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DESERT RESEARCH INSTITUTE CULTURAL RESOURCES RECONNAISSANCE PROJECT: Class III cultural resources reconnaissance of a proposed boulder-sized rock source on Busted Butte, Area 25, Nevada. Test Site. GEOGRAPHIC AND NTS AREA: The project area is on the southeast side of Busted- Butte, in the Yucca Mountain Region of DATES OF FIELD EXAMINATION: January 20, 1983. MAP REFERENCE: U.S.G»S» Topopah Spring, SW, 7.5 topographic quadrangle, Nye County, Nevada. PERSONNEL: Lonnie C. Pippin, Cari Lockett PREVIOUS CULTURAL RESOURCE STUDIES IN THE AREA: Numerous short cultural resources reconnaissance surveys were conducted in the Yucca Mountain Project Area from 1979-1982 in conjunction with proposed land disturbing activities such-as.' seismic lines, drill holes, and access roads. In the spiring of 1982, the Desert Research Institute conducted an intensive Class III cultural resources reconnaissance of the NNWSI Yucca Mountain Project Area. Ohe hundred seventy two archaeological sites were recorded. The results of this survey can be found in Pippin, Clerico and Reno (1982). Later in the summer of 1982, the Desert Research Institute returned to the project area to conduct archaeological test excavations at selected sites. The report on this testing phase is pending (Pippin, et al, 1983). In December of 1982, Ronald L. Reno conducted a survey for a proposed gravel pit along the east side of Forty Mile Canyon. Cultural resources were collected south of the access road going into Forty Mile Canyon to clear this area for construction of the gravel pit. The nearest known sites adjacent to the Busted Butte Project Area occur on the north side of the S-l Wash Road and along the terraces of Forty Mile Canyon (sites 26NY3038, 26NY3116 To date, no cultural resources reconnaissances have been conducted any further south than the junction of the S-l Wash and Forty Mile Wash.
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ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING: The survey area is located on the southeast sloping bajada of Busted Butte, south of the Yucca Mountain NNWSI Project Area. Two alluvial systems are present in the project area. One system is represented by alluvail fill coming off of Busted Butte. The second is the Forty Mile Canyon alluvial system which drains the Pahute Mesa/Buckboard Mesa area of the Nevada Test Site. The area is composed of sandy, gravelly alluvium capped by a poorly formed desert pavement. S^all obsidian nodules are present in the alluvial float of the Forty Mile Canyon drainage system. A Larrea/Ambrosia plant association covers the project area. Other plant species present include Ephedra nevadensis, Lycium palidum. Eriogonum spp.. and unknown grasses. Pocket gopher burrows are common to the project area. Two possible Desert Tortoise burrwos were observed. Coyote, jackrabbit and deer scats were also observed. Elevations in the project area range from 3100 to 3800'*.. The nearest water sources to the project area are the covered tinajas (seasonal) recorded in the Yucca Mountain Project area, the nearest of which is 26NY3059 located N18°W 2.3km on the north side of the S-l Wash Road. Lathrop Wells, ten miles south, and Topopah Spring approximately 25km to the northeast in the Calico/Shoshone Range are also available water sources. The project area was surveyed along the proposed access road by 30 meter zig-zag transects (60 meters wide total) on both sides of the road. Upon reaching the proposed area of disturbance, the survey crew split up to spot check all rock outcrops in the area for possible rock shelters and cultural IDENTIFIED CULTURAL RESOURCES: Five cultural resources were located in the project area. Archaeological sites S012083CL3 and S012083LP2 are located along the east and west sides of Forty Mile Canyon. These sites consist of obsidian, chert and rhyolitic tuff flakes, cores, and bifacial stage forms. Site S012083CL2 consists of a rock cairn next to a thirty gallon bedrock tinaja. Sites S012083CL1 and S012083LP1 are isolated finds. These sites consist of a white mottled chert unifacial scraping tool and two obsidian decortification flakes.
