes for avian botulism outbreaks since 1960

 in Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and 

 drafted related manuscript (“Environmental correlates of historic

 type E botulism outbreaks in Lake Michigan, 1963-2008”) for 

 submission to Journal of Great Lakes Research.

• Assisted in the capture and re-introduction of Roundtail chub (Gila 

 robusta) in Dinosaur National Monument; helped establish a refuge

 population of the species.

• Assisted Grand Canyon National Park in conjunction with the Bureau 

 of Reclamation, the Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, the Arizona 

 Game and Fish Department, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

 to translocate 300 juvenile humpback chub to Shinumo Creek

 within the park

• Surveyed Canadian River in Lake Meredith National Recreation Area

 for the threatened Arkansas River Shiner (Notropis girardi)

• Continued to serve as the Biology Committee representative to the

 multi-partnered Upper Colorado River Basin Recovery Program.

• Provided technical assistance for a project studying aquatic habitat 

 in the upper Nuka River in Kenai Fjords National Park. Administered

 CESU agreement, coordinated with park staff , and reviewed and 

 edited the fi nal report.

• Provided project oversight and technical assistance for an ongoing 

 research project studying the distribution and population structure

 of humpback whitefi sh within the Lake Clark drainage.

• Sampled resident fi sh and macroinvertebrates in watersheds 

 impacted by the 2009 eruption of Mount Redoubt in Lake Clark 

 National Park and Preserve in collaboration with USGS Alaska 

 Science Center. 

• Implemented the shallow lake monitoring plan in 30 lakes in Kobuk 

 Valley National Park.

• Began development of interactive geodatabase for observing large

 scale lake drying and thermokarst events in Arctic Network parks. 

 This is super cool and an excellent resource for demonstrating to 

 the public the large-scale impacts of global warming on Alaska’s 

 parklands.

• Implemented the shallow lake monitoring plan in Wrangell-St. Elias

 National Park and Preserve, sampled 25 lakes, 2 lakes in Yukon-

 Charley Rivers National Park. 

• Assisted Yukon-Charley Rivers National Park with Coal Creek 

 rehabilitation and access corridor project.

• Maintained partnerships with University of Alaska Fairbanks faculty 

 to investigate shallow lake dynamics in interior Alaska.

• Worked with cooperators at University of Georgia to develop spatial

 database of southeast fi sh and aquatic habitats in and surrounding

 Southeast Region park units

• Conducted research on breeding status of exotic Asian swamp eels 

 in backwater marsh at Chattahoochee River National Recreation 

 Area.

• Reviewed and provided and provided comments on the proposed 

 mining permit from Burress Stone Construction, Inc. and possible 

 hydrologic impacts along the park lands at Blue Ridge Parkway.

• Reviewed and provided assistance to park natural resource staff on 

 developing appropriate mitigation measures to off set wetland

 impacts from the proposed Bonner Bridge replacement project at 

 Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

• Conducted a site visit with the Southeast Region Wildlife Biologist to 

 Cumberland Island National Seashore in August, 2009, to investigate

 the current condition of the freshwater wetland habitat at Willow 

 Pond which been severely impacted due to the wild horses and feral 

 hogs on the island

• Reviewed and provided comments on the Everglades National Park 

 Swale EA and Wetland/Floodplain SOF. 

• Reviewed the Draft Jean Lafi tte National Historical Park and 

 Preserve (JELA) paper “Inventory and Assessment of the 

 Distribution of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation at JELA” and 

 provided comments on the draft publication

Gill netting in Sequoia and Kings Canyon 

National Park. Photo by NPS.
 National Park Service 33

APPENDIX A

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

SERVICEWIDE

Servicewide

Organized symposium on endemic black bass in the southeastern US 

for American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting.

Attended NPS-WRD meeting on watershed condition assessments.

Served as the Biology Committee representative to the multi-partnered Upper Colorado River Basin Recovery Program.

As part of a multi-agency working group, reviewed “Guidance for Fire 

Suppression Activities” to avoid spread of aquatic nuisance species.

Participated in WASO group to develop fi sh consumption advisories 

for the National Park Service.

Served as panelist representing the Northeast Region to review and 

rank the FY2011 proposals for the Natural Resource Preservation

Program Disturbed Lands Restoration.

Served as the Northeast Regional representative for the Inventory and 

Monitoring Advisory Committee. 

Prepared request for NRPC region-wide assessment of potential park 

resource impacts associated with Marcellus Shale development. 

Provided substantive written reviews of the NRPC report. Provided 

written reviews and consultation on a water withdrawal for shale

 production in the Delaware River Basin.

Provided technical support to NPS Regional Director regarding 

Marcellus Shale development and Appalachian Trail research 

opportunities at the DOI Northeast Regional Directors’ Workshop.

Served as GPRA Regional coordinator for 4 goals: Stream and 

Shoreline Desired Conditions, Restored Riparian Miles, Water Quality 

and Water Quantity Products.

Presented NPS NER needs at the USGS Leetown Genetics, Genomics, 

and Molecular Biology Meeting.

Represented NER through written and verbal comments in the 

evaluation of NRPP Natural Resource Management project reviews.

Organized, reviewed, and ranked all NPS/USGS Water Quality Partnership Program proposals for the NE Region. Provided written reviews to 

Park and USGS applicants. Helped rewrite new WQPP national 

strategy which has been implemented for FY2010.

Provided NPS comments to EPA on the water quality segment of the 

Executive Order for Chesapeake Bay restoration planning.

Assisted with the interagency and international Northeast Air Quality 

Committee meeting preparation and discussions, which focused on 

current science and policies relating to northeast air and aff ected 

water quality and the future mission of NERAQC.

Provided written comment for EPA ballast exchange regulations 

within the Great Lakes and proposed mountain top mining regulation 

changes.

Briefed NPS WRD Water Quality Branch Chief on NER emerging

contaminant pollution in waters. Presented emerging contaminant 

information to DOI solicitor, which led to a meeting and presentation 

with EPA, USGS, USFWS, and MA state representatives regarding 

future research and regulatory needs.

Lake Clark, Lake Clark National 

Park & Preserve. Photo by NPS.

Beaver Ponds on the Colorado River, Rocky Mountain 

National Park. Photo by NPS 
34 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Hydrology and Watershed Management 

Aquatic Invasive Species

Represented the National Park Service on the Western 

Regional Panel of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force. 

Worked with the Western Regional Panel of the Aquatic 

Nuisance Species Task Force to develop a quagga / zebra mussel 

action plan for the western US. 

Reviewed and provided comments on a request to the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force to develop protocols to address ballast water 

in grounded vessels. 

Climate Change

Represented WRD on the NPS Climate Change Planning Working 

Group, which serves the NPS Climate Change Response Steering Committee. 

Represented WRD on the NPS Climate Change Science Working 

Group, which serves the NPS Climate Change Response Steering Committee. 

Energy Development 

Provided WRD support to the 9B Oil and Gas Compliance Team, guiding and evaluating wetland compliance on all 9B Plans of Operations 

for exploration and drilling.

Participated in the scoping meeting for the Environmental Impact 

Statement for the NPS 9B Oil and Gas Rule Revisions, providing guidance on the integration of Directors Order 77-1: Wetland Protection 

with the 9B regulatory process. 

Fisheries Management 

Represented the National Park Service on the Desert Fishes Habitat 

Partnership (DFHP), a candidate partnership under the National Fish 

Habitat Initiative. 

Served as the National Park Service representative to the Western Native Trout Initiative.

Participated in a Department of Interior fi sh consumption 

advisory group. 

Represented the National Park Service on the Reservoir 

Fisheries Partnership (RFHP).

Served as coordinator for NRPC reviews of submissions to the Development Advisory Board and attended Line Item 

Construction meeting for NRSS. 

Served on Technical Evaluation Panel for an Indefi nite Quantities Contract awarded by the Denver Service Center for fl ood control and bank 

stabilization.

Represented WRD at the Servicewide I& M Advisory 

Committee meeting in Fort Collins, CO, in December 2008.

Served on the Restoration Technical Advisory Group.

Served on the Rivers/Dams workgroup.

Served on the Technical Assistance Call Software Development Task 

Group.

Participated in Dam Removal Workshop organized by BOR and USGS.

Information and Data Management 

Provided support to the USGS on a U.S. Agency for International Development eff ort to assist Pakistan in developing water quality database management systems.

Represented NRPC on the DOI Climate Change Impacts Data Collection, Integration, and Management Workgroup and the Data Management Subcommittee.

Served on the Information Technology Technical Advisory Group.

Computed hydrographic statistics for all parks from the large-scale 

(1:24,000; 1:63,360 Alaska) National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) in 

geodatabase format.

Served on the Outreach and Technical Advisory Group.

Attended the USGS National Hydrography Dataset/National Watershed Boundary Conference in Denver, CO, in April 2009.

Coordinated the upgrade to Terrain Navigator Pro v.8.50 and v.8.51 

and troubleshot issues for NRPC users.

Released NPSTORET v.1.74 which contained a series of Microsoft Access templates/forms for entering and documenting the results of 

water quality monitoring projects as per the National

Water Quality Monitoring Council’s guidelines in a format compatible 

with uploading to modern STORET using the STORET Import Module. 

Maintained NPSEDD v1.10, the NPS Electronic Data Deliverable specifi cation used by parks and networks for contributing water quality 

data for inclusion in STORET.

Maintained version NPSCol2Row v2.11, a data formatting utility used 

to prepare data for the STORET Import Module, on the NPS’ Vital Signs 

Water Quality Data Management and Archiving website and EPA’s 

STORET Tools website (http://www.epa.gov/storet/otherapps.html) for 

anyone to download.

Quagga/Zebra Mussels. Photo by David Britton 
35 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Assisted the EPA, several states, and Gold Systems Inc. in developing 

and debugging the Ambient Water Quality Monitoring System, a 

possible successor to the stand-alone copies of STORET.

Updated the Vital Signs Water Quality Data Management and 

Archiving website: http://www.nature.nps.gov/water/infoanddata/

index.htm.

Updated webpages for the Servicewide I&M Program to explain the 

water quality and water resources inventories, (http://science.nature.

nps.gov/im/inventory/waterquality/index.cfm and http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/inventory/water/index.cfm).

Attended the Servicewide I&M Data Manager’s Meeting in Tucson, AZ.

Natural Resource Condition Assessment 

Program

Distributed and presented draft revised Natural Resource 

condition Assessment (NRCA) project standards and guidelines to NPS 

Regions and park staff .

Completed Natural Resource Condition Assessment project and published fi nal report.

Provided support to the fi eld for initiation of 6 NRCA projects involving 18 parks.

Initiated a collaborative project with NatureServe, the National Interagency Fire Center, and the Biological Resource Management Division 

to develop and pilot a set of landscape-scale interpretive products for 

use in NRCA projects at 10 park units.

Hosted NRCA pilot review process and meeting, resulting in draft 

revised project standards and guidance.

Natural Resource Planning 

Participated in a meeting with Denver Service Center’s Planning Division to start developing new tools for gathering and managing data 

on park resources (natural/cultural), visitation/utilization, and operations to improve their planning products/services. 

Coordinated with the Denver Service Center in the organization and 

presentation of a concurrent session titled Water for Life: Integrating 

Natural Resources, Planning, and Management at the 2009 meeting of 

the George Wright Society in Portland, OR. 

Represented WRD on the NRPC Planning Technical Advisory Team

(PTAG). 

Restoration 

Compiled habitat restoration projects from all regional offi ces for potential funding under a proposed federal Economic Stimulus Bill. 

Collaborated with members of the Restoration Technical Advisory 

Group to create an OFS request for $2.75 million per year for NPS 

Aquatic Resource Restoration and Management.

Served on the NRPC Restoration Technical Advisory Group (RTAG).

Strategic Planning

Served as servicewide goal coordinator for DOI Strategic Plan Goals 

for water quality and the health of streams and riparian zones.

Enhanced the software used to quality-assure, compile, and calculate 

hydrographic statistics in the Designated Use and Impairment Database.

Water Quality Management 

Represented the National Park Service on the National Water Quality 

Monitoring Council. 

Participated as a reviewer in the National Water Quality Monitoring 

Council Methods Board Sensor Workgroup to advance and foster a 

broader understanding and consistency of water quality sensor use.

Coordinate the NPS-USGS Water Quality Partnership Program as part 

of the Clean Water Action Plan funded by Congress. 

Evaluated water quality analysis software and arranged for webinar 

reviews and training on software (Aquarius, StreamlineENV, and DataSight).

Wetlands Protections

Co-authored NPS comments on a Corps of Engineers proposal to 

suspend and modify Clean Water Act (Section 404) Nationwide Permit 

#21, which authorizes discharges of dredged or fi ll material into waters of the United States for surface coal mining activities.

Provided technical review and comment on the National Fish and 

Wildlife Foundation’s Business Plan for Sierra Nevada Meadow 

Restoration.

Wild & Scenic Rivers Program 

Participated in meetings with the DSC Planning Division, Alaska Regional Offi ce, and WRD staff on Wild & Scenic River planning.

Elk, Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Photo by NPS. 
36 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Compiled and uploaded data from the USGS’s reformatted National 

Uranium Resource Evaluation to STORET for ALAG, DENA. GAAR, 

GLBA, KATM, KEFJ, KLGO, LACL, SITK, WRST, and YUCH.

Obtained, entered, reformatted, and QA/QCed additional water quality data from BELA, CAKR, GAAR, and NOAT for upload to STORET in 

preparation for producing a Baseline Water Quality Data Inventory 

and Analysis Report.

Wrote a successful proposal, “Understanding lake disappearance 

through time in northern Alaskan parks”. 

Attended the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, CA, in 

December 2008.

 Assisted with Coal Creek rehabilitation and access corridor project. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

REGIONS AND PARKS

ALASKA REGION

Regionwide

Alaska Regional Offi ce 

Co-developed and recommended approval of the NPS Alaska Region 

Wetland Mitigation Banking Program- Umbrella 

Mitigation Bank Instrument.

Aniakchak National Monument

Uploaded water samples and fi eld measurements collected in 1973 by 

the USGS and 1993 by Alaska Volcano Observatory researchers from 

springs in the vicinity of Surprise Lake to STORET.

Cape Krusenstern National Monument

Continued a cooperative agreement with East Carolina University to 

test a coastal lagoon monitoring strategy.

Denali National Park and Preserve 

Collaborated with USGS to develop a lake classifi cation scheme.

Maintained partnerships with University of Alaska Fairbanks faculty to 

investigate shallow lake dynamics in interior

Alaska.

Continued discussions with USGS on the Yukon Basin 

Initiative.

Assisted with the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge biological review.

Made recommendations to Yukon Flats and Nowitna National Wildlife 

Refuges for monitoring wetland dynamics.

Gates of Artic National Park and Preserve 

Sampled 23 lakes.

Served as a member of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Graduate 

Committee for “Investigations on Old Man Char in Gates of the Arctic 

National Park and Preserve”.

Katmai National Park and Preserve

Assisted regional offi ce staff in developing a Scope of Work and government estimate for a wetland delineation contract at Brooks Camp.

Participated on the NPS Resource Management Team and interagency 

Technical Working Group regarding the Pebble Mine, a proposed copper and gold mine in southwest Alaska; attended meetings, reviewed 

study plans, and commented on fi sheries resource issues. 

Partnership monitoring goals and mission.

Kenai Fjords National Park 

Provided technical assistance for a project studying aquatic habitat 

in the upper Nuka River. Administered CESU agreement, coordinated 

with park staff , and reviewed and edited the fi nal report.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Dyea Area Plan.

Kobuk Valley National Preserve 

Initiated cooperative agreement to track changes in lake

surface area.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve 

Provided technical assistance support that included travel to park to 

meet with staff in determining best approach to establish baseline 

monitoring program for the Chulitna watershed prior to proposed 

Pebble Mine development.

Provided technical and policy review and assisted in the publication of a report titled Assessment of Coastal Water Resources and 

Watershed Conditions at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, 

Alaska (Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRTR – 

2008/144).

Worked with park staff and the Alaska Regional Offi ce to address NPS 

wetland compliance requirements for a proposed land exchange between the park and Tanalian, Inc. 

Provided technical review of the fi nal report for the BRMD-funded 

project Conserving Sustainable Northern Pike 

Populations. 

Drafted proposal and received funding for water quality monitoring 

in the Chulitna River watershed, a watershed 

adjacent to the proposed Pebble Mine.

Provided project oversight and technical assistance for an ongoing 

research project studying the distribution and population structure 

of humpback whitefi sh within the Lake Clark drainage.

Provided project oversight, completed data analysis, and wrote progress and annual reports for a monitoring project estimating the 2009 

escapement and population structure of Lake Clark sockeye salmon. 
37 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Provided technical assistance for interagency sockeye salmon research in the Kuskokwim River drainage in southwest Alaska including drafting proposals, reviewing reports, coordinating logistics, and 

assisting with sampling activities.

Reviewed and provided comments/edits for reports including a draft 

Environmental Assessment and a NPCA State of the Parks report.

Sampled resident fi sh and macroinvertebrates in watersheds impacted by the 2009 eruption of Mount Redoubt, in collaboration with 

USGS Alaska Science Center. 

Supervised and provided technical assistance for a northern pike radio telemetry study in the Lake Clark watershed.

Wrangell-St.Elias National Park and Preserve

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from environmental geochemical investigations conducted between 1994 and 1997 to determine the extent of possible environmental 

hazards.

Provided guidance and recommendations to park staff concerning impacts to wetland resources resulting from off -road vehicle use. 

Implemented the shallow lake monitoring plan.

Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve 

Provided information on the relationship of mercury in fi sh to these 

cofactors: pH, dissolved organic carbon, and sulfates.

Sampled two lakes.

Assisted with Coal Creek rehabilitation and access corridor project.

Prepared Title 16 documentation for the park to gain access to Coal 

Creek Camp.

Provided comments on aviation program.

Initiated cooperative agreement to document impacts of 2009 spring 

fl ood on moose habitat, wetland communities, and structures.

Cored Ford and Six-mile lakes to track lake disappearance.

Deployed temperature loggers for USFWS project monitoring Yukon 

River water temperature.

Regionwide

Served as the Biology Committee representative to the multi-partnered Upper Colorado River Basin Recovery Program.

As part of a multi-agency working group, reviewed “Guidance for Fire 

Suppression Activities” to avoid spread of aquatic nuisance species.

Participated in WASO group to develop fi sh consumption 

advisories for the National Park Service

Arches National Park 

Continue to monitor the DOE’s Moab site groundwater remediation 

and construction activities, including the onset of rail car loadings and 

shipping of uranium mill tailings to the new repository at Crescent 

Junction, UT.

Investigated potential for construction of a new well at park headquarters.

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Levee at maintenance 

facility.

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site

Continued development of a Water Resources Information and Issues 

Overview Report for the park.

Big Bend National Park 

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Construction of New 

Housing and Operations Facilities in Rio Grande 

Village.

INTERMOUNTAIN REGION

Provided advice on contaminants and how to choose an analytical 

laboratory.

Compiled and uploaded data from the USGS’s reformatted National 

Uranium Resource Evaluation to STORET for ARCH, AZRU, BAND, BEOL, 

BICA, BIHO, BLCA, BRCA, CACH, CANY, CARE, CAVO, CAVE, CEBR, COLM, 

CORO, CURE, DETO, DINO, ELMA, ELMO, FLFO, FOLA, FOUN, FOBU, 

GICL, GLCA, GOSP, GRCA, GRKO, GRSA, GRTE, HOVE, HUTR, JODR, LIBI, 

MEVE, MOCA, NABR, NAVA, PECO, PEFO, PETR, PISP, ROMO, SAGU, 

SAPU, SAND, SCBL, SUCR, TICA, TONT, TUMA, TUZI, WACA, WABA, 

WHSA, WUPA, YELL, YUHO, and ZION.

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Conducted hydrogeological analysis and recommendations for construction of a new water supply well at Horseshoe Bend.

Reviewed and commented on a proposal titled Arid Land Spring Protection and Restoration for the park.

Big Hole National Battlefi eld

Uploaded water quality data from the 1999 Level I Water Quality Inventory conducted by the USGS to STORET.

Big Thicket National Preserve

Reviewed site investigation work plans addressing characterization of 

contaminated soils and groundwater at multiple oil and gas sites.

Provided interpretation of fl oodplain locations to park staff regarding 

replacement of an abandoned gas line through park property.

Participated in candidate interviews and evaluation for

hydrologist position.

Continued coordination of a Natural Resources Foundation Report for 

the park. 
38 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Advised park on progress at DOE’s Moab site groundwater remediation and construction activities, including the onset of rail car loadings and shipping of uranium mill tailings to the new repository at 

Crescent Junction, UT.

Assisted in developing fl uvial geomorphologic conditions assessment 

of Salt Wash relative to an existing road. 

Canyonlands National Park 

Capital Reef National Park 

Assisted in evaluation of a water supply well at the Sleeping Rainbow 

Ranch.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park 

Uploaded water quality data from Boston’s 1999 Lechuguilla Cave - 

Red Lake contamination study to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Dawson’s 1998 Hydrochemistry of 

Lechuguilla Cave, Final Report Summary to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Hunter’s 2000 study on persistent 

coliform contamination in Lechuguilla cave pools to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data compiled by park staff from monitoring 

park seeps and springs from 1931 to 1991 to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Palmer’s 1988 study Water Chemistry in the Vicinity of Subaqueous Helictites in Pellucidar, Lechuguilla 

Cave, New Mexico and other sources to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Oelker’s 1986 The Lechuguilla Cave 

Water Study to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Turin and Plummer’s various studies documented in the 2000 report Lechuguilla Cave Pool Chemistry, 

1986-1999 to STORET.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park 

Reviewed two Floodplain Statements of Findings, one for Gallo Wash 

Campground and one for sewer, water, and fl ood control for visitor 

center renovation.

