Research

1997

January

For the first time in seven years, rangers conduct winter lake research by conducting water quality research from their base station on Wizard Island. The Park had stopped the winter sampling excursions in 1990 because the research boat was no longer safe, but they now have a new boat.

1995

Season 1995

Shopping for the first time has replaced Crater Lake as the region’s most popular tourist draw. In a survey conducted by the S.O.V.A of the most-visited places in the region, respondents cited shopping number one at 41 percent followed by Crater Lake at 39 percent, historical sites at 30 percent, and Shakespeare at 19 percent.

June 3

A Chinook helicopter from the Washington Army Reserve drops a new 12,000 pound, $150,000, 33 foot, research boat onto the Lake from Discovery Point. The new boat is especially designed for work on Crater Lake and is unofficially christened “Neuston” for an organism that dwells on the surface of the Lake. The old research boat in removed. Researchers had used old pontoon-style boats for the past eight years, but the vessels would rock heavily during lake swells. The Neuston will provide better safety for researchers while giving them a few extra advantages such as radar and a crane. The boat will also be used for search and rescue.

1992

February 24

The MT reports that the NPS’s new Rim development plan have soared to $93 million. $5.5 millions has already been spent on planning and another $6.8 million will be spent before the year is over. By the end of this year, the NPS will have spent a total of $23.6 million on sewage system improvements, utilities, lode renovation and planning for future construction. Rep. Les AuCoin of Oregon said, “I acknowledge that this is a big price, but the nature of a big investment is it yields big dividends.” AuCoin feels the potential return of $6 million a year to southwestern Oregon’s economy. Skittish over rising costs for the project, Congress last year told the Park Service to come back with a list of alternatives by going through the entire plan. The NPS asked for $35 million in fiscal 1993 and $35 million more in fiscal 1994. AuCoin suggested starting out with $10 million to $15 million and spreading the funding out over more time. A study indicated the center would draw 400 extra visitors a day, with ripple effects that would spread $6 million a year from Bend to Medford.

May 18

The Portland Oregonian reports that a state of Oregon tourism survey has found that Crater Lake is the state’s 7th most visited attraction following Multnomah Falls (1.5 M), Washington Park Zoo, Tillamook Cheese Factory, and the Bonneville Dam.

November 16

An Inspector General’s report cites Crater Lake and 33 other national parks for failing to provide proper ecological protection. The report says that the Park may have been able to prevent the decline of native bull trout, which is on the endangered list by having kept a closer watch on fish and wildlife and acting earlier. A 1947 survey of Sun Creek found 3,000 bull trout. A 1989 survey found only 130 trout.

1990

January 18

A team of scientists fly on to Wizard Island to continue research on the quality of winter water in the Lake. They will take readings on the clarity of the Lake water, temperature layers in the water and the mixing between layers. This is the fifth winter expedition to Wizard Island.

1990 Season

A Lodge reconstruction study finds that: the roof joists were built from single 2x4’s with three foot centers. The roof, with its annual winter snow load was 300% over stressed. The engineers are wondering what kept the Lodge from total collapse. Present Lodge has 125 rooms. The rebuilt Lodge will have 71 rooms.

Summer

Lake study results in the lowest reading ever of a Secchi Disc in Crater lake: 20.5 feet. 110 species of Diatoms are identified, with 5 major species. Researchers found 1,000,000 Diatoms per liter. 

20 to 50 million gallons of sewage are generated each summer at Rim Village. Conclusion: The sewer leach field west to the Cafeteria is thought to be contaminating the Lake.

October 11

Rick Attig, writer for the Bend, Oregon, Bulletin, claims that Park Superintendent Benton is allowing his friends to float tube fish in the Lake. Since no private boating is allowed, “folks who saw (a fisherman) bobbing around the sapphire-blue lake ...and waving to passing tour boats seemed a little perturbed...I called Bob Benton, who patiently explained that he personally approved the three-night stay on the island and that the unusual camping and fishing outing actually was a ‘research’ trip.” The researcher, Dr. Philip Paden of Medford, said, “There were some very big rainbows in there, mostly 17 to 21 inches. I only caught about one fish an hour. You can’t imagine what it’s like to be floating there, to be able to see so deep into the water.”

