Newsletter
Issue 31 - Spring 2002
Contents:
SPA Meets With New Park Superintendent
Annual Park Passes Now Available by Mail
Radar Installation Proposed in Valley
Request for Birds and Plants Lists
ELIMINATION OF PALM TREES IN DEATH VALLEY
This past summer, on July 7, a flash
flood roared down the Corridor causing much damage and leaving behind mud and debris.
Camp Host Lizard Lee reports that heavy
rain that day elicited concern of flooding but then the rain subsided and he heaved a sigh
of relief.
Then, about 20 minutes later, he heard
a roar as a 4 to 5 foot wall of rushing water hit the Lower Warm Springs. The flood,
originating somewhere up the Corridor, had broken out of the wash halfway up to the Palm
Spring and roared down a gully to the cold (dog) pool where it split into two parts. One
wall of water hit the Camp Host's enclave, almost upending Lee's trailer and carrying away
his outside refrigerator, generator, air compressor and many tools.
The other torrent bypassed the Sunrise
Pool and Source but broke through the flood-control ditch, inundating the potluck/library
and fire-pit area and most of the lawn. The
fire-pit and potluck area were left 12 inches deep in mud while on parts of the lawn it
was up to 18 inches deep.Of course, the "settling pond" was filled with mud with
the goldfish virtually wiped out.
Lizard Lee, who was alone at the
springs at the time, was overwhelmed with the enormity of the mess. It took him weeks of
hard work digging out and trying to recover lost equipment.
SPA organized a relief working party for August 3-5; however, short notice and extreme desert heat saw only Silver Bob and North make it in to help dig out the camp.
With a great deal of
volunteer effort, the Lower Springs have been returned to order and flood control ditches
and berms have been restored. Shovels and
wheelbarrows are available in camp to continue the job of digging out and leveling
campsites.
Fortunately,
the Palm Spring escaped the flood entirely.
In
early September, three people were heard shooting off bottle rockets at the Lower Spring.
The Camp Host admonished them about the "no fireworks" regulations and they
departed from the springs
It was several hours later that Lee smelled smoke and discovered a fire raging downstream from the settling pond. After alerting Park Headquarters, Lee by himself managed to scoop up buckets of mud and water from the pond and prevent the fire from spreading to the palm trees surrounding the lawn area. In all, about an acre of arrowweed was burned plus a few mesquite trees. Of course, time will heal these wounds but several preferred campsites will be less than hospitable for a season or two.
Fireworks are prohibited throughout
Death Valley National Park. The scars left by this needless, destructive incident serve as
a reminder that they have no place at the Springs. SPA extends its thanks to Lizard Lee
for his quick action in protecting the camp from more serious damage from this unfortunate
incident.
SPA Meets With New Park Superintendent
According to SPA's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Death Valley National Park, representatives of SPA are to meet with the Park Superintendent at least once a year to discuss work projects and other concerns for the coming year. SPA Board members met with Superintendent J.T. Reynolds on October 27, 2001.
Mr. Reynolds (who prefers to be called JT) expressed his support of the MOU. We discussed ways to improve communications between the Park and SPA, so that the user community can be notified more quickly when significant problems occur such as the July flood and the September fire at the Springs (see separate article).
Other topics discussed included the
following:
New Compendium: A revised Compendium of operating
rules and regulations for Death Valley National Park is being prepared. A copy of the
Compendium will be furnished to SPA when it is ready.
Outhouses: Wayne Badder, the new Chief
of Maintenance, has ordered a 2300-gallon pumper truck to service the Park outhouses, but
it will not be delivered until Spring 2002. NPS
is working on obtaining a second toilet for Palm Spring, possibly another vault toilet or
a composting one. Digging a pit toilet is not
an acceptable option for the Park. If a composting toilet were to be installed, it would
require regular maintenance. SPA suggested
that the user community could probably take responsibility for this task as a
demonstration project.
Rangers: There is currently no permanent ranger
assigned to Saline Valley. The position is being filled by a rotating group of rangers as
they are available.
Wilderness Boundaries: The internal wilderness boundaries in the Park
are still being defined, with Park personnel resolving boundary issues on the ground. The
project is about 3/4 done, and JT hopes it will be completed within Fiscal Year 2002.
Fees: JT asked how the user community would
feel about a camping fee being charged at the Springs.
SPA pointed out that according to the Code of Federal Regulations, camping
fees cannot be charged in a campground that does not provide potable water. A more
immediate and practical approach would be to have Springs visitors pay the $10 Park
entrance fee, or preferably, obtain a $20 annual Death Valley Park Pass. SPA said it would
encourage Springs visitors to pay the Park entrance fee (see separate article).
Site Plan: It will be some time before the Park
can begin preparing a site-specific plan for the Springs.
Ultimately this plan will involve input from all interested parties and
members of the public. In the interim, JT
asked SPA to develop some options for a site plan, including such things as camping areas,
flow of traffic and people, community areas, and flood control. SPA welcomes this opportunity to document the
current "lay of the land," and to provide suggestions for a working plan that
will keep the Springs safe, welcoming, and user friendly for all visitors.