Chickasaw National Recreation Area 

Reviewed and evaluated the impacts to wetland resources that would 

result from constructing a proposed boardwalk through a wetland in 

the park

Releasing Roundtail chub (Gila robusta) into the Green River in 

Dinosaur National Monument (Mike Montagne, USFWS, 2009).

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument 

Assisted with evaluation of sustainable yield from the Sawmill Trail 

Well.

Fort Bowie National Historic Site

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Dyea Area Plan.

Fort Davis National Historic Site 

Finalized Flood Mitigation Plan technical memo.

Fort Union National Monument

Assessed potential for oil and gas test drilling to impact park 

resources.

Coronado National Monument 

Reviewed a report titled Evaluation of Interim Road Protection Measures and reviewed and advised park staff on 30% design drawings for 

Routes 10 and 200, East Montezuma Canyon Road Improvements for 

Coronado National Memorial.

Dinosaur National Monument 

Assisted with hardening a bank of the Yampa River at a boat put-in.

Advised staff of the potential relevance of apparent long term upwards trends of pH in the Yampa River to proposals for increased 

irrigation use.

Returned 137 roundtail chub (Gila robusta) to the Yampa River from 

USFWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery.

leasing Roundtail chub (Gila robusta) into the Green Rive

Fossil Butte National Monument

Assessed the environmental impact of exporting water from Cundick 

Spring and identifi ed potential sources of surplus water.

Provided technical assistance to Monument staff in managing use of 

“surplus water” from park springs for livestock watering on adjacent 

lands. 

Glacier National Park

Commented on proposed gravel mine near park waters.

Provided information on endocrine disrupters and fi sh tissue 

contaminants issues.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Assisted park staff in obtaining permits for existing wells.

Golden Spike National Historic Site

Provided review and comment on the park’s draft General Management Plan project agreement.

Grand Canyon National Park

Continued discussions with Grand Canyon National Park’s hydrologist 

to initiate a Water Resources Information and Issues Overview Report.
39 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Assisted the BOR, Grand Canyon Wildlands Council, the Arizona 

Game and Fish Department, and the USFWS in translocating and 

monitoring 300 juvenile, transmitter-tagged humpback chub, an endangered species, to Shinumo Creek.

Grand Teton National Park 

Provided advice on statistical issues, regular reporting issues, trend 

analyses alternatives, defi ning target populations to monitor, and autocorrelation issues.

Reviewed Floodplain Statement of Findings for Gros Ventre Campground rehabilitation.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and 

Preserve

John D. Rockfeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway/

Grand Teton National Park 

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area

Helped survey the Canadian River for the presence and relative abundance of the threatened Arkansas River Shiner (Notropis girardi), 

whose habitat has been damaged by ORV use.

Fisheries biologists from the National Park Service 

and Texas Tech University survey the Canadian River 

for the Arkansas River Shiner (Trammell 2009).

Provided technical assistance to park staff regarding removal of 15 

man-made fi sh ponds and restoration of the fl oodplain of Sand Creek. 

Co-developed a proposal for a restoration design plan and 

coordinated obligation of park funding for the Sand Creek restoration project through the Rocky Mountains CESU and Intermountain 

Region. 

Little Bighorn Battlefi eld National 

Monument

Uploaded water quality data from the 1999 Level I Water Quality 

Inventory conducted by the USGS to STORET.

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park 

Uploaded water quality data collected from the Pedernales River by 

students of Lyndon B. Johnson High School in Johnson City, TX, as 

part of the Colorado River Watch Network to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data collected at two locations on the

Pedernales River by the Lower Colorado River Authority to STORET.

Mesa Verde National Park 

Provided recommendation s for the monitoring of the Far View Terrace gasoline groundwater plume and its cleanup under the Colorado 

Division of Oil and Public Safety spill remediation reimbursement 

program.

Advised park staff regarding wetland compliance requirements for a 

proposed culvert and ditch system associated with a water treatment 

facility.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park 

Assisted in developing a groundwater monitoring plan.

Provided technical and policy review of a Natural Resources Technical Report titled Physical Resources Stewardship Report – Guadalupe 

Mountains National Park (Natural Resources Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/

NRTR – 2008/121). 

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site

Uploaded water quality data from the 1998 Level I Water Quality 

Inventory conducted by the USGS to STORET.

Prepared a proposal titled Establish Native Wetland Plant Species to 

Enhance Channel Stability and Functional Condition in Pueblo

Colorado Wash, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site. 

Developed nursery contract specifi cations for the native wetland 

plant species for the funded Pueblo Colorado Wash project, and 

assisted in the review of bids and selection of a contractor. 

Fisheries biologists from the National Park Service

Analyzed hydrologic data from the Snake River Gravel Pit restoration 

site to determine if 2006 earthwork (removal of non-native sedge soil 

seedbank) altered site hydrology. 

Assisted park staff in developing fi nal planting specifi cations for the 

Snake River Gravel Pit restoration project.

Prepared a proposal titled “Wetland Plant Propagation and Planting 

for Highest Priority Areas of the Snake River Gravel Pit Restoration Site, 

John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway/Grand Teton National Park.” 

Padre Island National Seashore

Reviewed Level II Site Investigation of spill-related contamination of 

the Dunn-Peach well pad.

Provided on-site technical review of a proposed boardwalk through 

wetland resources within the seashore. 

Provided on-site technical review of a proposed 30-mile road alignment within the seashore. 
40 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Palo Alto Battlefi eld National Historic Site

Participated in wetland restoration assessment and evaluation.

Provided technical assistance to park staff in evaluating site specifi c 

data needs and in developing concepts for restoring the Palo Alto Resaca and adjacent wet prairie. 

Prepared a proposal titled Develop Final Restoration Design and Contract Specifi cations for the Palo Alto Resaca, Palo Alto Battlefi eld NHS, 

Texas. 

Prepared a paper titled Concepts for a Proposed Memorandum of 

Agreement (MOA) between the National Park Service and the National 

Park Foundation to Create a Trust Fund for Wetlands Restoration at 

Palo Alto Battlefi eld National Historical Park, Texas. 

Pecos National Historical Park 

Through the ongoing Pecos NHP NRCA, worked with the park, SOPN, 

IMR planning, and other NRPC programs to improve information and 

data sharing between NPS science and planning programs.

Reviewed data and fi le reports for University of New Mexico contractor related to contaminants in fi sh tissue.

Continuing involvement in a project to remove levees as a fi nal step in 

restoration of wetlands along Glorietta Creek as a 20% fee project.

Gathered 1990 data and interpretation notes on contaminants in fi sh 

tissues and provided updated advice to a contractor working on a 

watershed assessment summarization.

Participated on a multi-disciplinary NRPC team which will assist the 

park in developing a Resource Stewardship Strategy pilot project. 

Reviewed and commented on the draft technical report Riparian 

Baseline Data Collection Prior to Opening the Pecos River to Fishing 

Access in Pecos National Historical Park. 

Provided a summary of Water Resources Division research and

technical support at the park and provided relevant references to the 

University of New Mexico cooperators who are developing the Pecos 

National Historical Park Natural Resource Condition Assessment.

Organ Pipe National Park 

Continuing review of impacts related to construction of a pedestrian 

barrier fence along the international border.

Assisted with analyses of cause and remedial action of declining water 

levels at Quitobaquito Spring.

Rocky Mountain National Park 

Reviewed current and proposed sediment monitoring proposal associated with the Grand Ditch failure. 

Found new collaborators to advise park on environmental estrogen 

eff ects on trout in lakes.

Conducted inventory of wells and well permits for the Kawuneeche 

Valley area of the park.

Assisted in testing and monitoring a new well at Fall River Pass.

Participated in a Grand Ditch Science Team meeting at the park to 

identify data gaps that must be fi lled prior to designing restoration 

plans for areas impacted by the 2003 Grand Ditch breach (Lulu Creek, 

Colorado River, Lulu City wetland complex). 

Reviewed and advised Rocky Mountain National Park on a USGS 

proposal titled Water Quality Sampling to Monitor Possible Eff ects of 

Grand Ditch Restoration Activities.

Petrifi ed Forest National Park 

Uploaded water quality data from a 1997 study to characterize baseline conditions in the Puerco River to evaluate potential impacts from 

a proposed casino/truck stop upstream/outside of the park to STORET.

Timpanogos Cave National Monument

Completed fl ood hazard assessment and fl ood evacuation guideline 

report.

Tumacacori National Historical Park

Uploaded water quality data from a 1997 USFWS study by King et al., 

Contaminants as a Limiting Factor of Fish and Wildlife Populations in 

the Santa Cruz River, Arizona, to STORET.

Tuzigoot National Monument

Guided development of a proposal for managing the 100-acre Tavasci 

Marsh. 

Reviewed and commented on a Draft Tavasci Marsh Wetland Assessment: Wetland Vegetation Communities, Condition, and Functions. 

The report is being developed to inform an upcoming Management 

Plan and Environmental Assessment for Tavasci Marsh.

Pipe Spring National Monument

Provided technical assistance for on-going studies of geology and hydrogeology and causes of spring fl ow reduction.

Provided programmatic oversight, technical support and peer review 

in the development of the Information and Issues Overview Report 

– Pipe Springs National Monument (Natural Resources Report NPS/

NRPC/WRD/NRR – 2009/149).

White Sands National Monument

Provided technical support and peer review in the development of a 

Physical Resources Foundation Report for the monument. 
41 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefi eld Participated in class, dockside and underwater training to acquire NPS 

Scuba certifi cation.

Represented NPS at Great Lakes Fishery Commission Lake Superior 

Technical Committee meetings and at National Fish Habitat Initiative 

meetings and conference calls.

Represented region at Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Public 

meeting regarding ballast water permit system for State of Minnesota.

Reviewed Mount Rushmore condition assessment per request from 

Great Plains CESU Research Coordinator.

BRMD project review coordination. Reviewed USGS Eastern Region 

proposals. Reviewed additional USGS proposal for mussel

investigations in SACN.

Reviewed proposal for habitat restoration eff ort in Pere Marquette 

River, per request/recommendation by SLBE Chief of Natural 

Resources.

Coordinated the SCC reviews for the USGS-NPS Water Quality Partnership funding source.

Performed GPRA duties for two land health goals.

Helped develop and coordinate FY10 and FY11 NPS proposal 

submissions for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative; presented NPS 

plans for the Initiative to the Great Lakes Regional Working Group in 

Chicago; served as point of contact for Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Nearshore Health Projects.

Served as one of two points of contact for the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force 

Coordinating Committee, and provided NPS information for the FY08 

and FY09 Operating Plans. 

Provided assistance to the Northern Great Plains Network related to 

water quality monitoring.

Provided oversight on the NRPP-NRM spiny water fl ea project at ISRO, 

PIRO, SLBE, and VOYA.

Uploaded additional analog data to STORET from Macroinvertebrate 

Assemblages and Water Quality in Six National Park Units in the Great 

Plains by Harris et al., Colorado State University, 1991.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Assisted in analyses of groundwater monitoring data.

Wind Cave National Park 

Participated in a working group that developed a “pilot” climate 

change scenario plan for use in the park’s General Management Plan 

planning process. 

REGIONWIDE

Compiled and uploaded data from the USGS’s reformatted National 

Uranium Resource Evaluation to STORET for FOUS, GWCA, and KEWE.

Uploaded biological data to STORET from Macroinvertebrate Assemblages and Water Quality in Six National Park Units in the Great Plains 

by Harris et al., Colorado State University, 1991, for AGFO, GWCA, 

HEHO, HOME, INDU, and PIPE.

Represented Midwest Region for Ocean and Coastal Stewardship 

program; participated in development of Midwest Region Oceans and 

Coastal Park Stewardship Action Plan.

Worked with parks APIS, GRPO, ISRO PIRO and SLBE to develop proposals for Great Lake Restoration Initiative. Acted as lead contact for 

Aquatic Invasive Species prevention projects for Lake Superior and for 

Restoration of Coastal and Fluvial Processes in Five Parks.

Assisted with Great Lakes Strategy Document fi nalization.

Wupatki National Monument

Served as point of contact, reviewing Annual Progress Report for 

NRPP project of spring restoration.

Yellowstone National Park

Served as key offi cial in the awarding of a fourth year USGS contract 

to monitor impacted groundwater discharges to surface water from 

recent gravel mining operations at Sylvan Pass.

Provided recommendation to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality on the McLaren Tailings Final Reclamation Design, the 

Invitation for Bid package, and the groundwater model used to evaluate tailings dewatering.

Obtained funding for continuation of the USGS Montana Science 

Center’s monitoring of specifi c conductance and turbidity parameters 

at the Silver Gate gauge on Soda Butte Creek.

Served as the DOI representative on the New World Mining district 

restoration activities and attended the annual New World Mine Geohydrology Workgroup and public meeting. 

MIDWEST REGION

Apostle Islands National Seashore

Provided technical and policy review for the seashore’s General 

Management Plan / Environmental Impact Statement.

Arkansas Post National Memorial

Uploaded water quality data from the 1999-2000 Level I Water Quality 

Inventory conducted by the USGS to STORET.

Badlands National Park

Provided fl oodplain information, interpretation, and advice regarding 

White River visitor center.
42 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Provided review and comment on the park’s General Management 

Plan project agreement. 

Buff alo National River

Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area

Provided advice on the removal of two dams.

Reviewed and commented on a scoping letter for an Environmental 

Assessment for the proposed Boston Mills Historic District Sewer and 

Treatment System (constructed wetlands).

Effi gy Mounds National Monument

Provided technical review and rating of the draft Effi gy Mounds 

National Monument Natural Resource Condition Assessment (pilot 

report).

Reviewed comments on pollution discharge standards for Lake Michigan submitted to Indiana Pollution Control.

Worked with INDU staff to incorporate a re-draft of the INDU Coastal 

Watershed Condition Assessment into the Great Lakes Restoration 

Initiative templates.

George Washington Carver National 

Monument

Uploaded water quality and invertebrate data from park monitoring 

during 1992-1994 to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Boyt’s 1987 report Water Quality 

Study for George Washington Carver National Monument to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from a study of mercury in springs and 

wells conducted near Diamond, MO, in 1985 to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from a series of water quality monitoring 

eff orts undertaken by students from Missouri Southern State College 

during the early 1980s to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data collected by the Newton County Health 

Department and the Missouri Stream Team to STORET.

Grand Portage National Monument

Completed hydraulic modeling of a short stream reach, developed 

design criteria for streambank stabilization, and completed a technical 

report.

Provided technical assistance on the Pines landfi ll CERCLA site which 

included an extensive review of a groundwater model developed for 

the Potentially Responsible Party and found the model was technically unsound and was not credible or usable in evaluating potential 

threats to park resources. 

Completed fi nal report (“Water quality conditions and patterns on the 

Grand Portage Reservation and Grand Portage National Monument, 

Minnesota: Implications for nutrient criteria development and future 

monitoring”) for the Grand Portage Band and the NPS Great Lakes 

Network. 

Provided assistance with a cultural resources project in Lake Superior 

nearshore waters.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

Participated on an NRPC team that is advising park staff on 

developing a Shoreline Management and Restoration Plan (ARRA 

funding).

Isle Royale National Park

Cooperated with BRMD in providing input on a variety of issues related to viral hemorrhagic septicemia and ballast water management. 

Participated in several meetings and assisted Superintendent with 

various ballast water issues, including USCG STEP test protocols, commercial treatment options for Ranger III, and Michigan Department of 

Environmental Quality Discharge permit standards as they may pertain to Ranger III treatment.

Worked with regional aquatic ecologist and WRD Fishery Program 

Team Leader to write Experimental Use Permit waiver request for EPA 

in order for NPS Ranger III to continue use of disinfection to treat for 

VHS and other aquatic invasive organisms.

Assisted with Rhodamine dye test in Duluth Superior Harbor to determine ballast water dilution/dispersal aboard the vessel Indiana 

Harbor.

Helped develop revised northern pike regulations for inland lakes.

Provided opinion/input to NPS/MI DNR regarding Sivertson commercial fi shery and request to extend license to additional licensee. 

Worked on desired future conditions for fi shery management plan.

Assisted with USGS problem statements – VHS vaccine and ballast water treatment for NPS Ranger III.

Presented information on Lake Trout genetics investigations starting 

in 2010 to Isle Royale Family and Friends meeting.

Worked with network and park to develop benthic mapping plan.

Assisted natural resource staff with fi nalization of voluntary creel survey.

Assisted with annual brook trout surveys with USFWS at Washington 

Harbor, Toben Harbor, and Siskiwit Bay.

Assisted with zebra mussel monitoring at several docks following initial discovery at Windigo in September 2009.

Collected water quality for Acadia National Park / Isle Royale National 

Park project to investigate nitrogen/phosphorous in inland lakes.

Provided continued assistance to superintendent on invasive species 

issues and ballast water treatment.

Co-authored proposals and/or pre-proposals on amphibian conservation genetics, rock pool ecology, boreal lakes climate change, and 

Lake Superior coastal embayments.

Analyzed data, assisted with site selection, coordinated logistics, and 

helped with fi eld sampling on the ISRO/ACAD nitrogen critical loads 

project. 
43 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Mississippi National Recreational River 

Reviewed and provided input to the park staff on the FERC environmental assessment for the Installation of Hydrokinetic Turbines at 

Lock Dam 2 on the Mississippi River. 

Commented on Federal Energy Regulatory Committee environmental 

assessment for hydrokinetics project to be located below USACE lock 

and dam number 2.

Authored or co-authored two papers addressing water quality changes in Lakes Pepin and St. Croix (titled “Recent water quality trends 

and a comparison to sediment-core records for two riverine lakes of 

the Upper Mississippi River basin: Lake St. Croix and Lake Pepin”, and 

“Twentieth-century eutrophication of the St. Croix River reconstructed 

from the sediments of its natural impoundment”), published in 2009 

the Journal of Paleolimnology.

Authored a short article for Park Science on the Lake Pepin and Lake 

St. Croix work (“Reading the tale of two rivers: historical analysis in 

support of river park management”).

Continued drafting fi nal report on the spatial, seasonal, and long-term 

water quality trends at eight sites in and near MISS. Presented related 

poster (“Three decades of water quality change (1976-2005) in the 

Mississippi National River and Recreation Area”) at the annual 

Mississippi River Research Consortium. 

Coordinated with USFWS on placement of additional passive 

integrated transponder antenna at Miner’s Creek for brook trout 

monitoring.

Helped coordinate project planning and cooperative agreements for 

the vernal pools project.

Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway

Reviewed Fish Habitat History report for Namekagon River prepared 

by Notre Dame University.

Provided comments regarding implementation of large wood cover 

project proposed by State of Wisconsin.

Attended annual fi sheries meeting in Grantsburg, WI, and provided 

support in discussions with the States of Wisconsin and Minnesota 

regarding fi sheries issues.

Reviewed and updated fi sh species list.

Analyzed preliminary results from the 2008 nitrogen source study on 

the Lower St. Croix River; presented results at the St. Croix Research 

Rendezvous and the Mississippi River Research Consortium (“Exploring causes for increasing nitrate concentrations in the Lower St. Croix 

River”), as well as the North American Benthological Society meeting 

(“Nitrogen patterns and sources in an upper Mississippi River tributary: a stable isotope approach”).

Gave a presentation on St. Croix macroinvertebrate ecology (“What 

lurks beneath: benthic macroinvertebrates of the St. Croix River”) to 

local government offi cials on the lower St. Croix River.

Gave a presentation on St. Croix water quality (“Health of the St. Croix 

River”) to a local church group as part of their environmental awareness lecture series.

Helped plan and implement the USGS SACN/MISS backwaters nutrient study and the USGS SACN mussel food quality study.

Co-authored a successful USGS-NRPP proposal to investigate eff ects 

of zebra mussels on native mussels, and the eff ects of fi sh predation 

on zebra mussels. 

Participated in St. Croix Basin Water Resources Planning Team activities, particularly those of the Monitoring and Assessment 

Subcommittee.

Missouri National Recreation River

Provided on-site technical review and evaluation of a proposed road 

alignment that will impact over 100 acres of wetlands along the river. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Completed Natural Resource Condition Assessment project and published fi nal report.

Provided assistance for the ongoing Glen Lake/Crystal River watershed planning activities, a stakeholder-based process to defi ne water 

levels needed for balanced protection of lake and river resources.

Provided review of proposal to perform habitat restoration by placing 

signifi cant amounts of woody material in the Platte River.

Reviewed plans for a new water quality laboratory at the park and 

technical assistance for Aral Marl Springs, a Platte River fi sh cleaning 

station, and the Tucker Lake dump.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Conducted pumping test of a new water supply well.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways

Uploaded results from the park’s long-term water quality monitoring 

program through mid-July 2009 from NPSTORET to STORET.

Provided technical and policy review for the Ozark National Scenic 

Riverways Foundation Report.

Pea Ridge National Military Park

Uploaded water quality data from the 1999 Level I Water Quality 

Inventory conducted by the USGS to STORET.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Continued providing advice on potential removal of several small 

dams and berms in the Beaver Basin area.

