Appendix E.2 - 2006 & 2017 Cultural Report SWCAAppendix E.2
2006 & 2017 Cultural Report
SWCA, 2006 & 2017
Travertine SPA
Draft EIR
SCH# 201811023
Technical Appendices
October 2023
LII
FINAL
CLASS III CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION, INCLUDING
LIMITED SUBSURFACE TESTING OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE CA-RIV-7394, FOR THE
PROPOSED TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, CITY OF LA QUINTA, RIVERSIDE
COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Prepared for
Travertine Corporation
c/o Steven W. DeLateur, Esq.
McDermott & DeLateur, LLP
74-770 Highway 111, Suite 201
Indian Wells, California 92210
and
Bureau of Land Management
Palm Springs -South Coast Field Office
690 West Garnett Avenue
P.O. Box 581260
North Palm Springs, California 92258
Prepared by
Nancy E. Sikes, Ph.D., RPA
Stephen O'Neil, M.A.
with contributions by
Michael Tuma, M.A., RPA
SWCA ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS
23392 Madero, Suite L
Mission Viejo, California 92691
(949) 770-8042
www.swca.com
USGS 7.5' Quadrangles
Martinez Mountain 1981 (PR 1988) and Valerie 1956 (PR 1972)
SWCA Project No. 6935-109
SWCA Cultural Resources Report Database No. 05-412
September 25, 2006
CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
MANAGEMENT SUMMARY
Purpose and Scope: Travertine Corporation retained SWCA Environmental Consultants to provide
cultural resources services related to residential development of its property in the City of La Quinta,
Riverside County, California. The services entailed a Class III cultural resources inventory of 941 acres
on private land owned by Travertine, plus additional acreage for proposed access roads with public lands
administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Reclamation. The inventory was
conducted in four separate periods, including three separate pedestrian surveys in February 2004, March
2005, and November 2005, and one period of limited subsurface testing of prehistoric archaeological site
CA-RIV-7394 in July 2005. This report documents the results of this work.
The ultimate goal of this study was to identify historic properties within the project area, supplement or
update information from previous inventories, and to better define the boundaries of CA-RIV-1342 and
CA-RIV-7394 in relation to Travertine property. The boundary information will assist Travertine
Corporation in making decisions regarding development options relative to the sites' components.
This document describes the location and nature of several significant prehistoric archaeological sites.
The inclusion of this information in this report is necessary to enable planning decisions to be made.
Therefore, because the locations of archaeological sites must be kept strictly confidential, this entire
report must be considered confidential and not be publicly distributed.
2023 NOTE: Confidential information has been redacted from this version of the report.
Dates of Investigation: Cultural resources pedestrian surveys were conducted from February 2 — 6, 2004,
March 28 — 31, 2005, and November 21 — 22, 2005. Subsurface testing of site CA-RIV-7394 was
accomplished from July 11 — 20, 2005. Two informal surveys were conducted on February 22 and May
31, 2006 to establish the boundaries of a planned conservation area. The investigation included a record
search, performed by the Eastern Information Center, University of California, Riverside, on January 15,
2004. A Sacred Lands file search was initiated on December 16, 2003. The Native American Heritage
Commission responded on December 23, 2003, and stated that their search failed to indicate the presence
of Native American Sacred Lands or traditional cultural properties within the immediate project area.
This final report was completed in September 2006.
Investigation Constraints: Ground visibility within the project area varied seasonally, depending on
rainfall and vegetation growth. The southern half of Section 33 covered by dense vineyards was not
surveyed.
Findings of the Investigation: The literature review indicated that 139 cultural resources are recorded
within a one -mile radius of the project area. Twelve previous studies included portions of the
development, with a total of 30 cultural resources studies completed within a one -mile radius. Eighteen
sites and 10 isolates were previously recorded within the boundaries of the project area. Three of these
sites (CA-RIV-1334, CA-RIV-1341, and CA-RIV-1351) were subsumed under multi-component site CA-
RIV-7394, and one was later determined not to be a site (CA-RIV-1348), reducing the number of
previously recorded sites within the project area to 14. Due to dense vegetation cover, five of these sites
were not relocated during this intensive survey.
Seven sites were relocated and their
information updated (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-3873, CA-
RIV-3872, and CA-RIV-5322). An additional five sites
CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7963) were identified
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here. The investigation clarified whether these 12 sites are located on public lands
administered by the BLM or privately owned Travertine Corporation land. A further three previously
unknown prehistoric sites (CA-RIV-7960, CA-RIV-7961, CA-RIV-7962) and eight prehistoric isolates
(P-33-14852, P-33-14853, P-33-14854, P-33-14855, P-33-14856, P-33-14857, P-33-14858, and P-33-
14989) were also identified as a result of this study. No historic -era resources were identified.
Multi-component site CA-RIV-7394 is recommended eligible for listing on the National Register of
Historic Places, and will be avoided by this ro'ect. Within site CA-RIV-7394, a thin, near continuous
scatter of artifacts (mainly ceramic sherds) 16 isolated artifacts, and 17 loci
were recorded. Three of these loci were then combined as one locus. Including the previously recorded
loci, there are 25 total loci at this site. No subsurface material was identified during test excavations of
CA-RIV-7394 in Jul 2005. As a result of this investi:ation, the boundaries of Late Prehistoric site CA-
RIV-7394 have been further
defined and redrawn. Site CA-RIV-7394, composed of 25 loci and two segments of Native American
trails associated with the Late Prehistoric and Contact Period Desert Cahuilla village of Mauulmia, is more
significant than previously reported.
Recommendations: Of the 21 prehistoric archaeological sites evaluated as part of this Class III
inventory, the project has the potential to cause an adverse effect on three sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-
1349, and CA-RIV-7394) that qualify for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Although
eight sites (CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913,
CA-RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7963) on their own do not meet the eligibility requirements for listing on the
National Register or California Register of Historical Resources, they are recommended as contributing
elements of a proposed archaeological district. Also recommended as contributing elements are two
unevaluated sites located on BLM-administered public lands (CA-RIV-5322 and CA-RIV-5323 , as well
as CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, and CA-RIV-7394. These 13 sites
are part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource procurement
network, which continued to function into the Contact Period. The sites include rock shelters, milling
features, ceramic and lithic scatters, and a trail network connecting to each other and resources in the
Santa Rosa Mountains.
The preferred and recommended mitigation for each of these archaeolo ical sites is avoidance. This
nroiect has been redesil?ned to avoid impacts to
Travertine Corporation has established a planned conservation area
that will avoid these sites and include landscaping elements that will form an access barrier between the
sites and the Travertine development.
Considering the archaeological sensitivity of the project area, SWCA recommends that a qualified
archaeologist monitor all construction ground -disturbing activities occurring in native sediments/soils.
SWCA also recommends a Native American monitor be retained, and further recommends that prior to
initiation of ground disturbing activities, qualified archaeologists conduct a worker cultural awareness
training session. In addition, as outlined in the appended Monitoring and Discovery Plan, in the event that
cultural resources are discovered during construction grading, trenching, and/or excavation when a
monitor is not present, project personnel should halt such activities in the immediate area and notify a
qualified archaeologist to evaluate the resource.
Disposition of Data: This report will be filed with the Eastern Information Center, University of
California, Riverside; the Bureau of Land Management, Palm Springs -South Coast Field Office; the
Travertine Corporation; the Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Regional Office; and SWCA
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Environmental Consultants, Mission Viejo. All field notes and other documentation related to the study
will remain on file at the Mission Viejo office of SWCA.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS - VOLUME I
Management Summary ii
List of Appendices vi
List of Figures vi
List of Tables vi
List of Photographs vii
BLM Data Sheet viii
Undertaking Information/Introduction 1
Setting 6
Natural 6
Geography 6
Climate 7
Flora/Fauna 7
Cultural 9
Prehistoric Period 9
Ethnography 14
Historic Period 18
Previous Archaeological Research 20
Focus on Five Previously Recorded Sites 24
CA-RIV-1334 24
CA-RIV-1341 24
CA-RIV-1342 24
CA-RIV-1351 25
CA-RIV-1341/1351 25
CA-RIV-7394 (Formerly CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1341/1351) 25
Native American Contacts 26
Research Issues and Themes 27
Chronology 27
Research Questions 28
Subsistence Systems 28
Research Questions 29
Settlement Systems 29
Research Questions 30
Survey Methods and Results 31
Survey Methods 31
Survey Results 35
Previously Recorded Sites 35
Newly Identified Cultural Resources 42
Modern Trash and Camping Deposits 46
Limited Site Testing of CA-RIV-7394 47
Site Testing Methods 47
Site Testing Results 51
Discussion 57
CA-RIV-7394 57
Boundaries 57
Updated Description 57
Association with Mauulmii Village 58
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Association with MMRS Sites 59
Vandalism 60
SITE EVALUATIONS 60
Evaluation Criteria 61
Site Evaluations 62
PROJECT EFFECTS ASSESSMENT 68
Regulatory Requirements 68
CONSIDERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 70
Site Ownership 70
Planned Conservation Areas 71
Recommendations 73
Unanticipated Discoveries 74
Construction Monitoring 74
Native American Monitor 75
Worker Cultural Awareness Training 75
Unanticipated Discovery Plan 75
Curation of Recovered Cultural Materials 76
Human Remains 76
References Cited 77
Acronyms 83
LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix A: BLM Cultural Use Permits and Fieldwork Authorization Forms
Appendix B: Confidential Records Search Results
Appendix C: Confidential Sacred Lands Search Results
Appendix D: Monitoring and Discovery Plan
Appendix E: Confidential Site Record Forms (bound as Volume II)
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Project Area and Areas Surveyed by SWCA 5
Figure 2. Previously Recorded Archaeological Sites 23
Figure 3. CA-RIV-7394 and Results of Surveys by SWCA and CRM Tech 39
Figure 4. SWCA Survey Results 45
Figure 5. SWCA Test Units and Results 50
Figure 6. CA-RIV-7394 Expanded Boundaries, July 2005 56
Figure 7. Site Ownership Along the Martinez Mountain Rock Slide 72
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Proposed Access Roads 4
Table 2. Colorado Desert Cultural Chronology 10
Table 3. Cultural Resources Previously Recorded within the Project Area 20
Table 4. Survey Coverage 32
Table 5. Archaeological Sites Relocated within Project Area 36
Table 6. Cultural Resources Identified During Current Inventory 43
Table 7. Test Unit Locations and Results 49
Table 8. Current Status of Recorded Sites and Isolates 69
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LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS
Photograph 1.
Photograph 2.
Photograph 3.
Photograph 4.
Photograph 5.
Photograph 6.
Overview of project area. View to the north. 7
Survey over desert pavement at the south portion of CA-RIV-7394. View to the
south 34
Pottery rim sherd — northwest area of CA-RIV-7394 52
Test Unit #17 — floor 52
Stone ring in Locus 21. View to the east. 54
Native American trail in Locus 21 (stone ring in left foreground). View to the
south 55
TABLE OF CONTENTS - VOLUME II
Appendix E: Confidential Site Record Forms
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BLM DATA SHEET
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UNDERTAKING INFORMATION/INTRODUCTION
Contracting Data: Travertine Corporation retained SWCA Environmental Consultants to conduct a
Class III cultural resources inventory related to a planned residential development. The services included
a literature review, Native American Sacred Lands file search, pedestrian survey, and limited subsurface
testing of prehistoric archaeological site CA-RIV-7394.
Proposed access roads to the Travertine Corporation property impinge on Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) and Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) lands, thus requiring consultation with these two federal
agencies under Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (36 CFR 800).
The BLM, by mutual agreement, has taken on the role of lead agency.
Permits: All cultural resources work was completed under BLM Cultural Use Permit CA -02-10 and
Fieldwork Authorization No. 660-04-01 in 2004 and under Cultural Use Permit CA -05-07 and Fieldwork
Authorization 660-05-04 in 2005 and BOR Archaeological Resources Protection Act Permit LC -CA -03-
07. Copies of these permits are attached to this report as Appendix A.
Purpose: The current study was completed under the provisions of Section 106 of the NHPA (36 CFR
800) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The NHPA authorizes the maintenance of a National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) that facilitates
the preservation of properties possessing integrity and meeting at least one of the following four criteria
delineated at 36 CFR 60.4 (Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 2000).
The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering and culture is
present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess integrity of location, design,
setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association and that:
(a) that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns
of our history; or
(b) that are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
(c) that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, or that
represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a
significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
(d) that have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
Public Resources Code (PRC) SS5024.1, Section 15064.5 of the Guidelines and Sections 21083.2 and
21084.1 of the Statutes of CEQA were also used as the basic guidelines for the cultural resources study
(Governor's Office of Planning and Research 1998). PRC SS5024.1 requires evaluation of historical
resources to determine their eligibility for listing on the California Register of Historical Resources
(CRHR). The purposes of the register are to maintain listings of the state's historical resources and to
indicate which properties are to be protected from substantial adverse change (Office of Historic
Preservation 1997). The criteria for listing resources on the CRHR were expressly developed to be in
accordance with previously established criteria developed for listing on the NRHP, enumerated above.
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According to PRC SS5024.1(c)(1-4), as well as and Section 15064.5(a)(3)(A-D) in the revised CEQA
guidelines (Governor's Office of Planning and Research 1998), a resource is considered historically
significant if it meets at least one of the following criteria:
(1) Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of
California's history and cultural heritage;
(2) Is associated with the lives of persons important in our past;
(3) Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region or method of installation, or
represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values; or
(4) Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
Under CEQA, if an archaeological site is not an historical resource but meets the definition of a "unique
archaeological resource" as defined in PRC Section 21083.2, then it should be treated in accordance with
the provisions of that section.
The format of this report follows Archaeological Resource Management Reports (ARIVIR): Recommended
Contents and Format (Office of Historic Preservation 1990).
Undertaking: The proposed project entails development of the Travertine property with a planned
residential community, which includes two golf courses, two reservoirs, and a planned conservation area
(open space). The federal undertaking includes the issuance of rights of ways across federal lands (BLM
and BOR). Before the BLM can authorize a project that may affect cultural resources, it must consider the
effects of its actions on non-federal lands.
The development of the Travertine property as a planned residential community may result in the
destruction of portions of prehistoric archaeological site CA-RIV-7394 (formerly CA-RIV-1334 and CA-
RIV-1341/1351), as well as other previously unknown cultural resources. This study was designed to
locate any previously unknown cultural resources within Travertine property (totaling approximately 941
acres), to relocate previously recorded archaeological sites, and to determine the areal extent of CA-RIV-
7394. Site CA-RIV-7394 was recorded mainly within
and the proposed project area. An additional element of the current stud was to
relocate rehistoric archaeolo ical site CA-RIV-1342, previously recorded along the
extent of CA-RIV-7394, and determine its relationship to CA-RIV-
7394 and the Travertine property. Determining the boundaries of these two prehistoric sites, CA-RIV-
1342 and CA-RIV-7394, in relation to the Travertine property will assist Travertine Corporation in
making decisions regarding development options relative to the sites' components.
Approximately 902 acres were surveyed during four separate periods as part of this Class III inventory.
The survey was conducted mainly using 15 -meter transects, as well as opportunistic transects depending
on the terrain, and concentrated surveys of dense scatters. As discussed further in the section on Survey
Methods, survey coverage included acreage owned by Travertine, Coachella Valley Water District, public
lands administered by the BLM or BOR, and future Travertine Corporation land purchases. That section
also remarks on areas excluded from the current survey.
The survey indicated CA-RIV-7394 was more significant than previously indicated, and confirmed the
potential of this site to retain important information regarding the prehistory of the area. Based on this
information, it became apparent that CA-RIV-7394 qualifies as a "historic property" and "historical
resource" for listing in the NRHP and the CRHR, respectively. If CA-RIV-1342 were determined to be
part of CA- RIV-7394, then it would also be eligible for listing.
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SWCA submitted a Testing Plan for CA-RIV-7394 to the BLM in July 2005, which called for limited
subsurface testing of CA-RIV-7394 in order to determine the extent of the site. Subsequent to the
completion of site testing in July 2005, an additional informal surve was conducted in February 2006 to
clarify the location of known sites at in relation
to Travertine versus BLM-administeredpublic lands. A second informal survey was conducted in May
2006 in order to accurately record the edge of site CA-RIV-7394 and the _ edge of a
planned buffer zone between the Travertine development and the edge of the site. During this site visit, a
burned bone fragment was identified in association with one of the loci within site CA-RIV-7394.
Although the fragment lacked diagnostic features, it is being treated as human and representatives of the
Torres -Martinez Reservation will determine its disposition.
This final report details the methods and findings of the fieldwork, conducted to determine the impact of
the proposed Travertine development to the integrity of CA-RIV-1342 and CA-RIV-7394. The report
provides eligibility recommendations, precise boundary determinations, and management
recommendations for the mitigation of potential adverse effects of the Travertine development to
recorded sites. This report also includes a Monitoring and Discovery Plan for Unanticipated Cultural and
Archaeological Discoveries, attached as Appendix D.
As of this writing, the project has been redesigned to avoid impacts to prehistoric archaeological site CA-
RIV-7394, a NRHP eligible property, and to a number of unevaluated properties. No evidence was found
of site CA-RIV-1342 at its previously recorded location. Travertine will be s1acin_ a conservation
easement over its entire acrea ' e covered b site
In addition, Travertine s lans to establish a
conservation area
Included within this conservation area are a number of known archaeological sites and Native American
trails.
Project Limits: The Travertine project area, comprised of approximately 941 acres situated within the
City of La Quinta, Riverside County, is surrounded by federally managed lands. This area is located on
the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5 -minute Martinez Mountain (1981, Photorevised 1988) and
Valerie (1956, Photorevised 1972) quadrangles within Sections 32 and 33 of Township 6 South, Range 7
East, and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of Township 7 South, Range 7 East (San Bernardino Base and Meridian).
The irregularly shaped Travertine project area is located mainly within Sections 4, 5, and 33 west of a
planned southward extension of Madison Street. The southeastern toe of the project area is within the
southwestern quadrant of Section 3. In the north, Travertine property includes the southern tip of Coral
Mountain in the northwest quadrant of Section 33. A 12.36 -acre parcel within the west -central area of
Section 33 is not currently under Travertine ownership, but was covered by the intensive pedestrian
survey.
This investigation included survey of five proposed access roads that impinge on BLM and/or BOR land
(Figure 1; Table 1). Travertine Corporation now plans to use only three of the five proposed access roads
(numbered 2, 3, and 4); paralleling the Section 3/34 and 33/34 boundary lines, and within the northeast
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quadrant of Section 32. Access Roads 1 and 5, shown on Figure 1 along the section 3/10 boundary line
and within the northeast quadrant of Section 28, are now not planned for construction.
Table 1. Proposed Access Roads
Planned Access
Road No. *
- oadway
extensio
Current
Construction
Plans
1 3/10 boundary line
Will not be used
2
3/34 boundary line
Avenue 62
Will be used
3
33/34 boundary line
Madison Street
Will be used
4
Northeast quadrant of Section 32
Jefferson Street
Will be used
5
Northeast quadrant of Section 28
Will not be used
Access Roads 1 and 5 shown on Figure 1 are now not planned for construction.
Figures: Figure 1 is a portion of the USGS 7.5 -minute Martinez Mountain (1981, Photorevised 1988) and
Valerie (1956, Photorevised 1972) quadrangles, California, depicting the specific location of the project
area and the five proposed access roads, with an inset map showing the general vicinity of the study area,
and the areas surveyed by SWCA. Previously recorded archaeological sites within the Travertine project
area are shown on Figure 2. Figure 3 compares the results of surveys by SWCA and CRM Tech of site
CA-RIV-7394. The sites and isolates identified during survey of the project area by SWCA are shown in
Figure 4. Figure 5 depicts the placement of SWCA's test units and results of the investigation at site CA-
RIV-7394. The expanded boundaries and recorded loci for site CA-RIV-7394 are detailed on Figure 6.
Figure 7 shows the location of the 12 sites at the base of the MMRS in relation to Travertine property and
BLM-administered public land.
Project Personnel: Dr. Nancy Sikes was the principal investigator for this project. SWCA archaeologists
Peter Paige, M.A., and Michael Tuma, M.A., conducted the first survey in February 2004; Michael Tuma
(field supervisor), Luis Burgos, Michael Cruz, Maria Garrity, and Stephen O'Neil, M.A., conducted the
March 2005 survey; Stephen O'Neil and Kevin Hunt conducted the November 2005 survey. The July
2005 fieldwork was carried out by Stephen O'Neil (crew chief), Jessica DuBusk, Kevin Hunt, Gary King,
Michael Tuma (field supervisor) and Luis Burgos. A Testing Plan for site CA-RIV-7394 was prepared in
June 2005 by Dr. Nancy Sikes, with contributions by Mr. Tuma and Mr. Maxon. Mr. O'Neil represented
SWCA during the informal site visits in February and May 2006, and escorted the Riverside County
Deputy Coroner, Deborah Gray, in June 2006. This report on the results of the Class III Inventory,
Evaluation, and Limited Site Testing was written by Mr. O'Neil and Dr. Sikes, with contributions by Mr.
Tuma.
A Native American monitor from the Torres -Martinez Reservation, Gary Resvaloso, was present each
day during the testing program in July 2005. In addition, Joseph Loya, Manager of the Torres -Martinez
Reservation Department of Properties, visited the fieldwork on 11 July 2005. Native American monitor
Mr. William Contreras was present during the two informal surveys in February and May 2006. A tribal
elder, Mr. Ernie Morrero was onsite with the Deputy Coroner.
Wanda Raschkow, BLM Palm Springs -South Coast Field Office CRS, visited the field operations during
the site testing on July 14, 2005. Ms. Raschkow also represented the BLM during the informal site visits
in February and May 2006.
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11S
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Figure 1: Project Area
and Areas Surveyed
By SWCA
Travertine
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SETTING
NATURAL
Geography
The Travertine project site is located in the city of La Quinta, Riverside County, California, in the western
margin of the Coachella Valley. The Coachella Valley is in the northern portion of the Salton Trough, the
southern portion of which contains the Imperial Valley and the Salton Sea. The Coachella Valley is
considered the westernmost extension of the Colorado Desert. The Colorado Desert is south of the
Mojave Desert, and is bordered on the west by the Peninsular Range and the Pacific Coastal Plain, the
Colorado River to the east, and the Gulf of California to the south. It is essentially within today's
Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego Counties.
The Coachella Valley is bordered by the Little San Bernardino, Cottonwood, and Orocopia Mountains on
the north and east, with the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains on the western border. The Santa Rosa
and San Jacinto Mountains are the northernmost extension of the Peninsular Range. The mountains reach
elevations from 1,800 to over 3,000 m (6,000 — 10,000 feet) and have a pronounced rain shadow effect in
the Coachella Valley (Wilke 1978).
The southern portion of the Coachella Valley, including the eastern extent of the project area, was at one
time beneath the freshwaters of Holocene -Epoch Lake Cahuilla. The last high stand of the lake dates from
A.D. 1300 to A.D. 1580 (Buckles and Krantz 2005:2, Waters 1983; Wilke 1978), with a brief inundation
in the mid to late 1600s (Laylander 1995). Lake Cahuilla once filled the Salton Trough to an average
elevation of about 12 m (40 feet) above sea level, varying between 7.5 — 15 m (25 — 50 feet) in elevation.
The lake has a lengthy history of periods of filling and desiccation, with the last high stand filling the basin
to an elevation of about 12 m (40 feet) (Wilke 1978; Waters 1983). At maximum, the lake was about 95 m
(315 feet) deep, 55 krn (34 miles) wide, and 185 km (115 miles) long. The shore of the most recent series of
stands is lined by whitish, freshwater lime deposits (called travertine or tufa), which are highly visible along
the slopes.
Throughout the Holocene, a series of lakes collectively referred to as Lake Cahuilla (Lake LaConte, Blake's
Sea) were formed by the western diversion of the Colorado River into the Salton Trough when natural
sediment barriers blocked the river's flow south to the Gulf of California. Today's Salton Sea, about 19 km
(12 miles) to the southeast of the project area, is technically an agricultural drainage reservoir. At
approximately 69 m (227 feet) below mean sea level, 90 percent of its inflow is runoff from agricultural
fields in the Imperial, Coachella, and Mexicali Valleys.
The gently sloping land surface within the current Travertine project area (Photograph 1) ranges from sea
level to 122 m (400 feet) above sea level. Broad, sloping alluvial fans comprise the majority of the project
area, with the eastern portion abutting or extending beyond the 12 m (40 -foot) shoreline of former Lake
Cahuilla. The surface soil is either a fine-grained sandy material, deposited by the former lake or eroded
sandy gravels and sandy loam material washed down from the mountains. Many of the fan surfaces are
eroded with relatively small channels. Toro Canyon contains a larger drainage. The soil surface appears to
be relatively stable, with many of the fingers between washes containing desert pavement. There are some
small sandy dune -like alluvial deposits where large washes meet the old shoreline.
The rounded terminal end of the Martinez Mountain Rock Slide, a 4.5 km (7 -mile) long boulder slump of
mountain slopes, abuts the southern portion of the project area. Two natural rockshelters, which were
occupied during prehistory, were created by this slide. In the northern extent of the Travertine project site
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there is a small steep ridge of Mesozoic granite rock, now isolated by sandy alluvium from the nearby
Mesozoic granitic mountains. Lake Cahuilla covered the eastern edge of this ridge, leaving behind a tufa
deposit, referred to locally as the "Coral Reef." Coral Mountain would have been a rock island relatively
close to the lakeshore.
Photograph 1. Overview of project area. View to the north.
Climate
The climate of the Coachella Valley is semi -arid, with large seasonal extremes of temperature,
precipitation, and wind patterns due to the funnel effect created by the Sea of Cortez to the south and
California's inland valleys to the north. Summer temperatures may reach 125 degrees Fahrenheit (52°C),
while frost may occur in December and January, with snow into late spring in the mountains. The western
mountains create a rain shadow effect, so very little precipitation reaches their eastern slopes or the floor
of the Coachella Valley. Most precipitation there occurs in the winter, with an average annual rainfall of
8.1 cm (3.2 inches) recorded at Indio. Occasional summer tropical storms move north into the valley from
the Gulf of Mexico and can produce flash flooding events. A number of washes empty into the valley
from the surrounding mountains. Runoff from any of the seasonally active streams within these washes
seldom flows beyond the foot of the mountains, and quickly sinks into the alluvial fans at the mouths of
the canyons (Wilke 1978). Historically, the indigenous Cahuilla people situated their permanent
settlements at the mouths of such canyons and dug wells into these alluvial fans to acquire water.
Flora/Fauna
The Travertine project site is within the Creosote Bush Scrub Plant Community, characteristic of well -
drained fans and valleys in deserts below 1,067 m (3,500 feet). The plants consist primarily of shrubs two to
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ten feet tall, widely spaced, and often going dormant between rainy seasons (Munz and Keck 1973:14).
Shrubs occurring within the project area included creosote (Larrea tridentata), indigo bush (Dalea
fremontii), blue palo verde (Cercidium floridum), cat -claw acacia (Acacia greggii), burrobush (Ambrosia
dumosa), cheesebush (Hymenoclea salsola var. salsola), chaffbush (Amphipappus fremontii ssp. fremontii),
littleleaf ratany (Krameria erecta), silver cholla (Opuntia echinocarpa), pencil cholla (Opuntia
ramosissima), ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens), and barrel cactus (Echinocactus acanthodes). During the
March 2005 survey, following a winter of heavy rains, numerous annual species were observed, including
primarily common phacelia (Phacelia distans), cryptanthas (Cryptantha spp.), rock daisy (Perityle emoryi),
woolly plantain (Plantago ovata), and poppies (Eschscholzia californica), among many others. Annual non-
native, invasive Mediterranean grasses (Schismus spp.) were also observed in abundance.
Native Americans used many of plants observed on the project area, or known to be part of the Creosote
Bush Scrub Plant Community. These include chia (Saliva columbariae), palo verde (Parkinsonia
aculeata), desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), beavertail cactus (Opuntia sp.), silver cholla (Opuntia
echinocarpa), jimson weed (Datura wrightii), desert tobacco (Nicotiana trigonophylla), groundcherry
(Physalis crassifolia), and indigo bush. Plants were used for drinks, medicines, soap, dyes, construction
materials, fuel and tools; plant fibers were used for thread, nets and basketry (Bean 1972). Chia seeds are
highly nutritious and were either eaten as dry seeds or ground into flour. The seeds were said to convert
unpalatable water into a refreshing drink. The seeds of many other plants, such as cat's claw, palo verde,
desert willow, and ironwood, were also used as food. Numerous varieties of cactus, such as the beavertail,
were abundant and provided leaves, stalks, fruit and seeds for food (Balls 1962:25; Bean 1972:40-43).
The indigo bush, observed in the project area, (when steeped in water) creates a yellow dye that was used
for coloring deer skins and dyeing fibers for use in creating patterns in baskets (Balls 1962:77).
While the Cahuilla utilized hundreds of plants, the most important species included mesquite (Prosopis
juliflora), acorns (six species of oak, Quercus spp.), screw beans (Prosopis pubescens), pifion nuts (Pinus
monophylla), cacti fruit (Opuntia spp.), and agave (Yucca whipplei). To a lesser degree several hard seed
plants, berries, tubers, and greens were gathered as well (Bean 1978:578). The mesquite blossoms, which
are abundant in June, were roasted and could be dried; the pods (available in July and August) were either
eaten fresh or ground into flour. Additionally, mesquite provided material for construction (Bean
1972:38). Although the study area contains a number of economically useful plants from the Creosote
Bush Scrub plant community of the Lower Sonoran Desert ecological zone, the Cahuilla acquired 75% of
their vegetal diet from the Upper Sonoran and Transition environmental zones (Bean 1978:576). These
higher elevations include the range of the oak and pinon groves and agave stands. The collection of plants
from diverse localities required that all the Cahuilla clans undertake seasonal rounds of harvesting and
gathering.
Jimson weed is a hallucinatory plant that was used in various ceremonies such as the boys' initiation
ceremony. A boy's ability to contact the supernatural realm was made apparent while he was under the
influence of the drug (Bean 1972:142-143). The crushed plant was also used externally as a cure for
rattlesnake and tarantula bites, and the leaves were crushed, dried, and smoked as a cure for asthma (Balls
1962:67).
Animals available for exploitation by the local indigenous population included: mule deer (Odocoileus
hemionus), desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), desert cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni), black -tailed
hare (Lepus californicus), Gambel's quail (Callipepla gambelii), mourning dove (Zenaidura macroura),
mice (Perognathus spp.), kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spp.), and various types of reptiles. Predators include
coyote (Canis latrans), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and mountain lion
(Felis concolor).
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When Lake Cahuilla filled the southern portion of the Coachella Valley, including the eastern extent of
the project area during the Holocene, the resource base available to local indigenous populations would
have been greatly expanded. Additional resources would have included abundant fish, shellfish, migratory
and year-round waterfowl, and lake margin or marsh plants, as well as an increased number of local
animals and birds attracted to the fresh lake waters.
CULTURAL
Prehistoric Period
California's southeastern desert region has a long history of human occupation, with dates at the start of
the early Holocene stretching back to circa 10,000 years B.P. (Moratto 1984:96-97; Schaefer 1994:62).
This now -arid region includes the Colorado and Mojave Deserts, located east of the Sierra Nevada,
Peninsular, and Transverse ranges. Prehistoric material culture in this region has been categorized
according to periods or patterns that define technological, economic, social and ideological elements.
Within these periods, archaeologists have defined patterns or complexes specific to prehistory within the
desert region, including the current project area.
A cultural sequence for the Colorado Desert has been recently summarized by Schaefer (1994) under
three major periods: Paleoindian, Archaic, and Late Prehistoric. These periods date between ca. 10,000 —
6000 B.C., 6000 B.C. — A.D. 500 and A.D. 500 — Historic Contact, respectively. The introduction of
pottery in this area separates the Archaic from the Late Prehistoric Period. The Archaic Period is divided
here into Early and Late, dating between ca. 6000 — 2000 B.C. and 2000 B.C. — A.D. 500. In the Great
Basin, the Archaic is also referred to as the Desert Culture (Jennings 1964; Warren 1967; Moratto 1984).
Following numerous elements of earlier syntheses for California's desert region (e.g., Rogers 1929, 1939,
1966; Warren 1980, 1984), the cultural patterns within these broad periods are defined in this area as the
San Dieguito Complex, Pinto Period, Gypsum Period, and Patayan Period. The Patayan Period is further
subdivided into three periods, Patayan I—III (Rogers 1945; Waters 1982). Table 2 illustrates this relevant
chronological framework for the Colorado Desert.
The following discussion of each period is derived from artifact assemblages throughout the desert
region. Within the Colorado Desert, there are no documented Paleoindian sites, and scant evidence for the
Early Archaic. As noted by Schaefer (1994:65), few stratified archaeological sites within the Colorado
Desert, such as Indian Hill Rockshelter in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, have been dated to the Late
Archaic, although recent excavations within the Coachella Valley now add to our knowledge of the Late
Archaic in this area (Love and Dandul 2002). Within the Coachella Valley area, however, the majority of
excavated sites date to the Late Prehistoric or Contact Periods, discussed below in the section on Lake
Cahuilla.
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Table 2. Colorado Desert Cultural Chronology
ears A.D. / B.
Cultural Pattern
A.D. 500 — Historic Contact
Late Prehistoric Period
Patayan I — III
2000 B.C. — A.D. 500
Late Archaic Period
Gypsum Period
6000 — 2000 B.C.
Early Archaic Period
Pinto Period
10,000 — 6000 B.C.
Paleoindian Period
San Dieguito Complex
Paleoindian Period (10,000 — 6000 B.C.)
During the Paleoindian Period, in contrast to the dry climate of today, California's desert regions during
the late Pleistocene and the early Holocene contained a series of large, pluvial lakes. Archaeological
evidence suggests that early Holocene hunter -gathers of the desert region were well adapted to the
wetland environments supported by these lakes. Sites were typically located on or near the shores of
former pluvial lakes and marshes, and have artifact assemblages marked by their diversity of flaked -stone
artifacts. Such sites, however, have not been documented for the Colorado Desert region, including for
the nearly 10,000 -year-old pluvial shoreline of Lake LeConte (now referred to as Lake Cahuilla) (see
Moratto 1984:96).
The San Dieguito Complex is a well-defined expression or cultural pattern of the Paleoindian Period in
the California desert region. Although named for the cultural sequence in western San Diego County
(Rogers 1929, 1939), the complex now incorporates additional local patterns and covers the Colorado and
Mojave Deserts and the western Great Basin (referred to as the "Central Aspect") (Rogers 1966; Warren
1967). Leaf -shaped points and knives, crescents, and scrapers characterize the artifact assemblages
throughout the region. To reduce terminological confusion, Moratto (1984:92) subsumed the numerous
local patterns (including the Lake Mojave Period of Warren 1967) under the overarching Western Pluvial
Lakes Tradition (WPLT), first defined by Bedwell (1970). Recent literature on the prehistory of the
Colorado Desert, however, typically references the Paleoindian Period or San Dieguito Complex, rather
than the WPLT.
Early Archaic or Pinto Period (6000 — 2000 B.C.)
As the environment transitioned from the pluvial conditions of the Pleistocene to the more arid Holocene
climate, many of the lakes and wetlands present during the Paleoindian Period began to dry up. By the
Early Archaic or Pinto Period, many of these wetlands had disappeared. Desert populations appear to have
adapted to these more arid conditions by withdrawing to the margins of the desert or concentrating around
the few oases still present within it (Warren 1984:413-414). A brief period of moister conditions may have
lead to a temporary reoccupation of the desert region between 4500 and 3500 B.C. However, evidence from
the Mojave Desert and western Great Basin sites suggests that most Pinto Period sites were temporary,
seasonal camps of small, highly mobile groups. Slab metates and manos (a millingstone set used to process
hard seeds), shaped scrapers, and the Pinto projectile point characterize the artifact assemblages of the Pinto
Basin Complex.
Late Archaic or Gypsum Period (2000 B.C. to A.D. 500)
The beginning of the Late Archaic or Gypsum Period coincides with the beginning of the Little Pluvial, a
brief period of moister climatic conditions. By the second half of the Gypsum Period, arid conditions
returned. Desert peoples appear to have been well adapted to these conditions by this time, however, and
there is no notable drop in population. Gypsum Period sites are characterized by a wider range of diagnostic
projectile points, such as the Gypsum and Elko types, as well as split -twig figurines, the latter commonly
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preserved in caves (Warren 1984:416-417). While manos and metates continued to be employed, a new
millingstone technology tool set, mortars and pestles, was introduced during this period of time. Based on
ethnographic analogy and site location, Warren (1984:419) suggests that mortars and pestles were used to
process mesquite pods. Near the end of this period, the bow and arrow also appear to have been introduced.
In addition, this period is marked by an increased presence of exotic trade goods, including shell ornaments
from the Pacific coast.
In the Coachella Valley, recent excavations at a dozen Late Archaic Period sites indicate occupation on
the shores of Holocene Lake Cahuilla was restricted to specialized temporary camps, used for fishing,
trapping, and gathering resources (Love and Dandul 2002:81). In contrast, the range of types and density
of artifacts at site CA-RIV-2936 north of La Quinta suggest to Love and Dandul a permanent or semi-
permanent occupation occurred in an area that was not dependant on lacustrine resources. Long-distance
trade is evidenced in these assemblages by the presence of obsidian from the Coso volcanic field and shell
beads from the Gulf of California.
Late Prehistoric or Patayan Period (A.D. 500 — Historic Contact)
The period from the end of the Archaic Period to European contact was a time of complex and ongoing
change in material culture, burial practices, and subsistence focus. These changes most likely reflect both
in situ cultural adaptations in response to shifts in environmental conditions, as well as influences from
outside the area. The Late Prehistoric is identified with the introduction of pottery, and is marked by
stronger regional differentiation. While the artifact assemblages are similar to those of the Gypsum
Period, there are some notable differences. In addition to ceramics, the period is distinguished by the
introduction of cremation in the archaeological record. In general, projectile points are smaller, and
triangular in shape. Regional differentiation in the distribution of projectile point and pottery types was
due, in part, to trade and influences of neighboring cultures in the Lower Colorado River and Great Basin.
Such influence includes the major migration into southern California of Takic-speaking people (Uto-
Aztecan language group) from the Great Basin region (Nevada, Utah, and eastern California) (Warren
1968).
Within the Colorado Desert region, the Patayan sequence cultural pattern is divided into three periods
with different pottery types and regional site distributions. Cottonwood Triangular and Desert -Side
Notched projectile points, the change from extended inhumations to cremations, the introduction of
pottery, networks of trail systems (with pot -drops and trail -side shrines), and the late introduction of
small-scale agriculture characterize the Patayan period in general. Pottery types are increasingly common
throughout the period, and include brown wares manufactured from upland clay sources (e.g., Tizon
Brown Ware), and buff wares made from lowland sedimentary clays (e.g., Colorado Buff Ware). Material
culture also included clay figurines and pipes, bedrock grinding slicks and mortars, worked bone tools,
and rock art. Exchange networks are indicated by shell beads from the coast and Gulf of California,
wonderstone from Rainbow Rock near today's Imperial City, and obsidian from the Obsidian Butte
source at the southern end of today's Salton Sea, which at times was covered by the waters of Holocene -
Epoch Lake Cahuilla. As discussed further below, the cyclical filling and desiccation of Lake Cahuilla
dictated the settlement patterns in the Salton Trough and Coachella Valley during this period.
During Patayan I between ca. A.D. 800 — 1050, mobile groups settled seasonally along the Lower
Colorado River, practicing a mixed hunter -gatherer and horticultural economy. Their toolkit included
pottery and Cottonwood Triangular and Desert -Side Notched projectile points. The agricultural -based
Hohokam on the upper Gila River likely influenced this cultural pattern. Patayan II between ca. A.D. 950
— 1500 is characterized by the spread of these cultural traits from the Colorado River into the Colorado
and Mojave Deserts. It also coincides with the infilling of Lake Cahuilla, as well as locally manufactured
new ceramic types, including Tizon Brown Ware in the project area. Patayan III from A.D. 1500 to
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European contact is marked by the recession of Lake Cahuilla, specific pottery types (Colorado Buff
Ware and painted pottery), and the practice of small-scale agriculture.
Lake Cahuilla
The majority of the sites excavated in the Coachella Valley area date to the Late Prehistoric or Contact
Periods. Archaeological research has been conducted along the old shoreline of Lake Cahuilla in an
attempt to study human adaptation to the lake environment. The first thorough analysis was based on data
from four sites located along the northwest lakeshore of the now desiccated lake and was conducted by
Wilke in the mid 1970s (Wilke 1978). Desert Side -Notched and Cottonwood Triangular projectile points
were common in the sites. Colorado Buff Ware and Tizon Brown Ware were present in the ceramic
assemblage. Quantities of shell beads made from both Gulf of California and Pacific coast shell species
are present. Analysis of the material indicated dates from about A.D. 800 to A.D. 1500 during Patayan
Periods I—III (Wilke 1978:56).