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SITS EVALUATION AND STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE; It is difficult to assess the significance of the sites along the Forty Mile Canyon terraces without knowing the full extent of the site. Previous surveys north of the project area have revealed similar lithic scatters along the Forty Mile terraces. It is expected that the site is continuous and extends along both the east and west banks of the canyon. The entire edge of the Forty Mile terrace should be considered significant until our knowledge of this unique area and its cultural implications are known. Both isolated artifacts and the stone cairn and tinaja are significant in the construction of culture history. ,Tha .'w^ite chert unifacial tool is probably representative of an older”technology and is a unique specimen. The two obsidian flakes may represent backed knives, perhaps used in the butchering of an animal. They may also represent the quarrying of obsidian nodules occuring in the upper alluvial material of the Forty Mile Canyon system. The rock cairn and associated tinaja represent a cultural adaption to a dry area through the use of bedrock catchment basins as an ephemeral water source and should be considered significant. ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS: The access road is going to be traveled by heavy equipment and consequently will probably be widened considerably. At present there exists a jeep trail that will be used for partial access. The remaining "road” consists of a surveyors jeep trail. Heavy equipment on this road will certainly disturb existing vegitation,. biotic life and archaeological sites in the path. The main area of proposed disturbance is a major drainage off Busted Butte. Proposed activities include the removal of large boulders and other fill which, aside from the initial disturbance, will probably cause subsequent erosion of the nearby slopes. BECOMMENDED PROCEDURES FOR THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL RESOURCES; 1) Isolated artifacts S0I2083CL1 and S012083LP1 were collected during the survey, thereby preserving the archaeological 2) Rock cairn and associated tinaja S012083CI2 were photographed and recorded in situ while in the field and thereby along Forty Mile Canyon should be avoided at all cost. If construction crews stick to the existing road which takes off from the barricade at Well J-12, there should be no additional impact to the site. Any straying from this road, however, could impact the site along the terrace as did the construction of well J-12 and the jeep trail.
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1982 Archaeological Survey of 12 Seisaic Lines in the NNWSI Yucca Mountain Project Area and 1 300 x 1600*. rectangular Pad known as Location B. Desert Research Institute. Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Short Report No.SR021082-1. 1982 Archaeological Reconnaissance of 2 Proposed Drill Pada Desert Research Institute, Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Short Report No. SR072182-1. 1981 Archaeological Reconnaissance of Two Localities in 40 Mile Canyon.. Desert Research Institute, Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Short Report No.SR092481-1. 1982 Archaeological Report on Proposed Gravel Quarry to be located in Fortyaile Wash. Desert Research -nstitute, Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Short Report No. SRill782-1• 1982 Class III Cultural Resources Reconnaissance of USGS Desert Research Institute Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Pippin, Clerico, Reno 1982 An Archaeological Reconnaissance of the NNWSI Yucca Mountain Project Area, Southern Nye County, Nevada. Desert Research Institute. Publication in the Social Sciences No. 2d. Reno. Pippin, et al. 1983 Testing Report of Archaeological Test Excavations and Artifact Analysis for the NNWSI Yucca Mountain Project Area. Desert Reseych Institute Publication in the Social Sciences. (In Progress) 1982 Class III Cultural Resources Reconnaissance of Proppsed Gravel Pit Along Fortyaile Wash, Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Desert Research Institute, Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Short Report No. SR120982-1. 1982 Archaeological Reconnaissance of a Proposed 69KV Powerling into the NNWSI Yucca Mountain Project Area. Desert Research Institute. Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Short Report
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Alternate Location for Drill Hole PH-1 and short access road to alternate B. Desert Research Institute, Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Short Report No. Sfe681b8Bgl. 1979 Archaeological Survey of Proposed Drill' Hole Sites and Geologic Study Area on the Nevada Test Site. Desert Research Institute. Cultural Resources Reconnaissance, Short Report No. SR055079-7. 1979 Archaeological Reconnaissance of Six Proposed Hydrologic Testing Drill Hole Sites in the Yucca Mountain Area of the Nevada Test Site. Desert Research Institute. Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Skort Renort No. ^R0605^9-l 1961 An Archaeological Reconnaissance of Approximately of Proposed Road Right of Way in thfc Yucca Mountain Area of the Nevada Test Site. Desert Research Institute, Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Short Report No. SR081781-1.
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DESERT RESEARCH INSTITUTE University of Nevada System Department of Energy Enclosed is a copy of the Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Short Report for the proposed boulder-sized rock source on Busted Butte, Area 25. Field work for this project was conducted in January of 1983. A verbal clearance was given immediately following the field work. I apologize for being so long in getting this report off to you. The report was inadvertantly misplaced and only recently found. I do hope this will aid you in keeping your files up to date. Energy Systems Center • Bioreeourcae Center • Atmospheric Sciences Center • Social Sciences Center • Water Resources Center