Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Sept. 12-16, 2022

Community level LOW–masking requirement indoors OPTIONAL

On Thursday, September 8, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the Coconino County Community Level and it remains LOW. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.

Note: as of Thursday afternoon (9/15) we have not received an updated community level status for Coconino County. For the most up-to-date information check at the following website.

New bivalent vaccines now available

On September 1, the CDC announced updated recommendations for Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 boosters for people age 12 and up. The updated booster dose is a bivalent formula that both boosts immunity against the original coronavirus strain and also protects against the newer Omicron variants that account for most of the current cases.

The CDC recommends that everyone who is eligible stay up-to-date on vaccinations by getting an updated bivalent booster dose at least 2 months after their last COVID-19 shot—either since their last booster dose, or since completing their primary series. Pfizer’s updated booster shot is authorized for individuals 12 and older, and Moderna’s is authorized for adults 18 and older.

The COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccine recently authorized by the CDC will be available beginning Thursday, September 8 in Coconino County and moving forward. More information is available at the county’s website here.

As a result of the recent FDA and CDC emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine bivalent boosters, the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are no longer available as booster doses for individuals 12 years of age and older, but the vaccines continue to be authorized for use as a primary vaccination series for eligible individuals.

For more information on the different types COVID vaccines, please visit CDC’s webpage here.

We’re happy to share there were no new cases reported in the park this week. It is the first time this summer that we have had no new cases reported. This keeps the current park total at an estimated 372 cases, with 447 cases for the 86023 zip code, since the beginning of the pandemic.

Total COVID cases in Arizona for the week of September 8 to 14 was 6,119, an increase of 2,453 cases from the previous week. This equates to a seven-day rolling average of 874 cases per day.

2022 Bison Operation concludes on the North Rim; 58 bison transferred

On September 11, Grand Canyon wildlife managers and staff successfully relocated 58 bison from the North Rim. All bison were transferred to the Intertribal Buffalo Council, who transported the animals to the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of South Dakota. Earlier this week the bison arrived at their respective new homes and we are told they are adjusting well!

Since reduction efforts began in 2018, park staff have removed 203 bison from the North Rim with 182 transferred to eight different American Indian tribes through an agreement with the InterTribal Buffalo Council (see map below).

Grand Canyon managers would like to thank the multiple agencies and organizations involved with bison management on the Kaibab Plateau. The NPS continues to collaborate closely with partners at the InterTribal Buffalo Council, AZGFD, USGS-Fort Collins Science Center, U.S. Forest Service, and the NPS Office of Public Health to implement this science-based relocation as described in the 2017 Initial Bison Herd Reduction Plan.

Weekly Pipeline and Water Update

What level are we again?

On Sunday, September 11, the South Rim transitioned to additional water restrictions. The South Rim is currently in Level 3 water conservation status (mandatory water rationing) which means that Tank Farm water level is below 15 feet. The full capacity of the South Rim Tank Farm is 24 feet.

Level 3 Water Conservation (below 15′ at Tank Farm) includes:

• Closing of DNC’s Camper Services (no showers or laundry)
• Dry camp in campgrounds (spigots in the loops are turned off, bathroom sinks and toilets remain on for public health concerns)
• Employee laundromats will be closed or have limited hours

These measures are in addition to Level 2 and 1 water conservation measures which are described below. The North Rim currently remains in Level 2 water conservation until water utilities is able to repressurize the water line from Roaring Springs to the North Rim.

Level 2 Water Conservation (15′ to 19′ at Tank Farm)

• Concessioners required to switch to disposable dishes and utensils
• Concessioners required to utilize low water usage cleaning practices
• Residents and visitors required to reduce flushing in homes and hotels

Level 1 Parkwide Water Conservation Measures (implemented immediately when a water supply disruption occurs; regardless of Tank Farm water level)

• No car or bus washing, unless reclaimed water is used
• No use of potable water for outdoor watering of plants or lawns
• Utilizing low water cleaning techniques
• Reducing shower times and turning water off while brushing teeth
• Drinking water at restaurants will be provided by request

Want to know more on the different levels and what they all mean? Please read the Grand Canyon National Park’s Official Water Restriction Order which outlines more details.

What’s being done?