Analysis of human coprolites and floral and faunal remains indicated that shellfish, fish, aquatic birds,
freshwater marsh plants, and animals and plants from both the adjacent lowlands and uplands contributed
to the subsistence base. Furthermore, the analysis showed that some of the resources were likely obtained
year round, while others were collected only seasonally, when they were apparently at a maximum
productivity near the site (Wilke 1978). These data, combined with an interpretation for a stable shoreline
for a duration of several hundred years, led Wilke to postulate a large sedentary population lived in
villages along the northwest shore of Lake Cahuilla. The residents would have relied heavily on lacustrine
resources, with a lesser dependence on plant and animal resources in outlying areas (Wilke 1978:127-
129).
In contrast to Wilke (1978), Weide (1976) argued that residence on the lakeshore was temporary and
limited to small groups. This alternative model of a subsistence and settlement system was, in part, based
on an interpretation of a fluctuating shoreline, with an approximate 50 -year cycle, that would have
prevented large, permanent settlements. According to her model, small groups of hunters and gatherers
opportunistically moved between the mountains and the lakeshore.
Subsequent studies along the east and southwest shores of Holocene Lake Cahuilla support Weide's
model rather than Wilke's. This research indicates that shoreline occupation was limited to short-term use
on a seasonal basis (e.g., Gallegos 1986; Pallette 1993; Schaefer 1986; Sutton and Wilke 1988). Such
research includes sites in the La Quinta region (Sutton and Wilke 1988), including two rockshelters near
Toro Canyon (Schaefer et al. 1993). These sites typically have shallow midden deposits with a low to
high density of artifact scatters. As noted by Weide, the location of these temporary camps between the
mountains and the fresh lake waters would have provided access to natural resources from a variety of
ecotones.
After periodic episodes of infilling and recession, Lake Cahuilla is believed to have receded for the last
time around A.D. 1580 (Buckles and Krantz 2005:2; Waters 1983), with a brief inundation in the mid to
late 1600s (Laylander 1995). Populations followed the receding shoreline while continuing to exploit the
dwindling resources. Archaeological excavations of stone fish traps, nearby associated houses and
middens situated at 95 feet below mean sea level produced an abundance of fish bone. Hundreds of stone
fish traps have been recorded during this period, extending over 20 km southward from the project area to
Travertine Point. Fish bone is also reported from archaeological deposits at 103 feet and 120 feet below
mean sea level near Thermal Airport (Wilke 1978:110). Finally, the water became too saline to support
freshwater species.
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Final desiccation of Lake Cahuilla certainly had an impact on the populations dependent on the lake.
However, since these mobile groups were already highly adapted to a diversity of resource strategies,
including desert, mountain, lake and marsh habitats, they would simply have shifted their subsistence
emphasis. For example, an increased exploitation of agave is evidenced at this time (Shackley 1984). This
shift in resource procurement during Patayan III likely did not result in major population movements for
an existing, flexible, hunter -gatherer settlement and subsistence strategy. The recorded abundance of sites
near the end of this period is likely the result of a gradual population growth combined with seasonal
scheduling and continued mobility.
Evidence exists of several partial infillings of Lake Cahuilla to sea level sometime between A.D. 1420
and A.D. 1700. The possibility of partial infilling of the lake after its final recession in A.D. 1580 is
further supported by the oral history of the Cahuilla Indians:
When questioned about the shoreline and watermarks of the ancient lake, the chief gave
an account of a tradition they have of a great water (agua grande) that covered the whole
valley and was filled with fine fish. There were also plenty of geese and ducks. Their
fathers lived in the mountains and used to come down to the lake to fish and hunt. The
water gradually subsided 'poco,' 'poco,' (little by little), and their villages were moved
down from the mountains, into the valley it had left. They also said that the waters once
returned very suddenly and overwhelmed many of their people and drove the rest back to
the mountains [emphasis added] (Blake 1856:98 in Wilke and Lawton 1975:11-12).
Recent archaeological excavations (Schaefer et al. 1993; Pallette and Schaefer 1995) include two
Coachella Valley rockshelters located in Toro Canyon at the base of the Martinez Mountain Rock Slide,
which bounds a portion of the current project area on the south. Dated to the Late Prehistoric, sites CA-
RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349 are located only 600 m west of the 12 m Lake Cahuilla high stand. The
artifact assemblages (e.g., fish bone, shellfish, ceramic sherds, lithics, milling stone fragments) indicate
that both sites were temporary camps, inhabited seasonally for the procurement of fish from the lake and
plants from the surrounding desert. A small lagoon or embayment was located 600 m east of the sites that
would also have provided important plant resources. Mesquite forests may have also been supported in
this area. A network of Native American trails extends eastward toward the prior lakeshore as well as
between the two sites.
The data indicate that sites CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349 were part of a regional settlement system
during the Patayan II Period (Schaefer et al. 1993; Pallette and Schaefer 1995). The artifact assemblages
contain a high frequency of Tizon Brown Ware. Since this ceramic type was produced from upland clay
sources, this frequency is explained by the close proximity of the sites to the Santa Rosa Mountains.
Along with ethnographic and ethnohistoric accounts, the predominance of Tizon Brown Ware suggests
residential bases were located in more productive or strategic upland environments (e.g., Pinyon -Juniper,
Upper Sonoran) rather than along the desertic Lake Cahuilla shoreline. The lack of Patayan III pottery
types at the sites supports a Patayan II occupation.
After the final desiccation of Lake Cahuilla, permanent villages had been established on the valley floor
by the end of the Patayan III Period. Ethnographic accounts indicate Toro village had been founded near
the current project area. The Contact Period village of Mauulmia, part of the Toro village complex
discussed further in the next section, was located on the lakebed and supported by large walk-in wells, as
well as large mesquite groves. Villagers also continued to practice seasonal scheduling and mobility,
gathering resources at the higher elevations when they became available.
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Ethnography
The current project area lies within the ethnographic boundaries of the Cahuilla (Kroeber 1925). The
name "Cahuilla" is possibly derived from a native word meaning a "master, boss" (Bean 1978:575).
Ivi'lyu'atam is the traditional term for the linguistically and culturally defined Cahuilla cultural
nationality, and "refers to persons speaking the Cahuilla language and recognizing a commonly shared
cultural heritage" (Bean 1972:85). It is thought that the Cahuilla migrated to southern California about
2,000 to 3,000 years ago, most likely from southern Sierra Nevada ranges of east -central California with
other related socio -linguistic groups (Takic speakers) (Moratto 1984:559). The Cahuilla settled in a
territory that extended west to east from the present-day City of Riverside to the central portion of the
Salton Sea in the Colorado Desert„ and south to north from the San Jacinto Valley to the San Bernardino
Mountains. While 60 percent of Cahuilla territory was located in the Lower Sonoran Desert environment,
75 percent of their diet from plant resources was acquired in the Upper Sonoran and Transition
environmental zones (Bean 1978:576). The project area is within the eastern portion of Cahuilla territory,
among the Desert Cahuilla group of the tribe.
The Cahuilla language and its dialects are a branch of the Takic family of the Uto-Aztecan linguistic stock.
It is very closely related to the Cupeno language, whose speakers are on their southern border. The Takic
branch also includes the Juaneflo/Luiseno (or Payomkawichum) tribal group located to the west in today's
Orange and San Diego Counties, the Gabrielino (or Tongva) in Los Angeles County to the northwest, and
the Serrano to the north. By contrast, the Chumash language, north of the Tongva in the Santa Barbara
region, is not related to any other known Native American language family or stock, representing an
origin quite different from that of the Cahuilla (Mithun 1999:304, 390). North of the Chumash and south
of the Cahuilla are languages considered part of the Hokan linguistic stock, specifically the Salinan
language along the central coast of California and the Yuman family of languages to the south (Mithun
1999:390, 539, 577-587). Takic speakers are thought to have migrated into the lands of these two
populations and separated them.
The Cahuilla had three primary levels of socio-political organization (Bean 1978:580). The highest level
was the cultural nationality, encompassing everyone speaking a common language. Next were the two
patrimoieties of the Wildcats (tuktum) and the Coyotes ( `istam). Every clan of the Cahuilla fell into one or
the other of these moieties. The third basic level consisted of the numerous political -ritual -corporate units
called sibs, or a patrilineal clan (Bean 1978:580). While anthropologists have designated groups of
Cahuilla clans by their geographical location into Pass, Desert, and Mountain, suggesting dialect and
ceremonial differences between these groupings (Strong 1929), these social and linguistic areas were
more a result of proximity than actual social connections. In reality, there was a continuum of minor
differences from one clan to the next. Lineages within a clan cooperated in defense, in community
subsistence activities, and in religious ceremonies. While most lineages owned their own village site and
particular resource area, much of the territory was open to all Cahuilla people.
Each lineage within a sib had a defined territory that, among the Cahuilla of the Coachella Valley desert,
was formed around springs in mountain canyons and the alluvial fans that spread from these canyons out
onto the desert floor. Villages in these canyons were occupied year-round. They were situated to take
maximum advantage of natural resources such as climate, water, food, and materials. Individuals or
groups would periodically leave the villages for gathering, hunting, visiting, or trading activities. The sibs
and lineages would maintain formal associations among themselves for protection, for religious
ceremonies, and help with large projects. The relationship between these groups was maintained through
intermarriage and ceremonial reciprocity (Bean 1972).
The founding lineage of a sib often possessed the position of ceremonial leader, and maintained both the
ceremonial house and the clan ceremonial bundle that the leader used. The lineages had their own leaders
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(net) who, like the clan leader, inherited their positions usually father to son. The net was responsible for
the upkeep of community religious rituals and ritual objects. He was an "economic executive" for his
people, directing the timing and location for the gathering of foods and hunting of game, their storage for
future use, and ultimate distribution. He met with other lineage heads to discuss ceremonial rounds,
boundary disputes, marriage arrangements, and other inter -clan matters. The net had his own major
assistant, the paxa', who helped carry out the directions of the net. Together, they were part of a council
made up of other, smaller family heads, ceremonialists, and shamans who helped to inform and give
advice to the net (Bean 1978:580).
Villages were usually located in canyons or on alluvial fans near a source of accessible water such as
springs or where large wells could be dug. Each family and lineage had their houses (kish) and granaries
for the storage of food, and ramadas for work and cooking. There would often be sweat houses and song
houses (for non -religious music). Each community also had a separate house for the lineage or clan
leader. There was a ceremonial house, or kis ?amnawet, associated with the clan leader. Most major
religious ceremonies of the clan were held there. Houses and ancillary structures were often spaced apart,
and a "village" could spread out over a mile or two. In addition to the residences, each lineage had
ownership rights to various resource collecting locations, "including food collecting, hunting, and other
areas. Individuals also owned specific areas or resources, e.g., plant foods, hunting areas, mineral
collecting places, or sacred spots used only by shamans, healers and the like" (Bean 1990:2).
Animals available for exploitation by the local indigenous population included; mountain sheep (Ovis
canadensis), cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni), jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), mice (Perognathus spp.),
wood rats (Dipodomys spp.); quail and chukker (Lophortyx spp.), dove (Zenaidura macroura), and other
birds; and various types of reptiles, amphibians and insects. Predators included mountain lion (Fells
concolor), coyote (Canis latrans), wolf (Canis lupus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and fox (Urocyon
cineroargenteus).
While the Cahuilla utilized over 200 plants (Bean and Saubel 1972), the most important species
representing food resources in these deserts and mountains included: two mesquite species, the screwbean
and honey (Prosopis pubescens and P. glandulosa); six species of acorn -bearing oaks, including coast
live oak (Quercus agrifolia), scrub oak (Q. berberifolia), and Engelman oak (Q. engelmanii); pine trees
with pinon nuts (Pinus quadrofolia and other Pinus spp.); prickly -pear cacti with fruit and fleshy leaves
(Opuntia littoralis and O. basilaris); and yucca with blossoms and flower stalks (Yucca whipple and Y.
schidigerai). To a lesser degree, several hard seed plants, such as manzanita (Archtostaphylos glauca and
A. Pringlei), sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), chia sage and other sages (Salvia columbariae and Salvia
ssp.), lemonade berry (Rhus trilobata), wild rose (Rosa californica), and buckwheat (Eriogonum
fasciculatum), coyote gourd or calabazilla (Cucurbita feotidissima), along with fruits, berries, tubers and
greens, were also gathered (O'Neil 2001; Bean and Smith 1978:538-539). Among the most important
tubers is amole (Chlorogalum pomeridianum) for tools and soap, while common greens included several
Chenopodium spp., clovers (Trifolium spp.), Miner's lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) and white sage (S.
apiana), all to be found in the immediate region (Dale 1985). There are several native California berry -
producing plants in this region, such as toyon (Heteromelies arbutifolia), grape (Vitis girdiana),
blackberry (Rubus ursinus), and elderberry (Sambucus mexicanus). The elderberry was also gathered for
medicine and tool manufacture. Numerous additional plants were used for medicines, twine, basketry,
ornamentation, tools, and religious ceremonies (O'Neil 2001).
This would have been a highly productive environment, well suited to a sophisticated hunting and
gathering economy. Some studies (cf. Bean and Lawton 1993) suggest that aboriginal people in southern
California managed the structure and productivity of this environment through a combination of
controlled burning, selective harvesting and pruning, and occasional replanting, seed broadcast, and
possibly limited irrigation. Such practices can be likened to those known for the Neolithic Revolution in
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other portions of the New World, Eurasia, and Africa. Human -induced burning, whether accidental or
intentional for driving game or managing floral food and materials resources, may have influenced the
development of fire -adapted plant associations over the past few thousand years. It has been variously
suggested (e.g., Bean and Lawton 1993:37-42, 46-51; King 1993:296-298) that native burning helped
create and maintain the park -like aspect of many California landscapes that was noted by early Spanish
diarists, and which in places was still discernable as recently as the middle or late nineteenth century. The
emphasis on fire suppression that began during colonial times and largely continues today may be
partially responsible for the current broad distribution of brush and paucity of grasslands in areas that
looked quite different to European explorers and missionaries (Timbrook et al. 1993:129-134).
The Desert Cahuilla had also adopted limited agricultural practices by the time Euro -Americans traveled
into their territory. Bean (1978:578) has suggested that their "proto-agricultural techniques and a marginal
agriculture" consisting of beans, squash and corn may have been adopted from the Colorado River groups
to the east. Certainly by the time of the first Romero Expedition in 1823-24, they were observed growing
corn, pumpkins, and beans in small gardens localized around springs in the Thermal area of the Coachella
Valley (Bean and Mason 1962:104). By the 1850s, the inhabitants of Toro village were supplying food to
travelers with crops produced at their village: "We camped at this place and were surrounded by crowds
of Indians anxious to trade melons, squashes, corn, and barley, for pork, bacon, or other articles" (Hoyt
1948:19). The introduction of barley and other grain crops gives positive evidence for the introduction of
European plants via the mission or local Mexican rancheros. Despite the increasing use and diversity of
crops, there is no evidence that this small-scale agriculture was anything more than a supplement to
Cahuilla subsistence, and it apparently did not alter social organization (i.e., had no effect on the basic
division of labor or create new social roles).
A wide variety of tools and implements were employed by the Cahuilla to gather and collect food
resources. For the hunt, these included the bow and arrow, traps, nets, slings and blinds for hunting land
mammals and birds, and nets for fish in Lake Cahuilla. Rabbits and hares were commonly brought down
by the throwing stick, but communal hunts for these animals utilized tremendously large nets and clubs.
Foods were processed with a variety of tools, including portable stone mortars, bedrock mortars and
pestles, basket hopper mortars, manos and metates, bedrock grinding slicks, hammerstones and anvils,
woven strainers and winnowers, leaching baskets and bowls, woven parching trays, knives, bone saws,
and wooden drying racks. Food was consumed from a number of woven and carved wood vessels and
pottery vessels. The ground meal and unprocessed hard seeds were stored in large finely woven baskets,
and the unprocessed mesquite beans were stored in large granaries woven of willow branches and raised
off the ground on platforms to keep it from vermin. Pottery vessels were made by the Desert Cahuilla, and
also traded from the Yuman -speaking groups across the Colorado River and to the south.
Pottery was introduced to the Cahuilla via trade from the Colorado River region during the Late
Prehistoric period. The art of constructing pottery was later adopted by the Cahuilla, using the paddle and
anvil technique. Typical culinary wares included a variety of jars, cooking vessels, and ladles. Ceramic
pipes were also commonly manufactured and used. Ceramic ollas, typically large round pots with small
necks, were used for storing seeds. 011as were frequently cached in caves and rockshelters with foodstuffs
sealed in to be used during hunting and gathering forays (Bean 1978:578-579).
The Cahuilla worldview derives from principals set forth in the tribe's origin myths. The creator gods
were two brothers, Mukat and Tamayowut, Mukat being the older of the two. As they brought the earth,
plants, minerals, people, and ritual objects into being, contests of will and power were played out between
the two. Mukat, as the elder, was wiser and more patient in his rendering of things, and his vision of the
world -to -be is that manifested in the world the Cahuilla live in today. In this manner, "the presence of
power explain all unusual talents or unusual events and differences in cultural attainment, and all
phenomena that contained 41va'$al [power or energy] were capable of positive and negative actions"
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(Bean 1978:582). Values of old age, patience, "correct action" in the sense of performing activities
properly and deliberately, and reciprocity were taught to each generation through the oral narrative
accounts of mythic stories. These virtues helped to maintain a balance with nature and within the
community.
When Romero traveled through the project region in January 1823, he reported "...several rancherias
[villages] between the mezquitales [mesquite forests] and the sierra [Santa Rosa Mountains] in both
directions, which we knew because of the great amount of smoke that went up, and the Indians who came
out to look at us at several points" (Bean and Mason 1962:48). Blake's description of this same village
complex in 1853 tells of the use of mesquite bean meal as an important local food, and noted how the
villages were "...located in thick groves of mezquit [mesquite] trees, which were quite abundant, and
grew so thickly together that the Indian huts were completely hid.... We camped at this place and were
surrounded by crowds of Indians anxious to trade melons, squashes, corn, and barley, for pork, bacon, or
other articles." Underground water supported the large stands of mesquite, the major plant resource for
the local Native Americans. The water was sufficiently close to the surface that the Desert Cahuilla were
able to excavate their unique walk-in wells, 12 to 15 feet deep with steps. The water was used for both
household purposes and irrigation of mesquite and the crops that were recorded by Blake (Bean et al.
1991:78).
Local Settlements
The Contact Period villa e of Mauulmia is re arded as the rincipal settlement at Toro, and Toro Canyon
wash passes through . According to Gifford, Mauulmia was "said to
have been the home of the Tamolanitcem, and of the Sawalakiktum [clans], who before had lived at La
Mesa with the Nanhaiyum" (Bean et al. 1991:62), but Gifford noted that neither of these names was used
by the clans living in the area when he conducted his work in 1918. Strong reported that "the
Wakarkiktum ("night heron") and Panakauissiktum ("water fox") clans were present at Mauulmia in the
late 1870s, and that later, in approximately 1895, the Sewahilem [a.k.a. Sawalakiktum] ("mesquite that is
not sweet") lineage joined them (Strong 1929:52).
The village of Mauulmia has been associated with several Late Prehistoric and Contact Period sites
located alon_ the alluvial fan of Toro Can on. One of these was the site of a walk-in well at
Another site that is . art of
the Toro villa e com • lex of Mauulmia is the Toro Cemetery (CA-RIV-3209),
on Torres -Martinez Reservation land. Two additional
rehistoric sites may also have been part of Mauulmia.
, CA-RIV-368 also has a walk-in well, among other residential features. Further west,
is CA-RIV-369,
described as a village site with house rings, pits, cremations, groundstone, and ceramics.
The — portion of site CA-RIV-7394, located on relict beach sands and previously recorded as
Loci 5-8, was identified with Mauulmit by Gary Resvaloso of the Torres -Martinez Reservation while
monitoring SWCA's test excavation phase (personal communication, July 2005). The
ravine out of the MMRS passes through the sand deposits, creatin seasonal ponds of water and
connecting it to the lar er Toro Canyon wash system. The portion of CA-RIV-7394 was
apparently the extension of Mauulmia village because of the availability of water in the
temporary pools among the sand deposits. It is unclear, however, whether village settlement was always
in a dispersed pattern, or if the residents moved back and forth to take advantage of the seasonal pools of
water for irrigation purposes (Gary Resvaloso, personal communication July 2005).
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Other local places of importance were three nearby villages, Pal haliwit, Temalsekalet, and Puichekiva, all
to the southeast in the Martinez Canyon alluvial fan. Pal haliwit, "wide water," a village six and a half
miles southeast of the Travertine project area, had a spring sufficient for irrigation (Bean et al. 1991:68).
Three clans of the Coyote moiety lived at Pal hiliwi; the Mumletcem (who owned the spring here), the
Masuwitcem, and the Witem ("grasshopper"). Another village, situated to take advantage of the water
coming from Martinez Canyon, was Temalsekalet, "earth crack." Located six miles southeast of the
project area, Temalsekalet also had a well and "in several places the individual families carried on
agriculture in a small way" (Strong 1929:51). Temalsekalet was the village of the Autaatem ("high up")
lineage, of the Wildcat moiety. Related to the Awilem lineage at Puichekiva, "they shared with them food -
gathering territories near the ancestral home" (Bean et al. 1991:89). Members of the Nombres family,
who belonged to the Awilem ("dogs") clan (part of the Wildcat moiety), lived at Puichekiva (Strong
1929:67).
The interspersing of Wildcat and Coyote lineages within the area is an example of how Cahuilla social
organization was arranged to maintain a marriage network that formed relationships between families. To
have both halves of the society in proximity assured that suitable marriage partners would be available.
The importance of water sources is apparent in the unusual proximity of these three Desert Cahuilla
villages. While the Cahuilla had an extensive territory, covering much of the Coachella Valley, permanent
villages could only be maintained where there was a year-round and accessible source of water. The
mouth of Martinez Canyon was one of the places drawing the Cahuilla to the thick mesquite groves and
the water. These groves apparently spread for miles throughout the area, as documented in the reports of
the 19th century Euro -American travelers, and would have covered the project area up to the beginning of
the 20th century. The Desert Cahuilla heavily exploited the local mesquite, other economically useful
plants, which would have been present because of the more abundant water, and associated animals.
The village of Puichekiva was disbanded at the beginning of the twentieth century when the water table
fell. However, in 1906-1907 the Indian agency for the Torres -Martinez Reservation established a school
and the agents' residence at the old village site. Over the years another small community, that is extant
today, grew around the agency. The prehistoric and historic village site is known as the Martinez Historic
Complex, and is designated CA-RIV-1292/H. The village was occasionally called Torres [Toro] by Euro -
Americans, possibly after a past chief, though the actual villages of Martinez and Toro were several miles
apart. The name Torres was combined with the generalized place name of Martinez (referring to the area
around Martinez Canyon) for the Torres -Martinez Reservation that was established in 1876.
Historic Period
The first Europeans to explore the area that would become the State of California were members of the
A.D. 1542 expedition of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo. Cabrillo sailed along the coast of California, but did
not explore the interior. Europeans did not attempt inland exploration until 1769 when Lt. Colonel Gaspar
de Portola led an overland expedition from San Diego to Monterey. This expedition of 62 people passed
far to the south and west of the current study area (Brown 2001). Lt. Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza and
company were the first Europeans to reach the Riverside County region with two expeditions through the
area in 1774 and 1775. These expeditions originated in Sonora and traversed southwestern Arizona and
southern California bringing colonists to the new territory for the first time. Both expeditions crossed
through the Santa Rosa Mountains and San Jacinto Valley, 15 miles south of the current project area.
In November of 1810, there was an attack against Spanish hegemony as represented by Mission San Gabriel
by "some 1,000 Indians, mostly Serrano with their allies from the desert rancherias such as Angoyaba (a
Chemehuevi village) and a few daring Mojaves from the Colorado" (Mason 2004:46). The reason for the
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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revolt was likely the result of the Spanish link to a rapidly dwindling local Native American population
caused by disease and conversion. After several months of sporadic warfare the Native communities were
defeated, with men captured and sent to other missions and their families following. Two or three Cahuilla
villages, allied to the Serrano through marriage ties, participated in the fighting and subsequent subjugation
by the Spanish. Members of their clans were among those inhabitants of the San Bernardino Valley region
and "even southwest of the San Gorgonio Pass [who] are included in the mass baptisms and marriages in
1811" (Mason 2004:47).
By 1819, several Spanish mission outposts, known as assistencias, were established near Cahuilla territory
at San Bernardino and San Jacinto generating further contact and interaction between the western Cahuilla
and the Europeans. Because this area is located inland, and on the eastern fringe of the Franciscan Order's
mission system, interaction with Europeans was not as intense in the Desert Cahuilla region as it was on the
coast. The topography and lack of water also made the area less attractive to colonists than the coastal valley
regions for ranching and agriculture purposes. By the 1820s, however, the Pass Cahuilla were experiencing
consistent contact with the ranchos of Mission San Gabriel, while the individuals and families of the
Mountain branch of the Cahuilla were frequently employed by private rancheros as well as being recruited
to Mission San Luis Rey.
The Romero -Pacheco Expedition during the winter of 1823 passed through the Coachella Valley in an
unsuccessful attempt to establish a route from San Gabriel to Tucson via the upper Colorado River. They
passed by the village of Toro with its great mesquite thickets on the north side and walk-in wells at the
village site (Bean and Mason 1962:37). This scene has been identified as the village of Puichekiva, located
six miles south of the Travertine project area. The Toro Cemetery (CA-RIV-3209) is situated about 1000
meters (0.6 miles) from the easternmost extent of the proposed Travertine project. The cemetery, part of the
Toro village complex, was recorded in 1987 along with a small scatter of ceramic sherds, some human
bone, and a projectile point, as CA-RIV-3209.
By the 1830s, Mexican ranchos were located near Cahuilla territory along the upper Santa Ana and San
Jacinto rivers, thus introducing the Cahuilla to ranching and an extension of traditional agricultural
techniques. The Bradshaw Trail was established in 1862, and was the first major east -west stage and
freight route through the Coachella Valley. Traversing the San Gorgonio Pass, the trail connected gold
mines on the Colorado River with the coast. Bradshaw based his trail on the Cocomaricopa trail, with
maps and guidance provided by local Native Americans. Journals by early travelers along the Bradshaw
Trail told of encountering Cahuilla villages and walk-in wells during their journey through the Coachella
Valley.
Government Land Office survey maps of 1856 indicate that the project area consisted of "rough and
barren mountains." The "Indian Village Torros" is identified in Section 2 of Township 7S, Range 7E. The
construction of a Southern Pacific Railroad line through the valley in 1877 acted as a catalyst for
occupation and development of the area. By 1903, a Government Land Office survey had recorded a road
from Indian Wells to Torres, approximately 2 miles east and northeast of the current project area.
The expansion of immigrants introduced the local Cahuilla to European diseases. The single worst
recorded event was a smallpox epidemic in 1862-63, causing the death of a great many tribal members.
By 1891, only 1,160 Cahuilla remained within what was left of their territory, down from an aboriginal
population of 6,000-10,000 (Bean 1978:583-584).
Between 1875 and 1891, the United States Government set ten reservations aside for the Cahuilla within
their territory. The Torres -Martinez Reservation, adjacent to the southeast edge of the current project area,
was established in 1876. The reservation contains 18,223 acres in a somewhat checkerboard system, with
6,881 of those acres allotted to specific families descended from the clans who had long lived in this
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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region (Bean 1978:585). The tribal offices for this reservation are at the site of the old village of Martinez,
or Puichekiva, and a residential community continues to exist there.
Early settlement and agriculture in the valley by the European immigrants depended upon artesian wells
until the construction of the Coachella Canal. The canal and distribution system were initiated in 1948
and completed by 1954. Modern-day Lake Cahuilla located north of the project area and part of the
Riverside County Regional Park System, and the flood control levees and recharge system east of the
project area were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s. The vineyard located within the project area was
established prior to 1981. The primary historic and recent use of the project area appears to have been as a
location for disposal of household and light commercial trash. There are several concentrations of cans,
glass, landscaping debris, and household appliances lining the access road.
PREVIOUS ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH
The Eastern Information Center (EIC) located at the University of California, Riverside, conducted a
review of its records on January 15, 2004 to determine if cultural resources were previously recorded
within the project area. Information regarding archaeological sites and studies within a one -mile radius of
the study area was compiled. A check was also made of historic maps, the NRHP, the California State
Historical Resources Inventory, and the listing of California Historical Landmarks.
The record search, included as Appendix B, revealed that 30 cultural resources studies have been
completed within a one -mile radius of the project area. Six of these studies involved the project area and a
further six involved portions of the project area. Overviews of cultural resources in the general project
area are provided in nine additional studies.
A total of 139 cultural resources have been recorded within a one -mile radius of the project area,
including the project area itself. A complete list of these resources may be found in Appendix B, along
with the results of the record search. The search of the NRHP and the Directory of Properties and
Archaeological Determination of Eligibility lists from the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) showed
no listed properties within the project area.
According to the cultural resources files at the EIC, 18 archaeological sites and ten isolates have been
previously recorded within the boundaries of the project area (Table 3; Figure 2). Eight of these sites
border the MMRS border of the Travertine property with the BLM; however, it was later
determined by the BLM, with SHPO concurrence, that one of these (CA-RIV-1348) was not an
archaeological site. The ten previously recorded isolates are not shown on the figure.
Table 3. Cultural Resources Previously Recorded within the Project Area
Primary No.
or Trinomi.
Description
ecorder and Date
Previous
NRHP C
Eligibility Land
Status Ownership
CA-RIV-1331
Series of rockshelter camps at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide with rock
alignments, and walls, rock ring, 2 milling
slicks, and trail segments. Collected,
excavated and mapped in 1992. Boulders to
east have 4 milling slicks and 4 shallow
mortars.
P. J. Wilke 1972; Brooke
S. Arkush 1989; Schaefer,
Pallette & Bean 1993;
Schaefer & Pallette 1994;
McManis 1994.
Determined
eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
BLM
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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Table 3. Cultural Resources Previously Recorded within the Project Area
• rimary No.
• r Trinomial
Description
Recorder and Date
Previous
NRHP
Eligibility
Status
Current
Land
Ownership
CA-RIV-1334
(now within CA-
RIV-7394)
Light scatter of ceramic sherds, mostly red-
brown, with buff wares almost absent, 1
worked ceramic disc. Site considered to be a
section of ancient Lakeshore with an almost
continuous scatter.
J. Craib 1972.
Recommended
not eligible
(Chace 1994)
BLM
CA-RIV-1341
(now within CA-
RIV-7394)
Continuous ceramic sherd scatter with burnt
rocks. Later re-recorded and combined with
CA-RIV-1351; then combined within CA-RIV-
7394.
P. J. Wilke 1972; B. S.
Arkush 1990; B. McManis
1994; D. Ballester 2003 /J.
J. Eddy 2004.
Recommended
not eligible
(Chace 1994)
BLM and
Travertine
CA-RIV-1342
Large diffuse scatter of ceramic sherds on
alluvial fan from Toro Canyon, just above
shoreline. Evidence of pot hunting.
P. Wilke 1972; B. S.
Arkush 1990.
BOR
CA-RIV-1348
Flat boulder -sheltered area with ceramic
sherd scatter, at NE base of Martinez
Mountain Rock Slide. Later determined not a
site.
J. Craib 1972; Brooke S.
Arkush 1989; B. McManis
1994.
Determined not
a site (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
N/A
CA-RIV-1349
Rock shelter with 6 associated bedrock
milling features, one Tizon Brown Ware
sherd, two quartz flakes, one burnt large
mammal bone, within shelter. One
hammerstone collected; 2 holes dug by
vandals. At NE base of Martinez Mountain
Rock Slide. Collected, excavated and
mapped in 1992.
J. Craib 1972; Brooke S.
Arkush 1989; B. McManis
1994.
Determined
eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
BLM
CA-RIV-1351
(now within CA-
RIV-7394)
Rock feature with burned material in area of
continuous sherd scatter. Light scatter of
ceramic fragments with 1 lithic fragment over
a large area. Modern camps and pot hunting
on site. Later combined with CA-RIV-1351;
then combined within CA-RIV-7394.
R. Black 1972; P. Wilke
1972; B. S. Arkush 1990;
B. McManis 1994; D.
Ballester 2003 /J. J. Eddy
2004.
Determined not
eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
BLM and
Travertine
CA-RIV-3872
Bedrock milling station with three features on
two boulders, with mano on one boulder. At
NW base of Martinez Mountain Rock Slide.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
Determined not
eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Travertine
CA-RIV-3873
One milling slick on a boulder. At NW base
of Martinez Mountain Rock Slide.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
Determined not
eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Travertine
CA-RIV-3874
One milling slick on a boulder; sherd of a pot
20 m to east; small scatter of approx. 25
Colorado Buff sherds NE of slick boulder. At
N edge of Martinez Mountain Rock Slide.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990; A.
Duffield 1990; B. McManis
1994.
Determined not
eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Travertine
CA-RIV-3875
Eleven Tizon Brown Ware sherds; appears
secondary context.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
Determined not
eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Travertine
CA-RIV-3876
Twelve Tizon Brown Ware sherds and one
quartz flake; appears secondary context,
transported down fan by water.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
Determined not
eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Travertine
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Table 3. Cultural Resources Previously Recorded within the Project Area
Primary N •
or Trino '
- • •
- corder and D -
Previou
NRHP
Eligibility
Current
Land
Owners
CA-RIV-5319
Three pot drops with scattered fragments
(50-100) of ceramics.
B. McManis 1994; CRM
Tech 2004.
Recommended
not eligible
(Chace 1994)
Travertine
CA-RIV-5320
Pot drop, 6 sherds Tizon Brown.
B. McManis 1994.
Recommended
not eligible
(Chace 1994)
Travertine
CA-RIV-5321
Rock alignment, probable hearth.
B. McManis 1994.
Recommended
not eligible
(Chace 1994)
Travertine
CA-RIV-5322
Single milling slick station on a large boulder
along base of Martinez Mountain Rock Slide.
B. McManis 1994.
Recommended
not eligible
(Chace 1994)
BLM
CA-RIV-5323
Single milling station on a flattish boulder
along base of Martinez Mountain Rock Slide.
B. McManis 1994.
Recommended
not eligible
(Chace 1994)
BLM
CA-RIV-7394
Large site complex approx. 1,550 x 750
meters consisting of 10 loci that contain
ceramic sherd scatters. Cremations, 2
segments of Native American trails, bedrock
milling features, 2 projectile points, fire
hearths, groundstone, chipped stone, and
FAR. Encompasses previously recorded
sites CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1351 (CA-
RIV-1341 & -1351 previously combined).
D. Ballester 2003 /J. J.
Eddy 2004.
Eligible (CRM
Tech 2004)
BLM and
Travertine
33-8919
Isolate — 1 sherd Tizon Brown ceramic.
B. McManis 1994.
N/A
Travertine
33-8920
Isolate — 1 sherd Tizon Brown ceramic.
B. McManis 1994.
N/A
Travertine
33-8921
Isolate — 1 sherd Tizon Brown ceramic.
B. McManis 1994.
N/A
Travertine
33-8922
Isolate — 1 sherd Tizon Brown ceramic.
B. McManis 1994.
N/A
Travertine
33-11347
Isolate — 1 sherd Tizon Brown ceramic.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
N/A
Travertine
33-11348
Isolate -- 1 sherd Tizon Brown ceramic.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
N/A
Travertine
33-11349
Isolate -- 1 sherd Tizon Brown ceramic.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
N/A
Travertine
33-11350
Isolate -- 1 body sherd Buff Ware ceramic.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
N/A
Travertine
33-11351
Isolate — 1 quartz flake.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
N/A
Travertine
33-11352
Isolate — 1 sherd Tizon Brown ceramic.
Brooke S. Arkush 1990.
N/A
Travertine
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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.4—
•
• Previously Recorded Site
Reasonable Prudent
Alternative Line
R771 \ CA-RIV-7394
® Nota Part
Project Boundary
0
250
Meters
1,000
Feet
0 500 1.000 2.000
USGS 7.5' Quadrangles
Martinez Mountain & Valerie
3.000 1 : 24,000
SWCA
Figure 2:
Previously Recorded
Archaeological Sites
Travertine
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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FOCUS ON FIVE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED SITES
Of the 18 archaeological sites located within the Travertine property, detailed investigation by SWCA
was limited to five previously recorded sites: CA-RIV-1334, CA-RIV-1341, CA-RIV-1342, CA-RIV-
1351, and CA-RIV-7394. The history of archaeological work conducted at each of these sites, prior to the
current endeavor, is detailed next. Included in the description is the relationship of each site to the
Travertine project area, as shown in Figure 2.
CA-RIV-1334
First recorded by J. Craib in 1972 (designated CV -205), this site was comprised of a light, but almost
continuous scatter of ceramic sherds, mostly red -brown in color (presumably Tizon Brown Ware). The
near continuous scatter ran for 1.2 km (0.75 mile) along the former shoreline of Lake Cahuilla at the 40 -
foot contour. Craib collected much of the surface scatter, which had been recorded as 50 — 75 m (164-246
feet) wide. According to the site form, most of the "rock features" had been previously pilfered.
CA-RIV-1334 was relocated during field survey conducted intermittently between March 28 and June 26,
1994, by The Keith Companies for the proposed Travertine project. Chace reports (1994:17) finding only
a light scatter of ceramic sherds on the surface of the lengthy linear site. No buried archaeological
deposits were observed within the numerous arroyos and small channels that had been cut into the alluvial
deposits beneath the surface in this area. During that survey effort, all evidence of CA-RIV-1334 was
restricted to —, with no cultural material identified as s art of the site in Thus the 1994
surve determined that CA-RIV-1334
. In addition, Chace (1994:22) recommended that CA-RIV-1334 was not eligible for
listing on the NRHP.
CA-RIV-1341
Initially recorded by P. Wilke in 1972 (designated CV -113), CA-RIV-1341 is a 50 x 50 m burned rock
feature containing ceramic sherds, lying within an almost continuous scatter of ceramic sherds along the
former shoreline of Lake Cahuilla marked b the 40 -foot elevation contour. The site ma indicates it was
located within
. CA-RIV-1341 was relocated during field survey conducted intermittently between March 28
and June 26, 1994 (Chace 1994:17). The site was incorporated as part of CA-RIV-1351, discussed below
under CA-RIV-1341/1351. Chace (1994:22) recommended that combined site CA-RIV-1341/1351 was
not eligible for listing on the NRHP. In 2004, site CA-RIV-1341/1351 was incorporated into multi-
component site CA-RIV-7394, detailed below.
CA-RIV-1342
A large and diffuse surface scatter of ceramic sherds, CA-RIV-1342 was originally recorded by P. Wilke
in 1972 (designated CV -112), and updated by B. Arkush in 1990. Accordin to Arkush, both Tizon
Brown and Lower Colorado Buff wares are represented in the scatter.
The record update also discloses
evidence of recent disturbance of the site, with at least four otholes noted. The site ma indicates the
ceramic scatter is located
Recommendations as to the
eligibility status of CA-RIV-1342 for listing on the NRHP have apparently not been made.
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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CA-RIV-1351
CA-RIV-1351 was initially recorded by R. Black in 1972 (designated CV -111 , and is described as a 70 x
40 m scatter of ceramic sherds, 1 ing close to 50 feet in elevation
. Sherds from three areas within the surface scatter were collected. This
site record's ma shows the original site's location is within
CA-RIV-1351 was relocated during a 1990 survey and the site record updated by B. Arkush. Noted was a
surface scatter of ceramic sherds with several ieces of silicate debitage on the
The sherd scatter included both Tizon
Brown and Lower Colorado Buff wares. At that time, it appeared that much of the surface material had
probably been collected as a result of recent camping and off-road activity, impacting the integrity of the
site.
CA-RIV-1351 was relocated again during field survey in 1994, with the site record updated by B.
McManis (Chace 1994:18). As a result of that survey, CA-RIV-1351 was enlarged to incorporate CA-
RIV-1341, plus previously unrecorded contiguous zones (Chace 1994:18), discussed next under CA-RIV-
1341/1351. Chace (1994:22) recommended that combined site CA-RIV-1341/1351 was not eligible for
listing on the NRHP.
CA-RIV-1341/1351
As a result of a field survey conducted in 1994, CA-RIV-1351 was enlarged to incorporate CA-RIV-
1341, as well as previously unrecorded contiguous zones (see Chace 1994:18). A light scatter of ceramic
sherds, with one piece of quartz debitage, was identified within a 240 x 300 m elliptical site area,
covering 52,600 square meters. Approximately 300 sherds were identified as Tizon Brown Ware.