Completed the second year of a four year study by park staff and 

Northern Michigan University (NMU) to improve understanding of 

coaster brook trout life history and population dynamics at the

lakeshore. 

Worked on fi eld planning and Detailed Implementation Plan for 

mussel/fi sh host project to begin in spring 2010.
44 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Reviewed comments on pollution discharge standards for Lake 

Michigan submitted to Indiana Pollution Control.

Worked with INDU staff to incorporate a re-draft of the INDU Coastal 

Watershed Condition Assessment into the Great Lakes Restoration 

Initiative templates.

Assisted in coordination between the park and Michigan Tech University for spiny waterfl ea investigations.

Served as the review coordinator for reports and manuscripts related 

to the interdisciplinary lake levels project.

With the VOYA aquatic ecologist, prepared presentations on native 

zooplankton assemblages (“Zooplankton assemblages at Voyageurs 

National Park: establishing a pre-Bythotrephes baseline”) for the Western Great Lakes Research Conference, and crayfi sh mercury patterns 

(“Implications of body size, trophic position, species identity, and lake 

water quality for crayfi sh mercury burdens in and near Voyageurs 

National Park”) for the Ecological Society of America meeting

Provided technical and policy review and assisted in the publication 

of a Natural Resources Technical Report titled Assessment of Natural 

Resource Conditions – Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. 

(Natural Resources Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR – 2009/097). 

Assisted with botulism investigations and study design for goby 

monitoring.

Developed new net/trap method to capture round gobies.

Compiled commercial fi shing statistics for the park’s watershed 

condition assessment.

Reviewed Otter Creek brook trout restoration proposal submitted by 

Grand Traverse Band.

Contacted USFWS and Northland College to determine possible 

methods to sample Eurasian Ruff e in one of the Bass Lakes.

Contacted SLBE visitor who reported seeing round gobies in Platte 

River. Coordinated with visitor to provide collections of gobies to NR 

staff .

As part of the Lake Michigan botulism NRPP-NRM project, helped park 

staff monitor nearshore water quality and worked to develop and 

implement the study plan for goby population surveys.

Prepared a presentation on the Sleeping Bear Dunes botulism studies 

for the State of Lake Michigan meeting (“Exploring causes for recent 

botulism outbreaks at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: 

results from pilot studies”). 

With USGS partners, conducted historical data analysis to evaluate 

potential causes for avian botulism outbreaks since 1960 in Lake 

Michigan, and drafted related manuscript (“Environmental correlates 

of historic type E botulism outbreaks in Lake Michigan, 1963-2008”) 

for submission to Journal of Great Lakes Research.

Developed Lake Michigan-related proposals for the FY10 and FY11 

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, including benthic habitat mapping, 

nearshore monitoring, paleolimnological studies, and so on.

Voyageurs National Park

Reviewed lands use trends and response of water quality and biology 

report for Lake Kabetogama.

Provided interpretation of mercury contaminants in fi sh.

Provided technical and policy review and assisted in the publication 

of a technical report titled Impacts from Water-Level Regulation on 

Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure in Namakan Reservoir and Rainy Lake of Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota (Natural 

Resource Technical Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRTR – 2008/129). 

Provided technical and policy review and assisted in the publication 

of a technical report titled Wetland Vegetation Monitoring – Voyageurs National Park (Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NRPC/

WRD/NRTR – 2009/202). 

Reviewed an annual accomplishment report for the BRMD-funded 

project Lake Sturgeon Population Characteristics, Movements, and 

Habitat Use in Namakan Reservoir and approved release of FY09 

funds.

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

Regionwide

Compiled and uploaded data from the USGS’s reformatted National 

Uranium Resource Evaluation to STORET for GWMP, MANA, PRWI, and 

WOTR.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Assisted with multi-agency proposal preparation, outreach, and environmental compliance needs for the Appalachian Trail MEGA-transect 

Atmospheric Deposition Eff ects Study. Presented the atmospheric 

deposition project at the George Wright Society Conference and the 

41st Annual Air Pollution Workshop and Symposium. 

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National 

Historical Park

Advised park and regional staff regarding wetland compliance requirements for proposed dredging at a concessioner’s boat rental 

operation.

Advised park staff regarding NPS wetland compliance requirements 

for a proposed sewer line in an existing right-of-way for the City of 

Cumberland, Maryland.

Reviewed and commented on a Draft Environmental Assessment, Proposed Eel Ladder Construction at Dams 4 and 5 on the Potomac River, 

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

George Washington Memorial Parkway 

Participated in a series of fi ve Dyke Marsh Science Team meetings as 

part of assistance in preparing an Environmental Impact Statement 

for restoration of Dyke Marsh.
45 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

National Capital Parks East

Evaluated a wetland delineation and worked with the DOI Solicitor’s 

Offi ce regarding wetland compliance requirements for a land conveyance at Poplar Point, Anacostia Park. 

Reviewed and evaluated several chapters of the Draft Wetlands and 

Resident Canada Goose Management Plan/Environmental Impact 

Statement for Anacostia Park.

Reviewed construction drawings and evaluated the potential impacts 

to wetland resources resulting from the proposed shoreline stabilization at Piscataway Park. 

National Mall

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Potomac Park Levee 

Improvements.

Piscataway Park

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Wetlands for 

Proposed Shoreline Stabilization.

Rock Creek Park

Completed Natural Resource Condition Assessment project and 

published fi nal report.

Provided peer review and rating on the draft Rock Creek Park Natural 

Resource Condition Assessment (pilot report).

NORTHEAST REGION

Regionwide

Assisted the Geologic Resources Division in development of a report 

on the possible collateral eff ects of Marcellus shale gas development 

for the New England Region.

Compiled and uploaded data from the USGS’s reformatted National 

Uranium Resource Evaluation to STORET for APCO, ASIS, BOWA, BOHA, 

COLO, FRSP, GEWA, LOWE, PETE, RICH, SAMA, and SHEN.

Acadia National Park

Completed Natural Resource Condition Assessment project and published fi nal report.

Provided technical and policy review and assisted in publication of a 

report titled Assessment of natural resources and watershed conditions in and adjacent to Acadia National Park (Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR – 2008/069). 

Providing information helpful in interpreting mercury issues.

Analyzed the park’s lake water quality monitoring program based on 

data dating to the 1940’s. Obtained agreement from the coastal barrier network to allow their statistician to work on next steps for this 

project in 2010. 

Provided guidance and mid-project review of an EPA funded, dual region project (ACAD/ISRO) entitled Determine Critical Nitrogen Loads 

to Boreal Lake Ecosystems Using the Response of Phytoplankton.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Prepared modifi cation of USGS agreement for second year of the 

Level I water quality inventory.

Provided review and comment on the proposed Appalachian Trail 

MEGA-Transect Deposition Eff ects Study.

Appotomattox Courthouse National 

Historical Park

Identifi ed need and obtained regional funding support for riparian 

cattle exclosures to improve riparian and wetland conditions. 

Provided guidance on the park’s Natural Resource Condition 

Assessment.

Assateague Island National Seashore

Uploaded water quality data from the park’s ongoing ambient water 

quality monitoring program that commenced in 1987 to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from the park’s ongoing beach water 

quality monitoring program to STORET.

Participated in a working group that developed a “pilot” climate 

change scenario plan for use in the seashore’s General Management 

Plan planning process. 

Provided technical review and comments on PMIS 143837 “Restore 

Salt Marsh Ecosystem Function by Removing Relict Mosquito Ditches.”

Booker T. Washington National Monument

Assisted with guidance and review of the park’s Natural Resource 

Condition Assessment.

Colonial National Historical Park

Continued to help assess contaminants issues, including 

contamination of Ballard Creek.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation 

Area

Completed an assessment of the need for groundwater monitoring in 

the park

Eisenhower National Historical Site

Reviewed and commented on the draft fi nal report for the WRDfunded project Evaluation of the Eff ects of Municipal Water Supply 

System Operations on Aquatic Habitat in Marsh Creek, Gettysburg, 

Pennsylvania. 
46 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Fire Island National Seashore

Provided project oversight for NRPC funded project, Simulation of the 

Shallow Ground-Water Flow System.

Completed Natural Resource Condition Assessment project and 

published fi nal report.

Served as key offi cial for a CESU project titled Restoration of salt 

marsh habitat at the Fire Island National Seashore Wilderness Area: 

Studying physical and ecological functions of mosquito ditches and 

presenting a restoration plan. 

Provided technical review and comment on the draft Fire Island

 National Seashore Natural Resource Condition Assessment.

Prepared NRPP Natural Resources Management funded proposal 

(PMIS 148528) “Assessment of Spawning Horseshoe Crabs within 

Mid-Atlantic Coastal NPS Units” to establish citizen based horseshoe 

crab monitoring at FIIS, GATE and SAHI.

Prepared implementation plan for FY10-FY12 NRPP Natural Resource 

Management funded project “Restoration of Bayside Sediment 

Processes at Sailors Haven, FIIS” (PMIS 14248).

Organized and conducted workshop of NPS, CESU cooperator, and 

partners to develop project design as well as the research and monitoring plan for “Restoration of Bayside Sediment Processes at Sailors 

Haven, FIIS” (PMIS 14248).

Provided professional consultation to FIIS and partners regarding 

restoration opportunities and Habitat Evaluation Planning models for 

the USACE Fire Island to Montauk Point Draft Reformulation Plan. 

Provided technical review and written comments for the Department 

of Interior comments on the USACE Fire Island to Montauk Point Draft 

Formulation Plan.

Contributed technical expertise on coastal ecology and restoration as 

representative for FIIS on The Nature Conservancy’s Blue Point 

Bottomlands Council to develop restoration and protection of the 

Great South Bay ecosystem.

Provided technical expertise on coastal resources for FIIS GMP 

meetings for alternatives development and natural resource 

management.

Provided coordination and logistical support to investigators 

conducting coastal research projects.

Conducted interpretive programs on horseshoe crabs.

Developed and conducted interpretive program on scientifi c 

sampling for Junior Ranger Day program.

Evaluated park staff concerns with mosquito treatments adjacent to 

NPS lands. Provided topic research with a written evaluation and 

identifi ed subject matter experts for follow up as needed. 

Flight 93 National Memorial

Provided on-site analysis and recommendations to minimize the 

proposed impacts to wetland resources at the park. 

Provided technical and policy review and evaluation of several draft 

Wetland Statements of Findings for Proposed Flight 93 National 

Memorial. 

Met with state and federal regulatory agents to discuss permit 

compliance requirements and to propose compensatory mitigation 

for the Flight 93 National Memorial. 

Provided a written evaluation of proposed irrigation plan utilizing acid 

mine drainage ponds. 

Green Springs National Historic Landmark District - Provided a 

written assessment of potential impacts to water quality associated 

with proposed waste water treatment development per request of 

DOI solicitor.

Gateway National Recreation Area

Implemented ecological monitoring to evaluate restoration of 39 

acres of salt marsh at Elders Point East, GATE. Monitoring parameters 

include nekton, vegetation and avian species composition and abundance; above and belowground primary production; and macrobenthic infauna and epifauna 

Prepared “Elders Point Marsh Restoration Monitoring Report: Project 

Year 2008”. 

Implemented National Fish and Wildlife Foundation funded project 

to determine if nitrogen loading has altered marsh function and sediment accretion in Jamaica Bay.

Contributed technical knowledge on ecosystem ecology and restoration as a member of the multi-agency Planning and Development 

Team to develop and implement salt marsh restoration at Elders Point 

West and Yellow Bar Hassock Marsh Islands, Jamaica Bay. 

Provided technical expertise on estuarine resources at a GMP workshop to identify future desired conditions for Jamaica Bay.

Prepared salt marsh and shoreline sections for the report “A Vision for 

the Estuarine Resources of Jamaica Bay.” 

Co-authored and presented “Wetland loss- A Closer Look at Wetland 

Loss Research Activities in Jamaica Bay” at the State of the Bay Symposium co-sponsored by NPS and New York City Department of Environmental Protection, October 2009. 

Presented “Monitoring and Adaptive Management of Salt Marsh Restoration in an Urban Park: Jamaica Bay, Gateway National Recreation 

Area, New York” at the George Wright Society meeting. March, 2009. 

Provided an interpretive program on marsh loss and restoration for 

the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

Provided logistical support to researchers working in Jamaica Bay. 
47 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Gettysburg National Military Park

Worked with USGS-PA and park staff to organize a water and sediment study for Rock Creek associated with potential contamination 

issues associated with an upstream wastewater treatment plant.

George Washington Birthplace National 

Monument

Provided technical review and comment on the draft Natural Resources Condition Assessment.

Provided written and verbal comment on natural resource management for the General Management Plan. 

Worked with NCBN and USGS to get LiDAR imagery for shoreline to 

help evaluate erosion monitoring methods.

Provided oversight and multiple reviews of a storm vulnerability 

report funded by the Geologic Resources Division entitled Shore 

Status, Evolution, and Storm Vulnerability Assessments. Organized 

presentation of this report to Park Superintendent and staff .

Helped coordinate involvement of regional hydrologist and provided 

advice related to proposed removal of railroad berm. 

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Park

Inspected conditions relevant to fl ooding in recent years and 

provided information on ACE study to be conducted FY10.

Uploaded results from the 2002 Pennsylvania State University Level I 

Water Quality Inventory to STORET.

Reviewed PMIS 138605 request for new and existing drainage system 

restoration. Coordinated with Park Superintendent and WRD staff to 

establish next steps for fl ood control and funding opportunities.

Manassas National Battlefi eld Park

Reviewed and evaluated the potential impacts to wetland resources 

resulting from the proposed power line alignment at the park. 

Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

Provided a statement of work and contacts for wetland delineation 

and riparian buff er funding opportunities. 

Conferenced with NETN coordinator and superintendent to discuss 

potential for adding the park to NETN and defi ning water resource 

monitoring.

Minute Man National Historical Park

Provided review and rating of the draft Minute Man National 

Historical Park Natural Resource Condition Assessment (pilot report). 

Worked with park staff , state of MA, and Town of Lincoln staff to 

complete installation of a culvert to allow passage of fl ows and 

aquatic species for an ongoing stream daylighting project. 

New River Gorge National River

Helped close out USGS contract agreement for fecal bacteria study.

Participated in the Resources Stewardship Strategy workshop for the 

park. 

Richmond National Battlefi eld Park

Continued assistance related to developing a plan to provide bank 

stabilization in area of historic fort. 

Identifi ed current water resource needs with park staff and provided 

written suggestions along with professional contacts for research 

needs. 

Organized and moderated meeting with USGS-VA Science Center 

Director and staff to assess opportunities for removing streams from 

the 303d impaired waters list.

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

Uploaded results from the 1999-2000 Farris and Chapman Level I 

Water Quality Inventory to STORET.

Harpers Ferry National Historic Park

Johnstown Flood National Memorial

Reviewed and evaluated the Wetland Identifi cation and Delineation 

Report for Johnstown Flood National Memorial. 

Provided technical and policy review of several draft Wetland 

Statements of Findings for the South Fork Dam and Lake Conemaugh 

and the South Fork of the Little Conemaugh River Sites, Johnstown 

Flood National Memorial. 

Worked with park and WRD staff to provide a statement of work and 

review of wetlands function and delineation project to establish potential impacts from a proposed fi re-based vegetation management 

plan. Assisted park with creation of a wetlands statement of fi ndings 

for WRD review.

Lakeview and Dexter Marsh National 

Natural Landmarks 

Provided site reviews and identifi ed project needs associated with 

Lake Ontario water level management and erosion.

Morristown National Historical Park

Uploaded results from Trama and Galloway’s 1988 report Morristown 

National Historical Park Watershed Study Phase II: Aquatic Resources 

to STORET.

Uploaded results from 1988 through August 2009 from the park’s

 ongoing ambient water quality monitoring program to STORET.

Salem Maritime National Historic Site

Assisted with assessment and remediation of contaminated 

waterfront sediments at Derby Wharf Beach.
48 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Saratoga National Historic Park

Provided advice on a proposed strategy to review Quality Assurance 

Project Plans and other technical documents relevant to PCB 

contamination at a Superfund site assessment at the park.

Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational 

River/Delaware Water Gap National 

Recreational Area

Organized and led a workshop to discuss whole Delaware River needs 

and encourage sharing of management goals among units and along 

the entire Wild and Scenic River corridor.

Provided written review and organized NPS response to a Delaware 

River branch water extraction request for gas production from shale. 

Provided written review, organized NPS response, and represented 

NPS regarding a USFWS report on the federally endangered Dwarf 

Wedgemussel. 

Provided written comment to the Delaware River Basin Commission 

regarding the fl exible fl ow management program.

Worked with USFWS to organize a DOI meeting with the Delaware 

River Basin Commission to discuss aquatic fl ow needs for the 

Delaware River and examine the fl exible fl ow release plan currently in 

place.

Provided written comments and organized NPS response to The 

Nature Conservancy’s evaluation of fl ow alterations entitled An 

Historical Analysis of Water Supply Reservoir Management Impacts 

(1954-2008)

Organized and wrote NPS review of NPS/USGS funded project entitled 

Water Quality of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River 

and Tributary Streams. 

Shenandoah National Park

Provided statistical advice on advanced exploratory data analysis of 

potential eff ects of bisphenol A on aquatic life.

Uploaded the 2007-2008 results from an ongoing study of headwater 

streams and springs to STORET.

Uploaded the 1994 results from Chang’s Ph.D. proposal on the eff ects 

of carbon and nitrogen on nitrifi cation in Shaver Hollow to STORET.

Uploaded the 1995-2001 results from a study of the pre- and postfl ood physical habitat, stream chemistry, and fi sh community in the 

Staunton River to STORET.

Uploaded the 2004 results from a project to study the distribution, 

abundance, and variability of mercury in fi sh to STORET.

Uploaded the 2003-2004 results obtained within the park by a project 

to study the impact of acidifi cation on native brook trout to STORET.

Uploaded the 1979-March 2009 results obtained within the park by 

the Shenandoah Watershed Study conducted by the University of Virginia, Shenandoah National Park, and others to STORET.

Uploaded the 1992-1999 results obtained within the park by the Fish 

in Sensitive Habitats project conducted by the University of Virginia, 

Shenandoah National Park, and others to STORET.

Uploaded the 2000 results obtained within the park by the Virginia 

Trout Stream Sensitivity Study to STORET.

Uploaded the 1987 results obtained within the park by the Virginia 

Trout Stream Sensitivity Study to STORET.

Uploaded the 1987-2008 results obtained within the park by the Virginia Trout Stream Sensitivity Study conducted by the University of 

Virginia, Environmental Protection Agency, and others to STORET.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Developed design criteria for emplacement of a low water crossing.

Taunton National Scenic River

Reviewed materials submitted by Weavers Cove Energy to the Army 

Corps of Engineers as a permit application for a liquid natural gas 

off shore energy berth.

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational 

River

 Provided assistance on the groundwater impacts of gas development 

from the Marcellus shale.

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Continued coordination of an eff ort to assist the park with 

development of its Resource Stewardship Strategy. 

Provided on-site review and evaluation of wetlands and wetland 

issues at the park. 

Provided technical support for the Natural Resources Condition 

Assessment and Resource Stewardship Strategy.

Provided funding to train park ecologist in stream restoration 

principles and techniques.

PACIFIC WEST REGION

Regionwide

Compiled and uploaded data from the USGS’s reformatted National 

Uranium Resource Evaluation to STORET for CIRO, CRLA, CRMO, DEPO, 

DEVA, GRBA, HAFO, JOTR, JOMU, LAME, MIIN, MOJA, NEPE, PINN, SEKI, 

and YOSE.

American Memorial Park

Assess plans to use wetlands to treat polluted storm water runoff .

Provided technical assistance to park and regional offi ce staff 

regarding proposed expansion of man-made wetlands in the park to

improve stormwater treatment for the town of Garapan, Saipan, 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. 
49 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Cabrillo National Monument

Uploaded water quality data from Fairey et al. 1996 report Chemistry, 

Toxicity and Benthic Community Conditions in Sediments of the San 

Diego Bay Region, Final Report 1996 to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from the California State Mussel Watch 

Program to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Jan and Young’s 1978 article “Chromium Speciation in Municipal Wastewaters and Seawater” to STORET.

Provided information on fl ame retardants (polybrominated diphenyl 

ethers or PBDEs) and marine paint–and their potential impacts on 

mussels and other park aquatic resources.

Completed fi nal project boundary survey for restoration of Prisoners 

Harbor coastal wetland.

Provided programmatic oversight for the NRPC-funded project to restore coastal wetlands at Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz Island. 

Co-authored wetlands, hydrology, geology, and “approach to restoration” sections (Chapter 3) of the Draft Environmental Impact 

Statement for Restoration of Prisoners Harbor, Channel Islands 

National Park. Reviewed and commented on the entire Draft EIS prior 

to release for public review. 

Co-authored a proposal for funding titled Restore Disturbed Coastal 

Wetlands at Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz Island (PMIS 104693). 

Consulted with park staff and CESU cooperators on data collection 

needs and restoration concepts for Travertine Springs. 

Participated in Amargosa Desert Managers Group meetings, an interagency work group established to discuss water resource concerns in 

the Amargosa Desert basin, including Devils Hole–a detached unit of 

Death Valley National Park.

Assisted park personnel in reviewing EIS public scoping comments for 

a proposed solar energy development project in the vicinity of Devils 

Hole.

Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve

Alerted the park to work by the University of Washington to make 

environmental sense of the pharmaceutical and personal care 

products in Puget Sound waters.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area

Reviewed plans for restoration of Redwood Creek and associated riparian corridor. 

