NPS Photo April 2004 Superintendent’s Message Employee of the Month Martha was recently hired as the Hetch Hetchy Program Manager. In that role, she coordinates the relationship (including funding, ongoing programs, and one-time projects) between the NPS and the City and County of San Francisco on issues of mutual concern in the Tuolumne River/Hetch Hetchy watershed. Soon after her official assumption of these duties, she was also charged with taking over as leader for the support team for the ongoing Merced River Plan litigation. In typical “Martha Lee” fashion, she has managed to juggle two full-time positions at once, somehow providing superior leadership and expertise to both. Her dedication to the NPS and Yosemite National Park are being recognized. Thank you, Martha, for your continuing enthusiasm! Michael J. Tollefson National Park Week National Park Week is an annual Presidentially proclaimed week for celebration and recognition of America’s national parks. While in Yosemite, check local posters for a variety of events taking place, including a free performance of actor Lee Stetson , as he portrays John Muir on what would have been Muir’s 166th birthday! The event takes place April 21 at 8:00 p.m. at the Valley Visitor Center Theater. National parks are your places, preserved for the American people so that all may experience our heritage. The 387 units in the National Park System are living examples of the best this nation has to offer—our magnificent natural landscapes and our varied yet interrelated heritage. Parks can provide recreational experiences, opportunities to learn and grow, and places of quiet refuge. This year, take a moment, an hour, a day to visit Yosemite or any national park near you. For more information about National Park Week, visit www.nps.gov/npweek. 
NPS Photo Yosemite Celebrates Earth Day—April 22 A number of activities will take place in the park in recognition of Earth Day. Come join the Earth-Friendly fun! Take part in a stewardship project. Check out a variety of environmentally-safe products. Tour the Valley Recycling Center. Enjoy Yosemite staff engaged in a live performance of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.
Earth Day Schedule 9:30 am-11:45 am
2:00 pm-3:00 pm 2:00 pm-6:00 pm 7:30 pm-9:00 pm 8:00 pm-9:00 pm 
NPS Photo April Snow Survey Results With the record breaking warm temperatures in March, there is a lot of interest in how the snow pack survived. The April 1st courses are generally thought to be the most representative of the year's snow pack. Here are the results for the Yosemite’s Tuolumne and Merced drainages. The high densities are normally not seen until May, and may trigger a faster run-off this spring. Remember that the depth and water content averages were well above average last month, so this does not necessarily indicate a dry year. The following figures are the real time amount of snow left on the ground (“stored water”) as of April 1, 2004.
State Average Percent of April 1: 82% User Capacity Program for the Merced River Corridor The National Park Service recently released the User Capacity Program for the Merced Wild and Scenic River Corridor. This document presents a detailed look at the park’s efforts to address user capacity throughout the 81 miles of the Merced River that flow through Yosemite National Park. It takes a network of mechanism and methods to assist park managers in making decisions relating to use. From guiding legislation to systems that have been in place for decades to the latest park efforts, the program provides an elaborate system of protection for the Merced River’s Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs). One tool used in the program is the Visitor Experience and Research Protection (VERP) framework, as called for in the Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan. VERP serves as a report card to measure how well the park is protecting and enhancing the river’s ORVs. Through VERP, the park has adopted a set of indicators and standard which identify and quantify the kinds and levels of use that are appropriate, as well as where and when such uses should occur. The results of this first year of monitoring will be presented to the public at the end of the year. Upcoming Events Open House Yosemite Forum Future Schedule June 8: Fire history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last updated: March 1, 2015