NPS Publishes 2012 Acoustical Monitoring Report

In November, NPS researcher Davyd Betchkal published the Acoustic Monitoring Report for Denali National Park and Preserve for 2012. The report summarizes the measurements taken at automated sound stations placed at 11 locations around Denali in 2012, and may be downloaded at http://irmafiles.nps.gov/reference/holding/485326. This document is very important for understanding the extent of aircraft, snowmachine, and other noise in the Denali Wilderness and elsewhere in the backcountry, and for assessing whether the park’s Backcountry Management Plan standards are being achieved. If you are curious about noise in a particular location, this report may also provide that information. Nine summertime locations included Cathedral Mountain, McKinley River, the upper West Branch of the Toklat, Kichatna Mountains, and the toe of the Kanikula Glacier among others. Winter locations included Hines Creek and the Dunkle Hills. NPS also gathered baseline data at Bison Gulch to be compared to conditions after the start-up of the Healy 2 power plant.