Provide updates on information related to emerging contaminants issues and urban contamination issues.

Provide updates on information related to emerging contaminants issues and urban contamination issues.

Uploaded water quality data from the City and County of San Francisco’s Ocean Outfall Monitoring Program to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from the 2006 Level I Water Quality Inventory of pesticides conducted by the USGS to STORET.

Co-authored a proposal for funding titled Restore Historic Wetlands 

Near the Mouth of Rodeo Lagoon at Golden Gate National Recreation 

Area, Marin County, California (PMIS 146848). 

Recommended the WRD Chief’s signature on the fi nal Wetland 

Statement of Findings for the Marin Headlands and Fort Baker 

Transportation Infrastructure and Management Plan. 

Provided guidance and recommendations to park staff and the San 

Francisco Bay Area Environmental Coalition for restoring a golf course 

to a coastal stream and back-barrier lagoon system. 

Grand Canyon National Park

Provided technical comments on potential pollution issues related to 

proposed Denison Mines permit.

Channel Islands National Park

Uploaded water quality data from the 2000 Level I Water Quality 

Inventory conducted by the USGS to STORET.

Death Valley National Park

Uploaded the results from a USGS study on deuterium content of 

water from wells and perennial springs to STORET.

Represented the National Park Service on the Incident Command (IC) 

team for the interagency eff ort to prevent the extinction of the Devils 

Hole pupfi sh (Cyprinodon diabolis). 

Continued coordination eff orts by the park, WRD and cooperator on 

the second phase of the Death Valley National Park Water Resources 

Stewardship Report. 

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Helped interpret results for mercury in fi sh and on design of 

interagency studies.

Great Basin National Park

Uploaded water quality data from the 2006 Level I Water Quality

 Inventory of pesticides conducted by the park to STORET.

Provided technical and policy review and assisted in the publication 

of a technical report titled Bonneville Cutthroat Trout Restoration 

Project – Great Basin National Park (Natural Resource Technical Report 

NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRTR – 2008/055). 

City of Rocks National Reserve

Crater Lake National Park

Uploaded results from the fi rst comprehensive assessment of the 

levels and distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in Crater Lake 

water and sediment to STORET.

Craters of the Moon National Monument

Advised on pros and cons for water quality trend analysis options.

Devils Postpile National Monument

Assessment of hydrogeology and the need for a hydrologic 

monitoring program.
50 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Haleakala National Park

Provided programmatic oversight for the NRPC-funded project to 

restore rare plant species to three bogs in the park. 

Assisted the NPS Water Resources Division in implementing an interagency supported fi eld program near Great Basin National Park to 

characterize the potential for impacts to surface water and groundwater resources in and around the park from proposed groundwater 

development in Snake Valley Nevada.

Joshua Tree National Park

Collaborated with park and Pacifi c West Region personnel to 

formulate a groundwater study request to the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission, outlining additional studies necessary to 

characterize the potential individual and cumulative impacts 

associated with a proposed groundwater pumped storage, electrical 

generation project adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park.

Assisted the NPS Water Resources Division in developing solar PEIS 

public scoping comments for proposed Solar Energy Study Areas 

surrounding Joshua Tree National Park.

John Muir National Historic Site

Conducted a hydrogeological assessment of the water-supply well at 

the maintenance facility.

Served as interim COTR on watershed condition assessment project.

Advised environmental consultants working for the park regarding 

wetland compliance requirements for a proposed dock rehabilitation 

project. 

Provided technical review on Section 1.0 of the draft Kalaupapa 

National Historical Park Natural Resource Condition Assessment. 

Lincoln and White Pine Counties groundwater development pipeline 

project.

Represented NPS interests on an interagency, hydrologic technical 

review panel for the stipulated agreement to monitor, manage and 

mitigate potential impacts from groundwater withdrawals in Spring 

Valley, Nevada.

Participated in DOI agency strategy meetings in preparation for water 

rights hearing for SNWA applications in Snake Valley, Nevada.

Kalaupapa National Historic Park 

Kaloko Honokohau National Historical Park

Reviewed contaminants-related technical papers related to the

Kohanaiki land use change permit documentation and the O’oma 

Wastewater proposal. 

Provided project oversight for the WRD funded project, Determining 

Subterranean Groundwater Nutrient Input to Kaloko-Honokōhau 

National Historical Park’s Coastal Ocean Ecosystem.

Reviewed and evaluated the proposed impacts to wetland anchialine 

pools that would result from constructing a road and visitor center at 

the park. 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Represented the park in technical discussions at the Lake Mead 

Science Symposium. Prepared written summary of recommendations 

by USGS and other Lake Mead researchers regarding better understanding of endocrine disruption issues.

Supplied technical and management oversight on a USGS study being 

conducted to characterize the source of springs in the Black Canyon 

area below Lake Mead and evaluate their potential susceptibility to 

regional groundwater development impacts.

Implemented groundwater monitoring and management provisions 

of negotiated settlements with the Southern Nevada Water Authority 

and Vidler Water Company on NPS protests to water rights 

applications in Tule Desert Basin and Coyote Spring Valley.

Provided technical oversight on USGS agreement to operate and 

maintain stream gages at Rogers and Blue Point Springs in the park 

and the Virgin River near Overton, NV.

Monitored progress on implementation of a Hydrologic Monitoring 

and Mitigation Program developed as part of the Virgin River Habitat 

Conservation and Recovery Program to evaluate future groundwater 

development impacts on surface water and groundwater resources in 

the Lower Virgin River Basin.

Assessed potential groundwater development concerns in Mohave 

County, Arizona associated with proposed residential and solar energy 

development plans and provided recommendations for management 

actions by the park.

Assisted the NPS Water Resources Division to investigate and develop 

a response to a water rights abandonment notifi cation from the 

Nevada State Engineer concerning a former water supply well at the 

Echo Bay Campground area.

Completed Natural Resource Condition Assessment project and 

published fi nal report.

Continued to provide updated guidance on fi sh advisories.

Provided review and rating of the draft Lake Roosevelt National

Recreation Area Natural Resource Condition Assessment (pilot report).

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

Advised park staff on NPS policy regarding acceptance of Clean Water 

Act, Section 404 mitigation money for restoration of park wetlands. 

Provided programmatic oversight for the NRPC-funded project to 

restore Clatsup and Otter Point wetlands at the park. 
51 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Attended the Devils Hole Workshop to track new and existing water 

resource concerns and studies in the Amargosa Desert basin.

Mount Rainier National Park

Supervised dredging to return Kautz creek to its stream channel, after 

it jumped its bank in a fl ood and closed the park’s main road. Mojave National Preserve

Provided project oversight for the WRD funded project, Assessment 

of Groundwater Resources in the Mojave Network : Hydrogeological 

Framework.

Provided assistance to park staff regarding the Mtn. Pass Mine 

groundwater plume while permits were obtained from BLM for 

additional delineation in Wheaton Wash. 

Reviewed and approved the fi nal accomplishment report for the 

NRPP-T&E project Lake Ecology Of Mojave Tui Chub.

Partnered with WRD to monitor and evaluate potential water resource 

impacts to network parks from proposed solar energy development 

in the region: set up tracking system for solar projects; reviewed solar 

energy plans of development to assess potential water demands; 

helped formulate response documents to BLM; and participated in 

the California solar PEIS work group.

Collaborated with personnel from the Mojave Desert Network I&M 

Program and network parks to nominate surface water sites at Lake 

Mead NRA, Great Basin National Park and Death Valley National Park 

for possible long-term climate change monitoring by the USGS.

Attended the Nevada Water Resources Association annual conference 

to track new and existing water resource projects, studies and 

concerns throughout Nevada.

Served as WRD Point of Contact for fl uvial geomorphologist position 

supported by the Natural Resources Challenge.

Identifi ed and mitigated fl ood hazards.

Supervised dredging to return Kautz creek to its stream channel, after 

it jumped its bank in a fl ood and closed the park’s main road.

Provided site-specifi c prescriptions to minimize future fl ood damages 

for the Carbon river road, the West-side road, the upper and lower Van 

Trump curves, Longmire work center, and the former Sunshine Point 

campground. 

Floods, Fish, and Roads  Anticipating Disasters to Protect Endangered Fish and Park Infrastructure” (PMIS #96364)—(MORA) Finished 

project to identify and prioritize road segments prone to fl ood and 

debris fl ow damage in the park and to develop a suite of options to 

protect these areas in a fi sh-friendly way.

Analyzed entire Nisqually road for Federal Highways, to identify current and future fl ood hazards.

Completed a fi eld program to measure historic river aggradation rates 

as a basis to understand what the park must design for to protect infrastructure: organized summer eff ort to study the causes of increased 

debris fl ows at park with GeoCorps (for Geologist-in-Park or GIP) and 

a geomorphology technician and supervised post-fl ood aggradation 

surveys

Identifi ed and mitigated fl ood hazards.

Provided site-specifi c prescriptions to minimize future fl ood damages 

for the Carbon River Road, the Westside Road, the upper and lower 

Van Trump curves, Longmire work center, and the former Sunshine 

Point Campground.

Floods, Fish, and Roads  Anticipating Disasters to Protect Endangered Fish and Park Infrastructure” (PMIS #96364)—(MORA) Finished 

project to identify and prioritize road segments prone to fl ood and 

debris fl ow damage in the park and to develop a suite of options to 

protect these areas in a fi sh-friendly way.

Analyzed entire Nisqually road for Federal Highways, to identify current and future fl ood hazards.

Completed a fi eld program to measure historic river aggradation rates 

as a basis to understand what the park must design for to protect 

infrastructure–organized summer eff ort to study the causes of increased debris fl ows with GeoCorps and a geomorphology technician 

and supervised post-fl ood aggradation surveys.

National Park of American Samoa

Advised park staff regarding NPS and Clean Water Act wetland 

compliance requirements and the limits of wetland boundaries along 

park beaches..

Nez Perce National Historical Park

Provided on-site assistance in the analysis of hydrology and wetland 

habitat conditions for the restoration of the Weippe Prairie Site.

Travelled to park and inspected conditions in a wetland area 

proposed for restoration. 

Uploaded water quality data from the 1999 Level I Water Quality 

Inventory conducted by the USGS to STORET.

North Cascades National Park

Compiled three sets of survey data, reduced LiDAR and merged all of 

the above into a GIS model. Began building a detailed HEC-RAS model 

for fl oodplain analysis and channel evolution assessment.

Provided comments on water quality monitoring options for fi nding 

illegal marijuana crops on park lands.

Provided programmatic oversight and review of the annual accomplishment report for the NRPP project Eradicate Non-native Fish from 

Seven High Priority Lakes in North Cascades National Park Service 

Complex. 

Approved funding for the park for completing the second of three 

years of non-native fi sh species removal activities from several 

targeted lakes. 
52 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Olympic National Park

Provided continuing assistance related to the proposed removal of 

two dams on the Elwha River, including fi nalization of the sediment 

monitoring plan, sediment management advisory team site visit, and 

improved approach to fl ood modeling.

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Graves Creek and 

South Shore Road Rehabilitation.

Discussed potential impacts of contaminants related to asphalt and 

creosote use on trails and bridges.

Attended week-long fi eld trip to assess Elwha Dam removal sediment 

monitoring. 

Assisted with fi eld assessment of chronic aggradation and fl ooding 

issues at Finley Creek. Developed a long-term strategy to stabilize the 

watershed and protect park infrastructure.

Along with park maintenance staff , developed self-mitigating fl ood 

protection measures in response to recent fl ood damage on the Quinault River and Graves Creek.

Finished project to identify and prioritize road segments prone to 

fl ood and debris fl ow damage Attended week-long fi eld trip to assess 

Elwha Dam removal sediment monitoring. 

Assisted with fi eld assessment of chronic aggradation and fl ooding 

issues at Finley Creek. Developed a long-term strategy to stabilize the 

watershed and protect park infrastructure.

Along with park maintenance staff , developed self-mitigating fl ood 

protection measures in response to recent fl ood damage on the 

Quinault River and Graves Creek.

Uploaded 1999-2007 water quality data from the park’s beach 

monitoring program to STORET.

Uploaded 2000-2006 water quality data from the Horseshoe Pond 

Restoration Project to STORET.

Uploaded 1991-2008 water quality data from the park’s ongoing 

ambient water quality monitoring program to STORET.

Uploaded 2003-2008 water quality data from the Olema Creek 

Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load Monitoring Program to STORET.

Approved funding for completing the second of three years of 

non-native plant species removal (primarily cape ivy) to improve coho 

salmon habitat condition within coastal streams at the seashore. 

Uploaded water quality data from the 2006 Level I Water Quality

 Inventory of pesticides conducted by the USGS to STORET.

Point Reyes National Seashore

Consulted on issues related to contaminants and amphibians.

Uploaded 2007-2008 water quality data from the Tomales Bay Rangeland BMP Pathogen Total Maximum Daily Load Implementation 

Project to STORET.

Uploaded 2004-2008 water quality data from the NOAA Fisheries 

biological opinion on grazing to STORET.

Presidio of San Francisco

Redwood National and State Parks

Finished project to identify and prioritize road segments prone to 

fl ood and debris fl ow damage and to develop a suite of options to 

protect these areas in a fi sh-friendly way.

Parashant National Monument

Responded to a technical assistance request to aid in the development of a phased study proposal to evaluate the source of Tassi and 

Pakoon Springs by meeting with park managers to discuss associated 

resource concerns and results of preliminary water resources research.

Provided hydrologic recommendations to Parashant NM and Lake 

Mead NRA personnel for diverting spring discharge away from historic 

resources at the Tassi Spring site.

Pinnacles National Monument

Uploaded water quality data from the 2006 Level I Water Quality

 Inventory conducted by the USGS to STORET.

Uploaded water quality from a 1960s USGS study of potential groundwater sources to meet increasing water demand to STORET.

Uploaded water quality from a lab data sheet documenting a water 

sample collected by the USGS in February 1965 to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from W.B. Reed’s 1979 survey of springs 

and wells to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Donald Lee Brown’s 1962 thesis 

“Investigation and Development of Ground Water of Chalone Creek, 

(Pinnacles National Monument, California)” to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Moore’s 1997 study to characterize 

and quantify stream dynamics, habitat value and vulnerability, and 

the presence and movement of pollutants in the Chalone Creek watershed to STORET.

Assessment of new water supply well in Bear Valley.

Uploaded water quality data from the California State Mussel Watch 

Program to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data for Godwood Creek from 1968-1969 to 

STORET.

Uploaded water quality from NOAA’s National Benthic Surveillance 

and Mussel Watch Projects to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from fl ood history and sedimentation 

projects at the mouth of Redwood Creek to STORET.

Uploaded seasonal water quality monitoring results from the Klamath 

River estuary to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from Winzler and Kelly’s 1973 Redwood 

Creek sediment studies to STORET.
53 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Uploaded water quality data from a 1969 USGS geohydrological 

reconnaissance to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from a 1973 ecological study of Clam 

Beach County Park ponds to STORET.

Uploaded water quality from Sarah Beesley’s thesis Secondary 

Production of Paraleptophlebia (Ephemeroptera) Within Three 

Northern California Coastal Streams to STORET.

Uploaded water quality from a joint 1973 NPS and USGS study of 

water chemistry and aquatic biology of Redwood Creek and its

tributaries to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from a 1988 study providing information 

on the timing of outmigration, seasonal densities, seasonal growth, 

and age structure of the steelhead population in Hurdygurdy Creek to 

STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from a 1980 electrofi shing project on 

portions of May Creek, a tributary to Prairie Creek, to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from a 1989 Prairie Creek salmon 

restoration project to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from David G. Anderson’s thesis Juvenile 

Salmonid Habitat of the Redwood Creek Basin, Humboldt County, 

California to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data from 1983 fi eld notes collected by park 

staff to STORET.

Uploaded 1988 water quality data to STORET presented as part of a 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit application to allow breaching at 

the mouth of Redwood Creek to manage surface water elevation to 

maintain summer/fall rearing habitat.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from 1983 monitoring conducted to determine if and when estuarine water quality was limiting 

for juvenile salmonids.

Uploaded 2004 water quality data to STORET from a project to describe juvenile salmonid downstream migration and to determine 

emigrant population sizes.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from the California Department of Water Resources Northern District’s ongoing ambient water 

quality monitoring program.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a turbidity threshold 

sampling study of Godwood Creek.

Uploaded 2004-2005 water quality data to STORET from a study of 

assessing stream health following restoration of the Redwood Creek 

watershed.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from water temperature 

monitoring to evaluate whether summer stream temperatures are a 

limiting factor for juvenile Coho salmon in Redwood Creek.

Provided technical review and on-site assistance with plans to restore 

streams and wetlands in the Strawberry Creek watershed. Delineated 

wetlands as part of regulatory compliance for the proposed 

restoration project.

San Juan Island National Historic Park

Provided interpretation of University of Washington study on

pharmaceutical and personal care products in Puget Sound.

Coordinated with park staff and University of Washington CESU 

cooperators use of a WRD continuous monitoring sonde to monitor 

water quality in areas where eel grass beds were disappearing in 

Garrison Bay.

Santa Monica Mountains National Park

Sent updated information relevant to amphibian monitoring and 

protection.

Continued to work with park staff in the second year of a four-year 

project to remove non-native plant species in order to improve 

southern steelhead spawning habitat. 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Served as COTR on a contract to design a restoration plan for the 

South Fork Kings River near the Cedar Grove Bridge. This restoration 

would be performed in association with the replacement of a bridge 

that has caused geomorphic impact to the river.

Provided on-site advice and consultation regarding a proposed 

stabilization technique to address channel incision in the lower 

Halstead Meadows.

Updated information on amphibians and other monitoring issues. 

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for restoration of South 

Fork Kings River.

Assessment of environmental impacts of water withdrawal for public 

water supplies.

Co-authored a wetland restoration monitoring report titled First 

Summer Survival of Plantings, Upper Halstead Meadow, Sequoia National Park, CA.

Provided continued assistance to park staff in planning and designing 

the restoration of degraded wetlands in Lower Halstead Meadow. 

War in the Pacifi c National Historical Park

Received the fi nal report Assessment of Reef Fish Diversity and 

Resident Spawning Aggregation Sites at the National Park ServiceWPNHP, Guam for a BRMD-funded project at the park. 

Gaan Point, War in the Pacifi c National Historical Park. Photo 

by NPS.
54 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National 

Recreation Area

Uploaded water quality data to STORET for the project to monitor and 

restore the Paige-Boulder Watershed.

Assessed the potential to replace surface water sources with groundwater wells for public water supplies at several sites.

Provided information relevant to completing water quality report on 

Willow Creek.

Whitman Mission National Historic Site

Completed Natural Resource Condition Assessment project and 

published fi nal report.

Investigated bridge about to be undermined by fl ood fl ows and 

developed measures to protect the structure.

Provided guidance for long-term riparian recovery of newly acquired 

park property.

Yosemite National Park

Provided specifi cations for a habitat studies on the South Fork Merced 

River and Tuolumne River. Consulted with the USFWS to help determine adequacy of existing Merced study.

Provided assistance for the review of a research permit proposal 

regarding assessing water quality impacts from stock and human use.

Regionwide

Compiled and uploaded data from the USGS’s reformatted National 

Uranium Resource Evaluation to STORET for BLRI, CHAT, MACA, and 

NATR.

Assisted regional staff in interviewing candidates for the vacant WRD 

Aquatic Professional position assigned to the region.

Acted as Regional Goal Contact for FY 07-11 and FY 08-12 NPS 

Strategic Plan Goal 1a1H—Land Health -Acres in Condition,

Represented the NPS at the Gulf Of Mexico Alliance meetings and 

participated as a member on the Habitat Conservation and Restoration Team which developed a strategy for the second Governor’s 

Action Plan for the Alliance.

Participated in regions role in administering the annual Servicewide 

Combined Call (SCC) by reviewing NRPP project proposals for regional 

selection including those that resulted in protection and/or restoration of wetland habitat.

Participated as a member of the SER Natural Resource Condition 

Assessment Team.

Organized symposium on endemic black bass in the southeastern US 

for American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting

Attended NPS-WRD meeting on watershed condition assessments

Performed collateral duty as Regional Coordinator for the NPS

 Research Permitting and Reporting System

Acted as Regional Goal Contact for FY 07-11 and FY 08-12 NPS 

Strategic Plan Goal 1a1D—Land Health-Riparian

Acted as Regional Goal Contact for FY 07-11 and FY 08-12 NPS 

Strategic Plan Goal 1a1J—Riparian Areas Restored

Attended Gulf States Regional Panel for aquatic invasive species 

semi-annual meetings as National Park Service representative

Attended Southeast Environmental Flows conference

Participated in regions role in administering the annual Servicewide 

Combined Call (SCC) by reviewing NRPP project proposals for regional 

selection

Represented NPS at Gulf State Marine Fisheries Commission-Fisheries 

Information Network annual meeting

Coordinated the region’s implementation of WRD Watershed Condition Assessment Program

SOUTHEAST REGION

Reviewed and evaluated the Wetland and Stream Delineation Report 

for the Tenaya Lake Comprehensive Plan, Yosemite National Park. 

Comments were used to refi ne the delineation to include additional 

wetlands under NPS jurisdiction.

Reviewed and evaluated the El Capitan Meadow Wetland and Stream 

Delineation Report, Yosemite National Park

Tuolumne River, Yosemite National Park. 

