Chouteau News is the monthly newsletter of the Chouteau Grotto,
a chapter of the National Speleological Society. Views expressed within
are not necessarily that of the editor or that of the Grotto.
Announcements, articles, and other newsworthy items should be addressed
to the editor or sent via email to: greaserd@health.missouri.edu
Elections:
The grotto has moved to retain the current officers in their respective
positions. A list of the current officers is at the end of this newsletter.
Come to the December meeting and vote!
Next meeting:
Wednesday, December 2nd at 7PM, 1413 Rangeline (Boone Electric Cooperative)
in the Community Room. Program starts at 8:30 PM.
Grotto trip: Sunday, Nov. 29th. Survey Trip to Coon Cave in Three Creeks
Conservation Area. Space is limited, so sign-up is required. Contact Daryl for
details.
Stream Team: Clean up trip to Gans Creek, in December.
The Nov. trip was cancelled due to firearms deer season.
Contact Michael Greaser @ 875-4952 or email: talondog@hotmail.com for details
Upcoming:
Nov.21st: Skaggs Cave workday with MCKC: Projects include trail
construction and bioinventory. Contact: Don Toole, 573.347.2543,
or email: toole@aroundthelake.com
Nov. 20-23: 14th annual Ennis Cave Speleo-Holiday, Mt.View, AR. Contact Randy Rose
@ 253-839-2908 or email RROSE77777@aol.com
Recent happenings...
10/18: Grotto Trip, Rocky Fork Cave, Boone County. Rita Worden and
Daryl Greaser spent about two hours exploring this local cave.
The cave has a small opening in a draw off the creek of the same name.
Near the entrance we encountered many cave crickets, spiders, and snails,
and unfortunately the putrid remains of some kind of animal,
possibly a raccoon. Rita knew something was dead the minute we
entered the cave. Luckily the stench didnít reach the inner part
of the cave, to which we quickly traversed. Also encountered in the
cave were many Pickerel frogs, five solitary bats, and a cave salamander
swimming in a pool of crystal clear water. Rita was able to pass a
squeeze into an area that contained a waterfall. Someone lost their
expensive Swiss Army knife in a crack in the floor. It was unreachable.
Look for a complete report in the Foresight. - submitted by Daryl Greaser
Stream Team
November 17th, Three Creeks Conservation Area: Michael Greaser and
Bethany Sudholt toured the area to conduct the initial inventory for
Hunterís and Spring Cave streams. Both watersheds (Bass and Turkey Creeks)
have well-managed riparian zones. The area is relatively clean and well
maintained; no litter was observed. The water quality is fairly good,
and there are several species of fish that inhabit the streams, including
the endangered Topeka shiner. The watershed obviously drains at least some
of the adjacent agricultural areas due to the presence of a high level
of Atrazine, a common herbicide. (Reported in the Foresight, Vol. 34,
Nos. 1-2) A vast majority of the local watershed is characterized by
karst topography, as evident by the large number of sinkholes, caves,
losing streams and tributaries in the area. Some of the stream banks
are poorly managed and well eroded, however the streams usually donít
receive enough consistent flow for this to become problematic.
(Some of the area was farm land prior to it being acquired by the
Missouri Department of Conservation, but has since returned to its
natural state.) The stream channels are natural and unaltered.
The wildlife habitat is rather well preserved due to the good condition
of the riparian corridor which is essential to the survival of the Gray
bats (Myotis grisescens) that are known to inhabit Hunterís Cave. The
aquatic habitat is not ideal as most of the stream flow is lacking during
the hot summer months, but pools large enough to sustain life from year
to year continue to exist. The scenic features of the Three Creeks area
are excellent, which certainly played a part in the decision of the state
to purchase the land to make it a Conservation Area. The area is devoid
of unnatural features for the most part, and the abundance of plants
and wildlife make the area worthy of visitation during all times of
the year. The official Stream Team inventory checklist will soon be
sent to the regional office. MOKEG has reportedly started the process
of setting up semi-permanent sample stations in Hunterís Cave for the
water quality and bioinventory studies to be conducted. Thanks to everyone
that has been involved with this effort. -submitted by Michael Greaser
Notes:
Geography Awareness week begins Nov. 15th. This yearís theme is
People, Places, and Patterns: Geography Puts the Pieces Together.
For more info visit the NGS web site at: www.nationalgeographic.com
Hunterís Cave will remain closed except for permitted cavers through
next year, due to MOKEG research being conducted in the cave.
Permits can be obtained through the Missouri Department of Conservation.
1998 Committees
Editor Foresight
Rickard Walk
Associate Editors, Foresight
Daryl Greaser, Bob Lerch
Editor Chouteau News
Daryl Greaser
Conservation
Bob Lerch, Joe Engeln
Education
Bill Elliott, Bob Lerch, Rick Walk
Safety / Rescue
Rick Walk, Jim Yancey, Scott
Schulte
Research Review
Joe Engeln, Carol Wicks, Jim Huckins, Bob Lerch, Louise Hose
Library / Exchange Publications
Kevin Feltz, Rick Walk
Public Relations
Mike Morgan, Bill Elliott
Trip Coordinator
Daryl Greaser, Michael Greaser
Stream Teams
Devils Icebox,
Jim Yancey
Hunterís Cave Stream,
Daryl Greaser, Bob
Lerch
Spring Cave Stream,
Daryl Greaser, Bob Lerch, Michael Greaser
Gans Creek,
Ken Midkiff
1998 Officers
Chairman
Mike Morgan NSS# 11700
20757 N. Ponderosa Rd.
Clark, MO 65243
(573)-687-3254
CaveCriter@aol.com
Vice Chairman
Bob Lerch NSS# 45004
407 Maplewood Dr.
Columbia, MO 65201
(573)-449-7225
lerchr@missouri.ed
Secretary
Tom Heffelfinger NSS# 41453
607 N. Oak St.
California, MO 65018
(573)-796-2570
Treasurer
Kevin Feltz NSS# 23141
2310 Nelwood Dr.
Columbia, MO 65203
(573)-474-1173
kfeltz@coin.missouri.edu
MSS Representative
Daryl Greaser NSS# 45614
5994 W. Hatton Chapel Rd.
Columbia, MO 65202
(573)-445-8222
greaserd@health.missouri.edu
Foresight Editor
Rickard Walk NSS# 28189
4580 Todd St.
Columbia, MO 65201
(573)-442-2660
aneswalk@showme.missouri.edu
