Focused condition assessment of paleontological resources within Katmai National Park and Preserve

Harrington, Matthew; Lanik, Amanda; Hults, Chad; Druckenmiller, Patrick

doi:10.36967/2298782

The paleontological resources (fossils) of Katmai National Park and Preserve (also referred to as “the park” or “Katmai” throughout this report) record the evolution of the park’s ancient life throughout most of the Mesozoic Era and portions of the Cenozoic Era (see Table 1 for a geologic time scale). A focused condition assessment (FCA) of the paleontological resources of Katmai was conducted in 2021; this report summarizes the findings of the FCA, including information on the park’s geology and paleontology, management issues related to paleontological resources, and the results of a field survey of the Kamishak Bay area. The FCA project also included fieldwork to monitor fossils at Kaguyak Point. The results of the Kaguyak Point monitoring are presented in Harrington et al. (In preparation). The first section of this report (“Paleontology”) examines the fossiliferous geologic units within Katmai as well as the fossils found within them. Fossils range from small bivalves and belemnites to large ammonites and a possible dinosaur bone. Plant fossils are abundant in the Eocene-aged Copper Lake Formation, Ketavik Formation, and Hemlock Conglomerate. The Jurassic-aged Naknek and Cretaceous-aged Kaguyak Formations are the most abundantly fossiliferous units within the park, containing ammonites, bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods, and other invertebrates. The “Paleontological Resources Monitoring and Management” section of this report discusses potential threats to paleontological resources and management recommendations. The fossils within Katmai are nonrenewable resources that the NPS is mandated to protect, preserve, and manage. Fossils can be at risk of damage or loss from natural (e.g., erosion) and/or anthropogenic (e.g., unauthorized collection) forces. Damage or loss of fossils greatly reduces the scientific value they possess, as well as degrades the overall heritage of the park. Most of the park’s fossils have a low risk for anthropogenic impacts because many fossil sites are remote and receive little visitation. Areas in the park that contain fossils and receive visitors include the Brooks Camp area, Ukak Falls, the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Hallo Bay, and Kaguyak Point. Fieldwork was conducted during the summer of 2021 to explore Katmai for new vertebrate fossil localities (“Kamishak Bay Reconnaissance” section of this report). The current extent of vertebrate fossils within Katmai is limited to a single heavily worn bone chunk that was found in the vicinity of Ukak Falls. Vertebrate fossils have been uncovered south of the park near Becharof Lake and near Chignik Bay in the Indecision Creek Member of the Naknek Formation. To search for vertebrate fossils, exposures of the Indecision Creek Member of the Naknek Formation were surveyed along the coast of Kamishak Bay. Bluffs and outcrops were examined for fossils and evidence supporting the existence of vertebrate trackways or remains. The study determined that exposures of the Indecision Creek Member along Kamishak Bay are unlikely to contain vertebrate fossils. This portion of the member contained marine fossils and driftwood, indicating deposition in a marine environment, and the rock outcrops fractured perpendicularly to the bedding plane, limiting the potential for preserving fossil trackways. Future exploration for vertebrate fossils in Katmai could target Mt Katolinat and Ukak Falls.

Focused condition assessment of paleontological resources within Katmai National Park and Preserve

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