Search

On December 15, 2000, Entranco was authorized by Salt River Project (SRP) to conduct a Class I Inventory of an approximately 9.61-mile-long, variable width corridor from the Thunderstone Receiving Station to the Verde Substation in Maricopa County, Arizona. The project area includes Bureau of Indian Affairs right-of-way across the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Reclamation, operated and managed by the Central Arizona Project and SRP. This research is undertaken as part of the proposed SRP Thunderstone to Verde 69 kV Rebuild project. The purpose of the Class I Inventory is to identify all previously recorded cultural resources and cultural resource projects that have occurred within the project area and its immediate vicinity. Cultural resources within these areas could be subject to direct or indirect adverse effects from activities associated with the SRP Thunderstone to Verde 69 kV Rebuild project. For purposes of this study, cultural resources are prehistoric or historic archaeological sites or objects, and potentially significant historic buildings or structures. An evaluation of Traditional Cultural Properties was not included in this inventory. The SRP scope of work includes the installation of a new conductor for the existing 69 kV line, removing and replacing overhead static wires, and the replacement of any poles necessary to accommodate the installation of a new conductor and overhead ground wires. All project work will be conducted within the existing SRP right-of-way, which varies in width from 30 feet (ft.) to 70 ft. The content and level of detail appropriate for this Class I Inventory report was discussed with Mr. Richard Anduze of SRP prior to report preparation. Because the primary objective is to facilitate planning for a 69 kV upgrade of an existing line, it was agreed that the best approach would be to inventory existing data sources and report the locations of previously identified sites and surveys in relation to the project corridor. This method provides the essential information concisely and expeditiously, but does not include a broad overview of the environmental or cultural setting, or any synthesis of the cultural resource data into research-oriented conclusions. Thus, the report is considered only a partial Class I inventory, but it includes all information necessary for the immediate planning-related purposes. Because the project extends across federal land, this report was written to conform to federal guidelines. This is a revised report. more...

Archaeological Consulting Services, Ltd. (ACS) monitored the excavation of an 11.73 mi (18.88 km) long trench for the El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) pipeline in the cities of Mesa, Tempe, and Chandler. Archaeological monitoring was recommended because of the likelihood of crosscutting prehistoric irrigation canals and the close proximity of Alta Vista, a prehistoric Hohokam habitation site (AZ U:9:48 (ASM)). The monitoring was conducted in order to document these cultural resources when they became exposed in the pipeline trench. A total of seven canals and six subsurface features were revealed in the pipeline trench. Two additional canals were identified in a sewer trench that was open at the time of the EPNG monitoring and that abutted the EPNG line. The file includes a copies of Linda Scott Cumming's Pollen Analysis of Three Canals on the El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) Project and Manuel R. Palacios-Fest's Report on Nonmarine Ostracodes from El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) Project, Tempe, Arizona, as appendices. more...

In late August, 1988, Archaeological Research Services, Inc. performed a cultural resources survey of an approximately 4700 ft long by 67 ft wide (7.23 acres) corridor of highway easement along the northwest side of State Route 87 (between Center Street and Mesa Drive) for the Arizona Department of Transportation. This study area is located north of Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona on lands of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. Six prehistoric archaeological sites were observed and recorded during the course of this project (four previously recorded, and two newly recorded). It has been concluded that all six sites are eligible or potentially eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. It has been recommended that these sites be avoided by restricting all construction activities to areas specified in this report. If construction activities cannot be so restricted, it has been advised that an archaeological testing program be undertaken to determine the presence/absence of sub-surface cultural resources. Provisional archaeological clearance has been recommended for the proposed highway improvement project contingent upon the sponsor's agreement to implement site avoidance procedures. more...

During the months of April and May, 1976, Salt River Project requested that the Museum of Northern Arizona inspect a number of test pit and bore hole locations along the proposed Coronado Generating Station Coal Haul Railroad. Proposed test locations were examined along three alternative alignments, Realignment 1, Realignment 2, and the Western Alignment. A total of 19 archaeological sites were found during these investigations. Based on the data collected during this time, numerical evaluations of archaeological sensitivity along each of the alternative alignments have been prepared. more...

At the request of Salt River Project, the Museum of Northern Arizona conducted an archaeological survey of a proposed 500kV transmission line between the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (near Wintersburg, Arizona) and the Kyrene Substation (near Tempe, Arizona). During survey of the 73.3 mi right-of-way, evidences of historic and prehistoric activity were recorded at 10 sites and 43 loci of isolated artifacts or features. With few exceptions, all identified remains could be assigned to the Hohokam culture. The Museum recommends, where feasible, that all cultural remains be avoided. In instances where sites or portions of sites cannot be avoided specific mitigation recommendations are presented. This file includes related correspondence. more...

At the request of the Salt River Project, the Museum of Northern Arizona has conducted an intensive survey of the proposed Coronado Generating Station Coal Haul Railroad right-of-way. A total of 55 sites was recorded by the survey, 47 of them located at least partly within the right-of-way. Recommendations concerning each of these sites have been prepared. A cost estimate for additional archaeological investigations, which are recommended in the event of direct impact from the proposed railroad construction, is included in this report. A proposal outlining the goals and strategies of such a program of study has also been prepared. This is a revised report of the original dated to 09/30/1976. more...

