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I' II I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 7.0 RESULTS 50RI079 Site 50RI079 is a stream bank reinforcement structure, known locally as the Upper Sky- rocket Diversion Dam, blocking the original route of Skyrocket Creek along the south edge of the drainage immediately upstream of a manmade cut that was made to enable the drainage to take a westward route to the Uncompahgre River. The original route of the creek turned abruptly south at the point of the stream bank reinforcement from a westerly course upstream. The cut through the bedrock formed an extension of the westerly course and enabled the drainage to pass directly past the original south deviation. The new cut through bedrock is 10 to 12 feet wide and 30 to 35 feet deep. The stream bank reinforcement structure blocks the former stream course with large native stone boulders at the bottom and large spruce logs at the top. The original drainage has a grade of about 30 degrees and is in a natural cut about 10 to 15 feet deep. At the structure, the cut is about 10 feet deep and 16 feet wide. The structure fills the former stream bed and ties into the banks on both sides. As such, it is about 20 feet wide across the top, 6 feet thick, and 9 feet high on the north side and 14 feet high on the south side. The lower portion of the structure is constructed of boulders and gravel and the upper portion is constructed of four 8 to 12-inch-diameter spruce logs. The up- permost of these logs has washed about 5 feet to the south and one of the lower logs is broken and slightly out of place. Some large bridge spikes are in evidence in the upper logs and some wire rope is anchored to bedrock. Neither of these appear to lend support to the reinforcement structure, but do seem to have been part of a support system for the remains of a log and chain link structure about 15 feet downstream in the original stream course. This second structure has been washed to the east side of the original stream bed. It consists of several sections of 5 to lO-foot-long sections of 12 to 14- inch-diameter spruce logs that were wired together. These log sections apparently stood on end across the creek bed and were held in place by wire rope anchored to bedrock with iron eyebolts. Wire cyclone fencing was apparently attached to the downstream side, probably to provide additional support. The materials used in the second structure's construction suggest that it may have been placed in the drainage after the 1951 flooding event or more recently. National Register Recommendation Site 50R1079 is not recommended as eligible for inclusion on the National Register of His- toric Places. The structure was constructed expediently out of local materials and served a simple function as a stream bank reinforcement preventing water from taking an undesired course. Al- though the diversion of a stream on a new course is somewhat of an unusual engineering feat, the diversion structure served merely to prevent water from flowing into the original stream course and is not of unusual design or construction. The structure was an important element of the overall stream diversion that took place, but is not a remarkable engineering feature and is in poor condi- tion. Management Recommendations It is believed that recordation has adequately documented 50R1079 and that no further documentary or historical work should be required prior to its replacement. 8.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Documentation of the Upper Skyrocket Diversion Dam (50R1079) was completed along Sky- rocket Creek just north of the town of Ouray. The structure is a stream bank reinforcement that prevents water from entering the original stream course of Skyrocket Creek, just above a manrnade cut that diverts the creek west of its original route. The structure is neither a diversion or a dam, but merely an expedient stone and log structure that prevents the escape of water from the stream's present route. Because it is a simple structure without engineering merit and is in poor condition, it 4