Signage: JT requested immediate input from SPA
on a plan to inform visitors of regulations and Springs etiquette without contributing to
"sign pollution." SPA agreed to
develop a proposed signage plan that would convey necessary information in a friendly and
positive way.
Pet Control: JT asked SPA to remind Springs
visitors that pets must be kept on leashes. He recommended that all pet droppings be
collected by the owners and taken out of the Valley for disposal.
Burros: A burro collection was done in
October, with 113 burros removed from the entire park and a total of 12 removed from
Saline Valley. The remaining burros will be
difficult to round up with helicopters and wranglers; water trapping of burros may be
attempted in 2002. JT said that once all the burros have been removed from Saline Valley,
the fence around the lawn can be taken down.
Timbisha: The Timbisha Shoshone Tribe is
moving forward with its plans for development at Furnace Creek. With regard to "cooperative management"
of Park resources, the Tribe will be entering
into an agreement with the Park for a pilot project to use traditional management
techniques on small selected groves of mesquite (at Furnace Creek) and pinyon (at
Wildrose), to see if such techniques can produce healthier, more productive plants. The
Timbisha Tribe will be a participant in developing the official site management plan for
the Springs. SPA expressed the desire to work cooperatively with the Tribe to protect
sensitive cultural and natural resources.
Volunteerism: Throughout our discussion with JT, SPA
emphasized that volunteerism has been a successful approach to maintaining the Springs for
decades. We expressed our desire to work
cooperatively with the camp host, Lizard Lee Greenwell, and to coordinate volunteer
workers to supplement and support Lee's ongoing efforts.
Two members of the SPA Board attended a
meeting of the Death Valley Advisory Commission on October 31, 2001. Among many agenda items, there was a discussion of
the current status of the Saline Warm Springs. Park
Superintendent JT Reynolds reported on the October 27 meeting between himself and SPA. Commission members expressed support for SPA's
request for a second outhouse at Palm Spring.
Superintendent Reynolds has encouraged SPA to work directly with his trusted staff members. SPA made contact at the meeting with key NPS personnel who will be able to facilitate cooperation between the user community and the Park.
Annual Park Passes Now Available by Mail
Since Saline Valley is part of Death
Valley National Park, visitors to the Springs are technically required to pay the $10 park
entrance fee. Currently fees can be paid only at Stovepipe Wells and Furnace Creek. Even when the new entrance stations are built
(still a couple of years away), they may not be at locations convenient for Valley
visitors.
SPA encourages all Springs visitors to pay entry fees or buy annual passes, since this will help to forestall possible camping fees at the Springs. Single-entry passes and $20 annual Park passes will soon be available at the Interagency Visitor Center in Lone Pine. Annual Death Valley passes can also be ordered by mail. Send your request with a $20 check to: Fee Office, NPS, P.O. Box 1235, Beatty, NV 89003.
Radar Installation Proposed in Valley
Saline Valley is part of a
special military-use airspace complex where low military overflights are permitted for
training purposes. In order to provide
adequate radar coverage of Saline Valley, a solar-powered radar installation has been
proposed by the Air Force for the Valley floor, with the preferred location in the area of
the Artesian Spring. Two other locations, on BLM land, are also being
considered. The proposed installation could
pose problems concerning wilderness
and appropriate use of
national park lands. The proposal will go
through an environmental review process, with the opportunity for public comment. An
Environmental Assessment will be issued in February 2002, and public information workshops
will be held in the Death Valley Area. To be
placed on the notification list, call Robert Shirley at Edwards Air Force Base, (661)
277-1473.
SPA is well into its second year of furnishing steel fire pans for use at the Warm Springs camping area. Community acceptance has been good, and most campers now use a pan instead of building their campfire directly on the ground. By doing so, and hauling out leftover ash, unburned charcoal and wood, we’re able to keep the area cleaner for all users.
These pans don’t last forever. Those in the most popular sites are rusting
through from use. The flood in July washed some away. We’ve even seen one that made
its way across the valley and is now being used in another popular camping area.
SPA volunteers will be bringing another batch of new pans in before Presidents’ Day Weekend. Unfortunately, our ability to furnish these fire pans exceeds our ability to deliver them! If you are traveling through Carson City on your way to the Springs, and you have some extra room in your vehicle, it would help immensely if you could carry a few of the pans in with you. To arrange pick up, call “Silver Bob” at (775) 884-3758 during business hours. Your help will be appreciated.
The SPA Treasury started 2002 with an opening balance of $4,833.19. The approximate cost of printing and postage for this newsletter will be about $800. That leaves us a remaining balance of $4,033.19.
SPA needs your help. As a volunteer organization, we depend on members of the community to assist and support our efforts. Your monetary donations have been generous, and SPA entered 2002 with more money than we’ve ever had. At this point, what we really need is contributions of labor.
