Yosemite National Park Conducts Science Forum on the Merced River Plan

Yosemite National Park Conducts Science Forum on the Merced River Plan; Public Invited to Attend Presentations on Recent Scientific Studies
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529

Yosemite National Park invites the public to attend a Science Forum on the Merced River Plan (MRP), Friday, May 13, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Forum will be held in the Garden Terrace at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, located in Yosemite Valley. This Forum is designed to provide status updates and results of scientific studies that relate specifically to the Merced River Plan. This Science Forum serves as a follow-up to the December 2010 forum. The event is free and no RSVP’s are required. The park entrance fee will be waived for visitors attending this Forum.

Agenda for the day (subject to change):
9:00 a.m. - Welcome and thoughts about the role of science & Introduction of Moderator - Joe Meyer
9:20 a.m. - Status Update: Comprehensive Geologic Hazard and Risk Assessment - Greg Stock
9:40 a.m. - Water Supply Impacts Assessments for Yosemite Valley and Wawona - Jim Roche
10:00 a.m. - Yosemite Valley Merced River Condition Assessments - Jim Roche
10:20 a.m. - BREAK
10:30 a.m. - A Preliminary Assessment of Meadow Conditions in the Merced River Corridor - Liz Ballenger
10:50 a.m. - Special Status Plant Species in the Merced River Corridor - Alison Colwell
11:10 a.m. - Wildlife Special Status Species - Steve Thompson
11:30 a.m. - Lunch
12:30 p.m. - Historical Resource Survey for El Portal - Dave Humphrey
12:50 p.m. - Assessment of Pack Stock Impacts at Archeological Sites - Emily Darko
1:10 p.m. - BREAK
1:15 p.m. - Integrating Transportation and Visitor Use Research - Henrietta DeGroot
1:35 p.m. - Modeling Transportation and Visitor Use Components - Henrietta DeGroot
1:55 p.m. - Wrap-up, and preview of upcoming planning milestones - Kathleen Morse