Promoting exchange and joint exploration, mapping, and study of the caves and karst of both China and the U.S. Four expeditions to date to China's Guizhou Province have mapped more than 25 caves and three significant systems, and established a dose working relationship with cavers at Guizhou Teacher's College. Chinese cavers and scientists have made return visits to the U.S. sponsored by the Project. Further expeditions to China are planned for 1999. Project Director: Ion Baren, PO Box 541, Katonah, New York 10536-0541; chinacave@aol.com

A paleontological study continues with field collecting by the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia y Histaria (INAH). A project goal is to document the rapidly changing faunal communities of the Late Pleistocene on the southern margins of the Southern Plains. Several reports describing analysis of cave sediments and paleodimatic implications were submitted to the NSS, a general report published in the NSS News, and results to date published in peer reviewed publications. the Cueva San Josecito NSS Project is still active. Currently, we are finalizing a manuscript on an aspect of bone taphonomy in the cave that we will be submitting to the JOURNAL OF CAVE AND KARST STUDIES for their consideration. Project directors: Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales, INAH Moneda 16, Col. Centro 06060 Mexico, D.E, and Eileen Johnson, Museum of Texas Tech University, Box 43191, Lubbock, TX 79409-3191;  mxegj@TTACS.TTU.EDU.

The project's primary objectives are to survey and study the caves and hydrology in an area of Wayne County, Kentucky. The area is still being defined but has at least 36 square miles of drainage with only seasonal surface streams. Landowner relations drive the tempo of this project with top priority given to securing good long-term relations. Project Director. Bill Thoman, 4905 Ralph Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45238; speleo@juno.com.

French Creek Project

The Project's goals are to perform an accurate survey and produce a detailed map of the Fern Cave system in northern Alabama with support for concurrent scientific and conservation programs. We have high standards for mapping and the project will take many years. The Fem Cave system contains a variety of passage types over a vertical range greater than 500 feet, punctuated by numerous pits. The Fem Cave Project is a membership organization, but any NSS member is welcome on survey trips. Project director: Steve Pitts, 6309 Davies Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35806. Phone: (256) 890-0666.

February 2000 saw the Gunung Buda project at the height of activity as 25 American cavers returned to Gunung Buda in Sarawak, Malaysia on the island of Borneo for a third cave exploration and science expedition. The expedition was 3 years in the planning and includes an internet education project (http://www.northcoast.com/~rchilds), and research on local bats, cave invertebrates, cave protozoa and cave sediment dating. The expedition will continue until March 10, 2000. To date more than 24 kilometers of cave passage has been surveyed, and a significant connection between Babylon and Disappointment caves was discovered. We hope for a great deal more survey and more important connections at Gunung Buda in 2000. The projects overall goal is the creation of a Malaysian National Park surrounding and protecting Gunung Buda. A great deal of progress on this has been made. Final park boundaries and development plans as part of the Eight Malaysia plan are being considered by the Government at this time. We hope for final park approval by the end of 2000. The project organizer is Joel Despain: HCR 89 Box 211, Three Rivers, CA 93271; joel_despain@hotmail.com.

Exploration, mapping, and study of the gypsum karst and caves of south central New Mexico. Participation is primarily from the Southwestern Region, although others are encouraged to attend any of the five weekend trips that are run each year to the area. As this is predominantly private land, maintaining excellent landowner relations continues to be a serious concern. Over 150,000 feet of passages have been mapped in the 10 years of the project's existence. Several caves have over 2 miles of mapped passage and one is over 400 feet deep. Project Directors: Chris and Joli Lee, 1405 St. Francis Dr., Tularosa, NM 88352; jdeeC~azoo.com.

