1995 07 20 HPCceit,, 4
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HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION
A Regular Meeting to be
Held in the Session Room at the
La Quinta City Hall, 78-495 Calle Tampico
La Quinta, California
July 20, 1995
3:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
PUBLIC COMMENT
This is the time set aside for citizens to address the Historical Preservation Commission
on matters relating to historic resources within the City of La Quinta which are not
Agenda items. When addressing the Historical Commission, please state your name and
address. When addressing the Commission on matters pertaining to prehistoric sites, do
not disclose the exact location of the site(s) for their protection.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Approval of the Minutes of the Historical Preservation meeting of May 18, 1995.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. Grant Opportunities update
2. Paleontological Report - Tom Weiskopf Golf Course at PGA West
OTHER
ADJOURNMENT
HPC/AGENDA ��a v O O 1
NO MINUTES ATTACHE® FOR THE
HISTORICAL PRESERVATION MEETING
OF MAY 18, 1995
BI# 1
HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
STAFF REPORT
DATE: JULY 20, 1995
ITEM: GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
BACKGROUND:
Management Assistant, Mr. Britt Wilson, has conducted research on possible grant opportunities for the
City of La Quinta. Mr. Wilson was contacted by staff to provide a summary presentation of the grant
opportunities available for historic preservation -related projects.
Attached is a summary of the grant opportunities that Mr. Wilson has identified as to date (Attachment 1).
Some of the opportunities might be of interest to the Historical Society as well as the Historic Preservation
Commission. Mr. Wilson will give the HPC a presentation on this item.
RECOMMENDATION:
None required at this time.
Attachments:
1. Memorandum dated July 12, 1995 from Britt W. Wilson
Vvut,002
DATE:
TdT 4 4 Qu&rcv
MEMORANDUM"''''
',I
`. J U L 1 1995 11
July 12, 1995
i4
TO: Leslie Mouriquand, Associate Planner
FROM: Britt W. Wilson, Management Assistant, City Manager's Office
RE: Potential Grants for discussion by Historical Preservation Commission
Pursuant to our discussion, I have listed below some potential grants which can be used for
historical purposes. The City is not necessarily eligible to apply for all of these programs:
some require the property owner to apply (e.g. the National Historic Register) or a non-profit
group such as the La Quinta Historical Society. Nonetheless, I thought it would be of interest
to the Historical Preservation Commission to see what is available in the way of grants. There
are also numerous private grants available from foundations. I have attached a good
article from Cultural Resources Management magazine that discusses private funding -from
the National Park Service perspective. I have not been able to do much research on private
foundations however, funds are available for the right cause.
Land and Water Conservation Fund Program:
Program: This is a program administered at the Federal level by the National Park
Service and at the state level by the State of California Department of
Parks and Recreation. The program is limited to outdoor recreation
activities and indoor activities which support outdoor recreation
activities. The types of projects most often funded are acquisitions or
development of parks based on a priority list created by the State.
Museums are ranked #3 out of 10 priorities on that State list.
Eligibility: Local agencies, state agencies and special districts.
2. National Historical Publications and Records Commission Proaram:
Program: This is a program administered at the Federal level by the National
Archives and Records Administration. The program's main emphasis is
on preservation of historical records, and to make available through
books and other forms of publication those documentary materials
that inform scholars, teachers, students and others about America's
history.
Eligibility: State and local agencies, non-profit organizations and institutions and
individuals.
3. National Endowment for the Humanities Programs:
Program: This is a Federal program that was established to promote progress and
scholarships in the humanities and the arts which includes a broad
range of programs including one for Museums and Historical
Organizations. The program supports the planning and
implementation of exhibitions, the interpretation of historic sites, and the
production of related publications, multimedia components, and
educational programs.
Eligibility: Museums, historical societies, historic sites, and other non-profit
organizations and institutions including state humanitarian councils.
4. Institute of Museum Services Program:
Program: This Federal program offers a variety of programs including: General
Operating Support, Technical Assistance Grants, Museum Assessment
Programs 1-3, Conservation Project Support, Conservation Assessment
Program, Professional Services Program and Museum Leadership
Initiatives.
Eligibility: Museums. A public or private nonprofit organization, such as a
municipality, which is responsible for the operation of a museum may
apply on behalf of a museum.
5. Historic American Building Survey/Historic American Engineering Record Program:
Program: This Federal program is administered at the Federal level by the
National Park Service. The objective is to assemble a national archive
of historic architecture, engineering and industrial sites, and assist
cooperating public and private organizations in documenting
structures of historical and architectural merit. The assistance provides
Specialized Services, Advisory Services and Counseling, Dissemination
of Technical Information. Funding for preparation of measured
drawings, photographs and historical data on building, structures and
districts.
Eligibility: State and local governments, private institutions and organizations, and
historical organizations.
6. National Historic Landmark Program:
Program: The National Park Service conducts the National Historic Landmarks
Program to identify, designate, recognize, and protect buildings,
structures, sites and objects of national significance. The Landmark
designation offers advantages to the property owners who wish to
,..U,u 004
preserve their properties. It aids planning by governmental agencies,
private organization and individuals. It also provides Federal Income
Tax incentives to rehabilitate properties and Federal grant monies.
Eligibility: States (SHPO); anyone may suggest to SHPO that a property be
designated.
7. National Register of Historic Places Program:
Program: This Federal Program is administered at the Federal level by the
National Park Service and at the state level by SHPO. The program
provides Advisory Services and Counseling including grants and home
improvement loans. Federal Tax advantages can be received on
certain rehabilitation expenditures.
Eligibility: States (SHPO); anyone may suggest a listing to SHPO.
8. Technical Preservation Services Program:
Program: Another Federal Program administered by the National Park Service
and SHPO. The program offers Advisory Services and Counseling,
dissemination of Technical Information and provision of Specialized
Services. The program provides a wide range of publications on the
technical and design aspects of preservation and rehabilitation.
Eligibility: Federal, State and Local governments.
9. Disposal of Federal Surplus Real Property for parks recreation and Historic
Monuments:
Program: Another Federal Program administered by the National Park Service
which transfers surplus Federal real property for public park or historic
preservation use. No monetary renumeration is necessary for historic
monument purposes.
Eligibility: State or local units of government.
If you have any questions regarding these programs, please let me know.
Thank you.
..ui; 005
BI#2
HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION MEETING
STAFF REPORT
DATE: JULY 20, 1995
ITEM: PALEONTOLOGICAL REPORT - TOM WEISKOPF GOLF COURSE AT PGA WEST
(Specific Plan 90-017)
BACKGROUND:
The Specific Plan Conditions of Approval for the PGA West project included a requirement for
paleontological survey and monitoring due to the proximity of the project site to known paleontological
resources in La Quinta. The Tom Weiskopf Signature Course (a.k.a. Fifth Course) is subject to this
requirements under the specific plan. In compliance with the requirement, the developer retained Paleo
Environmental Associates, Inc. to perform the necessary studies and monitoring. The attached report is
the final rreport for the project's mitigation program (Attachment 1).
The report points out that the fossil remains found during the study are "scientifically highly important
because they demonstrate the occurrence of fossil vertebrate assemblages similar to the fauna now found
in the Coachella Valley existed in the valley during the later Holocene from approximately 1,00 to nearly
6,000 years ago." The radiometric dating of the fossils indicates that there was a lakestand of Lake
Cahuilla older than any previously recorded. This lakestand occurred approximately 6,000 years ago (Page
15).
What is perhaps the oldest discovery of prehistoric pupfish remain was found during the study. The pupfish
is considered vary rare.
An additional discovery during the study was that a "well -developed laucustrine flora " worthy of further
analysis was identified. The microfloral assemblages have not yet been described in the literuature.
RECOMMENDATION:
Move to accept the above referenced paleontological report as complete and accurate.
Attachments:
Paleontologic Resource Impact Mitigation Program Final Report - PGA West Tom Weiskop
Signature Course La Quinta Riversdie County, California.
.Ju: 006
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PGA
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PALEONTOLOGIC RESOURCE IMPACT
MITIGATION PROGRAM FINAL REPORT
WEST TOM WEISKOPF SIGNATURE COURSE
QUINTA, RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Submitted to
KSL Recreation Corporation
P.O. Box 659
La Quinta, CA 92253
Submitted by
E. Bruce Lander, Ph.D., REA-01290
David P. Whistler, Ph.D.
Paleo Environmental Associates, Inc.
2248 Winrock Avenue
Altadena, California 91001
June1995
95-3
Iaquintldoc
..�u1 007
j PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section1
Summary........................................................................................................................................
t
Section2
Introduction....................................................................................................................................
2
Section3
Previous Work...............................................................................................................................
4
Section 4
Previously Recommended Paleontologic Resource Impact Mitigation Measures .......................
5
Section5
Methods.........................................................................................................................................
6
5.1 Phase l--Paleontologic Analysis of Two Test Trenches ..............................................
6
5.1.1 Trench I............................................................................................................
6
5.1.2 Trench II...........................................................................................................
8
5.2 Phase 2--Paleontologic Analysis of Large Fossiliferous Sediment Sample from
.Trench I..........................................................................................................................
8
5.1 Phase 3--Paleontologic Monitoring of Excavation for Lakes 3 and 5.......................
9
Section6
Stratigraphy...................................................................................................................................
10
Section7
Results...........................................................................................................................................
11
7.1 Pollen..............................................................................................................................
11
7.2 Diatoms...........................................................................................................................
11
7.3 Mollusks..........................................................................................................................
11
7.4 Ostracods.........................................................................................................................
11
7.5 Fish..................................................................................................................................
12
7.6 Terrestrial Vertebrates....................................................................................................
12
7.7 Radiocarbon Age Determinations...................................................................................
15
7.8 Summary.........................................................................................................................
15
Section 8
Acronyms and Abbreviations.......................................................................................................
17
Section9
Literature Cited.............................................................................................................................
18
Appendix A
City of La Quinta, 1991, Conditions of Approval, Specific Plan 90-107 [paleontologic
resourc:es]......................................................................................................................................
19
Appendix B
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, 1995, Assessment and mitigation of adverse impacts to
nonrenewable paleontologic resources: standard guidelines........................................................
20
Appendix C
Micropaleo Consultants, Inc., 1995, Paleontology report, Lake Cahuilla samples, Riverside
County., California..................................................................................................
25
Appendix D
Groves, L.T., 1995, Invertebrate fossils from Lake Cahuilla beds, LACMIP fossil sites 16830
(= DPW 2469/2470) and 16831 (= DPW 2471), PGA West Tom Weiskopf Signature Course,
La Quinta, Riverside County, California....................................................................................
35
Appendix E
Gobalet, K.W., 1995, Fossil fish remains from Lake Cahuilla beds, LACMVP fossil site 6252
(= DPW 2471), PGA West Tom Weiskopf Signature Course, La Quinta, California.........
37
Appendix F
Whistler, D.P., Lander, E.B., and Roeder, M.A., 1995, First diverse record of small
vertebrates from late Holocene sediments of Lake Cahuilla, Riverside County, California..
38
Appendix G
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Invertebrate Paleontology Section fossil site
catalog --fossil sites 16830 and 16831, Lake Cahuilla beds, PGA West Tom Weiskopf
Signature Course, La Quinta, California.....................................................................................
39
Appendix H
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Vertebrate Paleontology Section fossil site
catalog --fossil sites 6252, 6253, 6255, 6256, Lake Cahuilla beds, PGA West Tom Weiskopf
Signature Course, La Quinta, California.....................................................................................
42
Appendix I
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Vertebrate Paleontology Section fossil
specimen catalog --Lake Cahuilla beds, PGA West Tom Weiskopf Signature Course, La
Quinta, California_ ........................................................................................................... ..........
45
Appendix J
Beta Analytic Inc., 1995, Report of radiocarbon dating analyses ............................................
48
Table I
Taxonomic list by sampling/fossil site, Lake Cahuilla beds, Trench I, PGA West Tom
Weiskopf Signature Course, La Quinta, Riverside County, California .......................................
13
Table 2
Radiocarbon age determinations, Lake Cahuilla beds, Trenches I and I1, PGA West Toni
Weiskopf Signature: Course, La Quinta, Riverside County, California .....................................
15
i PALEOENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
Figure I Map showing locations of Lakes 3 and 5 and Trenches I and II, PGA West Tom Weiskopf
Signature Course, La Quinta, Riverside County, California .................................................. 3
Figure 2 Stratigraphic columnar sections and sampling/fossil sites, Lake Cahuilla beds, Trenches I and
II, PGA West Tom Weiskopf Signature Course, La Quinta, Riverside County, California. 7
009
i PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SECTION 1
SUMMARY
This final technical report of findings presents the results of the paleontologic resource impact mitigation program
conducted by Paleo Environmental Associates, Inc. (PEAI), personnel in support of earth moving associated with
development of the PGA West Tom Weiskopf Signature (golf) Course, La Quinta, Riverside County, California. The
mitigation program was conducted in compliance with Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) guidelines to
reduce the adverse environmental impact of grading on the paleontologic resources of the parcel to an insignificant
level by allowing for I) the recovery of fossil specimens and associated geologic and geographic site data that
otherwise would have been lost to earth moving and to unauthorized fossil collecting by construction personnel
during grading of the parcel and excavation of the lake sites, and 2) their preservation in a museum, where they will
be available for future study by qualified investigators. The mitigation program was required of the property owner
and developer, KSL Recreation Corporation, by the City of La Quinta Community Development Department as part
of the department's permitting process under Condition of Approval No. 10 (Paleontological Resources) of Specific
Plan 90-017. The program was required because of the high potential for scientifically highly important fossil
remains being uncovered by grading of the Lake Cahuilla beds, which underlie the entire parcel.
Fossil remains representing a diversity of fresh -water diatoms, ostracods, mollusks, fish, small terrestrial vertebrates,
and land plants were recovered from the Lake Cahuilla beds as a result of processing sediment samples from a test
trench (Trench I) during Phases 1 and 2 (pregrading data recovery) of the mitigation program, and one specimen of a
large land mammal species (bighorn sheep) was recovered from these beds as the result of monitoring excavation for
Lakes 3 and 5 during Phase 3.
