2023-07-24_PERMIT FILE - C1981019

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2023 Cultural Resource Site Assessments for Collom Expansion Project Colowyo Tetra Tech June 2023 16 For Official Use Only: Disclosure of Site Locations Prohibited (43 CFR 7.18) Tech as part of the Collom Mine Expansion Site Assessment project. The 2015 revisit found significant changes to the site, but the integrity was not impacted by the changes. In 2005, TRC revisited the site as part of the Collom Mine Expansion Class III Inventory project. The revisit report noted that the integrity of the site had changed very little since it was originally recorded. Each of the recorded historic era features was relocated and the historic and prehistoric artifact scatters were observed to be as they were reported in 1995. Minor condition changes included the door to the cabin (Feature 2) was wedged open and minor weathering had occurred on the exterior of the structures. In 2015, Tetra Tech revisited the site as part of the Collom Mine Expansion Site Assessment project. Features 1 and 3 appeared to be in similar condition as originally reported; however, the condition of Features 2, 4, and 5 had changed. The birdcage shown in 2005 site form photographs was not relocated. The electric pump housed inside Feature 4 appears to have been removed since 2005. Feature 5 could not be relocated during the revisit. Failure to relocate the feature was likely due to a lack of description of where the feature was originally recorded and dense ground cover. Two significant changes to the site were noted. A large bermed earthen cattle pond had been constructed at the southern end of the property southwest of the pump house (Feature 4). The pond does not directly impact any of the recorded features nor does it appear to have impacted the prehistoric and historic artifact scatters. A pit had been dug in the west-central part of the site at the entrance to the large field. Its function is unknown, but it has not directly impacted any of the recorded features nor does it appear to have impacted the prehistoric and historic artifact scatters. Neither of the prehistoric artifacts were located during the revisit. Failure to relocate the items is likely due to the tall, dense ground cover at the site during the revisit. New plastic signs with “Walk In Only” written in black Sharpie marker were located at the entrance to the homestead and may indicate that the area is visited by recreationalists on a semi-regular basis. In the south-central end of the site are several aspen tree carvings. The carvings say “2009”, “9 Sep 11”, “Hugo”, “Hector”, “Freddy”, “hermanos”, “Peru”, and “USA”. The carvings are likely from modern era camping during hunting season and not evidence of historic sheep herder activities. In 2019, Tetra Tech revisited the site as part of the second round of assessments. Features 1, 2, and 3 appeared to be in the same condition as during the 2015 revisit; however, the condition of Feature 4 had changed. Feature 4 had collapsed, likely from natural degradation of the building. Like 2015, Feature 5 could not be relocated in 2019. The condition of the aspen carvings remained the same. The stock pond, berm, and pit noted during the 2015 revisit could not be relocated because of the tall, dense vegetation covering the site. The prehistoric and historic artifact scatters were not relocated due to the dense vegetation. The site has been closed to all recreation except for permitted hunting since sometime after the 2015 revisit. The site had not been impacted by mining activities. In 2023, Tetra Tech revisited the site as part of the third round of assessments (Figure 10). The site was found to be in the same condition as documented in 2019. The spring run-off was causing flooding through the middle of the site (Figure 11). At the time of the visit, the flooding was not impacting any of the site features; therefore, was not causing a significant impact to the site. The site has not been impacted by mining activities. Tetra Tech recommends that mining activities continue to avoid the site until further assessment is completed to fully evaluated the site’s NRHP eligibility.