Mapping and resource inventories of lava tubes and other caves in the state of Hawaii were continued. They surveyed about fifteen miles of lava tubes, published two issues of a Newsletter, and one report to the State Office of Historic Preservation. Bill Halliday continues to maintain the paper files at the Lyman Museum in Hilo, HI, and will need another file cabinet this year. Don Coons and Hazel Medville maintain electronic backups of survey data and an electronic bibliography on Hawaii caves. They are working with state and federal agencies and large landowners to provide data on resources owned by those entities and hope to work with Hawaiian family groups in protecting their cultural histories found in lava tubes. They intend to seek closer contact with other researchers working in Hawaii through exchange of data and subscriptions to our Newsletter. The new Executive Committee is as follows: Chairman: Pat Kambesis, 3473 Regalwoods Dr., Doraville, GA 30340; Vice Chairman: Olé Fulks, HC-1, BOX 5664, Kea'au, HI 96749; Secretary: William R. Halliday, 6530 Cornwall Ct., Nashville, TN 37205; Other members: Hazel Medville, 11762 Indian Ridge Rd., Reston, VA 22091; Stephen M. Smith, 1212 Hollow Tree Court, Charlotte, NC 28226.

Exploration of Sistema Huautla in Oaxaca, Mexico continues in an effort to document the cave as the deepest in the world.  In 2000 a visit was made to the area  by project principals with the objectives of gaining access to possible higher entrances, and to renew contacts with local authorities.

The depth of Sistema Huautla is -1475 meters, deepest in the Americas and one of the ten deepest known caves in the world. Sistema Huautla has the most deep routes of any of the world's deepest caves.   A dye trace has given a known depth potential of 1700 meters, nearly 100 meters deeper than the current world record holder.  Future expeditions will target both the resurgence and Sump 9 (the point of deepest penetration in the main system), as well as other nearby caves.  Project directors: Bill Steele, 724 Crestland Dr., Bartlesville, OK 74006-8831; Bill Stone, 18912 Glendower Rd., Gaithersburg, MD 20879; and Jim Smith, 5947 Farmbrook Lane, Rex, GA 30723.

Preparation of a computerized index to available cave passage descriptions to be made available to the NSS. So far the database includes more than 24,000 records from 67 titles. It is compiled under Lotus Approach. Included in the index are three code categories and eleven subcategories rating the descriptive quality of text, maps and photographs. Another code category and two subcategories rate the quality of directions to the cave. This database does not include actual cave descriptions. Project director: Alan Parker, P.O. Box 2523, Madison, MS 39130; aparker@netdoor.com.

Isla de Mona Project

The project goals are to document the extensive caves of this small island off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Contact person; Marc Ohms  marc_ohms@nps.gov

Goals of the project are the study and protection of Native American burial caves in Virginia. The inventory and mapping of the sites continues. A monor emphasis of the project is to educate cave owners and cavers about the importance of these protected resources. Work with law enforcement agendas and concerned state and federal agencies continues and includes documentation of the ongoing destruction of these significant sites. Project director: David Hubbard, 40 Woodioke Dr., Charlottesville, VA 22901; dhubbard@geology.state.va.us.

The project's primary objective is to survey the caves in the firm ice on the summit of Mt. Rainier, Washington, which have formed from venting of volcanic gasses near the summit of the mountain. Once accomplished, comparisons can be mode with the earlier (1970s) surveys. Stations will be established within the caves where possible and environmental data can be collected, in order to better understand firm cave passage dynamics. Project director: William K. Klimack, 3805 Furman Smith Rd., Apt. A, Columbia SC 29206-5336; bklimack@aol.com.

NEST is a 60 member group made up of sump divers and dedicated support personnel. The team conducts original exploration and scientific research in caves located primarily in Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. NEST surveys and further documents these sites through the use of still and video techniques as well as engaging in biological surveys and water sampling. The team is available to provide support to scientific researchers in the region who can benefit from NESTs ability to access these unique environments. NEST is also available to support NCRC in situations involving flooded passage and beyond-sump rescues. Team Direction Joseph Koffl; SUMP-DIVER@msn.com; (410) 515-2202.