The fossil remains and the radiometric age determinations for samples from the parcel are scientifically highly
important because they demonstrate the occurrence of fossil vertebrate assemblages similar to the fauna now
inhabiting the Coachella Valley existed in the valley during the later Holocene from approximately 1,000 to nearly
6,000 years ago. Moreover, the radiometric age determination on the sample from the lower fluvial unit, which
overlies a lacustrine unit in Trench II, indicates that a Lake Cahuilla highstand, apparently older than any recorded
previously from the parcel and vicinity, occurred approximately 6,000 years ago. The other younger age
determinations suggest the three youngest lake highstands recognized in the parcel vicinity are not recorded in the
Lake Cahuilla beds in the parcel, having been removed by erosion or previous grading of the parcel.
The species represented by the diatom, ostracod, and mollusk remains suggest Lake Cahuilla consisted of fresh to
slightly brackish water that, at least in the parcel, did not exceed 6 feet in depth. Though presumably rare, desert
pupfish might have inhabited the lake. Most of the mollusk and terrestrial vertebrate species were not reported
previously from the Lake Cahuilla beds by Langenwalter (1990), and presumably, like the pupfish, at least some of
the recovered remains probably represent the first prehistoric records of their respective species from the Coachella
Valley. These species contribute to our knowledge of the diversity of plant and animal life that inhabited the Lake
Cahuilla basin during the last 6,000 years.
The fossil vertebrate and mollusk remains and associated site data recovered as a result of the mitigation program
have been accessioned into the Invertebrate Paleontology Section (IP) and Vertebrate Paleontology Section (VP)
fossil collections of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LACM).
With the mitigation program, which included processing sediment samples for smaller fossil remains, earth moving,
particularly excavation for the lakes, resulted in beneficial effects, including the recovery of fossil specimens and
associated site data that would not even have been uncovered without excavation.
Submission of this report by KSL Recreation Corporation to the City of La Quinta Community Development
Department signifies completion of the mitigation program and will assist the department in meeting is mitigation
monitoring and compliance responsibilities under California Public Resources Code Section 21091.6.
A. Ulu 010
t PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SECTION 2
INTRODUCTION
This final technical report of findings presents the results of the paleontologic resource impact mitigation program
conducted by PEAI personnel in support of grading associated with development of the PGA West Tom Weiskopf
Signature (golf) Course, and supplements the earlier preliminary technical report of findings (Lander and 'Whistler,
1995) prepared for the project. The parcel lies along the northern side of 58th Avenue, east and west of Madison
Street, La Quinta, Riverside County, California, and is in the southeastern 1/4, Section 21, and the southwestern 114,
Section 22, Township 6 South, Range 7 East, Indio and La Quinta 7.5-Minute Quadrangles (Figure 1).
Paleontologic resources, including fossil remains, associated geologic and geographic site data, fossil sites, and the
fossil -bearing rock units, are a limited.: nonrenewable, and very sensitive scientific and educational resource and,
particularly with regard to fossil sites, are afforded protection under the following California environmental
legislation (California Office of Historic: Preservation, 1983).
1) California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA) (13 Public Resources Code: 21000 et
seq.): Requires publicagencies and private interests to identify the environmental consequences of
their proposed projects on any object or site significant to the scientific annals of California
(Division I, Public Resources Code: 5020.1 [b]).
2) Guidelines for the Implementation of CEQA, as amended May 10, 1980 (14 California
Administrative Code: 15000 et seq.): Define procedures, types of activities, persons, and public
agencies required to comply with CEQA and include definitions of significant effects on a
paleontologic site (Section 15023, Appendix G p]).
In response to these acts and because of the potential for paleontologic resources being adversely affected by
construction in areas under its jurisdiction, the City of La Quinta Community Development Department can require
baseline environmental resource inventories, resource and impact assessments, and, based on the results of these
assessments, formulation and implementation of mitigation measures to reduce the adverse environmental impacts
that could result from earth moving associated with construction.
A mitigation program was required of KSL Recreation Corporation, the parcel owner and developer, by the
Community Development Department as part of the department's permitting process under Condition of Approval
No. 10 (Paleontological Resources; Appendix A) of Specific Plan 90-017, which applies to the present project. The
mitigation measures in Condition of Approval No. 10 are based on the measures presented in the paleontologic
resource assessment technical report (Langenwalter, 1990) prepared in support of the environmental impact report
for the project. The previous technical report (Langenwalter, 1990) indicated that grading of the parcel had a high
potential for encountering scientifically important fossil remains. The loss of these remains would have been a
significant adverse environmental impact. On the other hand, with appropriate mitigation measures, such as
processing of sediment samples for smaller fossil remains, earth moving, particularly excavation for the lakes, would
result in beneficial effects, including the recovery of scientifically highly important fossil remains and associated
geologic and geographic site data that would not even have been uncovered without excavation. Moreover, recovery
of fossil remains as part of the mitigation program would be allowed under CEQA Appendix G 0).
The present mitigation program was conducted in compliance with SVP (1995; Appendix B) guidelines to reduce the
adverse environmental impact of earth moving on the paleontologic resources of the parcel to an insignificant level
by allowing for the recovery of fossil specimens and associated site data that otherwise would have been lost to earth
moving and to unauthorized fossil collecting by construction personnel. Preliminary results of the mitigation
program are reported by Whistler and Lander (1995) and Whistler and others (1995; Appendix F).
Submission of this report by KSL Recreation Corporation to the Community Development Department signifies
completion of the mitigation program and will assist the department in meeting its mitigation monitoring and
compliance responsibilities under California Public Resources Code Section 21081.6.
.•luut 011
+ PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
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c PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SECTION 3
Geologic mapping of the La Quints region indicates the entire parcel is immediately underlain by lake (lacustrine)
and river (fluvial) sedimentary strata (layers) deposited below the 40-foot- (12-meter-) elevation high shoreline of
ancient Lake Cahuilla, which is believed to have existed intermittently from 400 to at least 2,300 years ago
(Langenwalter, 1990; Rogers, 1965; Van de Kamp, 1973; Waters, 1981). The lake sediments were deposited during
each of at least seven lake highstands, each highstand resulting from flooding of the Coachella Valley by inflow from
the Colorado River (Waters, 1981). The river sediments were deposited during the intervening lake lowstands, when
the former lake bed was dry. The lake and intervening river sediments, herein referred to as the Lake Cahuilla beds,
are at least 61 feet thick in the parcel (Langenwalter, 1990).
The Lake Cahuilla beds have yielded fossil remains at numerous previously recorded fossil sites in the parcel
vicinity. These remains represent fresh -water algae, foraminifers (shelled amoebas), ostracods (microscopic bivalved
crustaceans), mollusks (snails, clams), and fish, as well as frogs, tortoises, birds, and land mammals (Langenwalter,
1990; Van de Kamp, 1973). Based on these occurrences and their potential use in paleontologic 'research,
Langenwalter (1990) considered the Lake Cahuilla beds scientifically highly important.
The paleontologic resource field survey conducted as part of the previous assessment prepared in support of the
present project documented the occurrence of mollusk shells at and near the surface throughout the parcel, although
the depth to which similar remains extended could not be determined (Langenwalter, 1990). Shells of the snail
Tryonia protea were found to be abundant, those of Physa sp., less so. Shells of the clam Anodonta dejecta? were
rare. Langenwalter (1990) considered the fossil remains scientifically important because of their potential use in
paleontologic studies of particular species and in reconstructing the paleoecology, paleoenvironment, and geologic
history of Lake Cahuilla, particularly with regard to the flooding/desiccation cycles represented by the Lake Cahuilla
beds.
Langenwalter (1990) noted that earth moving, particularly grading of the parcel and excavation of the proposed lake
sites, associated with development of the golf course would have potentially significant adverse environmental
impacts on the paleontologic resources of the parcel. These impacts would include the disturbance and loss of fossil
remains, or their future inaccessibility. Langenwalter (1990) recommended a number of measures to mitigate the
impacts to an insignificant level. These measures, which included paleontologic data recovery prior to earth moving
and paleontologic monitoring of earth moving, were attached to Specific Plan 90-017 as Condition of Approval No.
10 (Appendix A).
.y.uU. 013
i PALED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SECTION 4
PREVIOUSLY RECOMMENDED PALEONTOLOGIC RESOURCE IMPACT MITIGATION MEASURES
Langenwalter (1990) and City of La Quinta Specific Plan 90-017 Condition of Approval No. 10 (Appendix A)
specified paleontological data recovery prior to any earth moving in the parcel, and full-time paleontologic
monitoring of earth moving. The first phase of data recovery, as stipulated by Langenwalter (1990), would include
excavation of several 12-to-15-foot- (4-to-5-meter-) deep test trenches, each situated at a different site in the parcel
to document the location of the densest and least disturbed concentration of fossil remains below the surface.
Stratigraphic columnar sections would be prepared, based on the best preserved stratigraphic profiles exposed in the
sidewalls of two or three of the trenches. One or more of these trenches would be selected as the site of a 6-by-6-
foot- (2-by-2-meter-) square excavation unit. Each excavation unit would be excavated by hand in 2-to-4-inch- (5-to-
10-centimeter-) intervals, and the sediments would be screened with a combination of screen sizes ranging from 1/8
to 40 mesh. The sediments and stratigraphy would be documented in detail. Sampling of sediments would willow for
the recovery of pollen and other plant remains, including carbonized plant remains (charcoal) suitable for
radiocarbon age determinations; microfossils (diatoms, foraminifers, ostracods); and invertebrate (primarily mollusk)
and smaller vertebrate remains. Recovered specimens would be cleaned and/or prepared, if appropriate, to allow
identification and future study, and would be curated and placed in a recognized museum repository, where the
specimens would be stored, maintained. and made available for study.
...06, 014
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SECTION 5
METHODS
The measures presented below for mitigating adverse environmental impacts on paleontologic resources that would
arise from earth moving in the parcel are in compliance with measures developed during the environmental review
process (Langenwalter, 1990, except where noted below), City of La Quinta Specific Plan 90-017 Condition of
Approval No. 10 (except where noted below; Appendix A), and with SVP (1995; Appendix B) standard measures
for mitigating construction -related impacts of a project on paleontologic resources.
The Archaeological Advisory Group was retained by KSL Recreation Corporation to conduct the archaeological
resource impact mitigation program.
5.1 PHASE 1--PALEONTOLOGIC ANALYSIS OF TWO TEST TRENCHES
Although Langenwalter (1990) recommended hand excavation and detailed analysis of at least one 6-by-6-foot- (2-
by-2-meter-) square excavation unit as the first phase of data recovery to be conducted under the mitigation program
prior to earth moving, excavation and analysis of such a unit would have provided no more paleontologic data than
the measures presented below, but would have been more labor intensive and time consuming. Generally, an
excavation unit would be completed only at a documented archaeological site or at a site where a concentration of
larger vertebrate fossils had been encountered and other types of data, such as orientations of long bones, were to be
recovered.
Instead of the measures recommended by Langenwalter (1990), PEAI completed the following sampling protocol
and paleontologic analysis as the first phase of data recovery (Lander and Whistler, 1995; Whistler and others, 1995;
Appendix F), the fieldwork for this task having been conducted on February 16 and 17, 1995 by Dr. David P.
Whistler, a senior vertebrate paleontologist and stratigrapher with PEAI, and Mr. Gino Calvano, a paleontologic
monitor with PEAI. Two test trenches were excavated to determine the stratigraphy underlying the parcel and to
sample each stratigraphic interval or lithologic unit exposed in a trench sidewall for fossil and carbonized plant
remains. The sites selected for the test trenches (Figure 1) were just south of the proposed sites for Lakes 3 and 5, but
outside the proposed limit of the golf course. The trenches were excavated to a depth equal to, or greater than the
maximum depth of excavation proposed for any lake in the parcel, thereby ensuring that the deepest stratigraphic
interval or lithologic unit to be encountered by development was exposed by trenching and made available for
analysis. Because the strata comprising the Lake Cahuilla beds are nearly flat lying, it was expected that excavation
of the trenches to a depth of 12 feet (4 meters) would encounter the deepest unit to be encountered by excavation of
the lake sites. A combination back hoe/front-end loader provided by KSL Recreation Corporation was used to
excavate the trenches. A temporary field number with a DPW (David P. Whistler) prefix was assigned to each
stratigraphic interval in a trench and to any fossil -bearing sample from the unit; the field number, a preliminary field
identification of any recovered fossil remains, and pertinent geologic (lithologic) and geographic site (locality,
depth) data recorded in daily field notes; and the site location plotted on a map of the parcel. Once excavation was
completed at a site, a detailed stratigraphic columnar section was measured, described, and photographed, and the
sources of fossil samples and remains, including charcoal, were documented stratigraphically (Figure 2).
5.1.1 Trench I
Trench I was located 1,650 feet west of Madison Street and 2,550 feet north of 58th Avenue (Figure 1) in a fallow
field that had been cleared in 1989 and now was covered by some native vegetation. The trench was excavated to a
depth of 10 feet (3 meters).
One 20-pound (10-kilogram) sediment sample (samples DPW 2466 to 2471) was collected from each stratigraphic
interval/lithologic unit and/or productive fossil -bearing zone exposed in the Trench I sidewall. Half (10 pounds) of
each sample was retained, the other half submitted for analysis. Four samples (DPW 2467, 2469 to 2471) were
submitted to Micropaleo Consultants, Inc., to analyze for pollen and microfossils, including diatoms, foraminifers,
and ostracods.
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4 a PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
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PALED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
Each piece of charcoal in excess of 0.1 inch (2 millimeters) in length was collected and two charcoal samples (DPW
2468, 2472 = 2471) were submitted to Beta Analytic Inc. for radiocarbon age determinations.
A sediment sample from each of four stratigraphic levels (DPW 2468 to 2471) was dry screened with 1/4-, 1/8-, and
30-mesh screens. Each sample consisted of approximately 250 pounds (0.5 cubic meter) of sediment. The sediment
remaining in each screen after screening had been completed was examined for fossil remains, particularly of smaller
vertebrates remains, and the sediment and any contained remains were retained for further processing and analysis.
An additional 500 pounds (1 cubic meter) of sediment was screened as part of sample DPW 2471 because of the
presence of numerous small vertebrate fossil remains. SVP (1995; Appendix B) guidelines recommend processing of
potentially fossiliferous rock samples to allow for the recovery of smaller vertebrate fossil remains, which normally
are not be apparent in the field because of their small size.
