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Machine-read from the scan, so expect some errors. Lines that couldn’t be read are left out.
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CULTURAL RESOURCE SURVEY - SHORT REPORT Personnel: Donald Zerga Dates of Field Examination; August 6-8, 1980 Project: Archaeological reconnaissance of three pro and support facility locations in the Mid Valley Area of the Nevada Test Site. Map Reference: Mine Mountain Quadrangle, 7.5' Series Location: Project area lies in the Northwestern corner of NTS Area 14 in the vicinity of Mine Mountain 658,000'E to center of project area (see attached Survey Methods: The area subject to proposed direct impact totals .97 hectares (2.41 acres). The survey area was enlarged to include a peripheral area of possible indirect impact resulting from construction equipment movement, vehicle traffic and/or unsystem atic collection. This entire area was intensively surveyed employing systematic transects at 10 meter intervals. It should be noted, however, that the zone of indirect impact is extremely difficult to determine prior to construction. Area and Evnironmental Setting: The project area is located in the Northcentral portion of Mid Valley, Nye County, Nevada. Mid Valley is a small (5.3 mile N/S x 2.7 mile E/W) valley bordered by Shoshone Mountain to the West and Northwest, Mine Mountain to the East, and Lookout Peak to the South. The valley floor is composed of locally derived alluvium and colluvium. Numerous ephemeral drainages enter the valley from the East and West and empty into Barren Wash which drains Mid Valley to the South.
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Vegetation on the valley floor is characterized by an Artemisia-Coleogyne vegetation association. Sage sarothrae), and dense grasses (Bromus tectorum and B. rubens) predominate with some occurrances of hopsage (Grayia spinosa), Indian rice grass divaricata). Observed annuals include Locoweed Wildlife observed during the survey included numerous lizards and small birds. Since most of the mammals of the region are largely nocturnal they were evidenced only by their occasional carcasses and feces. Evidence of coyote, deer, rabbit and one cow was noted. Two archaeological sites were located and re corded within the direct-indirect impact zone of the proposed project area. Archaeological site 26NY1957, a small lithic site of low artifact density, was located in the vicinity of "I-VANS" (see Map 1). This site consists of predominately chalcedony and white-chert flakes with fewer flakes of tachylite, ob projectile point base. Flake density averages 3/2m over a total area of 750m . This site is not in danger of direct disturbance or destruction since it is well outside the area of direct impact and in a
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"protected" topographic setting. However, the site may be subject to indirect impact due to increased activity in this area (see attached map). Archaeological site 26NY1958 is an extensive lithic site (approximately 250 meters N/S x 150 meters E/W) located on a series of alluvial ridges immediately West of proposed location of the adminis culture is predominately tachylite and obsidian flakes flake density is 8 flakes per meter square with a maximum density of 15/lm . All stages of lithic reduction are represented including at least two bifacial tools and one projectile-point of the "Little Since this archaeological site (26NY1958) is adjacent to areas of direct impact the site bound aries were staked and flagged in order to avoid disturbance by construction equipment. Further, a map showing the archaeological site location was given to Mr. Larry Skousen to be distributed to key personnel to assure avoidance of the site (see Evaluation and statement of significance: individual site, does not meet the requirements for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. However, this site may yeild valuable information when considered in an area wide survey of settlement patterning and/or resource utilization. For this
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reason, 26NY1957 should be considered as potentially eligible for nomination to the National Register of Because final determination of site 26NY1957 eligibility rests with a knowledge of its' relation ships to other cultural resources in the area, impact to this site should be avoided until these relation ships are determined by an area wide survey. of prehistoric people of the Great Basin have long been a concern of archaeologists. The size of archaeological site 26NY1958 and the nature and variety of cultural material represented at the site indicate a "base camp" location from which pre historic people conducted their subsistence activ ities. Further the stages of tool manufacture present represents the potential to yield information on how these people made their tools. These factors, coupled with a potential for buried, in situ, cultural matarials qualifies 26NY1958 for considera tion for nomination to the National Register of Mitigation; Because archaeological sites 26NY1957 and 26NY1958 are considered significant resources they should be protected from adverse impact. The preferred action would be the complete avoidance of the sites by land disturbing activities in the area. If these sites cannot be avoided, then adverse impact could be mit igated by an adequate study of the sites prior to land disturbing activities. In this case, the mitigative proccedures must be approved by the State
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Historic Preservation Officer and the Presidents Council of Historic Preservation prior to conduc ting the studies. Prepared by Approved by
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DESERT RESEARCH INSTITUTE University of Nevada System Social Sciences Center Department of Energy Enclosed are the cultural resource survey reports performed in the Mid Valley and Yucca Mountain areas of the Nevada Test Site on August 6-8 and August 13, 1980. Enel. Survey reports