Photo by NPS

Represented NPS on advisory council to develop state plan for 

Georgia exotic, invasive species

Helped draft research priorities for ocean and coastal resources in 

southeast region

Worked with cooperators at University of Georgia to develop spatial 

database of southeast fi sh and aquatic habitats in and surrounding 

park units
55 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Provided review and comment on the draft Big Cypress National 

Preserve General Management Plan//Wilderness Study/Off Road 

Vehicle Management Plan/EIS.

Big Cypress National Preserve

Big South Fork National River and Recreation 

Area

Advised Denver Service Center staff on wetland compliance for an 

ARRA-funded project to plug abandoned oil and gas wells in the park.

Assisted park staff in developing a proposal to continue stream crossing improvements to better protect sensitive mussel habitat within 

the National Recreation Area. 

Biscayne National Park

Provided comments on options being considered for using treated 

sewage water in cooling towers of Turkey Point Power Plant adjacent 

to the park and on the contaminants of potential environmental

concern that might move from the cooling towers to the park. 

Uploaded 2002-2004 water quality data to STORET collected for a 

project to characterize ground water in marine areas of the park.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Advised and assisted Park in the evaluation of Responsible Party contractor proposed site characterization and mitigation actions related 

to the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority’s landfi ll discharges to surface and ground water in the park. 

Provided programmatic oversight for the NRPC-funded project to 

develop a wetlands management plan and establish baseline data on 

parkway wetlands.

Reviewed and provided and provided comments on the proposed 

mining permit from Burress Stone Construction, Inc. and possible 

hydrologic impacts along the park lands.

Canaveral National Seashore

Participated in fi eld sampling to provide data for hydrochemical 

model for Mosquito Lagoon. Served as point of contact for NRPP 

funded project, reviewed Annual Progress Report, and met with 

principal investigators to review progress.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Bodie Island 

Lighthouse (relocation of U.S. Coast Guard Station Complex).

Reviewed and evaluated the potential impacts to wetland resources 

resulting from the proposed Bonner Bridge replacement. 

Airboat. Big Cypress National Preserve. Photo 

courtesy of Ralph Arwood. 

Reviewed and provided assistance to park natural resource staff on 

developing appropriate mitigation measures to off set wetland 

impacts from the proposed Bonner Bridge replacement project.

Provided assistance in the development and review of Wetland/Floodplain SOF for both the Bodie Island Coast Guard Station Relocation 

and the Ocracoke Multi-Use Trail projects.

Provided assistance and review of the CAHA ORV Management Plan/

EIS in regard to wetland habitat impacts; Provided assistance to 

contractor who was developing the SOF and EIS.

Chattahoochee River National 

Recreation Area

Assisted with aspects of the proposed waste water treatment plant 

in Forsyth County that will discharge into the Chattahoochee River 

through diff user pipes installed in the bed of the river.

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Shakerag Water Reclamation Facility.

Provided technical/policy review and comment on a draft Wetland/

Floodplain Statement of Findings for the Forsyth County Shakerag 

Water Reclamation Facility Discharge Diff user.

Provided review and comment on the park’s draft Resources 

Stewardship Strategy summary table.

Reviewed and provided comments on the DEA for proposed road 

widening project for State Route 20 which crosses the CHAT lands.

Reviewed the Draft SOF for the Forsyth County Water Reclamation 

Facility discharge diff user which will impact wetland and fl oodplain 

habitat from the construction of the proposed facility.

Served as the NRPC Coordinator for CHATT Corporate Wetland 

Restoration Partnership Initiative at Johnson Ferry Unit.

Conducted research on breeding status of exotic Asian swamp eels in 

backwater marsh

Photo of an exotic Asian swamp eel which are 

breeding in the backwater marshes of 

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. 

Photo courtesy of the USGS.
56 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Dry Tortugas National Park

Reviewed the Restoration Plan for Acropora cervicornis and the 

proposed study “Human fecal microfl ora as a source of coral 

pathogens: Are coral pathogens invasives or endemic?”

Provided technical review and comment on the draft Dry Tortugas 

National Monument Natural Resource Condition Assessment. 

Provided advice related to mercury and endosulfan issues. Discussed 

pros and cons of diff erent monitoring optimization approaches.

Recommended the WRD Chief’s signature on the fi nal Wetland Statement of Findings for the Cape Sable Dam Restoration Project, Everglades National Park. 

Recommended the WRD Chief’s signature on the fi nal Wetland Statement of Findings for the Pilot Spreader Swale Project at Everglades 

National Park. The spreader swales are intended to increase fl ow from 

the L-29 canal into Northeast Shark River Slough. 

Reviewed and provided comments on the EVER Swale EA and etland/

Floodplain SOF. 

Cowpens National Battlefi eld

Uploaded water quality data from the 2000-2001 Level I Water Quality 

Inventory conducted by the University of South Carolina-Upstate.

Everglades National Park

Fort Pulaski National Monument

Completed Natural Resource Condition Assessment project and published fi nal report.

Reviewed Floodplain Statement of Findings for Cockspur Lighthouse.

Provided technical review and rating on the draft Fort Pulaski National 

Monument Natural Resource Condition Assessment (pilot report). 

Provided assistance to contractor developing the Wetland/Floodplain 

SOF for Cockspur Island Lighthouse Project; reviewed and provided 

comments on the Draft and Final SOF

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Uploaded water quality data collected during 1993-2008 by park staff 

and the University of Tennessee from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded Noland Divide long-term water quality monitoring project 

data (1991-2008) from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET collected by the University of 

Virginia as part of the Southern Appalachian Mountains Initiative in 

July 2000.

Initiated work on a Physical Resources Information and Issues Overview Report for the park. As part of the project eff ort, WRD staff 

facilitated a June workshop to focus on air, geologic, soil, and water 

resource issues at the park. 

Provided park staff with two conceptual design plans to restore the 

physical and biological functions of the wetland resources within 

Cades Cove Valley. 

Reviewed and commented on the detailed implementation plan 

for the NRPP T&E funded project Recovery Evaluation of Introduced 

Endangered and Threatened Fish Species at Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park. 

Cumberland Island National Seashore 

Conducted a site visit with the SERO Wildlife Biologist to CUIS in 

August, 2009 to investigate the current condition of the freshwater 

wetland habitat at Willow Pond which been severely impacted due 

to the wild horses and feral hogs on the island. The fi eld visit also 

included an assessment of the loss of Spartina marsh habitat due to 

overgrazing by the wild horses at the north end of the island, and recommendations were provided to the natural resource staff and park 

superintendent on restoring the marsh habitat.

Sampled Davis Branch for threatened blackside dace

Colorful Coral at Dry Tortugas National Park. 

Photo by NPS.

Provided assistance to park staff in acquiring funds through WRD for 

the proposed wetlands inventory project which will target some of 

the smaller, yet globally rare wetland areas within the park.

The threatened Spotfi n Chub. 

Photo by NPS
57 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Reviewed and provided comments for a potential hydrologic impact 

analysis of the Lower Saint Johns River related to proposed fl ow 

alteration.

Gulf Islands National Seashore

Reviewed a Wetlands Statement of Findings for Wetlands for the 

construction of a service road. 

Uploaded 1991-1998 water quality data to STORET collected by park 

staff on Horn and Ship Islands as part of a Dauphin Island Sea 

Laboratory project.

Recommended the WRD Chief’s signature on the fi nal Wetland 

Statement of Findings for Installation of Utilities on West Ship Island, 

Gulf Islands National Seashore. 

Provided review and comments on the Draft Mississippi Coastal 

Improvement Plan, which proposes barrier island restoration work 

(primarily sand replenishment) at Petit Bois, Horn, and Ship Islands. 

Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve

Vicksburg National Military Park

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers Yazoo Diversion Canal Project Report 1999-2000.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from the U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers Yazoo Diversion Canal Deep Core 2003-2004.

Recommended the WRD Chief’s signature on the fi nal Wetland 

Statement of Findings for Landscape Rehabilitation, Vicksburg 

National Military Park.

Participated on conference calls and provided technical assistance/review on the proposed Cultural Landscape Report/EA which will result 

in impacts to wetlands and migratory bird habitat. This collaborative 

eff ort with WRD staff resulted in appropriate mitigation measures 

which will off set the loss of wetland habitat and will maintain a

portion of the forested habitat for avian species.

Virgin Islands National Park

Advised Southeast Region staff regarding wetland compliance 

requirements for proposed treatment of an eroding shoreline road in 

the park.

Servicewide

Assisted parks with review of Aquarius data management software.

Facilitate webinars that demonstrated water quality monitoring 

products and provided purchase information.

Addressed network staff queries related to water quality monitoring, 

use of sondes, protocol content, and various other water quality vital 

signs topics. 

Appalachian Highlands Network

Reviewed annual administrative report and work plan.

Helped assess alternative monitoring designs to get a representative 

sample of the many habitats along this lengthy trail.

Provided data formatting and import recommendations for water 

quality data received from USFS Air Resources laboratory.

Jean Lafi tte National Historical Park 

and Preserve

Provided programmatic oversight for the NRPC-funded project to 

map submerged aquatic vegetation within the park. 

Provided programmatic oversight for the NRPC-funded project to 

restore freshwater fl oating marshes by reclaiming abandoned oil and 

gas canals. 

Reviewed the Draft JELA paper “Inventory and Assessment of the 

Distribution of Submersed Aquatic Vegetation at JELA” and provided 

comments on the draft publication. 

Natchez Trace Parkway

Reviewed Floodplain Statements of Findings for Multi-use Trail 

Segment 3P16.

Provided technical and compliance review of the Natchez Trace 

Parkway Multi-Use Trail, Sections 3P16 and 3P17, Wetland Delineation 

Report. 

Provided technical and policy review of several draft Wetland 

Statements of Findings for the Natchez Trace Parkway Multi-Use Trail, 

3P16. Recommended alternative alignments that would reduce 

wetland impacts, and recommended approval of the fi nal document. 

Provided comments and recommendations on the NATR Multi-Use 

Trail Segment Wetland and Floodplain SOF which proposed to 

construct additional trails along the parkway and will impact several 

acres of wetlands and fl oodplain habitat.

Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site 

Worked with Colorado Division of Wildlife and park staff to determine 

presence or absence of the Arkansas darter. Results of this work will 

be used in discussions with the state and the Native American 

community regarding the feasibility of re-introducing the Arkansas 

darter to the Sand Creek system. 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 

TO NETWORKS

Arctic Network

Served on technical advisory committees.

Continued a cooperative agreement with East Carolina University to 

test a coastal lagoon monitoring strategy for ARCN and Cape Krusenstern National Monument.
58 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Greater Yellowstone Network

Uploaded all 2006-2008 water quality data for Grand Teton National 

Park from NPSTORET to STORET.

Implemented the shallow lake monitoring plan in 30 lakes in Kobuk 

Valley National Park and Noatak National Preserve.

Maintained water quality monitoring sondes in lakes.

Began development of interactive geodatabase for observing large 

scale lake drying and thermokarst events to demonstrate the largescale impacts of global warming on Alaska’s parklands. Reviewed annual administrative report and work plan.

Provided advice on optimal ways to do fi eld and lab QC checks for 

nutrients and other measures.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a study of the primary 

production of epiphytic algae in Mississippi seagrass beds.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a study of the trophic 

importance of epiphytic algae in Mississippi seagrass beds.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a study of the eff ects of 

water column nutrient enrichment on three seagrass species.

Uploaded 1968 water quality data to STORET from a preliminary study 

to characterize the chemical and physical nature of Ft. Pickens Pond 

on Santa Rosa Island.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1993 study to 

characterize the major characteristics of Center, East, and West Ponds 

on Santa Rosa Island.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1993 study to observe 

and document biodiversity and ecological features of pond and 

lagoon environments.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1981 baseline survey 

of the benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages within the Ranger 

Lagoon ecosystem.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1989 study of the 

epibenthic macroinvertebrate composition of fi ve permanent ponds 

and their reaction to varying salinity levels.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1983 study to 

determine whether fi sh assemblages in pools were persistent and/or 

stable over a short time period.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1975 study describing 

seasonal and annual variations in fi sh species composition within the 

surf zone of Horn Island.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1978 study that 

evaluated seasonal and diel standing crop of fi shes and two species of 

epibenthic macroinvertebrates occurring in a barrier island surf zone.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1976 study to assess 

the possibility of using hatchery-reared seed oysters in future planting 

and mariculture operations in Mississippi Sound.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1988 study to confi rm 

the existence of Lepomis spp. in the ponds on Horn Island.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1956 study to 

identify Mollusca species found in Mississippi Sound and discuss what 

is known of their distribution, abundance, and habits.

Central Alaska Network

Collected methane, DOC, and DIC samples for USGS for inclusion in 

monitoring project in conjunction with the USGS Yukon Basin Initiative.

Maintained water quality monitoring sondes in six lakes. 

Deployed water temperature loggers on seven tributaries to the Yukon River.

Served on technical advisory committees.

Cumberland/Piedmont Network

Uploaded all water quality data through 2008 from NPSTORET to 

STORET for 14 Network parks.

Gulf Coast Network

Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network

Reviewed annual administrative report and work plan.

Great Lakes Network

Continued to help network staff with monitoring issues, including 

suggestions on how to interpret QC precision results after switching 

labs and how to factor benthic macroinvertebrate results into monitoring assessments.

Uploaded the 2007-2008 water quality data for Apostle Islands National Lakeshore from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded the 2006-2008 water quality data for Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded the 2007-2008 water quality data for Isle Royale National 

Park from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded the 2006-2008 water quality data for Mississippi National 

River and Recreation Area from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded the 2007-2008 water quality data for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded the 2007-2008 water quality data for Saint Croix National 

Scenic Riverway from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded the 2007-2008 water quality data for Sleeping Bear Dunes 

National Lakeshore from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded the 2006-2008 water quality data for Voyageurs National 

Park from NPSTORET to STORET.
59 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1991 study to 

characterize the ecology of East Pond.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1965 study to ascertain 

what species compose the fi sh population in the brackish and fresh 

waters on Horn Island and their relative abundance.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1996 study to compare 

baseline macrobenthic data with post-hurricane data.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1989 study to 

determine if, after one year of post-spill observations, there were any 

recognizable deleterious eff ects of an oil spill on the supratidal,

 intertidal, and shallow subtidal invertebrate sand dwelling communities on Horn Island.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from the Mississippi 

Department of Environmental Quality’s ongoing beach monitoring 

program.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from the Alabama

 Department of Environmental Management’s ongoing beach 

monitoring program.

Uploaded water quality data to STORET from a 1993 macrobenthic 

inventory intended to provide a comprehensive baseline against 

which to gauge eff ects of future impacts to Gulf Island National 

Seashore aquatic resources.

Reviewed annual administrative report and work plan.

Provided advice on exploratory data analysis, autocorrelation, and 

annual report issues.

Mojave Desert Network

Advised staff on technical issues related to monitoring ions and 

nutrients, such as monitoring frequency and data comparability.

North Coast and Cascades Network

Reviewed annual administrative report and work plan.

Northern Colorado Plateau Network

Provided support and recommendations on mapping the networks 

water quality database to the NPSTORET schema.

Ran partial autocorrelation function on network pH data to help 

determine how many sequential data points were autocorrelated. 

Worked jointly with network hydrologist Dave Thoma and other Water 

Resource Division staff to prepare a paper for publication discussing 

quality control measures taken to assess instrument sensitivity under 

lab and fi eld (in situ) monitoring conditions.

Northeast Temperate Network

Continue to provide network staff with summaries related to 

statistical issues and monitoring and advice on Appalachian Trail 

monitoring design tradeoff s.

Heartland Network

Continued to serve as the WRD contact and provided information 

useful in interpretation of monitoring issues.

Inventory and Monitoring Network Support

Participated in three year review of NETN program and on the 

networks advisory committee.

Worked with ERMN and MIDN and park staff to assess water quality 

monitoring needs and establishment of their monitoring programs.

Northern Great Plains Network

Continued serving as the network contact to WRD and provided 

advice to the network on various technical and statistical issues.

Klamath Network

Attended water quality monitoring planning meeting and advised 

staff on monitoring design, statistical, water quality, and Quality 

Control issues. 

Uploaded water quality data from the 2005 Level I Water Quality 

Inventories conducted by the USGS’s Western Ecological Research 

Center at three Network parks.

Mediterranean Coast Network

Network contact for WRD. Sent information relevant to amphibian 

monitoring.

Mid-Atlantic Network

Provided background and support for implementing NPSTORET 

through the University of Virginia.

Incorporated recommended enhancements into NPSTORET.

National Capital Region Network

Provided review and comments on the network’s data collection and 

processing standard operating procedure.

Provided review and comments on the network’s NPSTORET 

implementation.

Prepared trip report with suggestions for improvements and changes 

to water quality monitoring program after site visit to park.

Pacifi c Island Network

Continued to provide updated guidance on monitoring water quality 

while serving as WRD contact.

Rocky Mountain Network

Continued to provide suggestions related to practical fi eld QC issues, 

basic statistical issues, and monitoring design tradeoff s.
60 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Upper Columbia Basin Network

Provided recommendations on handling data from multi-probe data 

loggers collecting continuous water quality data.

Provided detailed comments on protocol narrative and various QC 

and monitoring design issues, including zone of inference vs. target 

populations.

Coordinated WRD’s purchase of a water quality data analysis package 

for evaluation by the UCBN using a representative suite of its FY08 

monitoring data. 

San Francisco Bay Area Network

Reviewed annual monitoring report and provided comments on contaminants, ammonia, and water quality issues.

Provided advice on how to handle non-detect values in statistical 

analyses.

Uploaded the 2006-2008 ambient water quality monitoring program 

data from NPSTORET to STORET.

Uploaded the 2003-2005 pilot water quality monitoring program data 

from NPSTORET to STORET.

Provided review and comment on the Network’s 2007 Freshwater 

Quality Monitoring Report and the data management section of the 

fl ow measurement standard operating procedure.

Sierra Nevada Network

Reviewed network’s lake monitoring protocol and statistical power 

analysis.

Reviewed annual administrative report and work plan.

Sonoran Desert Network

Uploaded water quality data from the 2002-2003 Level I Water Quality 

Inventories conducted by the USGS at eight Network parks.

South Florida/Caribbean Network

Continued to provide updated guidance relevant to water quality 

monitoring.

Southeast Coast Network

Uploaded all probabilistic water quality data from 2007 and/or 2008 

from NPSTORET to STORET for Cumberland Island National Seashore, 

Fort Frederica National Monument, Fort Pulaski National Monument, 

and Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.

Consulted on technical issues and provided updated guidance on nutrients and sondes.

Reviewed draft protocol narrative and standard operating procedures.

Southern Colorado Plateau Network

Reviewed network’s draft water quality monitoring protocol.

Uploaded water quality data from the 2005 Level I Water Quality Inventories conducted by the USGS at 13 Network parks.

Provided advice and recommendations on NPSTORET deployment 

and how to link user-specifi c tables.

Reviewed annual administrative report and work plan.

Southwest Alaska Network

Reviewed annual administrative report and work plan.

Reviewed monitoring protocols and annual reports, and provided 

technical assistance with various fi sh and water resource projects. 

Fern Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Photo by Nps. 
61 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

APPENDIX B

SUMMARY OF WATER RESOURCES DIVISION FUNDING 

FY 2009 base funding for the Water Resources Division was $12,472,000 (see Figure 1). These funds are distributed among fi ve 

principal categories: Water Resource Projects (Water Resource Protection; Competitive Projects; and Other); Water Quality

 Monitoring; WaterResource Protection – Aquatic Resource Professionals; Natural Resource Condition Assessment Program

 (including projects); and Water Resource Technical Assistance (see Figure 2).

Figure 1: Water Resources Program

 Funding

 $(000)

FY 2008 allocation 12,399.00

Classifi ed Pay Increase $114.00

Net FY 2008 Decrease <$197.00>

Total Available in FY 2008 12,316.00

FY 2009 allocation 12,316.00

Classifi ed Pay Increase $173.00

Net FY 2008 Decrease <$17.00>

Total available SUMMARY OF WATER RESOURCES DIVISION FUNDING 12,472.00

Figure 2: Water Resources Program Funding by Catagories

 Funding

 Water Resources Projects $(000)

Water Resource Protection 817.80

Other Projects 14.20

Water Quality Vital Signs Monitoring 2,737.90

 

Natural Resource Condition Assessment Program 2,202.70

 Natural Resource Condition Assessments Projects 1,849.00

 High Priority Projects 266.10

 Other Projects 87.60 

Water Resource Protection--Aquatic Resource Professionals 1,290.00

Legacy High Priority Projects 67.70

Water Resource Technical Assistance 5,341.70

Total 12,472.00
62 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

A summary of accomplishments derived from the FY 2008 base budget and the FY 2009 increase is provided below

Water Resource Protection Projects

The Natural Resource Challenge resulted in an increase of $832,000 in the water resource protection projects budget beginning in FY 2001. 

As shown in Table 1, FY 2009 expenditures for the majority of this budget increase continued the NPS’s capability to fund data collection and 

analyses that can be used to describe surface and ground water fl ow regimes and investigate the dependence of park resources upon water in 

support of the Department of Interior Water Quantity Strategic Goal. These eff orts are targeted toward development of scientifi c information 

that will contribute to decisions that protect or restore surface or ground water systems. Decisions are made by federal managers, court judges, 

or state administrators such as state engineers. Priorities are determined by the requirements of federal or state law. Presentation of 

results may occur in state or federal regulatory process documents, such as rights-of-way and Clean Water Act permits, state water rights process documents, such as applications, protests, or administrative hearing records, or federal or state court process documents, such as adjudication claims, objections, or court hearing records. Results are also intended to support settlement negotiations, which are conducted to avoid 

contested case hearings, litigation, contested land use decisions, or to support the implementation of settlements.

