Triangle Troglodytes November 2012 General Meeting

Nov 27, 2012
Attendees :  Ken, Carlin, Ava, Leslie S, Nick, Jacob, Peter, Scott Rucci, Rob Harris (in the form of millions of pixels), Steve and Grant M., and Mark D your mostly harmless grotto Secretary
  12 Triangle cavers total plus Dr. Lee Stocks for our virtual program.

Leslie presented a card to Carlin in thanks for his talk to the Explorers of Venture Post 505

Program
Still full from abundant Thanksgiving feasts we inverted our normal order and began with the progam.   
 Dr Lee Stocks spoke on urbanization impacts on caves.  
Since it works so well for Rob we had Dr. Stocks join us via Video Conference from his home in Mansfield, PA, though on the big screen we found that audio was best when we didn't press for actual video of the good doctor.  Soon our entire meeting will exist solely within the Matrix. 

1993 photo to start of Cow Dung Pit before airport expanded and changed creek route. Effects of sediment, pollution , etc,
Greenbrier county map showing creeks etc resurgence at Davis spring 15 mi south
Worked with WVACS to study urban and residential development
Water quality and quantity studied on surface and sub. Bio diversity changed underground. Evidence of runoff, leaky septic systems, agriculture
Greenbrier river- most algae affected in WV.
20 miles of cave Cove Creek to Scott entrance. Put in culvert to stop entrance repeatedly reclosing.
Site survey, bio assessment etc
Sink holes full of trash etc. 
Technical entrance at cove creek and 60 ft waterfall in cave so did not include inaccessible spots but went downstream from them.
Pictures of land slides, erosion, new sink holes and swamps formed
4 categories of streams for supporting life. Cover, sediment, etc play into score. Established baseline and study will continue for several more years
Some seasonal variation too.
Shows signs of becoming less habitable and EPA standards show it should be scrutinized.
Study chemistry of water nitrates, oxygen, some exceeding nitrates standards, 2x appropriate level. Less nitrates in cave, but still too high. Also concerns for drinking.  turbidities.
Evidenced leaky septic and agriculture E. coli unacceptable for swimming or drinking
Quantify levels of disturbance for karst from various activities such as house groundbreaking
No coal mining in the county.
Impervious surfaces increased runoff. Karst disturbance Index.
Conservation efforts impact
Score of .62 moderately disturbed
Geospatial Aerial and sattelitte photos
Disturbed highly erodible soils. Urban fill too.  Sediment.
100 MHz antenna to find structural fractures etc. does not penetrate as far as cave that is known just below the sink. ~60 ft penetration
Worse water and less of it. Alkaline, nitrates etc worse
Universal soil loss study desired.
Started study in 2011. Runs as long as it is interesting and funded. 

Break 

Old BusinessNo update on canopy, lights are in hand
Pete told of web site w good canopy. Northern hydraulic
 
New BusinessHoliday party this weekend (More than a dozen confirmed)
Join the NSS!!
PO box $80 a year, only one piece of mail this year
 
Trip reportsWorleys. Surveyed 300 ft to end map with .5 miles of cave- muddy, wet, low and tight with a new short waterfall climb lead that did not go.  
Rowland's fun vertical, great contrast to the tight, low crawls of Worley's
Hancock 2,4, 8 bats in surveys each of last 3 years. Had found 50 dead when WNS first hit
Not known if fungus dormant, bats resistance or other, but counts do seem to be increasing slowly.

Photo trip. Rob, Jacob, Ken, Hilda, Mathew- Smokehole Cave at bat ranch
Good pictures, tried video at end of slip and slide section
 
Upcoming TripsCold sink Jan 12
Dave thinking of just doing cold sink and not organizing an end of year trip

Meeting Ended at 8:58
 Group went to a local watering hole to eat as if Thanksgiving had never even happened.