The combined site is located on
. CA-RIV-1341 was recorded on the
with CA-RIV-1351 originally recorded to the
. The cultural material between these two sites had not been previously recorded. During the
survey in 1994, no midden or buried archaeological deposits were observed within the numerous arroyos
and small channels that had been cut into the alluvial and beach deposits at site CA-RIV-1341/1351.
The updated site ma . indicates the site is located within the continuin
into the
In his report, Chace (1994:22) recommended that combined site CA-RIV-
1341/1351 was not eligible for listing on the NRHP.
CA-RIV-7394 (Formerly CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1341/1351)
This multi-component site incorporates CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1341/1351, and artifacts found
between them and to the south, east, and west. The enlarged site was recorded by D. Ballester in
December 2003, and again by J. Eddy in March 2004, as a result of a pedestrian survey performed by
CRM Tech in August/September 2003 for proposed CVWD reservoirs and i eline ri hts-of-wa Ho an
et al. 2004. CRM Tech archaeolo ists surve ed along the
. The linear survey corridor also extended about
Throughout the survey area, ground visibility was good to excellent
(70-100%) (Hogan et al. 2004:9). Since several artifact concentrations and isolates were identified
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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between the two previously recorded sites (CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1341/1351), as well as to the
southeast and east, all the cultural material was then combined into one large site complex, designated
CA-RIV-7394.
CA-RIV-7394 measures approximately 1,550 x 750 m and is comprised of ten loci, two segments of
Native American trails, several isolated ceramic sherds, and two projectile points. Each locus consists
primarily of ceramic sherd scatters. Three loci (2, 3, and 7) also contain a cremation feature, including
burned human bone, ceramic sherds, with chipped stone in loci 2 and 7. Bedrock milling features are
present in loci 2 and 4; groundstone fragments in loci 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10; five possible prehistoric hearths
in loci 7 (n=2) and 8 (n=3); fire -affected rock in loci 9 and 10; and a U-shaped rock alignment in locus 9.
Two Desert Side -Notched points were identified; one in locus 1 made from wonderstone, and one made
from chalcedony within the cremation feature in locus 2. Segments of Native American trails were
identified in loci 3 and 4 The trail in locus 4 extends some
Based on several factors, it is likely that CA-RIV-7394 could yield important information regarding the
prehistory of this area (Hogan et al. 2004:35). Its location indicates that: (1) the site likely represents the
remnants of a prehistoric habitation area along the shoreline of Holocene Lake Cahuilla; and (2) the
probability of discovering buried cultural deposits in this sandy terrain near the former shoreline is high.
Further, the presence of human cremation features and the extensive artifact assemblage, in addition to
the Native American trails, indicates CA-RIV-7394 likely retains a great deal of information regarding
the prehistory of this area. The cultural material mi ht also have some association with the historic
Cahuilla village of Toro (Mauulmii)
CA-RIV-7394 tracks the 40 -foot contour shoreline of Holocene Lake Cahuilla, with the averse elevation
of the site ran in between 5-45 feet above sea level. The site is located mostly in
The site map indicates the westernmost edge of the
site falls within thus within the Travertine project boundary. In addition, a roximatel the
southern one-fourth of CA-RIV-7394 falls within the Travertine project's
In their report, CRM Tech (2004:35) stated that combined site CA-RIV-7394 "appears to meet the
criteria for listing in the National Register and the California Register."
NATIVE AMERICAN CONTACTS
To solicit additional knowledge about cultural resources, SWCA contacted the Native American Heritage
Commission (NAHC) requesting a Sacred Lands file search and local contact list on 16 December 2003.
The NAHC responded by a faxed letter on 23 December 2003, indicating that a search of the Sacred
Lands file, "failed to indicate the presence of Native American cultural resources in the immediate project
area." The letter included a list of four Native American individuals and organizations that may have
knowledge of resources in the area.
SWCA, in consultation with the BLM Palm Springs -South Coast Field Office, subsequently contacted the
four listed organizations by letter on 21 January 2004. We requested any information regarding
knowledge of cultural resources in the project area. The following individuals were contacted:
• Richard Milanovich, Chairperson, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
• Maryann Martin, Chairperson, Augustine Band of Mission Indians
• John James, Chairperson, Cabazon Band of Mission Indians
• Ray Torres, Chairperson, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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Two responses were received to the letter addressed to the contact list. Joseph M. Nixon, Ph.D., Cultural
Resources Coordinator, Tribal Historic Preservation Office, Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians,
responded by letter dated 28 January 2004. He explained that the project area is not within Reservation
lands, nor is it "within the Tribal Traditional Use Area, [but] it is in close proximity to it." Therefore, the
Agua Caliente Band does request copies of any cultural resources documentation produced by this
project.
Mr. Gary Resvaloso, Cultural Resource Coordinator for the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians,
responded by letter dated February 4, 2004. He stated that the project area lies within the territory defined
as the Tribe's Traditional Use Area, and that this raised the following concerns:
• They are aware of several cultural resources in close proximity and therefore the probability of
finding cultural resources on the subject property is fairly high; and
• That often significant cultural resources are not identifiable on the surface, but are found during
ground disturbing activity; therefore
• They request that a Native American Monitor be present during the cultural resources survey and
site evaluation, and during any ground disturbing activity on or off the project site.
A copy of all correspondence is contained in Confidential Appendix C.
RESEARCH ISSUES AND THEMES
This research design outlines research issues and cultural themes considered important in understanding
the prehistory and ethnohistory of the project area. These themes are pertinent to the assessment of a site's
significance and potential eligibility for listing on the NRHP and/or CRHR. An important site, one that is
NRHP and/or CRHR eligible, contains scientific, educational, traditional cultural, or other data valuable
to our understanding of the prehistory or ethnohistory of a region, and provides information to address
these broad analytical themes.
The review for this project of previous research has primarily identified the following three domains of
inquiry concerning the Prehistoric and Ethnohistoric Periods: cultural chronology, subsistence systems,
and settlement patterns. These domains do not represent the full range of research interests or
opportunities within the Coachella Valley, Salton Trough, or greater Colorado Desert region, but were
specifically chosen to highlight some of the current research issues of the project vicinity, particularly
those with clear linkages to data potentially available from the project area sites, including CA-RIV-7394
and nearby MMRS sites.
CHRONOLOGY
Chronology is of basic importance in any archaeological research endeavor as it provides the foundation
for addressing all other research issues. The majority of sites within the Coachella Valley date to the Late
Prehistoric or Contact Periods, although recent research has added to our knowledge of the Late Archaic
Period in this area. Research indicates that prehistoric occupation of the project vicinity coincided with
periodic infillings of Holocene Lake Cahuilla, with many sites corresponding to the last lacustrine
interval. Ethnohistoric occupation of the area, including settlement by the Cahuilla of the village of Toro
(Mauulmit) near the project area, coincides with the recession of the lake, beginning during the Patayan
III Period.
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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The issue of cultural chronology in the Coachella Valley can be addressed by locating materials such as
artifacts that are amenable to dating and identifying assemblages in the archaeological record that reflect
temporal differences. The appearance of pottery marks the end of the Archaic Period and the beginning of
the Late Prehistoric or Patayan Period. In addition to ceramics, projectile points are smaller and triangular
in shape (Cottonwood Triangular, Desert -Side Notched) and cremation is introduced into the
archaeological record during the Patayan Period. Pottery types during the Patayan Period include Tizon
Brown Ware manufactured from upland clay sources and Colorado Buff Ware made from lowland
sedimentary clays. The toolkit also included worked bone tools and lithics manufactured from non -local
raw material (e.g., obsidian, wonderstone).
Research Questions
• When was the site utilized? Does the site consist of single or multiple components? Has the site
been utilized during different periods?
• Are temporally diagnostic artifacts present? Can a relative chronology be established by linking
the presence of diagnostic artifacts to dated sites?
• Is there strong evidence of use during the Archaic, Late Prehistoric, or Ethnohistoric Periods?
Can such evidence be related to other nearby sites?
• Does the site coincide with the lacustrine intervals of Lake Cahuilla, or does it post-date the lake?
• Can Ethnohistoric Period occupation be identified, and does it reveal continuity with the Late
Prehistoric Period?
• Do the chronological data contribute to our understanding of the nature and timing of population
movements in the area?
• Do the chronological data at this site contribute to our understanding of the relationships between
different periods or phases within established cultural sequences?
Data requirements. The precision and accuracy of dates are critical since they form the baseline for the
other research topics: the better the chronological control and understanding of the site, the more rigorous
research that can be applied to that site. Absolute dating techniques are preferable to relative dating of
diagnostic artifacts (e.g., projectile points, ceramic artifacts, shell beads), since absolute dating (e.g.,
radiocarbon) is an independent assessment of the age of sample analyzed. Alternate means of dating
would include obsidian hydration measurements.
Sites containing organic materials suitable for radiocarbon dating (e.g., charcoal, wood, burned floral
remains, faunal bone, marine shell, organic -rich soil), desert varnish suitable for radiocarbon dating,
temporally diagnostic artifacts, and obsidian artifacts would make important contributions to this research
issue.
SUBSISTENCE SYSTEMS
Prehistoric and ethnohistoric populations would have exploited a wide variety of floral and faunal
resources associated with the various ecological communities within the Coachella Valley, the Lake
Cahuilla shoreline, and the surrounding uplands, including the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
west of the current project area. Resource procurement would be reflected both in the remains of plants,
fish, and animals, and also in the types of tools used for hunting, gathering, or processing them.
During the Late Prehistoric Period, archaeological assemblages indicate that both lowland and upland
animals and plants were consumed, as well as shellfish, fish, aquatic birds, and freshwater marsh plants
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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associated with Lake Cahuilla (Wilke 1978; Schaefer et al. 1993). Some of these resources were collected
seasonally while others were apparently obtained year round Immediately prior to European contact,
there is a shift in resource procurement to an increase in the exploitation of agave during the Patayan III
Period (Shackley 1984). Resources were collected or processed using various types of milling equipment
(e.g., bedrock grinding slicks, portable mortars, pestles), woven basketry, nets and traps, stone tools, etc.
Ceramics were introduced during Patayan I. Artifact assemblages from Patayan II sites provide data on
the exploitation of lacustrine and marsh resources associated with the presence of Lake Cahuilla. Patayan
III is marked by the recession of Lake Cahuilla, which is evidenced by the hundreds of stone fish traps
constructed well below the high stand of the former lake.
During the Ethnohistoric Period, permanent lakebed villages were supported by walk-in wells and
mesquite groves on the valley floor, as well as by the practice of small-scale agriculture. Data from
ethnographic study of the Desert Cahuilla also show that during seasonal rounds of harvesting and
gathering they collected important plant resources, including acorn, pinon nuts, and agave, in the upland
ecological communities. In fact, although the Creosote Bush Scrub plant community on Coachella Valley
floor contained a number of economically useful plants, including mesquite, research indicates that 75
percent of the Cahuilla vegetal diet was from the Upper Sonoran and Transition environmental zones
(Bean 1978:576).
Research Questions
• Do the resources represent the lakeshore, lowland, and/or upland ecological communities near the
project area? Are freshwater fish obtained from Lake Cahuilla present or absent at the site?
• Are subsistence strategies focused on a few resources, or are they more broadly based?
• Does the range of resources at the site represent seasonal or year round use?
• Do subsistence strategies change through time? Is there an increasing reliance on specific
resources?
• Can changes in the cultural or natural environment, such as the infilling or recession of Lake
Cahuilla, account for any shift in subsistence strategies?
Data requirements. Sites containing faunal bones, fish bones, shellfish, milling stones (e.g., bedrock
grinding slicks, mortars, pestles), macrobotanicals, pollen, protein and blood residue analysis of stone
tools or milling stones, artifact use -wear analysis, or landscape -site associations would make important
contributions to this research issue.
SETTLEMENT SYSTEMS
The content of an archaeological site provides information regarding its cultural affiliations, temporal
periods of use, its functionality, and other aspects of its occupation history. Generally, the range and
variability of artifacts present in a site may permit reconstruction of various aspects of prehistoric culture,
including, among other topics, ethnic affiliation, diet, and social structure, as well as the role of the site
within the broader regional landscape pattern. This discussion of settlement system as it pertains to a site
covers two primary issues. The first, site function, is integral to evaluating the role of the site within the
second issue, the broader regional landscape pattern.
A variety of mobility strategies and settlement practices were most likely practiced by prehistoric and
ethnohistoric populations in the Colorado Desert region. Within the Coachella Valley, two settlement
theories for the Late Prehistoric have been presented. Weide (1976) argues that residence on the
fluctuating shoreline of Holocene Lake Cahuilla was temporary and limited to small groups of
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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opportunistic foragers. In contrast, Wilke (1978) postulates that large populations lived in permanent
villages along a stable Lake Cahuilla shoreline. Recent research, including studies in the La Quinta and
Toro Canyon region (e.g., Schaefer et al. 1993; Sutton and Wilke 1988) tends to support the model
presented by Weide. The research at Toro Canyon includes the excavation at the base of the MMRS of
two Patayan II Period rockshelters (CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349), located only 600 m west of the 12
m Lake Cahuilla high stand (Schaefer et al. 1993; Pallette and Schaefer 1995).
Research also indicates that there was a shift in the regional pattern of settlement systems in the Salton
Trough and Coachella Valley that was related to the cyclical filling and desiccation of Lake Cahuilla
during the Late Prehistoric or Patayan I -III Periods. During the Patayan II Period, for example, research
indicates that seasonal camps along the 12-m (40 -foot) high stand of the lake were likely connected by a
series of trails to residential bases located in the uplands (e.g., Schaefer et al. 1993; Pallette and Schaefer
1995). In contrast, after the final desiccation of the lake during the ensuing Patayan III Period, sedentary
villages were established on the valley floor, and the trail network connected to special-purpose smaller
sites in the Santa Rosa Mountains where seasonal resources (e.g., acorns, piton nuts, and agave) were
collected. The known western extent of the Ethnographic Period village of Toro (Mauulmii), for example,
which extended for over a mile from the edge of the Toro Cemetery to the walk-in wells at Jackson Street,
was located on the lakebed approximately a half -mile east of the current project area. The trail network
was also utilized during the Patayan II-III and Ethnohistoric Periods to access upland clay sources that
were used for the production of Tizon Brown Ware. Pot -drops and trailside shrines also characterize the
networks of trail systems during the Patayan Period. Pot -drops and grinding stations also likely
characterize the Ethnohistoric Period (Schaefer et al. 1993:36).
Long-distance trade in the area is evidenced as early as the Late Archaic Period. Assemblages from
excavations in the Coachella Valley contain obsidian from the Coso volcanic field and shell beads from
the Gulf of California. During the Patayan Period, shell beads, as well as artifacts manufactured from
non -local wonderstone and obsidian, have been recovered at inland archaeological sites. This period also
reflects the influence and migration of Takic-speaking peoples into southern California, including the
introduction of pottery during Patayan II. Painted pottery and Colorado Buff Wares were introduced
during the Patayan III Period, along with the practice of small-scale agriculture.
Research Questions
Site Function
• What resource extraction and/or processing activities occurred at the site (e.g., what types of
lacustrine and/or terrestrial resources were processed on site)? How were such resources obtained
and processed?
• Does the site contain evidence of multiple activities? What artifact types and cultural activities
are represented at the site (e.g., groundstone, bone tools, flaked stone tools with use wear,
unmodified faunal bone, ceramics, or features, such as hearths, storage pits, or burials)?
• Are there any patterns of intrasite variation within the site (e.g., are distinct use areas
discernable)?
• Are there any patterns of intrasite variation through time (e.g., did site function change over
time)?
• Is there any evidence to suggest seasonal versus year-round habitation and/or use? What
environmental factors and/or natural resources would have influenced the timing and duration of
site occupation and/or utilization?
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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• What type of site is represented? Is the site a habitation site (e.g., temporary camp or permanent
village)? Is it a task specific site, such as a limited resource procurement site (e.g., fishing,
hunting) or processing site (e.g., plant processing)?
Regional Landscape
• Is the site part of a regional settlement system? Does the site contribute to our understanding of
the two different settlement pattern models (Wiede vs. Wilke) presented for the Coachella
Valley?
• Does the site contribute to our understanding of the relationship between the regional settlement
system and the natural infilling or dessication of Lake Cahuilla?
• Does the site reveal evidence of intra -regional interaction, trade, and/or mobility (e.g., are any
exotic ecofacts or artifacts present)?
Data requirements. Sites containing hearths, middens, storage pits, remains of structures, projectile
points, ceramic artifacts, wonderstone or obsidian artifacts, faunal and fish bone, milling stones,
ceremonial objects, shell beads, clay figurines, worked bone tools, rock art, burials or cremations, or trail
networks would make important contributions to this research issue.
SURVEY METHODS AND RESULTS
SURVEY METHODS
The Class III inventory designed to locate cultural resources within the Travertine property included
intensive pedestrian survey. Foot survey of the study area was performed by SWCA on three separate
occasions, February 2004, March 2005, and November 2005. The methods employed for each survey
period are detailed below, with the total survey coverage by SWCA shown on Figure 1. The five
proposed access routes to the Travertine property are designated Access 1-5 on the figure. Only Access
Roads 2, 3, and 4 are now planned for construction.
In total, approximately 902 acres were covered by the intensive pedestrian survey, including 704 acres
owned by Travertine, five proposed access roads, only three of which are now planned for construction,
and 125 acres administered by the BLM that includes portions of CA-RIV-7394 (Table 4). Also listed in
the survey coverage table is acreage for a small future acquisition, and a parcel owned by Friends of the
Desert Mountain, located in the northwest quadrant of Section 33 (marked not a part on the Figure 1), and
within the cutout in the northeast corner of Section 5, respectively. Table 4 lists the survey coverage for
the proposed access roads, including that for public lands administered by the BLM (20.1 acres) and BOR
(29.6 acres). Note that only Access Roads 2, 3, and 4 are now planned for construction.
Approximately 230 acres owned by Travertine were not surveyed during the current endeavor. A large
area (219 acres) within the southern half of Section 33 was excluded from the survey because it is planted
with dense vineyards. In addition, a 10.7 -acre block in the southeast corner of Section 5, which is shown
on Figure 1 as part of Travertine property, was not surveyed because it was not part of Travertine land at
the time of the fieldwork. This block falls within the planned conservation area.
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Table 4. Survey Coverage
* Access Roads 1 and 5 are now not planned for construction.
February 2004. SWCA Field Supervisors Peter Paige and Michael Tuma performed the initial pedestrian
survey of the Travertine project area from 2 to 6 February 2004 (Maxon 2004). This survey was
performed per the request of the BLM and BOR to: (1) confirm the presence of and reevaluate two
previously recorded sites (CA-RIV-1334, CA-RIV-1341/1351) along a former shoreline of Lake Cahuilla;
(2) resurvey the perimeter of the MMRS near the southern boundary of the Travertine property; (3)
conduct a new survey of the locations of three of five proposed access roads; and (4) resurvey the former
Lake Cahuilla shoreline between two of the proposed access roads.
During the survey, the locations of any new sites and isolates, as well as concentrations of artifacts within
known sites, were recorded using a hand-held global positioning system (GPS) unit (Magellan Meridian,
WAAS enabled). This instrument collects an average of points at a location. To ensure a more accurate
average, points were collected for at least one minute at each new find location. Surface visibility at the
time of this survey was excellent (>90%).
CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1341/1351 were relocated, using the site records and a previous survey report
by Chace (1994). The two archaeologists walked the length of these lakeshore sites, recording all visible
surface artifacts, including artifact types and concentrations.
The perimeter of the MMRS was resurveyed in an effort to relocate previously recorded sites that were
not relocated by Chace during his 1994 survey of the area. DPR site records and descriptions in the Chace
(1994) report were used to help relocate all known sites on the Travertine property in the vicinity of the
MMRS.
Three (Access Roads 1, 2, and 4) of five proposed access road locations were surveyed using 15 -meter
transects. Approximately 30 meters to the north and south of the centerline of the proposed access roads
were surveyed. The 17 -acre block in the northeast corner of Section 33 east of Access Road 4 was
surveyed using 15 -meter spaced transects.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 32
Acreage Surveyed
(approximate)
Travertine
Block in northwest quadrant of Section 33
703.66
BLM
Access Road 1; Section 3/10 boundary *
7.17
BLM
Access Road 2; Section 3/34 boundary
2.31
BLM
Access Road 4; northeast quadrant of Section 32
10.62
BLM
Portions of site CA-RIV-7394
125.0
BOR
Access Road 1; Section 3/10 boundary *
6.47
BOR
Access Road 2; Section 3/34 boundary
5.27
BOR
Access Road 3; Section 33/34 boundary
7.12
BOR
Access Road 4; northeast quadrant of Section 32
0.2
BOR
Access Road 5; northeast quadrant of Section 28 *
10.57
Coachella Valley Water
District
Access Road 3; Section 33/34 boundary
5.54
Future Travertine purchase
Northwest quadrant of Section 33 ("Not a part")
12.36
Friends of the Desert
Mountain
Cutout in northeast quadrant of Section 5
12.4
Total Acreage Surveyed
902.47
* Access Roads 1 and 5 are now not planned for construction.
February 2004. SWCA Field Supervisors Peter Paige and Michael Tuma performed the initial pedestrian
survey of the Travertine project area from 2 to 6 February 2004 (Maxon 2004). This survey was
performed per the request of the BLM and BOR to: (1) confirm the presence of and reevaluate two
previously recorded sites (CA-RIV-1334, CA-RIV-1341/1351) along a former shoreline of Lake Cahuilla;
(2) resurvey the perimeter of the MMRS near the southern boundary of the Travertine property; (3)
conduct a new survey of the locations of three of five proposed access roads; and (4) resurvey the former
Lake Cahuilla shoreline between two of the proposed access roads.
During the survey, the locations of any new sites and isolates, as well as concentrations of artifacts within
known sites, were recorded using a hand-held global positioning system (GPS) unit (Magellan Meridian,
WAAS enabled). This instrument collects an average of points at a location. To ensure a more accurate
average, points were collected for at least one minute at each new find location. Surface visibility at the
time of this survey was excellent (>90%).
CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1341/1351 were relocated, using the site records and a previous survey report
by Chace (1994). The two archaeologists walked the length of these lakeshore sites, recording all visible
surface artifacts, including artifact types and concentrations.
The perimeter of the MMRS was resurveyed in an effort to relocate previously recorded sites that were
not relocated by Chace during his 1994 survey of the area. DPR site records and descriptions in the Chace
(1994) report were used to help relocate all known sites on the Travertine property in the vicinity of the
MMRS.
Three (Access Roads 1, 2, and 4) of five proposed access road locations were surveyed using 15 -meter
transects. Approximately 30 meters to the north and south of the centerline of the proposed access roads
were surveyed. The 17 -acre block in the northeast corner of Section 33 east of Access Road 4 was
surveyed using 15 -meter spaced transects.
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A resurvey of the former Lake Cahuilla lakeshore was accomplished from north to south between two of
the proposed access roads; designated Access Roads 1 and 2 located along the Section 3/10 and 3/34
boundaries, respectively. This resurvey was performed at the specific request of the BLM in order to
revisit and confirm the presence of previously recorded sites along the 40 -foot contour line. Survey
methods were the same as described above.
March 2005. Most of the Travertine Development property was resurveyed from 28 to 31 March 2005.
The study was carried out by SWCA archaeologists Michael Tuma (Field Supervisor), Luis Burgos,
Michael Cruz, Maria Garrity and Stephen O'Neil. The survey area included: (1) the northern portion of
Section 33, including the southern tip of Coral Mountain (excluding existing vineyards in the southern
portion of Section 33); (2) Section 4 north of the RPA Line; (3) an approximately 40 -acre area south of
the RPA Line, at the eastern edge of Section 5, in a wash west of the MMRS; (4) Sections 3 and 5 north
of the RPA Line; (5) the southeastern ortion of the ro osed ro'ect area within Section 3, which was
not surve ed in Februa 200
The CA-RIV-7394 site complex, originally recorded as sites CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1341/1351, was
expanded and designated in March 2004, after SWCA's February 2004 survey. This designation was
included in a report on the Coral Mountain Reservoir project (Hogan et al. 2004). The results from the
surveys conducted by SWCA within the site boundaries are discussed below in relation to the recently
designated site complex, CA-RIV-7394.
Except for the wash west of the MMRS, the acreage was surveyed using 15 -meter spaced transects,
running along east -west lines (see Photograph 2). The pedestrian survey of the wash west of the MMRS
was accomplished by walking along the natural contours of the slopes with personnel spaced 15 meters
apart, as terrain permitted. The remaining project acreage south of the RPA Line was not surveyed during
March 2005 since that area was not then part of the planned development.
During the pedestrian survey, all artifacts observed on the surface were pin -flagged, and the entire area
intensively searched for artifacts and features. The horizontal extent of each concentration or scatter was
recorded with a hand-held GPS (Magellan Meridian). Several points around the perimeter of large scatters
were recorded; one point was recorded for small scatters or isolated artifacts. To ensure the precision of
the GPS data, the locations of five mapped landmarks were recorded, including Benchmark 50
and four points (Control Points #1 — 4)
(see Figure 4).
The winter of 2004/2005 was an extremely wet season, with near -record levels of rainfall in the southern
California region. This resulted in the growth of an abundance of annual plant species throughout the
Coachella Valley, including the Travertine project area. Because of the extensive growth of non-native
grasses and native herbaceous plants, ground visibility was markedly reduced in 2005 compared to the
2004 season. Surface visibility overall was estimated at 60 percent, whereas some patches of more dense
vegetation offered as little as 5 percent surface visibility.
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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Photograph 2. Survey over desert pavement at
View to the south.
CA-RIV-7394.
November 2005. SWCA archaeologists Stephen O'Neil and Kevin Hunt surveyed four additional areas on
November 21 and 22, 2005. These areas included: (1) Access Road 3; (2) Access Road 5; (3) land in
Sections 4 and 5 south of the RPA Line east and west of the MMRS; and (4) acreage newly acquired by
the Travertine Corporation in Section 5 immediately north and south of the RPA Line.
The acreage was surveyed using 15 -meter spaced transects, with the exception of the wash west of the
MMRS. The pedestrian survey of the wash west of the MMRS was accomplished by walking along the
natural contours of the slopes with personnel spaced 15 meters apart, as terrain permitted. The terrain in
this area consists of a moderate slope to the west and southwest, with flat areas of desert pavement cut by
washes emerging from the Santa Rosa Mountains. The washes then become large ravines up to ten feet
deep that contain numerous large boulders. During the November survey, sites and isolates were recorded
using a hand-held GPS (Garmen Etrex). Several points were recorded for sites; one point was recorded
for isolated artifacts.
Proposed Access Road 3 along the Section 33/34 boundary line is a flat open area along the shoreline of
Holocene Lake Cahuilla. It is relatively undisturbed despite its proximity to vineyards, except where the
route crosses the levee since soil from the area had been used to build the levee (see Figure 1). Proposed
Access Road 5 in the northeast corner of Section 28 crosses the levee southward into a recently developed
residential area. Prior trenching for underground utilities and a planned roadway heavily disturb this
route. To the north, between the levee and Avenue 58, are numerous modern trash deposits.
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SURVEY RESULTS
Previously Recorded Sites
With the incorporation of the three sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1341, and CA-RIV-1351) into CA-
RIV-7394 and the eliminateion of CA-RIV-1348 as a site, a total of 14 prehistoric archaeological sites
had been •reviousl recorded within the boundaries of the current project area. Seven of these occur
one is the multi-component site CA-RIV-7394; four are ceramic sherd
scatters one is a rock alignment in Section 5; one is a sherd scatter
During the three survey periods conducted by SWCA for this project, all seven previously recorded sites
around the perimeter of the MMRS were relocated and their information updated (Table 5). An additional
16 loci and 14 isolates were identified as part of multi-component site CA-RIV-7394. Including the 10
loci previously identified by CRM Tech (Hogan et al. 2004), the total recorded loci for site CA-RIV-7394
numbered 26 as a result of the survey efforts. A 27th locus was identified during the testing phase
discussed below. In addition, a thin, near continuous scatter of mainly ceramic fragments was recorded
paralleling the _ boundary of site CA-RIV-7394.
Alon the ri ht-of-wa of Access Road
isolated Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherds were observed in 24 locations
during the initial survey in February 2004. Each isolate comprised 1-4 sherds. Fourteen of these isolated
occurrences (#1, 3-8, and 10-16) were later included within the current boundaries of CA-RIV-7394, as
defined by this study after the limited site testin see below . The remainin six isolate locations are
outside the project are
Of the 14 previously recorded sites within the boundaries of the project area, five were not relocated.
Three sites (CA-RIV-3875, CA-RIV-3876, and CA-RIV-5320), comprised of small sherd scatters or pot
drops, were not relocated due to the density of the vegetation cover in March 2005. An effort to relocate
two of these sites (CA-RIV-3875 and CA-RIV-3876) during survey by The Keith Companies in 1994 was
also unsuccessful (Chace 1994:19). It seems likely that both CA-RIV-3875 and CA-RIV-3876, small
ceramic scatters recorded in secondary context near the edge of the alluvial fan in Section 4, may have
been washed further down slope subsequent to their initial recordation in 1990. The rock alignment or
probable hearth recorded in 1994 as CA-RIV-5321 was not relocated even though the nearby area of
broken terrain and steep sided washes was surveyed by SWCA on two occasions (March 2005 and
November 2005). Last, no evidence was found of site CA-RIV-1342, a diffuse scatter of ceramic sherds
previously recorded near the mouth of Toro Canyon, although an attempt was also made on two separate
occasions (February 2004 and March 2005).
Updated site record forms, including GPS data, for eight of the nine relocated sites listed in Table 5,
including CA-RIV-7394, are appended to this report as Confidential Appendix E. No update was
completed for CA-RIV-5319 since there is no new information. Confidential Appendix E does include an
update for CA-RIV-1342; the update records the efforts made to relocate this site and what may have
occurred since it was last revisited in 1990 (see below).
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Table 5. Archaeological Sites Relocated within Project Area
Site
Number
Month and Year
Relocated
Description
Current
Land
Owner
CA-RIV-1331
July 2005; February
2006
MMRS site. All previously described features observed,
including Native American trails leading toward CA-RIV-
1349 and CA-RIV-7394. The rock wall (designated Feature
A in Figure 9 of Schaefer et al. 1993) had fallen or been
knocked down.
BLM
CA-RIV-1342
Not relocated
Possibly dispersed, washed further down slope, buried by
flash flood waters emerging from Toro Canyon, or mistaken
as adjacent to the main Toro Canyon drainage.
BOR
CA-RIV-1349
February 2006
MMRS site. All previously described features observed.
Native American trail from CA-RIV-7394 to CA-RIV-1331
has a fork directed to this site.
BLM
CA-RIV-3872
February 2004;
March 2005
MMRS site. Only one of the previously recorded milling
slicks observed; previously recorded mano not observed.
Travertine
CA-RIV-3873
March 2005;
February 2006
MMRS site. Previously described milling feature observed.
Travertine
CA-RIV-3874
February 2004;
March 2005;
February 2006
MMRS site. Previously described milling feature observed;
two Tizon Brown Ware sherds observed 15 m west of the
site. Spray painted graffiti dated "2003" present on
overhanging boulder.
Travertine
CA-RIV-3875
Not relocated
Dense vegetation cover. Not relocated during earlier 1994
survey. Possibly washed further down slope.
Travertine
CA-RIV-3876
Not relocated
Dense vegetation cover. Not relocated during earlier 1994
survey. Possibly washed further down slope.
Travertine
CA-RIV-5319
May 2006
Previously described ceramic fragments observed.
Travertine
CA-RIV-5320
Not relocated
Dense vegetation cover.
Travertine
CA-RIV-5321
Not relocated
Area has broken terrain and steep sided washes.
Travertine
CA-RIV-5322
February 2004;
March 2005
MMRS site. Previously described milling feature observed.
BLM
CA-RIV-5323
February 2004;
February 2006
MMRS site. Previously described milling feature observed.
BLM
CA-RIV-7394
February 2004;
March 2005
Identified a thin, near continuous scatter along the western
boundary, 16 loci, and 14 isolates. With 10 loci previously
identified by CRM Tech in 2003/2004, brings total loci to 26.
A 27th locus was identified during the testing phase
discussed below, and then three loci combined. Site
boundaries have been redrawn.
BLM and
Travertine
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide Sites
The seven previously recorded sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-
RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, and CA-RIV-5323) on the perimeter of the MMRS were relocated. Two of
these sites include rock shelters (CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349), and all include rock features known
as milling slicks. Found on the large granodiorite boulders distributed around the base of the MMRS,
milling slicks are small, often multiple, polished areas of stone that likely represent processing stations for
grinding hard seeds into flour with the aid of a handstone.
The previously described milling features at each of the seven sites were observed, although the mano
associated with CA-RIV-3872 was not detected, and the sherd scatter near CA-RIV-3874 was not as
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extensive as previously recorded. At CA-RIV-1331, one of the features, a rock wall, was no longer erect,
and graffiti ("9-3-2003") had been spray painted in blue on the overhanging boulder at CA-RIV-3874.
The Native American trail system included as part of the CA-RIV-1331 site record was traversed and
observed to lead toward sites CA-RIV-1349 and CA-RIV-7394.
UTM coordinates for each of the MMRS sites were recorded by SWCA archaeologists using a handheld
GPS (Magellan Meridian), and/or by surveyors with Stantec Engineering (using a Trimble 4700). As
discussed below, this effort has resolved the ownershi status of the rehistoric sites at the base of the
MMRS,
CA-RIV-1342
No evidence of CA-RIV-1342 was found on two occasions during the current endeavor at the location
where this site had been initially recorded in 1972, although it had been relocated in 1990. Considering
that CA-RIV-1342 was not relocated in February 2004 when visibility was excellent (>90%), nor in
March 2005 when visibility was poor (<60%), the large, diffuse surface scatter of ceramic sherds may
have been dispersed, washed further down slope, or buried during the intervening years by possible flash
flood waters emerging from Toro Can on. SWCA archaeolo ists did identif a scatter of a roximatel
20 Tizon Brown Ware sherds
of the mapped location of CA-RIV-1342 (see discussion of CA-RIV-7394,
Locus 23 below). It is thus possible that this scatter represents CA-RIV-1342, and that earlier researchers
may have misplotted the site's location, mistaking the arroyo for the main Toro Canyon drainage.
CA-RIV-5319
The SWCA edestrian surve in March 2005 did not relocate previously recorded site CA-RIV-5319 in
the Higher than average winter rains had resulted in dense ground
cover in the area of this site. At the time of its recordation, there was "no midden or subsurface deposits
anywhere evident, and there were numerous eroded rivulet channels and arroyos cutting into the fan
providing views of the culturally sterile subsurface stratum" (Chace 1994:20). CRM Tech relocated CA-
RIV-5319 in the fall of 2003 and suggested that buried deposits might be present within the sand dunes
(Hogan et al. 2004:24).
A second effort to relocate the site by SWCA archaeologist, Stephen O'Neil, who was accompanied by
BLM Cultural Resources Specialist (CRS) Wanda Raschkow, was successful. Comparison of the extent
of the ceramic sherd scatter, identified on May 31, 2006, indicated that the main component of site CA-
RIV-5319 is - of the Travertine property boundary. In addition, there was no evidence of a subsurface
deposit in association with the Lake Cahuilla shoreline site. As noted in Table 3, Chace (1994:22) had
previously recommended that the site was not eligible for listing on the NRHP.
CA-RIV-5320
The SWCA edestrian surve in March 2005 did not relocate previously recorded site CA-RIV-5320 in
the Higher than average winter rains had resulted in dense ground
cover, as well as erosion gullies, in the area of this site. As noted in Table 3, this site has been
recommended not eligible for listing on the NRHP (Chace 1994:22).
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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CA-RIV-7394
SWCA surveyed portions of the acreage incorporated into this newly designated site complex on two
occasions. The results of the two surveys varied. A thin, nearly continuous scatter of surface material
(mostly ceramic sherds) was identified along the boundary of CA-RIV-7394 during the initial
surve in earl 2004 Fi e 3 . The scatter tracked
of the Travertine property boundary. This near -continuous scatter of
artifacts was less apparent when SWCA returned to resurvey CA-RIV-7394 a year later as part of the
effort to determine the extent of the site. Also, a reater number of artifacts and a greater diversity of
artifact types were observed the previous year This surface scatter petered
out near a large ravine, in the vicinity of the previously recorded CA-RIV-7394.
During the 2004 survey, hundreds to thousands of Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherds were observed in
the area of previously designated site CA-RIV-1334. In contrast, Chace (1994:17) had reported finding
only a light scatter of sherds on the surface in this area. SWCA archaeologists also identified a metate, a
possible rock feature, fire -cracked rock concentrations, flakes of igneous stone, and several fragments of
Colorado Buff Ware ceramics. Figure 3 shows data points collected within this area that include center
points of large and small ceramic artifact concentrations, pot drops, and rock concentrations. Individual
artifacts were also plotted, including large fragments of ceramic bowls or vessels, Colorado Buff Ware
sherds, lithic artifacts, and the metate.
More than 100 Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherds, as well as a possible prehistoric rock feature were
identified during the 2004 survey within the - portion of CA-RIV-7394
• outside the proposed project area boundary, in the vicinity of previously designated site CA-RIV-
1341/1351. As shown on Figure 3, two concentrations of these materials were observed along the edge of
the former lakeshore. An abundance of modern trash and modern rock rings/hearths was also observed in
this area.
A total of 16 dense scatters and 14 isolated artifacts were identified in association with CA-RIV-7394
during the second survey effort in March 2005. The majority of the dense scatters and isolates were
recorded along the western and southern boundaries of the site. The artifacts are primarily ceramic sherds,
although four scatters also contained lithics or grindin slicks. Ten of the scatters occur within the
previously recorded boundaries of CA-RIV-7394.
Considering the extent of the site complex designated as CA-RIV-7394 and the location of the scatters
and isolates on the former Lake Cahuilla shoreline, SWCA suggested that the boundaries of CA-RIV-
7394 be extended to include the area represented by the six scatters and, by extension, the two isolates
that were identified outside the previously recorded boundaries of the site, as well as the thin artifact
scatter paralleling the shoreline. Thus, in the following description and on Figure 3, the 16 scatters are
referred to as loci, numbered 11-26. Comparison of these finds with the 10 loci previously recorded
within CA-RIV-7394 by CRM Tech is shown on the figure.
Clearly, the amount of vegetation on the site's surface in 2005, with overall visibility estimated at 60
percent, had an impact on the survey efforts. It is possible that erosion of soils during heavy rains also had
an impact on visibility. Portions of CA-RIV-7394, particularly those located along the arroyos, had been
recently scoured by water flows. It was also apparent that sandy sediments had recently been deposited
across significant portions of the site; these erosion events likely washed away or buried a portion of the
artifacts visible the previous year.
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•
•
■
■
Isolate
Isolate From
CRM -Tech 2004
Small Scatter
0
a
1• r
Lithic Concentration
Modern Campsite
Reasonable Prudent
Alternative Line
II Loci from SWCA
N\I
Loci from
CRM -Tech 2004
Old CA-RIV-7394
Boundary
Project Boundary
Artifact scatter
Feet
0 200 400 600
Meters
0 50 100
200
USGS 7.5' Quadrangles
Martinez Mountain & Valerie
1 . 9.000
Figure 3: CA-RIV-7394
and Results of
Surveys by SWCA and
CRM -Tech
Travertine
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SWCA was not tasked with relocating the features or loci within site CA-RIV-7394 previously recorded
by CRM Tech. Fieldwork concentrated on defining the boundaries of the site, specifically in relation to
the proposed Travertine development.
During the site visit on May 31, 2006, a burned bone fragment was identified in association with a cleared
circle within Locus 18. The Riverside County Coroner was immediately notified. Although the deputy
coroner determined that the fragment lacks diagnostic features, it is being treated as human and the
NAHC was duly notified. Representatives of the Torres -Martinez Reservation are being consulted
regarding disposition of the remains.
.Locus 11. A small scatter comprised of approximately 15 Tizon Brown Ware pottery sherds over
an area measuring approximately 20 m (north -south) b 30 m east -west . There were no visible
concentrations of artifacts. The scatter was located
CA-RIV-
7394, as defined by CRM Tech. Locus 11 a ears to be within the Travertine ro'ect bound ,
and should be included within the
Locus 11 is clearly related to the continuous artifact scatter, initiall recorded as CA-RIV-1334.
As shown on Figure 3
• Locus 12. This small scatter is comprised of approximately 10 Tizon Brown Ware sherds over an
area measurin a roximatel 5 m north -south b 10 m east -west . The scatter was located
near the
previously recorded
boundary of CA-RIV-7394.
• Locus 13. A large scatter comprised of at least 100 Tizon Brown Ware sherds and approximately
five pieces of metavolcanic lithic debitage over an area measuring approximately 45 m (north -
south) by 65 m east -west . At least three rim sherds were observed on the surface. The scatter
was situated
The GPS coordinates map the scatter alongside the
The scatter should be included within the
and includes some of the material
identified during the 2004 survey. No concentrations of artifacts were observed.
