They wrote this letter dated February 23, 1982. It says:
“Dear Colonel Connell: The National Park Service is initiating an interdisciplinary research and monitoring project for Crater Lake proper. This project has been given high priority by the National Park Service for this fiscal year. There is also a congressional bill which, if it becomes law, will require the National Park Service to conduct studies and implement management actions if necessary to assure that the waters are maintained in a pristine condition. At a recent meeting in Corvallis, scientists from the USGS, Army Corps of Engineers, Oregon State University and private research firms met with National Park Service managers and scientists to examine our current information base for Crater Lake and identify critical information needs. Dr. Doug Larson of your office was a key participant in these discussions because of his past and current research activity in Crater Lake. Dr. Larson’s work has been principally a volunteer effort on his part. As a result of this meeting it was decided that we must have professional lirnnological expertise to help us design and coordinate the monitoring program, provide quality control to the project and evaluate and report on the data. We estimate that about one-tenth of a man year is required for these tasks. We have informally discussed this subject with Dr. Larson to learn if he might have interest in assisting the National Park Service in an official capacity subject, of course, to your approval. He responded positively to this inquiry. Therefore, we’d like to know if the Corps of Engineers would permit Dr. Larson to assist us in this project. We are prepared to reimburse the Corps up to one-tenth man year salary and benefits for Dr. Larson, and for travel expenses,” blah, blah, blah. It goes on to describe what I would do. It says “We look forward to your reply and hope that you will respond favorably to this request which we hope will benefit your agency as well as ours. If you have any questions contact Jim Larson, Chief Biological Services.” Signed Daniel J. Tobin, Jr., Regional Director.
The Corps approved that but stipulated that I couldn’t work more than 10 percent of my time for the Park Service. I was a part-time employee of the Park Service beginning in the summer of 1982 and I stayed that way until October, 1984.
