Aquatic/water resources management plan Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Sequoia And Kings Canyon National Parks

Aquatic resources are well represented throughout Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. There are about 2,650 lakes and ponds and thousands of kilometers of small rivers, mountain creeks, and intermittent streams. Other aquatic resources include cold-water springs and seeps, warm springs, soda springs, wet meadows, ephemeral pools, and an extensive winter snow-pack that occasionally lingers throughout the summer in small patches. Ground waters occur both in joints in the bedrock as well as in shallow, typically granitic soils. Some park caves contain underground streams, lakes, and small pools; many caves contain active speleothems which are formed secondarily as the result of aquatic processes. Headwaters in a typical drainage originate between 2,700 and 3,700 m (8,900 - 12,100 ft), and begin either as small seeps and creeks or in cirque lakes. In many areas, water flows through wet meadows and small alpine lakes. From here, the small streams rapidly join to form larger streams and eventually rivers ranging up to 30-50 m (98 - 164 ft) wide. Drainage patterns are usually dendritic and typically flow west (except for the Kern drainage which flows south) . Gradients are often steep. The largely granitic basins have waters with low concentrations of charged constituents. Thus a high potential exists for water to be altered significantly by human activities. Being oligotrophic and poorly buffered, water is particularly susceptible to nutrient contamination (fecal waste, detergents, etc.) and acidic deposition. Though vulnerable to human abuse, conversely, aquatic/water resources are one of the most hazardous resources that the visitor confronts. Nearly as many people die due to natural aquatic hazards than all other Park hazards combined (Powell, pers. comm.). Visitors seem to take precautions to protect themselves from snakebite and falling off cliffs, but water attracts visitors. They camp close to it, drink from it, swim in it, and fish in it; and when streams are high and the water is cold, the attraction to water causes some people to die in it. Water also can carry harmful disease agents (e.g. Giardia , Campylobacter , and Salmonella ) , and provide a home for disease bearing organisms to live such as mosquitoes which may carry encephalitis. In managing aquatic resources, not only must the fragile aquatic systems be protected, but visitors must be informed of the potential hazards and how to avoid them. This Plan identifies the goal and objectives, and actions for management of aquatic/water resources. To do this, the Plan presents an overview of the aquatic/water resources and lists known problems. An Aquatic/Water Resources Management Program is presented that identifies the minimum standards at which the program should be implemented.