Chouteau Grotto Minutes from June 2, 2004

Present:
President:  Marck Schneider
(ViceñPresident: absent)
Treasurer:  Kevin Feldz
Secretary:  Kathryn Devany DiFoxfire
Members:  6

CALL TO ORDER:  Meeting called to order at 7:15 p.m

REPORTS:
SECRETARY'S REPORT
        May minutes needed date correction (accidentally labeled as April minutes).    Treasurer's balance was noted incorrectly on minutes and adjusted.  No other changes made.

TREASURER"S REPORT
        May's balance was $1187.00.
        June's balance is also $1187.00

MSS LIASON REPORT:
        Cave files have moved to SMS campus in a secure building.
Rita suggested contacting Michael Carter of the MSS for cave leads.  He might be able to be reached at www.mospeleo.org
        The MSS is developing a research award as a memorial to Ken Thompson who recently died in a car accident.
        MSS is also working on a new patch design and new souvenirs
        The fall meeting will be Sept. 18 or 25th, location TBA.

FORESIGHT REPORT:

First issue will have an August 1 deadline for submission and a target date of Sept 1 for publication.
        To be placed on the e-mail list to receive copies of the Foresight, send the following information to Kat at rock.bridge.memorial.state.park@dnr.mo.gov and she will compile it into a database and submit it to Kirsten:  First and last name, address(es), phone number(s), primary e-mail address(es).  Please indicate whether the information being submitted is a work, home, mobile or other address/phone/e-mail.

QUARTERMASTER'S REPORT:
        None.

OLD BUSINESS

STREAM TEAM:  Contact Amber at either alsgw7@mizzou.edu or at onondaga.cave.state.park@dnr.mo.gov if you'd like to help with stream team activities.  Amber is working as a seasonal naturalist at Onondaga Cave State Park this summer so would only be available a limited number of days.

BONNE FEMME WATERSHED PROJECT:
        Terry Frueh (pronounced "free") gave a short presentation about the Bonne Femme Watershed Project.  The Project is funded by a 4 year 319-EPA grant.  It has 3 main objectives:  1) to encourage local agencies to adopt policy and procedures to better protect watersheds; 2) assist developers in adopting best-management practices (BMPs) to protect stream integrity, and 3) to provide cost-share assistance for land-owners to implement watershed-friendly practices that will restore and protect streams both above and below ground.

The group has three main committees:  a steering committee administers the grant and provides technical assisting.  Bob Lerch is a member of this committee.  The Policy Committee consists of local officials. The Stakeholder Committee represents diverse community interests in the project.  Last month grotto members approved Kirsten Alvey to represent Chouteau on the stakeholder committee.  
        Terry explained that part of the grant requires Project participants to donate hours and people power as part of a matching fund.  Chouteau Grotto members can assist by recording numbers of people and numbers of hours donated in mapping caves and cleaning caves and sinkholes in the Project area.  Other volunteer opportunities include providing interpretation at stream festivals, interpretive demos such as a karst flow model at local venues, etc.  Drive time and mileage should also be included.  Volunteer hours, for purpose of matching funds, is calculated at $17.08 /hr (these are not wagesóyou will not be paid for your time) and should be recorded in 15 minute increments.  Terry will provide the grotto with a form we can use to record the necessary information (name, hours, mileage, type of activity).
        It was suggested that the grotto contact some other local agencies such as the Community Storm Water Project and the Friends of Rock Bridge in order to form a team that might be interested in committing to some volunteer projects.
        Any activity from today until the Project ends can be counted.  Terry will check to see if any past activity can be counted toward the grant or not.
        Terry can be contacted at tfrueh@boonecountymo.org and more information can be found at www.showmeboone.com/PB/Watershed/default.asp
        Saturday, August 15, starting at 9 a.m., Terry will lead a watershed tour in conjunction with a Friends of Rock Bridge-sponsored program.

PHILLIPS TRACT WATER QUALITY TESTING:
        Concern was again voiced that we should be assisting with water quality testing in areas that will be affected by the development of the Phillips tract.  Randal Clark, who works at the same lab as Kevin Feldz, has set up a stream team and may appreciate volunteers.  These hours would also count toward the matching portion of the Boone Femme Watershed Project grant.
        The team has acquired permission and found test sites at the UMC farm and Lenior nursing home area.  Other sites still needed are Nifong Park, and areas where Clear Creek joins other streams.  Kevin will check with Randal to see about the possibility of the grotto assisting and if there are any dates scheduled yet.
        Since Amber may not be available to lead some efforts, is anyone else interested?
        Also, does anyone know about the Stream Team classes and when they are available?  MDC sometimes provides water test kits after completing a class.  Kevin's lab may be able to do more sensitive testing and detect lower levels of contaminants.  Also, 1/2 of the water samples would be given to Bob Lerch for his tests.