Studies are conducted by scientists with expertise in fi elds that are appropriate for the park resources being examined. Hydrologic characterization is a need common to all water resources protection issues addressed by this budget. The majority of FY 2009 project funds were used to 

support ongoing studies designed to characterize surface or ground water fl ow systems. In the western U.S., ongoing projects are developing 

modeling capabilities for predicting eff ects of large-scale development in regional ground water fl ow systems. In the eastern U.S., hydrologic 

studies are developing information on the eff ects of impoundments on surface river systems. These tools are needed by decision makers to 

understand the potential for impacts to park water resources in the future from a number of existing water development proposals. In addition, 

hydrologic data is often required to implement settlement agreements.

Project funds are also used to study the relationships between water quantity and fl ow timing and water-dependent park resources. In FY 2009, 

water-dependent resources that were studied include riparian/wetland vegetation, fi sh migration, water-related fi sh habitat requirements, anchialine ponds, and geomorphology. These results are needed by decision makers to understand the potential eff ect on the water-dependent 

resource of potential changes in stream or ground water fl ow.

The results of these studies must be presented to decision makers in written or verbal format, often in a forum dictated by law or regulation. For 

this reason, a portion of the water resource protection project funds were used to support the Department of the Interior Offi ce of the 

Solicitor in providing legal advice and representation to the National Park Service.

Many of the issues being studied are also of concern to the programs of other federal managers, such as the endangered species and National 

Wildlife Refuge programs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act and other programs of the 

Bureau of Land Management, and the water supply programs of the Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the research 

program of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In many cases, these other federal programs and partners also provide funding for studies that 

are useful for resolving National Park Service issues. When this occurs, National Park Service coordinates its water resources protection funding 

with that of the other agencies to avoid duplicating studies.

To increase the eff ectiveness of its water resource protection funding, the National Park Service partners with other non-federal entities. Some 

studies occur as a result of collaboration with state or private entities with common science objectives. For example, hydrologic data collected 

by NPS studies for Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Death Valley National Park, and Great Basin National Park are shared with the Nevada 

State Engineer, southern Nevada water purveyors, and private developers, thereby contributing to the larger-scale knowledge of regional aquifers and ground water availability in southern Nevada. In another example, data and other science information collected at Chickasaw National 

Recreation Area contributes to an on-going state-federal study of the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer in southeastern Oklahoma. In yet another 

example, hydrogeologic analyses conducted for Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is being used in conjunction with work being 

conducted by The Nature Conservancy and local water conservation districts to support implementation of the recently decreed water rights 

protection for the park.
63 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Table 1: Water Resource Protection Projects -- FY 2009

Park Region Project Title FY 2009 

 Funding

 $(000)

ALL ALL Support to the Offi ce of the Solictor 195.0

CHIC IMR Hydrologic Data Collection 2.2

MOCA IMR Hydrologic Data Collection for Verde River Adjudication 43.9

LAME PWR Hydrologic Data Collection and Groundwater Modeling 5.0

KAHO PWR Investigation of Hydrology and Water Dependent Values 141.1

GRSA IMR Hydrogeologic Data Analysis 134.4

PORE PWR Protection of Instream Flows 4.3

GRTE IMR Investigation of Hydrology of the Gros Ventre River 11.6

GRBA PWR Investigation of Hydrogeology and Hydrologic Data Collection 207.9

NIOB MWR Investigation of Water Dependent Resources 42.2

ALL ALL Technical Support to all Projects and Technical Assistances 30.1

 TOTAL 817.7

Water Quality Monitoring

In FY 2009, the Water Resources Division received $2,737,900 for the Water Quality Monitoring component of the Natural Resource Challenge. 

This was the 8th year of funding for a program specifi cally intended to track and support the attainment of water quality standards in units of 

the National Park System as required by the NPS and DOI Strategic Plans and to monitor long-term status and trends in the nation’s most 

pristine watersheds. The program is “fully-funded,” minus rescissions and across the board cuts.

The National Park Service is committed to a Servicewide and DOI strategic goal to signifi cantly reduce the number of stream and river miles 

and acres of lakes and marine areas that do not meet water quality standards. As part of this goal, the NPS is also committed to protecting

 unimpaired water quality in parks from future impairment, including waters classifi ed as Outstanding National Resource Waters (ONRW) or 

state-equivalent listed waters. Additionally, the NPS is committed to working with state Clean Water Act programs, as well as taking 

appropriate management actions within parks, to support the restoration of impaired water bodies in parks to an unimpaired condition. 

Presently, about 120 park units have one or more water bodies that do not meet state water quality standards for one or more pollutants on 

approximately 1,500 miles of rivers and streams and 929,000 acres of lakes, reservoirs, estuaries and marine areas. Planning and design of the 

program continues to be implemented in full integration with the NPS Park Vital Signs Monitoring Program. This is because water quality is a 

key vital sign in determining overall aquatic ecosystem health. In addition, by fully integrating the design of these programs, considerable cost 

effi ciencies have been and will continue to be realized in staffi ng, planning and design, administration, implementation, data management, 

and reporting. 

Full program funding was allocated to all 32 Park Vital Signs Networks in FY 2009 (Table 2). In addition, funds supported the development of an 

NPS Servicewide water quality data management program within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) STORET national water 

quality database. While not shown in Table 2, WRD reallocated 10 work months involving fi ve Division staff to support program administration 

and the development of program technical guidance, technical protocols, detailed study plan and Quality Control/Quality Assurance Plan 

guidance, and database management.
64 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Table 2: Allocation of Water Quality Park Vital Signs Monitoring Funding -- FY 2009

Network Region Number of Aff ected FY 2009 

 Parks Funding

 $(000)

Central Alaska Alaksa 5 94.2

Heartland Midwest 15 78.8

NE Coastal and Barrier Northeast 8 86.5

National Capital National Capital 11 68.2

Cumberland/Piedmont Southeast 14 56.7

Appalachian Highlands Southeast 4 67.2

North. Colorado Plateau Intermountain 16 103.7

Greater Yellowstone Intermountain 3 68.2

Sonoran Desert Intermountain 11 61.5

North Coast & Cascades Pacifi c West 7 78.8

San Francisco Bay Pacifi c West 6 67.2

Mediterranean Coast Pacifi c West 3 73.0

Southwest Alaska Alaska 5 133.6

Northeast Temperate Northeast 10 57.7

Southern Colorado Plateau Intermountain 19 119.1

Pacifi c Lakes Pacifi c West 9 145.1

Great Lakes Midwest 9 118.2

Gulf Coast Southeast 8 85.5

Rocky Mountain Intermountain 6 58.6

Sierra Nevada Pacifi c West 3 60.6 

Eastern Rivers and Mountains Northeast 9 60.6

Artic Alaska 5 144.1

Klamath Pacifi c West 6 73.0

Southeast Coast Southeast 17 116.3

Upper Columbia Basin Pacifi c West 8 48.0

Southern Plains Intermountain 10 27.9

Mojave Desert Pacifi c West 6 76.9

Southeast Alaska Alaska 3 40.4

South Florida/Caribbean Southeast 6 141.3

Mid-Atlantic Northeast 11 42.3

Chihuahuan Intermountain 6 70.2

Northern Great Plains Midwest 13 77.9

TOTAL: 2009 Network Monitoring 7 NPS Regions 272 2601.3

Servicewide Data Management 136.6

GRAND TOTAL 2,737.9
65 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Vital Signs Monitoring Networks: In FY 2009, 32 Park Vital Signs Monitoring Networks fully committed their water quality funding to compilation 

of background information, analysis of issues and threats, detailed program planning, and supporting synoptic-level fi eld assessments, and fi ve 

networks have initiated fi eld-level monitoring. Network planning approaches included personnel hiring, in-house allocation of staff , university 

cooperative agreements, and USGS Interagency Agreements. In addition, some equipment acquisitions were made. All 32 Networks accomplished one or more of the following activities:

 • Historic data compilations and analyses

 • Information on state-listed impaired waters and park “outstanding” waters

 • Documentation of signifi cant water quality stressors/threats

 • Synoptic inventory studies in support of detailed statistical design

 • Database management and GIS support programs

 • Development of water quality monitoring protocols

 • Field monitoring

Individual network accomplishments are summarized in Appendix A (detailed budgets are provided in individual NPS Network 

Administrative Reports).

Servicewide Data Management: The Water Resources Division continued to support network water quality monitoring programs by providing 

national program administration and reporting, establishing baseline inventories and analyses of available water quality data, supporting

 digitization of legacy data from analog reports and other archival materials, maintaining a Servicewide water quality database in the EPASTORET national water quality database, and enhancing the transfer of physical, chemical, and biological data from the Networks into STORET. 

Four water quality research associates and a student worked to support the database development, management, and reporting activities 

through cooperative agreements with Colorado State University. The Servicewide STORET database has served as the starting point for most 

network water quality data compilation and analysis eff orts and also WRD’s Baseline Water Quality Data Inventory and Analysis Reports. In addition to data from states and other entities, this archive now hosts more than 5 million results for 3,100 diff erent physical, chemical, or biological 

characteristics from 45,500 monitoring locations in support of 1,071 diff erent projects conducted in or near 256 units of the National Park 

System. 

Much eff ort went into enhancing NPSTORET, a series of Microsoft Access-based templates for entering, managing, reporting, and analyzing 

water quality data (projects, stations, metadata, and results) in a STORET compatible format. NPSTORET also includes import routines to allow 

users to import their own data or stations as well as data and stations from the three major national water quality databases. Additional capabilities added to NPSTORET v.1.74 this year included comparing water quality data to user-defi ned, state, or national water quality standards 

and the ability to display the results of water quality analyses spatially using Google Earth. NPSTORET was used by the U.S. Geological Survey 

to assist Pakistan in developing a water quality database infrastructure. WRD staff cooperated with the EPA, states, and others on developing a 

STORET database replacement which was made available in June. WRD staff continued to help facilitate stewardship of the National Hydrography Dataset in sub-basins containing NPS lands. Staff also continued to populate the Designated Use and Impairment database which contains 

hydrographic statistics and water resource impairment data for all parks.

Grand Prismatic, Yellowstone National Park. 

Photo by NPS. 
66 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

NATURAL RESOURCE CONDITION ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

The Water Resources Division received $2.20 million in FY 2009, as part of the Natural Resource Challenge, to assess watershed resource 

conditions in parks. WRD’s Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) Program provides technical guidance and accountability oversight 

for this eff ort. The NRCA Program is working toward the goal of funding a “natural resource condition assessment” project for each of the 270-

plus parks in the NPS Vital Signs Monitoring Program. 

Parks receiving these assessments will be in an enhanced position to 1) defi ne natural resource conservation indicators and targets via park 

planning, and 2) report to “resource condition status” accountability measures (e.g., land health goals in the Department of Interior’s Strategic 

Plan). Relying on existing data from multiple sources and best professional judgment, each assessment provides an interdisciplinary synthesis 

and report-out on current condition status, critical data gaps, and existing or emerging vulnerability/risk factors for important park natural resources. Assessments also strive to develop overall condition ratings for park areas, at the geographic scale(s) requested by the receiving park 

(e.g., by park watersheds, habitat types, or management zones).

FY 2009 projects benefi ted greatly from academic partnerships with universities in Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs), as well as from 

collaboration with federal agencies that provided essential expertise in varied aspects of ecological assessment and reporting. 

Signifi cant program accomplishments in FY 2009 are described below. Table 3 shows the budget allocation in FY 2009 for the NRCA Program.

Table 3: Natural Resource Condition Assessment Program -- FY 2009 Budget

Program Element FY 2009 Funding

 $(000)

Natural Resource Condition Assessments 1,849.0

NRCA Funding for WRD High Priority Projects 266.1

Other Projects 87.6

Total 2,202.7

Implementation of Program Plan

One full-time staff member provided dedicated support to implement the program plan to fund, during the time frame of FY 2006 – FY 2014, a 

natural resource condition assessment for nearly all of the 270-plus parks served by the NPS Vital Signs Monitoring Networks. This plan is being 

implemented in close coordination with other NPS programs and activities related to resource planning, strategic planning and performance 

reporting, inventory and monitoring, and disturbed lands restoration. In FY 2009, the NRCA Program provided funding to support 50 new or 

ongoing park condition assessments. This includes 31 parks associated with project startup in FY 2009 as well as 19 parks for which an ongoing 

assessment project received additional funding (Table 4). 

Table 4: Natural Resource Condition Assessment Project Funding -- FY 2009 

Region Agency, Cooperator/Partner, or Contractor State Parks FY 2009 

 Funding

 $(000)

Alaska Pacifi c Northwest CESU/Saint Mary’s AK DENA, KLGO 148.0

 University of Minnesota

Intermountain Desert Southwest CESU/Aquatic Sciences AZ MOCA, TUZI, TUMA 

 Program, Sonoran Institute GICL, TONT 102.0

 Rocky Mountain CESU/Colorado Heritage CO GRSA 70.0

 Program, Colorado State University

 Rocky Mountain CESU/Colorado State Multiple Multiple 203.0

 (geospatial products for use in multiple

 Intermountain region projects)

Midwest Great Rivers CESU/Saint Mary’s University MN, NE, SD, WY JECA, MNRR, WICA 

 of Missouri (*) DETO is in the Intermountain DETO (*) 

 Region 312.0

 NPS Heartland I & M Network IA, MO EFMO, OZAR 

 (ongoing project) 15.0 
67 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Table 4 Continued: Natural Resource Condition Assessment Project Funding -- FY 2009 

Region Agency, Cooperator/Partner, or Contractor State Parks FY 2009 

 Funding

 $(000)

National Capital Chesapeake Watershed CESU/ University MD, VA MONO, MANA, ANTI 

 of Maryland (ongoing project) 74.0

Northeast Southern Appalachian CESU/ Virgina Tech VA APCO, BOWA, PETE 

 Program, Sonoran Institute RICH (ongoing project) 44.0

 Chesapeake Watershed CESU/ University VA COLO 

 of Maryland 51.0

 Chesapeake Watershed CESU/ University VA ROVA, MORR, SARA 

 of Maryland 127.0

Pacifi c West Californian CESU/ University of California, CA SEKI 

 Berkeley (ongoing project) 166.0

 Californian CESU/ University of California, CA SOMO, PINN, JOMU 

 Santa Barbara (ongoing project) 43.0 

 Yosemite National Park CA YOSE, DEPO 

 (ongoing project) 90.0

 Northwest Management, Inc. ID, MT CRMO, CIRO, HAFO 

 BIHO (ongoing project) 108.0

Southeast Piedmont - South Atlantic Coast CESU/ FL, LA, MS, TN GUIS, JELA, NATR 

 University of Georgia SHIL, VICK 271.0

 Piedmont - South Atlantic Coast CESU/ AL, FL, GA, NC, SC CHAT, CONG, KEMO, 

 North Carolina State University MOCR, OCMU, HOBE, 

 CAHA, CALO, CUIS, 

 TIMU 25.0

TOTAL 50 Parks 1,849.0

Coastal Park Natural Resource Assessments

In FY 2003, the WRD began an eff ort to assess coastal water resources and watershed conditions in 53 parks with signifi cant ocean and Great 

Lakes resources by FY 2014. Since FY 2003, assessments have been initiated in 47 coastal and Great Lakes parks, and fi nal reports have been 

published for 29 parks. Reports from these assessments characterize the relative health or status of upland, wetland, riparian, marine, estuarine, 

and Great Lakes resources within the National Park System. Comprehensive assessments are achieved through academic partnerships in 

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Networks and collaborations with federal agencies to engage experts in oceanography, systems ecology, 

hydrology, geographic information systems (GIS), and marine and estuarine sciences. 

Completed Reports 

In FY 2009, resource condition assessment reports associated with prior-year projects were published for Acadia National Park, Fire Island 

National Seashore, Fort Pulaski National Monument, Lake Clark National Park, Rock Creek Park, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. 

These reports and additional information about the natural resource condition assessments and the coastal park assessment series can be 

accessed at: http://www.nature.nps.gov/water/NRCondition_Assessment_Program/Index.cfm
68 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

WRD High Priority Projects

 In FY 2009, WRD funded a number of projects that addressed emerging, high priority, park watershed condition issues that, because of the 

applicable timeframes, could not be appropriately directed through the competitive project funding program. Table 5 shows the funding

allocated from the NRCA Program to support these projects. 

Table 5: High Priority Project Funding-- FY 2009 

Region State Park Project Title FY 2009 

 Funding

 $(000)

Southeast FL, USVI BISC, DRTO, BUIS Rapid Assessment Surveys and Protocols for Potential Lionfi sh 

 Invasions in Select National Parks 50.0

Pacifi c West NV GRBA Development of Hydrogeologic and Numerical Groundwater-Flow

 Model Analyses to Determine Potential Groundwater Withdrawal 

 Impacts to Great Basin NP Resources 73.4

iintermountain CO GRSA Court-Ordered Installation of Ten Ground Water Monitoring Wells 

 at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 55.2

Intermountain TX PAAL Develop fi nal restoration design and contract specifi cations for 

 the Palo Alto Resaca, Palo Alto Battlefi eld NHP, Texas 47.5

Servicewide Multiple Multiple Watershed Attributes and Their Infl uences on Impaired Waters

 in the National Park System 40.0

Total 6+ Parks 266.1

See Appendix B for a summary of High Priority Projects that were funded in FY 2009, including the above-listed projects as well as additional 

projects funded through WRD’s Legacy funding source.

Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo by NPS. 
69 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

OCEANS AND COASTAL RESOURCES PROGRAM

Coastal park natural resource assessment activity continued in FY 2009 

(see Natural Resource Condition Assessment section). The Ocean and 

Coastal Resources Program contribute project management oversight for 

this ongoing eff ort. 

Other Projects

Submerged Habitat Mapping in Ocean and Coastal Parks

A submerged habitat mapping program for ocean and Great Lakes parks 

was initiated in 2007 with funding from Inventory and Monitoring 

Program. The program is developing habitat maps and reports to 

support informed management and protection of three million acres of 

submerged National Park System natural and cultural resources. 

Submerged habitat mapping of National Parks has the following resource 

management objectives: 1) understanding and predicting the spatial 

distribution of resources; 2) detecting change associated with anthropogenic and environmental impacts; 3) supporting spatially-explicit 

management decisions, such as marine zoning (e.g., marine protected 

areas, anchoring locations, vessel hazards); and 4) designing effi cient 

sampling strategies to evaluate the effi cacy of resource management actions.

In FY 2009, habitat mapping projects were initiated for submerged lands 

in Buck Island Reef National Monument and Salt River Bay National 

Historical Park and Ecological Preserve. A gap analysis was initiated in 

FY 2009 for coral reef parks in the Caribbean (Buck Island Reef National 

Monument, Virgin Islands National Park, Salt River Bay National Historical 

Park and Ecological Reserve, and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National

 Monument) and in the Pacifi c (War in the Pacifi c National Historical Park, 

National Park of American Samoa, Kalaupapa National Historical Park, 

and Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park). The objectives of the 

gap analysis are to: 1) obtain and evaluate available ecological, 

oceanographic, socio-economic, cultural, and remote sensing datasets; 

2) synthesize relevant available datasets into a common integrated

system; and 3) provide a custom web portal to access data and metadata 

resources.

In FY 2009, habitat maps were completed (studies were initiated in FY 

2008) for the submerged lands of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 

Virgin Islands National Park, and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National

 Monument. The Golden Gate submerged habitat maps integrate existing seafl oor maps, such as the San Francisco Bay anthropogenic habitat 

disturbance and geology maps, with results from numerous surfi cial 

sediment surveys. The Virgin Islands National Park and Virgin Island Coral 

Reef submerged habitat maps identify the locations of signifi cant

 habitats, including coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and mangrove forests 

using satellite imagery and digital aerial photography.

Dry Tortugas National Park. Photo by NPS 
70 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

WATER RESOURCE PROTECTION - Aquatic Resource Professionals

In FY 2009, the NPS received $1,290,000 to fund aquatic resource specialists in the fi eld. Fifteen positions were fully funded in FY 2009, 

although three of the positions were vacant for part of the fi scal year. Twelve of the positions are duty-stationed in parks and one each is 

located in the Sonoran Network Offi ce, the Center for Urban Ecology in the National Capitol Region, and the Utah State Offi ce. The specifi c 

aquatic resource disciplines represented by the new professionals, their duty stations, and their primary areas of focus are identifi ed in Table 6.

