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MONDAY, SEPT 21, 1998 |
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Volume 2, No 94 | |||
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PARK
WEATHER MORE NEWS The Yellowstone Net Newspaper is published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
ARCHIVES DISCUSSION FORUMS Go to the Yellowstone Net Home Page Send us
your Comments
PUBLISHER EDITOR IN CHIEF CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS
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from NATIONAL PARK SERVICE YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (NPS) -- Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Michael Finley has announced that the planning process to develop an environmental assessment (EA) to replace the Old Faithful sewage treatment plant in the park is beginning. An early step in that process is scoping, which is where the issues and alternatives are identified. As part of the scoping process, the park is soliciting public comments on the problems and issues to be addressed in the EA. Old Faithful, one of the major developments in the park, is open to the public from mid-April through early November and in the winter from mid-December through early March. Services provided in the area include accommodating day use, overnight hotel visitors, and support staff who maintain these services for the visitors. Over the years, visitor use in the fall, winter, and spring has increased dramatically. The present sewage treatment plant was never designed to accommodate this increased use. Water and wastewater treatment systems have evolved with the development of the Old Faithful village, with the first systems incorporated into the construction of the Old Faithful Inn in 1903-04. Several modifications and upgrades have occurred since then; the most recent expansion to the existing wastewater treatment plant was completed in 1976. The existing wastewater treatment plant, located nearly a mile to the west of Old Faithful geyser, was constructed to augment a septic tank system built in 1940. The secondary treatment mechanical facility provides treatment during the summer visitor season. During the rest of the year, wastewater flows are treated through the septic tank system. Effluent from both treatments systems is pumped to evaporation/percolation ponds that discharge groundwater. A number of problems have been identified with the current facility, including: The existing plant's treatment efficiency has fallen below acceptable limits in recent years, and the facility occasionally subjects people to unpleasant odors. Currently, the mechanical treatment facility is operated during the summer visitor season and the septic tanks are used during the rest of the year. Neither process was designed to consistently remove nitrogen through biological nitrification and denitrification (or any other means). Consequently, varying concentrations of ammonia and nitrate are discharged to the evaporation/percolation ponds. This is a major contributing factor of the increasing chloride and nitrate concentrations in the surrounding aquifer. The heated groundwater in the Old Faithful area heats collection system pipes, maintaining the wastewater temperature at 25 to 27 degrees Centigrade year round. These warm water temperatures maintain nitrifying and denitrifying microorganisms throughout the year. The current treatment system is susceptible to spills and groundwater and surface water degradation. Each year a decrease in groundwater quality is evident. About a million gallons have been spilled in the past few years due to the aging facility. The EA will address a number of alternatives for replacing the wastewater treatment facility. The locations will be foot-printed over a portion of the existing evaporation/percolation pond facility with some expansion beyond this area. Plans will include the removal and restoration of parts of the existing wastewater treatment facility that will not be utilized with a new system. The EA should be available for public review in June 1999. If funding is available, construction work may begin in the spring of 2000 and extend over two to three years. To assist the National Park Service with the Old Faithful Wastewater Treatment Replacement project, you are invited to identify additional concerns or suggestions. Please send your comments by October 13, 1998, to the Planning Office, Old Faithful Wastewater Treatment Replacement, P.O. Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 82190.
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A YNET Weekly Feature
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- This past spring, following years of congressional ignoral of Old Faithful's sewer problems, congress reversed its direction and set aside money to replace the old, worn out sewer facilities at Old Faithful. The Environmental Assessment phase of this project has now gotten underway (see column opposite). Meanwhile, the sewer system at Old Faithful continues to pose a danger to the surrounding environment, as the recent NPS press release below reveals: Yellowstone National Park officials report that on September 14 at approximately 2 p.m. some 1000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into Myriad Creek near the Old Faithful Inn. The spill was caused by grease blocking a sewer line. The overflow lasted for approximately 45 minutes before it was cleared by Amfac Parks & Resorts, Inc. and National Park Service utility personnel. This spill is indicative of the worn out sewer systems in the Old Faithful area and in other areas of the park. Grease build-up begins with inadequately designed and undersized grease traps that do not collect all of the grease. This build-up affects the line capacity, causing pump problems in the lift stations, and making treatment more difficult. The Old Faithful wastewater treatment plant replacement, for which the scoping process just began, does not address the overall issue of grease or the inadequate collection facilities. Yellowstone will continue to seek funding to upgrade the collection system, facilities and equipment. The Old Faithful sewer system is one of a myriad of problems that face Yellowstone because of years of congressional neglect, going back to the Reagan era: the roads are in desperate need of repair, the Park is understaffed, buildings are in dire need of repair -- the list goes on and on. If you are concerned about the health and vitality of Yellowstone, we encourage you to write your congresspersons and express your views about the need to protect and preserve the national treasure we call Yellowstone.
College Guide to a Summer Job in
Yellowstone  This column is based on my interactions with people who have worked
in Yellowstone (or who want to work in the Park). Some of these stories will be the
"behind the scenes" story of why I wrote a particular story in my book. If
you have a story to contribute to this column, email
me. For more information about my book, College Guide to a Summer Job in Yellowstone, click here.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (YNET) -- A couple of weeks ago, I watched a National Geographic special on bears having to be destroyed in Yosemite because humans had done something stupid. The reaction has been incredible. I urge you to go to the Other National Parks Forum and let everyone know what your thoughts are. Here is my post, go to the forums to respond: YOSEMITE, DEAD BEAR HUMOR????? I just watched the National Geo Special on the PEOPLE PROBLEMS with bears in Yosemite. Put simply if you leave food in your car the bears will break in to get it. The bears that can not be stopped are having to be killed eventually. The bad part of this is the tourists are WARNED to store their food in FREE storage containers in the campground. Here's the sick part, of ALL the people interviewed EVERY ONE of them laughed about the bears eating hotdogs and brownies. Two young men (early 20s) really thought it was funny that a middle age couple left there food on the picnic table!!!!! Yes, they thought it was hilarious! A lot of idiots are going to be upset with me for writing this but I think the NPS should have some SIGNIFICANT $FINES for not storing food properly!!!!! PLUS ban them from the parks for a couple of years----yep, I'm peeved!!!!!
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Yellowstone is a national treasure
which is owned by the American public. Protecting Yellowstone is the responsibility
of the American public. This weekly feature will help identify and explore the
issues which are crucial to the ongoing, healthy existence of the "Crown Jewel"
of America's National Park system.