1989

January 3

A six-member research team flies by helicopter to spend five days studying the winter water quality of the Lake.

August 24

Deep Rover measures water temperatures of 17.7 degrees C while probing bacterial mats at the bottom of the Crater Lake. That temperature is 14.2 degrees C higher than the surrounding Lake water. The new temperature reading is also higher than summertime surface temperatures.

Summer Conclusion of Lake Exploration with Deep Rover: The Blue pools (Llao’s Bathtubs) are 10 times more saline then the surrounding Lake water. Blue pools within a blue lake. The temperature variation ranges from 38 degrees to 68 degrees inside the bacteria mats, which are 3 - 4 inches deep and of unknown origin.

The Hydro thermal inflow is estimated at 200 - 300 liters per second. Heat input, measured at 15 - 20 mega watts, is spread out immediately over a large area. Thermoclines create a lake water turnover every 1 - 4 years.

30 foot chimney-like spires found extending upward from the bottom of the Lake, near the sides. Most likely fossilized remains of extinct hot springs. On the Crater wall is a 300 foot wide band of moss beginning 100 feet below the surface, completely encircling the caldera. Some mosses discovered are found only in Crater Lake.

Only 2% of the caldera floor and walls were visually explored. Midge fly worms (larva) were found crawling in the light gray pumice sediment on the Lake floor, leaving behind a crawl trail behind. During the summer the larva change to the pupa stage, float 2,000 feet up to the surface, where they become midge flies. Living only two or three days, the midges lay eggs on the Lake surface and die. The eggs sink to the bottom of the Lake, where they hatch and begin the cycle all over again.

Final Conclusions of Deep Rover’s Lake Survey: As a result of the past three years, we concluded that there are inputs of hydrothermal fluids in the bottom of Crater Lake. The dissolved materials associated with these thermally and chemically enriched fluids, coupled with the overall hydrologic balances, control the observed chemical composite of the lake. Because hydrothermal input dominates the material fluxes of most chemical into Crater Lake, the hydro thermal process is highly significant. Furthermore, the geothermal inputs have a direct effect on the density structure of the deep lake and consequently the rate of heat, salt and nutrients redistributed.

Summer

Only 130 bull trout found in Sun Creek. A 1947 survey found 3,000.

1988

August 14 & 15

Deep Rover locates moss growing in the Lake at 700 feet below the surface, setting a new World’s record for underwater plants, surpassing the old moss depth record of 425 feet.

November 11

A five-person research team is trapped on Wizard Island for a week by heavy storms. 50 mph winds kept the helicopter grounded.

1987

January 17

First winter research trip to Wizard Island, via helicopter. Jerry McCrea, Fred Vanhorn, Jim Milestone, Jim Webster and Mark Buktenica.

January 18

Rangers Fred Vanhorn and Jim Webster ski to the top of Wizard Island at midnight. Vanhorn and Webster are part of a five member winter research team, collecting winter lake samples.

April 13, 14, 15

Four park employees and two lake researchers helicopter to Wizard Island and spend three days conducting lake research. Jim Milestone, Jerry McCrea, Roger Andrascik, Kent Taylor, Mark Buktenica and Dr. Gary Larson.

October

The newly renovated “Bunk House/Mess Hall” is occupied by the Ranger and Park Research staff. Renamed the “Canfield Building” after Superintendent Canfield who was superintendent when the building was built in the 1930’s.The is soon shortened to the “Can”.

1985

July 17

The Portland architectural firm of BOOR-A heads up a team of structural, electrical and mechanical engineers to determine if the 75 year old Crater Lake Lodge is worth saving. This $144,000 study will “be the final and definitive study that will help determine the Lodge’s fate.“ Congressman Jim Weaver says that all previous studies contained errors and biases and that the previous studies called for turning the Lodge into a building with “contemporary standards”. The new study will redefine “rustic standards”.