Exploration and Survey of the Organ Cave System with studies of its geology paleontology and hydrology. The Organ Cave System project continues to respond to request for information and encourages further work in the cave. Currently the project is converting its survey data field notes to electronic form (.pdf files) and storing the data in DVD format to make it more accessible.

The WVASS "Caves of the Organ Cave Plateau" book inventory is running out. The project is considering making sections of it available in electronic form to a focused group. Project directors: Ray Cole, 3410 Austin Ct, Alexandria, VA 22310-3102; cole@itd.nrl.navy.mil; and Paul Stevens, 44082 Natalie Terrace, #101, Ashburn, VA; paulstevens@erols.com.

Exploration and survey of one of the deepest cave systems in the Western Hemisphere, located in the Sierra Juarez of Oaxaca, Mexico. As of 1999, Cueva Cheve is 24.3 kilometers long and 1,386 meters deep with a depth potential of over 2500 meters. The project also includes a systematic investigation of the geology and hydrology of the various caves in the area, including Cueva Charco. Project coordinator: Matt Oliphant, 4105 Lowell Ave, La Crescenta CA 91214-2356; bf821@lafn.org.

The State of Quintana Roo is on the East (Caribbean) Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Among the numerous cave systems this area presently hosts, are the three largest, surveyed, underwater caves in the world: Nohoch Nah Chich, Dos Ojos and Ox Bel Ha. In the past, the Quintana Roo Speleological Survey (QRSS) was responsible for archiving the survey data for the underwater caves of Quintana Roo. This was to ensure the data, that was difficult and often dangerous to obtain, would not be lost when computers crashed, original data was lost or divers left the area. The QRSS was also a group of dedicated cave divers who generated some of the most detailed and accurate maps of underwater caves that have ever been produced.

The aim is to re-establish the QRSS in it's original position at the forefront of underwater mapping, while taking advantage of the talent pool of an increasing cave diving population within the NSS.

It is our goal to establish a comprehensive archive of survey for the Quintana Roo region (as defined by the boarders of the State - see enclosed map), while at the same time being sympathetic to the needs and concerns of the cave divers exploring this region. The data here is extremely valuable to both present and future generations, as the encroachment of development threatens to destroy the unique underwater cave environment of the area. Project Coordinators: Hazel Barton, Dept Of Surgery, C320 Uchsc 4200 E. 9^th Ave., Denver, CO. 80220-3706; Hazel.Barton@UCHSC.edu; Jim Coke, Dan Lins, Gary Walten.

A systematic study of the caves and groundwater beneath and in the vicinity of Toohey Ridge, Kentucky. Currently more than 72 miles have been surveyed by associates of the Central Kentucky Karst Coalition. Work in Roppel Cave has been instrumental in understanding the complexities of local groundwater flow patterns. Project director. James Borden, 7 Morton Rood, New Paltz, NY 12561; jimborden@attglobal.net.

Exploration, mopping, and scientific study of Scott Hollow Cave in Monroe County, West Virginia, including cave-diving camps, 9eology, dye tracing, and biological studies. The cave is approaching 20 miles of mapped length. Project director. Michael Dore, PO Box 7, Sinks Grove, WV 24976; mike@wildcaving.com.

Dedicated to the exploration, survey, study, and conservation of the caves of Southeast Alaska. Besides containing several of the deepest pits in the United States, this area comprises a unique karst ecosystem capped with ancient temperate rainforests. Over 60% of the forest has already been harvested over karst, where larger trees occur. Caves beneath this forest are providing exciting paleontological, archaeological, and ecological discoveries. This work is contributing to new insights and theories as to the early human migration routes and ice sheet coverage during past ice ages. TCP members are investigating interactions between bats, caves and the old-growth forest, and determining dissolution rates of limestone in old-growth forest and clear-cut areas. Last year three different expeditions were held in SE Alaska, with participants from across the US and Japan. As well as these main expeditions there are ongoing pushes into known caves by locals. The support that TCP has received from the Forest Service for the past 12 years seems to be drying up. As a result TCP directors have been looking to acquire grants from foundations interested in environmental conservation. Much karst inventory work is needed still. The Forest Service has continuing plans to log thousands of acres of karst on the Tongass, with Kosciusko Island, Tuxekan Island and Chichagof Island being the critical areas now. Tongass Cave Project members will continue to work in these areas finding and documenting caves, and reminding the land managers that they must work within the confines of the Federal Caves Resources Protection Act. Project directors: Kevin Allred, PO Box 376, Haines, AK 99827, carleneallred@hotmail.com; Steve Lewis, 4300 University Apt A5, Juneau, AK 99835, (907) 747-7471, tsswl@uas.alaska.edu; Pete Smith, Box WWP, Ketchikan, AK 99950, (907) 846-5223, waleswood@aol.com.