In the spring of 1970, the Museum of Northern Arizona contracted with Arizona Public Service Company to provide archaeological investigations for the Navajo Project 500kV Southern Transmission Lines from Page to Phoenix, Arizona. The right-of-way, 330 feet wide and approximately 256 miles long, crossed four major environmental zones - plateau, mountain, transition, and desert - and portions of five prehistoric culture areas. Eighty-eight sites were recorded along the line, 20 of which were excavated. The excavated sites included two Kayenta Anasazi sites located in the northern portion of the transect, four Cohonina sites in the Williams-Flagstaff vicinity, two others of Cohonina affiliation near Prescott, nine atop Perry Mesa in the central part of the state, and three of Hohokam-like appearance below Perry Mesa toward Phoenix. The research in all five geographical culture areas was directed toward defining the ecological relationships between prehistoric peoples and their environments. Of particular interest were the investigations in the Cohonina and Perry Mesa areas, and a vessel function study which aided in inferring site organization and economy in all the culture areas. As all the sites excavated were small, the vessel study substantially supplemented the conclusions regarding site function derived from other analyses. more...

In 1978, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) directed the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) to complete an intensive archaeological survey of the proposed alignment for the Salt-Gila Aqueduct, a feature of the Central Arizona Project. The survey area was 11,115 acres and included the 60 mile-long transmission line (with a typical width of 200 meters), three proposed utility line locations, one flood retention dike location, 11 possible spoil or realignment areas, and a subsidence well. Seventy archaeological sites were recorded during this survey. Following pedestrian survey, the MNA also conducted archaeological testing at selected sites to evaluate their eligibility for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The survey had two general goals: 1) to assess the significance of archaeological resources in the project area and to recommend ways of mitigating adverse impacts to them which might result from construction and 2) to generate and synthesize data that would significantly enhance scientific knowledge about the project area, specifically about the use of the area through time. This report addresses the second goal and synthesizes the survey data providing models of aboriginal utilization of riverine and nonriverine resource zones in the study area. The mitigation report that addresses the first goal can be found at tDAR ID 53593. more...

In September 1977, at the request of Salt River Project (SRP), an archaeological clearance investigation of three sub-ballast borrow areas along the SRP-Coronado Railroad Line, was conducted by the Museum of Northern Arizona. During the course of investigations 12 archaeological sites were recorded. A brief description of the investigations, the project area, and archaeological sitaution encountered is given. In addition, as a consequence of the preliminary results of the survey, archaeological clearance is recommended for selected portions of the proposed sub-ballast borrow areas identified by Salt River Project Resident Engineer Tony Rojas, and Railroad Archaeological Monitor Alan Dulaney. more...

The Museum of Northern Arizona investigated a proposed rail loading site and conveyor and communication line right-of-way to provide archaeological clearance for the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District. The reconnaissance was performed by Alexander J. Lindsay, Jr., Curator of Anthropology, and Peter J. Pilles, Jr., Salvage Archaeologist, on December 18 and 19, 1969. The rail loading site is located in the Klethla Valley adjacent to the Four Corners Pipeline, 0.8 miles west of the road to Navajo National Monument along U.S. Route 164. It encompasses 100 acres and measures 2,087 feet to a side. The conveyor and communication line right-of-way starts at the southeast, corner of the rail loading site, goes up the side and bench of Black Mesa, and ends on top of Black Mesa at the west line of lands leased from the Navajo Tribe by the Peabody Coal Company, 3.5 miles from the rail loading site. A total of seventeen sites were located inside or quite close to these proposed facilities. Ten are in the rail loading yard and seven are along the conveyor and communication line right-of-way. All were marked with red, white, and blue flagging tape with,the temporary site field number written on the white flagging tape. more...

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) directed the Arizona State Museum to conduct a cultural resources survey of the Salt-Gila (Fannin-McFarland) Aqueduct as part of its environmental assessment of the impacts of the proposed Central Arizona Project. Twenty-two archaeological sites and two major areas of cultural activity were identified during the survey. Of these sites, 19 were recommended for further investigation and 5 were suggested for clearance (not eligible for the NRHP). The majority of the sites in the project area are prehistoric and are associated with the Hohokam archaeological culture. Only two historical-period sites were identified. The prehistoric sites were categorized according to site function as (1) long-term multiple activity sites, (2) short-term limited activity sites, (3) temporary activity sites, and (4) lithic activity sites. Long term multiple use sites are the largest in size and range from Colonial to Classic period (A.D. 500-1400) in age. The majority of the other sites also date to the Hohokam occupation, however, there were used for shorter periods of time. more...

The Musem of Northern Arizona developed a location analysis research design for Phase II archaeological investigations of the proposed transmission line corridor routes for the Arizona Nuclear Power Project. Through coupling this research design with a survey of sample archaeological units in the corridor areas, a projection of archaeological sensitivity was generated. This projection was based on a categorization of the total study area in terms of environmental-archaeological zones, and assigning an estimate of archaeological sensitivity to each. Variables for assigning point weighings to the different links and segments for the transmission line corridors resulted. Recommendations about corridor sensitivity are presented and special problem areas delineated. Exact point ratings for all corridors resulted. Recommendations about corridor sensitivity are presented and special problem areas delineated. Exact point ratings for all links and segments are attached as appendices to this report. more...