Dr. Whistler identified and analyzed the vertebrate remains recovered as a result of processing fossil -bearing
sediment samples, and Mr. Lindsey T. Groves, a senior invertebrate paleontologist with PEAI, identified and
analyzed the mollusk remains. When required, other knowledgeable paleontologists (i.e., micropaleontologists,
palynologists) were retained to identify and analyze the other fossil types recovered from the samples. The vertebrate
and mollusk specimens then were curated (assigned permanent LACMIP and LACMVP site and specimen numbers;
catalogued) by Mr. Gary T. Takeuchi, a PEAI laboratory technician, and, along with associated geologic and
geographic site data, accessioned into the LACMIP and LACMVP fossil collections, where the specimens will be
permanently stored, maintained, and made available for future study by qualified investigators. Accessioning
included entry of specimen and site numbers and data into the museum computerized data base by Mr. Takeuchi.
Fossil specimen identification and curation are recommended under SVP (1995; Appendix B) guidelines for
mitigating project -related impacts, and are now required before a fossil collection will be accepted by the LACM and
most other museum repositories. Moreover, the scientific importance of a fossil specimen cannot be evaluated until
the specimen has been identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Under SVP (1995; Appendix B) guidelines,
project -related impacts are not considered fully mitigated until a fossil collection, along with associated site data, is
placed in a museum repository and made available for study. A preliminary report of findings with recommendations
for Phase 1 was prepared by Lander and Whistler (1995).
5.1.2 Trench 2
Trench II was located 1,220 east of Madison Street and 170 feet north of 58th Avenue (Figure 1) in an abandoned
agricultural field with a history of high ground water. The trench was excavated to a depth of 12 feet (4 meters).
Trench II was excavated in sediments that were too wet to allow detailed description of the stratigraphy, or dry
screening the sediments for small fossil remains. Therefore, these efforts were concentrated at Trench I. No fossil
remains were collected from Trench II because they appeared to represent the same species as those in the highly
productive samples recovered from Trench I.
Each piece of charcoal in excess of 0.1 inch (2 millimeters) in length was collected and two charcoal samples (DPW
2473. 2474) were submitted to Beta Analytic Inc. for radiocarbon age determinations.
5.2 PHASE 2--PALEONTOLOGIC ANALYSIS OF LARGE FOSSILIFEROUS SEDIMENT SAMPLE
FROM TRENCH I
Based on the preliminary results of Phase I (Lander and Whistler, 1995; see below) and subsequent
recommendations in Lander and Whistler (1995), and in compliance with SVP (1995; Appendix B) guidelines, a
larger (6.000-pound. 12-cubic-meter) sample of fossiliferous sediment was processed to allow for the recovery of
additional small vertebrate fossil remains, particularly remains representing mammalian species not recovered as a
result of the initial Phase I dry screening, from stratigraphic interval DPW 2471 in Trench 1. Processing would
allow the compilation of a more comprehensive baseline inventors, than had been available for the vertebrate species
that once inhabited the Lake Cahuilla basin. Some of the recovered species could be critical in paleoenvironmental
and paleoecological reconstruction of the Lake Cahuilla beds. Mr. Calvano and Mr. Mark A. Roeder, a field
supervisor with PEAL. dry screened the sample on March 6 to 8, 1995. A combination back hoe/front-end loader
provided by KSL Recreation Corporation was used to remove the overburden. Additional treatment of the sample
y.o u 0
• PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
and of any recovered fossil vertebrate remains was conducted as in Phase 1. Fish remains were submitted to Dr
Kenneth W. Gobalet of California State University, Bakersfield, for identification and analysis.
5.3 PHASE 3--PALEONTOLOGIC MONITORING OF EXCAVATION FOR LAKES 3 AND 5
Although full-time paleontologic monitoring of all grading in the parcel was recommended by Langenwalter (1990)
and stipulated in Specific Plan 90-017 Condition of Approval No. 10 (Appendix A), such comprehensive monitoring
of grading would have provided no more paleontologic data than the measures presented below, but would have been
more labor intensive and time consuming. Generally, full-time monitoring of all grading would be conducted only in
an area with a documented high potential for yielding larger vertebrate fossil remains.
Instead of the measures recommended by Langenwalter (1990), PEAI completed the following monitoring program,
as recommended by Lander and Whistler (1995), although with some modifications subsequently approved by the
City of La Quinta Community Development Department.
Monitoring was limited to the Lake 5 and southern Lake 3 sites because grading of the rest of the parcel would not
have extended to sufficient depth to have encountered strata below stratigraphic interval DPW 2471. Recovery of
any fossil remains at or above this level probably would have yielded remains representing the same species as those
recovered previously from DPW 2471.
Monitoring consisted of visually inspecting freshly exposed strata for larger fossil remains, and periodically dry test
screening a small (25-pound) sediment sample with a 20-mesh box screen for smaller vertebrate fossil remains. If a
vertebrate -fossil -bearing zone stratigraphically below stratigraphic intervallsample DPW 2471 had been encountered
by earth moving, another 6,000-pound sample could have been processed to document any taxonomic difference
between the lower unit and sample DPW 2471. Additional treatment of the sample and of any recovered fossil
remains, including larger land mammal remains, would have been conducted as in Phase 1.
Monitoring of excavation for Lake 5 was conducted on April 19, 20, and 28, 1995, by Mr. Calvano. Monitoring was
conducted on a full-time basis during excavation of the first 4-acre portion of the Lake 5 site, which lies just north of
Trench II (Figure 1). However, after completion of this phase of excavation, which extended to a depth of 15 feet (5
meters), PEAI determined that the sediments were not sufficiently productive to warrant monitoring of excavation of
the remaining 6-acre portion of the Lake 5 site, and monitoring was discontinued.
A detailed stratigraphic columnar section was measured in a trench excavated adjacent to the Lake 5 site and
described, and the occurrences of fossil remains were documented stratigraphically. However, only mollusk shells
and plant impressions were observed, and were not considered scientifically important enough to recover,
particularly in the case of the mollusk shells, which are abundant throughout the parcel and would not have, provided
additional scientific data beyond that provided by the mollusk shells recovered from Trench I. The stratigraphy of
the trench is comparable to that documented in Trenches I and II.
Monitoring of excavation for Lake 3 was conducted on May 30, 1995, by Mr. Calvano. Monitoring was conducted
on a full-time basis during excavation of the southern portion of the Lake 3 site, which lies just north of Trench I
(Figure 1). However, after completion of the first day of excavation, which extended to a depth of 15 feet (5 meters),
PEAI determined that the sediments were not sufficiently productive to warrant monitoring of excavation of the
remainder of the Lake 3 site, and monitoring was discontinued. The stratigraphy of the lake site is comparable to that
documented in Trenches I and II and the Lake 5 site.
•'.i (i � 01 O
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SECTION 6
STRATIGRAPHY
Based on exposures in Phase I Trenches I and II, Lander and Whistler (1995) described the stratigraphy of the Lake
Cahuilla beds underlying the parcel. Stratigraphic columnar sections showing the stratigraphic levels of
sampling/fossil sites in the trenches are presented in Figure 2. The stratigraphy of the Lake 3 site and of the Phase 3
trench near the Lake 5 site is comparable to that documented in Trenches I and H.
The Lake Cahuilla beds generally are composed of thinly bedded (1-to-2-inch-thick), cross -bedded, poorly sorted,
fine-grained, immature, light grayish -brown, fluvial sandstone strata interbedded with massive, poorly sorted, sandy
and silty, white -to -light -gray, lacustrine mudstone strata.
The sand comprising the fluvial sandstone strata is locally derived from metamorphosed crystalline basement
appearing to be a diorite schist. The sand, being immature, contains considerable amounts of biotite and other mafic
minerals that generally are rapidly weathered, and the sand grains are highly angular. Bedding planes between the
strata are coated with clay and orange limonite? staining, which imparts a brownish hue to the otherwise gray
sediments. Clay rip -up clasts, cross bedding, channeling, and load casts are prevalent.
The lacustrine mudstone strata display very little internal structure. The upper lacustrine unit (DPW 2469/2470) is
highly bioturbated and has numerous vertical Anodonta (clam) burrows, some still containing the shells of the
individuals that excavated the burrows (Figure 2). The upper surface of the upper lacustrine unit is channeled locally,
and the burrows are filled with cleaner sand from the overlying upper fluvial unit, these phenomena suggesting a
period of fluvial deposition across the former lake margin as the shoreline retreated and the lake bed emerged due to
the loss of water inflow from the Colorado River. The middle lacustrine? unit in Trench I contains a clay -ball
breccia, suggesting local redeposition of the clay by subsequent fluvial action during deposition of the overlying
middle fluvial unit. The lower lacustrine unit, which, like the underlying lowermost fluvial unit, is not exposed in
Trench I, is well developed in Trench II, but bioturbation of its upper surface is not apparent as at thetop of the
upper lacustrine unit.
The fossilized shells of fresh -water mollusks are abundant in nearly every stratigraphic interval exposed in the
Trench I and II sidewalls (Figure 2). Most of the surface over tens of acres surrounding the Trench I site is littered
with shells. Shells are particularly abundant in the upper lacustrine unit (DPW 2469/2470) and the overlying upper
fluvial unit (includes DPW 2471/2472) in the Trench I sidewall. One fossiliferous zone in the upper fluvial unit
contains a particularly high concentration of small snail shells comprising more than 50 percent of the sediment. This
fossiliferous zone also is present in the Trench 11 sidewall.
Small vertebrate fossil remains were observed in stratigraphic interval DPW 2471 in the Trench I sidewall (Figure
2).
Charcoal was observed at two stratigraphic levels (DPW 2468, 2472 = 2471) in the Trench I sidewall, and at two
stratigraphic levels (DPW 2473, 2474) in the Trench II sidewall (Figure 2).
10 ^
Q19
• PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SECTION 7
RESULTS
Fossil remains representing a diversity of fresh -water diatoms, ostracods, mollusks, fish, small terrestrial vertebrates,
and land plants were recovered from the Lake Cahuilla beds as a result of processing sediment samples from Trench
I during Phases I and 2 of the mitigation program, and one specimen of a large land mammal species (bighorn
sheep) was recovered from these beds as the result of monitoring excavation for Lake 5 during Phase 3. A taxonomic
list of the species recovered from Trench I is presented in Table 1 by stratigraphic interval/fossil site, and the
stratigraphic levels of the sampling sites (and any corresponding fossil site) that yielded the fossil remains and
radiocarbon samples in Trench I and the radiocarbon samples in Trench II are depicted in Figure 2. Preliminary
results of the analyses conducted for Phase I of the mitigation program are presented in Lander and Whistler (1995)
and Whistler and others (1995; Appendix F).
7.1 POLLEN
Pollen was recovered from three sediment samples from the upper lacustrine unit (DPW 2469, 2470) and the
underlying middle lacustrine? unit (DPW 2467) in Trench I (Micropaleo Consultants, Inc., 1995; Appendix: Q. The
predominance of pine pollen, particularly in the lower two samples (DPW 2467, 2469), indicates the primary source
of the pollen was in the nearby mountains.
7.2 DIATOMS
Diatom tests (shells) were found in three sediment samples from the upper lacustrine unit (DPW 2469, 2470) and the
underlying middle lacustrine? unit (DPW 2467) in Trench I (Micropaleo Consultants, Inc., 1995; Appendix Q. The
upper two samples yielded abundant remains representing a diversity of diatom species. In general, the latter diatom
assemblages suggest fresh -water to slightly brackish -water (low -salinity) environments. The middle sample (DPW
2469), in particular, indicates the presence of a large persistent lake with a low sedimentation rate. The highest
sample (DPW 2470), which contains fewer diatom species, probably indicates waning of the lake and an increased
sedimentation rate. Though common to abundant in the upper three samples, diatom remains were very rare in the
lowest sample (DPW 2467), possibly because a lacustrine environment was poorly developed compared to the
depositional, environment represented by the upper two samples.
7.3 MOLLUSKS
'Be fossilized shells of fresh -water snails and clams are abundant in nearly every stratigraphic interval exposed in
the Trench I and II sidewalls, particularly in the upper fluvial unit (DPW 2471 = LACMIP fossil site 16831) and the
underlying lacustrine unit (DPW 2469/2470 = LACMIP fossil site 16830) in Trench I (Appendix G). Lindsey T.
Groves (1995; Appendix D), a PEAI senior invertebrate paleontologist, identified the larger mollusk remains from
these stratigraphic intervals and determined their environmental implications. The remains represent species that still
exist in the Colorado Desert of southeastern California and western Arizona. These species occupy fresh -water
habitats with muddy to sandy substrates in relatively shallow (less-than-6-foot-deep), comparatively permanent
bodies of water with abundant rooted vegetation and debris. One of the clam and most of the snail species
represented were not reported from the Lake Cahuilla beds by Langenwalter (1990).
Fresh -water microgastropod (microscopic snail) shells were found in all four sediment samples from the upper
fluvial unit (DPW 2471) and the underlying upper (DPW 2469, 2470) and middle (DPW 2467) lacustrine units in
Trench I (Micropaleo Consultants, Inc., 1995; Appendix Q. Though common to abundant in the upper three
samples, microgastropod shells were rare in the lowest sample (DPW 2467), possibly as a result of less favorable
environmental conditions.
7.4 OSTRACODS
Ostracod valves (shells) were recovered from only two sediment samples, both (DPW 2469, 2470) from the upper
lacustrine unit in Trench I (Micropaleo Consultants, Inc., 1995; Appendix Q. Cypridopsis vidua and Linanocythere
•'4� i.i 0 2 0
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
ceriotuberosa inhabit fresh -water takes, although species of Limnocythere also inhabit inland salt -water lakes. The
lack of sorting of valves by size and the presence of juvenile valves indicate a low -energy environment. The
predominance of disarticulated valves indicates a low sedimentation rate. In general, the ostracod assemblages
suggest fresh -water to slightly brackish -water (low -salinity) environments. The absence of ostracod shells from the
underlying middle lacustrine? unit (DPW 2467) could be the result of less favorable environmental conditions.
7.5 FISH
Remains representing three species of fresh -water fish were recovered from three stratigraphic intervals (DPW 2468,
2470, 2471 = LACMVP fossil sites 6255, 6253, 6252, respectively) in Trench I (Gobalet, 1995; Appendices E, H,
I). The razorback sucker and bonytail have been reported previously from the Lake Cahuilla beds (Gobalet, 1992,
1994). However, a damaged vertebra, if correctly identified, represents the first prehistoric record of a desert pupfish
from the Salton basin (includes Coachella and Imperial Valleys), although the modern distribution of the desert
pupfish includes springs surrounding the Salton basin.