• Locus 14. The artifacts in this scatter are separated by a recently eroded arroyo; the two scatters a
and b) were likel one lar e scatter (loci) in the past. The scatters are situated on the former
lakeshore . Locus 14a is a large scatter of approximately 30 Tizon
Brown Ware sherds and one metavolcanic flake over an area measuring approximately 50 m
(north -south) by 60 m (east -west). One rim sherd was observed in this portion of the scatter.
Across the arroyo, southeast of locus 14a, locus 14b is a small scatter of 8-10 Tizon Brown Ware
sherds over an area measuring approximately 12 m (north -south) by 30 m (east -west). This scatter
includes some of the material identified durin the 2004 surve . No concentrations of artifacts
were observed. The scatter is located
• Locus 15. This large scatter is comprised of approximately 40 Tizon Brown Ware sherds over an
area measuring approximately 30 m (north -south b 75 m east -west . One rim sherd was
observed within the scatter. The scatter is located
no artifact concentrations were observed.
This scatter is near Locus 10 recorded by CRM Tech, a scatter with 15 ceramic sherds, one
ground stone implement, and one fire -affected rock.
Locus 16. A sparse scatter comprised of approximately 10 Tizon Brown Ware sherds over a
relatively large area of the former lakeshore, and measures approximately 40 m (north -south) by
85 m (east -west). The scatter plots adjacent to some of the material identified during the 2004
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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survey. No concentrations of artifacts were observed. The scatter is located
• Locus 17. This scatter is an apparent pot drop, and consists of a small concentration of
approximately seven Tizon Brown Ware sherds over an area measurin a roximatel 2 x 2 m.
The scatter is
Locus 17 is clearly related to the sparse artifact scatter
identified (see Figure 3). It is within the Travertine project
boundary, and should be included within the boundary of CA-RIV-7394.
• Locus 18. A large scatter of approximately 100 Tizon Brown Ware sherds, 20 pieces of
metavolcanic and chert lithic debitage, one chert Cottonwood Triangular point, and three flake
tools over an area measuring approximately 55 m (north -south) by 60 m (east -west). The lithic
material is concentrated near the center of the locus, in an area measuring approximately 5 x 5 m.
The ceramic sherds are fairly evenly distributed across the whole scatter, with the exception of
two small concentrations that may represent pot drops. There is a cleared circle approximately 1.5
m in diameter situated in the central south edge of the locus containing a single, burned, large
mammal bone fragment (probably human) on the surface. The scatter is located at the
approximate 50 -foot contour level. It is approximately 100 m west of the previously recorded
western bounda of CA-RIV-7394. Locus 18 is clearl related to the continuous artifact scatter
identified (see Figure 3). It is within
the Travertine property area, and should be included within the boundary of CA-RIV-7394.
• Locus 19. This large scatter within CA-RIV-7394 is comprised of approximately 30 Tizon Brown
Ware sherds over an area measuring approximately 35 by 35 m. There were no artifact
concentrations observed. The GPS coordinates plot Locus 19 at the same location as the Locus 9
designation in the CA-RIV-7394 site record by CRM Tech. The artifacts recorded by CRM Tech
at that locus include over 65 ceramic sherds, one chipped stone, four ground stone fragments, and
four fire -affected rocks, as well as a 1 x 2 m U-shaped rock alignment. This small rock alignment
was not relocated by SWCA. Either the lush vegetation present during the 2005 SWCA survey
obscured the rock feature, or the locations of the two loci do not actually overlap, due to the
difference in recording methods. A hand-held GPS was used by SWCA, while CRM Tech
apparently used a range finder and hand-held compass during field survey.
• Locus 20. A small, sparse scatter comprised of four Tizon Brown Ware sherds scattered over an
area measuring ap roximatel 15 x 15 m. The scatter is within the previously recorded boundary
of CA-RIV-7394
• Locus 21. This large scatter is comprised of approximately 40 Tizon Brown Ware sherds, five
lithic debitage that included metavolcanic and chert material, and a possible cultural
concentration of cobbles and small boulders over an area measuring approximately 65 m (north -
south) by 40 m (east -west . Althou .h the ma on of the scatter is located outside of the • ro • osed
Travertine •ro'ect are.
The
rocky and gravelly soils on the fan are poorly developed. Near the center of the scatter there is a
concentration of ceramic sherds, plus a concentration of small boulders and/or lar e cobbles that
may represent a cultural feature. This scatter previously
recorded southern boundary of CA-RIV-7394. Considering its location on the former Lake
Cahuilla shoreline, it should be included as part of that site.
Locus 22. A small, sparse scatter comprised of approximately five Tizon Brown Ware sherds over
an area measuring annroximately 10 x 10 m. The scatter is situated
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• Locus 23. This is a scatter of approximate) 20 Tizon Brown Ware sherds near the 40 -foot Lake
Cahuilla shoreline. Located along
of the proposed Travertine project and should be placed within CA-RIV-7394.
As noted above, it is possible that this scatter may represent previously recorded site CA-RIV-
1342, provided the recorded location for that site was inaccurate or if the site was subsequently
disturbed by weather events.
• Locus 24. This sparse scatter is comprised of approximately 8-10 Tizon Brown Ware sherds over
an area measurin a roximatel 30 x 30 m. The scatter is located
and is within the previously recorded boundaries of CA-RIV-
7394 near its southern extent.
• Locus 25. This scatter is an apparent pot drop, and consists of a small concentration of
approximately ten Tizon Brown Ware sherds over an area measurin approximately 3 x 2 m. The
scatter is located CA-RIV-7394.
• Locus 26. This sparse scatter is comprised of approximately seven Tizon Brown Ware sherds
over an area measuring approximately 10 x 15 m. The scatter is located
CA-RIV-7394.
• Isolated artifacts associated with CA-RIV-7394.
o Isolate 1. One Tizon Brown Ware sherd, located within the previously recorded central
portion of CA-RIV-7394.
o Isolate 3. Two Tizon Brown Ware sherds, located
CA-RIV-7394 boundary, and within a thin continuous scatter. Along with
Locus 18, should be included within CA-RIV-7394.
o Isolate 4. One Tizon Brown Ware sherd, located within the previously recorded
CA-RIV-7394.
o Isolate 5. Three Tizon Brown Ware sherds, located within the of CA-
RIV-7394.
o Isolate 6. One Tizon Brown Ware sherd, located within the reviousl recorded bounda
of CA-RIV-7394
o Isolate 7. One Tizon Brown Ware sherd, located
previously recorded CA-RIV-7394 boundary; should be included within that site.
o Isolate 8. One Tizon Brown Ware sherd, located
CA-RIV-7394.
o Isolates 10-16. One Tizon Brown Ware sherd at each locatio
CA-RIV-7394, previously the area of site CA-RIV-1334.
Newly Identified Cultural Resources
A total of seven previously unknown sites and an additional eight isolated artifacts were identified durin
the three periods of intensive survey. These newly identified cultural resources were
No prehistoric or historic cultural resources were observed in the vicinity of
Access Roads #2 or 5, the ca. 17 -acre block area to the east of Access Road #4, the southern tip of Coral
Mountain, or the northwestern portion of Section 33.
An eighth archaeological site (CA-RIV-7963), another milling slick at was
identified durin a visit to that area on 22 February 2006. The purpose of the visit was to clarify the
location in relation to Travertine versus BLM administered public lands. The
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
team included SWCA Archaeologist Stephen O'Neil, BLM CRS Wanda Raschkow, Stantec Engineering
Surveyor Gary Beeler, and Steven DeLateur representing Travertine Corporation. Native American
monitor Mr. William Contreras was also present and videotaped much of the informal survey. During that
visit, the Stantec surveyor recorded UTM coordinates for two of the newly identified and five of the
previously identified MMRS sites, using a Trimble 4700.
Five of the seven newly identified sites join the previously recorded sites around
for a total of 12 MMRS sites. Four of the sites recorded here CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-
7913, and CA-RIV-7914) are located on The fifth (CA-RIV-7963) is located
The results of the intensive pedestrian surveys, including the site identified during the February 2006 visit
(CA-RIV-7963), are detailed below, summarized in Table 6, and depicted on Figure 4. Figure 4 also
shows the redrawn boundaries for CA-RIV-7394, revised as a result of the intensive survey, as well as the
limited site testing, discussed below.
In addition to the prehistoric cultural material, a number of recent campsites, including a rock ring/hearth,
were noted during the survey within This recent use of the project area is shown
on Figure 4 as small blue squares, and is addressed separately below.
Table 6 Cultural Resources Identified During Current Inventory
Primary
No.
Trinomial
Description
Temporary field
designation
Land
Ownership
33-14844
CA-RIV-7911
Five milling slicks on a large boulder along
base of Martinez Mountain Rock Slide.
SWCA Site #1
Travertine
33-14845
CA-RIV-7912
Single milling slick on a large boulder
along base of Martinez Mountain Rock
Slide.
SWCA Site #2
Travertine
33-14846
CA-RIV-7913
Single milling slick on a large boulder
along base of Martinez Mountain Rock
Slide.
SWCA Site #3
Travertine
33-14847
CA-RIV-7914
Single milling slick on a single boulder
along the western edge of Martinez
Mountain Rock Slide.
SWCA Site "BMF"
Travertine
33-14985
CA-RIV-7960
Ceramic sherd scatter of five pieces, one
possibly Colorado Buff Ware, others Tizon
Brown Ware. Near 5 ft. Lake Cahuilla
shoreline; appears secondary context.
SWCA Site T-1
BOR
33-14986
CA-RIV-7961
Two ceramic sherd scatters, one of 5
pieces, another 15 meters south with 9+
sherds, of Tizon Brown Ware. Near 20 ft.
Lake Cahuilla shoreline; appears
secondary context.
SWCA Site T-2
BOR
33-14987
CA-RIV-7962
Rock cairn on desert pavement flat above
a wash.
SWCA Site T-8
Travertine
33-14988
CA-RIV-7963
Single milling slick on a boulder at
northwest base of Martinez Mountain Rock
Slide.
SWCA Site SO -1
Travertine
33-14852
N/A
Large metate and mano.
SWCA Isolate #2
Travertine
33-14853
N/A
Flake scraper.
SWCA Isolate #9
Travertine
SWCA Environmental Consultants
43
• CA-RIV-7912. This in. le millin . slick on a lar. e boulder is located
The presence of buried cultural deposits at this site is not likely, and there
was no evidence of other archaeological material or a midden.
• CA-RIV-7913. This site consists of a single milling slick on one lame boulder. It is located
CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Table 6 Cultural Resources Identified During Current Inventory
Primary
No.
Descripti•
Temporary field
designatio
Land
•wnership
33-14854
N/A
One Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherd.
Near 20 ft. Lake Cahuilla shoreline.
SWCA Isolate T-3
BOR
33-14855
N/A
Three Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherds;
fit together as one piece.
SWCA Isolate T-4
Travertine
33-14856
N/A
One ceramic rim sherd, Tizon Brown
Ware. Near Native American trail to CA-
RIV-1331.
SWCA Isolate T-5
Travertine
33-14857
N/A
Four lithic flakes, possibly wonderstone.
SWCA Isolate T-6
Travertine
33-14858
N/A
Cruciform rock figure in desert pavement
flat above a wash, possibly modern.
SWCA Isolate T-9
Travertine
33-14989
N/A
One Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherd. On
alluvial fan west of Coral Mountains.
SWCA Isolate PM
#75
BLM
Five additional Martinez Mountain Rock Slide Sites
• CA-RIV-7911. This site consists of five millin_ slicks on a lar:e boulder. It is located within
The presence of buried cultural deposits at this site is not likely, and there was no
evidence of other archaeological material or a midden.
The presence of buried cultural deposits at this
site is not likely, and there was no evidence of other archaeological material or a midden.
• CA-RIV-7914. A single milling slick on a boulder is at present at this site, located
The
presence of buried cultural deposits at this site is not likely, and there was no evidence of other
archaeological material or a midden.
• CA-RIV-7963. This site consists of a sin le millin slick on a boulder at the northwestern ti • of
the MMRS. It is located
The presence of buried cultural deposits at this site is not likely, and there
was no evidence of other archaeological material or a midden. This site was identified in
February 2006.
CA-RIV-7960
This site is comprised of a scatter of four Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherds and one ossible Colorado
Buff sherd, over an a roximatel 18 x 32 meter area. The site is located
Located on Federal lands administered by the BOR, this site appears to be in secondary
context.
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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Riverside
•
San Diego Imperial
Isolate
• Modern Campsite
Site
Reasonable Prudent
Alternative Line
Revised CA-RIV-7394 Boundary
Not a Part
1=1 Project Boundary
0
250
Meters
1,000
Feet
0 500 1.000 2.000
USGS 7.5' Quadrangles
Martinez Mountain & Valerie
3.000 1 : 24,000
SWC:A
Figure 4:
SWCA Survey
Results
Travertine
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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CA-RIV-7961
This site is composed of two Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherd scatters, separated by approximately 15
meters. One scatter contains five sherds; the second scatter has at least nine sherds. The site is located
Located on public lands
administered by the BOR, this site appears to be in secondary context.
CA-RIV-7962
This site is a large rock cairn, 0.5 m in height, covering an area approximately 2.4 m by 2.2 m. The cairn
is composed of approximately 100 stones, the majority of which exhibit desert varnish on their surface.
This cairn was constructed on a flat desert pavement floor
Althou:h there is no cultural material associated with the cairn, it is likely
prehistoric. The site is located
Newly Identified Isolated Artifacts
• P-33-14852. A laree metate and mano located
Although the occupants
of CA-RIV-7394 may have used these milling implements, the western boundary of that site is
not likely to extend so far inland from the Holocene lakeshore.
• P-33-14853. A flake scraper located
approximately 1100 m west of CA-RIV-7394.
• P-33-14854. One Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherd found within
• P-33-14855. Three Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherds, which fit to:. ether, located
• P-33-14856. A single Tizon Brown Ware ceramic rim sherd, located
• P-33-14857. Four lithic flakes, possibly wonderstone, located
• P-33-14858. A likel rehistoric cruciform fi!tire of rocks on the desert pavement, on a flat
The vertical segment of the figure is
1.14 m, with horizontal top bar 1.3 m. There is no cultural material associated with the rock
arrangement to preclude the possibility of a recent origin.
• P-33-14989. One Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherd found
MODERN TRASH AND CAMPING DEPOSITS
Recent use of the Travertine project area for a variety of purposes has apparently been going on for some
time and continues today. The majority falls under the loose heading of "recreational," which includes
hunting; target -practice with pistols, rifles and shotguns, and camping. Each of these activities leaves
behind a particular type of residue. There are innumerable scatters of bullet casings and shotgun shells,
some quite dense, many of the latter with fragments of "black plastic discs" adjacent; the result of target
practice. The numerous isolated or small groupings of a few shell casings are the result of hunting. These
SWCA Environmental Consultants 46
CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
activities are also the occasion for "partying," which usually results in considerable amounts of litter and
trash, mostly evidenced in large expanses of broken bottles of beer, spirits, and aerosol cans. Because of
the litter, many areas within the project area and CA-RIV-7394 are actually hazardous to be in without
protective footgear.
Camping trips often include the construction of campfire rings. For the most part, fortunately, modem
campfires can be distinguished from prehistoric ones by their overall size, the arrangement of the rocks,
location, and associated materials. If the modern campfire is situated within a prehistoric site, however,
identification by simple surface survey observation is sometimes problematic. The locations of these
modern campsites are shown as blue squares on Figures 3 and 4.
The dirt road that enerall follows the north -south line between Sections 3 and 4
The dirt track is identified on the USGS quadrangle as a
"Jeep Trail" (see Figure 1). Most traffic is apparently confined to this strip where the terrain, adjacent to
the former 40 -foot contour Lake Cahuilla shoreline, is more open, flat, and less roc than to the west.
has received a disnr000rtionate share of recent abuse as a result.
There is a large modern camp, as well as a recent rock ring/heart
(see Figure 4). A dirt road starting at the north end of the primary access road goes to it, and
several lanes branch out within the camp; two of these lanes are edged with rocks. There are several
separate fire rings with their own sets of old furniture and lumber lean-tos. This material indicates that
several people make, or made, use of this place on a regular basis over a period of several years.
In addition to the recreational and campin residues, the ro'ect area has numerous trash dumps extending
west and east of the primary dirt access The dumping of trash
here by local people has a arentl been oin on for man decades. The reat bulk of it a ears to
extend for a roximately
That is, the extent of the trash deposits encompasses nearly the same area
The trash deposits are made up of piles of lumber, construction material, occasional furniture
and appliances, and household goods (food containers, elementary school homework, shoes, etc.), while
some older dumps consist of only rusted tin cans. These dumps are in distinction to the broken bottles,
bullet casings and aerosol cans of the "recreational" deposits noted above. These are deposits of
convenience, as seen by their proximity to the road. There is one abandoned automobile on the east side,
half way to the levee. Field observations do not suggest any old historic dumps here. None is associated
with any structures, or on-site habitation or economic use. Early USGS maps, including the 1901 Indio
30' and 1941 Toro Peak 15', do not show any structures in this vicinity.
LIMITED SITE TESTING OF CA-RIV-7394
SITE TESTING METHODS
The limited site testing of prehistoric of site CA-RIV-7394 was designed to determine the geographical
extent of the site, and its relationship to CA-RIV-1342 and Travertine lands. This fieldwork took place in
July 2005. Prior to the fieldwork, the BLM approved a Testing Plan submitted by SWCA in June 2005
(Sikes 2005).
Although none of the surface surveys performed over the past ten years by SWCA and others (Chace
1994; Hogan et al. 2004) identified any subsurface cultural deposits in the numerous channel cuts within
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
or near CA-RIV-7394, it was understood that there is a potential for locating buried deposits. Considering
the site's potential eligibility for listing on the NRHP and CRHR, limited subsurface testing CA-RIV-
7394 was planned for three areas bordering the Travertine property. The Testing Plan (Sikes 2005), which
recommended placing a series of test units near previously identified scatters and isolates, was followed,
except where local site conditions dictated strategy revision. During the fieldwork, additional test units
were placed in a fourth area to clarify the southwestern extent of site CA-RIV-7394. In total, the four test
areas were designed to determine:
The limited site testing was conducted from 11 to 20 July 2005 by Michael Tuma (Field Supervisor),
Stephen O'Neil (Crew Chief), Jessica DeBusk, Kevin Hunt, Gary King, and Luis Burgos. A Native
American monitor from the Torres -Martinez Reservation, Gary Resvaloso, was present each day during
the testing program. Mr. Resvaloso also helped survey and was generous with his knowledge of the
cultural significance of the site and surrounding region to the Desert Cahuilla. Mr. Joseph Loya, Manager
of the Torres -Martinez Reservation Department of Properties, paid a visit on the first day of the
fieldwork.
On 14 July 2005, Wanda Raschkow, BLM archaeologist with the Palm Springs -South Coast Field Office,
visited the field operations. She observed test units being excavated and toured several of the ceramic
sherd scatter localities.
An informal surface survey was conducted in each of the four areas prior to the placement of test units
(TUs). All identified artifacts were flagged. Surface visibility was generally approximately 70%. In some
areas of brush and grass in ravines, visibility was reduced to 10%, but on open desert pavement, it
increased up to 90%
One by one meter square TUs were then placed to determine the presence or absence of cultural material.
Each TU was excavated in 10 -cm arbitrary levels, and documented using SWCA's standard level report
forms. TUs were excavated to either bedrock or to culturally sterile conditions. Because the goal of the
testing program was to determine the presence or absence of subsurface deposits, it was planned that units
would only be excavated until cultural material was identified. Afterward, the units were terminated and
backfilled.
A total of 17 1x1 m TUs were excavated (Table 7; Figure 5), each to a depth of 30 cm below the surface.
Placement of some of the TUs corresponded to the location of loci or isolates recorded during the survey
work. The location of each TU was recorded using a total station system, with a laser/electronic transit
and stadia rod (Leica, model number TC -407). The surface of each unit was photographed prior to its
excavation started. The floor of the last level completed in each unit was sketched; photographs were also
taken of the lowest levels. The location of each TU was recorded with the Total Station. Three datums
were used to record the locations of the TUs, the location of the westernmost artifact scatters between the
units, the extent of scatters in the southern area of the site, and special features such as rock rings, Native
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
American trails, pot drops, and other items of interest. The three datums were tied to four known control
points along the levee.
Table 7. Test Unit Locations and Results
TU #
L
1
30
Sterile
2
30
Sterile
3
30
Sterile
4
30
Sterile
5
30
Sterile
6
30
Sterile
7
30
Sterile
8
30
Sterile
9
30
Sterile
10
30
Sterile
11
30
Sterile
12
30
Sterile
13
30
Sterile
14
30
Sterile
15
30
Sterile
16
30
Sterile
17
30
Sterile
TUs 1-10. Ten systematically spaced 1x1 m TUs were placed along the
after fla ' ' in the • reviousl recorded ceramic scatters. The TUs were • laced at a . . roximatel 150 -
meter
extended for approximatel
and 10 were • laced
1190
The TUs
TUs 1-8
That scatter is roughly contiguous with the
Due to the major ravine and sand deposits, no TUs
could be laced between TU 8 and TU 17 near the southwest corner
,To clarify the extent of - TU 9 was placed 10 m west of TU 7.
TUs 11-13. Only three TUs were .lanned within
occupation most likel
was • laced Isolate 6, TU 12 approximately
Isolate 6.
of the Travertine property since
of former Lake Cahuilla. TU 11
Isolate 6, and TU 13
SWCA Environmental Consultants 49
SWCA
Figure 5: SWCA
Test Units and
Resu Its
Travertine
CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
• Control Point Mn w Old CA-RIV-7394 Boundary
• Pot Drop I=1 Revised CA-RIV 7394
Boundary
Sherd SWCA Loci
• Test Unit
• Rock Ring
• Small Scatter
Scatter
\\l
Artifact scatter
QProperty Boundary
Reasonable Prudent
Alternative Line
0 300 600 900 N
Feet
300
Meters 1 : 14,000
USGS 7.5' Quadrangles
Martinez Mountain & Valerie
0 75 150
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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TUs 14-15. Two TUs were placed east of the recorded southern boundary of CA-RIV-7394
These two units were placed as the terrain dictated, since it was cut by numerous deep washes comin out
of the Toro Can on area. The a roximate location of CA-RIV-1342 was determined
and placing TU 14
The recorded location of CA-RIV-1342 was within the wash
and devoid of surface soils. TU 15 was placed
of TU 14.
TUs 16-17. As recorded by CRM Tech, the southern extent of CA-RIV-7394
During SWCA's July 2005
fieldwork, the extent of surface scatters, isolates, and features was recorded in an effort to document the
extent of surface material on the Travertine property. This work indicated that the southern boundary of
CA-RIV-7394 was more extensive than previously recorded, particularl around Locus 21. With this
treater areal extent in mind, we checked for additional surface artifacts
previously recorded
TUs 16 and 17 were .laced
An additional artifact scatter was found immediately outside the
described below; see Figure 5 .
TU 8 and
No surface scatters were identified in the area of these two TUs.
SITE TESTING RESULTS
No prehistoric or historic cultural material was identified in any of 17 TUs (Table 7; Figure 5) excavated
to a depth of 30 cm below the surface during limited site testing of CA-RIV-7394 in July 2005. Since no
artifactual material was identified subsurface, no additional TUs were excavated beyond those placed
corresponding to the location of loci or isolates recorded during the recent pedestrian surveys (see
Figure 3).
Although no subsurface material was identified, this period of relatively intense activity permitted
additional observations about the loci within and areal extent of site CA-RIV-7394. Figures 4 and 5 depict
a expansion of the boundaries of this .rehistoric site based on the results of the
July 2005 fieldwork. The figures also show that the
Since both TU 1 and TU 10 were ne ative for cultural material, the small scatter of Tizon Brown Ware
ceramic sherds at see Photo rah 3
of site CA-RIV-7394. At the
. An additional artifact scatter was found immediately
outside the previously recorded Locus 27 (Figure 5). Locus 27
is described as:
Locus 27. This locus is comprised of two rock rings and a sparse scatter of approximately 50
Tizon Brown Ware sherds over an area measuring approximately 75 x 50 m. The outside
diameters of the two rock rin s measure 2.1 and 2.3 m, res ectivel . The scatter is located
TUs 16 and 17, which had been placed Locus 27, were negative for cultural
material (see Photogra h 4 . In addition, since there were no surface scatters recorded in the area of TUs
16 and 17, Locus 27 CA-RIV-7394.
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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Photograph 3. Pottery rim sherd —
CA-RIV-7394
Photograph 4. Test Unit #17 — floor
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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Between the of the site, a more detailed inspection of the area
surrounding Locus confirmed an earlier indication that this large scatter, along the high
shoreline of Holocene Lake Cahuilla, is a westward extension of CA-RIV-7394. A li:ht scatter of Tizon
Brown Ware sherds was observed The 1i ht scatter
continued
These results also indicated that Isolate 3, of Locus 18, be included
for CA-RIV-7394.
The lithics previously noted at Locus 18 were not observed in July 2005, even though three of the same
crewmembers were present. It is possible that vandals had taken the chert Cottonwood Triangular point
during the intervening months. Tire tracks were clearly visible from the main access road up to the edge
of the scatter.
Within the , three TUs (11-13) placed near Isolate 6 were
ne .ative for cultural material. It is likely that Isolate 6 was washed from the gullies to the south
and then redeposited. A negative finding here in the lower elevation of the Travertine
s confirms the field observations that the site bounds
With the slight contraction of the , Isolate 6 is no longer
within the boundary of CA-RIV-7394. Since it appears to be in secondary context, however, no separate
isolate form was prepared.
ro
e
Two TUs (14 and 15) placed along of the previously recorded boundary of CA-
RIV-7394 were devoid of cultural material, so no additional TUs were excavated at the previously
recorded location of CA-RIV-1342 (compare Figures 2 and 5). As noted during the pedestrian survey, no
evidence of CA-RIV-1342 was found in its recorded location, although surface visibility was good in the
area. Most likely the large, diffuse ceramic sherd scatter reported at CA-RIV-1342 was dispersed, washed
further down slope, or buried during the intervening years by possible flash flood waters emerging from
Toro Canyon. Alternately, the location of the cultural material originally observed by others in 1972 and
1990 was misplotted and is actually farther to the west. The material may thus represent one of the
southeast loci identified within CA-RIV-7394.
Alon the bounds of CA-RIV-7394,
were noted as each containin relativel
dense sherd scatters along the same north/south range. The fingers are on
had been recorded during the field survey. While the original Locus 21 is the largest of
these fingers, the other six contain the same artifactual material (mostly Tizon Brown Ware sherds). The
cultural material extends across the fingers of land, separated from one another by narrow and relatively
deep ravines.
In addition to the hundreds of Tizon Brown Ware ceramic sherds identified at Locus 21, rock rings (see
Photograph 5), a Native American trail, a likely Cottonwood series projectile point (base is missing), and
grinding slicks were also present. Because of the areal continuity, material previously recorded separately,
as Loci 20 and 24, as well as Isolates 4 and 7, have been grouped with Locus 21 as one locus. This
expanded Locus 21 is shown in Figure 5 as a semi -circle encompassing the several adjacent scatters
recorded with the Total Station. It also overlaps the western extent of Locus 23. Two rock rings and a pot
drop are also shown within Locus 21. BLM archaeologist, Wanda Raschkow, identified one of the rock
rings during her site visit on 14 July 2005.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 53
CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Photograph 5. Stone ring in Locus 21. View to the east.
The southern extent of expanded Locus 21 or of the trail was not identified since the primary purpose of
the July testing was to determine the extent of site CA-RIV-7394 in relation to the planned Travertine
development. The trail is likely the same se ment of a Native American trail recorded within Locus 4 on
the ori inal CA-RIV-7394 site recor
. The surface scatter at Locus 21 also appears to continue toward the base of the
rocky slopes (see Photograph 6).
A second trail, originally recorded b CRM Tech as art of Locus 8, was relocated durin the July 2005
fieldwork. This trail heads SWCA
archaeologist Kevin Hunt explored the to a rock wall
shown on Figure 5. The rock wall is identified with site CA-RIV-1331 (see Figure 2). The trail is part of a
network of Native American trails connectin the villa. e of Mauulmia to bedrock milling sites along the
(see CA-RIV-1331 site record; Schaefer
et al. 1993:Fig. 8; W. Raschkow, personal communication December 2005). This particular trail is said to
head up the slope directly above CA-RIV-1331 through a slight ravine, allowing clans at Mauulmia to
return to resource collecting sites in the Santa Rosas from which they had originally come prior to living
on the desert floor (G. Resvaloso, personal communication July 2005). As noted in the Ethnography
section, Resvaloso has also suggested that the southwestern portion of CA-RIV-7394 be identified with
the village of Mauulmia.
A third Native American trail is shown on Fi
BLM CRS Raschkow earlier
identified this trail, and provided a copy of her map for inclusion in this report, as a further example of the
regional trail network.
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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Photograph 6. Native American trail in Locus 21 (stone ring in left foreground).
View to the south.
To summarize, in July 2005, SWCA archaeologists typically observed a less dense, but continuous scatter
of ceramic sherds between the known concentrations observed during March 2005. This pattern indicated
that Loci 11, 17 and 18, located — CA-RIV-7394 previously recorded bounda , are not
independent but are part of CA-RIV-7394. The same pattern was found along
• confirming that Isolate 7 and Loci 21, 23 and 24, as well as Locus 27 in the are
also part of CA-RIV-7394. Considerin the extent of the site com lex designated as CA-RIV-7394 and
the location of these artifacts on plus the light scatters of ceramic
sherds between the concentrations, it is the opinion of SWCA that the boundaries of CA-RIV-7394
should be extended to include the area represented by the designated loci.
As detailed on Figure 6, with the expanded
CA-RIV-7394 measures approximately 450 x 1600 m. It is comprised of 25 loci (Loci
1-19, 21-23, 25-27) and two segments of Native American trails. Ten loci were recorded by CRM Tech
in 2003; 17 loci were recorded during the current endeavor by SWCA, and three of these loci then
combined as one (expanded Locus 21). SWCA was not tasked with relocating the features or loci within
site CA-RIV-7394 previously recorded by CRM Tech. Also shown on Figure 6 is the third Native
American trail previously identified by BLM CRS Raschkow.
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
• Isolate
Isolate From
•
CRM -Tech 2004 •
• Small Scatter ■s ■
i Modern Campsite
■ Lithic Concentration
Reasonable Prudent
Alternative Line
1-1Loci from
CRM -Tech 2004
\\N
Revised CA-RJV-7394
Boundary
Old CA-RIV-7394
Boundary
Project Boundary
Artifact scatter
Loci from SWCA
Feet
0 200 400 600
Meters
0 50 100
200
USGS 7.5' Quadrangles
Martinez Mountain & Valerie
1 : 9000
SWCA
Figure 6: CA-RIV-7394
Expanded Boundaries,
July 2005
Travertine
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DISCUSSION
CA-RIV-7394
Boundaries
Results from the surface surveys and testing program conducted by SWCA durin 2004 and 2005 ermit
a more accurate determination of the boundaries of site CA-RIV-7394 to the
The data also update information on the boundaries of the site with reference to
Travertine Corporation property (compare Figures 2 and 5).
The CA-RIV-7394 extends alon its entire length into the Travertine develo ment
property. Locus 11 is defined as The extreme
increased to include Locus 27, now also expands into the project property's corridor near the intersection
of
Precise UTM coordinates along the western edge of the site were recorded in May 2006 with the
assistance of the Stantec surveyor team, using a Trimble 4700. SWCA archaeolo ist Ste hen O'Neil
directed the surveyor to the edge of the loci or surface scatters, beginning at the
Stantec stopped collecting UTM data at the intersection of the site
boundary with the RPA Line.
The site bulges further well past the incorporating newly
identified loci (ceramic scatters and rock rings), as well as isolates and other ceramic scatters identified
durin revious surve s. These loci, as well as a Native American trai
where previously recorded archaeological sites are located.
The CA-RIV-7394 was established through survey and the excavation of test
units. The same methods were used to show the absence of CA-RIV-1342 in its previously recorded
location. Combined with repeated failures to relocate that site in the past, it is suggested that CA-RIV-
1342 ma have been previously misplotted and is actually one of the artifact scatters within
CA-RIV-7394.
The lacement of test units and surface observation confirmed that site CA-RIV-7394
We have thus indicated that the site boundary in the
Prehistoric artifacts identified below this level in
this area are likely redeposited.
The eastern bounds of the site has also been redrawn. After incor oratin Locus 12 near the
Prehistoric artifacts identified further in this
area are likely redeposited.
Updated Description
The ex . anded boundaries of multi -c
sonent site CA-RIV-7394 are detailed on Filure 6. The
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With these expanded boundaries, CA-RIV-7394 now measures approximately 450 x 1600 m and is
comprised of 25 loci (Loci 1-19, 21-23, 25-27), two segments of Native American trails, rock rings,
projectile points (Desert Side -Notched and Cottonwood Triangular series), a thin, near continuous scatter
of ceramic sherds along its western edge, and numerous isolated ceramic sherds and pot drops. Each locus
consists primarily of ceramic sherd scatters, which are mainly Tizon Brown Ware, with some Colorado
Buff Ware fragments. CRM Tech recorded ten loci during their survey in 2003; 17 loci were recorded by
SWCA during the current endeavor in 2004 and 2005. After initial recordation, however, SWCA
regrouped continuous scatters within Loci 20, 21, and 24 as the expanded Locus 21 shown on Figure 6.
Part of Locus 23 also extends into the enlarged Locus 21.
Additional cultural features recorded by either CRM Tech or SWCA as part of site CA-RIV-7394 include
four cremation features, bedrock milling features, groundstone fragments, possible prehistoric hearths,
fire -affected rock, and a U-shaped rock alignment. Toolstone recorded at the site includes wonderstone,
chalcedony, metavolcanic rock, and chert.
Segments of Native American trails were identified in Loci 3, 4, and 21 in the
The trail recorded in Locus 4 b CRM Tech and later in Locus 21
b SWCA is likel the same trail segment that
The trail in Locus 8 extends
CA-RIV-1331. This network of trails suggests that site CA-RIV-7394 was part of
a settlement system with a large resource procurement network, discussed further below.
An updated site record form for CA-RIV-7394 is appended to this report as part of Confidential
Appendix E.
Association with Maunlmii Village
Based on the oral history provided by Gary Resvaloso, the CA-RIV-7394, which
is recorded as Loci 5-8, has been tentatively identified with the Desert Cahuilla village of MauulmiT
Ceramic sherd scatters, probably indicatingtemporary camps for gathering earlier lakeshore-related
resources On the other hand, loci within the
contain a variety of features related to settlement, includin rock circles, rindin slicks, hearths,
and cremations. These loci are situated
Gary Resvaloso indicated
that hollows between the sand deposits were places where water would pool and could be used for
vegetable gardens. A further aspect that made this place suitable for a village is that this is where three
trails come down from the Santa Rosa Mountains meet (see Figure 6, and discussion below). All three
trails meet at these sand deposits and the residential base, which research indicates was an actual
destination, not merely an intersection leading elsewhere.
A concentration of ceramic sherds follows the
providing a link with Locus 8 of the villa e site. A Native American trail
also runs along the
connecting with other trails at site CA-RIV-1331. This trail then follows a near vertical ravine up the cliff
to the plateau above, where the trail continues into the higher elevations of the Santa Rosa Mountains
where other resources could be gathered. Conversely, when Lake Cahuilla was at its highest level,
inhabitants of settlements in the mountains who traveled to the lowlands for gathering resources may have
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used this trail. It is apparently the same trail that was used by the Cahuilla clan who came out of the
mountains to settle the village of Mauulmir in the distant past.
Association with MMRS Sites
Site CA-RIV-7394 was apparently part of a regional settlement system within a lar a resource
•rocurement network. To the west of CA-RIV-7394, there are 12 sites situated along
the previously recorded
sites are CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3872,
and CA-RIV-5322 (Figure 2). SWCA personnel surveying recorded
four milling stations: CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, and CA-RIV-7914 (Figure 4). A fifth
milling station, CA-RIV-7963, located between CA-RIV-3873 and CA-RIV-3874, was later recorded
during the visit with the Stantec surveyors (Figure 4). All of the MMRS sites have bedrock milling
features; nine of the sites are only milling slicks. In addition, two (CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349) of
the 12 sites are rock shelters and one (CA-RIV-3874) is associated with a ceramic sherd scatter, with both
Tizon Brown and Colorado Buff Wares.
The closest of the 12 MMRS sites to CA-RIV-7394 is CA-RIV-1331, located
There is a trail alon the
(Bean 1990:3, 11; Wanda Raschkow, personal communication December 2005).
Data recovery at the two rock shelters suggests CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349 were "temporary camps
for exploitation of the lacustrine environment of prehistoric Lake Cahuilla" that were "contemporary with
the last lacustral interval of the lake around A.D. 1600" (Schaeffer et al. 1993:5). The faunal assemblages
included an abundance of Anodonta clam shells, as well as a high frequency of fish remains relative to
mammal bones (Schaefer et al. 1993:88).
In addition, the milling features and recovered ground stone indicate the occupants at the two rock
shelters also processed plants from the surrounding area. Since boulders suitable for processing a greater
variety and abundance of plant resources during this period were, and still are, scarce on the alluvial fan
dropping to the shoreline, milling was accomplished at the base of the MMRS. The base of the MMRS
has a profusion of boulders suitable for plant processing, and all 12 of the MMRS sites contain milling
features that were used for processing plant resources.
The data indicate that sites CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349 were part of a regional settlement system
during the Patayan II Period (Schaefer et al. 1993; Pallette and Schaefer 1995). The artifact assemblages
contain a high frequency of Tizon Brown Ware, which was produced from upland clay sources in the
Santa Rosa Mountains. Schaefer and others suggest the residential bases at this time were located in the
upland environments rather than along the Lake Cahuilla shoreline. It is likely that their seasonal rounds
included forays from the Santa Rosa Mountains to the western edge of CA-RIV-7394. The large number
of ceramic sherds along the suggests that these were seasonal camps. Like the
assemblage at the two rock shelters, Tizon Brown Ware comprises the majority of the recorded surface
ceramic scatters within CA-RIV-7394. It is possible that the lower elevation (eastern) portions of site CA-
RIV-7394 were underwater at this time.
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After the final desiccation of Lake Cahuilla, the desert floor was available for habitation, and permanent
villages were established by the end of the Patayan III Period. Mauiulmii village, later the Contact Period
village of Toro, was established along the Toro Can on wash. Toro Canyon wash is also fed by the wash
coming out of the MMRS that passes through the CA-RIV-7394. The Desert Cahuilla
continued to gather seasonal resources at the higher elevations, and use the boulders along the base of the
MMRS for grinding plants. The same trail system would have been maintained, now used by the
occupants of the desert floor to reach the animal and plant resources of the Santa Rosa Mountains in
Pifion Flats and Casa de Cuerva (Bean 1990:11).
It is apparent from this discussion that CA-RIV-7394 and the 12 sites along were
part of the same regional settlement network. During prehistory when Holocene Lake Cahuilla was filled
with fresh water, the sites were temporary camps used to exploit the local lacustrine resources. The trail
network that developed to link these sites to the lakeshore and to the highland settlements also served
when the lake was desiccated to link the desert floor villagers to food, mineral, and other resources in the
mountains.
VANDALISM
Vandalism and pot hunting at CA-RIV-7394 and surrounding prehistoric sites have apparently caused
considerable loss of data. The recollections of long-time local residents who have visited the site
periodically since the 1930s are that CA-RIV-7394 had many more ceramic sherds in the past, as well as
a number of partial and complete vessels (Leslie Mouriquand, personal communication July 2005). None
of the latter is currently present. Vandalism was reported on site record forms for CA-RIV-1342
("potting"), and CA-RIV-1351/1341 ("and potted"), both sites representing large concentrations that are
now recognized as components of CA-RIV-7394.
Several past archaeological surveyors noted in site record forms that they collected large portions of sherd
scatters seen at sites, and on two occasions made a collection of sherds from small site scatters. As noted
in site records, the etro lyph sites of CA-RIV-10, CA-RIV-193, and CA-RIV-6404 that are within
of the Travertine property have been vandalized by spray -paint and graffiti.
The construction of camps and fire rings can be equally damaging to prehistoric sites. Examples are the
two modern rock ring features identified in Loci 8 and 9 of CA-RIV-7394 (see Figure 6), as well as the
modern campsites within the shown on Figure 4.
SITE EVALUATIONS
Based on the research design and results discussed above, SWCA's evaluation of the significance of the
archaeological sites found within the current study area is presented in the following sections. Included
are SWCA's recommendations regarding whether the sites meet the official definitions of a "historic
property" or a "historical resource" as defined by Section 106 and CEQA regulations.