August 17

A helicopter flies roof trusses to Wizard Island for a new research boat house. Because of volunteer help, the cost is held to $35,000. Thirty five men from the Medford Navy Seabee unit and a team of Student Conservation Association volunteers contribute over 2,000 hours of work worth $33,000. The new boat house will allow year-round Lake study and will include an emergency Lake shelter. Concern is still expressed about the loss of the Lake’s clarity.

Fall

The Department of Energy reports that air visibility at Crater Lake Park is impaired by man-made smoke and dust for an average of about 4% of the time, during daylight hours, as compared with the Northern Cascades visibility being impaired up to 15 percent of the time.

The latest Lodge study reports that the renovation of the Lodge up to even “rustic” standards, keeping the same room sizes, etc., would cost $5.2 million. If the Lodge were brought up to modern standards, with larger rooms, the cost would be around $8.6 million.

1985 Season

Visibility at Crater Lake is impaired by man-made smoke and dust an average of about 4 percent of the time during daylight hours, according to a recent study by the state Department of Environmental Quality.

1984

June

A team of historical architects and engineers survey the Park’s historic building. A plan is to be formulated on how best to use and preserve the grand old buildings.

July 5

A new Boston Whaler boat and a new aluminum research boat (The Queen III), worth collectively $24,000, are airlifted into the Lake from the Cafeteria parking lot. Several loads of fire wood are also delivered to Mt. Scott and the Watchman fire lookouts. The total job took 3 hours at a cost of $1,000 per hour.

1983

Summer

A bacteriological survey of ground water inflow into Crater Lake shows nitrate and fecal coliform of measurable levels. The study indicates there may be low levels of sewage entering the Lake.

A U.S.G.S. study finds a high level of lead concentrated in the water around Cleetwood Cove. The lead undoubtedly stems from the tour boat operation.  

August

Kent Schwarzkope conducts a study of the “Feeding of Golden Mantled Ground Squirrels” by Park visitors in Rim Village. The study found that a sign stressing the danger to humans of Bubonic Plague was twice as effective in deterring squirrel feeding as one emphasizing the welfare of the squirrels. Studies further showed that the Rim area supports 23 squirrels per acre, while only 5 squirrels per acre survive in the wilds of the Park. With no sign, between 10% to 20% of Park visitors fed the ground squirrels. Schwarzkope concludes that die-hard squirrel feeders are not affected by attempts to deter them, not even threats of monetary fines.

1982

Summer

Dr. Charles Bacon, USGS geologist publishes a summary of his 4 years of geologic study at Crater Lake titled, Eruptive History of Mt. Mazama, Cascade Range, U.S.A.

1981

May 10

A biologist from the Predatory Bird Research Group at the University of California, rappels down to a Peregrine falcon nest, removes three eggs and replaces them with two newly hatched chicks. One egg died during incubation, but the other two eggs hatch after the shells were protected from drying out by a special waxing process that thickens the shells. One female now “consorts” with a male from Yosemite.

Summer

Teri Thomas spots cougar droppings and tracks along Sun Creek while studying her research plant plots. Two years previously Teri had collected cougar droppings near Lightning Springs. (The Back Country fire crew located and made casts of cougar tracks along the Pacific Crest Trail during the summer of 1964 or 1965.)

1980

Winter

A six month high-level study of Crater Lake’s winter operations concludes that no changes are warranted.

July 28

National Geographic editor, John Eliot, visits Crater Lake while doing research for a future article on the 75th anniversary of Teddy Roosevelt’s legacy of establishing National Parks. Eliot hikes several trials and takes a boat ride.

October

The Park’s research boat, The African Queen, breaks loose in a storm and is destroyed against rocks at Cleetwood Cove.

1979

May 22

A 28 foot U.S.G.S. research boat is lowered down a snow chute west of Rim Village. Because of its canvas sun shade, the boat is promptly christened the “Queen”.

Summer

Extensive geological study of the Lake, Caldera and the surrounding volcanic landscape by Dr. Charlie Bacon of the U.S.G.S. An exhaustive mapping of the Rim Wall is also planned. Bacon estimates the project will take ten years for him to update Mt. Mazama’s story and to produce new topographic maps. This will be the first major geological study of the Park since Howel Williams’ major study over 40 years ago.

