PROJ00221

• Contract/PO #: FS0017X
• Contractor Name: Ouray, City of
• Contract Type: Loan
• Water District: 0
• County: Ouray
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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Colorado Cultural Resource Survey
Historical Archaeology Component Form
(page 1 of 4)

Use this form in conjunction with the Management Data Form. This form should be completed for
each historical site with archaeological potential.

1. State Site Number: 50R1079

2. Temporary Number: JH.OR.}

Does this form pertain to the site in general? Yes I2J No 0 or
a particular feature/structure (please note feature/structure number)

3. Site/Feature Type: Stream bank reinforcement

4. General SitelFeature Description: Site 50R1079 is a stream bank reinforcement structure.
known locally as the Upper Skyrocket 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 structuro is constructed of boulders and grovel and the upper
portion is constructed of four 8 to 12-inch-diameter spruce logs. The uppormost of theso 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
spikos ore in evidonce in the upper logs and somo wire rope is anchored to bedrock. Neither of these
appoar 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 boen washed to the east side of the original stream bed. It consists of several
sections of 5 to 1O.foot.long sections of 12 to 14.inch.wameter spruce logs that were wired together.
Those log sections apparently stood on end llCrosS the creek bod and were hold 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 nooding event or more recently.

5. Historic Component date(s) and/or sociopolitical period: 1929-present

Justification: Historic information indicates that the dam was constructed in 1929

6. Component Function(s)

Original Use: Stream bank reinforcement

Present Use: Stream bank reinforcement

Comments:

7. Ethnic affiliation of occupants: Euroamerican

Justification: Historical records