Flood planned for Grand Canyon

Floodstage may return to the one of the world’s most famous stretches of whitewater. The Colorado River through the Grand Canyon is set to rise to pre-dam levels during a Department of Interior experiment to restore habitat to the 277-mile stretch.

The goal of the experiment is to better understand whether higher flows can be used to rebuild eroded beaches downstream of Glen Canyon Dam. The flood is expected to move sand accumulated in the riverbed onto sandbars, which provide habitat for wildlife, serve as camping beaches for river trippers, and supply sand needed to protect archaeological sites. High flows also create areas of low-velocity flow, or backwaters, used by young native fishes, particularly endangered humpback chub. Previous high-flow tests were conducted in 1996 and 2004, but the 2008 test will be different. Scientists have concluded that more sand is needed to rebuild sandbars throughout Grand Canyon National Park than was available in 1996 or 2004. Currently, sand supplies in the river are at a 10-year high with a volume about three times greater than the volume available in 2004. The quantity is due to inflows from side-streams below the dam over the past 16 months.

“Years of study and unique environmental conditions allow us to move forward with an experimental flow that will provide the valuable information needed to protect the resources within Grand Canyon National Park,” said Steve Martin, Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent.

During the proposed high-flow experiment, water would be released from both the Glen Canyon power plant and the bypass tubes to a maximum amount of 41,000 cubic feet per second. If approved, the flows would begin increasing March 4 and ramp up the following day. Since 1996, releases from Glen Canyon Dam have generally ranged between 8,000 and 20,000 cfs. 

“The water released during the test will not change the amount of water to be released over the course of the 2008 water year,” said Larry Walkoviak, of the Bureau of Reclamation. “The current plan of operations calls for releasing 8.23 million acre-feet of water from Glen Canyon Dam … The experimental flows are included within this annual volume. Monthly releases later in the year will be adjusted downward to account for the water released during the experiment.”

The United States Geological Survey and others have significant scientific hopes for the experiment. “Given the current amount of sand in the system, we have a tremendous opportunity to learn more about whether high flows can be used to improve important natural, cultural and recreational resources in Glen and Grand canyons,” said John Hamill, USGS Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center chief.

However, the experiment still remains dependent on the completion of an environmental review processes. An environmental assessment is expected to be available for public review in early February, and a decision is expected later that month. Additional information is available at www.gcmrc.gov/ research/high_flow/2008/.

Man busted looting Mesa Verde

A contract employee has pleaded guilty to looting artifacts from Mesa Verde National Park. Robert Gee, an worker for federal highway Contractor Kirkland Construction, was caught stealing relics from the park last October and convicted early this month.

On Jan. 8, Gee pled guilty to Archeological Resource Protection Act charges, and was sentenced to a $2,000 fine, ordered to pay $1,000 restitution to Mesa Verde National Park and banned from entering all National Park Service units for three years. He is also required to write a letter to local newspaper editors explaining his crime, his sentence and how his actions cause irreparable damage to national parks. 

In early October of last year, an informant notified Mesa Verde park rangers that a contract construction employee had been collecting artifacts near the construction site. Gee was working as a truck driver for Kirkland Construction, which was doing a repaving project in the park. The informant stated they had seen Gee with a bread bag full of pot sherds. They had also overheard him talking about how he had taken the sherds and an artifact described as a “grinding stone” from the park. 

Using the information provided by the confidential informant, a search warrant was issued through the Durango Federal Magistrates Office. The search led to the recovery of 252 items, which included pot sherds, flakes, lithics, rocks, paleontological specimens, prehistoric stone tools, and a 50-pound mano and metate (grinding stone). The Cortez Police Department also seized drug paraphernalia during the search.

During an interview, Gee said that he had taken the items from the park over a month-long period. During his down time on the construction site, he would walk through the woods and pick up the items. The day after the search warrant was served, Gee took park rangers to the location where he had removed the metate. The area was within a known and previously surveyed archeological site.

Local botanical garden takes shape

A botanical garden is beginning to take root in Durango. Next Mon., Jan. 28, that vision may make one giant step toward becoming a reality. A public meeting is set for 6 p.m. in the Durango Recreation Center’s Eolus Room to discuss ideas and plans for creating the demonstration garden.

The botanical garden is being envisioned for a site near the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s Durango Fish Hatchery, which connects to land owned by the Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad and borders the Animas River. The Animas River Trail runs through the center of the property.

Connie Imig, the local director of Habitat for Humanity, has given the garden much of its current momentum. Imig was a master gardener in Tucson before moving to Durango, and she set up a meeting in the fall of 2007 with Al Harper, owner of the train, and DOW representatives. At that time, there was general agreement to move forward with a planning meeting and all were excited about the location and opportunity for a botanical demonstration garden in Durango. Imig explained that such a garden would be an aesthetic and educational resource for Durango.

“While Durango has some beautiful gardens at private homes, a demonstration garden with signage would benefit the newcomer and the established gardener as well,” she said. “We also hope to include a garden area especially suited to children’s exploration of the plant world and hope local schools and clubs will participate. The location is perfect for proximity to downtown and, of course, the River Trail and train will run right through it.”

Imig said that the meeting is open to any member of the public interested in exploring the possibilities.

Mercy gets outstanding marks

Mercy Regional Medical Center has added another feather to its cap. Patient surveys recently conducted by the health-care industry research firm, HealthStream Research, show several patient care units at Mercy as having some of the highest patient satisfaction scores compared to other hospitals.  

Notable among the survey results were Mercy’s rankings in both medical/surgical and transitional care/pediatrics inpatient satisfaction. Mercy ranked in the 99th percentile in both of these patient units compared to peer hospitals in the HealthStream Research database. Other distinguished results included Mercy’s overall patient satisfaction survey score of 96th percentile for all patient units. Survey responses from orthopedic and spine unit patients were exceptionally high as well, with nine of the 16 questions posted as being in the 99th percentile rank compared to peer hospitals. Responses to the other seven questions not ranked in the 99th percentile were all ranked in the mid- to high-90th percentiles. 

“We’re committed to providing quality, compassionate, personalized care; and overall, these survey results show we delivered, ” said Mercy Regional Medical Center CEO Kirk Dignum.

– Will Sands