1977

April

Mr. George Woodfield, of Yakima, Washington, donates John Maben’s collection of negatives, manuscripts, diaries and photographs of Crater Lake to the Oregon Historical Society. John Maben was the first winter caretaker of Crater Lake Lodge in 1924. Maben had attracted considerable attention when his monthly dispatches about his solitary life at Cater Lake were published in national magazines. Maben’s collection was presented to the OHS in memory of Alta Knips Woodfield, Maben’s niece, who had done a great deal of research on the history of Crater Lake.

1972

July 1- August 15

Fifteen bears removed from the Park during a study to determine the effects on the bears’ eating habits following the closing of the Park’s garbage dump. One cub suffocates in a garbage can that was being used for a cage. Two of the bears released outside the Park were immediately killed by two hunters.

August

A herd of 30 to 40 elk is estimated to be feeding in the Union Peak area.

1968

Season

A Phillips and Van Denburgh study finds that the Lake has a volume of 17.3 x 1000000000 cubic meters of water. There is an annual supply of 11.1 x 10000000 cubic meters, with evaporation removing 3.1 x 1000000 (40%) and a seepage loss of 7.9 x 1000000 cubic meters (60%). Seepage annually removes 6.35 x 1000000000 grams of dissolved solids.

1959

Summer

R.E. Williams and party, using sonar, map the Lake’s bottom. The depth of the Lake is officially changed from 1996 feet to 1932 feet. The 64 foot difference between the new reading and the 1886 reading is attributed to the Lake’s thermoclines (temperature caused currents), causing a large bow in the original sounding wire.

1958

August 12

Boletus frustosus is collected by Jim Trappe, research forester, on the summit of Union Peak. This is the highest elevation that the plant has been reported for their range.

1952

Dick Brown of San Diego, California begins his long career at Crater Lake. Dick holds the record for holding the most seasonal and permanent positions in the Park. (1952 - 1957) Seasonal Naturalist, (1957 - 1960) Assistant Chief of Interpretation, (1960 - 1963) Interp Chief at Muir Woods, (March 1963 - 1966) Chief of Interp at C.L., (1966 - 1970) Chief of Park Research, (1970 until retirement) Chief of Research at Point Reyes.

1951

Quilwart Pond named by Park Naturalist George Ruhle. He weighed the possibility of using the name I Saetes, the scientific name of the Quilwart, but what with its Greek origin, settled on the simple name of “Quilwart”. The small lake was formerly known as “Lost Pond” to the handful of people who had visited the pond in previous years. Apparently fingerling fish had been planted in the pond in the early 1930’s but large numbers of Pelicans soon consumed them.

1942

Under a grant from the National Academy of Sciences, Dr. Howel Williams completes his extensive study of the Crater lake region and his findings will soon be published. While agreeing with Diller that the destruction of Mazama was by collapse or engulfment, Williams proposes to prove that the great void in the mountain’s heart was formed by the expulsion of molten lava, either from the Crater’s mouth or through fissures in the mountain sides, and not by subterranean drainage.

Lake level has dropped 13 feet during the past 40 years.

1934

Summer

Wildlife Census for the Park (estimated):

Black Tail deer- 150 Mule deer- 25 Elk- 15  Bears-60 Coyote-60 Cougars-4 (actual count) Fox-10  Beaver-18 Martins-300  Badgers-35 Racoons-2 (actual count)

1931

July 25

Mr. Davidson, construction engineer for the Park during the years, 1927 to 1934, finds the Cleetwood sounding apparatus on Wizard Island, having been discarded 45 years earlier. Judge Steel verifies the find and demonstrates how the Cleetwood Party was able to sound the Lake with such a crude device.

1902

J.S. Diller’s final geology report published with H.B. Patton.

1897

J.S. Diller’s first account of the geology of Crater Lake appears in the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, volume 8. Diller estimates that the level of the Lake, during the summer, drops 0.0125 feet each day.

1895

The area’s first plant collection study is begun by Dr. Elmer Applegate of Stanford.