It’s been ten years since the Williams Canyon Project was chartered with the National Speleological Society and 18 years since cavers first began working with the commercially operated Cave of the Winds. In 1999, project members continued the exploration, survey and scientific study of the more than 70 caves of Williams Canyon north of Manitou Springs. In recent years, exploration and survey efforts have concentrated on Narrows Cave, a mile long cave in the lower canyon that originally had only seven feet of passage. Cavers have discovered multiple levels to Narrows, a complex cave that someday might link the Cave of the Winds with Manitou Cave. Project members also assisted with continuing conservation efforts in canyon caves, including Breezeway, Huccacove and Cave of the Winds. In addition to taping visitor trails and cleaning muddy flowstone, cavers have repaired broken formations using innovative new techniques. Efforts are also underway to replace several environmental gates in the Cave of the Winds originally installed in the 1980's, including the gate leading to the famous Silent Splendor. Surveyors also spent time in 1999 with a laser theodolite survey that will eventually link all major caves in the canyon together on a common grid. For 2000, project members plan to release a published retrospective of the project’s history, including historic articles and photographs dating back to the 1880's beginnings of cave exploration in the canyon. Project coordinator: Richard Rhinehart, 1718 Lorraine Street #B2, Colorado Springs CO 80906, 719-447-8822. E-mail: rrhineh1@ix.netcom.com.

The 100 plus member WKPP explores cave in the Woodville Karst Plain. Currently the team has surveyed 108,000 feet of underwater passage in the Leon Sinks Cave System, making it the longest underwater cave in the United States. In 1999, a swim-through was done in the connection made between Big Dismal Cave System and Leon Sinks, and the resulting traverse was a new world's record at 14,000 feet. In 1998, the team added another 20,000 feet of passage to the Wakulla Springs Cave and pushed one passage out 18,065 feet in 300 feet of water, a new worlds distance record, breaking the team's own records. The WKPP continues to explore these systems when the weather allows. All problems have long ago been solved other than rainfall. We are also making TV documentaries designed to highlight these resources, and have formed a nonprofit organization called Global Underwater Explorers designed to teach what we do to others. That organization is headed by Jarrod Jablonski, also a Director of the WKPP. Project director: George M. Irvine III, 1400 SE 11 St., Ft Lauderdale , Fl 33316, kirvine@safari.net or email trey@netdor.com. Training Director: Jarrod Jablonski, Project Coordinator: Casey McKinlay.

TSS is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the management of Texas cave data in support of research, exploration, education, and conservation. Its office is housed at The University of Texas at Austin, which supports TSS through the Texas Memorial Museum. During the past year, TSS established an agreement with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the owner of nearly 500 Texas caves, to curate their cave data. TSS has two publication series. TSS Bulletins are reports on caves and karst regions in Texas, include updated reprints of past publications, and TSS Monographs are for major works on Texas karst, including reformatted and quality-printed dissertations and theses. A regular column in the Texas Speleological Association's newsletter, an active Internet web site, office data-cataloguing work sessions, and an annual technical workshop are all ways that TSS is supporting and encouraging Texas caving, while generating more information for its database. For more information, contact TSS at: PRC 176/R4000, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1100, 512-475-8802, http://www.utexas.edu/depts/tnhc/.www/tss.