Table 6: Water Resource Protection - Aquatic Resource Specialists

Region Duty Station/Discipline Geographic Focus Area 

AKR Yukon-Charley Rivers NP Aquatic Ecologist Central and NW Alaska Network Parks 

AKR Lake Clark NP - Fishery Biologist SW and SE Alaska Network Parks 

IMR Utah State Coord Offi ce - Fishery Biologist Upper Colorado River Basin Parks

IMR Sonoran Desert Network - Groundwater Hydrologist Arizona and New Mexico Parks

IMR Grand Teton NP – Hydrologist Vacant

IMR / MWR Big Thicket NP- Hydrologist Southern Plains, Heartland Network Parks 

MWR Saint Croix NSR - Aquatic Ecologist Great Lakes Network Parks

MWR Isle Royale NP - Fishery Biologist Great Lakes Network Parks 

NER / NCR Center for Urban Ecology - Aquatic Ecologist Vacant

NER Delaware Water Gap NRA - Hydrologist East. Rivers & Mountains / NE Coastal 

 & Barrier Network Parks 

NER Fire Island NS - Marine Ecologist NE Temperate / NE Coastal & Barrier 

 Network Parks

PWR Point Reyes NS - Aquatic Ecologist San Fran. Bay / Sierra / Klamath/ 

 Mediterranean Coast Network Parks 

PWR Mount Rainier NP - Geomorphologist North Coast & Cascades / Klamath

 Network Parks 

PWR Lake Mead NRA - Groundwater Hydrologist Mojave Desert Network Parks

SER Chattahoochee River NRA - Fishery Biologist SE Coast / Gulf Coast / Appalachian 

 Highlands / Cumberland-Piedmont 

 Network Parks

SER Chattahoochee River NRA - Wetlands Ecologist SE Coast / Gulf Coast / Appalachian 

 Highlands / Cumberland-Piedmont /

 S. Florida – Caribbean Network Parks 
71 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

WATER RESOURCES PROTECTION – Water Resource Technical Assistance

This was the fundamental component of the Water Resources Program before the Natural Resource Challenge, and it and has not been expanded with Challenge funding. Through this eff ort, the Water Resources Program provides direct assistance to parks on high priority needs, using 

a combination of its own staff and expertise acquired through cooperative agreements. Over 160 parks obtained technical assistance from the 

Water Resources Division in 2009. Examples of technical assistance accomplishments are:

 • Completed hydraulic modeling of a short stream reach, developed design criteria for stream bank stabilization, and 

 completed a technical report of the fi ndings for Grand Portage National Monument.

 • Reviewed and commented on site investigation work plans addressing characterization of contaminated soils and 

 ground water at multiple oil and gas sites at Big Thicket National Preserve. 

 • Identifi ed serious defi ciencies in the preliminary Remedial Investigation report and ground water model developed 

 for the Pines landfi ll adjacent to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and convinced the Environmental Protection 

 Agency to seek a third party assessment of the groundwater model which confi rmed NPS characterization of the 

 model as technically unsound and inappropriate for use in the Remedial Investigation and as a basis for 

 the Ecological Risk Assessment.

 • Through the ongoing Pecos National Historical Park Natural Resources Condition Assessment and working with 

 the park, the Sonoran Desert network, Intermountain Region Planning Offi ce developed procedures to 

 improve information and data sharing between NPS science and planning programs. 

 • Uploaded water samples and fi eld measurements collected in 1973 by the U.S. Geological Survey and 1993 by 

 Alaska Volcano Observatory researchers from springs in the vicinity of Surprise Lake to STORET for Aniakchak 

 National Monument.

 • Provided technical review of the Turkey Point Units 6 and 7 Site Certifi cation Application and provided comments 

 to Biscayne National Park on several options being considered for using treated sewage water in cooling towers of 

 the Turkey Point Power Plant concerning contaminants of potential environmental concern that might eventually 

 move from the cooling towers to the park. 

 • Inspected watershed conditions and a dam that may be relevant to fl ooding that has been experienced in 

 Hopewell Furnace National Historic Park and initiated technical support to the Army Corps of Engineers fl oo

 study that will be conducted this fi scal year.

 • Working with the NPS Lands Offi ce, WRD completed a digital map for Salem Maritime National Historic Site and 

 worked with park staff to develop a PMIS proposal to get a Preliminary Assessment and Site Investigation funded 

 for a submerged contaminated site. 

 • Provided technical review of two documents on coral reef restoration for Dry Tortugas National Monument. 

 • Provided continuing assistance to Olympic National Park on the proposed removal of two dams on the Elwha River 

 including 1) assisting in the fi nalization of the sediment monitoring plan, 2) made a site visit with sediment 

 management advisory team, and 3) consulted on improving approach to fl ood modeling.

 • Assisted with organizing and participated in a meeting with staff s of the Niobrara National Scenic River and the US 

 Fish & Wildlife Service to evaluate the opportunities and impacts of removing Cornell Dam. 

 • Conducted a hydrogeological analysis and provided recommendations for construction of a new water supply well 

 at Horseshoe Bend at Big Horn Canyon National Recreation Area.

 • Assisted with the formulation of remedial actions for declining water levels at Quitobaquito Spring in Organ Pipe 

 Cactus National Monument.

 • Reviewed current and proposed sediment monitoring associated with the Grand Ditch failure in Rocky Mountain 

 National Park and worked with park staff to develop recommendations for future water quality 

 monitoring with the court settlement funds.

 • Supported the NPS 9B regulatory process by providing wetlands assessments for proposed exploration and drilling 

 operations at Big Thicket National Preserve, Padre Island National Seashore, Big Cypress National Preserve, Big

 South Fork National River and Recreation Area, and Lake Meredith National Recreation Area.

 • Provided on-site analyses and recommendations to minimize impacts on wetland resources for the Flight 93 

 National Memorial. Worked with project engineers to reduce wetland impacts from 30 acres to less than 2 acres, 

 assisted with regulatory compliance, provided a preliminary design for the required wetland compensation, and 

 suggested construction methods to protect existing wetlands

 • Provided technical assistance and obtained funding for the project “Establish Native Wetland Plant Species to 

 Enhance Channel Stability and Functional Condition in Pueblo Colorado Wash, Hubbell Trading Post National 

 Historic Site.” 

 • Cooperated with the Midwest Region, Great Lakes NPS units, and the NRPC Biological Resources Management 

 Division to provide input on viral hemorrhagic septicemia and ballast water management issues.

 
72 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

 • Provided technical support for fi sh habitat restoration projects at Big South Fork National River and Recreation 

 Area, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Point Reyes 

 National Seashore and North Cascades National Park.

 • Developed a Webinar series to increase Servicewide communication on important ocean and coastal resource 

 issues. Held Webinars on water quality, ocean acidifi cation, fi shery management, and marine invasive species, 

 each of which was viewed by more than 40-60 people.

 • Hired a marine pollution ecologist to manage the Coastal Watershed Condition Assessment Program and develop 

 a program to help ocean and coastal parks with marine pollution issues.

 • Completed eight water rights assessments to provide parks with critical information as they consider decisions to 

 protect water-related resources.

 • working in partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation and other stakeholders, applied the terms of the Black 

 Canyon of the Gunnison National Park federal reserved water right to produce the decreed fl ows for the benefi t of 

 park resources.

 • Represented Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park as a participant in the North Kona Water Round Table, a 

 stakeholder group with a broad water use scope and led discussions of the smaller Kaloko-Honokohau Working 

 Group, a stakeholder group focused on park concerns about diversions of seaward fl owing fresh groundwater by 

 municipal water development.

 • Assisted Chickasaw National Recreation Area in providing information and comments to the Oklahoma Water 

 Resources Board concerning state management options for the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer which is the source of 

 water for park springs and streams.

 • Directed the installation of monitoring wells at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve which are required by 

 the Park’s recent water rights decree for the purpose of implementing the administration of those rights.

Acadia National Park. Photo by NPS 
73 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

AWARDS

Star award to Jen Back from Chickasaw National Recreation Area for her water resources protection eff orts.

Star award to Jim Harte for his extraordinary work as project leader in planning, designing and constructing ten boundary piezometers for 

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

Cliff McCreedy received an award for working with NOAA for 1.5 years to develop an umbrella agreement that supports and clarifi es the

agencies’ mutual goals for ocean stewardship and climate science. The agreement that establishes policy level support to continue and accelerate many existing NPS-NOAA partnerships and to establish new agreements in light of new Administration and DOI interests in oceans, climate 

change, and energy. The agreement was signed by the NPS Acting Director and the new NOAA Administrator. 

Eva DiDonato received an award for developing a Webinar series on topics of general interest to ocean and coastal parks and regions. She

researched the software, purchased a license, and secured permission from the offi ce of the CIO to install the software on an NPS computer. 

Eva hosted four servicewide webinars in 2009 on topics including in situ data loggers, ocean, commercial and recreational fi shing, and invasive 

species. Attendance has been 20-40 people for each Webinar, each of which was recorded for offl ine viewing.

PUBLICATIONS 

Alexander, J.S., R.B. Zelt, and N.J. Schaepe. 2009. Geomorphic segmentation, hydraulic geometry, and hydraulic microhabitats of the Niobrara 

River, Nebraska—Methods and initial results. Scientifi c Investigations Report 2009-5008, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, 51 pp.

Auble, G.T., Wondzell, M., and Talbert, C., 2009, Decision support system for evaluation of Gunnison River fl ow regimes with respect to resources 

of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2009–1126, 25 pp. 

Belcher, W.R., M.S. Bedinger, J. T. Back, D. S. Sweetkind. 2009. Interbasin Flow in the Great Basin with Special Reference to the Southern Funeral 

Mountains and the Source of Furnace Creek Springs, Death Valley, California. Journal of Hydrology, Volume 369, Issues 1-2, 5 May 2009, Pages 

30-43.

Back, J.T., 2009. Guidance document for fi eld technicians on Standard Operating Procedures for operating and maintaining the Design Analysis 

waterloggers at CHIC. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division.

Converse, K. 2009. Streamfl ow records for Water Year 2007 for Station No. 343856111450701, Montezuma Well at Montezuma Castle National 

Monument, Arizona. National Park Service, Water Resources Division, Fort Collins, CO.

Cooper D.J., E.C. Wolf and J. Wagner. 2008. First Summer Survival of Plantings, Upper Halstead Meadow, Sequoia National Park, California. Report 

to Sequoia National Park by Colorado State University, Department of Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship and the NPS Water Resources Division. 8 pp.

Corman, S.S. 2009. Salt Marsh Mosquito Ditches on Fire Island, NY: Sedimentation Rate, Nekton Community, and Implications for Restoration. MS 

Thesis, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI. 122 pp.

Cutillo, P.A., 2009. Status Report – Water-Quantity Protection at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 16 pp.

Cutillo, P.A., 2008. Preliminary Analysis in Regard to Application for Benefi cial Water Use Permit No. 30043627-76LJ for The O’Hare Living Trust. 

Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 3 pp.

Cutillo, P.A., 2009. Preliminary Analysis in Regard to Application for Benefi cial Water Use Permit No. 30044213-76LJ for Jody M. Miller and Dale E. 

Horton. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Natural Resource Program Center, 3 pp.

APPENDIX C

AWARDS/PUBLICATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/WEBINARS
74 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Cutillo, P.A., 2009. Simulation of Large-Scale Pumping in Snake Valley, White Pine County, Nevada. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, 

Natural Resource Program Center, 42 pp.

Cutillo, P.A., 2008. Peer Review of Long-Term Monitoring Protocol for Ground-Water Hydrology within the National Park Service Pacifi c Island 

Network, Version 1.0. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 2 pp. 

Cutillo, P.A., 2009. Review of responses to NPS comment regarding the `O`oma Beachside Village Draft Environmental Impact Statement, 

January 5, 2009. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 6 pp.

Cutillo, P.A., 2009. Review of Palani Well No.1 Draft Environmental Assessment May 6, 2009. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water 

Resources Division, 8 pp.

DiDonato, G.T., E.M. DiDonato, L.M. Smith, L.H. Harwell, and J.K. Summers. 2009. Assessing coastal waters of American Samoa: Territory-wide 

water quality data provide a critical “big-picture” view for this tropical archipelago. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 150:157-165.

Edlund, M. B., D.R. Engstrom, L. Triplett, B. M. Lafrancois, and P. R. Leavitt. 2009. Twentieth-century eutrophication of the St. Croix River 

(Minnesota-Wisconsin, USA) reconstructed from the sediments of its natural impoundment. Journal of Paleolimnology 41:641-647.

Faber, D.M. 2008. Loss of Spawning Habitat due to Isostatic Rebound and Subsequent Eff ect on the Commercial East Alsek Sockeye Fishery, 

Alaska. MS Thesis. University of Alaska Fairbanks. Fairbanks, AK. 126 pp.

Gerber, G. 2009. Investigators Annual Report for Reporting Year 2008, Lower Gros Ventre River Hydrology, Diversions, and Water Budget

 Investigation, Grand Teton National Park, WY. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 2 pp.

Gerber, G. 2009. Investigators Annual Report for Reporting Year 2008, Lower Gros Ventre River Hydrology, Diversions, and Water Budget

Investigation, Grand Teton National Park, WY. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 2 pp.

Gerber, G. and Inglis, R. 2008. Trip Report for Travel to San Francisco Bay Area Network for Review of Stream Gaging Protocol, November 4-6, 

2008. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 14 pp.

Hansen, W.R. and J. Harn. 2009. Wild and scenic rivers program, 2007-2009 accomplishments. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Park Service, 

Wild and Scenic Rivers Program, 8 pp.

Hughes, J.C. and P.A. Cutillo, 2008. Report on an Aquifer Test at Wind Cave National Park, on September 9 – 11, 2008. Fort Collins, CO: National 

Park Service, Water Resources Division, 13 pp + appendices.

Hughes, J.C. and J.T. Back and T. Smith, 2009. Report on GPS Survey of locations in and around Wind Cave National Park on July 28 - 30, 2008. 

Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 21 pp.

Hughes, J.C., 2009. Basis for instream fl ow State water right Applications for Great Basin National Park. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, 

Water Resources Division, 13 pp.

Hughes, J.C., 2009. Evaluation of City of Crossville-Lake Tansi Water Harvesting Proposal on Stream Discharge within Obed Wild and Scenic 

River. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 10 pp + appendices.

Jaeger, K. 2009. Channel Dynamics in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, AZ, with Emphasis on the Eff ect of Invasive Plants. PhD 

Dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. 260 pp. 

Lafrancois, B. M., S. Magdalene, D. K. Johnson. 2009. Recent water quality trends and a comparison to sediment-core records for two riverine 

lakes of the Upper Mississippi River basin: Lake St. Croix and Lake Pepin. Journal of Paleolimnology 41:603-622. 

Lafrancois, B. M., M. Watkins, and R. Maki. 2009. Water quality conditions and patterns on the Grand Portage Reservation and Grand Portage 

National Monument, Minnesota: Implications for nutrient criteria development and future monitoring. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/

GLKN/NRTR—2009/223. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Martin, L. 2008. Surplus water at Fossil Butte National Monument. NPS NRPC Water Resources Division, Fort Collins, CO.

Martin, L. 2009. Groundwater monitoring, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. NPS NRPC Water Resources Division, Fort Collins, CO.

Matthews, M., F. Usrey, S.W. Hodges, J.L. Harris and A.D. Christian. 2009. Species richness, distribution, and relative abundance of freshwater 

mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) of the Buff alo National River, Arkansas, Journel of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 63, 19 pp.
75 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

McEwen, D. C. and M. G. Butler. 2008. Impacts from water-level regulation on benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in Namakan Reservoir and Rainy Lake: Voyagers National Park, Minnesota. NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRTR—2008/129.

McEwen, D.C. and M.G. Butler. 2008. Impacts from Water-Level Regulation on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure in Namakan 

Reservoir and Rainy Lake – Voyageurs National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRTR – 2008/129. Natural Resource 

Program Center, National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 88 pp.

Mechinich, Christine, D.J. Mechenich, S. W. Szczytko, J. E. Cook and G.J. Kraft. 2009. Assessment of Natural Resource Conditions – Sleeping Bear 

Dunes National Lakeshore. Natural Resources Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR – 2009/097. Natural Resource Program Center, National Park Service, 

Fort Collins, CO. 351 pp.

Meeker, J.E. and A.G. Harris. 2009. Wetland Vegetation Monitoring – Voyageurs National Park. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/NRPC/

WRD/NRTR – 2009/202. Natural Resource Program Center, National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 216 pp.

Morgan, K.L., M.L. Granstaff and T.H. Roberts. 2009. Inventory and Classifi cation of Wetlands at Little River Canyon National Preserve (Alabama). 

Center for the Management, Utilization and Protection of Water Resources. Tennessee Technological University. Cookeville, TN. 28 pp. + app.

Nagorski, Sonia, Eran Hood, Sanjay Pyare and Ginny Eckert. 2008. Assessment of Coastal Water Resources and Watershed Conditions – Lake 

Clark National Park and Preserve. Natural Resources Technical Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRTR – 2008/144. Natural Resource Program Center, National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 138 pp.

Nimmo, K., and E.M. DiDonato. 2009. Water quality and nuisance species management in the Fort Pulaski National Monument moat. Natural Resource Report NPS/SECN/NRR-2009/134. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Poirrier, M.A., K. Burt-Utley and E. A. Spalding. 2009. An Inventory and Assessment of the Distribution of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation at Jean 

Lafi tte National Historical Park and Preserve (Louisiana). Final Report to Jean Lafi tte National Historical Park and Preserve. Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA. 57 pp.

Pollen-Bankhead, N., A. Simon, K. Jaeger, and E. Wohl. 2009. Destabilization of Streambanks by Removal of Invasive Species in Canyon de Chelly 

National Monument, Arizona. Geomorphology 103: 363-374. 

Prudic, D.E., and P.A. Glancy. 2009. Geochemical investigation of source water to Cave Springs, Great Basin National Park, White Pine County, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Scientifi c Investigations Report 2009-5073.

Reynolds, Lindsay V. 2009. Causes and Management of Exotic Riparian Plant Invasion in Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona. PhD Dissertation. Graduate Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. 129 pp.

Sharrow, D. 2009. Pipe Springs National Monument Physical Resources Information and Issues Overview Report. Natural Resource Tech. Rpt. 

NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR – 2009/149. NPS Natural Resource Program Center, Ft. Collins, CO. 121 pp.

Shultz, S. 2009. Economic and social values of recreational fl oating on the Niobrara National Scenic River, University of Nebraska at Omaha, 

Omaha, Nebraska, 38 pp.

Sobczak, R.V., R.E. Clark, D.P. Weeks. 2008. Partnerships empower hydrology program at Big Cypress. Park Science, vol. 25, no. 1. NPS Natural Resource Program Center, Offi ce of Education and Outreach. Lakewood, CO. pp. 23-25.

Soiseth, Chad, Craig Murdoch, and Derrek Faber. 2008. Meteorological and Hydrological Monitoring Results for the Dry Bay Preserve, Glacier Bay 

National Park: 2005 & 2006. Final Project Report. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Gustavus, AK. 44 pp.

Smith, S.M., C.T. Roman, M.J. James-Pirri, K. Chapman, J. Portnoy, and E. Gwilliam. 2009. Responses of plant communities to incremental hydrologic restoration of a tide-restricted salt marsh in southern New England (Massachusetts, U.S.A.). Restoration Ecology 7 (15):606-618.

Stevenson, S.A., and Gable, C. 2009. Water Level records for Water Years 1996 for Station No. 362629116495601, Travertine Springs in Furnace 

Creek Wash, Death Valley National Park. National Park Service, Water Resources Division, Fort Collins, CO.

Stevenson, S.A., and Gable, C. 2009. Water Level records for Water Years 1997 for Station No. 362629116495601, Travertine Springs in Furnace 

Creek Wash, Death Valley National Park. National Park Service, Water Resources Division, Fort Collins, CO.
76 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Stevenson, S.A., and Gable, C. 2009. Water Level records for Water Years 1998 for Station No. 362629116495601, Travertine Springs in Furnace 

Creek Wash, Death Valley National Park. National Park Service, Water Resources Division, Fort Collins, CO.

Vaux, P.J., S. J. Nelson, Nishi Rajakaruna, Glen Mittelhauser, Blaine Kopp, John Peckenham, and Gordon Longsworth. 2008. Assessment of Natural 

Resource Conditions in and adjacent to Acadia National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR – 2008/069. Natural Resource 

Program Center, National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO. 256 pp.

Wanner, G.A, M.A. Pegg, D.A. Shuman, and R.A. Klumb. 2009. Niobrara River fi sh community downstream of Spencer Dam, Nebraska, 2008 

Progress Report, Dept. of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Great Plains Fish and Wildlife Conservation Offi ce, Pierre, S. Dakota and 

University of Nebraska, Lincoln, School of Natural Recourses, 57 pp. 

PRESENTATIONS

Back, J.T. Hydrologic Setting of Springs and Flowing Wells in the Vicinity of Chickasaw. Sulphur-Chickasaw Natural Resource Protection Group 

Meeting, May 2009, Sulphur, OK. 27 slides.

Christensen, P.K. 2009. Protecting natural resources at Saguaro National Park through water rights. In Rethinking Protected Areas in a 

Changing World: 2009 George Wright Society Biennial Conference on Parks, Protected Areas, and Cultural Sites, March 2-6, 2009, Portland, 

Oregon, Program & Abstracts, p. 37.

Cooper D.J., E.C. Wolf, A. Demetry, and J. Wagner. 2009. The Restoration of Halstead Meadow, Sequoia National Park. Paper presented at the 30th 

Annual Conference of the Society of Wetland Scientists, Madison, WI (presentation and published abstract).

Corman, S.S. and C.T. Roman. 2009. Salt Marsh Mosquito Ditches as Habitat for Nekton and Implications for Restoration. Paper presented at New 

England Estuarine Research Society, Salem, MA, April 2-4, 2009. 

Cross, J.N. 2008. Benthic Habitat Mapping in Ocean and Coastal Parks. I&M Advisory Committee Meeting. Fort Collins, CO.

Cross, J.N. 2009. Ocean and Coastal Resources Program Overview. NPS Hydropower Meeting. Fort Collins, CO.

