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• for the surface mine, or in some instances, for the P3 haul road. In a few locations in Cow Canyon, survey simply "filled in" some gaps in covered territory between the surface mine survey area and the P3 haul road and P3 portal block survey areas. The water line and P3 portal power line in Cow Canyon were covered as a corridor that extended from a point 200 feet northwest of the power line centerline, to a point 200 feet southeast of Cow Canyon Creek. The water line is proposed to be laid along the creek. Surface inventory was halted at the mouth of Cow Canyon, and did not continue across the valley floor of the Purgatoire River, due to complete lack of surface visibility. The power line corridor was inspected by reconnaissance means for evidence of surface features and above-ground structures. An open trench inspection is recommended for the water line to compensate for the lack of surface visibility. The power line for the load out was also covered only at the reconnaissance level. The P3 haul road realignment, and the rail spur, were covered as 400-foot-wide corridors centered on the mapped centerline. The northern part of the rail spur corridor is located on the valley floor of the Purgatoire River, and visibility here was very limited. Because several artifacts were observed, found primarily in rodent backdirt piles, auger probing was used to supplement the surface inventory for the purposes of site discovery and to further investigate the possible source of materials observed on the surface. Test Excavations • Test excavations were undertaken at a number of locations and for several purposes. Most of the testing was directed toward site evaluation and the methodology is discussed in McKibbin et al. (1997). However, some testing was focused on an area of the load out where testing in 1996 had produced a single positive probe in an area with very poor surface visibility. This was accomplished using the Giddings trailer-mounted soil coring rig with a 10" auger. Other testing, as noted above, was conducted along the northem part of the rail spur in areas of poor visibility, partly for site discovery and partly to further evaluate materials that were present on the surface. This testing was completed using a skid steer loader-mounted 10" auger. National Register Evaluations Evaluating sites for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places is critical to their further management. Sites are recommended to be either not eligible or eligible for the National Register, or are considered unevaluated and more data is required to make a recommendation. Sites that retain sufficient essential integrity (integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association, as applicable) are then evaluated against the National Register criteria for evaluation (36 CFR §60.4). Criterion d is usually applied to prehistoric resources. There are several historic sites within the project area, and criteria a, b, and c may be applicable to those, as well as criterion d. Most prehistoric sites have, up to this point, been evaluated based on the potential for additional materials in datable and intact contexts. However, as work at the project area continued, . the appropriateness of defining a district or rural historic landscape became more apparent.