July 10
Miss Wright learns that 4 out of 10 water samples show evidence of sewage contamination. This evidence she feel is sufficient, in her opinion, to close the Park.
Ryan Gilmore, food service manager, following a food service inspection by Drs. Koplan and Rosenberg, decides to close the Lodge dining room tomorrow to consolidate employees who can still work in the cafeteria.
The YCC staff decides to close camp on July 12.
Dr. Koplan is still concerned that the transmission method is unknown, but feels there is “insufficient evidence” to close the park. Dr. Googins, disturbed about the indecision, calls Dr. Conrad, Dr. Koplan’s supervisor in Atlanta. Dr. Conrad concurs with Dr. Koplan that there is not sufficient evidence supporting a closure of the Park. After several more calls, the director of the CDC is contacted in Atlanta and the local doctors are told, “Let’s consider this overnight and we’ll give you a call on July 11.” Several of the doctors now feel that the method of illness transmission is “person-to-person” contact.
Dr. Barns digs through the snow pack to find the chlorine line at Munson Springs and finds that the chlorinator’s position and lack of mixing, allows the water in the Headquarters line to bypass the chlorinator completely. Another chlorinator is installed on the Headquarters line. Barns then digs through the snow to take samples in the Headquarter’s reservoir.
At 7:30 p.m. Jeff Adams discovers an area directly below the Lodge where the snow has fallen in and discovers an overflowing manhole on the sewer line leading directly from the Lodge. The exposed ground is covered with sewage, solid waste and toilet paper.
At 8:10 p.m., fluorescein dye is placed in the manhole above the overflow. Green dye appears at the plugged manhole within a few minutes. Forty minutes later the dye appears at Munson Springs. Barns crawls into the collection caisson at the springs and finds evidence of dye coming in from the collection pipes. Titus, Barns and Dr. Koplan pry the cover off of the collection caisson and discover solid sewer waste floating in the cement box.
Titus and Barnes walk the watershed between Munson Spring and the Lodge, checking all holes in the snow. Solid human waste and paper are visible. The odor of human waste is very evident.
At 10 p.m. a flat 6-inch rock is removed from the sewer line. Superintendent Sims is notified and Park rangers start a massive house-to-house operation to warn residents to stop using any water immediately. When Dr. Rosenberg was asked by dispatcher ranger, Larry Smith, why the residents couldn’t just continue boiling the water the doctor answered rather agitatedly, “You can’t boil out Human Feces” Memos follow. All Park residents are notified by midnight.
Drs. Koplan and Rosenberg recommend gamma globulin shots as precaution against hepatitis by all who visited Crater Lake. The doctors recommend the closing of the Park.
July 11
General Superintendent Ernie Borgman is contacted at 12:30 by Superintendent Sims. After talking with Peyton and other health specialists, the decision is made to close the Park. More dye is placed in the sewer line and it soon appears in the Munson Valley sewer lagoon. Lime and chlorine are spread on the raw sewage around the overflowing manhole.
At 8:15 a.m. the Park is closed to the public with all entrances being manned on a 24-hour basis. This becomes the first closure of a major National Park in the history of the NPS.
By noon a National Guard helicopter arrives with medical supplies so that Public Health people can begin administering gamma globulin shots.
120 Crater Lake Lodge employees and about 50 Park Service employees are temporarily furloughed, some with full pay.
TV news crews from ABC, CBS, and NBC arrive in the Park, some by helicopter, to cover the breaking story of the Park’s closure.
July 12
All available Park staff are assembled at Headquarters to begin a massive mailout to all Park Visitors who had spent at least one night in the Park warning them of the water problem and suggesting that they seek medical attention. No addresses exist for the hundreds of visitors who had camped at Mazama and the Rim Campgrounds. It was interesting to find that many of the Lodge visitors had used fictitious or nonexistent addresses.
July 13
The North Entrance is chained and closed to all travel. Numerous cases of illegal entries are reported during the three-week closure.
July 17
Water lines are flushed with a high concentration of chlorine. With all the reservoirs drained, the Park is left without fire protection.
July 24
Theft of 40 year-old “Wizard Island” sign with the old style raised lettering. The “Vidae Falls” sign is the only old style sign still remaining on display in the Park.
July 31
Helicopter search of the Park looking for a missing blue Cessna 182 that went down on February 26 with three persons on board. The overflights hope also to find clues of Charles McCuller, missing for the past 6 months. Negative results.