Cross, J.N. 2009. Ocean and Coastal Resources Program Briefi ng. Meeting with Kit Batten, Science Advisor to the DOI Secretary. Fort Collins, CO.

Cross, J.N. 2009. Climate Change Impacts on Ocean and Coastal Parks. Front Range Community College Biology Program Seminar. Fort Collins, 

CO.

Cross, J.N. 2009. Implementation of the FY2010 Ocean’s Base Increase. Ocean and Coastal Park Workshop. Boulder, CO.

Cutillo, P.A., 2008. Ground-Water Models, 4th Meeting of the Kaloko-Honokohau NHP Ground Water Working Group, November 3, 2008, Kona, 

HI. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 16 slides. 

Cutillo, P.A., 2008. Expert Witness Testimony, In the Matter of Water Permit Application No. 2633-2 fi led by the Southern Black Hills Water System 

in Custer County, December 10, 2008, Pierre, SD, 15 slides.

Cutillo, P.A., 2008. An Inconvenient Park, Urban Development and Resource Protection at Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Colorado 

State University, November 12, 2008. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water Resources Division, 28 slides. 

DiDonato, E. 2009. Making the most of Water Quality Data in National Parks. The George Wright Society Conference, Portland, Oregon, March 

1-5, 2009.

DiDonato, E. and K. Keteles. 2009. Ocean Acidifi cation: Osteoporosis of our Marine Resources. The George Wright Society Conference, Portland, 

Oregon, March 1-5, 2009.

DiDonato, E. 2009. A Farout Experience: Living and Working in American Samoa. Brown Bag Seminar, Fort Collins, Colorado, June, 2009

Gerber, G. 2009. Gros Ventre River Hydrology, Diversions, and Water Budget, Grand Teton National Park, WY. Grand Teton National Park 2009 

Resource Symposium. Colter Bay, WY.

Gerber, G., and Chafey, J., 2009. Hydrology, Diversions, and Water Rights Investigation of the Lower Gros Ventre River, Grand Teton National Park, 

WY. Gros Ventre River Research Meeting, Jackson, WY.
77 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Gerber, G., Chafey, J., and Hansen, B., 2009. Preliminary Results of Hydrologic Investigations on the Lower Gros Ventre River, Grand Teton 

National Park, WY. Gros Ventre River Stakeholders Meeting. Jackson Hole, WY.

Gerber, G., and Chafey, J., 2009. Hydrology, Diversions, and Water Rights Investigation of the Lower Gros Ventre River, Grand Teton National 

Park, WY. Gros Ventre River Research Meeting. Jackson, WY.

Gerber, G. 2009. Gros Ventre River Hydrology, Diversions, and Water Budget, Grand Teton National Park, WY. Grand Teton National Park 2009 

Resource Symposium. Colter Bay, WY.

Grossman, E., K.L. Knee, A. Paytan, S. Beavers, L. Marrack, and P. Cutillo, 2009. Process studies of the fl ux, fate, and importance of submarine 

groundwater discharge to Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawaii. In Rethinking Protected Areas in a Changing World: 2009 George 

Wright Society Biennial Conference on Parks, Protected Areas, and Cultural Sites, March 2-6, 2009, Portland, Oregon, Program & Abstracts, p. 37.

Hansen, W.R., G. Gerber and J. Chafey. 2009. Preliminary Results of Hydrologic Investigations on the Lower Gros Ventre River, Grand Teton National Park, WY. June 16, 2009 Gros Ventre River Stakeholders Meeting. Jackson Hole, WY.

Harte, J. and A.Valdez. 2009. Science in support of a historical in-place ground water right for Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, 

Colorado. In Rethinking Protected Areas in a Changing World: 2009 George Wright Society Biennial Conference on Parks, Protected Areas, and 

Cultural Sites, March 2-6, 2009, Portland, Oregon, Program & Abstracts, p. 37.

Harte, J., Valdez, A and S. Stevenson. 2009. An investigation of surface water/ground water interactions, Great Sand Dunes National Park and 

Preserve, Colorado. In Rethinking Protected Areas in a Changing World: 2009 George Wright Society Biennial Conference on Parks, Protected 

Areas, and Cultural Sites, March 2-6, 2009, Portland, Oregon, Program & Abstracts, p. 37.

Kennard, P. 2009. Rivers gone wild – Alluvial landscape response to climate change in Mount Rainier. Climate Impacts Group, Joint Institute for 

the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, University of Washington. May 5, 2009.

Lafrancois, B. M., A. Ballmann, D. Blehert, H. Bootsma, R. Getchell, J. Glase, K. Hyde, K. Keteles, J. Leonard, C. Otto, S. Riley, E. Tyner, and H. Van 

Sumeren. 2009. Exploring causes for recent botulism outbreaks at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore: results from pilot studies. Presented 

at the Joint Conference of the 6th Biennial State of Lake Michigan Meeting and 9th annual Great Lakes Beach Association Conference, September 29-October 1, 2009, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Lafrancois, B. M., and R. Maki. 2009. Implications of body size, trophic position, species identity, and lake water quality for crayfi sh mercury 

burdens in and near Voyageurs National Park. Presented at the 94th annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, August 2-7, 2009, 

Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Lafrancois, B. M., and T. Lafrancois. 2009. What lurks beneath: benthic macroinvertebrates of the St. Croix River. Presented at the Lower St. Croix 

“View from the River” Workshop, June 17, 2009, Hudson Cruise Lines, Hudson, Wisconsin.

Lafrancois, B. M., B. Karns, W. Miller, B. Schuetz, W. Daniels, and E. Peterson. 2009. Nitrogen patterns and sources in an upper Mississippi River 

tributary: a stable isotope approach. Presented at the 57th annual meeting of the North American Benthological Society, May 17-22, 2009, 

Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Lafrancois, B. M., S. Magdalene, and D. K. Johnson. 2009. Three decades of water quality change (1976-2005) in the Mississippi National River 

and Recreation Area. Presented at the 41st annual meeting of the Mississippi River Research Consortium, April 30-May 1, 2009, La Crosse, 

Wisconsin.

Lafrancois, B. M., B. Karns, W. Miller, B. Schuetz, E. Peterson, and W. Daniels. 2009. Exploring causes for increasing nitrate concentrations in the 

Lower St. Croix River. Presented at the 41st annual meeting of the Mississippi River Research Consortium, April 30-May 1, 2009, La Crosse, 

Wisconsin. 

Lafrancois, B. M. 2009. Health of the St. Croix River. Presented as part of the “G3 (Go Green with God)” Lecture Series, April 19, 2009, Trinity

Lutheran Church, Stillwater, Minnesota.
78 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Lafrancois, B. M., B. Karns, W. Miller, B. Schuetz, E. Peterson, and W. Daniels. 2008. Exploring causes of increasing nitrate concentrations in the 

Lower St. Croix River. Presented at the 20th annual St. Croix Research Rendezvous, October 21, 2008, Warner Nature Center, Stillwater,

Minnesota.

Lafrancois, B. M., B. Karns, W. Miller, B. Schuetz, E. Peterson, and W. Daniels. 2008. Exploring causes of increasing nitrate concentrations in the 

Lower St. Croix River. Presented at the 20th annual St. Croix Research Rendezvous, October 21, 2008, Warner Nature Center, Stillwater, 

Minnesota.

Larsen, A. and D. Verbyla. 2008. Interpreting the Spatial Heterogeneity of Lake Drying in the Minchumina Basin, Central Alaska. Park Science in 

the Arctic Section, 2008 Alaska Park Science Symposium, Beringia Days 2008 International Conference. October 14, 2008.

Lord, E.H. 2009. Water Rights and Land Acquisition. National Park Service, Land Resources Division Conference. Palm Desert, CA.

Maki, R., B. Lafrancois, J. Elias, M. Thabes Kitson, and D. Branstrator. 2009. Zooplankton assemblages at Voyageurs National Park: establishing a 

pre-Bythotrephes baseline. Presented at the 7th annual Western Great Lakes Research Conference, April 1-2, 2009, Ashland, Wisconsin.

McGlothlin, D.J., 2009. Case study: solar energy development proposed near Devils Hole - does it really need to threaten the pupfi sh? Natural 

and Cultural Resources Law and Policy for Superintendents, July 28, 2009, Shepherdstown, WV. Fort Collins, CO: National Park Service, Water 

Resources Division, 25 slides.

Oki, D., G.W. Tribble, and P. Cutillo, 2009. Numerical modeling of the ground-water-fl ow system in and near Kaloko-Honokohau National 

Historical Park, Hawaii. In Rethinking Protected Areas in a Changing World: 2009 George Wright Society Biennial Conference on Parks, Protected 

Areas, and Cultural Sites, March 2-6, 2009, Portland, Oregon, Program & Abstracts, p. 37.

Roemer, G.A., D. Cave, C. Gutmann, and R.K. Waddell, 2009. Numerical fl ow model of selected hydrographic basins within the Colorado regional 

ground-water fl ow system, Nevada Water Resources Association Annual Conference, February 4, 2009, Reno, NV, Program & Abstracts, 23 slides.

Trammell, M. 2009. Fish management in National Parks along the Colorado River. Colorado River Science Symposium, Scottsdale, AZ, November 

2009.

Trammell, M. 2009. Implementation of nonnative fi sh control strategy in the Upper Basin Recovery Implementation Program. George Wright 

Society, Portland, OR, March 2009.

Vana-Miller, D. 2009. Introduction to Session – Overview and Context. Concurrent Session: Water for Life: Integrating Natural Resources, 

Planning, and Management. March 4, 2009. The George Wright Society Biennial Conference. Portland, OR. (Presentation and publ. abstract)

Wagner, J., A. Demetry, D.J. Cooper, and E.C. Wolf. 2009. A New Approach to Wet Meadow Restoration at Halstead Meadow, Sequoia National 

Park. Rethinking Protected Areas in a Changing World: George Wright Society Biennial Conference on Parks, Protected Areas, and Cultural Sites, 

Portland, OR. March, 2009. (Presentation and publ. abstract)

Weeks, D.P. 2008. Water Resources Management in our National Parks from Florida to Alaska. University of Arkansas Geosciences Dept. Oct. 3, 

2008 Colloquium (invited speaker). Fayetteville, AR. 

Weeks, D.P. 2009. Foundation Statement and Resources Stewardship Strategy). Concurrent Session: Water for Life: Integrating Natural Resources, 

Planning, and Management. March 4, 2009. The George Wright Society Biennial Conference. Portland, OR. (Presentation and publ. abstract)

Weeks, D. P. and D. Vana-Miller. 2009. Integrating Science, Planning and Management. Role and Contributions of the Water Resources Division’s 

Planning Program. Poster presentation and published abstract. The George Wright Society Biennial Conference, March 2 - 6, 2009, Portland, OR.

Weeks, D.P. and D. Vana-Miller. 2009. Physical Resources Information and Issues Scoping Workshop. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, June 

25, 2009, Gatlinburg, TN.

WEBINARS

The Ocean and Coastal Resources Branch hosted several servicewide webinars in FY ’09. These Webinars were:

 • A database application for Managing and Reporting Continuous Water Quality Data.

 • Ocean Acidifi cation: Osteoporosis of our Marine Resources.

 • Fishery Management: A look at commercial, recreational and traditional issues facing our ocean and coastal resources.

Each of these Webinars were recorded and are available for viewing at: http://www1.nrintra.nps.gov/wrd/marine/webinars.cfm 
79 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

OFFICE OF THE DIVISION CHIEF STAFF

Bill Jackson: Division Chief, PhD in Hydrology. Specialty areas include sedimentation processes, fl uvial geomorphology, and river assessment, 

restoration, and management.

Sharon Kliwinski: Water Resources Wash¬ington Liaison, BS in Environmental and Pollution Sciences. Specialty areas include environmental legislation and regulations, natural resource policy issues, and mining laws, policies, and programs.

Debi Cox: Program Analyst, EEOCounselor, BA in Anthropology. Specialty areas include coordination of interagency and cooperative agreements and project funding. 

Kris Parker: Lead Administrative Assis¬tant, EEOCounselor. Specialty areas include conference and meeting planning and coor¬dination, PMIS, 

and report coordination and editing.

Carol Liester: Purchasing Assistant. Spe¬cialty areas include procurement, property management, and GSA vehicle coordination.

Laura Pascavis: Colorado State University Archivist, Web Developer, MA in Archival Science, BA in History with specialization in environmental 

and western history.

Glenn Patterson: Colorado State University Research Associate serving as advisor to the NPS Water Resources Division for USGS Water Activities. 

Specialty areas include hydrology, water quality, sedimentation, and program coordination.

OCEAN AND COASTAL RESOURCES BRANCH STAFF

Jeff rey Cross: Branch Chief, PhD in Marine Fisheries, MS and BS in Zoology. Speciality areas include marine and freshwater ecology, fi sheries 

biology, and natural resource management.

Eva DiDonato:

Kristen Keteles: Texas A&M University Coastal Watershed Condition Assessment Coordinator, PhD in Zoology, BS in Marine Science. Specialty 

areas include aquatic toxi¬cology, marine ecology, assessment of coastal water resources, and trace metal contamina¬tion.

Cliff McCreedy: Marine Management Specialist, BA in Political Science with career emphasis on regulatory and ocean policy. Specialty areas include marine resource management and planning, marine protected areas, coral reefs, coastal watershed assess¬ment, and interagency marine 

partnerships.

PLANNING AND EVALUATION BRANCH STAFF

Mark Flora, Branch Chief, Hydrologist, MS in Environmental Science (Water Resources). Specialty areas include water resources planning, water 

quality and watershed management.

Joel Wagner, Wetlands Program Team Leader, MS in Environmental Science (Water Resources). Specialty areas include wetlands science, hydrology, restoration and regulatory issues. 

Kevin Noon, Wetland Specialist, PhD in Wetland Ecology. Specialty areas include wetland evaluation, management, restoration, and regulatory 

issues.

APPENDIX D

STAFF
80 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

John Wullschleger, Fisheries Program Team Leader, MS in Fish and Wildlife Science. Specialty areas include freshwater invertebrates, marine intertidal biota, fl uvial ecology, and stream habitat restoration. 

Jeff Wagner, Fisheries Biologist (SCEP), BS in Aquatic Biology with a minor in fi sheries biology. Specialty areas include native fi sh restoration and 

stream habitat restoration.

David Vana-Miller, Water Resources Planning Program Team Leader, MS in Marine Biology. Specialty areas include water resources planning, 

aquatic and marine resources management, water quality, and measures of biotic integrity.

Don Weeks, Hydrologist, MS in Geology (Hydrogeology). Speciality areas include water resources management planning, ground-water monitoring, and wetland management.

Lael Wagner, Administrative Assistant.

Jeff Wagner, Fisheries Biologist (SCEP), BS in Aquatic Biology with a minor in fi sheries.

WATER OPERATIONS BRANCH STAFF

Gary Rosenlieb: Branch Chief, Water Quality Program Team Leader, MS in Water Resources. Specialty areas include water quality (chemistry and 

microbiology), ground-water quality, and hazardous materials management.

Jeff Albright: Watershed Condition Assessment Program Coordinator, MS in Watershed Management. Specialty areas include hydrology data 

collection and data man¬agement protocols, watershed assessments, integration of science and policy in resource protection/restoration 

programs.

Gary Smillie: Hydrology Program Team Leader, Hydrologist/Hydraulic Engineer, MS in Civil Engineering. Specialty areas include fl ood frequency 

analysis, open channel hydraulics, fl oodplain management, and sedi¬ment transport.

Dean Tucker: Information Management Program Leader, Natural Resource Special¬ist, PhD in Forestry. Specialty areas include data

management and reporting, hydrographic analysis, computer graphics, and water resources applications in GIS.

Larry Martin: Hydrogeologist, MS in Hydrology. Specialty areas include ground-water management, ground-water modeling, surface-water/

ground-water interactions, water supply development, and source water protection.

Pete Penoyer: Hydrogeologist, Associate in Hazardous Materials, MS in Geology, Professional Degree in Hydrogeology. Specialty areas include 

ground-water analysis, ground-water contamination, site assessments under CERCLA, and water quality monitoring.

Rick Inglis: Hydrologist, BS in Watershed Science. Specialty areas include fi eld hydro¬logic data collection and analysis, watershed condition and 

riparian zone assessment and management, and stream restoration.

Michael Martin: Hydrologist, BS in Environmental Geology, MS in Watershed Science. Specialty areas include open channel fl ow, geomorphology, fl ood analysis, wetlands hydrology, geochemistry, and water quality.

Barry Long: Hydrologist, BS in Watershed Sciences, MS in Forest Hydrology. Specialty areas include physical-chemical aspects of water quality.

Roy Irwin: Senior Contaminants Specialist, PhD in Biology. Specialist in environmental contaminants, ecological/biological aspects of water 

quality, monitoring study design and development, measurement uncertainty, and QA/QC issues.

Mike Matz: Colorado State University Research Associate, Water Quality Database Manager, MS in Civil Engineering. Specialty areas include water quality planning and management, inventory and monitoring, and data analysis.

Nathan Elder: Colorado State University Research Associate, STORET Database Project, BS in Watershed Science.

Paula Galloway: Colorado State University Research Associate, NPSTORET Database Project, PhD in Chemical Engineering.

Caroline Goughis: Colorado State University Research Associate, STORET Database Project, MS in Marine Sciences.

Jia Ling: Impaired Waters Database Manager. B.S. in Wildlife Biology and presently a Master’s Degree Candidate in Forest Science. Specialty area 

is GIS.
81 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Pat Wiese: Colorado State University Ad¬ministrative Assistant, BS in Biology, MA in Public Administration. Specialty areas include editing and 

report production.

WATER RIGHTS BRANCH STAFF

Chuck Pettee: Branch Chief, Supervisory Hydrologist, MS in Watershed Science. Specialty areas include water rights establishment and

protection and water resources policy.

Bill Hansen: Supervisory Hydrologist, Adjudication Program and Information Management Program Leader, BS in Watershed Science, MS in 

Hydrology. Specialty areas include water rights policy and adjudication, surface-water hydrology, and wild and scenic rivers.

Dan McGlothlin: Supervisory Hydrologist, Monitoring and Enforcement Program Leader, BS in Watershed Hydrology. Specialty areas include 

water rights establishment and protection and water resources policy.

Jennifer Back: Hydrologist, MS in Watershed Science. Specialty areas include ground- and surface-water interactions and stable isotopes.

Paul Christensen: Hydrologist, MS in Geology. Specialty areas include hydrogeology, water resources, and water rights.

Paula Cutillo: Hydrologist, PhD in Hydrogeology. Specialty areas include subsurface hydrodynamics and hydrogeologic modeling.

Chris Gable: Hydrologist, BS in Watershed Science. Specialty areas include surface- water hydrology, fi eld methods, instrumentation, and data 

analysis.

Gwen Gerber: Hydrologist, BS and MS in Geology. Specialty areas include hydrogeol¬ogy and surface-water data collection.

Jim Harte: Hydrologist, BS in Forestry/Watershed Sciences. Specialty areas include surface-water hydrology, sediment transport, and watershed 

management.

Jeff Hughes: Hydrologist, MS in Watershed Sciences. Specialty areas include water rights and surface-water hydrology.

Eric Lord: Water Rights Specialist, BS in Mineral Land Management, JD, MS in Forestry.

Bill Van Liew: Hydrologist, BS in Civil Engineering, BS in Geology, MS in Ground-Water Engineering/Environmental Hydrogeology. Specialty 

areas include ground-water hydrol¬ogy and ground-water/surface-water interac¬tions.

Mark Wondzell: Hydrologist, BS in Forestry, MS in Agricultural Engineering.

Joseph Chafey: Colorado State University Research Assistant, BS in Natural Resource Management with a minor in Watershed Science. Specialty 

areas include ground- and surface-water data processing.

Kathryn Converse: Hydrology SCEP, BS in Earth Sciences, Masters Degree Candidate in Anthropology, International Development. Specialty

areas include ground- and surface-water data collection and processing.

Mallory Hall: Colorado State University Student Assistant. Bachelor’s Degree Candidate in Geology with a minor in Watershed Sciences.

Flora Romero: Colorado State University Administrative Assistant. Associates Degree in Business. Specialty area is water rights quantifi cation 

and protection projects.

Sharla Stevenson: Colorado State University Research Assistant, BS in Agriculture, Masters Degree Candidate in Watershed Science. Specialty 

areas include hydrologic modeling and geographic information systems.
82 Water Resource Division Summary of FY09 Accomplishments 

Water Resources Division

Summary of FY09 Accomplishments

September 2010

National Park Service

Director Jonathan Jarvis 

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science

Associate Director Bert Frost

Deputy Associate Director Beth Johnson 

Natural Resource Program Center

Director George Dickison

Chief, Air Resources Division Christine Shaver

Chief, Biological Resources Management Division Jerry Mitchell

Chief, Environmental Quality Division Tamara Whittington

Chief, Geologic Resources Division Dave Steensen

Chief, Water Resources Division Bill Jackson 

Credits

 Editing Lael Wagner/Pat Wiese

 Project Coordinator Kris Parker

 Layout and Design Laura Pascavis 

Published electronically on the World Wide Web. Please see www.nature.nps.gov/water/wrdpub.cfm. 

Mention of trade names or commercial products does not consitute endorsement of or recommendation 

for use by the National Park Service. 

The Department of the Interior protects and manages the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; 

provides scientifi c and other information about those resources; and honors its special responsibilities to 

American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affi liated island Communities.