NEW BUSINESS
        DEVIL'S ICEBOX CAVE TRIP: The schedule for Fall 2004 Devil's Icebox Wild Cave Tours (WCT) will be released to the public in late June.  The trips will be Saturdays and Sundays from August 1 to October 8, 2004.  
Kathryn asked if the grotto wanted to consider scheduling an experienced caver trip (i.e., booking a trip into the Icebox with just Grotto members).
Attached below is an excerpt from the WCT brochure regarding policies on experienced caver trips.  At the meeting Kathryn mentioned that trips had to be booked at least two months ahead.  Since consulting the brochure, she remembered it is only ONE month in advance. If you wish to participate, we need your name, address, date of birth, phone number, e-mail AND $25 paid in advance by the next meeting (July 7).  You can bring these items to the meeting or get them to Marck Schneider before the meeting.  If the trip is not scheduled or is cancelled by the park, your money will be refunded.
        We also need to know which dates you would like to go (and also which dates you can't go).  Post your responses on coollist so we can try and set up some possible dates before the next meeting.  We need to submit three choices to the park and they will select which date works best for them.  On days that the park has only one trip scheduled, it would be possible for the grotto to schedule a trip that same day.  August weekends will be less likely to have two trips scheduled per day as registration tends to be lower since college students are not yet back in town and many people are on vacation.  Friday night trips would also be a possibility for the grotto, though the general consensus at the meeting was to try for a Saturday or Sunday.
        More information on Devil's Icebox Wild Cave Tours can also be found at www.mostateparks.com

"        Experienced Caver Trips
Experienced cavers MAY qualify for a self-led trip into the Devil's Icebox.  Groups must have their own equipment including helmets and three sources of electric light.  The park will furnish boats, life jackets and a park-certified wild cave tour leader to protect the cave and to provide information as requested.  The fee for these trips is $25.00 per person.  Reservations must be made at least ONE MONTH in advance of expected trip date.  In order to qualify as an experienced caver group at least half of the people going into the cave MUST be NSS members for at least three years.  All members of the group also MUST be at least 18 years old and MUST be in good standing with the Missouri Division of State Parks.  Failure to comply with park or division caving policies may jeopardize the status for a Caver Trip.  When registering for an Experienced Caver Trip, each caver's name address, birthdate, phone number(s) and e-mail address (if applicable) must be submitted along with the $25.00 per person fee.  NO SUBSTITUTIONS WILL BE ALLOWED.  Contact the park superintendent for further information." óDevil's Icebox Wild Cave Tour brochure

        Rita also mentioned that Hunter's Cave might be open in September and perhaps the grotto would like to schedule  trip into that cave, possibly on the same weekend as the Devil's Icebox trip.

UPCOMING EVENTS

MCKC Annual Meeting and BBQ, June 12, Lane Spring USFS Campground, Rolla

NSS Convention, July 12-16  Marquette, Michigan, on the shores of Lake Superior.  Website www.nss2004.com for more info.  Jo and Eugene may go.  Kirsten would like to go as part of a caravan. Rita is also thinking of going.  Anyone else interested?

Bridal Cave Haunting Oct 29, 30, 31:  Lake Ozark Grotto is hosting a haunted cave trip at Bridal Cave.  This will be a LOG fundraiser.  Live people will be jumping out of nooks and crannies.  Fee to be determined.

CAVE REPORTS

CAVE REPORT REMINDER:  We should be writing cave reports and submitting them to the appropriate journals.

 Ernie and Maddie Bhend checked out Maquoketa Cave State Park about one hour north of Davenport, IA.  Dance Hall Cave, SteelGate Cave (though the gate was missing), and Wie Cave were some of the 14 or so caves in that network.  Since the area has been a state park since about 1921, the caves have seen lots of traffic (and lots of vandalism).  In Steel Gate Cave there were few formations and lots of litter and groups of teens chewing gum and meandering through the system with no helmets and one light between them all.  Maddie had a great time and could move faster through the system than most of the biggest area was about 5' x 5'.  She was in the lead part of the way.  Wie Cave was kind of a pit with 30'-4-' of breakdown, mostly dry single stream passage but less damaged than Steel Gate Cave.  Storming down rain prevented entry into some of the caves.
Ernie and Maddie also checked out Star's Cave in Burlington, IA (source for the name "Burlington" limestone).

 Rita described her adventures with Kirsten in Pulaski County with Sieb and other caves.
She also explored Bear Cave in Three Creeks with Darrell (who mapped it before he returned to Montana).  It has slot canyons that feed down and suggest that if they were just a bit wider it might lead to more cave as it's high on a hillside.
Turtle Cave which is on the south side of the creek is more significant.  A short chimney into a debris pile opens into some good side areas.  Light is visible from outside and you can see the openings from the outside but they are too small for people to pass through.  There's a room with a pool, dome, and a creek going off and disappearing.  Coons may have been going in and out of it.  There might be some cave digging potential.

 Marck said that every time he goes into Connor's Cave it appears that someone may be chiseling out more passage at the top of the Crevice Climb (the narrow side passage that heads about 20' up near the end of the cave).  Marck said it looks different every time he explores it.


OTHER BUSINESS
None.

MEETING ADJOURNED: 9 p.m.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Kathryn Devany DiFoxfire, 6/6/04

Kathryn Devany DiFoxfire
Interpretive Resource Technician
Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
5901 S Hwy 163, Columbia, MO 65203
Tel:  573-449-7402     Fax: 573-442-2249
E-mail: rock.bridge.memorial.state.park@dnr.mo.gov
Website:  www.mostateparks.com