7.6 TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES
Preliminary results of an analysis of the terrestrial vertebrate remains recovered from Trench I as a result of Phases l
and 2 of the mitigation program have been presented by Lander and Whistler (1995) and Whistler and others (1995;
Appendix F). With one exception (see below), all of the fossil terrestrial vertebrate remains from the parcel represent
small animals, the largest being the cottontail rabbit, and were recovered as a result of processing sediment samples
(DPW 2468, 2470, 2471 = LACMVP fossil sites 6255, 6253, 6252, respectively; Appendix H) from three
stratigraphic intervals in Trench I. These latter remains consist of bones and teeth and, except for the bird remains,
represent small reptile and mammal species (Appendix I). Table 1 includes revised identifications of some of the
species from Trench I listed in Lander and Whistler (1995). Of the three samples recovered from Trench I, only one
(DPW 2471) yielded remains representing a diversity of species. With one exception, none of these species was
reported by Langenwalter (1990) from the Lake Cahuilla beds.
The terrestrial vertebrates comprise an assemblage very similar to the fauna currently inhabiting the brush -covered
Coachella Valley floor. Kangaroo rats and white-footed mice, which were not recovered as a result of Phase 1
sampling conducted during excavation of Trench I, were recovered subsequently as a result of processing a much
larger sample during Phase 2 of the mitigation program. However, jack rabbits and ground squirrels, which also
occupy the local desert flatlands, were not recovered.
Three species, including Sceloporus magister (desert spiny lizard), Ammospermophilus leucurus (antelope ground
squirrel), and Neotoma lepida (desert wood rat) prefer habitats where scattered or prominent boulders are present,
but also are found less commonly in open desert habitats. Phrvnosoma platyrhinos (desert horned lizard) and Uma
inornata (Coachella Valley fringe -toed lizard) frequent areas with loose sand. Otherwise, the species present are
generalists in terms of their habitat preferences.
The nearest shoreline during a Lake Cahuilla highstand would have been less than 1 mile west of the parcel at the
base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. The mountains rise abruptly from the valley floor, and rocky outcrops and
scattered boulders dominate the slopes. The close proximity of the parcel and the rocky mountain slopes probably
explains the recovery of species preferring rocky habitats.
The absence of species, such as frogs, toads, watersnakes, waterfowl, shrews, gophers, cotton rats, meadow voles,
and muskrats, that prefer wetter or aquatic habitats suggests Lake Cahuilla was not a large persistent body of water in
the past. Presumably, these species did not migrate to the lake margin from the Colorado River when the river
overflowed into the Coachella Valley to form Lake Cahuilla. Presumably, the lake evaporated too quickly to allow
migration of these species to the lake margin (Whistler and others 1995; Appendix F).
The bird remains from Trench I represent a sparrow -sized species of passerine bird.
A tooth -bearing jaw of a large sheep„ presumably a bighorn sheep, was recovered from LACMVP fossil site 6256
during monitoring of grading just beyond the southeasternmargin of the Lake 5 site (Appendices H, I).
12
.•.Ju.021
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
Table 1. Taxonomic list by sampling/fossil site, Lake Cahuilla beds, Trench I, PGA West Tom Weiskopf Signature
Course, La Quinta, Riverside County, California. See Figure 2, Appendices C to E, G to I.
DPW° SAMPLING SITE
TAXON (COMMON NAME) 2467" 2468 2469 2,170 2471
OWEVESIUS
Campylodiscus clypeus?
X
X.
Coeconeis placentula
X
Cyclotella kuetzingiana?
X
Epithemia argus
X
X
X:
Epithemia turgida
X
X
Hantzschia taenia?
X
X
Mastogloia elliptica
X
Navicula clementis?
X
Navicula palpebralis
X
X
Navicula ergadensis?
X
Nitzschia etchegoinia?
X
X
Nitzschia granulata?
X
X
Pinnularia viridis
X
)`
Rhopalodia gibba
X
Surirella striatula
X
Synedra ulna?
X
Terpsinoei musica
X
X
Tetracyclus lacustris
X
LAND PLANTS
Selaginella sinuites (club -moss)
X
Polypodiaceae(ferns)
X
X
Pinus sp. (pine)
X
X
X
Betulaceae (alders, birches)
X
Ceanothus? sp. (mountain lilac?)
X
Chenopodiaceae (saltbushes)
X
X
Onagraceae (evening primroses)
X
X
Quercus sp. (oak)
X
Compositae (Ambrosia -type) (ragweed)
X
Compositae (Helianthus-type) (sunflower)
X
PORIFERA (sponges)
X
X
MOLLUSCA (mollusks)
BIVALVIA (clams)
Anodonta californiensis (California floater)
X
X
X
Pisidium casertanum? (ubiquitous pea clam)
X
X
X
GASTROPODA (snails)
Amnicola longinqua (dusky snail)
X
X
X
Ferrissia walkeri? (cloche ancylid)
X
Flumnicola sp. (pebble snail)
X
Gyraulus parvus (ash gyro)
X
X
X
Helisoma trivolvis (rams horn)
X
X
X
Physella ampul/aeea (paper physa)
X
X
X
Physella humerosa (corkscrew physa)
X
X
X
Tryonia protea (desert tryonia)
X
X
X
13 ."S'do, 022
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
CRUSTACEA (crustaceans)
OSTRACODA (microscopic bivalved crustaceans)
Cypridopsis vidua X
X
Cyprinotus torosa X
Limnocythere ceriotuberosa X
X
OSTEICHTHYES (bony fish)
CYPRINIDAE (minnows)
?Cyprinodon macularius (desert pupfish)
X
Gila elegans (bonytail) X
X X
CATOSTOMIDAE (suckers)
Xyrauchen texanus (razorback sucker)
X
REPTILIA (reptiles)
SQUAMATA (lizards, snakes)
IGUANIDAE (iguanid lizards)
Phrynosoma platyrhinos (desert horned lizard)
X
Sceloporus magister (desert spiny lizard)
X
Uma inornata (Coachella Valley fringe -toed lizard) X
X
Urosaurus graciosus (long-tailed brush lizard)
X
COLUBRIDAE (colubrid snakes)
Chionactis occipitalis (western shovel -nosed snake)
X
Hypsiglena torquata (night snake)
X
Pituophis melanoleucus (gopher snake)
A; X
Sonora semiainulata (western ground snake)
X
CROTALIDAE (rattlesnakes)
Crotalus cera.ttes (sidewinder)
X
Crotaluss sp. (large rattlesnake)
X
AVES (birds)
X
PASSERIFORMES (advanced land birds)
MAMMALIA (mammals)
LAGOMORPHA (rabbits, pikas)
LEPORIDAE (rabbits)
X
Sylvilagus sp. (cottontail)
RODENTIA (rodents)
SCIURIDAE (squirrels)
X
Ammospermophilus leucurus (antelope ground squirrel) X
HETEROMYIDAE (pocket mice, kangaroo rats)
Perognathus longimenbris (pocket mouse) X
X
Dipodomys? sp. (kangaroo rat)
X
CRICETIDAE (wood rats, white-footed and harvest mice)
Neotoma lepida (desert wood rat)
X
Peromyscus sp. (white-footed mouse)
X
'DPW: David P. Whistler.
'DPW 2467 = middle lacustrine? unit;
DPW 2468 = LACMVP 6255, middle fluvial unit;
DPW 2469 = LACMIP 16830, upper lacustrine unit;
DPW 2470 = LACMIP 16830, VP 6253, upper lacustrine unit;
DPW 2471 = LACMIP 16831, VP 6252, upper fluvial unit.
14
,0'J� 023
. PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
7.7 RADIOCARBON AGE DETERMINATIONS
Four charcoal samples, two each from "french I and Trench Il, were submitted to Beta Analytic Inc. for radiocarbon
age determinations (Appendix J). Preliminary treatment indicated that only three samples contained sufficient carbon
to yield reliable age determinations. Sample DPW 2474 from the upper level of Trench II was not suitable for
analysis. Two of the samples (DPW 2471, 2473) were analyzed using the more precise AMS (accelerator -mass -
spectrometer) technique, and the third (DPW 2468) was analyzed with an extended counting time. Using these
techniques, the three samples yielded highly precise age determinations with small statistical errors. Preliminary
results of the analyses have been reported by Whistler and others (1995; Appendix F). The final age determinations
are presented in Table 2 as years before present (ybp), by convention, "present" being 1950 AD.
The youngest age determination listed in Table 2 suggests the upper fluvial unit in Trench I (Figure 2) is the same as
the fluvial unit at the top of fluviaMacustrine interval I (fourth interval from surface), as recognized by Waters
(1983) in a trench 5 miles southwest of Indio, and that the upper three fluvial/lacustrine intervals (2 to 4) recognized
by Waters (1983) are not present in the parcel, presumably having been removed by erosion or previous grading.
The two older age determinations from the parcel and listed in Table 2 are older than the oldest (2,300 ± 120 ybp)
age determination reported by Waters (1983) for the sixth lacustrine interval below the surface, and suggest the
middle fluvial unit in Trenches I and II (see Figure 2) is the same as the seventh fluvial unit recognized by Waters
(1983) below the surface. However, the oldest age determination from the parcel and listed in Table 2 suggests the
lower fluvial unit in Trench II (see Figure 2) is a correlative of the eighth fluvial unit recognized by Waters (1983)
below the surface, or is a correlative of an even older fluvial unit than any exposed in the trench studied Iby Waters
(1983). The lowermost fluvial unit in Trench II (see Figure 2) is even older.
Table 2. Radiocarbon age determinations, Lake Cahuilla beds, Trenches I and II,
PGA West Tom Weiskopf Signature Course, La Quinta, Riverside County,
California. See Figure 2, Appendix J.
TRENCH
STRATIGRAPHIC
INTERVAL
DPW°
SAMPLE
AGE
(ybp")
I
upper fluvial unit
2472
1080 ± 80
I
middle fluvial unit
2468
2500 ± 50
II
upper fluvial unit
2474
--
lower fluvial unit
2473
5890 ± 60
'DPW: David P. Whistler.
bybp: years before present.
7.8 SUMMARY
The recovered fossil remains and the radiometric age determinations for samples from the parcel are scientifically
highly important because they demonstrate the occurrence of fossil vertebrate assemblages similar to the fauna now
inhabiting the Coachella Valley existed in the valley during the later Holocene from approximately 1,000 to nearly
6,000 years ago. Moreover, the radiometric age determination on the sample (DPW 2473) from the lower fluvial
unit, which overlies a lacustine unit in Trench II, indicates that a Lake Cahuilla highstand, apparently older than any
recorded previously by Waters (1983), occurred approximately 6,000 years ago. The other younger age
determinations suggest the three youngest lake highstands are not recorded by the Lake Cahuilla beds in the parcel.
The species represented by the diatom, ostracod, and mollusk remains suggest Lake Cahuilla consisted of fresh to
slightly brackish water that, at least in the parcel, did not exceed 6 feet in depth. Though presumably rare, desert
15
.i.:��. 024
• PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
pupftsh might have inhabited the lake. Most of the mollusk and terrestrial vertebrate species were not reported
previously from the Lake Cahuilla beds by Langenwalter (1990), and, like the pupfish, at least some of the recovered
remains probably represent the first prehistoric records of their respective species from the Coachella Valley. These
species contribute to our knowledge of the diversity of plant and animal life that inhabited the Lake Cahuilla basin
during the last 6,000 years.
The mitigation program reduced the adverse environmental impact of earth moving on the paleontologic resources of
the parcel to an insignificant level by allowing for 1) the recovery of scientifically highly important fossil specimens
and associated geologic and geographic site data that otherwise would have been lost to earth moving and to
unauthorized fossil collecting by construction personnel during grading of the parcel and excavation of the lake sites,
and 2) their preservation in a museum, where they will be available for future study by qualified investigators.
Moreover, with appropriate mitigation measures, such as processing sediment samples for smaller fossil remains,
earth moving, particularly excavation for the lakes, resulted in beneficial effects, including the recovery of fossil
specimens and associated site data that would not even have been uncovered without excavation.
16 ...J,; 025
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SECTION S
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
CEQA
California Environmental Quality Act
DPW
David P. Whistler
IP
LACM Invertebrate Paleontology Section
LACM
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
PEAI
Palen Environmental Associates, Inc.
SVP
Society of Vertebrate: Paleontology
VP
LACM Vertebrate Paleontology Section
17 026
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SECTION 9
LITERATURE CITED
Beta Analytic Inc. 1995. Report of radiocarbon dating analyses. Prepared for Paleo Environmental Associates, Inc.
(reprinted as Appendix J).
California Office of Historic Preservation. 1983. Summary of state laws protecting cultural resources.
Gobalet, K.W. 1992. Colorado River fishes of Lake Cahuilla, Salton Basin, southern California: a cautionary tale for
zooarchaeologists. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 91(2):70-83.
Gobalet, K.W. 1994. Additional archaeological evidence for Colorado River fishes in the Salton Basin of southern
California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 93(1):38-41.
Gobalet, K.W. 1995. Fossil fish remains in Lake Cahuilla beds, La Quinta, California. Prepared for Paleo
Environmental Associates, Inc. (reprinted as Appendix E).
Groves, L.T. 1995. Invertebrate fossils from the Lake Cahuilla beds, LACMIP fossil sites 16830 (= DPW
2469/2470) and 16831 (= DPW 2471), PGA West Tom Weiskopf Signature Course, La Quinta. Riverside County,
California. Prepared for Paleo Environmental Associates, Inc. (reprinted as Appendix D).
Lander, E.B., and Whistler, D.P. 1995. Preliminary technical report of findings, paleontologic resource impact
mitigation program, PGA West Weiskopf Signature Course, La Quinta, Riverside County, California --results of
paleontologic testing of two trenches. Palen Environmental Associates, Inc., project 93-5. Prepared for KSL
Recreation Corporation.
Langenwalter, P.E., II. 1990. A paleontological survey and assessment of the PGA West 5th golf course; property
near La Quinta, Riverside County, California. Heritage Resource Consultants project 198. Prepared for Douglas
Wood & Associates.
Micropaleo Consultants, Inc. 1995. Paleontology report, Lake Cahuilla samples, Riverside County, California.
Prepared for Paleo Environmental Associates, Inc. (reprinted as Appendix C).
Rogers, T.H. 1965. Geologic map of California, Santa Ana Sheet. California Division of Mines and Geology.
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. 1995. Assessment and mitigation of adverse impacts to nonrenewable
paleontologic resources: standard guidelines. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology News Bulletin 163:22-27 (reprinted
as Appendix B).
Van de Kamp, P.C. 1973. Holocene continental sedimentation in the Salton Basin, California: a reconnaissance.
Geological Society of America Bulletin 84:827-848.
