Park News July 25,2008

Texas Parks

Preliminary reports have been received from the two parks in south Texas that were hit by Hurricane Dolly:

Padre Island NS – The park reports that there were no injuries and that storm impacts were minimal – some water damage to the visitor center caused by leaks from the roof, some wind damage to roofs of headquarters buildings, flooding of the storage areas located below the main headquarters building with three to five inches of water, wind damage to roofs of maintenance buildings and an inch or two of water inside, and minor water damage due to roofs leaking at a number of other facilities. All park roads are clear and open. At the time of the report, the park’s beaches had not yet been checked due to continuing high winds and a high tide, but no significant losses are expected. Staff anticipate that it will take about two to three weeks to clean up the park and repair the damage and are not seeking additional assistance. The park may reopen today, depending on ocean conditions, as dangerous tides and rip currents are forecast for the area.

Palo Alto Battlefield NHS – No injuries are reported. Although many area roads remain flooded, the park will likely reopen today. Several trees were downed, but the visitor center received only minor wind and water damage. All staff are returning to work today. No assistance is needed.

 

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve

During the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 23rd, the chemical tank ship Tintomara collided with an American Commercial Lines barge which was being pushed by the tugboat Mel Oliver. The collision resulted in the release of 419,286 gallons of number 6 fuel oil into the river. The Coast Guard has closed 47 miles of the Mississippi river to all traffic, including ferries that commuters use to get into New Orleans daily. Late on Wednesday, some of the fuel oil began to affect the riverbank at the park’s Chalmette Battlefield. Preliminary estimates are that the area of the park affected is approximately 2,350 feet long by 75 feet wide. The double-hulled tanker Tintomara was loaded with about 4.2 million gallons of biodiesel and nearly 1.3 million gallons of styrene, but did not leak. As of Wednesday evening, Plaquemines Parish was  under a state of emergency, Orleans Parish was under a drinking water advisory, and St. Bernard Parish was dealing with dwindling amounts of drinking water. Plaquemines Parish residents were being asked to cut down on water consumption, and five of the water intake stations in that parish have been shut down. The US Coast Guard has reported that river traffic is backing up due to the river closure. A full assessment of the incident is  underway.

 

Grand Canyon National Park

On the afternoon of Tuesday, July 22nd, park dispatch received a report from an NPS river trip advising that a Canyoneers, Inc. motorized raft was stranded on the rock garden at Crystal Rapid, located just past river mile 98 and about 11 miles downriver from Phantom Ranch. Due to the late hour, rescue operations could not be begun immediately be initiated, but were instead arranged for the following morning. On Wednesday, park personnel and equipment were flown via helicopter to a landing zone near the rapid. After preparations were made, the 13 passengers and two guides were transported from their raft to shore using the park’s inflatable rescue boat, which is kept response-ready at the south rim of the canyon. Once all passengers were safely ashore, work began to free the 37-foot raft. By early afternoon, the raft was freed.  It was then brought to shore to be reunited with its passengers and crew. No injuries to passengers or crew were reported; and the group has continued its trip down the Colorado River.

 

Blue Ridge Parkway

Rangers were advised of a bicycle accident near the Craggy Gardens picnic area on Sunday, July 20th. Upon arrival, they found that several local EMS agencies had already responded and were providing care to a 61-year-old bicyclist who’d fallen from his bike and suffered severe head trauma while riding down a steep and curvy section of the parkway at an estimated speed of about 30 mph. A landing zone was quickly established and the man was transported to a waiting helicopter and flown to Asheville, where he was admitted to a neurological trauma unit in critical condition. Investigation revealed that the bicyclist, who was wearing a helmet, hit the rear tire of his riding partner’s bike, causing him to fall. The cyclist and his partner were in a section of the parkway that was closed for construction. The investigation continues.

 

Gateway National Recreation Area

Lifeguards at Sandy Hook reported a dispute between two women and a man in the dunes of Area D on the afternoon of July 22nd. Protection rangers responded and contacted four people. One woman had self-inflicted cuts on her left wrist that she’d made with broken sunglasses and jagged seashells. She was treated, placed in protective custody, and taken to Monmouth Medical Center Hospital for mental crisis evaluation. According to the 20-year-old women, she was pregnant and had consumed two or three beers at the time of the incident. Rangers found that one of the men had provided a false name. Through interviews, they also determined that he’d provided alcohol to the underage woman. He was placed under arrest for giving false information and providing alcohol to a minor.