PERMFILE105797

• Permit No: X198716820
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 9/23/1987
• Doc Name: A CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY OF FOUR ALLUVIAL WELL LOCATIONS
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

Prehistoric site types in the region include lithic scatters
• and rock shelters. Historic sites include homesteads
and the remains of early roads and railroads. Grady's
(1980) study of the Piceance Basin demonstrated that seasonal
resource use by aboriginal peoples probably was tied to
the migration of the mule deer population from the lowlands
to the uplands. While Paleo-Indian sites are relatively
rare in the region, site 5RT139, in the Seneca II mine
area, revealed evidence of a Cody component (Hand 1980).
This site also had an Archaic component, radiocarbon dated
between 4480 and 3950 B.C. and a Formative stage component
radiocarbon dated to A.D. 820 (Tucker 1981). A Late Prehis-
toric point was recovered at site 5RT487 near the Seneca
II mine (Conner and Langlon 1985). Historic sites recorded
near the Seneca II mine were all related to ranching activities
(Wheeler 1980; Killam 1984).
The parcels inventoried by Powers for the current project
consisted of four 100 ft sq well pad locations and short
access roads 100 ft wide. In total about nine acres was
surveyed.
The objectives of this project were to locate, identify
and evaluate all of the cultural resources within the
parcels surveyed. This includes the proper recordation
of all sites, and their assignment, as possible, to specific
cultural periods and functional types. These sites were
to be interpreted within the context of what is known
~ about resources in the region from the RP3 contexts, evaluated
against the criteria for nomination to the National Register
of Historic Places (NRHP), according to 36 CFR Part 60.4.
If significant sites were found, then recommendations
for future work would be offered in this report.
Prehistoric sites were defined as a location where aboriginal
activities are revealed by three or more artifacts in
close proximity to each other (ca. 25 sq. m) or the presence
of a cultural feature. Historic sites were to be noted
as evidence of Euro-American activities including pieces
of three or more industrial items in close proximity to
each other, or a cultural feature or structure. Any location
where less than three items are found was to be recorded
as an isolated find.
Following the literature review and files search, the
project area was inspected. The field inventory consisted
of an intensive Class III type pedestrian survey of each
well and their associated access roads. Any cultural
materials encountered was to be properly recorded on Colorado
Historical Society site forms.
The inventory of the Seneca II mine permit area (Wheeler
• 1980), adjacent to the current project, resulted in the
recordation of only five sites and two isolated finds