Waters, M.R. 1981. Late Holocene lacustrine chronology and archaeology of ancient Lake Cahuilla, California.
Quaternary Research 19:373-387.
Whistler, D.P., Lander, E.B., and Roeder, M.A. 1995. First diverse record of small vertebrates from late Holocene
sediments of Lake Cahuilla, Riverside County, California. /n Reynolds, J., compiler. Abstracts from Proceedings:
The 1995 Desert Research Symposium. San Bernardino County Museum Association Quarterly 42(2):46 (reprinted
as Appendix F).
18
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIX A
CITY OF LA OUINTA
CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL
SPECIFIC PLAN 90-017
December 3, 1991
10. Prior to any site disturbance, the Applicant/Developer shall initiate a lake bed delineation study, to be based
upon the paleontological survey contained in the DEIR as Appendix "G". The study shall determine the extent of the
ancient lakebed for purposes of implementing a pre -development data recovery program within the limits of the
delineated lakebed. This delineation study shall be submitted to the City for monitoring approved and future area
projects. If the Developer of this project initiates development activity, then the pre -development data recovery
program shall be undertaken prior to any site disturbance. The Applicant/Developer may be reimbursed by other area
developers within the area defined by the lakebed study. The Applicant/Developer shall propose a method of
reimbursement (such as cost per impacted acre in the lakebed area, etc.) to the City for review/acceptance.
Conversely, if other area developer(s) initiate development activity, and are similarly conditioned, this project will
be required to reimburse said developer(s) in accordance with the provisions of a reimbursement program.
If the program is undertaken by this project, then paleontological monitoring of grading shall be required for cuts
made during construction activity. Full time monitoring shall be required, given the ubiquitous distribution of
paleobtological remains on the project site. The mitigating shall be done under the supervision of a qualified
vertebrate paleontologist knowledgeable in both paleontological and archaeological sampling techniques. This
program shall include a report identifying contact personnel who will be working on -site, the proposed time; schedule
for grading monitoring, the qualifications of the persons assigned to do such monitoring and the method to be used in
reporting on compliance to the City. This report shall be approved by the City prior to the Developer authorizing any
work on the program itself.
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIX B
SOCIETY OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY --
ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION OF ADVERSE IMPACTS TO
NONRENEWABLE PALEONTOLOGIC RESOURCES: STANDARD GUIDELINES
Robert E. Reynolds, Chairman
Conformable Impact Mitigation Guidelines Committee
Society of Vertebrate Paleontology
News Bulletin
Number 163
January 1995
Vertebrate fossils are significant nonrenewable paleontologic resources that are afforded protection by federal,
state, and local environmental laws and guidelines. The potential for destruction or degradation by construction
impacts to paleontologic resources on public lands (federal, state, county, or municipal) and land selected for
development under the jurisdiction of various governmental planning agencies is recognized. Protection of
paleontologic resources includes: (a) assessment of the potential for property to contain significant nonrenewable
paleontologic resources which might be directly or indirectly impacted, damaged, or destroyed by development, and
(b) formulation and implementation of measures to mitigate adverse impacts, including permanent preservation of
the site and/or permanent preservation of salvaged materials in established institutions. Decisions regarding the
intensity of the Paleontological Resource Impact Mitigation Program (PRIMP) will be made by the Project
Paleontologist on the basis of the paleontologic resources, not on the ability of an applicant to fund the project.
ASSESSMENT OF THE PALEONTOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF ROCK UNITS
Sedimentary rock units may be described as having (a) high (or known) potential for containing significant
nonrenewable paleontologic resources, (b) low potential for containing nonrenewable paleontologic resources, or (c)
undetermined potential.
It is extremely important to distinguish between archaeological and paleontological (= fossil) resource sites
when defining the sensitivity of rock units. The boundaries of archaeological sites define the areal extent of the
resource. Paleontologic sites, however, indicate that the containing sedimentary rock unit or formation is
fossiliferous. The limits of the entire rock formation, both areal and stratigraphic, therefore define the scope of the
paleontologic potential in each case. Paleontologists can thus develop maps which suggest sensitive areas and units
that are likely to contain paleontological resources. These maps form the bases for preliminary planning decisions.
Lead agency evaluation of a project relative to paleontologic sensitivity maps should trigger a `request for opinion'
from a state paleontologic clearing house or an accredited institution with an established paleontological repository.
The determination of a site's (or rock units) degree of paleontological potential is first founded on a review of
pertinent geological and paleontological literature and on locality records of specimens deposited in institutions. This
preliminary review may suggest particular areas of known high potential. If an area of high potential cannot be
delimited from the literature search and specimen records, a surface survey will determine the fossiliferous potential
and extent of the sedimentary units within a specific project. The field survey may extend outside the defined project
to areas where rock units are better exposed. If an area is determined to have a high potential for containing
paleontologic resources, a program to mitigate impacts is developed. In areas of high sensitivity, a pre -excavation
survey prior to excavation is recommended to locate surface concentrations of fossils which might need special
salvage methods.
The sensitivity of rock units in which fossils occur may be divided into three operational categories.
I. HIGH POTENTIAL. Rock units from which vertebrate or significant invertebrate fossils or significant
suites of plant fossils have been recovered are considered to have a high potential for containing significant non-
renewable fossiliferous resources. These units include, but are not limited to, sedimentary formations and some
volcanic formations which contain significant nonrenewable paleontologic resources anywhere within their
geographical extent, and sedimentary rock units temporally or lithologically suitable for the preservation of fossils.
20 ,•.uU• 029
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
Sensitivity comprises both (a) the potential for yielding abundant or significant vertebrate fossils or for yielding a
few significant fossils, large or small, vertebrate, invertebrate, or botanical, and (b) the importance of recovered
evidence for new and significant taxonomic, phylogenetic, ecologic, or stratigraphic data. Areas which contain
potentially datable organic remains older than Recent, including deposits associated with nests or middens, and areas
which may contain new vertebrate deposits, traces, or trackways are also classified as significant.
II. UNDETERMINED POTENTIAL. Specific areas underlain by sedimentary rock units for which little
information is available are considered to have undetermined fossiliferous potentials. Field surveys by a qualified
vertebrate paleontologist to specifically determine the potentials of the rock units are required before programs of
impact mitigation for such areas may be developed.
III. LOW POTENTIAL. Reports in the paleontological literature or field surveys by a qualified vertebrate
paleontologist may allow determination that some areas or units have low potentials for yielding significant fossils.
Such units will be poorly represented by specimens in institutional collections. These deposits generally will not
require protection or salvage operations..
MEASURES TO MITIGATE ADVERSE IMPACTS RESULTING FROM DEVELOPMENT
Measures for adequate protection or salvage of significant nonrenewable paleontologic resources are applied to
areas determined to have a high potential for containing significant fossils. Specific mitigation measures generally
need not be developed for areas of low paleontological potential. Developers and contractors should be made aware,
however, that it is necessary to contact a qualified paleontologist if fossils are unearthed in the course of excavation.
The paleontologist will then salvage the fossils and assess the necessity for further mitigation measures, if applicable.
Areas of High Potential.
In areas determined to have a high potential for significant paleontologic resources, an adequate program for
mitigating the impact of development should include:
(1) a preliminary survey and surface salvage prior to construction;
(2) monitoring and salvage during excavation;
(3) preparation, including screen washing to recover small specimens (if applicable), and specimen preparation
to a point of stabilization and identification;
(4) identification, cataloging, curation, and storage; and
(5) a final report of the finds and their significance after all operations are complete.
All phases of mitigation are supervised by a professional paleontologist who maintains the necessary
paleontologic collecting permits and repository agreements. The Lead Agency assures compliance with the measures
developed to mitigate impacts of excavation during the initial assessment. To assure compliance from the start of the
project, a statement that confirms the site's potential sensitivity, confirms the repository agreement with an
established institution, and describes the program for impact mitigation, should be deposited with the Lead Agency
and contractors before work begins. The program will be reviewed and accepted by the Lead Agency's designated
vertebrate paleontologist. If a mitigation program is initiated early during the course of project planning, construction
delays due to paleontologic salvage activities can be minimized or avoided.
RECOMMENDED GENERAL GUIDELINES
These guidelines are designed to apply to areas of high paleontologic potential.
Assessment Before Construction Starts.
Preconstruction assessment will develop an adequate program of mitigation. This may include a field survey to
delimit the specific boundaries of sensitive areas and pre -excavation meetings with contractors and developers. In
some cases it may be necessary to conduct field survey and/or a salvage program prior to grading to prevent damage
to known resources and to avoid delays to construction schedules. Such a program may involve surface collection
and/or quarry excavations. A review of the initial assessment and proposed mitigation program by the Lead Agency
before operations begin will confirm the, adequacy of the proposed program.
Adequate Monitoring.
An excavation project will retain a qualified project paleontologist. In areas of known high potential, the
project paleontologist may designate a paleontologic monitor to be present during 100% of the earth -moving
activities. If, after 50% of the grading is completed, it can be demonstrated that the level of monitoring should be
reduced, the project paleontologist may so amend the mitigation program.
21 - -J') 030
'PALED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
Paleontologists who monitor excavations must be qualified and experienced in salvaging fossils and authorized
to temporarily divert equipment while removing fossils. They should be properly equipped with tools and supplies to
allow rapid removal of specimens.
Provision should be made for additional assistants to monitor or help in removing large or abundant fossils to
reduce potential delays to excavation schedules. If many pieces of heavy equipment are in use simultaneously but at
diverse locations, each location may be individually monitored.
Macrofossil Salvaee.
Many specimens recovered from paleontological excavations are easily visible to the eye and large enough to
be easily recognized and removed. Some may be fragile and require hardening before moving. Others may require
encasing within a plaster jacket for later preparation and conservation in a laboratory. Occasionally specimens
encompass all or much of a skeleton and will require moving either as a whole or in blocks for eventual preparation.
Such specimens require time to excavate and strengthen before removal and the patience and understanding of the
contractor to recover the specimens properly. It is thus important that the contractors and developers are fully aware
of the importance and fragility of fossils for their recovery to be undertaken with the optimum chances of successful
extraction. The monitor must be empowered to temporarily halt or redirect the excavation equipment away from the
fossils to be salvaged.
Microfossil Salvage.
Many significant vertebrate fossils (e.g., small mammal, bird, reptile, or fish remains) are too small to be
visible within the sedimentary matrix. Fine-grained sedimentary horizons and paleosols most often contain such
fossils. They are recovered through concentration by screen washing. If the sediments are fossiliferous, bulk samples
are taken for later processing to recover any fossils. An adequate sample comprises 12 cubic meters (6,000 Ibs or
2,500 kg) of matrix for each site horizon or paleosol, or as determined by the supervising paleontologist. The
uniqueness of the recovered fossils may dictate salvage of larger amounts. To avoid construction delays, samples of
matrix should be removed from the site and processed elsewhere.
Preservation of Samples.
Oriented samples must be preserved for paleomagnetic analysis. Samples of fine matrices should be obtained
and stored for pollen analysis. Other matrix samples may be retained with the samples for potential analysis by later
workers, for clast source analysis, as a witness to the source rock unit and possibly for procedures that are not yet
envisioned.
Preparation.
Recovered specimens are prepared for identification (not exhibition) and stabilized. Sedimentary matrix with
microfossils is screen washed and sorted to identify the contained fossils. Removal of excess matrix during the
preparation process reduces storage space.
Identification.
Specimens are identified by competent qualified specialists to a point of maximum specificity. Ideally,
identification is of individual specimens to element, genus, and species. Batch identification and batch numbering
(e.g., "mammals, 75 specimens") should be avoided.
Analysis.
Specimens may be analyzed by stratigraphic occurrence, and by size, taxa, or taphonomic conditions. This
results in a faunal list, a stratigraphic distribution of taxa, or evolutionary, ecological, or depositional deductions.
Storaee.
Adequate storage in a recognized repository institution for the recovered specimens is an essential goal of the
program. Specimens will be cataloged and a complete list will be prepared of specimens introduced into the
collections of a repository by the curator of the museum or university. Adequate storage includes curation of
individual specimens into the collections of a recognized, nonprofit paleontologic specimen repository with a
permanent curator, such as a museum or a university. A complete set of field notes, geologic maps, and stratigraphic
sections accompany the fossil collections. Specimens are stored in a fashion that allows retrieval of specific,
individual specimens by researchers in the future.
22 031
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
Site Protection.
In exceptional instances the process of construction may reveal a fossil occurrence of such importance that
salvage or removal is unacceptable to all concerned parties. In such cases, the design concept may be modified to
protect and exhibit the occurrence with the project's design, e.g., as an exhibit in a basement mall. Under such
circumstances, the site may be declared and dedicated as a protected resource of public value. Associated fragments
recovered from such a site will be placed in an approved institutional repository.
Final Report.
A report is prepared by the project. paleontologist including a summary of the field and laboratory methods, site
geology and stratigraphy, faunal list, and a brief statement of the significance and relationship of the site to similar
fossil localities. A complete set of field notes, geological maps, stratigraphic sections, and a list of identified
specimens accompany the report. The report is finalized only after all aspects of the program are completed. The
Final Report together with its accompanying documents constitute the goals of a mitigation project. Full copies of
the Final Report are deposited with the :Lead Agency and the repository institution.
The Lead Agency assures compliance with measures to protect fossil resources from the beginning of the
project by:
(1) requesting an assessment and program for impact mitigation which includes salvage and protection during
the initial planning phases,
(2) by arranging for recovered specimens to be housed in an institutional paleontologic repository, and.
(3) by requiring the Final Report.
The supervising paleontologist is responsible for:
(1) assessment and development of the program for impact mitigation during initial planning phases,
(2) the repository agreement,
(3) the adequacy and execution of the mitigation measures, and
(4) the Final Report.
Acceptance of the Final Report for the project by the Lead Agency signifies completion of the program of
mitigation for the project. Review of the Final Report by a vertebrate paleontologist designated by the Lead Agency
will establish the effectiveness of the program and adequacy of the report. Inadequate performances in either field
comprise noncompliance, and may result in the Lead Agency removing the paleontologist from its list of qualified
consultants.
A QUALIFIED VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGIST is a practicing scientist who is recognized in the
paleontologic community and is proficient in vertebrate paleontology, as demonstrated by:
(1) institutional affiliations or appropriate credentials,
(2) ability to recognize and recover vertebrate fossils in the field,
(3) local geological and biostratigraphic expertise,
(4) proficiency in identifying vertebrate fossils, and
(5) publications in scientific journals.