Effective on September 14, the park transitioned to a local Incident Management Team (IMT) with the hope of better coordinating efforts in the event of another pipeline break or failure to refill the South Rim tanks occurs. The IMT will be in effect until the water supply levels at the South Rim reach sustainable levels of 20 feet at the tank gauge. A key management consideration for this incident is for park staff to safely repair breaks to the Transcanyon Waterline (TCWL), restore pumping from Roaring Springs to both rims, restore pressure in the TCWL to sustainable levels, and to fill the South Rim storage tanks to 20 feet.

As of Wednesday afternoon, September 14, pumping and recharging of the pipeline has resumed and of this update, the South Rim tanks have been filling for more than 24 hours. The current level at Tank Farm is estimated at 13.5′ and filling at a rate of approximately 1/2 foot per day.

What about inner canyon water? Is Phantom Ranch open?

As of this afternoon (Thursday, Sep. 15) water has been turned back on at Manzanita Rest Area, Cottonwood, and all water locations at Phantom Ranch. Water will remain off at Supai Tunnel until the line is repressurized and Mile and a Half and Three Mile Resthouses will remain off until tank levels on the South Rim are at a higher level.

Due to filled tanks and water supply, Phantom Ranch will tentatively reopen to the public and for overnight guests on Saturday, September 17.

Kudos to…

We would like to express appreciation and gratitude to the following facilities crews and the South Rim Helibase who have work tirelessly over the past several months to help fix numerous pipeline breaks and issues:

Trails:

• Lora Moore
• Mark MaClean
• Kelsey DeVleer
• Mike Bahrmasel

South Rim Helibase:

• Jeremiah Boyd
• Matt Walls
• John Ford
• Katrina Jongenelen
• Kate Dedrick
• Rayan McAllister
• Sydney Lucker
• Dominic Zanzuccni
• Nathan Bell

Housing Special Projects Shop:

• Csaba Conner
• Matt Young

Water Utilities:

• Kelly Confer
• Zackary Reid
• Brian Ruhm
• Katie Brown
• David Gerome

SCADA Communications:

• Josiah Brown

Phantom Wastewater:

• Chad Larrieu
• Jerome Chavez

This Week’s Cultural Demonstrator at Desert View

Stop by Desert View Watchtower, this Thursday September 15, and Friday, September 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for a chance to meet Delwyn Tawvaya, Hopi Silver Overlay Jeweler.

Delwyn is from the village of Shungopavi on Second Mesa. He has been interested in silversmithing since he was a child. As an adult, Delwyn discovered that his great uncle, Paul Saufkie, along with renown Hopi artist, Fred Kabotie, were the inventors of Hopi Overlay style. Delwyn strives to create jewelry that revives and preserves his culture through traditional overlay techniques.

We are excited to announce that the Cultural Demonstration Program will continue to run through the week of Thanksgiving 2022 and will change to three days per week beginning October 23 (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays). For more information on this program, please visit the park’s website here.

Grand Canyon Celebration of Art concludes this weekend

Wrapping up their week of working on the South Rim, this year’s Grand Canyon Conservancy’s Celebration of Art artists will gather along the rim, in the Village Historic District, between 3 and 6 p.m. on Friday, September 16, for their annual Paint Out Event. This is a great time for locals and visitors to ask questions and engage with artists while they are creating their beautiful plein air paintings.

All completed paintings will then be available for purchase, on-site, at Verkamp’s Visitor Center Friday evening.

The paintings that have been created this week by the 25 participating artists are shared with the public during a four-month sale and exhibition, online, and at Historic Kolb Studio. The Kolb Studio Exhibition opens this Sunday, September 18, at 9 a.m. Proceeds go towards a fund to establish a dedicated art exhibit venue on the South Rim.

Colorado Plateau Biennial Conference held this week in Flagstaff

The 16th Biennial Conference of Science and Management on the Colorado Plateau and Southwest Region was held this week at NAU in Flagstaff. This year’s theme was Creating Hope through Action: Advancing Solutions to Rapid Environmental Change.

This conference has emerged as an important forum for bringing together resource managers and research scientists to discuss findings and management needs associated with the Southwest’s natural and cultural resources. We had a number of park colleagues from the Science and Resource Management division, Office of Communications, Partnerships and External Affairs, and the Interpretation Division presenting sessions and attending this conference.

