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BEST AVAILABLE COPY 0600126 DESERT RESEARCH INSTITUTE CULTURAL RESOURCES RECONNAISSANCE PROJECT: Class III Cultural Resrouces Reconnaissance of Exploratory Drill Hole U2cq, Yucca Flat, NTS, Nevada. GEOGRAPHIC AND NTS AREA: Yucca Flat, Nye County, Nevada; NTS Areas 2 and 4. MAP REFERENCE: U.S.G.S. Tippipah Spring, 7.5' and Yucca Flat, 7.5' Topographic Quadrangles, Nye County, Nevada. DATE OF FIELD RECONNAISSANCE: June 23, 1983. PERSONNEL: Lonnie Pippin, Cari Lockett, Keith Myhrer. PREVIOUS CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDIES IN AREA: Although there have been no previous systematic cultural resources survey of the Yucca Flat area, several preconstruction surveys have been conducted in the area of proposed Drill Hole U2cq. Three of these surveys, SR070182-1 through 3, were along east-west running seismic line, one of which cross-cuts the project area. Additional cultural resources reconnsissance surveys include the survey of Drill Holes Ue4ac located approximately 1500' south of the current project Survey of these areas yeilded two isolated obsidian biface fragments, 26NY3120 and S092082DB1. Both were collected at the time of the reconnaissance. Additionally, one isolated projectile point (26NY1020) was collected approximately 2 miles north U9cw in the Banded Mountains. This was the result of a familiarization survey conducted in 1978. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING: The proposed U2aq Drill Hole Pad lies on the eastward sloping bajada of Yucca Flat at the base of the Eleana Range. The bajada is disected by shallow (l-2m.) ephemeral drainages filled with recent alluvium. The upper bajada surface is characterized by a moderate to well-developed desert pavement. Vegetation is composed of blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima), which tends to occur on the upper bajada surface, hop-sage (Grayia spinosa),~ (Yucca brevifolia). Saltbrush (Atriplex canescens) is common in the wash bottoms containing younger alluvium. Various grasses, (Bromus rubens, spp. tectorum, are also common in the younger alluvial fill. Fauna evidenced and observed include Black tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), coyote, numerous lizards and numerous pocket gopher and other rodent burrows (observed primarily in younger alluvium). Elevation ranges from 4420* to 4580'. BEST AVAILABLE COPY
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BEST AVAILABLE COPY RECONNIASSANCE METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A 3000' square (1 km.) was surveyed by paralled east-west transects at 30m. intervals. The center point of the drill pad was marked (N860,450 7 E658,450') and four flags were placed in the cardinal directions at 500' and 10004 from the center pofnt. The outside boundaries were then determined by pacing the additional 500' and topography, ihe disturbed areas noted in Figure 1 were not surveyed. These areas were disturbed by bulldozing during two previous subsurface nuclear testing operations and the associated drill pad areas. IDENTIFIED CULTURAL RESOURCES: No cultural resources were recorded during the reconnaissance. ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS: A drill pad, sump, trailer park and other drilling related activites wibulldoze or otherwise disturb most of the area surveyed. Since no cultural resources were located in this area, no adverse direct impacts are possible. Low site density in the area indicates that indirect impacts are RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES FOR THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL RESOURCES: None. frepared by Approved by BEST AVAILABLE COPY
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BEST AVAILABLE COPY and Yucca Flat, 7.5' Quads naded areas indicated previous isturbance and were not surveyed or cultural resources pad and center point Figure 1:. Map showing location of surveyed area for proposed drill pad
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BEST AVAILABLE COPY DESERT RESEARCH INSTITUTE University of Nevada System Social Sciences Center Nevada Operations Office Las Vegas, Nevada 89114 Enclosed is a copy of Short Report SR062383-1, for the survey of Nevada State Museum BEST AVAILABLE COPY