2016-01-14_REVISION - M1983194 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Abstract At the request of Natural Soda, Inc., (as represented by Daub & Associates, Inc.) and the White River Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM-WRFO), Grand River Institute conducted a Class III (intensive) cultural resource inventory of thirty-eight proposed drill sites and related access roads (~5.7 miles) within the Piceance Basin, on the ridges north of Ryan Gulch and east of Yellow Creek. The purposes of the inventory were to evaluate the cultural resources within the study units and to evaluate the effects of the proposed project on significant cultural resources. The project involved approximately 1232 acres of which 100 were previously inventoried. Thus, a total of 1132 acres (1114/BLM and 18/private) was inspected for cultural resources. A files search for known cultural resources in the project area was made online at the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (COMPASS) website, and through the BLM-WRFO on 19 March 2014. This review indicated that portions of the study area had been previously, recently inventoried. It also indicated that there were seven previously recorded cultural sites and 33 isolated finds (1 isolated alignment). The files search indicated that four paleontological localities have been recorded in the study area as well. Field work was conducted by a crews of four to six archaeologists between 24 March and 17 April 2014. As a result of the inventory, nine previously recorded cultural sites were revisited and reevaluated (5RB396, 5RB398, 5RB1885, 5RB5810, 5RB5842, 5RB5904, 5RB5919, 5RB5923 and 5RB5993). Importantly, a review of site 5RB5904 – originally classified as an open architectural site that lies on the border of the study area – indicated this site did not contain aboriginal wooden features and was reclassified as an isolated find. Previously recorded isolated find locations were revisited to affirm their characterization and inspect for additional artifacts and/or features that may be present. These inspections resulted in the reclassification of four of the isolated finds into the site category: 5RB1922, 5RB5502, 5RB5999 and 5RB6192. Also, previously recorded isolate 5RB5505 was relocated and because new UTM’s were calculated, a new form was provided. Three cultural sites (5RB8380, 5RB8381.1 and 5RB8382), three paleontological localities (5RB8384, 5RB8385 and 5RB8408), and six cultural isolates (5RB8383, 5RB8386 - 5RB8390) were newly recorded. Eight cultural sites were field evaluated as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and the three newly recorded paleontological localities were field evaluated as significant. Construction in the vicinity of two of the proposed drill hole locations should be monitored due to the proximity of eligible sites. In addition, monitoring is advised for road construction in the vicinity of site 5RB1885. A paleontology locality (5RB8408) occurs near another proposed pad location, and should be protected and preserved. ii