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13 • Interorete' ions of Data ecent Cultural Indicators The recent debris of the drill hole locations is most probably associated xith coal mining activities and hunting in the North Fork of the Gunnison canyon. It is of no cultural significance, and though adverse impact is expected from drilling operations, no further attention is warranted. Likewise, the Hawk's Nest Mine area and the recent debris of the mining waste disposal area cannot be considered to require additional study. Prehistoric Remains Locality #1 is one of the Sew indications of aboriginal presence in the upper portions of the North Folic Valley. Previously recorded sites and isolated finds have been restricted to the wider portions of the valley to the southwest. It is of interest to note that lithic items are confined to a disturbed area, and may be eroding from formerly subsurface strata now exposed by the mad cut. his introduces the possibility that floodplain or neas~floodplain sites in this ~rtion of the canyon may be obscured as a result of sediment aggradation. There- fore, the paucity of cultural remains may reflect their subsurface positions rather than their true frequencies, although this irnestigator has heard of no instances of encountering such deposits during excavation in this portion of the canyon. Locality #1 is located on U.S. Steel property beyond pro3ect area boundaries and will not be impacted by proposed Western Slope Carbon activities. An isolated find such as the chert flake designated IF #1, discovered in the mining waste disposal area, can be interpretted only as an indication of limited aboriginal presence in the ir.~mediate area. It is likely that additional isolated artifacts occur throughout the region, and that more extensive remains would occur along the nearby permanent water sources. However, the possibility of different paleoenvi mnmental conditions, as well as the fact that the area is apparently sub- 3ect to aeolian deposition, indicate that subsurface deposits may exist. In light of this possibility, disturbe3 areas such as two track roads, the mad cut along the southeast margin of the pm~ect area, and an excavated mad block were examined for cultural evidence. No additional materials were discovered. ~ Collection of the isolated Sind has mitigated potentially adverse impact ~o the item. However, if subsurface materials exist in the area, impact to such