February 1 to February 28, 2005
1. Highlights of GCMRC activities:
Kids and Science: Kristin Brown and Carol Fritzinger of the Southwest Biological Science Center participated in Math and Science Night at Marshall Elementary School. They displayed posters showing the Grand Canyon Youth assist in a SBSC project to collect information to input into the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center's Control Point Database. A surveying total station was featured as a hands-on display for the students and parents. The event also exhibited displays from Lowell Observatory, NOAA, and Willowbend Environmental Educational Center. The well attended event was intended to introduce children (and parents) to career paths using applied math and science. Contact: Kristin Brown, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, AZ; (928) 556-7084.
Bathymetric Mapping Techniques: Mark Gonzales of the Southwest Biological Science Center attended a hydrographic conference sponsored by Hypack Coastal Oceanographic Inc. in South Carolina and made an oral presentation on hydrographic data collection and processing methods used on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. The conference organizers were appreciative for his involvement in the presentations. Contact: Mark Gonzales, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, Flagstaff, AZ; (928) 556-7459
USGS Scientist contributes to Delta Restoration Project: A paper titled Suspended-Sediment Transport Where Rivers Become An Estuary: Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta
authored by SBSC scientist, Scott Wright, has been accepted by the Water Resources Research Journal. The paper defines the spatial variability of suspended sediment transport in the delta and documents significant annual sedimentation on the delta. This information was used to derive and present a sediment budget for California's Sacramento - San Joaquin River Delta. This CalFed Bay-Delta funded study is intended to identify areas most likely to receive suspended sediment when exposed to tidal fluctuations required for a successful wetlands restoration project. Contact: Scott Wright, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ; telephone: 928-556-7069; email: sawright@usgs.gov.
2. GCMRC in the news:
USGS Scientists, Dr. Jeff Lovich and Dr. Scott Wright were quoted in the January 2005 issue of Geotimes News Notes concerning the Grand Canyon Floods. The article compares the results of the 1996 flood to the preliminary results of the Nov. 2004 flood. The article also features photographs of a sandbar before the November flood and after the flood illustrating the amount of sediment deposited for an average Paria River input. Contact: Scott Wright, USGS Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, AZ; telephone: 928-556-7069; email: sawright@usgs.gov.
3. New publications received by the GCMRC library:
No new reports were received by the GCMRC library during the month of February.
Contact Stephanie Wyse at the GCMRC library (928-556-7373) to obtain reprints of publications not available electronically.