Environmental Factors

The most noticeable human caused environmental impact at Jewel Cave National Monument is the fire scar left over from the Jasper fire of 2000 which burned 90% of the surface of the monument.

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Stalactites are formed by water seeping through the rock and slowly depositing minerals as it drips down. The water that creates these formations originated on the surface as rain or runoff.

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It might seem that the cave is isolated from the surface world, and that our activities above the cave would have little or no effect on the cave below. However, that is not entirely true. Wherever moisture from rainfall or snow melt is able to seep underground, a connection is made between the surface and the cave.

Jewel Cave National Monument strives to maintain the natural water quality and quantity of water entering the cave, but the infrastructure that has provided opportunities for park visitors (the parking lot, visitor center, restrooms, administrative facilities, etc.) has in some cases changed the natural hydrology.

Developed areas cause runoff, which redirects water. Some areas of the cave may now be wetter than they were naturally, and others may be drier. Such changes in hydrologic patterns can have an effect on how and where speleothems (cave formations) will grow.

 

Fire is necessary for a ponderosa pine ecosystem, but with the introduction of invasive plant species which thrive in recent burns native plant species may be out competed.

NPS Photo

Forested areas above Jewel Cave typically direct less water into the cave than open, grassy areas. This is because trees use more rainwater than grasses do. Fire can have a large impact on these forests, which in turn can impact the cave by allowing more water into the cave in the burned areas where trees may have died.

The fire opened up the meadows to native plants such as blanket flowers, purple coneflowers, and western wheatgrass. Unfortunately, the fire-disturbed land also encouraged the growth of exotic plants such as common mullein and Canada thistle