The recorded locations of eight isolates, comprised of ceramic sherds, groundstone, chipped stone, or a
rock figure at each location, have been fully documented as part of this Class III inventory. An additional
10 isolated finds, consisting of ceramic sherds or chipped stone, were recorded previous to the current
study. These isolated finds include no further potential to contribute to cultural heritage issues, and by
definition, are not eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR.
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EVALUATION CRITERIA
In order for a cultural resource to be considered a "historic property" NRHP criteria (i.e., eligible for
inclusion on the NRNP), it must be demonstrated that the resource possesses integrity of location, design,
setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association, and must meet at least one of the following four
criteria delineated by Section 106 (Advisory Council on Historic Preservation 2000), as listed in 36 CFR
60.4:
(a) that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns
of our history; or
(b) that are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
(c) that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction, or that
represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a
significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
(d) that have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
The criteria for listing resources on the CRHR were expressly developed to be in accordance with
previously established criteria developed for listing on the NRHP, enumerated above, and require similar
protection to what NHPA Section 106 mandates for historic properties. According to PRC SS5024.1(c)(1-
4) a resource is considered historically significant if it meets at least one of the following criteria:
(1) Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad
patterns of California's history and cultural heritage;
(2) Is associated with the lives of persons important in our past;
(3) Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region or method of installation, or
represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values; or
(4) Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
Under CEQA, if an archeological site is not an historical resource but meets the definition of a "unique
archeological resource" as defined in PRC Section 21083.2, then it should be treated in accordance with
the provisions of that section. A unique archaeological resource is defined as follows:
An archaeological artifact, object, or site about which it can be clearly demonstrated that,
without merely adding to the current body of knowledge, there is a high probability that it
meets any of the following criteria:
(1) Contains information needed to answer important scientific research questions and
that there is a demonstrable public interest in that information.
(2) Has a special and particular quality such as being the oldest of its type or the best
available example of its type.
(3) Is directly associated with a scientifically recognized important prehistoric or historic
event or person.
Resources that neither meet any of these criteria for listing on the NRHP or CRHR nor qualify as a
"unique archaeological resource" under CEQA PRC Section 21083.2 are viewed as not significant. Under
CEQA, "A nonunique archaeological resource need be given no further consideration, other than the
simple recording of its existence by the lead agency if it so elects" [PRC Section 21083.2(h)].
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The archaeological sites identified within the current project area are evaluated under the criteria for
listing on the NRNP and CRHR pursuant to these statutory and regulatory guidelines. The results of the
evaluations for each site are presented below.
SITE EVALUATIONS
CA-RIV-3872 is a bedrock milling station - of the MMRS. Previously, the SHPO concurred
with the BLM in determining that this site was not eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR. Alon with
National Register eligible site CA-RIV-7394, and the additional 11 known sites
this site was part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource procurement network,
which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network connected the 12 MMRS sites, CA-
RIV-7394, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Although the site on its own does not meet the eligibility
requirements for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, SWCA finds that CA-RIV-3872 warrants inclusion as a
contributing element of a proposed archaeological district. The site thus warrants protection and
avoidance is recommended. In the event of any undertaking near or within the site boundary, compliance
with Section 106 of the NHPA would be necessary.
CA-RIV-38 73 is a bedrock milling slick - of the MMRS. Previously, the SHPO concurred with
the BLM in determining that this site was not eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR. Alon with
National Register eligible site CA-RIV-7394, and the additional 11 known sites
this site was part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource procurement network,
which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network connected the 12 MMRS sites, CA-
RIV-7394, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Although the site on its own does not meet the eligibility
requirements for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, SWCA finds that CA-RIV-3873 warrants inclusion as a
contributing element of a proposed archaeological district. The site thus warrants protection and
avoidance is recommended. In the event of any undertaking near or within the site boundary, compliance
with Section 106 of the NHPA would be necessary.
CA-RIV-38 74 is a bedrock milling slick and ceramic sherd scatter - of the MMRS. Previously,
the SHPO concurred with the BLM in determining that this site was not eligible for listing on the NRHP
or CRHR. Alon with National Register eligible site CA-RIV-7394, and the additional 11 known sites 1
this site was part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource
procurement network, which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network connected the
12 MMRS sites, CA-RIV-7394, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Although the site on its own does not
meet the eligibility requirements for listing on the NRNP or CRHR, SWCA finds that CA-RIV-3874
warrants inclusion as a contributing element of a proposed archaeological district. The site thus warrants
protection and avoidance is recommended. In the event of any undertaking near or within the site
boundary, compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA would be necessary.
CA-RIV-38 75 was recorded as a small surface scatter of ceramic sherds that appeared to be in secondary
context and thus does not retain integrity. Two attempts to relocate this site were unsuccessful, by the
Keith Companies in 1994 (Chace 1994:19 and b SWCA in 2005, suggesting the scatter has been
dispersed and transported further down the In agreement with Chace (1994:22),
SWCA finds that the site is not a unique archaeological resource, has no potential to yield any additional
information, and is recommended not eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR. The site does not
warrant further protection.
CA-RIV-38 76 was recorded as a small surface scatter of ceramic sherds that appeared to be in secondary
context and thus does not retain integrity. Two attempts to relocate this site were unsuccessful, by the
Keith Companies in 1994 (Chace 1994:19) and by SWCA in 2005, suggesting the scatter has been
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dispersed and transported further down the . In agreement with Chace (1994:22),
SWCA finds that the site is not a unique archaeological resource, has no potential to yield any additional
information, and is recommended not eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR. The site does not
warrant further protection.
CA-RIV-5319 consists of a surface scatter of ceramic fragments located at the of former
Lake Cahuilla. The disturbance by flood control (dike) construction activities, off-road vehicles, and
recreational horse riding possibly destroyed a portion of this site (Chace 1994:20), and likely destroyed
any further research potential. Also, there were no midden or subsurface deposits evident at the time of
initial recordation or when the site was relocated in 2006. In agreement with Chace (1994:22-23), SWCA
finds that the site has no potential to yield any additional information, and is recommended not eligible
for listing on the NRHP or CRHR. The site does not warrant further protection.
CA-RIV-5320 is the remnant of an isolated pot drop that has been disturbed by flood control (dike)
construction activities. In agreement with Chace (1994:22), SWCA finds that the site is not a unique
archaeological resource, has no potential to yield any additional information, and is recommended not
eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR. The site does not warrant further protection.
CA-RIV-5321 consists of an isolated stone ring feature, with no associated artifacts. In agreement with
Chace (1994:22), SWCA finds that the site is not a unique archaeological resource, has no potential to
yield any additional information, and is recommended not eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR. The
site does not warrant further protection.
CA-RIV-7394 is a large multi-component site consisting of 25 loci, two segments of Native American
trails, a thin, near continuous ceramic sherd scatter along its western boundary, rock rings, projectile
points (Desert side -Notched and Cottonwood Trian lar series , and numerous isolated ceramic sherds
and pot drops. The site extends generally along the of Holocene Lake Cahuilla at the
base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. It is currently unknown if there is a buried component to the site;
current efforts were designed to identify its horizontal extent. Each locus consists primarily of ceramic
sherd scatters, mainly Tizon Brown Ware with some Colorado Buff Ware fragments. Additional cultural
material recorded within the site includes four cremation features, bedrock milling features, groundstone
fragments, possible prehistoric hearths, fire -affected rock, and a U-shaped rock alignment. Further, site
CA-RIV-7394 ma be associated with the Toro villa:e complex of Mauulmia, the western extent of which
is located
Previously, Hogan et al. (2004:35-36) determined that site CA-RIV-7394 qualified as a "historic
property" and "historic resource" and recommended that the site was eligible for listing on the NRNP and
CRHR. In agreement with this recommendation, SWCA finds that site CA-RIV-7394 clearly contains and
has yielded important information for understanding the prehistory and ethnohistory of the area. The site
contributes significant information to our knowledge of the Late Prehistoric Period of cultural
development in the Coachella Valley region, including data on the cultural chronology, subsistence
systems, and settlement patterns within the valley. Site CA-RIV-7394 also has the potential to add to our
knowledge of the Desert Cahuilla during the Ethnohistoric Period since a portion of the site may be part
of the village of Mauulmia.
Based on the range of artifacts (pottery and projectile point types), occupation of site CA-RIV-7394
occurred during the Late Prehistoric Period (Patayan II and Patayan III). In addition, within the southwest
corner of the site are four loci (Loci 5-8) that have been tentatively identified as a portion of the Late
Prehistoric and Contact Period Desert Cahuilla village of Mauulmia. This identification is based, in art,
on the resence of Late Prehistoric artifacts at the site, plus the site's location
its proximity to the Toro village complex, and the oral history provided by the Cultural
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Resource Coordinator for the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians. In support of this relationship,
ethnohistoric data indicates Cahuilla villages were typically composed of widely scattered dwellings
(Bean 1972, 1990).
The location of site CA-RIV-7394 and its association with a trail network provides valuable information
on subsistence practices during the Late Prehistoric Period, and most likely the Ethnohistoric Period. The
relationship of site CA-RIV-7394 to the trail network, connecting it with the base of the MMRS and the
Santa Rosa uplands, indicates occupants of the site depended on resources collected from both lowland
and upland ecological communities. Although known plant or animal remains within the site are limited
to four unidentified pieces of animal bone recorded in Locus 6, the site assemblage contains a variety of
features and artifacts related to processing or obtaining food resources. These include milling features,
groundstone, ceramics, hearths, chipped stone, and projectile points. A similar ran a of artifacts was
recovered from the excavations at two Patayan II Period sites at the (CA-RIV-1331
and CA-RIV-1349), as well as fish, shellfish, and faunal remains from upland and lowland environments
(Schaeffer et al. 1993). Resource collecting continued in the uplands and lowlands during ethnohistoric
use of the area. It is possible that analysis of artifacts (e.g., protein residue or use -wear analysis) from site
CA-RIV-7394 may provide more detailed information on the specific resources (e.g., fish, shellfish,
plants, rabbits, etc.) procured by the site occupants during periods of infilling or desiccation of the former
lake.
Interpretation of the archaeological assemblage at CA-RIV-7394 indicates that it functioned as a
habitation site during at least three different cultural periods, and that the cyclical filling and desiccation
of Lake Cahuilla dictated the settlement patterns in this area. The site represents the remnants of a
shoreline habitation area along the high stand of former Lake Cahuilla during the Patayan II Period. It
also represents occupation of the area after the final desiccation of the lake during the subsequent Patayan
III Period. In addition, cultural material within the site likely represents occupation at this location during
the Ethnohistoric period, particularly within the southwestern portion of the site that may be part of the
village of MauulmiT
Based on the location and content of the archaeological features, it appears that habitation patterns at site
CA-RIV-7394 may have changed through time. Ceramic Tizon Brown Ware sherd scatters dominate the
north portion of the site and probably represent temporary camp areas used while gathering lakeshore-
related resources during the Patayan II Period. It is likely that the extensive ceramic scatter accumulated
over time during reoccupation of this former shoreline. On the other hand, loci within the southwest
corner of the site contain a variety of features related to more long-term settlement, including rock circles,
grinding slicks, hearths, and cremations. This area also contains the relatively few fragments of Colorado
Buff Ware noted at the site, which are associated with the Patayan III Period.
The four southwestern loci are situated
As noted, the features are
likely representative of residential occupation after the final desiccation of the lake during the Patayan III
Period. Gary Resvaloso, the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Cultural Resource Coordinator, has
indicated that hollows between the sand deposits were places where water would pool and could be used
for vegetable gardens, as recorded during the Ethnohistoric Period. A further aspect that made this area
suitable for a village is the convergence of the three trails emerging from the Santa Rosa Mountains. All
three trails meet at these sandy deposits and the residential base at CA-RIV-7394, which is interpreted as
an actual destination, not merely an intersection leading elsewhere.
As a habitation site that was occupied during the Late Prehistoric Period into the Ethnohistoric Period, the
cultural evidence within CA-RIV-7394 provides valuable information regarding the local settlement
system and the settlement system theories proposed for the Coachella Valley. The site is clearly an
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element of a prehistoric and ethnohistoric settlement system with a lar a resource rocurement network,
as evidenced by the trail system and the 12 identified sites The network of trails
would have connected CA-RIV-7394, the MMRS sites, and the Santa Rosa Mountains during the high
stands of Holocene Lake Cahuilla during the Patayan II Period, as well as after the final desiccation of the
lake during the subsequent Patayan III Period. Use of these trails continued into the Ethnohistoric Period,
and they are still used today by the local Desert Cahuilla when collecting plant resources. Data recovery
from the temporary camps at the two MMRS rock shelters, for example, indicates upland residents used
the trails to exploit lacustrine resources during the Patayan II Period (Schaeffer et al. 1993; Pallette and
Schaefer 1995). The trail network was also used to access the profusion of
suitable for plant processing, as well as the upland clay sources used to produce Tizon Brown
Ware.
The narrow range of activities represented by the artifact and feature assemblage at site CA-RIV-7394,
plus the lack of high status and ceremonial items, tends to support the Lake Cahuilla settlement theory
presented by Weide (1976); namely that residence on the fluctuating shoreline was temporary and limited
to temporary camps established by small grows of o ortunistic foragers. The results of the excavations
at the two Patayan II Period rockshelters (CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349)
also support this theory, and suggest the seasonal camps along the high stand of the lake were likely
connected by the series of trails to residential bases located in the uplands (Schaefer et al. 1993; Pallette
and Schaefer 1995). The prevalence of upland -produced Tizon Brown Ware at the two rockshelters, as
well as at CA-RIV-7394, supports this theory. In addition, ethnohistoric accounts of the Toro Canyon
area (Bean 1990) emphasize that lowland resources were exploited from upland base cams durin
infillings of Lake Cahuilla. On the other hand, the more residential features in the
• CA-RIV-7394 may represent later establishment of sedentary villages on the valley floor during the
Patayan III Period. Residents during this period continued to use the trail network for travel to special-
purpose smaller sites in the Santa Rosa Mountains for the collection of seasonal upland resources.
The importance of the trail network, recorded in part within CA-RIV-7394, to the regional settlement
system in this area during the Late Prehistoric and Ethnohistoric Periods is unmistakable. The artifact
assemblage at site CA-RIV-7394, however, provides limited information regarding the magnitude of
long-distance trade within this system. The only non -local material identified at the site is one Desert
Side -Notched projectile point made from wonderstone, located in Locus 1 in the
M and a relatively few pieces of Colorado Buff Ware. If additional exotic material, such as obsidian or
shell beads, was once present at the site, pothunters may have removed it. Olivella shell beads from the
Gulf of California, for example, in addition to Colorado Buff Wares and wonderstone artifacts, were
recovered from CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349.
Site CA-RIV-7394 may also possess Native American heritage value. The Cultural Resource Coordinator
for the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians indicated that the project area lies within the territory
defined as the Tribe's Traditional Use Area. He also informed that the Cahuilla people of the adjacent
Torres -Martinez Reservation value site CA-RIV-7394 as an important and irreplaceable part of their
cultural heritage. In addition, durin the course of the fieldwork, based on the oral history provided by
Mr. Resvaloso, loci within the CA-RIV-7394 have been tentatively identified as a
portion of the Late Prehistoric and Contact Period Desert Cahuilla village of Mauulmia. Today, members
of the reservation can trace their families to lineages of the Mauulmia village community.
The current study resulted in the documentation of multiple surface loci, including four cremation
features, at CA-RIV-7394. The vast majority of the artifacts encountered did not appear to be ceremonial
in nature. Artifacts can be considered sacred or ceremonial when associated with burials,
ritual/ceremonial features, or other sacred places. At the time CRM Tech identified three cremation
features in 1994, artifacts were associated with only one. These included ceramic sherds and a Desert
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Side -Notched chalcedony point. There were no artifacts within the cleared circle containing the cremation
features within Locus 18 identified by SWCA in 2006.
In regard to the Native American trails that are recorded as part of CA-RIV-7394, as well as CA-RIV-
1331, it was noted by Lowell Bean, the Toro Canyon Cahuilla ethnographer that:
Some Cahuilla today are concerned about the preservation of trails. There is a visible
presence of trails throughout the area. To the extent possible trails should be saved. Their
historical use and significance, detailed surveying, and mapping should be done.... These
trails may still be used by Cahuillas visiting the Toro Canyon area and the Casa de
Cuerva area. There is a trail to the base of the rockslide. (Bean 1990:11)
Site CA-RIV-7394 is not documented, either historically or ethnographically, as a sacred site. However,
use of the site by Native Americans did continue after the arrival of European immigrants. As noted
above, it is a valued piece of the cultural heritage of the local Desert Cahuilla. In addition, individuals
from the adjacent Torres -Martinez Reservation continue today to use the trails that are recorded as part of
CA-RIV-7394 to travel to the MMRS bedrock grinding slicks and to resources in the Santa Rosa
Mountains.
In agreement with Hogan et al. (2004:35-36), SWCA finds that site CA-RIV-7394 is a significant
archaeological resource, and appears to be eligible for NRHP inclusion under Criterion D and CRHR
listing under Criterion 4 due to its tremendous potential to continue to yield information important to
prehistory and history of this region. As a place that possesses specific importance to the Native
American community, the site may also be eligible for listing under NRHP Criterion A and CRHR
Criterion 1. Despite modern and historic disturbance in the area, the site retains sufficient integrity of
location, design (e.g., intrasite variability), setting, materials, workmanship (e.g., projectile points,
ceramics), feeling, and association to be considered eligible. This significant site thus warrants protection
and avoidance is recommended. In the event of any undertaking near or within the site boundary,
compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA would be necessary.
SWCA further finds that CA-RIV-7394 be recorded with the known 12 MMRS sites as a contributin
element of a proposed archaeological district. Along with the 12 known sites
this site was part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource procurement network,
which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network connected CA-RIV-7394, the 12
MMRS sites, and the Santa Rosa Mountains.
CA-RIV-7911 is a bedrock milling station The site was fully documented in
2004 as part of this Class III inventory. There was no evidence of other archaeological material or a
midden. Alon with National Register eligible site CA-RIV-7394, and the additional 11 known sites 1
this site was part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource
procurement network, which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network connected the
12 MMRS sites, CA-RIV-7394, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Although the site on its own does not
meet the eligibility requirements for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, SWCA finds that CA-RIV-7911
warrants inclusion as a contributing element of a proposed archaeological district. The site thus warrants
protection and avoidance is recommended. In the event of any undertaking near or within the site
boundary, compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA would be necessary.
CA-RIV-7912 is a bedrock milling slick at The site was fully documented as in
2004 part of this Class III inventory. There was no evidence of other archaeological material or a midden.
Alon with National Register eligible site CA-RIV-7394, and the additional 11 known sites
this site was part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource procurement
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network, which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network connected the 12 MMRS
sites, CA-RIV-7394, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Although the site on its own does not meet the
eligibility requirements for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, SWCA finds that CA-RIV-7912 warrants
inclusion as a contributing element of a proposed archaeological district. The site thus warrants protection
and avoidance is recommended. In the event of any undertaking near or within the site boundary,
compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA would be necessary.
CA-RIV-7913 is a bedrock milling site at The site was fully documented in 2004
as part of this Class III inventory. There was no evidence of other archaeological material or a midden.
Alon with National Register eligible site CA-RIV-7394, and the additional 11 known
this site was part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource procurement
network, which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network connected the 12 MMRS
sites, CA-RIV-7394, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Although the site on its own does not meet the
eligibility requirements for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, SWCA finds that CA-RIV-7913 warrants
inclusion as a contributing element of a proposed archaeological district. The site thus warrants protection
and avoidance is recommended. In the event of any undertaking near or within the site boundary,
compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA would be necessary.
CA-RIV-7914 is a bedrock milling site The site was fully documented in 2005
as part of this Class III inventory. There was no evidence of other archaeological material or a midden.
Alon with National Register eligible site CA-RIV-7394, and the additional 11 known sites at
this site was part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource procurement
network, which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network connected the 12 MMRS
sites, CA-RIV-7394, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Although the site on its own does not meet the
eligibility requirements for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, SWCA finds that CA-RIV-7914 warrants
inclusion as a contributing element of a proposed archaeological district. The site thus warrants protection
and avoidance is recommended. In the event of any undertaking near or within the site boundary,
compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA would be necessary.
CA RIV-7960 consists of a small surface scatter of ceramic sherds that appears to be in secondary context
and thus does not retain integrity. The site was fully documented in 2005 as part of this Class III
inventory. SWCA finds that the site is not a unique archaeological resource, has no potential to yield any
additional information, and is recommended not eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR. The site does
not warrant further protection.
CA-RIV-7961 consists of a small surface scatter of ceramic sherds that appears to be in secondary context
and thus does not retain integrity. The site was fully documented in 2005 as part of this Class III
inventory. SWCA finds that the site is not a unique archaeological resource, has no potential to yield any
additional information, and is recommended not eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR. The site does
not warrant further protection.
CA-RIV-7962 is an isolated stone cairn that exhibits desert varnish and is likely prehistoric, although
there is no associated trail or cultural artifacts. Since rock cairns in this region are associated with burials
and cremations, further investigation of this cairn as a potential burial or cremation feature is
recommended. The site is in good condition, but its research potential is uncertain. Thus SWCA finds that
the historical significance of site CA-RIV-7392 cannot be ascertained without further archaeological
investigations. Additional research procedures would be necessary at this site in order to adequately
evaluate its significance. Avoidance of this site is recommended.
CA-RIV-7963 is a bedrock milling slick at the base of the MMRS. The site was fully documented in 2006
as part of this Class III inventory. There was no evidence of other archaeological material or a midden.
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Alon with National Register eligible site CA-RIV-7394, and the additional 11 known
this site was part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource procurement
network, which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network connected the 12 MMRS
sites, CA-RIV-7394, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Although the site on its own does not meet the
eligibility requirements for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, SWCA finds that CA-RIV-7963 warrants
inclusion as a contributing element of a proposed archaeological district. The site thus warrants protection
and avoidance is recommended. In the event of any undertaking near or within the site boundary,
compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA would be necessary.
Four sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323),
are on Federal lands administered by the BLM. Previously, the SHPO concurred with the BLM
in determining that sites CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-1349 were eligible for listing on the NRHP or
CRHR. Alon with National Register eligible site CA-RIV-7394, and the additional eight known sites at
these four sites were part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large
resource procurement network, which continued to function into the Contact Period. A trail network
connected the 12 MMRS sites, CA-RIV-7394, and the Santa Rosa Mountains. Although two of the sites
remain unevaluated for individual listing on the NRHP or CRHR, SWCA finds that sites CA-RIV-1331,
CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-5322, and CA-RIV-5323 warrant inclusion as contributing elements of a
proposed archaeological district. The sites thus warrant protection and avoidance is recommended. In the
event of any undertaking near or within the site boundaries, compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA
would be necessary.
PROJECT EFFECTS ASSESSMENT
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
The BLM is charged with protecting and promoting the scientific knowledge and historical value of
archaeological sites to the general public. As mandated by Section 106 of the NHPA, federal agencies
must take into account the effects of their undertakings on historic properties and seek ways to avoid,
minimize, or mitigate adverse effects on such properties [36 CFR 800.1(a)]. Likewise, CEQA regulations
state that "a project that may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource
is a project that may have a significant effect on the environment" (PRC Section 21084.1). "Substantial
adverse change" means "demolition, destruction, relocation, or alteration such that the significance of an
historical resource would be impaired" [PRC Section 5020.1(q)].
If an archaeological site qualifies for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, the provisions of Section 106 and
CEQA mandate that the lead agencies further determine whether the proposed undertaking will have an
"effect" and "adverse effect" upon the site [36 CFR 800.4(d)(1)]. According to federal regulations,
"Effect means alteration to the characteristics of a historic property qualifying it for inclusion in or
eligibility for the National Register" [36 CFR 800.16(i)]. The criteria of adverse effect are:
An adverse effect is found when an undertaking may alter, directly or indirectly, any of
the characteristics of a historic property that qualify the property for inclusion in the
National Register in a manner that would diminish the integrity of the property's location,
design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, or association. Consideration shall be
given to all qualifying characteristics of a historic property, including those that may have
been identified subsequent to the original evaluation of the property's eligibility for the
National Register. Adverse effects may include reasonably foreseeable effects caused by
the undertaking that may occur later in time, be farther removed in distance or be
cumulative. [36 CFR 800.5(a)(1)]
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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As summarized in Table 8, of the 21 archaeological sites evaluated as part of this inventory, the project
has the potential to cause an adverse effect on three prehistoric sites that qualify as historic properties and
historical resources; namely, CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, and CA-RIV-7394. The significance of CA-
RIV-7962 and two sites (CA-RIV-5322 and CA-RIV-5323) located on federal lands administered by the
BLM has yet to be determined. Although eight sites (CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-
3874, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7963) on their own do
not meet the eligibility requirements for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, they are recommended as
contributing elements of a proposed archaeological district.
Table 8. Current Status of Recorded Sites and Isolates
Site or
Isolate
Number
Brief description
In APE (yes/no)
Previous
determination
Eligibility
recommendations
CA-RIV-1331
Rock shelter, associated cultural
material, and trails at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (BLM ownership)
Eligible (1990, BLM
with SHPO
concurrence)
Eligible; also eligible as
part of proposed
district
CA-RIV-1349
Rock shelter and associated
cultural material at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (BLM ownership)
Eligible (1990, BLM
with SHPO
concurrence)
Eligible; also eligible as
part of proposed
district
CA-RIV-3872
Bedrock milling station at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (conservation area)
Not eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Eligible as part of
proposed district
CA-RIV-3873
Bedrock milling slick at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (conservation area)
Not eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Eligible as part of
proposed district
CA-RIV-3874
Bedrock milling slick and ceramic
sherd scatter at base of Martinez
Mountain Rock Slide
No (conservation area)
Not eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Eligible as part of
proposed district
CA-RIV-3875
Ceramic sherd scatter; appears
secondary context
Yes
Not eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Not eligible
CA-RIV-3876
Ceramic sherd scatter; appears
secondary context
Yes
Not eligible (1990,
BLM with SHPO
concurrence)
Not eligible
CA-RIV-5319
Three pot drops
Yes
Not eligible (Chace
1994)
Not eligible
CA-RIV-5320
One pot drop
Yes
Not eligible (Chace
1994)
Not eligible
CA-RIV-5321
Rock alignment, probable hearth
No (conservation area)
Not eligible (Chace
1994)
Not eligible
CA-RIV-5322
Bedrock milling slick at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (BLM ownership)
Not eligible (Chace
1994)
Unevaluated; eligible
as part of proposed
district
CA-RIV-5323
Bedrock milling slick at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide.
No (BLM ownership)
Not eligible (Chace
1994)
Unevaluated; eligible
as part of proposed
district
CA-RIV-7394
Multi-component Lake Cahuilla
shoreline site
No (conservation area)
Eligible (Hogan et al.
2004)
Eligible
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Table 8. Current Status of Recorded Sites and Isolates
Site or
Isolate
Number
Brief description
In APE (yes/no)
Previous
determination
Eligibility
recommendations
CA-RIV-7911
Bedrock milling station at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (conservation area)
Eligible as part of
proposed district
CA-RIV-7912
Bedrock milling slick at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (conservation area)
Eligible as part of
proposed district
CA-RIV-7913
Bedrock milling slicks at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (conservation area)
Eligible as part of
proposed district
CA-RIV-7914
Bedrock milling slicks at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (conservation area)
Eligible as part of
proposed district
CA-RIV-7960
Ceramic sherd scatter; appears
secondary context
No (BOR ownership)
Not eligible
CA-RIV-7961
Ceramic sherd scatters; appears
secondary context
No (BOR ownership)
Not eligible
CA-RIV-7962
Rock cairn
No (conservation area)
Unevaluated
CA-RIV-7963
Bedrock milling slick at base of
Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
No (conservation area)
Eligible as part of
proposed district
33-8919
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
Yes
Not eligible
33-8920
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
Yes
Not eligible
33-8921
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
Yes
Not eligible
33-8922
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
Yes
Not eligible
33-11347
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
Yes
Not eligible
33-11348
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
Yes
Not eligible
33-11349
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
Yes
Not eligible
33-11350
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
Yes
Not eligible
33-11351
Isolate — 1 quartz flake
Yes
Not eligible
33-11352
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
Yes
Not eligible
33-14852
Large metate and mano
Yes
Not eligible
33-14853
Flake scraper
No (conservation area)
Not eligible
33-14854
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
No (BOR ownership)
Not eligible
33-14855
Isolate — 3 ceramic sherds
No (conservation area)
Not eligible
33-14856
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
No (conservation area)
Not eligible
33-14857
Isolate - 4 lithic flakes
No (conservation area)
Not eligible
33-14858
Isolate - cruciform rock figure
Yes
Not eligible
33-14989
Isolate — 1 ceramic sherd
No (BLM ownership)
Not eligible
CONSIDERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SITE OWNERSHIP
Due to the proximity of the intersection of the 12 sites with BLM-administered
federal lands and Travertine property, the ownership status of each site was unclear. To resolve this issue,
the site coordinates were mapped using updated GPS data collected by both SWCA and Stantec
Engineering (Figure 7). Stantec surveyors collected data points using a Trimble 4700 for seven
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-
7913, and CA-RIV-7963. This data was collected durin the Februa 2006 visit. SWCA archaeologists
recorded the GPS data for the remaining five (CA-RIV-3872,
CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, and CA-RIV-7914) in February 2004 and March 2005,
using a handheld Magellan Meridian.
The GPS data indicate that eight of the sites are located on Travertine property:
CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-RIV-
7914, and CA-RIV-7963. The remaining four sites are located on BLM-administered federal lands: CA-
RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-5322, and CA-RIV-5323. These results and the GPS data are listed
on the new or updated site records for the 12 MMRS sites included in Confidential Appendix E.
Both SWCA and Stantec also recorded NRHP and CRHR-eligible site CA-RIV-7394,
using the total station system and the Trimble 4700, respectively. It is clear from this investigation that
the boundaries of site CA-RIV-7394 extend into the . ro. osed Travertine Co . oration develo. ment
. ro. erty. The
into Travertine . ro . ert
The remainder of site CA-RIV-7394 is on BLM-administered public land.
The recorded segment of a Native American trail that connects CA-RIV-7394 with CA-RIV-1331 is also
located within Travertine Corporation property within Although
recorded as a part of site CA-RIV-1331, the extent of the trail was not noted in the original site record.
This is clarified in the site record update included in Confidential Appendix E.
PLANNED CONSERVATION AREAS
Travertine is committed to the protection and preservation of cultural resources, in accordance with
federal, state, and city legislation. To the greatest extent possible, Travertine will avoid disturbances to all
such resources.
Travertine Co oration has established a planned conservation area, located
The 12 MMRS sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3872,
CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-
7913, CA-RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7963) and site CA-RIV-5321, all located
are included within the conservation area, and are thus outside the ro'ect area of otential
effect APE Table 8). In addition, site CA-RIV-7962, located
and is thus included within the conservation area, and outside the APE. Access to the
conservation area from the Travertine development will be blocked by planned landscaping elements
along the RPA Line.
In consultation with the BLM, we understand that Travertine Corporation will be lacin a conservation
easement over its entire acreage covered by site CA-RIV-7394,
In addition, a buffer zone is planned between the Travertine development and
of the site. This buffer zone will parallel of CA-RIV-7394,
site on land owned by Travertine
project APE (Table 8). The buffer zone along the
landscaping elements that will form an access barrier,
between the site and the Travertine development.
Thus, portions of the
will not be im acted by the
will include
blocking pedestrian or off-road vehicle access
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a Site on Travertine private land
• Site on ELM -administered public land
Reasonable Prudent
Alternative Line
Project Boundary
Feet
0 200 400 600
Meters
0 50 100
200
N
A
1 8,000
SWCA
Figure 7: Site Ownership
along the Martinez
Mountain Rock Slide
Travertine
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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As noted above (Table 1), Travertine Corporation will be using only three of the five proposed access
roads (Steve DeLateur, personal communication January 2006). One of the two now not lanned for
construction, Access Road 1, would have provided direct access
Members of the Torres -Martinez Reservation welcomed this decision.
The recorded se : ment of the Native American trail that connects CA-RIV-7394 with CA-RIV-1331 is
located This trail is thus included
within the planned conservation area and outside the project APE.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the results of the current investigation, prehistoric sites CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, and CA-
RIV-7394 qualify as historic properties and historical resources (Table 8). These three sites either have
yielded or are likely to yield information important in prehistory or history, possess integrity, and meet
the standards of Criterion D. Site CA-RIV-7394 may also meet the standards of Criterion A. We
recommend the preservation of the distinctive materials, features, and special relationships within these
sites and of CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, and CA-RIV-7394 to each other as contributing elements of
the proposed archaeological district.
Given the fragility of site CA-RIV-7394, comprised of surface artifacts and Native American trails, any
disturbance would be extremely destructive. In addition to planned construction, the placement of access
roads, material storage area, and equipment "bone yards" should not be located on the archaeological site,
including the trails. Given the nature of the site and the fragile soil conditions on which it rests (relict
beach sands, desert pavement, fingers of land made of sand and rock), the presence of any heavy
equipment on the site would result in the complete destruction of that area. Of special sensitivity is the
corridor through the southern portion of CA-RIV-7394. As shown in Figure 3, there are several loci in
this area, three of which contain cremation features. Figure 6, at the point labeled "Locus 7," shows the
proximity of one of these cremations to the Travertine roe line. The most sensitive portion of the
site, the village loci in the must be protected.
The 12 prehistoric sites, located at the base of the MMRS (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3872,
CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-
7913, CA-RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7963), are recommended as contributing elements of a proposed
archaeological district. These 12 sites were part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large
resource procurement network, which continued to function into the Contact Period. The sites include
rock shelters, milling features, ceramic scatters, and a trail network connecting to nearby NRHP-eligible
site CA-RIV-7394 and the Santa Rosa Mountains, where local clays for the Patayan II Period (Late
Prehistoric) ceramics were also collected. Seasonal resource exploitation included forays to Holocene
Lake Cahuilla as well as the Santa Rosa Mountains. Excavation at the two rock shelters (CA-RIV-1331
and CA-RIV-1349) has already yielded information important to cultural development in the Coachella
Valley region, and the SHPO previously concurred with the BLM that these two sites were eligible for
listing on the NRHP and CRHR. Moreover, the Cahuilla people continue to use the trails that were
recorded as part of CA-RIV-1331, and which connect to CA-RIV-7394, to travel to resources in the Santa
Rosa Mountains.
An additional concern that needs to be addressed is likely secondary impact resulting from the Travertine
project development. The BLM and private lands on which the NRHP and CRHR eligible sites are
situated are currently the location of numerous recreational activities, including off-road driving with
motorbikes and four-wheel drive trucks, hunting and target shooting, parties, and dumping trash. These
activities take place on a weekly basis, involving potentially hundreds of people every year. Over the
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
decades these activities have been very destructive to the surface artifacts. When the Travertine
development is completed, the residences and golf courses will bring to the area thousands of people on a
sustained basis.
Two of the NRHP and CRHR eligible sites (CA-RIV-1331 and CA-RIV-7394) record segments of Native
American trails. Recommended mitigation of the trails would include use of some feature of the
development to block • edestrian or off-road vehicle access. One trail, which connects CA-RIV-7394 with
CA-RIV-1331 This trail
is thus included within the planned conservation area, with access blocked by planned landscaping
elements alon_ the RPA Line. The trail recorded as • art of CA-RIV-7394 extends from the Travertine
property Access to this trail from the Travertine
develo.ment will be blocked b the landscaIin! elements included within the buffer zone
The preferred and recommended mitigation for each of these archaeological sites is avoidance. With the
establishment of the planned conservation areas, buffer zone, and access barriers, none of the evaluated
sites, including those is within the Travertine project APE. The only known
archaeological sites within the project APE are recommended not eligible for listing on the NRHP or
CRHR. These include CA-RIV-3875, CA-RIV-3876, CA-RIV-5319, and CA-RIV-5320. The impact of
the project to historic properties and historical resources, as well as to the contributing elements to the
proposed archaeological district, is thus less than significant.
UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERIES
Construction Monitoring
Due to the archaeological sensitivity of the area, it is recommended that a qualified archaeologist monitor
any ground -disturbing activity in native soils or sediments during the proposed development of the
Travertine property. The monitoring archaeologist must be empowered to temporarily divert grading
equipment in the event of a discovery and allow for sufficient time to evaluate and potentially remove the
find.
This recommendation is consistent with the Mitigation, Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP)
Checklist included as part of the Final Environmental Impact Report for the Travertine Specific Plan.
Pursuant to the MMRP, approved in 1995 and renewed in 1999 with an indefinite extension:
3.10.1 A trained archeological monitor shall be present during the project's construction
and grading operations to evaluate and coordinate the recovery of any archeological
resources uncovered.
3.10.2 A trained archeological monitor shall be present during the project's construction
and grading operations to ensure that any work or land disruptions in the off-site
archeological areas (RIV-1334, RIV-1351, and RIV-5319) are avoided.
Since development of the MMRP, the checklist items warrant updating. First, on federal lands, a qualified
archaeologist pursuant to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and
Historic Preservation (36 CFR Part 61) must conduct the cultural resources monitoring. Secondly,
archaeological sites CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1351 are now incorporated as part of site CA-RIV-7394,
a NRHP and CRHR eligible property.
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CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
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As a result of these updates, we recommend amendment of the MMRP Checklist as follows:
3.10.1 A qualified archeological monitor shall be present during the project's
construction and grading operations to evaluate and coordinate the recovery of any
archeological resources uncovered.
3.10.2 A qualified archeological monitor shall be present during the project's
construction and grading operations to ensure that any work or land disruptions in the off-
site archeological areas are avoided. Off-site archaeological areas include: RIV-7394,
which now incorporates RIV-1334 and RIV-1351; RIV-5319; and RIV- 7962.
Included in the appended Monitoring and Discovery Plan (Appendix D) is a seven -point section on
archaeological monitoring, which includes the presence of qualified archaeologists during construction
and grading operations. Implementation of a monitoring program during the construction phase of the
project will assure that if cultural resources are discovered or if previously identified resources are
impacted in an unanticipated manner, such resources receive mitigation to lessen the impact to less than
significant.
Native American Monitor
SWCA recommends that a Native American monitor be present during any ground -disturbing activity in
native soils or sediments during the proposed development of the Travertine property.
Worker Cultural Awareness Training
SWCA further recommends that prior to initiation of ground -disturbing activities, qualified archaeologists
conduct a short awareness training session for all construction workers and supervisory personnel. The
course would explain the importance of, and legal basis for, the protection of significant archaeological
resources. Each worker would also learn the proper procedures to follow in the event cultural resources or
human remains/burials are uncovered during construction activities, including work curtailment or
redirection and to immediately contact their supervisor and the archaeological monitor. It is recommended
that this worker education session include visuals of artifacts (prehistoric and historic) that might be
found in the project vicinity, and that it take place on the construction site immediately prior to the start of
construction. The approximately 30-45 minute training session may be conducted onsite by video, power
point presentation, or related media.
Unanticipated Discovery Plan
Despite the record searches, field surveying, limited site testing, monitoring, or other actions taken to
ensure that all cultural resources are located prior to construction, there still remains the possibility that
undiscovered, buried cultural resources might be encountered during construction. These "inadvertent
discoveries" can appear unexpectedly in construction trenches or in back dirt piles and, once discovered,
they require special treatment.
It is the intention of the Monitoring and Discovery Plan, attached as Appendix D, to provide the necessary
information to protect cultural resources that may be the result of an inadvertent discovery during
construction activities for the proposed residential development. The plan provides for the identification,
protection, and treatment of cultural resources discovered by archaeological monitors, Native American
monitors, or construction workforce during project activities either inside or outside designated project
SWCA Environmental Consultants 75
CULTURAL RESOURCES INVENTORY AND EVALUATION
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
boundaries. The plan also recognizes the requirement for strict compliance with federal and state
regulations and guidelines regarding the treatment of human remains, if any are discovered.
Curation of Recovered Cultural Materials
It is recommended that any cultural materials collected during monitoring or unanticipated discovery be
curated at the Museum maintained by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians in Indio, California. This
curation facility does not meet the curatorial standards set forth at 36 CFR 79, pursuant to the NHPA,
Section 101 (a)(7)(A). However, meeting NHPA standards is not necessary unless archaeological material
is removed from public (here BLM or BOR) or Native American lands. Excavations on private property
are not bound by this requirement.
Human Remains
Procedures of conduct following the discovery of human remains on non-federal lands have been
mandated by Health and Safety Code §7050.5, PRC §5097.98 and the California Code of Regulations
(CCR) §15064.5(e) (CEQA). According to the provisions in CEQA, should human remains be
encountered, all work in the immediate vicinity of the burial must cease, and any necessary steps to insure
the integrity of the immediate area must be taken. The Riverside County Coroner will be immediately
notified. The Coroner must then determine whether the remains are Native American. If the Coroner
determines the remains are Native American, the Coroner has 24 hours to notify the Native American
Heritage Commission (NAHC), who will, in turn, notify the person they identify as the most likely
descendent (MLD) of any human remains. Further actions will be determined, in part, by the desires of
the MLD. The MLD has 24 hours to make recommendations regarding the disposition of the remains
following notification from the NAHC of the discovery. If the MLD does not make recommendations
within 24 hours, the owner shall, with appropriate dignity, reinter the remains in an area of the property
secure from further disturbance. Alternatively, if the owner does not accept the MLD's recommendations,
the owner or the descendent may request mediation by the NAHC.