A number of our colleagues presented the results of their work, including a half-day session organized by Miranda Terwilliger entitled “Bison, the National Mammal” about the Grand Canyon bison program, Sarah Hass’s presentation “Assessing climate change challenges at Grand Canyon National Park – what to do…and not do?” and Jan Balsom, Elyssa Shalla, Carmen Krauss and Ceili Brennan who presented in the “Striving for Equity in Science Communication session a presntation enttiled” Innovation and tradition at Grand Canyon National Park; they can co-exist”.

Thank you to all of the representing the National Park Service at the conference and working with stakeholders, stewards, and land managers across the Colorado Plateau.

Hispanic Heritage Month begins Thursday, September 15

September 15 marks the month-long celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month when we recognize and celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Hispanic Americans in the United States.

Hispanic, Latino, Latina, and Latinx Americans have helped to shape the National Park Service since its beginning in 1916. The tradition continues today with Hispanic and Latino Americans working as employees, volunteers, interns, and partners in many career fields of the National Park Service, including natural and cultural resource management, law enforcement, interpretation, administration, and much more.

Please join me in recognizing and celebrating the rich cultural heritage and ongoing contributions of Hispanic Americans here at the Grand Canyon National Park and throughout the country.

Fall Shuttle Bus Schedule

This past Saturday, the fall schedule went into effect. The big change is that the Tusayan (Purple) Route has finished for the 2022 season. In addition, all buses, regardless of route, now begin service at 5 a.m. instead of 4 a.m. which was the summer start time.

The Kaibab (Orange) Route, and the Hermit Road (Red) Route both run their last buses 30 minutes after sunset. In September that is 7:30 p.m.; October is 6:45 p.m.; and November is 6 p.m.

The last bus for the Village (Blue) Route, begins its final loop at 9:45 p.m., so riders should plan to be at a bus stop no later than 9:45 p.m.

Propane tanks being emptied at Headquarters on September 21

The contractors installing the new heating system in the Headquarters Building need to remove propane vapors from the lines in order to finish installation. Next Wednesday, September 21, beginning at 7 a.m., contractors will begin flushing the lines. The flame (similar to the photo on the right) will be used to purge the final vapor from the tank.

John Venn with our Road Crew will be providing safety equipment to keep traffic from the area, and we will have staff on hand to help visitors that need direction on either side of HQ.

Employees should park in the upper lot and use the entrances on the east side of the building for the day.

NPS EMS/Safety Audit – September 12-16

This week through Friday, an Environmental and Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Audit is being conducted at Grand Canyon. Environmental and Management System (EMS) and Safety audits are conducted at the request of our regional office through a third party contractor every 3 to 5 years. The last park audit was conducted FY2018.

These audits help to assure a safe environment for park staff and visitors alike. The audit will help us gain insight as to where the park is in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) and industry standards. Further, field evaluations provide us with “findings” or written reviews and recommendations for us to know how we meet Federal, State, and other governmental regulations. A new element of this year’s EMS audit criteria includes a review of contaminated sites from historical mining operations, landfill closures, and other park operations.

We would like to thank Kim Park, the Park’s Environmental Management System Coordinator, Christina Ryan-Miller our new Safety Manager, and all staff that are helping to support this effort!

Small Mouth Bass rapid response begins this weekend

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is preparing to engage in rapid response efforts to remove invasive small mouth bass and green sunfish in a section of river between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry.

The non-native predatory fish were recently discovered in this area where they have not been found in large numbers before. The historically low water levels of Lake Powell have allowed smallmouth bass and green sunfish to pass through Glen Canyon’s Dam water intakes. These fish species pose a threat to both Glen Canyon’s rainbow trout fishery and populations of threatened humpback chub downstream in Grand Canyon.

Beginning Saturday, September 17, staff will use rotenone, an Environmental Protection Agency-approved piscicidee, to kill the non-native fish. The area below the dam will remain closed to the public during the work.

Grand Canyon Music Festival Concerts this Friday and Saturday

This Friday, September 16, Grand Canyon Music Festival will present their annual Jazz, Rock and Blues concert by the Bonfiglio Group. Local musicians, Bryan Stone on drums, and John Vail on bass, will accompany music festival founder, Robert Bonfiglio along with Joe Deninzon and Steve Benson. This popular performance will take place at Shrine of the Ages Auditorium. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert start at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday. September 17, The Bonfiglio Group will present, “Thinking Outside the Bach: A Night of Classical Music Re-imagined.” This event will be at 7:30 pm at Shrine of the Ages Auditorium. This is the last concert of the 39th festival season. The suggested donation for concerts is $20.