A PALEONTOLOGICAL REPOSTTORY is a publicly supported, not -for -profit museum or university employing
a permanent curator responsible for paleontological records and materials. Such an institution assigns, accession
and catalog numbers to individual specimens which are stored and conserved to ensure their preservation under
adequate security and climate control. The repository will also retain site lists of recovered specimens, and any
associated field notes, maps, diagrams, or associated data. It makes its collections of cataloged specimens
available to researchers. -
SIGNIFICANT NONRENEWABLE PALEONTOLOGIC RESOURCES are fossils and fossiliferous deposits
here restricted to vertebrate fossils and their taphonomic and associated environmental indicators. This
definition excludes invertebrate or botanical fossils except when present within a given vertebrate assemblage.
Certain plant and invertebrate fossils or assemblages may be defined as significant by a project paleontologist,
local paleontologist, specialists, or special interest groups, or by Lead Agencies or local governments.
23
..uu. 032
' PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
A SIGNIFICANT FOSSILIFEROUS DEPOSIT is a rock unit or formation which contains significant
nonrenewable paleontologic resources, here defined as comprising one or more identifiable vertebrate fossils,
large or small, and any associated invertebrate and plant fossils, traces and other data that provide taphonomic,
taxonomic, phylogenetic, ecologic, and stratigraphic information (ichnites and trace fossils generated by
vertebrate animals, e.g., trackways, or nests and middens which provide datable material and climatic
information). Paleontologic resources are considered to be older than recorded history and/or older than 5,000
years BP.
A LEAD AGENCY is the agency responsible for addressing impacts to nonrenewable resources that a specific
project might generate.
PALEONTOLOGIC POTENTIAL is the potential for the presence of significant nonrenewable paleontological
resources. All sedimentary rocks, some volcanic rocks, and some metamorphic rocks have potential for the
presence of significant nonrenewable paleontologic resources. Review of available literature may further refine
the potential of each rock unit, formation, or facies.
PALEONTOLOGIC SENSITIVITY is determined only after a field survey of the rock unit in conjunction with a
review of available literature and paleontologic locality records. In cases where no subsurface data are
available, sensitivity may be determined by subsurface excavation.
24 ..�;., 031
PALED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIX C
PALEONTOLOGY REPORT
LAKE CAHUILLA SAMPLES
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Micropaleo Consultants, Inc.
April 24, 1995
25
.A Ju, 034
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
OR
041
MICROPALEO
CONBULTANT9. INC.
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES, INC.
7017 WHITAKER AVENUE
VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA 91406
PALEONTOLOGY REPORT
LAKE CAHUILLA SAMPLES
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
PALYNOLOGY REPORT
The reported palynomorph abundances represent the following quantities: V =
very rare (single specimen), R = rare (2 - 5 specimens), F = frequent (6 - 15
specimens), C = common (16 - 30 specimens) and A = abundant (greater than 30
specimens).
Environment: Nonmarine
Palynomorphs: Pinus (C)
Betulaceae (V)
?Ceanothus (Lilac) (V)
Chenopodiaceae (V)
Polypodiaceae (V)
Quercus (V)
Indeterminate psilate spore (R)
Algal fragments (F)
Remarks: Relatively high counts of coniferous pollen.
Algal fragments suggest wet (pond or lake?) environment.
681 Encinitas Blvd • Suite 312 • Encinitas, California 92024 • (619) 942.60SZ • t-PA (U v) 744'7Q4J
Laboratory. 4569 Mission Gorge Place • Suite K • San Diego. California 92120 • (619) 284-7703
26 ,..uu, 035
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
DPW 2469
Environment: Nonmarine
Palynomorphs: Pinus (A)
Compositae (Helianthus-type) (V)
Compositae (Ambrosia -type) (V)
Onagraceae (V)
Remarks: Assemblage is mainly coniferous pollen.
DPW 2470
Environment: Nonmarine
Palynomorphs: Pinus (R)
Chenopodiaceae(R)
Onagraceae (F)
Polypodiaceae (R)
Selaginella cf. sinuites (R)
Algal fragments (R)
Remarks: Marked decrease in coniferous pollen suggests less influx
of higher elevation detritus.
Algal fragments similar to sample DPW 2467.
Interpreted by:
Hide o Haga
MICROPALEO CONSULTANTS, INC.
7
27 4.J6� 036
PALED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
OSTRACOD REPORT
MICROFAITNAL ANALYSIS
No ostracod fragments, valves, or carapaces were present in samples DPW 2467
and 2471. Samples 2469 and 2470 contained fairly abundant specimens (see lists
below).
The two faunal assemblages are similar in species components and total
abundance. The difference in their relative abundances of species between the two
samples is of no apparent significance.
OSTRACOD LISTS
Sample:
DPW
DPW
2469
2470
Ostracods:
Cypridopsis vidua
79%
55%
Freshwater to
oligo-mesohaline
Cyprinotus torosa
< 1%
—
Freshwater to
mesohaline
Limnocythere ceriotuberosa
21%
45%
Freshwater to
brackish
Cypridopsis vidua and Limnocythere ceriotuberosa are both inhabitants of lakes
(Lister, 1975); Limnocythere is known from inland saltwater lakes (van Morkhoven,
1963). The association of the three genera recognized indicate low salinity, ranging
from 0 parts/thousand to perhaps 5 parts/thousand (oligo-mesohaline).
The lack of size sorting and presence of juveniles (instars) is indicative of quiet
(low -energy) water.
3
2s
.A.ouL037
. PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
As with all arthropods, ostracods have numerous molt stages throughout their
ontogeny; hence, interpreting the population dynamics of their fossil assemblages can
be difficult. Because lacustrine ostracods are thin -shelled, their more fragile instar> are
exceptionally prone to destruction during diagenesis or sample processing. Thus„ the
disproportionate number of adult specimens in the Lake Cahuilla populations is not
unusual.
Only three specimens were preserved intact as carapaces. Preservation of
carapaces generally requires rapid burial of the live or recently deceased ostracod.
Otherwise, the dead ostracod's adductor muscles relax and allow the hinge ligaments
to spread the valves wide open. The soft parts are then prone to scavengers and
decomposers, resulting in disarticulation of the valves. Had sample processing played
a significant role, few of these fragile valves would have been preserved unbroken.
Thus, the predominance of disarticulated valves in these samples indicates low rates of
sedimentation.
Freshwater microgastropods are present in all four sample residues, whereas no
foraminifers or thecamoebians were recovered. These observations support: the
interpretation of very low, salinities when these sediments were deposited.
The ostracod assemblages of DPW 2469 and 2470 are associated with abundant
microgastropods. Microgastropods are rare and confined to the coarse -sand fraction
of DPW 2467, but common both coarse- and medium -sand fractions of DPW 2471. The
association of abundant ostracods with abundant microgastropods suggests more
hospitable environments prevailed during the deposition of DPW 2469 and 2470.
However, sediment residues consisting predominantly of angular quartz sand and mica
flakes characterize all four samples, and the microgastropod species appear to be the
same; hence, there is no apparent evidence for what caused the reduction in
microgastropods and exclusion of the ostracods in two of the samples. If it is simply
faunal dilution via higher sedimentation rates, the exclusion of ostracods where
microgastropods persist remains perplexing. Perhaps this relates to seasonal or local
fluctuations in trophic resources at the site of deposition.
In his study of a Pleistocene lake fauna in Nevada, Swain (1977, p. 318) indluded
two species, Cypridopsis vidua and Cyprinotus torosa (as Cyprideis torosa), that he
obtained from the Lake Cahuilla beds for comparison. He commented: 'These forms,
the first freshwater and the second brackish water, perhaps represent stages of overflow
of Colorado River into the Salton Sea depression in relatively modern times. Whether
the two forms lived in the lake at the same time or represent intervals of varying
salinity cannot be determined at present". These comments are invalid as they are
based on his erroneous assignment of Cyprinotus torosa to Cyprideis, a genus with an
affinity for meso-polyhaline waters (see van Morkhoven, 1963).
4
29 .•,,Uu038
' PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Of the four samples, only DPW 2469 and 2470 yielded ostracods. Both samples
yield similar ostracodal assemblages, indicative of fresh to slightly brackish lacuslrine
paleoenvironments. No evidence of environmental change between the two
assemblages is apparent. Microgastropods are present in all four samples, having their
greatest abundances in the samples with ostracods. Thus, the samples lacking ostracods
may have been deposited during intervals of greater environmental stress, possibly at
times of higher sedimentation rates, or they simply represent seasonal or local
reductions in available trophic resources.
REFERENCES
Lister, K. H., 1975. Quaternary freshwater Ostracod from the Great Salt Lake Basin,
Utah. University of Kansas, Paleontological Contributions, Paper 78, 34 pp.
Morkhoven, F. P. C. van, 1963. Post -Paleozoic Ostracod, Vol. 2, Generic Descriptions,
Elsevier, 478 pp.
Swain, F. M., 1977. Paleoecological implications of Holocene and Late Pleistocene
Ostracod, Lake Lahonton Basin, Nevada. In: Loffler, H. and Danielopol, D.,
eds., Aspects of Ecology and Zoogeography of Recent and Fossil Ostracod.
Sixth International Ostracod Symposium, The Hague, Junk, pp. 309-320.
Interpreted by:
Kenneth L. Finger (Si3
Consulting Paleontologist
30 0 31
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SILICEOUS MICROFOSSILS REPORT
DPW 2467
Contents: This sample is barren of siliceous microfossils. Thus, it
does not seem to represent the same highly developed
lacustrine environment revealed by the other two samples.
DPW 2469
Contents: This sample contains an abundant and diverse assemblage
of well-preserved diatoms and sponge spicules.
Environment: The species include forms with environmental tolerances
ranging from fresh to brackish water. However, some
forms are limited to relatively low salinities (oligo- to
mesohaline) implying generally low -salinity conditions.
Varying sensitivity to nutrient levels is indicated by the
presence of both oligo- and eutrophic species. Both
benthonic (attached) and planktonic (free-floating) species
are included in the list.
Remarks: Such diverse assemblages are typical of large persistent
lakes, and the stratum sampled probably represents a
maximum in lacustrine development. The abundance of
diatoms in this sample suggests a slow rate of
sedimentation which raises the possibility, depending on
sample size, that the assemblage represents a number of
sub -environments. Such mixing could occur at one time as
specimens are transported to the depositional site: from
outside localities, or over time during which the
environment changed.
Z
31 .461JUL040
'PALED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
DPW 2470
Contents: This sample contains a moderately abundant and diverse
assemblage of well-preserved diatoms and sponge spicules.
The assemblage is similar to but less abundant than that in
Sample DPW 2469.
Environment: The assemblages in this sample represents a fresh to
brackish lacustrine environment similar to that in the richer
sample.
Remarks: This reduced assemblage probably indicates a stage of
waning development of the lake and/or increased
contributions of inorganic sediment.
7
32 r'
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
SILICEOUS MICROFOSSIL LISTS
The most abundant and easily identified species are listed. R = rare, F = few,
C = common and A = abundant.
Sample:
Diatoms:
Campylodiscus cf. clypeus
Cocconeis placentula
Cyclotella cf. kuetzingiana
Epithemia argus
Epithemia turgida
Hantzschia cf. taenia
Mastogloia elliptica
Navicula cf. clementis
Navicula palpebralis
Navicula ergadensis
Nitzschia cf. etchegoinia
Nitzschia cf. granulata
Pinnularia viridis
Rhopalodia gibba
Surirella striatula
Synedra cf. ulna
Terpsinoei musica
Tetracyclus lacustris
Sponge spicules
DPW
2467
frag.
DPW DPW
2469 2470
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
0
F
C
R
0
R
R
F
IN
C
The rich diatom assemblages recovered from two of the three samples submitted
for analysis indicate a well -developed lacustrine flora that would be worthy of further
analysis. These microfloral assemblages apparently have not yet been described in the
literature. Further taxonomic research would be required 1) to confirm species
identifications many of which remain, at this stage, tentative; and 2) to identify
additional rare species.
F3
33
.IGJU000 2
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
Diatoms inhabit a wide variety of aquatic habitats including various depth zones.
They are very sensitive to environmental variables such as light levels, temperature., Ph,
salinity, and nutrient levels. Climatic changes are marked by corresponding changes in
diatom assemblages, enhanced by the ability of diatoms to form dormant resting stages
that may react to more favorable conditions at later times.
Detailed analysis of the Lake Cahuilla beds has high potential for revealing the
history of filling and desiccation of the various lacustrine intervals.
Interpreted by:
Stanley AKling << v1 '-5
Consulting Paleontologist
HH:KLF:SAK:be
April 24, 1995
0
34 013
' PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIX D
INVERTEBRATE FOSSILS FROM LAKE CAHUILLA BEDS
LACMIP FOSSIL SITES 16830 (= DPW 2469/2470) AND 16831 (= DPW 2471)
PGA WEST TOM WEISKOPF SIGNATURE COURSE
LA OUINTA, RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
FAUNAL LIST
MOLLUSCA
Bivalvia
Gastropoda
ARTHROPODA
Ostracoda
'LACMIP fossil site.
SUMMARY
Lindsey T. Groves
Senior Invertebrate Paleontologist
Palen Environmental Associates, Inc.
April 8, 1995
Anodonta californiensis Lea, 1852 (California floater) [ 16830', 168311
Pisidium cf. P. casertanum (Poll, 1795) (ubiquitous peaclam) [ 16830, 168311
Amnicola longinqua Gould, 1855 (dusky snail)[ 16830, 168311
Ferrissia cf. F. walkeri (Pilsbry & Ferris, 1907) (cloche ancylid) [ 168311
F/umnicola sp. (pebble snail) [168311
Gyraulus cf. G. parvus (Say, 1817) (ash gyro) [16830, 168311
Helisoma trivolvis (Say, 1817) (rams -horn) [16830, 168311
Physella ampullacea Gould, 1855 (paper physa) (16830, 168311
Physella humerosa (Gould, 1855) (corkscrew physa) [16830, 16831]
Physella sp. (physa) [16830, 16831]
Tryonia protea (Gould, 1855) (desert tryonia) (16830, 168311
Ostracoda, sp. undetermined [168301
All of these species are extant in the Colorado Desert area of eastern California and western Arizona and most are
widespread. The genera are indicative of quiet freshwater habitats with muddy to sandy substrates in relatively
shallow (< 2m) permanent to subpermanent water with abundant rooted vegetation and debris. Tryoniaprotea is
found as a "subfossil" in Imperial County (Burch, 1982). Hanna (1963) reported abundant Amnicola longinqua at
the type locality in the Salton Sea (when the basin was filled with fresh water) that is indistinguishable from material
collected in the Searles and Panamint Lake beds, San Bernardino and Inyo Counties, California.