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Schaefer, Jerry, Drew Pallette, and Lowell J. Bean
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Michael Tuma and Patrick Maxon. Prepared for Travertine Corporation and Bureau of Land
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1988 Archaeological investigations at CA-RIV-1179, CA-RIV-2823, and CA-RIV-2827, La
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1993 Vegetation Burning by the Chumash. In Before the Wilderness: Environmental Management
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1968 Cultural tradition and ecological adaptation on the southern California coast. In C. Irwin -
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Waters, Michael R.
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B. Schiffer, editors, pp. 537-570. Academic Press, New York.
1983 Late Holocene Lacustrine Chronology and Archaeology of Ancient Lake Cahuilla,
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1975 Aboriginal Occupation at Tahquitz Canyon: Ethnohistory and Archaeology. In Ballena Press
Anthropology Papers No. 3, Lowell J. Bean, editor, pp. 45-73. Ballena Press, Ramona,
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Wilke, Philip J., and Harry W. Lawton
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ACRONYMS
APE
ARMR
BLM
BOR
Area of Potential Effect
Archaeological Resource Management Reports
Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Reclamation
CCR California Code of Regulations
CEQA California Environmental Quality Act
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CRHR California Register of Historical Resources
CRS Cultural Resources Specialist
CVWD Coachella Valley Water District
EIC Eastern Information Center
GPS Global Positioning System
MLD Most Likely Descendent
MMRP Mitigation, Monitoring and Reporting Program
MMRS Martinez Mountain Rock Slide
NAHC Native American Heritage Commission
NHPA National Historic Preservation Act
NRHP National Register of Historic Places
OHP Office of Historic Preservation
PRC Public Resources Code
RPA Line Reasonable Prudent Alternative Line
SHPO State Historic Preservation Officer
TU Test Unit
USGS United States Geologic Survey
UTM Universal Transverse Mercator
WPLT Western Pluvial Lakes Tradition
SWCA Environmental Consultants 83
CLASS III INVENTORY AND LIMITED TESTING]
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
APPENDIX A:
BLM Cultural Use Permits and Fieldwork Authorization Forms
Appendix Redacted
SWCA Environmental Consultants
CLASS III INVENTORY AND LIMITED TESTING]
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Confidential
APPENDIX B:
Records Search Results
Appendix Redacted
SWCA Environmental Consultants
CLASS III INVENTORY AND LIMITED TESTING]
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Confidential
APPENDIX C:
Sacred Lands Search Results
Appendix Redacted
SWCA Environmental Consultants
CLASS III INVENTORY AND LIMITED TESTING]
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Confidential
APPENDIX D:
Monitoring and Discovery Plan
Appendix Redacted
SWCA Environmental Consultants
CLASS III INVENTORY AND LIMITED TESTING]
TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Confidential
APPENDIX E:
Site Record Forms
Appendix Redacted
SWCA Environmental Consultants
SUPPLEMENTAL
CULTURAL
RESOURCES
TECHNICAL REPORT
FOR THE
TRAVERTINE
DEVELOPMENT, CITY
OF LA QUINTA,
RIVERSIDE COUNTY,
CALIFORNIA
December 2017
PREPARED FOR
Hofmann Land Development Company
3000 Oak Road, Suite 360
Walnut Creek, California 94597
PREPARED BY
SWCA Environmental Consultants
51 West Dayton Street
Pasadena, California 91105
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SUPPLEMENTAL CULTURAL RESOURCES TECHNICAL REPORT FOR
THE TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT, CITY OF LA QUINTA, RIVERSIDE
COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Prepared for
Hofmann Land Development Company
3000 Oak Road, Suite 360
Walnut Creek, California 94597
Attn: Jim Hildenbrand
Prepared by
Mandi Martinez, M.A., RPA
and
Erica Nicolay, M.A.
SWCA Environmental Consultants
51 West Dayton Street
Pasadena, California 91105
(626) 240-0587
www.swca.com
SWCA Project No. 044489.00
SWCA Cultural Resources Report Number 17-669
December 13, 2017
Keywords: Travertine Development; CEQA; NEPA; Section 106; positive results;
CA-RIV-1331; CA-RIV-3872; CA-RIV-3873; CA-RIV-3874; CA-RIV-5321;
CA-RIV-5323; CA-RIV-7394; CA-RIV-7911; CA-RIV-7912; CA-RIV-7913;
City of La Quinta, Riverside County;
Township 6 South; Range 7 East; Section 4 and 5;
Township 7 South; Range 7 East; Section 4 and 5;
7.5 -minute USGS topographic quadrangle, Martinez Mountain, California.
Archaeological and other heritage resources can be damaged or destroyed through uncontrolled
public disclosure of information regarding their location. Information regarding the location,
character, or ownership of a cultural resource is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act
pursuant to 54 USC 307103 (National Historic Preservation Act) and 16 USC Section 470(h)
(Archaeological Resources Protections Act).
Sensitive site information has been redacted from this report.
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
MANAGEMENT SUMMARY
Purpose and Scope: SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) was retained by Hofmann Land
Development Company (Hofmann) to provide an updated cultural resources assessment in support of the
proposed Travertine development project (Project) in the City of La Quinta (City), Riverside County,
California. Hofmann proposes the development of the Travertine master planned resort community
(Travertine) located on the southern edge of Coachella Valley at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains.
This study is intended to identify and describe cultural resources that could be affected by ground -disturbing
activities associated with the Project. The proposed Project is located on an 877.5 -acre area. This study is
performed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The proposed area of potential effects (APE) is located on
877.5 acres generally located between Avenue 60 to the north, Avenue 64 to the south, Coachella Valley
Water District (CVWD) Dike No. 4 on the east, and Jefferson Street on the west. The vertical APE for the
Project (depth of construction required for each task) is not planned to exceed 5 -feet in grading depth.
The following report documents the methods and results of a Sacred Lands File (SLF) search through the
Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), an updated records search at the California Historical
Resources Information System (CHRIS), updated site visits and background research used to determine the
presence of resources within the APE, and includes the report written by SWCA in 2006 (Sikes et al. 2006)
for the same Project. In addition, the City, as lead agency, conducted tribal consultation in compliance with
Assembly Bill 52 (AB 52) and Senate Bill 18 (SB 18). The results of that outreach is summarized here.
Regulatory Setting: The Project APE is located on private land and land managed by the Bureau of
Reclamation (BOR); the BOR is the lead federal agency. Some archaeological sites located within the APE
straddle private land and land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The location of the
APE on BOR and BLM land constitutes a federal nexus. The current study is conducted in compliance with
Section 106 of the NHPA of 1966, as amended, and its implementing regulations, 36 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) 800.
Additionally, the study was conducted in compliance with CEQA, Public Resources Code (PRC) Section
5024.1, Section 15064.5 of the Guidelines, and Sections 21083.2 and 21084.1 of the Statutes of CEQA
(Governor's Office of Planning and Research 1998). PRC Section 5024.1 requires the identification and
evaluation of historical resources to determine their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP) and/or the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR). The NRHP is a federal listing of
historic properties, and indicates which properties are to be protected from substantial impacts, as defined
in NHPA. The CRHR is a listing of the state's historical resources, and indicates which properties are to be
protected from substantial adverse change, as defined in CEQA, to the extent that is prudent and feasible.
Dates of Investigation: On August 3, 2017, the Eastern Information Center (EIC) CHRIS records search.
The search included any previously recorded cultural resources and investigations within the APE and
surrounding 0.5 -mile (0.8 -km) area. Concurrent with the CHRIS records search in June 2017, SWCA also
reviewed property -specific historical and ethnographic context research to identify information relevant to
the APE. SWCA, on behalf of the City of La Quinta, requested an SLF request from the NAHC on July 24,
2017. A response from the NAHC was received on July 26, 2017. The City of La Quinta contacted the
NAHC to request a consultation list of tribes with traditional lands or cultural places within the project area
in August 2017. A response from the NAHC was received on August 23, 2017.
Some of the sites that are inside the APE are also located on BLM land, therefore SWCA requested a
Fieldwork Authorization permit on September 8, 2017. We received the signed version of this permit on
September 18, 2017, permit number 66.66 17-17. SWCA archaeologists Erica Nicolay, M.A. and Lindsay
Fontenot, B.A. conducted updated site recording of 13 previously recorded sites that are in or adjacent to
SWCA Environmental Consultants i
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
the current APE on September 19 through 20, 2017. The current report was written in October and
November of 2017.
Findings: A total of 29 previously recorded sites are located within the APE. The NAHC's SLF search
indicated that no Native American cultural resources are known within the immediate vicinity of the APE.
The 2006 study for the project (Sikes et al. 2006) resulted in identification or updated recordation of 21
sites with the APE as defined at that time. Of these, 11 sites were recommended eligible for the NRHP
either individually or as a portion of an archaeological district, one of the 11 sites eligible for the NRHP
was also was recommended eligible for the CRHR, and seven sites were recommended ineligible for the
NRHR. Three sites were not evaluated as part of the 2006 study. Travertine Development has been
redesigned to avoid impacts to archaeological resources which have been recommended eligible. As part
of the current field effort, SWCA revisited all sites recommended eligible to examine current conditions
and confirm site boundaries. Due to the fact that the survey for the 2006 report 1) involved subsurface
testing and 2) was performed recently, SWCA determined that a simple revisit to each of the eligible
properties would be sufficient. Although these sites are located within or adjacent to the APE, Hofmann
has re -designed the Travertine Development to avoid impacts to the sites that have been recommended
eligible.
Investigation Constraints: Ground surface visibility in the APE was excellent and varied from 80 to 100
percent. However, the fieldwork was confined to examining the current condition and site boundaries of
previously recorded sites that are located within the APE and are recommended eligible for listing to the
NRHP either as individually or as part of a proposed archaeological district.
Recommendations: Because the Travertine Project has been redesigned to avoid impacts to historic
properties (as defined in Section 106 of the NHPA) and historical resources (as defined in CEQA), the
Project will result in no adverse effect under Section 106 of the NHPA and less than significant impact
under CEQA. However, SWCA recommends continued avoidance of historic properties and historical
resources. If cultural resources are inadvertently encountered during construction, work in the area should
stop until an archaeologist is able to make a determination of significance. If human remains are
encountered during construction activities, work at the site should stop until the Los Angeles County
Coroner is able to make a determination of origin and deposition pursuant to the State of California Health
and Safety Code Section 7050.5 and PRC Section 5097.98.
Disposition of Data: The final report and any subsequent related reports will be submitted to Hofmann
Land Development Company and the EIC at University of California, Riverside. Research materials and
the report are also on file at the SWCA's Pasadena Office.
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Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
CONTENTS
MANAGEMENT SUMMARY I
INTRODUCTION 1
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 6
Federal Regulations 6
State Regulations 7
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION 11
LAND USE PLAN DESCRIPTION 11
AREA OF POTENTIAL EFFECTS 11
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING 12
CULTURAL SETTING 13
PREHISTORIC OVERVIEW 13
Paleoindian period (ca. 10,000-6000 B.C. [12,000-8000 B.P.]) 13
Archaic period (ca. 6000 B.C.—A.D. 870 [8000-1200 B.P.]) 14
Late Prehistoric Period (A.D. 870—Historic Contact [1200 B.P.—Historic Contact]) 14
ETHNOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW 15
HISTORIC OVERVIEW 16
Spanish Period (1769-1822) 16
Mexican Period (1822-1848) 17
American Period (1848—present) 18
The History of La Quinta 19
METHODS 19
PRIOR WORK BY SWCA FOR THE TRAVERTINE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT 19
RECORDS SEARCH 19
NATIVE AMERICAN CONTACT PROGRAM 20
FIELD SURVEY 20
RESULTS 20
RECORDS SEARCH 20
Previously Conducted Cultural Resource Studies 20
Previously Recorded Cultural Resources 25
SACRED LANDS FILE SEARCH 30
FIELD SURVEY 32
CA-RIV-1331 (P-33-001331) 34
CA-RIV-3872 (P-33-003872) 34
CA-RIV-3873 (P-33-003873) 36
CA-RIV-3874 (P-33-003874) 37
CA-RIV-5321 (P-33-005321) 39
CA-RIV-5322 (P-33-005322) 40
CA-RIV-5323 (P-33-005323) 42
CA-RIV-7394 (P-33-013288) [originally CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1341/1351] 44
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County, California
CA-RIV-7911 (P-33-014844)
CA-RIV-7912 (P-33-014845)
CA-RIV-7913 (P-33-014846)
CA-RIV-7914 (P-33-014847)
CA-RIV-7963 (P-33-007963)
CA-RIV-8152 (P-33-015642)
48
49
50
52
53
54
56
57
61
61
61
61
EVALUATIONS
MARTINEZ MOUNTAIN ROCKSLIDE DISTRICT EVALUATION
SITE EVALUATIONS
CA-RIV-3872 (P-33-3872)
CA-RIV-1331
CA-RIV-3873
CA-RIV-3874
CA-RIV-3875
CA-RIV-3876
CA-RIV-5319
CA-RIV-5320
CA-RIV-5321
CA-RIV-5322
CA-RIV-5323
CA-RIV-7394
CA-RIV-7911
CA-RIV-7912
CA-RIV-7913
CA-RIV-7914
CA-RIV-7963
CA-RIV-8152
(P-33-001331)
(P-33-3873)
(P-33-3874) 61
(P-33-3875) 62
(P-33-3876) 62
(P-33-5319) 62
(P-33-5320) 62
(P-33-5321) 63
(P-33-5322) 63
(P-33-5323) 63
(P-33-13288) 63
(P-33-14844) 64
(P-33-14845) 64
(P-33-14846) 64
(P-33-14847) 64
(P-33-14988) 65
(P-33-15642) 65
RECOMMENDATIONS 65
AVOIDANCE AND MITIGATION MEASURES 65
REFERENCES CITED 68
SWCA Environmental Consultants iv
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Figures
Figure 1. Project vicinity map 3
Figure 2. Project location mapped on Martinez Mountain, California USGS topographic map. 4
Figure 3. APE on aerial photograph 5
Figure 4. Previously conducted cultural resource studies within the Project APE and the 0.5 -mile
radius of the APE 24
Figure 5. CA-RIV-1331 site overview facing northwest. 34
Figure 6. CA-RIV-3872 overview; view facing north. 35
Figure 7. CA-RIV-3872 plan -view of boulder relocated with grinding slicks. 36
Figure 8. CA-RIV-3873 overview; view facing west. 37
Figure 9. CA-RIV-3873 milling station; plan view. 37
Figure 10. CA-RIV-3874 overview; view facing north. 38
Figure 11. CA-RIV-3874 milling station; plan -view 39
Figure 12. CA-RIV-5321 overview; view facing west. 40
Figure 13. CA-RIV-5321 overview; plan -view. 40
Figure 14. CA-RIV-5322 overview; view facing north. 41
Figure 15. CA-RIV-5322 plan -view of boulder relocated with grinding slicks. 42
Figure 16. CA-RIV-5323 overview; view facing east, with blue graffiti evident. 43
Figure 17. CA-RIV-5323 overview; plan -view. 43
Figure 18. CA-RIV-7394; Rock ring; view facing north 45
Figure 19. CA-RIV-7394; Pot Drop; plan view 45
Figure 20. CA-RIV-7349; Northwest area of site; historic trash scatter; view facing south. 46
Figure 21. CA-RIV-7394; Historic trash scatter in northwest portion of site; view facing northeast. 46
Figure 22. CA-RIV-7394 site sketch with additional features identified by SWCA in 2017. 47
Figure 23. CA-RIV-7911 site overview; View facing northwest. 48
Figure 24. CA-RIV-7911 site overview; View facing east 49
Figure 25. CA-RIV-7912 overview; view facing northwest 50
Figure 26. CA-RIV-7912 overview; plan -view. 50
Figure 27. CA-RIV-7913 overview; view facing east. 51
Figure 28. CA-RIV-7913 overview; plan -view. 51
Figure 29. CA-RIV-7914 overview; view facing north. 52
Figure 30. CA-RIV-7914 overview; plan -view. 53
Figure 31. CA-RIV-7963 overview; view facing east. 54
Figure 32. CA-RIV-7963 overview; plan -view. 54
Figure 33. CA-RIV-8152 overview; View facing east. 55
Figure 34. CA-RIV-8152; Rock Cairn along trail; View facing east. 56
Figure 35. Proposed Martinez Mountain Rockslide District shown on a USGS topographic map. 60
Figure 36. Previously recorded isolates within the Project APE and the 0.5 -mile radius D -Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 37. Previously recorded cultural resource sites within the Project Area and the 0.5 -mile
radius. D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
SWCA Environmental Consultants v
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Figure 38. Updated locations for cultural resources on an aerial photograph D -Error! Bookmark not
defined.
Figure 39. Results map page 1 of 9 D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 40. Results map page 2 of 9 D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 41. Results map page 3 of 9 D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 42. Results map page 4 of 9 D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 43. Results map page 5 of 9 D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 44. Results map page 6 of 9 D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 45. Results map page 7 of 9 D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 46. Results map page 8 of 9 D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 47. Results map page 9 of 9 D -Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 48. Proposed Martinez Mountain Rockslide District shown on a 2017 aerial photograph. .D -Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 49. Cultural Resources overview results map shown on a USGS topographic map. D -Error!
Bookmark not defined.
SWCA Environmental Consultants vi
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Tables
Table 1. Chronology of Human Occupation of the Colorado Desert Region 13
Table 2. Previously Conducted Cultural Resource Studies within the Project APE and the 0.5 -mile
radius around the APE 21
Table 3. Previously Recorded Cultural Resources within the APE and its 0.5 -mile Radius 25
Table 4. Summary of Native American Individuals and Groups Culturally Affiliated with the APE 31
Table 5. Cultural Resources Identified within or near the APE in 2006 and/or 2017 33
Table 6. Summary of Management Recommendations 58
Appendices
Confidential Appendix A. Sacred Lands File Search Results
Confidential Appendix B. DPR Forms
Confidential Appendix C. 2006 SWCA Report
Confidential Appendix D. Results Maps
SWCA Environmental Consultants vii
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
INTRODUCTION
SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) was retained by Hofmann Land Development Company
(Hofmann) to provide an updated cultural resources assessment in support of the proposed Travertine
development project (Project) in the City of La Quinta (City), Riverside County, California (Figure 1). This
cultural resources study is intended to characterize and describe cultural resources identified in the Project's
Area of Potential Effects (APE) that could be affected by ground -disturbing activities associated with the
proposed Project. Hofmann proposes the development of the Travertine master planned resort community
(Travertine) located on the southern edge of Coachella Valley at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains. The
proposed Project is located on 877.5 acres generally located between Avenue 60 to the north, Avenue 64
to the south, Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) Dike No. 4 on the east, and Jefferson Street on the
west (Figures 2 and 3).
The Project APE is located on private land and lands managed by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). In
addition, some archaeological sites within the Project area straddle private land and land owned by the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Project is an undertaking for the purposes of Section 106 of the
NHPA because the APE is located on BOR and BLM land. Undertakings on federal lands are subject to
compliance with the NHPA of 1966, as amended (16 United States Code [USC] 470 et seq.), and
implementing regulations (36 CFR 800). This study was conducted pursuant to the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969; the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974; and Section 106 of the
NHPA, including 36 CFR 800. The NHPA requires the identification and evaluation of historic properties
to determine their eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The NRHP is a federal
listing of historic properties, and indicates which properties are to be protected from substantial adverse
effects, as defined in NHPA.
Additionally, the current study was conducted in compliance with California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA), Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 5024.1, Section 15064.5 of the Guidelines, and Sections
21083.2 and 21084.1 of the Statutes of CEQA (Governor's Office of Planning and Research 1998). PRC
Section 5024.1 requires the identification and evaluation of historical resources to determine their eligibility
for the California Register of Historical Resources (CRHR). The CRHR is a listing of the state's historical
resources, and indicates which properties are to be protected from substantial adverse change, as defined in
CEQA, to the extent that is prudent and feasible.
The following report documents the methods and results of a Sacred Lands File (SLF) search through the
Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), an updated records search of the California Historical
Resources Information System (CHRIS), updated site visits and background research used to determine the
presence of resources within the APE, and includes the report written by SWCA in 2006 (Sikes et al. 2006;
Appendix D). In addition, the City, as lead agency, conducted tribal consultation in compliance with
Assembly Bill 52 (AB 52) and Senate Bill 18 (SB 18). The results of that outreach is summarized here.The
purpose of this cultural resources study is to determine whether previously recorded or unrecorded cultural
resources are located in the APE, and to aid Hofmann in avoiding impacts/effects to these resources during
project implementation.
The format used in this report follows Archaeological Resource Management Reports (ARMR):
Recommended Contents and Format (California Office of Historic Preservation [OHP] 1990), and includes
four appendices, two of which are the Confidential Appendix A Native American Coordination
Documentation and Confidential Appendix B State of California Department of Parks and Recreation 523
Series Forms.
SWCA Cultural Resources Project Manager Mandi Martinez, M.A., Registered Professional Archaeologist
(RPA) managed the project and authored the report. SWCA archaeologist Erica Nicolay, M.A., conducted
background research and co-authored the report. SWCA archaeologists Erica Nicolay, M.A., and Lindsay
Fontenot, B.A., conducted archaeological site updates. This report was reviewed for quality
SWCA Environmental Consultants 1
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
assurance/quality control by Cultural Resources Principal Investigator Heather Gibson, Ph.D., RPA. SWCA
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) specialist Peter Von der Porten created all the figures. Copies of
the report are on -file with SWCA's Pasadena Office and the Eastern Information Center located at the
University of California, Riverside (EIC).
SWCA Environmental Consultants 2
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
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SWCA Environmental Consultants 4
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
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SWCA Environmental Consultants 5
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK
This section identifies federal and state legislation that govern the identification and treatment of cultural
resources; and the analysis of project -related effects to these resources. The lead agency must consider these
requirements when making decisions on projects that may affect cultural resources. The current project was
undertaken in conformance with these regulations.
Federal Regulations
NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1966
Enacted in 1966 and amended most recently in 2014, the NHPA (54 USC 300101 et seq.) instituted a
multifaceted program, administered by the Secretary of the Interior, to encourage sound preservation
policies of the nation's cultural resources at the federal, state, and local levels. The NHPA authorized the
expansion and maintenance of the NRHP, established the position of State Historic Preservation Officer,
and provided for the designation of State Review Boards. The NHPA also set up a mechanism to certify
local governments to carry out the goals of the NHPA, assisted Native American tribes in preserving their
cultural heritage, and created the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP).
Section 106
Section 106 of the NHPA (54 USC 306108) states that federal agencies with direct or indirect jurisdiction
over federally funded, assisted, or licensed undertakings must take into account the effect of the undertaking
on any historic property that is included in or eligible for inclusion in the NRHP, and that the ACHP must
be afforded an opportunity to comment, through a process outlined in the ACHP regulations in Title 36 of
the CFR part 800, on such undertakings. The Section 106 process involves identification of significant
historic resources within an "area of potential effect [APE]; determination if the undertaking will cause an
adverse effect on historic resources; and resolution of those adverse effects through execution of a
Memorandum of Agreement." In addition to the ACHP, interested members of the public, including
individuals, organizations, and agencies (such as the California Office of Historic Preservation), are
provided with opportunities to participate in the process.
National Register of Historic Places
The NRHP was established by the NHPA of 1966 as "an authoritative guide to be used by Federal, State,
and local governments, private groups and citizens to identify the Nation's cultural resources and to indicate
what properties should be considered for protection from destruction or impairment" (36 CFR part 60.2).
The NRHP recognizes properties that are significant at the national, state, and local levels. To be eligible
for listing in the NRHP, a resource must be significant in American history, architecture, archaeology,
engineering, or culture. Districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects of potential significance must also
possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association.
Significance
A property is eligible for the NRHP if it is significant under one or more of the following criteria:
• Criterion A: It is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad
patterns of our history.
• Criterion B: It is associated with the lives of persons who are significant in our past.
• Criterion C: It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of
construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a
significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction.
• Criterion D: It has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or
history. Ordinarily cemeteries, birthplaces, or graves of historic figures; properties owned by
SWCA Environmental Consultants 6
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
religious institutions or used for religious purposes; structures that have been moved from their
original locations; reconstructed historic buildings; and properties that are primarily
commemorative in nature are not considered eligible for the NRHP unless they satisfy certain
conditions. In general, a resource must be 50 years of age to be considered for the NRHP unless it
satisfies a standard of exceptional importance.
Integrity
In addition to meeting the significance criteria, a property must retain historic integrity, which is defined in
National Register Bulletin 15 as the "ability of a property to convey its significance" (National Park Service
1990). In order to assess integrity, the National Park Service recognizes seven aspects or qualities that,
considered together, define historic integrity. To retain integrity, a property must possess several, if not all,
of these seven qualities, which are defined in the following manner in National Register Bulletin 15:
• Location: The place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic
event occurred
• Design: The combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of a
property
• Setting: The physical environment of a historic property
• Materials: The physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period of
time and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property
• Workmanship: The physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any
given period in history or prehistory
• Feeling: A property's expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of time;
and/or
• Association: The direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property
NATIVE AMERICAN GRAVES PROTECTION AND REPATRIATION ACT
The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) of 1990 (25 USC 3001 et seq.)
protects human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, and items of cultural patrimony of indigenous
peoples on federal lands. NAGPRA stipulates priorities for assigning ownership or control of such cultural
items excavated or discovered on federal or tribal lands, or in the possession and control of an agency that
has received federal funding.
NAGPRA also provides for the repatriation of human remains and associated items previously collected
from federal lands and in the possession or control of a federal agency or federally funded repository.
Implementing regulations are codified in 43 CFR Part 10. In addition to defining procedures for dealing
with previously collected human remains and associated items, these regulations outline procedures for
negotiating plans of action or comprehensive agreements for treatment of human remains and associated
items encountered in intentional excavations, or inadvertent discoveries on federal or tribal lands.
State Regulations
The California Office of Historic Preservation, a division of the California Department of Parks and
Recreation, is responsible for carrying out the duties described in the California PRC and maintaining the
CHRISCRHR. The state -level regulatory framework also includes CEQA, which requires the identification
and mitigation of substantial adverse impacts that may affect the significance of eligible historical and
archaeological resources.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 7
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
CEQA requires a lead agency to analyze whether historic and/or archaeological resources may be adversely
impacted by a proposed project. Under CEQA, a "project that may cause a substantial adverse change in
the significance of a historic resource is a project that may have a significant effect on the environment"
(PRC Section 21084.1). Answering this question is a two-part process: first, the determination must be
made as to whether the proposed project involves cultural resources. Second, if cultural resources are
present, the proposed project must be analyzed for a potential "substantial adverse change in the
significance" of the resource.
Historical Resources
According to CEQA guidelines section 15064.5, for the purposes of CEQA, historical resources are as
follows:
A resource listed in, or formally determined eligible ... for listing in the CRHR (PRC 5024.1, Title 14
California Code of Regulations [CCR], Section 4850 et seq.).
A resource included in a local register of historical resources, as defined in Section PRC 5020.1(k), of
the Public Resources Code or identified as significant in a historic resources survey meeting the
requirements of Section PRC 5024.1(g).
Any object, building, structure, site, area, place, record, or manuscript that the lead agency determines
to be eligible for national, state, or local landmark listing; generally, a resource shall be considered by
the lead agency to be historically significant (and therefore a historic resource under CEQA) if the
resource meets the criteria for listing on the CRHR (as defined in PRC Section 5024.1, Title 14 CCR
Section 4852).
Resources nominated to the CRHR must retain enough of their historic character or appearance to convey
the reasons for their significance. Resources whose historic integrity (as defined above) does not meet the
NRHP criteria may still be eligible for listing in the CRHR.
According to CEQA, the fact that a resource is not listed in or determined eligible for listing in the CRHR
or is not included in a local register or survey shall not preclude the lead agency from determining that the
resource may be an historical resource (PRC Section 5024.1). Pursuant to CEQA, a project with an effect
that may cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource may have a
significant effect on the environment (CEQA guidelines Section 15064.5[b]).
Substantial Adverse Change and Indirect Impacts to Historical Resources
State CEQA guidelines specify that a "substantial adverse change in the significance of an historical
resource means physical demolition, destruction, relocation, or alteration of the resource or its immediate
surroundings such that the significance of an historical resource would be materially impaired" (CEQA
guidelines Section 15064.5). Material impairment occurs when a project alters in an adverse manner or
demolishes "those physical characteristics of an historical resource that convey its historical significance
and that justify its inclusion" or eligibility for inclusion in the NRHP, CRHR, or local register. In addition,
pursuant to CEQA guidelines section 15126.2, the "direct and indirect significant effects of the project on
the environment shall be clearly identified and described, giving due consideration to both the short-term
and long-term effects."
The following guides and requirements are of particular relevance to this study's analysis of indirect
impacts to historic resources. Pursuant to CEQA guidelines (Section 15378), study of a project under CEQA
requires consideration of "the whole of an action, which has the potential for resulting in either a direct
physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the
environment." CEQA guidelines (section 15064(d)) further defines direct and indirect impacts as follows:
SWCA Environmental Consultants 8
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
(1) A direct physical change in the environment is a physical change in the environment which is
caused by and immediately related to the project.
(2) An indirect physical change in the environment is a physical change in the environment which is
not immediately related to the project, but which is caused indirectly by the project. If a direct
physical change in the environment in turn causes another change in the environment, then the
other change is an indirect physical change in the environment.
(3) An indirect physical change is to be considered only if that change is a reasonably foreseeable
impact which may be caused by the project.
Archaeological Resources
In terms of archaeological resources, PRC Section 21083.2(g) defines a unique archaeological resource as
an archaeological artifact, object, or site about which it can be clearly demonstrated that without merely
adding to the current body of knowledge, there is a high probability that it meets any of the following
criteria:
(1) Contains information needed to answer important scientific research questions and that there is a
demonstrable public interest in that information.
(2) Has a special and particular quality such as being the oldest of its type or the best available example
of its type.
(3) Is directly associated with a scientifically recognized important prehistoric or historic event or
person.
If it can be demonstrated that a proposed project will cause damage to a unique archaeological resource,
the lead agency may require reasonable efforts be made to permit any or all of these resources to be
preserved in place or left in an undisturbed state. To the extent that they cannot be left undisturbed,
mitigation measures are required (PRC Sections 21083.2[a], [b], and [c]). CEQA notes that, if an
archaeological resource is neither a unique archaeological resource nor an historical resource, the effects of
the project on those resources shall not be considered to be a significant effect on the environment (CEQA
guidelines section 15064.5[c][4]).
California State Senate Bill 18
Signed into law in 2004, SB 18 requires that cities and counties notify and consult with California Native
American tribes about proposed local land use planning decisions for the purpose of protecting traditional
tribal cultural sites. Cities and counties must provide general and specific plan amendment proposals to
California Native American Tribes that have been identified by the NAHC as having traditional lands
located within the City's boundaries. If requested by the Native American Tribes, the City must also conduct
consultations with the tribes prior to adopting or amending their general and specific plans.
California State Assembly Bill 52
AB 52 of 2014 amended PRC Section 5097.94 and added PRC Sections 21073, 21074, 21080.3.1,
21080.3.2, 21082.3, 21083.09, 21084.2, and 21084.3.
Consultation with Native Americans
AB 52 formalizes the lead agency/tribal consultation process, requiring the lead agency to initiate
consultation with California Native American groups that are traditionally and culturally affiliated with the
project, including tribes that may not be federally recognized. Lead agencies are required to begin
consultation prior to the release of a negative declaration, mitigated negative declaration, or environmental
impact report.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 9
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Tribal Cultural Resources
Section 4 of AB 52 adds Sections 21074(a) and 21074(b) to the PRC, which address tribal cultural resources
and cultural landscapes. Section 21074(a) defines tribal cultural resources as one of the following:
(1) Sites, features, places, cultural landscapes, sacred places, and objects with cultural value to a
California Native American tribe that are either of the following:
(A) Included or determined to be eligible for inclusion in the CRHR.
(B) Included in a local register of historical resources as defined in subdivision (k) of Section
5020.1.
(2) A resource determined by the lead agency, in its discretion and supported by substantial evidence,
to be significant pursuant to criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 5024.1. In applying the
criteria set forth in subdivision (c) of Section 5024.1 for the purposes of this paragraph, the lead
agency shall consider the significance of the resource to a California Native American tribe.
Section 1 (a)(9) of AB 52 establishes that "a substantial adverse change to a tribal cultural resource has a
significant effect on the environment." Effects on tribal cultural resources should be considered under
CEQA. Section 6 of AB 52 adds Section 21080.3.2 to the PRC, which states that parties may propose
mitigation measures "capable of avoiding or substantially lessening potential significant impacts to a tribal
cultural resource or alternatives that would avoid significant impacts to a tribal cultural resource." Further,
if a California Native American tribe requests consultation regarding project alternatives, mitigation
measures, or significant effects to tribal cultural resources, the consultation shall include those topics (PRC
Section 21080.3.2[a]). The environmental document and the mitigation monitoring and reporting program
(where applicable) shall include any mitigation measures that are adopted (PRC Section 21082.3[a]).
CALIFORNIA REGISTER OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES
Created in 1992 and implemented in 1998, the CRHR is "an authoritative guide in California to be used by
state and local agencies, private groups, and citizens to identify the state's historical resources and to
indicate what properties are to be protected, to the extent prudent and feasible, from substantial adverse
change" (PRC Sections 21083.2 and 21084.1). Certain properties, including those listed in or formally
determined eligible for listing in the NRHP and California Historical Landmarks numbered 770 and higher,
are automatically included in the CRHR. Other properties recognized under the California Points of
Historical Interest program, identified as significant in historical resources surveys, or designated by local
landmarks programs, may be nominated for inclusion in the CRHR. According to PRC Section 5024.1(c),
a resource, either an individual property or a contributor to a historic district, may be listed in the CRHR if
the State Historical Resources Commission determines that it meets one or more of the following criteria,
which are modeled on NRHP criteria:
• Criterion 1: It is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad
patterns of California's history and cultural heritage.
• Criterion 2: It is associated with the lives of persons important in our past.
• Criterion 3: It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of
construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic
values.
• Criterion 4: It has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in history or
prehistory.
Resources nominated to the CRHR must retain enough of their historic character or appearance to convey
the reasons for their significance. Resources whose historic integrity does not meet NRHP criteria may still
be eligible for listing in the CRHR.
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TREATMENT OF HUMAN REMAINS
The disposition of burials falls first under the general prohibition on disturbing or removing human remains
under California Health and Safety Code (CHSC) Section 7050.5. More specifically, remains suspected to
be Native American are treated under CEQA at CCR Section 15064.5; PRC Section 5097.98 illustrates the
process to be followed in the event that remains are discovered. If human remains are discovered during
construction, no further disturbance to the site shall occur, and the County Coroner must be notified (CCR
15064.5 and PRC 5097.98).
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION
The proposed Project consists of low to medium density development of 1,200 residential units, a resort
and spa facility with 100 rooms, a golf course, and public hiking trails in the southern portion of the City
of La Quinta. The Project area is situated within the center of Riverside County, on the southern edge of
the Coachella Valley at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains and approximately 1.6 km (1 mile) south of
the Lake Cahuilla reservoir (see Figure 1-3). The project design includes the development of 391 acres of
residential properties, 72 acres of resort and golf club facilities, 380 acres devoted to a golf course, and
open space.
As part of this project, Hofmann Land proposes to amend the Riverside County Specific Plan. The Specific
Plan will guide the development of the site by setting forth a development plan, phasing plan, infrastructure
plans, development standards, recreation plan, and design guidelines for architecture, landscaping, and
other design elements.
Land Use Plan Description
As part of the Project, there are six major Land Use Plans:
1) Low Density Residential—includes single family detached housing and intermixed recreational
areas, trails and roads;
2) Medium Density Residential—includes single family residential housing and intermixed recreation
areas, trail, and roads;
3) Open Space/Golf and Resort/Golf Course—includes hotel, spa, restaurants, medical offices, parks,
playfields, golf course, biking, hiking and equestrian trails, preschools and daycares, retail space,
swimming pools, tennis facilities, and other features and amenities;
4) Open Space/Recreational—includes hiking, pedestrian, and equestrian trails, golf course, picnic
grounds, parking lots, and other intermixed facilities;
5) Open Space/Restricted—includes areas with restricted access due to biological, archaeological and
geological concerns (it will not be developed); in these areas, no construction, grubbing, grading,
or other development will occur; and
6) Roadways—includes major road thoroughfares that extend through the development and connect
the development to other parts of the City.
AREA OF POTENTIAL EFFECTS
The APE is currently developed as agricultural land. The APE is delineated to identify all historical,
architectural, and archaeological resources listed in or eligible for listing to the NRHP or CRHR that may
be directly or indirectly affected by the proposed project. The APE is plotted within Section 33 of Township
6 South, Range 7 East, and Sections 4 and 5 of Township 7 South, Range 7 East as depicted on the 7.5-
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minute USGS topographic quadrangle for Martinez Mountain, California (see Figure 2). The proposed
project is located on an 877.5 -acre area generally located between Avenue 60 to the north, Avenue 64 to
the south, CVWD Dike No. 4 on the east, and Jefferson Street on the west (see Figure 3).
Under Section 106 of the NHPA, assessment of indirect effects to historic properties, and under CEQA,
indirect impacts to historical resources, is also required. Properties that are subject to indirect effects are
also considered in the APE, called the Indirect APE. In this case, there are no historic properties (including
built environment resources within a 0.25 -mile radius) that could be subject to a visual or other indirect
impacts or effect as a result of the Project. Therefore, there is no Indirect APE defined for this Project.
ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING
The APE is located within the City of La Quinta (City) in the southern extent of the Coachella Valley. The
Coachella Valley is considered the westernmost extension of the Colorado Desert, located south of the
Mojave Desert in Imperial, Riverside, and San Diego Counties. The Colorado Desert is bordered by the
Peninsular Range and the Pacific Coastal Plain on the west and the Colorado River on the east. Coachella
Valley is bordered on the north and east by Little San Bernardino, Cottonwood, and Orocopia Mountains,
and bordered on the west by the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains. The Colorado Desert is an arid
region, though what remains of Lake Cahuilla indicate episodic freshwater coverage of the desert during
the Holocene. The closest water source, other than the reservoir at Lake Cahuilla, is the Salton Sea, located
21 km (13 miles) southeast of the APE.
The Coachella Valley climate is semi -arid with seasonal temperature extremes and wind patterns Summer
temperatures can reach 125 degrees Fahrenheit (52°C), with frost in winter and snow in the early spring in
the surrounding mountains. The mountains reach elevations of 6,000-10,000 feet (1,800-3,000 meters [m]),
and create a rain shadow effect in the valley. Due to the rain shadow effect, very little precipitation reaches
the eastern slopes or the valley floor. The annual average rainfall is 8.1 cm (3.2 inches) during the winter,
with occasional summer tropical storms from the Gulf of Mexico that can result in flash floods. Runoff
from the seasonally active streams within washes that empty into the valley quickly sinks into the alluvial
fans at the mouths of the canyons.
The predominant plant community in the Coachella Valley and the APE is Creosote Bush Scrub. This plant
community occurs on well -drained upland slopes and alluvial fans within the Colorado Desert, and is a dry,
mixed evergreen deciduous habitat dominated by shrubs and sparse groundcover. The dominant species are
the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) and white bursage (Ambrosia dumosa). Other species within this
community include saltbush (Atriplex spp.), brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens),
and prickly pear (Opuntia spp.) (Calflora.org 2015; Sawyer and Keeler -Wolf 2009).
Within Coachella Valley, there are a number of mammal, bird, reptile and amphibian species that reside in
this harsh arid environment. Large mammal species include desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni),
mountain lion (Puma concolor), coyote (Canis latrans), and bobcat (Lynx rufus). Among the medium- to
small -sized mammals, the species present include the desert kit fox ( Vulpes macrotis arsipus), black -tailed
jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), the desert cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus audubonii), and Palm Springs ground
squirrel (Spermophilus tereticaudus chlorus). Large -bodied birds that may occur include golden eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos), turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), common raven (Corvus corax), and greater
roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus). Numerous small bird species may be present, such as cactus wren
(Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) and Bell's sparrow (Artemisiopiza belli) (Center for Natural Lands
Management 2014; Cornell Lab of Ornithology 2015). Many species of reptiles can occur including
Western diamond -backed rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox), Great Basin whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris tigris),
desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), and Coachella fringe -toed lizard (Uma inornata).