We’re looking for people with the time and energy to help with the production
and mailing of the newsletter, to help maintain and update our web site, and to organize
and participate in various approved work projects.
The SPA Board has recently undertaken the task of preparing a suggested Site
Management Plan for the Springs. Members with this type of experience could be very
helpful. It’s also been suggested that we get involved in the BLM’s “Adopt
a Cabin” program to prevent the cabins in Beveridge Canyon from being razed. This
would require regularly scheduled work parties, as well as emergency response in the event
of a major problem. When you add this to the ongoing dump site clean-up, fire pan program,
Advisory Commission meetings and general SPA business, you begin to see a lot of
opportunities for increased community participation.
If you have the time, and you think you could contribute some of that time to the
types of projects outlined above, please feel free to introduce yourself to any SPA Board
member, or write us at: PO Box 1603 Inyokern, CA. 93527.
Travelers should have an
understanding of the risks inherent in backcountry travel. County roads into the valley,
as well as other non-maintained back roads are subject to floods, landslides, snow,
infrequent maintenance and other conditions which may make them extremely hazardous. The
following guidelines may be of assistance in preparing to travel on roads into the valley.
1. Roads
into the valley are long, and sometimes infrequently used. A distance of 60 miles may take
many hours. Plan your trip so that you need not rush. Time is never saved when breakdowns
occur.
2. Carry
necessary provisions. These may include but not be limited to:
Spare tires and jack
equipment
Extra water (Sodas, beer, and ice do
not substitute for a good water supply.) An extra 5 gallons is recommended.
Extra food (Even if you make it to
your destination, it is a long way to the store, and road conditions may prohibit your
leaving when you had originally planned.)
Proper clothing and footgear for any
situation
High clearance vehicles in good
operating condition are always recommended.
3. If
your vehicle does break down, stay with your vehicle. Your vehicle may provide shade, and
you will be more easily located if you stay with your vehicle. If you choose to ignore
this advice, and choose to leave your vehicle to walk for help (many have been lost this
way!!) DO NOT leave the road to travel across country. The risks of hypothermia, heat
exhaustion, or heat stroke are great, and the chances of anyone being able to locate you
are slim to none.
For that pesky leak in your radiator on
the long lonely Saline Road, add black pepper to the coolant for a temporary fix. Although some have extolled the virtues of oatmeal
for this purpose, Igor prefers that you eat oatmeal to control your cholesterol. It makes
a real mess when you try to drain your radiator.
You say you don't like the washboard? What's the fastest you've made it in to the
Springs on the Saline Road? If you drove more than 25mph, you contributed to the washboard
problem. And please, don't try to skim along
the ridges at high speed -- you can easily lose control of your vehicle. If we all observe a voluntary 25 mph speed limit
on the dirt roads, it will be a more pleasant drive for everyone.
Request for Birds and Plants Lists
Park naturalists have asked SPA whether
any Springs visitors keep track of bird and/or plant sightings. Needless to say, we answered affirmatively, and
have already arranged for two bird lists to be provided to the Resource Management staff.
The user community's love and knowledge of the animals, plants, and geology of the Valley is a valuable resource, and serves to demonstrate our long association with the area.
If you have a list you'd like to share, please send it to SPA, either by mail or email, and we will get copies to interested Park staff.
ELIMINATION OF PALM TREES IN DEATH VALLEY
Tim Croissant, Biological Science Technician
Death Valley National Park
Many people associate palm trees with desert oases. In movies about the old west and in cartoons, oases always have palm trees. Here in Death Valley, many of the isolated springs have palm trees growing around them, which would seem to confirm that palms have always been there. Despite that, Death Valley National Park has an aggressive program to eliminate palms throughout the non-developed parts of the park. Why is that?
Fan Palms are native to the Sonoran Desert (south from here), but did not exist in Death Valley until they were planted as ornamentals at Scotty's Castle in 1930, and at Cow Creek and Furnace Creek a few years later. Like Dates, the Fans escaped cultivation and spread into the desert springs. Fans spread much faster than dates, and there are now feral groves throughout Death Valley, some of which have more than 200 trees.
Native plants provide more food and better habitats for native animals than palm trees do, but it takes time for the native plants to regenerate after the palms have been killed. For that reason, the vast majority of the palms are killed and left standing dead. Dead trees provide as much, or even more habitat than live trees, and can provide a home for wildlife while the native plants regenerate. We are currently developing a revegetation program to speed up habitat recovery.
It's important that we clarify which palms we are going to remove. Any palms that have cultural or historical significance will not be removed. This includes palms in the various housing areas, at the Castle, and in the Cow Creek and Headquarters areas. We try to determine if they were planted or grew on their own, and if they were planted, we don't treat them. The only palms we do remove are those that are growing wild in the non-developed parts of the park.
Palms growing in the developed areas are treated as ornamentals, and are kept or removed based on landscaping, maintenance, or cultural priorities, rather than natural resource priorities. Removing trees from housing areas requires approval from the occupant of the residence the tree is located at, the chiefs of Resources and Maintenance, and the superintendent.