Beginning Monday, August 12th, the Lower Tyler Bend River Access will be closed to facilitate the renovation process. The Upper Access will remain open. The Tyler Bend Campground will also remain open.
Newton County Road 5, also known as Cave Mountain Road, will be closed Mondays - Thursdays from 8am - 4pm for road improvements. The road will be open Fridays - Sundays to all traffic.
A scientist uses monitoring equipment in a tributary of the Buffalo River.
NPS/M. Perez
Across the National Park Service, scientific research informs park planning and management decisions. Our Resource Stewardship & Science team at Buffalo National River works with partner agencies, organizations, and institutions of higher learning to conduct research on a number of topics that pertain to the National Park Service's mission of "...[preserving] unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations."
For more information about ongoing research at Buffalo National River, explore the links and articles below:
Using Buffalo National River as a living laboratory, we can learn a lot about the natural world and its processes. These articles highlight the research and scientific endeavors that are happening now at Buffalo National River.
Over the past 3 decades, volunteers and partners have quadrupled the number of known caves at Buffalo National River. Through mapping and biological inventory surveys, members of the Cave Research Foundation have helped the National Park Service better understand the underground resources and how to manage them.
Fecal contamination is a water quality concern that influences public use in rivers, lakes, and other waterways. Buffalo National River supports approximately 1.5 million visitors each year and has specific systems to mitigate waste risks and prevent visitors from contracting water-borne illnesses.
Algae is a natural part of any aquatic environment. Though it often makes swimmers, anglers, and paddlers go, “Ick!,” algae performs important ecological services like oxygen production and nutrient cycling. It also provides food and habitat for a host of organisms. Factors like air/water temperature, sunlight, nutrients, foraging pressure, and rainfall amounts can lead to algal growth.
Spending years underwater eating insects and even small fish, dragonfly larvae (very young dragonflies) are high on the aquatic food chain. Each time a predator eats prey with mercury inside, that toxin builds up in the predator’s body. The build up of mercury in dragonfly larvae gives researchers an understanding of air and water quality.
Continued water pollution and habitat changes have caused mussels to become one of the most rapidly declining animal groups in the United States. Healthy and diverse mussel populations indicate good water quality and ecosystem health. When mussel populations are in decline, this can indicate potential ecological concerns for other fish and wildlife, and even people.
Research suggests that climate change will likely affect the abundance of smallmouth bass in the Buffalo River. With the southern United States projected to warm by 5 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050, the suitable habitat range for smallmouth bass could shift and/or shrink as a result.