Burch, J.B. 1982. Freshwater snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of North America. Environmental Monitoring and
Support Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA-600/3-82-026.
35 1.0.:J 6 - 014
' PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
Hanna, G.D. 1963. Some Pleistocene and Pliocene freshwater Mollusca from California and Oregon. Occasional
Papers of the California Academy of Sciences 43:1-20.
36 045
`PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIX E
FOSSIL FISH REMAINS FROM LAKE CAHUILLA BEDS
LACMVP FOSSIL SITE 6252 (= DPW 2471)
PGA WEST' TOM WEISKOPF SIGNATURE COURSE
LA OUINTA, CALIFORNIA
Kenneth W. Gobalet
California State University, Bakersfield
May 2, 1995
The identification of fish remains from the Lake Cahuilla beds at LACMVP fossil site 6252 has been based primarily
on their geographic occurrence. Previous archaeological work has documented only a single species of sucker, the
razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus).. and two species of minnow, the bonytail (Gila elegans) and Colorado
squawfish (Ptychocheilus Lucius), in the: Salton basin (Gobalet, 1992, 1994). The sucker material examined would
not have been identifiable as razorback sucker except in this geographic context. The partial minnow pharyngeals
and teeth are consistent with the bonytail identification, but, as discussed by Gobalet (1992), other members of the
genus Gila might have been present in Lake Cahuilla.
The small vertebra not identifiable as minnow or sucker probably represents the desert pupfish (Cyprinodon
macularius; Family Cyprinodontidae) or Gila topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis; Family Poeciliidae).
Unfortunately, the tiny vertebra was crushed accidentally. Evaluation of skeletons of a member of the cyprinodontid
family and members of the poeciliid family at the California Academy of Sciences suggests the vertebra is from a
cyprinodontid. Therefore, based on its geographic occurrence, the vertebra is from the desert pupfish. This record is
the first prehistoric record of the desert pupfish from the Salton basin.
REFERENCES CITED
Gobalet, K.W. 1992. Colorado River fishes of Lake Cahuilla, Salton Basin, southern California: a cautionary tale for
zooarchaeologists. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 91(2):70-83.
Gobalet, K.W. 1994. Additional archaeological evidence for Colorado River fishes in the Salton Basin of southern
California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences 93(1):38-41.
37 ; ; 046
' PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIX F
FIRST DIVERSE RECORD OF SMALL VERTEBRATES FROM
LATE HOLOCENE SEDIMENTS OF LAKE CAHUILLA
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Whistler, D.P., Lander, E.B., and Roeder, M.A.
ICI
Reynolds, J., compiler
Abstracts from Proceedings:
The 1995 Desert Research Symposium
San Bernardino County Museum Association Quarterly 42(2):46
1995
As documented by Van De Kamp (1973) and Waters (1983), fresh water lakes have existed intermittently during the
Holocene in the fault -bounded Salton Trough of southern California. These lakes were caused by diversions of the
Colorado River westwardly into the Salton Trough. Waters provided a stratigraphic and chronologic analyses of the
upper 7 meters of lake and fluvial sedimentation, these based on exposures in a 6 km long trench 8 km SW of Indio,
California.
Human occupation is well documented for at least the last four lake intervals which date from approximately 1440 ybp
(years before present) to approximately 470 ybp. Abundant fresh water mollusks and some vertebrate remains have been
recovered. These include a leopard frog, tortoise, white pelican, cormorant, jack rabbit, white footed mouse, horse, and
mountain sheep.
Our studies are based on two test trenches, each 4 meters deep, excavated as part of a mitigation program associated
with development of a PGA West, Tom Weiskopf signature golf course in La Quinta, California for KSL Recreation
Corporation. The excavation program follows mitigation recommendations advanced by P. Langenwalter (1993) in the
original study of the property. The test trenches are 10 km west of the Waters trench. Both trenches yielded a succession
of lacustrine sediments interbedded with thinly bedded fluvial sediments. Both lacustrine and fluvial sediments contain
abundant mollusks. Diverse small vertebrates including fishes, lizards, snakes, birds, rabbits, and rodents were recovered
by screen sieving a total of over 5 tons of sediment from three stratigraphic horizons in one trench. The small vertebrate
assemblage contains species that are indicative of both sandy and rocky, brush -covered desert habitat. No species typical
of lake shore habitats were recovered. Consequently, the small vertebrates support rapid flooding of the Salton desert
basin and insufficient time for migration of lake shore associations before subsequent re -desiccation of the basin. Pollen,
diatom, ostracod, foraminifer and mollusk samples are also under study.
Charcoal was recovered from the stratigraphic intervals that yielded the small vertebrates. Radiocarbon age
determinations of 1125 ± 80 ybp and 2545 ± 50 ybp for the two uppermost beds sampled indicates that all of our
remains are from intervals older than the four lacustrine intervals defined by Waters. The present-day surface at the
trench sites is 25 meters below the Lake Cahuilla high -stand, thus the lack of evidence for the four younger lacustrine
intervals is an enigma.
38
' PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIX G
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY
INVERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY SECTION
FOSSIL SITE CATALOG --SITES 16830 AND 16831
LAKE CAHUILLA BEDS
PGA WEST TOM WEISKOPF SIGNATURE COURSE
LA QUINTA. CALIFORNIA
39 . �. � .; 018
'PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
INVERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY
Holocene/Recen
AGE
Riverside Co., California Ia Quinta USGS 7.5'topo
�1 iKo n77 i ioi'nm
su•+cr ca o.ei..,n o• c.10
M R W^terc —
aou. ..
16830
LOC. NO.
ACC. NO.
• al'11
1959 1:48,000
,cu... A .c.
,DC. D(SCR.. Test trench 1: Base of fluvial sands above lacustrine sands.
?Unit 4, Lake Cahuilla beds, PGAWest 5th golf course, La Quinta.
(See map on bade of card)
ren5,
L.T. Groves 16 March 1995
' J
Av
W
21� \e
____--1 33' 37'30"
116615,
ROAD CLASSIFICATION
Heavy duly Light -duty
Medium duty --- Unimproved dirt ........
1 -3 U. S Route (—) State RDu1e
LA QUINTA, CALIF.
NE/4PALM DESERT 15'OUADRANG LE
N3337.5—w 11615/7 5
)p
40 ...0 .; 00
i PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
INVERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY
,GE Holocene/Recent
Riverside Co., California TaC.i to UtiGS_7.5' tom
16831
LOC. NO.
ACC. NO
SEA sec. 21 T6S R7E Unknown
N.R. Waters DPW 2469/2471
1959 1:48, 00—_
.00. DESCR., Test trench 1: Bottcrtn of lacustrine sands. Unit 4, Lake Cahuilla
beds, PGA West golf course, La Quetta.
(see map on back of 16830)
L.T. Groves 16 M/arch 1995
41 .�. ,.; 050
' PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIX H
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY
VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY SECTION
FOSSIL SITE CATALOG --SITES 6252, 6253, 6255, 6256
LAKE CAHUILLA BEDS
PGA WEST TOM WEISKOPF SIGNATURE COURSE
LA OUINTA, CALIFORNIA
42 051
' PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
LRCM 6252
Namr. PGA West ngc: Holocene
Gcogvphy. USA California Riverside Co.
Map. 1 a Ouirdil, IZ24000 USGS 1050 1.4,ucd: V
T�hlp. S'F-SE Sect 21 T fi S. R 7 f. ntr rnola.
sac 13' 37 48' N l.eng_I1(,° 15' 10' W _luc.-. - 40 FT
Da .n ,. Wh'sticr David P FOd N..DPW 2471-2472 D.m: 17 Feb 17)5
Fmid Noru: V A¢cu. Dale: n ph.,. N.
Description:
Fossils from test trench excavated to depth of 4 in in pngwsed PGA Wcae Tom Weiskop( gulf course.
Trends encountered one dixliuclirc lacustrine sequence 1.5 it below surface overlain by medium -grained; Finely
bedded grayish -tan sandstone with abundant invertebrates & sonic vertebrates. Fossils from 12" lb. sample
from a 30 un section above lacustrine daystone. Sample field dry-sueened at 30 mesh [ca. 0.4 mm]. Charcoal
samples from DPW 2472 & lower horizons. Level radiocarbon dated at 1080 +/- ypb
LACM 6253
I'ormaoon: Lake Cohuilla hods
}fap: Ia Ouinla. 1/241XM1. USGS, 1959 Ploucd. v
"ro aihlp: SE -SE Sect. 21, T 6 S. R 7 F nrt I'mm�
Deunber Whistler: David P. F.dd No.DPW 2170 Dum: 17 17eb I'Y)S
F<Id N'oles: v ncrc.v.. It.u. n I'holo No.:
Dcudpoon:
Fossils from test trench excavated to depth of 4 in in proposed PGA West: Tons Wei.skopf golf course.
Trench encountered one distinctive lacustrine sequence 1.5 m below surface overlain by medium -grained; Finely
bedded grayish -tan sandstone with abundant invertebrates & sonic vertebrates. Fossils from ]00o lb. sample
from top 10 cm of lacastrine claystone underlying DPW 2472 [LRCM 62521. Sample Geld dry -screened at 30
mesh [ca. 0.4 mm]. Charcoal samples from DPW 2-:72 & lower horizons.
rsncmd ar Dasid P. WV isllcr Dm: 2.9 Mar 1995
43 ..0 052
PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
LRCM 6255
(;cograph7- IISA Californin, Ri,crsidc Co
Pom,mm¢ I ake r•ahudlj BC Is
xiap: l a Duin000 la 1/24. USG& 195') Plotted. v
To.�ssnl SF SE S ct 21 T (S R 7 E Ajr 1-ho10:
P li° 37 4X N Inng: 116 15' 10' W 1]cv. - 4fl Pl'
m:
I ¢IJ Na: DPW 24(.4 Uac 17 Fch 1'H) _
Dcunbcc Whistler, Dasid P _
15cIJ Noiu: V
Meal. Dala: n I'holo Fo.:
Ducnpno^:
Fossils from lest Deneh excavated to depth of 4 m in proposed PGA Were Tom Weiskopf golf course.
Trench encountered cross -bedded micaceous sandstone between 1.8 & 2.0 meters below surface. Fossils from
1000 lb. sample field dry-sacencd at 30 mesh (u.. 0.4 mm.J. 4vcl radiocarbon dated at 25W +/- 50 ybP.
Invertebrates; ostracods; diatoms & pollen analyses on file.
Mucn.l: OS: U : A ospe oohlus PCrOMalhn
hsmmd Up. Da:^.d P. Whistler — Date:
Dam: 26 Apr 1995
LACM 6256
I.OmlAlon:
>lap: Indio I12:�M U$ S 1972 Yloucd: V
To.mhip: hTSW Sccl, 22, T 6 S R 7 F Air Photo:
IIo- 14' 50' W FP
Ducnbcv R'h'ster Dasd P
Fcld No.: Da¢:
tidd Sou: n
n:., oaun pnoro r:o.:
Ducnpuo^:
Fossils collected during excavation of Lake # 5 within proposed PGA Were Tom Weiskopf golf
course. Fossils from south shore of lake excavation from 1.5 meters below surface in fine grained fluvi;d
sediments. Fumil collected 5 May 1995 by G. Cahano of Palen Environmental Acuxiatcs Inc.
�tamnar. nsis cinauens; _ Date 11 Uw 1095
P.n¢mJ 0� D' d P W9''sllc —
44 053
' PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIXI
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY
VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY SECTION
FOSSIL SPECIMEN CATALOG --
LAKE CAHUILLA BEDS
PGA WEST TOM WEISKOPF SIGNATURE COURSE
LA OUINTA, CALIFORNIA
LACMVP'
Specimen
Number
Taxon
Element
LACMVP
Fossil Site
Number
138264
Xyrauchen texanus
Tooth: Pharyngeal tooth
6252
138265
Xyrauchen texanus
Tooth: Pharyngeal tooth
6252
138266
Xyrauchentexanus
Vertebrae
6252
138267
Xyrauchentexanus
Vertebrae
6252
138268
Xvrauchen texanus
Vertebrae
6252
138269
Xyrauchentexanus
Vertebrae
6252
138270
Xyrauchentexanus
Vertebrae
6252
138271
Xyrauchentexanus
Vertebrae
6252
138272
Xyrauchen texanus
Vertebrae
6252
138273
Xyrauchentexanus
Vertebrae
6252
138274
Xyrauchentexanus
Vertebrae
6252
138275
Xyrauchen texanus
Angular + Articular
6252
138276
Gila elegans
Tooth: teeth
6252
138277
Gila elegans
Tooth: teeth
6252
138278
Gila elegans
Tooth: teeth
6252
138279
Gila elegans
Pharyngeals
6252
138280
Gila elegans
Pharyngeals
6252
138281
Gila elegans
Pharyngeals
6252
138282
Gila elegans
Pharyngeals
6252
138283
Gila elegans
Pharyngeals
6252
138284
Gila elegans
Pharyngeals
6252
138285
Gila elegans
Pharyngeals
6252
138286
Gila elegans
Pharyngeals
6252
138287
Gila elegans
Vertebrae
6252
138288
Gila elegans
Vertebrae
6252
138289
Gila elegans
Vertebrae
6252
138290
Gila elegans
Vertebrae
6252
138291
Gila elegans
Vertebrae
6252
138292
Cyprinodon macularius
Vertebrae
6252
138293
Phrynosoma platyrhinos
L Maxilla post"
6252
138294
Phrynosoma platyrhinos
L Dentary
6252
138295
Phrynosoma platyrhinos
Skull Parietal Horn
6252
138296
Sceloporus magister,
R Dentary
6252
138299
Urosaurus graciosus
R Dentary
6252
138300
Urosaurus graciosus
L Maxilla
6252
138301
Urosaurus graciosus
R Maxilla
6252
138302
Urosaurus graciosus
R Maxilla
6252
138303
Urosaurus graciosus
Skull: Frontal
6252
138304
Chionactis occipitalis
Vertebrae
6252
45 .1d.0 ), 054
'PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
138305
Chionactis occipitalis
Vertebrae
6252
138306
Chionactis occipitalis
Vertebrae
6252
138307
Chionactis occipitalis
Vertebrae
6252
138308
Chionactis occipitalis
Vertebrae
6252
138309
Hypsiglena torquata
Vertebrae
6252
138310
Hypsiglena torquata
Vertebrae
6252
138311
Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6252
139312
Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6252
138313
Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6252
138314
Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6252
138315
Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6252
138316
Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6252
138317
Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6252
138318
Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6252
138319
Sonora semiannulata
Vertebrae
6252
138320
Sonora semiannulata
Vertebrae
6252
138321
Sonora semiannulata
Vertebrae
6252
138322
Sonora semiannulata
Vertebrae
6252
138323
Sonora semiannulata
Vertebrae
6252
138324
Sonora semiannulata
Vertebrae
6252
138325
Crotalus cerastes
Vertebrae
6252
138326
Crotalus cerastes
Vertebrae
6252
138327
Crotalus cerastes
Vertebrae
6252
138328
Crotalus cerastes
Vertebrae
6252
138329
Crotalus cerastes
Vertebrae
6252
138330
Crotalus cerastes
Vertebrae
6252
138331
Crotalus cerastes
Vertebrae
6252
138332
Passeriformes
Tibia prox
6252
138333
Passeriformes
Ulna prox
6252
138334
Passeriformes
Scapula prox
6252
138335
Sylvilagus
L Tooth: P4/
6252
138336
Sylvilagus
L Tooth: M1/
6252
138337
Sylvilagus
L Tooth: dP4/ ?