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CULTURAL SETTING
Prehistoric Overview
California's southeastern desert region has a long history of human occupation, with dates at the start of the
early Holocene stretching back to ca. 10,000 years B.C. (Moratto 1984:96-97; Schaefer 1994:62; Sutton et
al. 2007:233-237). This now -arid region includes the Colorado and Mojave Deserts, located east of the
Sierra Nevada, Peninsular, and Transverse ranges. Prehistoric material culture in this region has been
categorized according to periods or patterns that define technological, economic, social, and ideological
elements. Within these periods, archaeologists have defined cultural patterns or complexes specific to
prehistory within the desert region, including the current project APE.
The chronological framework developed for the Colorado Desert region is divided into three major periods:
Paleoindian Period (ca. 10,000-6000 B.C.), Archaic Period (6000 B.C.—A.D. 870), and Late Prehistoric
Period (A.D. 870—Historic Contact) (Table 1). The timescales referenced in the following discussion are
presented either in radiocarbon years before present (B.P.) (where the "present" is 1950) or calendar dates
(years B.C./A.D.), as well as geologic era. Some dates referenced in the text have been calibrated (cal) in
order to convert raw radiocarbon years to calendrical dates. Use of the term "cultural complex" instead of
"period" denotes a cultural manifestation rather than a temporal one.
Table 1. Chronology of Human Occupation of the Colorado Desert Region
Period
Sub -period Cultural Complex
Date Range
Paleoindian Period / Lake Mojave and San Dieguito 10,000-6000 B.C.
Western Pluvial Lakes Tradition Complexes
Archaic Early Archaic Period Pinto Complex 6000-2000 B.C.
Late Archaic Period
Gypsum Complex 2000 B.C.—A.D. 870
Late Prehistoric Period
Patayan I—III A.D. 870—Historic Contact
Paleoindian period (ca. 10,000-6000 B.C. [12,000-8000 B.P.])
The precise timing and nature of human migration to North America continues to be a matter of
considerable debate (e.g., Adovasio 2002; Dillehay 1997; Jablonski 2002; Swedlund and Anderson 1999),
with the first occupation of the continent occurring at the end of the Pleistocene (e.g., Antevs 1955; Major
1988). The environment was cooler and moist, and megafauna such as mammoths, camels, and ground
sloths were abundant and exploited by the earliest human migrants. The artifact assemblage typically
associated with this period consists of Clovis and Folsom fluted projectile points, and other lanceolate, leaf -
shaped, and stemmed points, including the Lake Mojave and Silver Lake projectile points. Fluted projectile
points believed to be Clovis occur in several locales throughout California, including Pleistocene China and
Thompson Lakes in the Mojave Desert, though lingering contextual questions prevent affirmation of Clovis
technology (Rondeau et al. 2007:66).
Evidence of human occupation in California prior to 6000 B.C. (8,000 B.P.) is relatively sparse and
scattered. The earliest accepted dates in southern California come from coastal sites in the Northern Channel
Islands, specifically San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands, which date between 11,500 B.P. and 8,600 B.P.
(Erlandson 1991:105; Erlandson et al. 2007:57; Johnson et al. 2002). Evidence for human occupation of
the Colorado Desert during the Pleistocene and early Holocene is sparse, though this scarcity could reflect
adaptation of highly mobile groups to sparse resources as well as a potential result of unstable landforms
during the Holocene. At the onset of the Holocene ca. 10,000 B.P., there was significant warming and
drying in the Colorado Desert, and hunter -gatherer groups adapted their subsistence to the changing
environment, with lakes and streams in the desert interior gradually drying up.
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Archaic period (ca. 6000 B.C.-A.D. 870 [8000-1200 B. P.])
Around 6000 B.C., subsistence patterns shifted along with the changing environment, and greater emphasis
was placed on plant resources and smaller animal species. Subsistence patterns became more diversified,
focusing on gathering in the interior, and maritime resources in the coastal regions (Erlandson 1997:4). The
Archaic period is characterized by this shift to gathering, which resulted in the increased number of ground
stone implements in the artifact assemblage, including metates, manos, and mullers. Within the Colorado
Desert, the Archaic period is divided into two sub -periods: the Early Archaic period or Pinto complex
(6000-2000 B.C.) and the Late Archaic period or Gypsum complex (2000 B.C.—A.D. 870) (Warren 1984;
also see Schaefer 1994; Schaefer and Laylander 2007).
During the Pinto complex, occupation sites within the Colorado Desert were most likely temporary,
seasonal camps of small, highly mobile groups (Schaefer 1994:64; Warren 1984:414). As with the
Paleoindian period, the archaeological record during this time period is sparse, and it has been suggested that
populations withdrew to the margins of the desert and/or concentrated around the few oases still present
(Warren 1984:413-414). There is greater evidence for the Pinto complex recovered from the Mojave Desert,
with the artifact assemblages for this period characterized by Pinto series projectile points and shaped scrapers,
as well as slab metates and manos. The presence of ground stone is the greatest difference from the Paleoindian
period. Recent dates indicate that intensive plant processing began as early as ca. 7000 cal. B.C. within the
Mojave Desert region, and faunal remains suggest an increase in the reliance on small animals and a decrease
in the reliance in artiodactyl species such as pronghorn and deer (Sutton et al. 2007:238).
The Late Archaic/Gypsum period coincides with a period of moist climate called the Little Pluvial, with
arid conditions returning in the latter half of the period. The archaeology of this period is characterized by
caves sites with a wide range of diagnostic projectile points such as the Gypsum and Elko types, and split -
twig figurines (Warren 1984:416-417). Mortars and pestles appear during this period in addition to the
continued use of manos and metates. The bow and arrow was introduced at the end of this period, and there
was an increase in trade goods such as shell ornaments from the Pacific Coast. Recent excavations within
Coachella Valley indicate that occupation of the Colorado Desert was limited to temporary specialized
camps around the Holocene Lake Cahuilla (Love and Dandul 2002:81). These shoreline sites contain the
remains of fish, shellfish, and waterfowl. Sites farther away from the shoreline suggest a permanent or semi-
permanent occupation (CA-RIV-2936), with the artifact assemblage consisting of multiple occupation
layers of hearths and milling implements, as well as Coso obsidian and shell beads from the Gulf of
California. The obsidian and shell beads indicate exchange networks during this period. The overall
reduction of size in projectile points indicates a shift from the atlatl and dart to the bow and arrow, the use
of which continued into the Late Prehistoric period.
Late Prehistoric Period (A.D. 870 -Historic Contact [1200 B.P.-Historic
Contact])
The Late Prehistoric period within southern California is characterized by a shift in subsistence patterns to
what is known among Native American groups during the Historic period. The changes in subsistence,
foraging, and land use patterns most likely reflect cultural adaptations in response to shifts in environmental
conditions and influences from outside Native American groups. The greatest indicator of this period is the
presence of ceramics in the archaeological record beginning ca. A.D. 870 within the Colorado Desert (Love
and Dandul 2002; Schaefer and Laylander 2007:252). Brownware manufactured from upland clay sources
and buffware from lowland sedimentary clays become increasingly common, with artifacts including clay
figurines and pipes. Other indicators of the Late Prehistoric period are Cottonwood Triangular and Desert
Side -Notched projectile points, a shift from extended inhumations to cremations, networks of trail systems
with pot -drops and trailside shrines, and the introduction of small-scale agriculture.
The networks of trails are evidence of the importance of trade, travel, and exchange throughout the southern
California deserts. Trail systems with the Colorado Desert are associated with trailside shrines, ceramic
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pot -drops, and rock art (Schaefer 1994:66). Pot -drops near springs and tanks were essential for water access
during dry seasons or long distance travel across the desert (Schaefer and Laylander 2007:254-255). Rock
art complexes near water sources and pot -drops may indicate a spiritual value placed on these water sources,
and mark some trails as representing routes between sacred places. The trail networks facilitated the trade
of items such as shell beads and steatite from the Pacific Coast and Gulf of California, wonderstone from
Rainbow Rock, and obsidian from Obsidian Butte at the southern end of the Salton Sea; these networks
appear to have extended as far as the Great Basin and American Southwest.
The subsistence and settlement patterns in the Colorado Desert were influenced by episodes of infilling and
recession of the Holocene Lake Cahuilla, with the final recession around A.D. 1580 (Buckles and Krantz
2005; Laylander 1995; Waters 1983). Native populations followed the receding shoreline and continued to
exploit the dwindling resources. Near the end of the Late Prehistoric period and into the Historic period,
permanent villages were established on the valley floor and were supported by large walk-in wells and
extensive mesquite groves.
Ethnographic Overview
The APE is situated within the traditional territory of the Cahuilla (Bean 1978; Kroeber 1925). The Cahuilla
dialects were part of the Cupan group of the Takix branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family, and the
name "Cahuilla" is possibly derived from a native word meaning "master, boss" (Bean 1978; Kroeber 1925;
Mithun 2001). Ivi 'lyu 'atam is the traditional term for the Cahuilla cultural identity. Archaeological evidence
suggests that the Cahuilla migrated to southern California about 2,000 to 3,000 years ago, most likely from
the southern Sierra Nevada ranges of east -central California (Moratto 1984:559). The Cahuilla traditional
territory extended from the present day City of Riverside to the central portion of the Salton Sea in the
Colorado Desert, and from the San Jacinto Valley to the San Bernardino Mountains.
Cahuilla socio-political identity had three main levels. The highest and most overarching level was that of
the cultural nationality, encompassing all Ivi 'lyu 'atam. The next level was a division of two patrimonies,
with each clan belonging to either the tuktum (Wildcats) or the `istam (Coyotes). Within these two
overarching patrimonies is the third level of organization, which consists of a collection of individual
patrimonial clans called sibs (Bean 1978:580). The separate lineages within the clans cooperated in many
ways, including defense, subsistence activities, and religious ceremonies, and although most lineages had
their own village and resource area, most of Cahuilla territory was considered communal property.
The sibs' individual territories within the Coachella Valley desert were formed around natural springs
within and alluvial fans spreading out from mountain canyons to maximize the use of the natural resources.
The villages were occupied year-round, with groups leaving for hunting, gathering, visiting other villages,
or trade between villages. The relationships between individual patrilineal groups and different sibs were
maintained through intermarriage and ceremonial reciprocity (Bean 1972). Each lineage had houses (kish),
granaries for food storage, and ramadas (shades) for working and cooking. Villages also had sweat houses
and song houses for non -religious music, and each village had a separate house for the lineage or clan
leader. A separate ceremonial house (kis ?kmnawet) was used for major religious ceremonies. Spacing
between structures was often great, causing villages to extend over a mile in some cases.
Resource collection locations for food gathering, hunting, and/or mineral collection were the property of
individual patrilineal lineages, and locations considered sacred could only be used by shamans or healers
(Bean 1990:2). Some of the animal resources exploited by the Cahuilla include bighorn sheep, cottontail
rabbits, jackrabbits, bobcats, desert foxes, and birds, including quail and doves. The Cahuilla also exploited
more than 200 desert and mountain plant species. Some of the most important plants included acorns, honey
mesquite, piton nuts, prickly -pear cactus fruit and leaves, and yucca blossoms and stalks. The amole tuber
was used for making soap and various tools, and the elderberry was used for medicine. In addition to making
medicine, twine, baskets, ornamentation, and tools, numerous other plants were used in religious
ceremonies (O'Neil 2001). There was some limited agriculture practiced by the Cahuilla prior to contact.
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Bean, squash, and corn were grown using techniques likely adopted from Colorado River groups to the east
(Bean 1978:578). Corn, pumpkins, and beans were observed being grown by the 1823-1824 Romero
Expedition (Bean and Mason 1962:104). It is also likely that the Cahuilla practiced controlled burning,
selective harvesting and pruning, replanting, seed distribution, and limited irrigation, activities that the
native populations were believed to have used to improve the structure and productivity of the environment
(Bean and Lawton 1993).
Cahuilla material culture consisted of a variety of tools to gather and collect food resources, including the
bow and arrow, traps, nets, slings, and hunting blinds. Some of the food-processing tools used included
portable and bedrock mortars, basket hopper mortars, pestles, manos, metates, bedrock grinding slicks,
hammerstones, anvils, leaching baskets, bone saws, knives, and wooden drying racks. Food consumption
was facilitated by woven baskets and carved wood and ceramic vessels. Pottery was introduced to the
Cahuilla during the Late Prehistoric period through trade with Yuman -speaking groups across the Colorado
River, and ceramic production using the paddle -and -anvil technique was adopted later. Typical ceramic
vessels included jars, cooking vessels, ladles, ollas (large round pots with small necks), and pipes. 011as
were sometimes filled with foodstuffs, sealed, and cached in caves and rock shelters for later consumption
(Bean 1978:578-579).
Spanish mission outposts were established at San Bernardino and San Jacinto by 1819, though interactions
with Europeans was less intensive in Cahuilla territory than for the coastal native groups because the
extreme environment made the area undesirable. By the 1820s, there was constant contact with the ranchos
of Mission San Gabriel, and the Cahuilla frequently gained employment from the private rancheros or were
relocated to the Mission San Luis Rey. The later Mexican ranchos also provided employment for the
Cahuilla. The Bradshaw Trail was established in 1862 as the first major east -west stagecoach and freight
line road through Coachella Valley. The influx of immigrants into the region also introduced a number of
European diseases to the Cahuilla, with the worst small pox epidemic occurring in 1862-1863. By 1891,
disease had reduced the Cahuilla population from an estimated 6,000-10,000 to only 1,160 (Bean
1978:583-584).
Between 1875 and 1891, the U.S. government established 10 reservations for the Cahuilla within their
traditional territory: Agua Caliente, Augustine, Cabazon, Cahuilla, Los Coyotes, Morongo, Ramona, Santa
Rosa, Soboba, and Torres -Martinez (Bean 1978:585). Four of these reservations are shared with other
Native American groups, including the Chemehuevi, Cupefio, and Serrano. The Cahuilla on the Morongo
Reservation established the Malki Museum in 1965, which today is a respected repository for artifacts and
ethnographic knowledge. The Malki Museum also publishes books on Native American lifeways as well
as the Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology.
Historic Overview
The post -Contact history of California is divided into three specific periods: the Spanish period (1769-
1822), the Mexican period (1822-1848), and the American period (1848—present). The Spanish period
begins with the establishment of settlements in San Diego in 1769 by the Spanish, which included the
construction of the first of 21 missions established between 1769 and 1823. The Mexican period begins
with independence from Spain and goes up to the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. The
end of the Mexican -American War began the American period with California becoming a territory of the
United States. The following sections provide a brief overview of each period and are followed by a
discussion of the regional history of Palm Springs.
Spanish Period (1769-1822)
Some of the first expeditions by Spanish explorers along the southern coast of California occurred between
the mid -1500s and the mid -1700s. One explorer, Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo, was searching for the legendary
Northwest Passage when he stopped in 1542 in what is known today as the San Diego Bay. Cabrillo
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explored the shorelines of present Santa Catalina Island and the San Pedro and Santa Monica Bays, which
were given their names by the next Spanish explorer, Sebastian Vizcaino. Vizcaino was a Spanish naval
officer who mapped and recorded the coastlines of California and Oregon. Using the surveys conducted by
Cabrillo and Vizcaino, the Spanish crown laid claim to California (Bancroft 1886:96-99; Gumprecht
1999:35). For the next 200 years, very little inland exploration and colonization was done in Alta California
by the Spanish. The beginning of the Spanish period in California is marked by the overland expedition of
Captain Gaspar de Portola in 1769. Portola led a group of 64 soldiers, missionaries, Baja California Native
Americans, and Mexican civilians to the San Diego area, where they established the Presidio of San Diego,
a fortified military outpost and the first Spanish settlement in Alta California. In addition to the Presidio,
Franciscan missionary Fr. Junipero Serra established the Mission San Diego de Alcala at Presidio Hill,
following the directive of the King of Spain that the Franciscan Order would direct religious and colonial
matters in the American territories. The Mission San Diego de Alcala was the first of 21 missions that
would be established in Alta California between 1769 and 1823.
Captain Juan Bautista de Anza was the first to establish overland connections between California and
Mexico. In 1774, he led a group of 34 padres, soldiers, and others across the Colorado River into the present
day Imperial Valley. The route had been charted by Fr. Francisco Garces in 1770, and Fr. Garces led De
Anza through present-day Imperial County along the Alamo River drainage (NPS 2004). The expedition
continued northwest, traveling into present-day Imperial County through the Cahuilla Valley, following the
Santa Rosa Mountains and continuing through Coyote Canyon and San Jacinto Valley, eventually ending
up in Monterey Bay (Brown 1985). De Anza made another expedition along the same route in 1775 with a
larger group and continued all the way to San Francisco Bay (Guerrero 2006).
After the expeditions of De Anza, several missions were established in the 1770s as far north as San
Francisco. The 21 missions were situated parallel to the California coastline between present-day San Diego
and Sonoma, with the coastline positions easy to defend and supply by ships. The missions were also placed
near large populations of Native Americans, who were seen as potential converts. The roadway connecting
the missions became known as "El Camino Real," with the current Interstate 5 and U.S. Highway 101
generally following the old road's footprint. Only three fortified posts were established in Alta California
in addition to the Presidio of San Diego. The Presidio of Monterey was established in 1770, the Presidio of
San Francisco in 1776, and the Presidio of Santa Barbara in 1782.
At the missions, the Franciscan padres oversaw all economic activities of Alta California and used the
Native American neophytes as a source of labor, exercising strict control over them. Although the area
known as Riverside County did not have any formal missions, the area maintained connection to the
presidios and missions through the establishment of estancias (ranchos) and asistencias (sub -missions with
a chapel but no resident priest). A series of mission estancias and asistencias was established in Riverside
County, including Santa Margarita, Las Flores, San Mateo, San Juan, Pala, San Marcos, Agua Hedionda,
Buena Vista, and, the northernmost, San Jacinto (Greenwood et al. 1993:10; Tetra Tech 1999:7).
Mexican Period (1822-1848)
The threat of foreign invasion, political dissatisfaction, demand for land by civilian settlers and retiring
soldiers, and unrest among Native American populations kept growth in Alta California to a minimum, with
the establishment of only three pueblos during the Spanish Period. After years of intermittent rebellion and
warfare, New Spain, encompassing what is now Mexico and California, won independence from Spain in
1821. In 1822, the Mexican government in California ended isolationist policies designed to protect the
Spanish monopoly on trade and opened all California ports to foreign merchants (Dallas 1955:14).
During the Mexican Period, extensive land grants were given in the interior intended to lure populations
away from the coastal areas. The California missions were in decline, and following the Secularization Act
of 1833, the Mexican government privatized most of the Franciscan lands, including those of the missions.
By 1836, the missions were reduced to parish churches, and the vast mission lands and livestock holdings
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were redistributed by the Mexican government through land grants to private, non -Native American
ranchers (Langum 1987:15-18). The Native Americans expelled from the missions were used by the
Mexican ranchers as cheap labor, and in some instances, the Native Americans were also expelled from
their grant holdings. These large ranchos became important economic and social centers, with some 20
ranchos covering nearly 500,000 acres, including Ranchos El Rincbn, Jurupa, La Laguna, La Sierra, Pauba,
San Jacinto, Santa Rosa, Temecula, Cucamonga, Santa Ana, and San Bernardino. Cattle hides became a
primary California export to other areas in the United States and Mexico.
The non -Native population increased in California during the Mexican Period due to the large influx of
explorers, trappers, and ranchers. The rising population had the unfortunate effect of introducing and
increasing outbreaks of foreign diseases among the Native American populations. Large numbers in the
Central Valley died from disease between 1830 and 1833, eliminating entire tribes along the American,
Merced, Tuolumne, and Yuba Rivers. A second epidemic in 1837 further decimated the indigenous
populations (Cook 1955).
American Period (1848 -present)
War broke out between Mexico and the United States in 1846, bringing U.S. Colonel Stephen Watts Kearny
and his army to present-day Imperial Valley from Kansas. The American Period begins with the end of the
Mexican -American War in February 1848 with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Horticulture and livestock continued to dominate the southern California economy even through the first
decade of the Gold Rush, which began in January 1848. The Compromise of 1850 officially designated
California as a U.S. state, followed by the designation and organization of San Diego County in 1852,
followed by San Bernardino County in 1853 (Greenwood et al.1993:14). San Diego County was later
divided to create Riverside County (along with parts of Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties) in 1893
and Imperial County in 1907.
During the California Gold Rush, thousands of people traveled across the Colorado River into California
and through the Colorado Desert to San Jose Valley. With the influx of these gold seekers, cattle were no
longer used primarily for hides, and during the cattle boom of the 1850s, rancho cowboys (vaqueros) drove
large herds from southern California north to feed the mining and commercial boom in northern California.
The influx of cattle driven from neighboring states and severe droughts ended the cattle boom in southern
California.
American politics and the need for a mild winter route to California resulted in the U.S. Gadsden Purchase
of 1854, securing additional lands from Mexico. Surveys in 1857 established the current international
border between Mexico and the United States, stretching from New Mexico to California (Walker and
Bufkin 1986). Wagon roads and railroads were constructed across the Colorado and Mojave Deserts
between the 1850s and the 1870s, which connected the coastal regions of California with the rest of the
United States. Trains transported mail, prospectors, miners, entrepreneurs, merchants, immigrants, laborers,
muleteers, settlers, and military personnel, as well as civilian and military supplies, livestock, produce,
timber, and minerals to and from California. With the increased use of the automobile at the turn of the
twentieth century, permanent roadways were constructed across desert trails and wagon roads.
With the onset of the American Civil War as well as other factors, many of the large ranchos changed
ownerships frequently and were often subdivided into smaller holdings. The 1862/1863 and 1863/1864
winters produced almost no rainfall in southern California, resulting in the death of thousands of livestock
animals. The droughts and a changing economy ruined many of the rancho families, and resulted in the rise
of sheep in California grazing activities (Beattie and Beattie 1939; Brown 1985; Ingersoll 1904).
SWCA Environmental Consultants 18
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
The History of La Quinta
Historic settlement of the Coachella Valley began in the 1870s with the establishment of railroad stations
along the Southern Pacific Railroad. By 1883, there were stations at Banning, Beaumont, Cabezon,
Whitewater (later Palm Springs Station), Seven Palms, and Indio. Settlement spread further after public
land was opened for claims under the Homestead Act, the Desert Land Act, and other federal land laws.
The exploitation of underground water sources allowed farming to dominate the economy in the valley, but
it was not until the completion of the Coachella Canal in 1948-1949 that there was an adequate and reliable
water source. The date palm was first introduced around the turn of the twentieth century, and came to
dominate agriculture in the area. Starting in the 1920s, the resort industry began to spread through Coachella
Valley, bringing resort hotels, equestrian camps, and country clubs, and eventually making the area
southern California's leading winter retreat location (Hruby et al. 2006).
The origin of the City of La Quinta is attributed largely to vacationers. The City's resort industry was born
in the 1920s when Walter H. Morgan opened the La Quinta Resort and Club, originally designed by
renowned architect Gordon B. Kauffman The resort quickly became popular among Hollywood elite who
considered the place a desert oasis. Notably, the first golf course in the Coachella Valley was built at the
Resort. In 1982, when the City officially became incorporated, residents decided to adopt the name of the
premier resort that put them on the map: La Quinta. Though the area still is known for its resorts and golf
courses, it boasts a fairly large permanent population of just over 40,000 people as of 2015.
METHODS
SWCA reviewed the previous survey work and associated reports completed for the project, performed an
updated records search at the EIC, assisted the City with AB 52 and SB 18 consultation, and conducted
additional archaeological fieldwork. The following sections discuss the methods used for these efforts.
Prior Work by SWCA for the Travertine Development Project
In 2006 SWCA completed a cultural resources investigation for the Project that included 941 acres of
archaeological resources investigations. This included a records search, field survey of portions of the 941
acres, testing of site CA-RIV-7394, and the completion of a technical report. That report resulted in the
identification or updated recordation of 21 sites in or abutting the previous project's APE (Table 1). Of
these 21 sites, 11 were recommended eligible for listing to the NRHP either by themselves or as part of a
proposed archaeological district. Because of the identification of so many resources, Hofmann, as good
land stewards, changed the footprint of the Travertine Project to avoid impacts to any cultural resources.
As part of this alteration, Hofmann reduced the overall APE and made plans to preserve portions of the
APE along the southern, western, and eastern boundaries to Open Space/Restricted status. These alterations
were made to restrict development due to biological, geological, and cultural resources concerns. In these
areas, no construction, grubbing, grading, or other development will occur.
Records Search
On June 19, 2017, an SWCA Cultural Resource Specialist requested an updated records search of the
CHRIS to be conducted at the EIC for previous cultural resources studies and previously recorded cultural
resources of the APE and within a 0.5 -mile radius of the project APE. The CHRIS search also included a
review of the NRHP the CRHR, the California Points of Historical Interest list, the California Historical
Landmarks list, the Archaeological Determinations of Eligibility list, the City of Los Angeles Historic -
Cultural Monuments (HCM) list, and the California State Historic Resources Inventory. The results of the
record search were received on August 3, 2017, and are described below.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 19
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Native American Contact Program
On behalf of the City, SWCA contacted the NAHC requesting an SLF search as well as contact information
for Native American groups or individuals that may have concerns about cultural resources in the project
APE. SWCA prepared and e-mailed a request letter to the NAHC in August 2017. The NAHC responded
to the request in a letter dated August 23, 2017, that was received via e-mail. The results of the SLF search
were given to the City who initiated an SB 18- and AB 52 -compliant Native American consultation
program. The purpose was to inform interested parties of the proposed project and to address any concerns
regarding tribal cultural places or tribal cultural resources that might be affected by the project, as required
by SB 18, AB 52 and 36 CFR 800.2(A) of Section 106 of the NHPA. The purpose of this program was to
determine whether TCPs exist in the project APE. The City prepared letters addressed to each group or
individual provided on the contact list by the NAHC and those letters were mailed on August 28, 2017. The
results of the Native American contact program are described below.
Field Survey
Because the prior work by SWCA in 2006 was determined adequate for identification of resources, resurvey
of the entire APE was determined not to be necessary. In 2006, there was testing and excavation completed.
This research into the area was thorough, recent, and performed for the same project. Therefore fieldwork
for this Project focused on updating the existing conditions, boundaries, and documentation of sites within
in or adjacent to the APE. Additionally because global positioning system (GPS) units have better accuracy
now than in 2006, SWCA also verified the location of sites within 10 meters of the new Project boundary.
SWCA Archaeologists Erica Nicolay M.A., and Lindsay Fontenot, B.A., revisited 13 sites located within
the APE that have either been determined NRHP eligible or have not been evaluated. A handheld submeter -
accurate GPS unit was used to identify the location of previously recorded sites. The current site condition
was compared to the site records to confirm site boundaries and descriptions and make any necessary
updates to conditions described in 2006. The site area and cultural constituents were photographed using a
digital camera. Updated site records were completed on California Department of Parks and Recreation
(DPR) forms and submitted to the EIC. All field notes, photographs, and records related to the current study
are on file at the SWCA Pasadena, California office.
RESULTS
Records Search
Previously Conducted Cultural Resource Studies
Results of the CHRIS records search at the EIC indicate that 33 previous cultural resource studies have
been conducted within the APE and a 0.5 -mile radius of the APE; 12 of those included a portion of the
APE. The 2006 cultural resource study, conducted by SWCA, covered a total of 941 acres, including the
entirety of the current APE. At that time, more resources intersected the APE than now (in 2017) because
the project design was altered after the 2006 study. Of the 21 sites that previously intersected the original
APE, only 12 resources currently intersect the altered APE. Details pertaining to these investigations are
presented in Table 2. Figure 4 shows the extent of the previously conducted cultural resource studies within
the Project Area and the radius.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 20
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Table 2. Previously Conducted Cultural Resource Studies within the Project APE and the 0.5 -mile radius
around the APE
EIC
Report Title of Study
Number
Author: Affiliation
Year
Proximity
to APE
RI -00134 Archaeological Survey of Martinez Canyon
Chaloupka, Chris :
Department of
Archaeology, U.C.
Riverside
Overview
1972 study, not
mapped
RI 00135 Description and Analysis of Some 1170 Martinez
Canyon Sherds
King, Thomas J.
Overview
1974 study, not
mapped
Environmental Impact Evaluation: An
Archaeological Assessment of the Proposed
RI -00956 Wastewater Treatment Plant in Section 34, T6S,
R7E, SBBM in the Coachella Valley, Riverside
County, California
Wilke, Philip J.:
Archaeological Research
Unit, U.C. Riverside
Outside
1980 (within 0.5
mile)
RI 01211 A Cultural Resources Overview of the Colorado
Desert Planning Units
Till Warren, Elizabeth von
and Robert H. Crabtree,
Claude N. Warren, Martha
Knack, and Richard
McCarty: Institute for
American Research
Overview
1980 study, not
mapped
RI -02277
Interim Cultural Resources Report Archaeological
Testing and Mitigation Shea Homes Portion of the
Coral Mountain Project Near La Quinta Riverside
County, California
Love, Bruce, Harry Quinn,
Michael Hogan, and
Mariam Dandul: CRM
Tech
Outside
2000 (within 0.5
mile)
RI -02760
Environmental Impact Evaluation: An
Archaeological Assessment of 1280 Acres of Land
Located South of Indio in Central Riverside County,
California
Arkush, Brook:
Archaeological Research 1990 Within
Unit, U.C. Riverside
RI 03245 Cultural Resources Sensitivity Overview For The
Coachella Valley Enterprise Zone
Van Horn, David M.,
Laurie S. White, and
Robert S. White:
Archaeological
Associates, LTD.
Overview
1990 study, not
mapped
RI 03406 An Archaeological Assessment of Comprehensive Keller, Jean A.: N/A
General Plan Amendment 347
Outside
1991 (within 0.5
mile)
RI -03489 Cultural Resources: La Quinta General Plan EIR
Love, Bruce, Joan S.
Schneider, Gwyn Alcock,
Dawn Reid, Kevin
Hallaran, and Tom Tang:
Archaeological Research
Unit, U.C. Riverside
Overview
1992 study, not
mapped
RI 03829 A Cultural Resources Survey For The Green
Specific Plan, City of La Quinta
Chace, Paul: The Keith
Companies, Costa Mesa, 1994
CA
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
RI 03830 A Cultural Resources Survey For The Travertine
Point Project, City of La Quinta
Chace, Paul: The Keith
Companies, Costa Mesa, 1994 Within
CA
RI -03840
Identification And Evaluation of Historic Properties:
Coachella Valley Water District Groundwater
Recharge Facility Project. Riverside County,
California
Outside
Love, Bruce: CRM Tech 1995 (within 0.5
mile)
RI -03841
Cultural Resources Report, Class I
Reconnaissance: Coachella Valley Water District
Groundwater Recharge Facility Project. Riverside
County, California
Outside
Love, Bruce: CRM Tech 1995 (within 0.5
mile)
SWCA Environmental Consultants 21
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
EIC
Report Title of Study
Number
Author: Affiliation
Year
Proximity
to APE
RI -03842
Addendum Identification And Evaluation of Historic
Properties: Coachella Valley Water District
Groundwater Recharge Facility Project. Riverside
County, California
Love, Bruce: CRM Tech
Outside
1995 (within 0.5
mile)
Archaeological Monitoring Report: Groundwater
RI -03844 Recharge Basin Expansion Project, Coachella
Valley Water District, Riverside County, California
Love, Bruce: CRM Tech
Outside
1998 (within 0.5
mile)
A Cultural Resources Survey For the U. S. Bureau
RI -04003 of Land Management Segment of the Jefferson
Street Alignment Project, City of La Quinta
Chace, Paul an Charles E.
Reeves: The Keith
Companies, Costa Mesa,
CA
1996 Within
RI 04084 Cultural Resources Report: Coral Mountain Project. Love, Bruce and Bai
Coachella Valley, Riverside County, California "Tom" Tang: CRM Tech
Outside
1998 (within 0.5
mile)
A Cultural Resources Survey For the U.S. Bureau
RI -04469 of Reclamation of the Madison Street Alignment
Project, City of La Quinta
Chace, Paul G.: Paul G.
Chace & Associates,
Escondido, CA
Outside
2001 (within 0.5
mile)
A Class 111 Cultural Resources Inventory : 123 -Acre
RI -04624 Coral Mountain Regional Park City of La Quinta,
County of Riverside, California
Smith, David M.: The Keith
Companies, Costa Mesa,
CA
2003 Within
RI -05773
Final Report on Archaeological Testing and
Mitigation: The Trilogy at La Quinta Coral Mountain
Project, Near the City of La Quinta. Riverside
County, California
Love, Bruce, Michael
Hogan, Harry Quinn,
Richard Norwood, and
Mariam Dandul: CRM
Tech, Riverside CA
Outside
2002 (within 0.5
mile)
RI -05877
Cultural Resources Technical Report, City of Palm
Desert General Plan
Love, Bruce, Bai Tang,
and Mariam Hogan: CRM
Tech, Riverside CA
Overview
2000 study, not
mapped
Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report,
RI -05990 Coral Mountain Expansion, City of La Quinta,
Riverside County, CA
Tang, Bai, Michael Hogan,
Mariam Dandul, Casey
Tibbet, Daniel Ballester,
and Terri Jacquimain:
CRM Tech, Riverside CA
Outside
2003 (within 0.5
mile)
Final Cultural Resources Inventory for the
RI -06071 Coachella Valley Management Plan, Riverside
County, CA
Jay K. Sander, Roger D.
Mason, Evelyn N.
Chandler, and Cary D.
Cotterman: CHAMBERS
GROUP, INC., Redlands,
CA
2003 Within
Identification and Evaluation of Historic Properties,
RI -06209 Coral Mountain Reservoir Project, In the Coachella
Valley, California
Hogan, Michael, Bai
"Tom" Tang, Mariam
Dandul, Laura Hensley, 2004 Within
and Daniel Ballester: CRM
Tech, Riverside CA
Historical/Archaeological Resources Survey Report,
RI -06316 Tentative Tract Map NO. 3248, City of La Quinta,
Riverside County, CA
Tang, Bai, Michael Hogan,
and Matthew Wetherbee:
CRM Tech, Riverside CA
Outside
2004 (within 0.5
mile)
RI -06409
Archaeological Monitoring Report, Tentative Tract
Nos. 30842, 30842-1, Aan 30842-2, Skyview
Ridge Project, City of Murrieta, Riverside County,
CA
Hogan, Michael, Bai Tang
and Matthew Wetherbee: 2005
CRM Tech, Riverside CA
Unknown
Archaeological Testing and Evaluation Report, Site Hogan, Michael: CRM
RI -06412 CA-RIV-7205/H (33-12956), APN 766-110-016, Tech, Riverside CA
City of La Quinta, Riverside County, CA
Outside
2005 (within 0.5
mile)
SWCA Environmental Consultants 22
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
EIC
Report Title of Study
Number
Author: Affiliation
Year
Proximity
to APE
Class III Cultural Resources Inventory and Sikes, Nancy E. and
Evaluation, Including Limited Subsurface Testing of Stephen O'Neil: SWCA
RI -06942 Archaeological Site CA-RIV-7394, for the Proposed Environmental
Travertine Development Project, City of La Quinta, Consultants, Mission
Riverside County, California Viejo, CA
2006 Within
Letter Report: Supplemental Report on Cultural
Resources Survey along Access Road 3 (Madison
RI -07100 Street) and Access Road 4 (Jefferson Street) for
the Proposed Travertine Development Project, City
of La Quinta, Riverside County, California
Sikes, Nancy E.: SWCA
Environmental
Consultants, Sacramento,
CA
2007 Within
RI -07260
Letter Report: Phase I Report on Vineyard Acreage Sikes, Nancy E.: SWCA
within Section 33 of the Proposed Travertine Environmental
Development Project, City of La Quinta, Riverside Consultants, Sacramento,
County, California CA
2007 Within
Summary of Findings, Citywide Historic Resources
RI -08105 Survey Update, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Tang, Bai "Tom" and
Michael Hogan: CRM 2006 Within
Tech, Riverside, California
Emergency Data Recovery Investigations at CA- Mirro, Vanessa and
RI -08572 RIV-7398 For the Dike 4 Groundwater Recharge Dennis McDougall: 2010 Within
Facilities Project in the Coachella Valley, California Applied EarthWorks Inc.
RI -09768
Cultural Resource Element City of La Quinta Love, Bruce and Bai
General Plan "Tom" Tang, CRM Tech
2000 Within
SWCA Environmental Consultants 23
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside County, California
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION — FIGURE REDACTED
Figure 4. Previously conducted cultural resource studies within the Project APE and the 0.5 -mile radius of the APE.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 24
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Previously Recorded Cultural Resources
A total of 86 cultural resources have been previously documented within the APE and a 0.5 -mile radius of
the APE. Twenty-nine of these were located within the APE. Of the 29 resources that intersect the APE, 13
are prehistoric sites including: four ceramic scatters, one habitation site, seven bedrock milling sites, one
Native American trail, and one hearth. One of the 29 resources within the APE is a historic site consisting
of a single family property. Fifteen of the 29 resources within the APE are prehistoric isolates including:
nine ceramic fragments, one metate and mano, one Anodonta shell fragment, one quartz flake, one lithic
scraper, one isolated lithic scatter, and one isolated rock scatter. Of the 29 resources within the APE, the 15
isolates are ineligible for the NRHP and CRHR and of the 14 previously recorded sites, nine have been
previously recommended eligible for the NRHP either individually or as a contributing element of an
archaeological district, one has been recommended eligible for the CRHR, three have been recommended
ineligible, and two have not been evaluated. Details pertaining to these resources are presented in Table 3.
The locations of the previously recorded isolates and sites are shown on Figure 39 and Figure 40 in
Appendix D, respectively.
Table 3. Previously Recorded Cultural Resources within the APE and its 0.5 -mile Radius
Primary Trinomial Resource Temporal Resource Recording Year Proximity Eligibility
Number Type Affiliation Description (Name, Affiliation) to APE Status
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
000193 0193
Prehistoric Petroglyphs
1973 (Shepard);
1987 (D. F.
McCarthy,
Archaeological
Research Unit, U C
Riverside [ARU]);
1998 (H. Quinn,
CRM TECH [CRM]);
2000 (B. Love, and
Bai Tang, CRM)
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Unknown
Eligibility
P-33- CA-RIV- Site Prehistoric Habitation 1989 (B. S. Arkush, Within Eligible
001331 1331 site ARU)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
001332 1332
Prehistoric Cache site 1972 (P.J. Wilke)
Outside Unknown
(within 0.5
mile) Eligibility
P-33- CA RIV SitePrehistoric Habitation
001337 1337 site
1972 (P.J. Wilke)
Outside Unknown
(within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV-
Site
001338 1338
Habitation
Prehistoric site, and
lithic scatter
1972 (P.J. Wilke)
Outside Unknown
(within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
001339 1339
1972 (Wilke, P. J.);
Prehistoric, Ceramic, and 1980 (Wilke, P. J.,
Historic, lithic scatter ARU);
2008 (M. Hogan)
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Unknown
Eligibility
P-33- CA-RIV-
Site
001340 1340
1972 (P. Wilke);
1998 (B. Love, Outside
Prehistoric Lithic scatter CRM); (within 0.5
2010 (M. Hogan and mile)
D. Ballester, CRM)
Unknown
Eligibility
SWCA Environmental Consultants 25
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Primary Trinomial Resource Temporal Resource Recording Year Proximity Eligibility
Number Type Affiliation Description (Name, Affiliation) to APE Status
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
001343 1343
Prehistoric
1972 (P. J Wilke);
1980 (P.J. Wilke);
1998 (Bruce Love,
Cremation, CRM);
sherd scatter 2003 (D. Ballester,
CRM);
2010 (M. Hogan and
D. Ballester, CRM)
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Unknown
Eligibility
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
001344 1344
Outside
Campsite, Unknown
Prehistoric sherd scatter 1972 (P.J. Wilke) (within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV-
Site
001346 1346
Prehistoric Lithic scatter
1972 (J. Craib);
1981 (J. D.
Swenson);
2002 (D. Ballester)
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Unknown
Eligibility
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
001347 1347
Prehistoric
Small raised
dune
1972 (J. Craib);
1981 (J. D.
Swenson)
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Unknown
Eligibility
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
001349 1349
1972 (J. Craib);
1989 (B. S. Arkush, Outside
Prehistoric Rock shelter ARU); (within 0.5 Eligible
2006 (S. O'Neil, mile)
SWCA )
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
001350 1350
Prehistoric Rock shelter 1972 (R. Black)
Outside Unknown
(within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
001715 1715
Outside
Prehistoric
Rock art 1998 (H. Quinn, Unknown
panels CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
001717 1717/H
Prehistoric, Ceramic, and
Historic lithic scatter
1979 (T. M. Kearns,
Scientific Resource
Surveys, Inc., Santa
Ana, CA); 1998 (B.