1886

July 17

At 7:30 a.m., the Cleetwood begins its decent behind the present Lodge, on Garfield Trail. Fifteen men work 8 hours to launch the boat. Wizard Island is visited by both the Cleetwood and the two skiffs. The lowering of the Cleetwood: Weighed 900 pounds and was 26 feet long, constructed of spruce and ash. Cleetwood Canyon, located behind the present Lodge, was named by William Steel because this was the location where the Cleetwood was slid down to the Lake. With the launching of the Cleetwood, soundings of the lake are begun under the direction of Captain Clarence E. Dutton, chief of the Geological Survey party. Captain George W. Davis spends the first day testing the effects of tension on the wire which is to be used in sounding the lake. The Watchman Peak receives its name from the fact that “watchmen” were stationed on its summit in order to determine the positions of the survey boats.

Will Steel remembers the launching as: “On Saturday morning I stood on a snow bank with a watch in my hand and every man in his place. At exactly 8 o’clock I gave the word and all jumped to their positions and the serious launching was underway. For eight hours, without stopping to eat or otherwise, 16 men labored with every nerve strained in an earnest desire to do his best. Then we found ourselves at the foot of the canyon, with the Cleetwood’s nose projecting over an embankment 10 feet high, directly over the water, and not a foot of cable to be had. The oars were secured in the boat, a man sat in the stern bracing himself as best he could. With a single stroke the cable was cut, the boat shot forward and down and the man gathered himself up in the bow with blood upon his face and bruised all over, but the happiest man in Oregon, for, had he not driven the mules that drew the Cleetwood 100 miles into the mountains and finished the trip on the water? We he the only many who ever went from Ashland to Crater Lake by boat.”

July 18

A circuit is made of the lake. The survey crew spends noon at Cleetwood Cove, and 2:00 p.m. at the Grotto

July 19

Sounding of the Lake commences. Topographer Mark B. Kerr works on a map of the Lake and of the surrounding country. After 168 soundings are made, the maximum depth of the lake is determined to be 1,996 feet. Dutton declares the Lake to be the deepest lake in the country and the second deepest in the world.

July

William G. Steel names Dutton Cliff for Captain Clarence E. Dutton. Captain Dutton had charge of the U.S. Geological Survey crew, which made the first official survey of the Lake during the summer of 1886. Kerr Notch is also named for Mark B. Kerr, chief engineer for the Cleetwood expedition. Kerr, an Englishman, pronounced his name, “CAR”.

Steel writes of his feelings of being at Crater Lake: “While at the lake in 1885, I had a strong desire to go out upon its surface under favorable circumstances, but had no boat. As soon as they were launched in 1886, I began watching for a favorable opportunity and about the time of the full moon I slipped out of camp one night, pulled out near the center and stopped for an observation. There was not a breath of air stirring and reflections were as perfect as it could have been in a plate glass mirror. The walls were clearly outlined above the water and below were inverted, but just as clear. Upon yonder a full moon floated in the air and down below it was just as clear and beautiful. The North Star was clear above and below as were also the Pleasides. The Milky Way seemed clearer below than above. I was an atom in the center of an enormous sphere, looking up to the starry heavens and looking down at its counter-part. The shore line and its reflection appeared as a great knothole, with creation above, the creation below. Did human eye behold such a sight? Why should I be favored? God in His infinite mercy permitted me to look out upon His glorious works as never man did before. Why should I not be grateful?”

1883

Dr. J.S. Diller begins his first scientific explorations of the Lake and the area. The first official Lake soundings are made. 1168 soundings show the Lake to be 2008 feet deep. Dr. Diller names Cloudcap because of its high dome. The Wineglass is named because of its wineglass shape.

Geologist Everett Hayden assists Dr. Diller in his scientific explorations. They cut logs and tumble them over the cliffs, make a raft and paddle over to the Island. Diller discovers the “back flow” near Cleetwood Cove which bears his name and is the first to advance the “collapse” of the mountain theory. He reasons that it was during the draining away of molten lava through subterranean passages which weakened the support of the peak and occasioned the ultimate destruction. Diller concludes that the top of the old volcano must have been engulfed.