National Bike Your Park Day-September 24

Next Saturday, Spetember 24, Coconino County Health and Human Services in partnership with the South Rim Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a ‘Bike Your Park Day’ from 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

More information is available in this flyer.

Xanterra

• Maswik Lodge Cafeteria, 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Canyon Coffee House at the Bright Angel Fountain, 7 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Bright Angel Fountain grab and go, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Burger, breakfast 8:00-10:30 a.m., lunch 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., dinner 4-9 p.m.
• The Arizona Steakhouse, Tuesday-Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Tavern, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Kennel-daily from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
• The Grand Canyon Rec Center, 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
• El Tovar Dining Room and Lounge
• Breakfast, 6:30-10:00 a.m.
• Lunch, 11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
• Dinner, 4:30-9:30 p.m.
• Lounge, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
• Patio (limited menu), 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Fred Harvey Food Truck, has relocated to the Train Depot area Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (weather permitting)
• Maswik Pizza Pub, located inside Maswik Lodge, is open Friday through Tuesday from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. The pizza pub is closed weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Delaware North

• Yavapai Lodge Tavern and Patio, 12-10 p.m.
• Yavapai Lodge Coffee Shop, 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Canyon Village Market, 7 a.m.-8 p.m., Deli-7 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Camper Services: Laundry and shower hours CLOSED due to limited water availability (will resume normal hours when conservation measures have been lifted).
• The Yavapai Dining Hall, breakfast, 7 a.m.-10:45 a.m., dinner, 5 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Other

• Grand Canyon Clinic: Beginning Tuesday, September 6, the Grand Canyon Clinic transitioned to its winter hours. New hours are, Monday through Friday from 8a.m. to 5 p.m.  Grand Canyon Clinic is closed on weekends and holidays.
• Bright Angel Bikes
• Rental: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Cafe-8 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC): Daily from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., operations will be transitioning INDOORS beginning this Saturday, September 17. Beginning October 23, operations will transition from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily.
• Grand Canyon Conservancy stores: Visitor Center Plaza, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, Yavapai Geology Museum, Verkamps, and Kolb Studio 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.,
• Kennel Operations: Overnight boarding is only available from Friday through Sunday nights. Pick-ups and day boarding are available on Mondays. Contact Xanterra Switchboard or Xanterra Fire and Security for afterhours pick-ups.
• Grand Canyon Community Library: Monday-Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Desert View

• Desert View Trading Post Coffee and Ice Cream and Market, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily
• Desert View Watchtower, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.
• The Desert View Deli, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• The Desert View Service Station Retail Store, daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Desert View Information Table (staffed by NPS), 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (as staffing levels allow).

North Rim

• North Rim Lodge Dining Room, Breakfast: 6:30-10 a.m., Lunch: 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Dinner: 4:30-9:45 p.m.
• In addition to regular breakfast service in the dining room, the Grand Canyon Lodge at North Rim is offering a breakfast buffet daily from 6:30-8:00 a.m.
• Deli in the Pines, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Roughrider Saloon, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Coffee Saloon, 5:30-10:30 a.m.
• North Rim General Store: 7 a.m.-8 p.m., planning on closing October 15, 2022 for the winter season
• North Rim Service Station, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• GCC Bookstore/Visitor Center, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
• Roaring Springs Kiosk information, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Please visit the Grand Canyon National Park website for a complete list of closures and available amenities.

• Thunderstorms continued this week after a hot and dry spell on Saturday, September 10 (NPS Photo/J. Wishart)
• The 2022 bison live capture team (NPS Photo/L. Cisneros)
• Bison stand in a meadow on the North Rim (NPS Photo/L. Cisneros)
• Bison transfer map from 2019-2022 (NPS File/C. Talley)
• Water utilities fixing a pipeline break in the box (NPS Photo)
• Delwyn Tawvaya and his jewelry (NPS Photos)
• GCC Celebration of Art artists during the 2021 Paint Out (Photo courtesy of GCC)
• Elyssa Shalla presents at the 2022 Biennial Conference at NAU (NPS Photo/J. Balsom)
• Propane tank plume in front of Headquarters several weeks ago (NPS Photo)
• Smallmouth Bass (Photo courtesy of USFWS)
• The Bonfiglio Group (NPS Photo/M. Quinn)
• View from Kolb Studio on Monday, September 12 (NPS Photo/K. Ross)