6252
138338
Ammospermophilus leucurus
R Tooth: M1/
6252
138339
Ammospermophilus leucurus
R Tooth: M1/ or M2/
6252
138340
Ammospermophilus leucurus
R Tooth: MI/ or M2/
6252
138341
Ammospermophilus leucurus
R Tooth: M2/'?
6252
138342
Ammospermophilus leucurus
R Tooth: M2/
6252
138343
Ammospermophilus leucurus
R Tooth: M2/
6252
138344
Ammospermophilus ieueurus
R Tooth: /m3
6252
138345
Ammospermophilus leucurus
L Tooth: /mI or /m2
6252
138346
Ammospermophilus leucurus
R Tooth: M3/
6252
138347
Ammospermophilus leucurus
L Tooth: M2/
6252
138348
Ammospermophilus leucurus
Tooth: tooth frag
6252
138349
Perognathus longimembris
R Maxilla frag w P4-M 1
6252
138350
Perognathus longimembris
L Dentary frag w p4
6252
138351
Perognathus longimembris
L Dentary frag w p4
6252
138352
Perognathus longimembris
R Tooth: /m1
6252
138353
Perognathus longimembris
R Tooth: /m1
6252
138354
Perognathus longimembris
Tooth: I1/
6252
138355
Perognathus longimembris
L Dentary
6252
138356
Perognathus longimembris
R Dentary
6252
138357
Dipodomys
R Tooth: /m1
6252
138358
Dipodomys
L Tooth: M1/ ?
6252
46
.4.U, 055
s PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
138359 Neotoma lepida
L Tooth: M1/
6252
138360 Neotoma lepida
R Tooth: M2/
6252
138361 Neotoma lepida
R Tooth: M2/
6252
138362 Neotoma lepida
L Tooth: M3/
6252
138363 Neotoma lepida
L Tooth: /m2
6252
138364 Neotoma lepida
L Tooth:/m3
6252
138365 Neotoma lepida
R Tooth: /m3
6252
138366 Neotoma lepida
Tooth: M frag
6252
138367 Neotoma lepida
Tooth: M frag
6252
138368 Neotoma lepida
Tooth: M frag
6252
138369 Peromvscus
R Maxilla frag w M1
6252
138370 Xyrauchentexanus
Vertebrae
6253
138371 Gila elegans
Tooth: tooth
6253
138372 Gila elegans
Tooth: tooth
6253
138373 Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6253
138374 Pituophis melanoleucus
Vertebrae
6253
138375 Gila elegans
Vertebrae
6255
138376 Gila elegans
Vertebrae
6255
138377 Gila elegans
Vertebrae
6255
138378 Phrynosoma platyrhinos
R Denary
6255
138379 Uma inornata
Skull: Frontal
6255
138380 Ammospermophilus leucurus
R Tooth: M1/
6255
138381 Perognathus longimembris
Maxilla
6255
138382 Ovis canadensis
R Dentary w m 1-m2
6256
'LACM Vertebrate Paleontology Section.
bd: deciduous;
frag: fragment;
1: upper incisor;
L: left;
M: upper molar;
m: lower molar;
P: upper premolar;
p: lower premolar;
post: posterior;
R: right;
w: with.
47 .-„u 056
I I I PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
APPENDIX
REPORT OF RADIOCARBON DATING ANALYSES
Beta Analytic Inc.
March 30, April 10, 1995
48 - 057
I I • PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
REPORT OF RADIOCARBON DATING ANALYSES
FOR: Dr. David P. Whistler
Paleo Environmental Associates
DATE RECEIVED: FebtIra Iy 27, 1995
DATE REPORTED: March 30, 1995
Sample Data - Measured C13/C12 Conventional
C14 Age Ratio C14 Age (•)
Beta-80758 2520 +/- 50 BP -26.2 o/oo 2500 +/- 50 BP
CAMS-18967
SAMPLE r: DPW 2468
ANALYSIS: AMS
MATERIAL/PRETREATMENT:( cha r r ed material): acid/alkali/acid
Beta-80759 1080 +/- 80 BP -24.8 o/oo 1080 +/- 80 BP
SAMPLE 9: DPW 2472
ANALYSIS: radiometric -standard
MATERIAL/PRETREATMENT:(charred material): acid/alkali/acid
COMMENT: the small sample was given extended counting time
NOTE: It is Important to rend the a.11endat calihl at ion informal ion
and to use the calLandar r„rlihl .,ted re;ult� (rnportud ;nparately) when
interpreting theoe rc::ulte in AD/BC terms.
NOTE One additional sample, DPW 247', i•a being analyzed by AMS.
-ample DPW 2174 wile. <-tineelled (ac inotru(.Lud).
Dates are reported as RCYBP (radiocarbon years before present, Measured C13/C12 lards were calculated relatwe to Ire PUB-1
'present' = 1950A. D. ), By International convention, the modern international standard and the RCYBP ages were normalized to
reference standard was 95% of the C14 content of the National -25 per mil . It the ratio and age are accompanied by an ('), then the
Bureau of StandardsOxalic Acid & calculated using the Libby C14 C13/C12 value was estimated, based on values typical of the
half life (5568 years). Quoted errors represent 1 standard deviation material type. The quoted results are NOT calibrated to calendar
statistics (68 % probability) 8 are based on combined measurements years. Calibration to calendar years should be calculated using
of the sample, background, and modern reference standards. the Conventional C14 age.
49
A ' • PPALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
CALIBRATION OF RADIOCARBON ACt;'1'O C/ LEM)AR YI?ARS
(Variables: CIMA2-26.2:1ob. mull- 1)
I.nhm llm), Numhcr: Itcla-S0758
Conventional radioc:u'buu age: 2.500+/- 50 lit'
Calibrated results: cal 13C 79.5 to 410
(2 siglWl, 95'G" probability)
Intercept data:
Intercepts of radiocarbon age
with calibration curve: ad RC 760 and
cal1W 615 and
cal It(' 500
1 sigma calibrated results: cal BC 7S0 to 515
(68% probability)
2700
2600
0
0
2500
V
O
2400
230C
2500 t °O BP
800 700 600 500 400
Cal BC
References:
I'n•(nrin Cn(ihrntinu Currr f m4hurl LirrA.S'nroplrs
VoAr'l.l C'.. Fins. A. I'issrr, A. and A, k,,,, IL, 191)1, Itudiuourbun 35(I), p7"t-X6
A Siugrlif,,,d Apprnnoh In CnlihrminR CI'J Dohs
"I'uhnu, A. S. uvd Vugr(J C., I'll I. furh�n rrrhnn 35(.), 3 / 7-l2 r
C'nliLmrinn - 1993
.Vulvrr, Al., I..nK. A, Ern, It A and lrrewr..l Al. 199 i, lte,h......
Beta Analytic Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory
4965 S It'. 7J111 Cuur1, Miami, 140rida 33155 u Tel.' f305)667-5167 • Fla: (305)356-0964 • E-mail: hCla(,l)alta(vtiC+ u•iM. net
50 . , 059
Y PALEO ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
CALIBRATION OF RADIOCARBON AGE TO CALENDAR YEARS
(Val iables:C 131C 12--24.8:IA mull. - -I)
Laboratory Number: licla-80759
Conventional radiocarbon age: I(IN +/-80 B1'
Calibrated results: cal AD 785 to 1065 and
(2 sigma, 95'%1 probability) cal AD 1075 to 1155
Intercept data:
Intercept ohadiocarbun age
with calibration curve: cal AD 995
11UG
lbI49
a 1200
1100
n°
`m
0
IOUO
900
Soo
I sigma cahbialcd results: cal AD 885 to 1020
(68'Z1 prubobilily)
innn r vn nn
Codili1:❑ HATCRIiiL
100 000 900 1100 1100 12uu
c.-d 60
Id Cfejcnces,
I'rrinrin Calib-fl,,n Gorr fin SAurl Lirrd.l.u.../I,
h,W J. C. l Lls, A. V11111, P_ unll 'h'A v. Is I %9J. Nudunurinm lSNI. PIJ-1'/
,I Simplified Apprnnrh la Cnli4wmq (:,I J Un(r,v
Tulrnu, A. S. and I'ogrl, .1. l'.. 1993. pndmnnh.rr, 35(2), 1,11 /- (T2
(ali4rml.nn - 1993
.Shine.. Al., I.rnq:, If A'n1, le illrvnm..1 It. 1993 ll... I rurin,n Oil)
Beta Analytic Radiocarbon Mitili I.aboralory
49S5 S. W 741h Cum'I. Atom". /'(arid,,33155 of lel, (305)663-191.1' s .ul: lwfa(a ....Alic. min...Cl
51
•�.ii; 060
®PALED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES
REPORT OF RADIOCARBON DATING ANALYSES
FOR: Dr. David P. Whistler
Paleo Environmental Associates
DATE RECEIVED: Auth. March 21, 1995
DATE REPORTED: April 10, 1995
Sample Data Measured C13/C12 Conventional
C14 Age Ratio C14 Age (*)
Beta-80760 5870 +/- 60 BE, -23.7 o/oo 5890 +/- 60 BP
CAMS-19189
SAMPLE A: DPW 2473
ANALYSIS: AMS
MATERIAL/PRETREATMENT:(charred material): acid/alkali/acid
NOTE: It is important to read the calendar calibration information
and to use the calendar calibrated results (reported,separately) when
interpreting these results in AD/BC terms.
Dales are reported as RCYBP (radiocarbon years before present,
.present' = 1950A.D.). By International convention, the modern
reference standard was 95% of the C14 content of the National
Bureau orstandards' Oxalic Acid 8 calculated using the Libby C14
half life (5568 years). Quoted errors represent 1 standard deviation
slarsbcs (68%probability) & are based on combined measurements
of the sample, background. and modern reference standards
Measured C10/1312 ratios were calculated relative to the PDB-1
international standard and the RCYBP ages were normalized to
-25 per mil. If the ratio and age are accompanied by an I'), then the
C10/C12 value was estimated, based on values typical of the
malarial type. The quoted results are NOT calibrated to calendar
years. Calibration to calendar years should be calculated using
the Conventional C14 ago.
52
n V f
062
DIANNE FEINSTEIN
CALIFORNIA
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE OIJ RULES AND ADMINISTRATION
'United �Statez senate
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-0504
June 28, 1995
Ms. Leslie J. Mouriquand
Associate Planner
La Quinta Historic Preservation Committee
78-495 Calle Tampico
La Quinta, California 92253
Dear Ms. Mouriquand:
Thank you for contacting me about Fiscal Year 1996
(FY96) appropriations for the Historic Preservation Fund
in the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.
I appreciate
hearing
from you on
the Historic
Preservation Fund.
I want
you to know that
I am working
hard to ensure that funds
appropriated to
the Interior
Department and other agencies are used
in the most
efficient manner to
provide
maximum benefit to
California
and the rest of the
nation.
At the same time, money is very tight this year.
Discretionary funding in the federal budget declined by
$500 million ]Last year and will decline another
$5.4 billion for FY96, so this year is anticipated to be
much more difficult. I am asking cities and counties in
California to send their priorities for appropriations for
FY96 for our review and action.
It was most helpful for me to receive your views.
Please know I will keep them in mind. At this time I can
make no promises, but I am doing my best to see that
California's needs are addressed in the appropriations
process.
2 ;G915
.40 - 063
Page 2
Once again„
any questions„
Washington, D.C.
DF:rcl
thank you for contacting me
please contact Robert
office at (202) 224-3841.
With warmest regards.
Sincerely,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
If you have
Lum of my
BARBARA BOXER 1700 MONTGOMERY STREET
CAUFORNu SUITE 20
SAN FRANCISCO. CA 94111
COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT (415) 403-01DO
AND PUBUC WORKS 2250 EAST IMPERIAL HIGHWAY
`united Mates 0$mate SUfDO.0
COMMITTEE ON BANKING. EL SEGU SUITE
CA 902l5
HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET
HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING (310)114-5700 SUITE 112 525 B STREET
...__„ ..T.. _, _. .. -.., .:.:o—..:.,e-- SUITE 990
JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE WASHINGTON, DC 20510-05Q5, y _ , SAN DIEGO. CA 92101
DEPUTY WHIP (202)224-3553 ;i i (519) 239JB5�
2300 TUTARE STREET
W ( a SUITE
June 2, 199 T U N 1 5 199, FRE A 9 I l9T 3�721
J I i
Ms. Leslie J. Mouriquand
City of La Quinta-
78-495 Calle Tampico
La Quinta, California 92253
Dear Ms. Mouriquand:
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for
continued and increased funding for the Historic Preservation
Fund for Fiscal Year 1996. I appreciate hearing from you.
I hope you will be pleased to know that the President
recently requested. that Congress appropriate $43 million. to the
Historic Preservation Fund for FY 1996.
I have forwarded your request on to my Legislative Assistant
who handles the Department of Interior appropriations, in which
the Historic Preservation Fund is included. Please be assured
that I will keep your concerns in mind as the Senate enters into
the appropriations process.
Thank you again for contacting me about this important
matter.
ie):=3
Sincerely,
4o,Z� ACe�
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator
(165
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