Section 3: Past Inventory, Monitoring, and
Research Activities in the Klamath Network Park Units
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| Oregon Caves
National Monument (ORCA) |
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| Figure 7: Aquatic
Resources and Watershed Boundaries of Oregon Caves
National Monument, Oregon, NPS Klamath Network |
General Summary of Past Activities:
Oregon Caves National Monument has focused on documenting the baseline water
quality of pools, springs and streams in or near the park unit cave system. The
physical characteristics and magnitude of potential direct human impacts on park
unit aquatic resources also have been inventoried and continue to be monitored.
Oregon Caves National Monument (Figure 7) was
established on July 12, 1909, under the U.S. Forest Service, specifically to
protect the cave system. It was transferred to the National Park Service on
August 10, 1933. In February 1992, a large portion of the developed area in the
monument was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Oregon Caves
(194 ha; 480 ac) is located in the Siskiyou/Klamath bioregion of southwestern
Oregon. Although Oregon Caves is a small unit, its forest communities are a
diverse representation of the larger bioregion. Old growth Douglas fir, white
fir and oak forests cover the majority of the monument, providing diverse
microhabitats for the monument’s nearly 500 plant species, and an estimated
5,000 animal and 2,000 fungal species; which are among the highest catalogued
biota per acre for any national park unit (John Roth, ORCA, personal
communication). Federally threatened and endangered species that reside in or
utilize the monument include the northern spotted owl, bald eagle, and peregrine
falcon. Two of the 20 federal and state species of concern in the monument are
the Del Norte Salamander (Plethedon elongates) and Western Toad (Bufo boreas).
The amphibian species are, respectively, a species of concern and a sensitive
species in the State of Oregon. The cave pools, springs and streams of Oregon
Caves are considered important water resources for wildlife.
Horizon Report
A Horizon Report (NPS-WRD 1998) for Oregon
caves is available at: (http://nrdata.nps.gov/ORCA/nrdata/water/baseline_wq/docs/ORCAWQAA.pdf).
Water quality data catalogued in this report were provided by the Washington
Department of Ecology, US Forest Service-Region 6, US Geological Survey,
National Park Service, and US Environmental Protection Agency-Region 10.
Nineteen sampling stations (page 45 of the report) were located in the park
unit; 11 in the cave and 8 outside of the cave. A total of 30 water quality
parameters (page 46 of the report) were measured and sampled. The period of
sampling was 1966 and 1992-1993.
Cave Inventory
According to Roth (1994), the first
comprehensive inventory of any large federally managed cave in the US was
completed at Oregon Caves by Earthwatch Institute volunteers prior to 1994. The
physical characteristics and magnitude of potential direct human impacts (as
indicated by the presence of “cave slime” or actinomycetes bacteria) on Oregon
Caves were inventoried.
Aquatic Studies
1) ORCA sample collection, 1992-1993, baseline
water quality inventory of waters in or near the cave system;
2) Within-cave water quality study of Cave
Creek (ongoing by John Salinas, Rogue Valley Community College)
3) Water quality inventory (KLMN-FY05, Chris
Currens, USGS WERC) Resource Management Water Quality Concerns
1) Decline in water quality due to human-caused
organic enrichment, calcite solubility index, and turbidity
2) Changes in water volume and timing of cave
infiltration
3) Contamination of Cave Creek (the primary
water resource at ORCA), cave springs and other surface streams due to drain
field pollution and pavement-derived hydrocarbon particulate input
4) Changes in the caves environment (including
Cave Creek and various springs located inside the cave) due to manipulation of
the primary cave’s environment (i.e., modified cave opening and lighted walkway
5) Visitor use
6) Protection, preservation, restoration and
interpretation of cave and karst are of primary importance to the park unit.
See Attachment I for ORCA water quality
inventory, monitoring, and research study references.