Love, B. Tang, H. Outside
M. Quinn and R. H. (within 0.5
Norwood, Cultural mile)
Resources Report,
Coral Mountain
Project, Riverside,
CA)
Unknown
Eligibility
P-33CA RIV Bedrock 1990 (B. S. Arkush,
003872 3872 Site Prehistoric milling ARU); 2006 (S. Within Eligible
station O'Neil, SWCA)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
003873 3873
Prehistoric
One milling
slick
1990 (B. S. Arkush,
ARU); 2006 (S. Within Eligible
O'Neil, SWCA)
1990 (A. Duffield,
Bureau of Land
P-33- CA-RIV- Ceramic Management, Palm
003874 3874 Site Prehistoric scatter Springs, CA); 1990 Within Eligible
(B.S. Arkush, ARU);
2006 (S. O'Neil,
SWCA)
P-33- CA-RIV-
003875 3875
P-33- CA-RIV-
003876 3876
Site
Prehistoric
Site
Prehistoric
Ceramic
scatter
Ceramic
scatter
1990 (B. S. Arkush,
ARU)
1990 (B. S. Arkush,
ARU)
Within Ineligible
Within Ineligible
SWCA Environmental Consultants 26
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Primary Trinomial Resource Temporal Resource Recording Year Proximity Eligibility
Number Type Affiliation Description (Name, Affiliation) to APE Status
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
005213 5213
Prehistoric Ceramic
scatter
1987 (D. Gallegos,
C. Kyle, R. Phillips,
and A. Pigniolo,
WESTEC Services)
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Unknown
Eligibility
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
005214 5214
Prehistoric Ceramic
scatter
1987 (D. Gallegos,
C. Kyle, R. Phillips,
and A. Pigniolo,
WESTEC Services);
1998 (B. Love,
CRM)
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Unknown
Eligibility
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
005319 5319
Ceramic
scatter,
Prehistoric chipped
stone, and a
granite mano
2003 (D. Ballester,
N/A); 1994 (W.
McManis, The Keith
Companies [TKC])
Within Ineligible
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
005320 5320
Prehistoric Ceramic
scatter
1994 (W. McManis,
TKC)
Outside
(within 0.5 Ineligible
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV- 1994 (W. McManis,
005321 5321 TKC)
2006 (S. O'Neil, Outside
Site Prehistoric Milling slick SWCA); 1994 (W. (within 0.5 Eligible
McManis, TKC) mile)
Site
Prehistoric Hearth
P-33- CA-RIV-
005322 5322
Within Ineligible
P-33- CA-RIV 2006 (S. O'Neil,
005323 5323 Site Prehistoric Milling slick SWCA); 1994 (W. Within Eligible
McManis, TKC)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
005324 5324
1994 (P. G. Chace Outside Unknown
Prehistoric Milling slick and C. Reeves, (within 0.5 Eligibility
TKC) mile)
Outside
P-33- CA-RIV-Ceramic 1997 (B. Love, Unknown
008028 5977 Site Prehistoric scatter CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
Outside
P-33- CA-RIV-Ceramic 1998 (B. Love, Unknown
008364 6098 Site Prehistoric scatter CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
Outside
P-33- CA-RIV-Ceramic 1998 (B. Love, Unknown
008365 6099 Site Prehistoric scatter CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
Partially fired Outside
P-33- CA-RIV 1998 (B. Love, Unknown
008366 6100 Site Prehistoric clay, and CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
hearth mile)
Outside
P-33- CA-RIV-Ceramic 1998 (B. Love, Unknown
008367 6101 Site Prehistoric scatter CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
Outside
P-33- CA-RIV-Ceramic 1998 (B. Love, Unknown
008368 6102 Site Prehistoric scatter CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV-
Site
008369 6103H
Historic
Outside
Irrigation 1998 (B. Love, Unknown
system CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
Outside
P-33- CA-RIV-Ceramic 1998 (B. Love, Unknown
008386 6120 Site Prehistoric scatter CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
mile)
P-33- Isolate Prehistoric Tizon Brown 1994 (W. McManis, Within Ineligible -
008919 pottery TKC) Isolate
SWCA Environmental Consultants 27
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Primary Trinomial Resource Temporal Resource Recording Year Proximity Eligibility
Number Type Affiliation Description (Name, Affiliation) to APE Status
Outside
P-33- Tizon Brown 1994 (W. McManis, Ineligible -
008920 Isolate Prehistoric pottery TKC) (within 0.5 Isolate
mile)
P-33-
008921
Isolate Prehistoric
P-33-
008922
Isolate Prehistoric
P-33-
008955
Isolate Prehistoric
Anodonta 1994 (W. McManis,
fragment TKC)
Tizon Brown 1994 (W. McManis,
pottery TKC)
Brownware 1998 (B. Love, CRM
sherds Tech)
Within
Within
Ineligible -
Isolate
Ineligible -
Isolate
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
P-33-
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
008956 sherds
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
Tech) (within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
P-33-
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
008957 sherds
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
Tech) (within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
P-33-Brownware Ineligible
008958 Isolate Prehistoric sherds Tech) (within 0.5 Isolate
mile)
P-33-
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
008959 sherds
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
Tech) (within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
P-33-Brownware Ineligible
008960 Isolate Prehistoric sherds Tech) (within 0.5 Isolate
mile)
P-33-
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
008961 sherds
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
Tech) (within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
P-33-Brownware Ineligible
008962 Isolate Prehistoric sherds Tech) (within 0.5 Isolate
mile)
P-33- Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
008963 sherds
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
Tech) (within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
P-33-Brownware Ineligible
008964 Isolate Prehistoric sherds Tech) (within 0.5 Isolate
mile)
P-33-
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
009000 sherds
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
Tech) (within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
P-33-Brownware Ineligible -
009001 Isolate Prehistoric sherds Tech) (within 0.5 Isolate
mile)
P-33-
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
009002 sherds
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
Tech) (within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
P-33-Brownware Ineligible
009003 Isolate Prehistoric sherds Tech) (within 0.5 Isolate
mile)
P-33-
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
009004 sherds
1998 (B. Love, CRM Outside
Tech) (within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
009545 6404
Outside
Prehistoric Petroglyphs 1998 (H. Quinn, (within 0.5 Unknown
CRM) mile) Eligibility
SWCA Environmental Consultants 28
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Primary Trinomial Resource Temporal Resource Recording Year Proximity Eligibility
Number Type Affiliation Description (Name, Affiliation) to APE Status
P-33-
011347
Tizon
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
sherd
1990 (B.S. Arkush,
ARU)
Within
Ineligible -
Isolate
Tizon
P-33 1990 (B. S. Arkush, Ineligible -
011348 Isolate Prehistoric Brownware ARU) Within Isolate
sherd
Tizon
P-33 1990 (B. S. Arkush, Ineligible -
011349 Isolate Prehistoric Brownware ARU) Within Isolate
sherd
P-33 Isolate Prehistoric Ceramic 1990 (B. S. Arkush,
011350 body sherd ARU)
P-33- 1990
011351 Isolate Prehistoric Quartz flake ARU)(B. S. Arkush,
Tizon
P-33- 1990
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
011352 ARU)(B. S. Arkush,
sherd
Within
Within
Ineligible -
Isolate
Ineligible -
Isolate
Within
Ineligible -
Isolate
2002 (J. Sander, Outside
P-33- Ineligible -
012259 Isolate Prehistoric Potsherds Chambers Group (within 0.5 Isolate
Inc.) mile)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
012956 7205/H
Prehistoric
Ceramic, and 2005 (D. Ballester,
lithic scatter CRM)
Outside
(within 0.5 Ineligible
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV 1982 (M. Luven,
013288 7394 Site Historic Structure Riverside County Within Eligible
Historical Comm.)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
013296 7398
Prehistoric
Ceramic
potsherds, 2003 (D. Ballester,
lithics, and CRM)
ground stone
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Unknown
Eligibility
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
013297 7399
Prehistoric
Ceramic Outside
scatter, and 2003 (J. J. Eddy, Unknown
a metate CRM) (within 0.5 Eligibility
fragment mile)
P-33- CA-RIV-
014844 7911
P-33- CA-RIV-
014845 7912
P-33- CA-RIV-
014846 7913
Site
Site
Site
P-33- CA-RIV-
014847 7914
Site
Prehistoric
Prehistoric
Prehistoric
Prehistoric
Milling Slicks 2004 (P. Paige and
M. Tuma, SWCA)
Milling 2004 (P. Paige and
Station M. Tuma, SWCA)
Milling 2004 (P. Paige and
Station M. Tuma, SWCA)
Within Eligible
Within Eligible
Within Eligible
Milling
Station
2005 (M. Tuma, M. Outside
Cruz and S. O'Neil, (within 0.5 Eligible
SWCA) mile)
014852 Isolate Prehistoric Manote and
2005 (M. Tuma, M.
Cruz and S. O'Neil, Within
SWCA)
Ineligible -
Isolate
P-33-
014853
Isolate Prehistoric Lithic scraper
2005 (M. Tuma, M.
Cruz, L. Burgos, M.
Garrity and S.
O'Neil, SWCA)
Within
Ineligible -
Isolate
P-33-
014854
Tizon
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
sherd
2005 (S. O'Neil, and
K. Hunt, SWCA)
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
P-33-
014855
Tizon
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
sherd
2005 (S. O'Neil, and
K. Hunt, SWCA)
Within
Ineligible -
Isolate
SWCA Environmental Consultants 29
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Primary Trinomial Resource Temporal Resource Recording Year Proximity Eligibility
Number Type Affiliation Description (Name, Affiliation) to APE Status
P-33-
014856
Tizon
Isolate Prehistoric Brownware
sherd
2005 (S. O'Neil, and
K. Hunt, SWCA)
Within
Ineligible -
Isolate
P-33- Isolate Prehistoric Lithic scatter 2005 (S. O'Neil, and Within
014857 K. Hunt, SWCA)
P-33- and
Isolate Prehistoric Rock scatter 2005 (S. O'Neil, Within
014858 K. Hunt, SWCA)
Ineligible -
Isolate
Ineligible -
Isolate
P-33- CA-RIV-
014985 7960
Site
Prehistoric Ceramic
scatter
2005 (S. O'Neil, and
K. Hunt, SWCA)
Outside
(within 0.5 Ineligible
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
014986 7961
Prehistoric Ceramic
scatter
2005 (S. O'Neil, and Outside
K. Hunt, SWCA) (within 0.5 Ineligible
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV-
Site
014987 7962
Prehistoric Rock Cluster
2005 (S. O'Neil, and Outside
K. Hunt, SWCA) (within 0.5 Unevaluated
mile)
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
014988 7963
2006 (S. O'Neil, and Outside
Prehistoric Milling Slicks K. Hunt, SWCA) (within 0.5 Eligible
mile)
Tizon Outside
P-33-2004 (P. Paige, and
014989 Isolate Prehistoric Brownware M. Tuma, SWCA) (within 0.5
sherd mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
P-33- CA-RIV- Site
15642 8152
Native
Prehistoric American
Trail
2006 (Roschkow,
BLM)
Within Unevaluated
P-33-
017755
Isolate Historic
Ceramic 2002 (R. Porter,
scatter CRM)
Outside
(within 0.5
mile)
Ineligible -
Isolate
CA RIV Unknown Unknown Unknown
1342
Outside
(within 0.5 Unevaluated
mile)
Sacred Lands File Search
The City of La Quinta requested a Native American consultation list from the NAHC in August of 2017.
The NAHC emailed a response to the City of La Quinta's consultation list request on August 23, 2017
(Appendix A). There was no SLF search conducted at this time. In July of 2017 SWCA contacted the
NAHC and requested a Native American Consultation list and an SLF search. The NAHC emailed their
response to SWC's SLF search request on July 27, 2017. The SLF search did not identify any specific site
information within the APE. The NAHC noted that negative results may not indicate the absence of Native
American cultural resources in the area and provided a contact list of 20 Native American tribal
organizations that may have knowledge of cultural resources in or near the study area. The Lead Agency
initiated a Native American Contact Program on August 28, 2017.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 30
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Table 4. Summary of Native American Individuals and Groups Culturally Affiliated with the APE
Lead Agency's Coordination
Efforts
Native American Contact
Native American Reponses
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla
Indians
Jeff Grubbe, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
Called Katie Croft, Tribe
archaeologist: 9/22/2017
Cultural report sent to Katie Croft:
10/4/2017
CHRIS Record Search
information, Management
Recommendations, and Survey
Results Maps were sent to Pattie
Garcia -Plotkin: 1/23/2018
Katie Croft is the Tribe archaeologist
and she responded. The City
received the correspondence on
9/20/17. Ms. Croft requested the
report and the City sent it 10/4/17.
On 11/5/17, The City also asked Ms.
Croft if she would like to have a
meeting, and the Tribe said "Yes" on
11/6/17. But by the time of this
report, the City had not been
successful in setting up a meeting,
despite its attempts.
On 1/12/2018 Ms. Pattie Garcia -
Plotkin contacted the City of La
Quinta regarding the Travertine
Project and requested the survey
results maps, CHRIS results, and
recommendation tables.
Augustine Band of Cahuilla
Mission Indians
Amanda Vance, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Cabazon Band of Mission
Indians
Doug Welmas, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Cahuilla Band of Indians
Daniel Salgado, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Campo Band of Mission Indians
Ralph Goff, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Ewiiaapaayp Tribal Office
Robert Pinto, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Jamul Indian Village
Erica Pinto, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
La Posta Band of Mission
Indians
Gwendolyn Parada, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Los Coyotes Band of Mission
Indians
Shane Chapparose, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Manzanita Band of Kumeyaay
Nation
Angela Elliot Santos, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Mesa Grande Band of Mission
Indians
Virgil Oyos, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Ramona Band of Cahuilla
Mission Indians
Joseph Hamilton, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
San Pasqua! Band of Mission
Indians
Allen E. Lawson, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 31
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Native American Contact
Lead Agency's Coordination
Efforts
Native American Reponses
Santa Rosa Band of Mission
Indians
Steven Estrada, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
No response received.
Torres -Martinez Desert Cahuilla
Indians
Mary Resvaloso, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
Follow Up Phone call: 10/16/2017,
10/202017, and 11/8/2017
Cultural report sent: 11/8/2017
On 10/16/17, 10/20/17, and 11/8/17,
the City contacted the Tribe.
Because this Tribe is the closest one
to the APE, the City would like their
input. Therefore, the City sent an
unrequested cultural report to the
new Tribal Chairperson, Thomas
Tortez, P.O. Box 1177, Thermal, CA
92274.
Twenty -Nine Palms Band of
Mission Indians
Darrell Mike, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
In person meeting: 10/3/2017
Cultural report sent: 11/15/2017
Met with representative of Twenty -
Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
on 10/3/2017. They requested a
copy of the previous cultural report
to review. The City followed up with
the Tribe on 11/15/17. However, by
the date of this report, the Tribe had
not responded.
Viejas Band of Kumeyaay
Indians
Robert Welch, Chairperson
Letter Sent: 8/28/2017
Received response letter on
9/5/2017. The Tribe indicated that
no further consultation would be
needed unless there were
inadvertent discoveries at the site.
Field Survey
The previous survey conducted by SWCA in 2005 covered 941 acres and resulted in the identification or
updated recordation of 21 sites. Twelve of the sites identified in 2006 intersect the altered APE and were
identified as either eligible for the NRHP or were not evaluated (Sikes et al. 2006). Additionally, one site
was identified within the APE by a BLM archaeologist after SWCA's 2005 survey. The current field effort
aimed to revisit all 13 of the sites that intersect the APE and have been identified as either eligible for the
NRHP or were not previously evaluated in order to confirm the boundaries of these sites and to ensure they
have not changed since 2006 SWCA.
Between September 19 and September 21, 2017 SWCA archaeologists Erica Nicolay, M.A., and Lindsay
Fontenot, B.A., revisited 14 sites that were identified during the original 2006 survey or during
investigations by the BLM as being either within the APE or within 5 meters of the APE, since 5 meters is
within the normal error of the 2005 -era GPS. The CHRIS search conducted for this project indicated these
sites have either been recommended eligible for the NRHP or have not been evaluated. All 13 sites and
their current statuses are described below. The location of the sites visited in relation to the location where
these sites were previously recorded is shown on Figure 41 - Figure 47 in Appendix D.
Following fieldwork, SWCA prepared DPR 523 Series forms for all newly recorded and updated resources,
including primary record, archaeological site record, location map, and sketch map forms, as well as
additional forms as needed. All completed DPR 523 Series forms can be found in Appendix D. DPR forms
for all newly recorded and updated archaeological resources will be submitted to the SCCIC, which will
issue primary numbers for all newly recorded resources and trinomials for all newly recorded
archaeological sites. Based on the Sikes et al. (2006) report (fieldwork performed in 2005 and 2006) and
the current investigations, there are 18 sites in or near the project APE. Of these 18 sites, there are 14 that
are within the APE and 4 that are outside the APE but within the records search radius (Table 5).
SWCA Environmental Consultants 32
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
As part of the current effort, SWCA archaeologists revisited 14 sites within the APE that had been originally
recorded in the 2005 survey and were identified as being within the APE or close enough to the border to
warrant a revisit. All of these sites were either previously unevaluated or recommended eligible for listing
to the NRHP or CRHR. All 14 sites were relocated; 10 are confirmed to be located within the current APE
(CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5321, CA-RIV-7394, CA-RIV-
7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, and CA-RIV-8152) and four are confirmed to be located outside of
the current APE (CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7963) but within the records
search radius.
Additionally, there are four sites located within the APE that were recommended ineligible and therefore
not revisited as part of this survey: CA-RIV-3875, CA-RIV-3876, CA-RIV-5319, and CA-RIV-5320. Table
5 summarizes the site revisit efforts as well as the sites located within the APE that were not revisited
because they were recommended ineligible for listing to the NRHP or CRHR.
Table 5. Cultural Resources Identified within or near the APE in 2006 and/or 2017
Primary
Number
Trinomial Resource Type Site Description
Proximity to Revisited
Revised APE in 2017
P-33-001331
CA-RIV-1331 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Habitation site
Within Yes
P-33-003872
CA-RIV-3872 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Three Milling Slicks
Within Yes
P-33-003873
CA-RIV-3873 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Milling Slick
Within Yes
P-33-003874
CA-RIV-3874 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Milling Slick and ceramic scatter
Within Yes
P-33-003875 CA-RIV-3875 Prehistoric Prehistoric Ceramic scatter Within No
archaeological site
P-33-003876 CA-RIV-3876 Prehistoric Prehistoric Ceramic scatter
archaeological site
P-33-005319 CA-RIV-5319 Prehistoric Prehistoric artifact scatter
archaeological site
P-33-005320 CA-RIV-5320 Prehistoric Ceramic pot drop
archaeological site
P-33-005321 CA-RIV-5321 Prehistoric Rock Alignment
archaeological site
No
No
No
Yes
P-33-05322 CA-RIV-5322
Prehistoric
archaeological site
Milling Slick and rock shelter Outside Yes
P-33-005323
CA-RIV-5323 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Milling Slick
Outside Yes
P-33-013288
CA-RIV-7394 Multicomponent
archaeological site
Multicomponent ceramic scatter,
historic trash scatter, habitation
site
Within
Yes
Prehistoric
P-33-014844 CA-RIV-7911 archaeological site
Milling Slick
Within Yes
P-33-014845
CA-RIV-7912 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Milling Slick
Within Yes
P-33-014846
CA-RIV-7913 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Milling Slick
Within Yes
P-33-014847
CA-RIV-7914 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Milling Slick
Outside Yes
P-33-014988
CA-RIV-7963 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Milling Slick
Outside Yes
P-33-15642
CA-RIV-8152 Prehistoric
archaeological site
Native American Trail
Within Yes
SWCA Environmental Consultants 33
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
CA-RIV-1331 (P-33-001331)
CA-RIV-1331 was originally recorded by P. Wilke in 1972 who described the site as a prehistoric habitation
site containing several large granite boulders with rock walls which may have been domestic structures,
one rock ring, sparse quartz debitage, and a sparse tizon brownware scatter. The site was updated once in
1989 by B. Arkush who described the site as being largely unchanged since its original recordation. The
majority of the original features were still present in 1989; however, the surface assemblage appeared to
have been collected over time. The site record was updated during a survey of the Project Area conducted
by SWCA in 2005. At that time all previously recorded features were observed. In the survey report
produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006) evaluated the site and recommended that CA-RIV-1331
and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322,
CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7914, CA-RIV-7394, and CA-
RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological district. However, that district has never been
defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site is in the same condition as the
recordation in 2005 (Sikes et al. 2006), however the original rock ring and bedrock mortar that had been
previously identified and mapped within the APE were not relocated. The originally recorded rock wall
was relocated but was found outside of the current APE. The site boundary was not updated as a result of
this site visit because the overall site boundary appeared to be accurate. (Appendix D: Figure 43).
Figure 5. CA-RIV-1331 site overview facing northwest.
CA-RIV-3872 (P-33-003872)
CA-RIV-3872 was originally recorded in 1990 by B. Arkush who described the site as a bedrock milling
station. The site consisted of three milling slicks on two separate boulders and one unifacial mano. The site
was updated during a survey of the Project Area conducted by SWCA in 2005 (Sikes et al. 2006). At that
time the site was re -visited and the milling slick was relocated. In the survey report produced by SWCA in
2006, Sikes et al. (2006) evaluated the site and recommended that CA-RIV-3872 and 12 other nearby sites
(CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-
SWCA Environmental Consultants 34
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7914, CA-RIV-7394, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as
elements of an archaeological district. However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The previously recorded boulder with two
grinding slicks was relocated within the APE (Figure 6 and Figure 7). As in the 2006 update, archaeologists
were not able to relocate the second boulder with grinding slick and the unifacial mano which were observed
in 1990. The site was located within the APE, approximately 4 meters away from its 2005 recordation,
which is within the margin of error for 2005 -era GPS technology (Appendix D: Figure 41).
Figure 6. CA-RIV-3872 overview; view facing north.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 35
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Figure 7. CA-RIV-3872 plan -view of boulder relocated with grinding slicks.
CA-RIV-3873 (P-33-003873)
CA-RIV-3873 was originally recorded in 1990 by B. Arkush who described the site as a single milling
slick. The site was updated during a survey of the Project Area conducted by SWCA in 2005. At that time
the site was relocated and recorded. In the survey report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006)
evaluated the site and recommended that CA-RIV-3873 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-
1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-
RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7914, CA-RIV-7394, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological
district. However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was relocated and appears
unchanged from its previous recording; see Figure 8 and Figure 9). The site was located within the APE, in
the same location as identified during the 2005 survey (Appendix D: Figure 41).
SWCA Environmental Consultants 36
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Figure 8. CA-RIV-3873 overview; view facing west.
Figure 9. CA-RIV-3873 milling station; plan view.
CA-RIV-3874 (P-33-003874)
CA-RIV-3874 was originally recorded in 1990 by B. Arkush who described the site as a single milling
slick. The site was updated in 1990 by D. Duffield who also located a small scatter of approximately 25
Colorado buff ceramic sherds northeast of the feature. The site was updated during a survey of the Project
Area conducted by SWCA in 2005. At that time the site was relocated and one milling station was observed,
SWCA Environmental Consultants 37
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
the ceramic scatter could not be relocated. In the survey report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al.
(2006) evaluated the site and recommended that CA-RIV-3874 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331,
CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-
7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7914, CA-RIV-7394, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an
archaeological district. However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was relocated and appears
unchanged from its previous recording in 2005; as in 2005 no ceramic sherds were located near the milling
station (Figure 10 and Figure 11). The site was located within the APE in the same location as identified in
2005 (Appendix D: Figure 42).
Figure 10. CA-RIV-3874 overview; view facing north.
SWCA Environmental Consultants 38
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Figure 11. CA-RIV-3874 milling station; plan -view.
CA-RIV-5321 (P-33-005321)
CA-RIV-5321 was originally recorded in 1994 by B. McManis who described the site as a prehistoric hearth
with no associated artifacts. The site was recommended ineligible for the NRHP by Chache in 1994.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was relocated and remains
unchanged since its initial recording (Figure 12 and Figure 13). SWCA archaeologists noted that the rocks
appear to be placed directly on top of ground and there does not appear to be any buildup of sand or gravels
around the rocks (an occurrence for rock rings that have been present since prehistory). These indications
suggest that the rock ring may be a historic hearth constructed in modern times rather than a prehistoric
hearth as previously suggested. The site was located within the APE, approximately 21 meters
from its 2005 recordation (Appendix D: Figure 39).
SWCA Environmental Consultants 39
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Figure 12. CA-RIV-5321 overview; view facing west.
Figure 13. CA-RIV-5321 overview; plan -view.
CA-RIV-5322 (P-33-005322)
CA-RIV-5322 was originally recorded in 1994 by B. McManis who described the site as a bedrock milling
station with a single grinding slick. The site was updated during a survey of the Project Area conducted by
SWCA in 2005. At that time the site was relocated and the one milling slick was relocated. In the survey
report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006) evaluated the site and recommended that CA-RIV-
SWCA Environmental Consultants 40
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
5322 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-
53221, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7914, CA-RIV-7394, and
CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological district. However, that district has never been
defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was originally recorded 10 meters
southeast of the APE and thus was field verified since this is within the error margin of 2005 -era GPS
systems. The site was relocated and remains unchanged; however the originally recorded UTMs were
incorrect; the site is actually located 36 meters further (Figure 14 and Figure 15). The original
UTMs and the updated UTMs both place the site outside of the APE (Appendix D: Figure 40).
Figure 14. CA-RIV-5322 overview; view facing north.
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Figure 15. CA-RIV-5322 plan -view of boulder relocated with grinding slicks.
CA-RIV-5323 (P-33-005323)
CA-RIV-5323 was originally recorded in 1994 by B. McManis who described the site as a milling slick.
The site was updated during a survey of the Project Area conducted by SWCA in 2005. At that time the
site was relocated and recorded. In the survey report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006)
evaluated the site and recommended that CA-RIV-5323 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-
1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-
RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7914, CA-RIV-7394, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological
district. However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was relocated and a ears
unchan_ed from its Bast recordin:s. The slick is located near an extremely large boulder
(Figure 18 and Figure 19). In SWCA's 2006
site update, the words were mistakenly associated with site CA-RIV-3874. Additionally, the originally
recorded location was not accurate; the site is actually located 44 meters southwest (Appendix D: Figure
42).
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Figure 16. CA-RIV-5323 overview; view facing east, with blue graffiti evident.
Figure 17. CA-RIV-5323 overview; plan -view.
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CA-RIV-7394 (P-33-013288) [originally CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-
1341/1351]
CA-RIV-7394 was originally recorded in 2003 by D. Ballester. The site encompasses two individual sites,
CA-RIV-1334 and CA-RIV-1341/1351, and artifacts found between them to form a larger site complex.
CA-RIV-1334 was originally recorded by J. Craib in 1972 who described the site as a light prehistoric
ceramic scatter. At the time of its original recordation there was a light scatter of mostly reddish -brown
ceramic sherds and one worked sherd disc which was collected. Site CA-RIV-1341 and site CA-RIV-1351
were initially recorded as separate sites by Black and Wilke in 1972 who described both sites as prehistoric
ceramic scatters. CA-RIV-1351 was updated in 1990 by B. Arkush. The site had been heavily affected by
recreational campers, evidenced by much of the surface assemblage being looted. The site was updated a
second time in 1994 by McManis who indicated that this site, and neighboring site CA-RIV-1341 had lost
all integrity as individual sites and suggested they be combined into a single site called CA-RIV-1341/1351.
At that time there were approximately 300 Tizon brownware fragments and one piece of quartz debitage
documented. Both sites (CA-RIV-1341/1351 and CA-RIV-1334) were updated by D. Ballester in 2003 who
indicated that the sites were in such close proximity to each other that they should be re-recorded as a larger
site complex. The larger site was designated CA-RIV-7394.
When CA-RIV-7394 was recorded in 2003 by Ballester, it included 10 distinct loci consisting primarily of
ceramic sherd scatters. Segments of Native American trails were located within two of the loci and
cremation features were located in three of the loci. The site was updated in 2006 by Sikes et al. who
identified a thin, nearly continuous scatter of ceramic sherds along the former Lake Cahuilla shoreline. As
a result of this, the site was expanded to include this ceramic scatter. Within the newly formed site
boundaries there are 25 distinct loci, two segments of Native American trails, rock rings, projectile points,
and numerous isolated ceramic sherds and pot drops. All artifacts within the 25 loci consisted mainly of
Tizon brownware with some Colorado Buff Ware present.
In the original survey report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006) evaluated the site and
recommended that CA-RIV-7394 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3872,
CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-
7913, CA-RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological district (Sikes et al.
2006). However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the which overlaps the current APE on
September 20, 2017. The site was relocated and many features of the site were identified including rock
rings (Figure 20), pot drops (Figure 19), ceramic concentrations, Native American trails, rock alignments,
rock cairns, and historic trash scatters. There is a light, but continuous, ceramic and historic trash scatter
throughout the site, with some areas exhibiting a higher density of artifacts. The densest area of historic
trash occurs at the northwestern portion of the site where there are several large loci of historic trash, mainly
cans. In addition to historic cans there are large quantities of glass fragments, building material, and historic
ceramic. There are over 500 cans in this portion of the site with the majority being sanitary food and
beverage cans (Figure 20 and Figure 21). In the southwestern portion of the site the loci of historic trash
and glass are much less dense. In total there are approximately 50 historic cans in the southwestern portion
of the site, mainly sanitary cans. In addition to the prehistoric and historic component of the site, there is
modern trash throughout the site, including cans, bottles, and bullet shells. It is apparent that the site is still
used today as a recreational locale and as a shooting site. The site boundaries were not changed during this
site visit (Appendix D: Figure 44 - Figure 47). Figure 22 shows an updated site sketch with additional
features that SWCA identified during the current survey effort.
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Figure 18. CA-RIV-7394; Rock ring; view facing north.
Figure 19. CA-RIV-7394; Pot Drop; plan view.
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Figure 20. CA-RIV-7349; Northwest area of site; historic trash scatter; view facing
south.
Figure 21. CA-RIV-7394; Historic trash scatter in northwest portion of site; view
facing northeast.
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CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION — FIGURE REDACTED
Figure 22. CA-RIV-7394 site sketch with additional features identified by SWCA in 2017.
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CA-RIV-7911 (P-33-014844)
CA-RIV-7911 was originally recorded in 2004 by P. Paige and M. Tuma who described the site as a granitic
boulder with five milling slicks. The site was updated during a survey of the Project Area conducted by
SWCA in 2005. In the survey report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006) evaluated the site and
recommended that CA-RIV-7911 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3872,
CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-RIV-
7914, CA-RIV-7394, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological district (Sikes et al.
2006). However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was relocated and appears
unchanged from its past recording (Figure 23 and Figure 24). The site was located within the APE
approximately 3 meters northwest of its previous recordation, this distance falls within the margin of error
for 2005 -era GPS technology (Appendix D: Figure 40).
Figure 23. CA-RIV-7911 site overview; View facing northwest.
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Figure 24. CA-RIV-7911 site overview; View facing east.
CA-RIV-7912 (P-33-014845)
CA-RIV-7912 was originally recorded in 2004 by Paige and Tuma who described the site as a granitic
boulder with one milling slick. In the original survey report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006)
evaluated the site and recommended that CA-RIV-7912 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-
1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-
RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7914, CA-RIV-7394, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological
district (Sikes et al. 2006). However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was relocated and appears
unchanged from its past recordings (see Figure 25 and Figure 26). Two medium sized unmodified cobbles
had been arranged on the boulder, possibly serving as a marking. When comparing this rock arrangement
to SWCA's previous recordation, it is apparent that these are the same rocks observed in 2005. The site was
located within the APE approximately 5 meters south of its previous recordation, this distance falls within
the margin of error for 2005 -era GPS technology (Appendix D: Figure 40).
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Figure 25. CA-RIV-7912 overview; view facing northwest.
Figure 26. CA-RIV-7912 overview; plan -view.
CA-RIV-7913 (P-33-014846)
CA-RIV-7913 was originally recorded in 2004 by Paige and Tuma who described the site as a granitic
boulder with one milling slick. In the survey report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006)
evaluated the site and recommended that CA-RIV-7913 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-
1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-
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RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7914, CA-RIV-7394, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological
district (Sikes et al. 2006). However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was relocated and appears
unchanged from its past recordings (Figure 27 and Figure 28). The site is located within the APE and was
located in a similar location as previously recorded (Appendix D: Figure 41).
Figure 27. CA-RIV-7913 overview; view facing east.
Figure 28. CA-RIV-7913 overview; plan -view.
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CA-RIV-7914 (P-33-014847)
CA-RIV-7914 was originally recorded in 2005 by Tuma and O'Neil who described the site as a granitic
boulder with one milling slick. As a result of the same recordation by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006)
evaluated the site and recommended that CA-RIV-7914 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-
1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-
RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-RIV-7394, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological
district (Sikes et al. 2006). However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was relocated and appears
unchanged from its past recordings (Figure 29 and Figure 30). The site was recorded outside the APE, but
within 10 meters of the APE and thus was field verified since this is within the error margin of 2005 -era
GPS systems. The site was located approximately 4 meters away from its previous recordation and was
confirmed to be _ outside of the APE (Appendix D: Figure 40).
Figure 29. CA-RIV-7914 overview; view facing north.
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Figure 30. CA-RIV-7914 overview; plan -view.
CA-RIV-7963 (P-33-007963)
CA-RIV-7963 was originally recorded in 2006 by O'Neil and Beeler during a survey of the Project Area
conducted by SWCA in 2006. The site was initially described as a single bedrock milling slick on a boulder.
In the survey report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. (2006) evaluated the site and recommended
that CA-RIV-7963 and 12 other nearby sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-
3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-
RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7394) be recorded as elements of an archaeological district (Sikes et al. 2006).
However, that district has never been defined or nominated.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 19, 2017. The site was relocated and appears
unchanged from its past recordings (Figure 31 and Figure 32). The site was recorded outside the APE, but
within 10 meters, and thus was field -verified since this is within the error margin of 2005 -era GPS systems.
The site is confirmed to be - outside of the APE (Appendix D: Figure 42).
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Figure 31. CA-RIV-7963 overview; view facing east.
Figure 32. CA-RIV-7963 overview; plan -view.
CA-RIV-8152 (P-33-015642)
CA-RIV-8152 was originally recorded in 2006 by Raschkow who described the site as a trail segment
running from a small canyon northeast across a rocky alluvial fan. The trail provides a route between the
Santa Rosa Mountains and the ancient shore bed of Lake Cahuilla. Site CA-RIV-7394 (see Figures 20-24)
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has been recorded
The site (CA-RIV-8152) has never been updated or evaluated for the NRNP.
SWCA archaeologists revisited the site on September 20, 2017. The site was relocated and appears to have
been unchan ed since its ori inal recordation (Figure 33).
No artifacts were identified on the trail. One rock cairn was identified
along the trail (Figure 34). This rock cairn is a new addition to the site as both rock cairns identified by
Raschkow in 2006 were located outside of the APE. The trail was relocated 1 to 9 meters south of the
location where it was originally recorded (Appendix D: Figure 44). This distance is within the margin of
error for 2006 -era GPS systems.
Figure 33. CA-RIV-8152 overview; View facing east.
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Figure 34. CA-RIV-8152; Rock Cairn along trail; View facing east.
EVALUATIONS
Based on the Sikes et al. (2006) report (fieldwork performed in 2005 and 2006) and the current
investigations, there are 18 sites in or near the project APE. Of these 18 sites, there are 14 that are within
the APE and 4 that are outside the APE but within the records search radius (Table 5).
As part of the current effort, SWCA archaeologists revisited 14 sites within the APE that had been originally
recorded in the 2005 survey and were identified as being within the APE or close enough to the border to
warrant a revisit. All of these sites were either previously unevaluated or recommended eligible for listing
to the NRHP or CRHR. All 14 sites were relocated; 10 are confirmed to be located within the current APE
(CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-3874, CA-RIV-5321, CA-RIV-7394, CA-RIV-
7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, and CA-RIV-8152) and four are confirmed to be located outside of
the current APE (CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7963) but within the records
search radius.
Additionally, there are four sites located within the APE that were recommended ineligible and therefore
not revisited as part of this survey: CA-RIV-3875, CA-RIV-3876, CA-RIV-5319, and CA-RIV-5320. Table
5 summarizes the site revisit efforts as well as the sites located within the APE that were not revisited
because they were recommended ineligible for listing to the NRHP or CRHR.
Prehistoric archaeological sites qualify as NHPA "historic properties" and/or CEQA "historical resources"
if they are determined to be eligible for listing on the NRHP or CRHR, respectively. To be considered
eligible to the NRHP or CRHR, resources must possess physical integrity. Prehistoric archaeological
resources are typically evaluated relative to their ability to meet Criterion D on the NRHP and Criterion 4
on the CRHR: that the site has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or
history. A variety of prehistoric archaeological property types may qualify as historical resources if they
address research questions considered to be important in the field of prehistoric archaeology. The direct
study of prehistoric archaeological sites and artifacts has the potential to yield information about prehistory
that is not otherwise addressed or available in the documentary record.
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Historic archaeological sites can be considered NHPA "historic properties" and/or CEQA "historical
resources" if they are determined to be eligible for listing on the NRNP, CRHR, or local listings. To be
considered eligible to the NRHP, CRHR, or local listings, resources must possess physical integrity.
Historic archaeological resources are typically evaluated relative to their ability to meet any of the four
criteria for the NRHP (A through D) or CRHR (1 through 4). Sites can be eligible for listing to the NRHP
or CRHR either individually or as contributors to a larger archaeological district.
Martinez Mountain Rockslide District Evaluation
In the survey report produced by SWCA in 2006, Sikes et al. evaluated all of the sites within the APE and
recommended that 13 of the sites (CA-RIV-1331, CA-RIV-1349, CA-RIV-3872, CA-RIV-3873, CA-RIV-
3874, CA-RIV-5322, CA-RIV-5323, CA-RIV-7394, CA-RIV-7911, CA-RIV-7912, CA-RIV-7913, CA-
RIV-7914, and CA-RIV-7963) be recorded as elements of an archaeological district. However, that district
was never defined or nominated.
As part of the current effort, SWCA defines the proposed district as the aforementioned 13 sites with the
addition of CA-RIV-8152. Sikes et al. (2006:62) recommended that a district be created based on the fact
that they seemed to be "part of a Late Prehistoric settlement system with a large resource procurement
network." The proposed district is also unified by the similar feature types found at each of these sites: rock
shelters, milling features, ceramic scatters, and a trail network. Review of the potential district and
surrounding regional setting suggests that there are several more sites like the 13 described here that may
be located further south (and outside of the APE) into the Martinez Mountain Rockslide (MMR) area
(Appendix D: Figure 48). Thus the proposed archaeological district would be defined to include sites that:
(1) contain at least one of the following elements: (a) rock shelters, (b) milling features, (c) ceramic
scatter, or (d) a trail network;
(2) date to (or potentially date to) the Late Prehistoric period (A.D. 870—Historic Contact [1200 B.P.—
Historic Contact]); and
(3) are located within or abutting the MMR area.
SWCA proposes to label the district "Martinez Mountain Rockslide District" or MMRD (also referred to
as the District herein; Figure 35). The MMRD is recommended eligible for listing to the NRHP and CRHR
based on Criteria A/1 and D/4. The proposed MMRD has a temporal affiliation that is significant for the
prehistory of the region: the Late Prehistoric. During the Late Prehistoric period in Southern California
there was a marked shift in subsistence patterns, the greatest indicator of this is the presence of ceramics in
archaeological sites beginning ca. A.D. 870 (see above for further discussion). Networks of trails are also
evidence of the shift in subsistence strategies, demonstrating the importance of trade, travel, and exchange
throughout the Southern California deserts. These subsistence and settlement patterns in the Colorado
Desert were influenced by episodes of infilling and recession of the Holocene Lake Cahuilla, with the final
recession around A.D. 1580 (Buckles and Krantz 2005; Laylander 1995; Waters 1983). Native populations
followed the receding shoreline and continued to exploit the dwindling resources. Near the end of the Late
Prehistoric period and into the Historic period, permanent villages were established on the valley floor.
Permanent housing can also be demonstrated by the occurrence of rock shelters (like those in the proposed
MMRD). Therefore, the proposed MMRD is recommended eligible for listing to the NRHP Criterion A
and CRHR Criterion 1 based on its association with the Late Prehistoric shift in subsistence and settlement
patterns.
The proposed MMRD is also recommended eligible for listing to the NRHP under Criterion D and CRHR
under Criterion 4. The proposed District (and the contributing elements of the District) could yield data that
are relevant to the prehistory of the region. Because the proposed District is a group of sites with similar
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subsistence strategies, as a group, they may be able to answer research questions significant to the region
and time period.
The Travertine Project has been re -designed to avoid impacts to significant archaeological sites (NHPA
historic properties and CEQA historical resources) located within the APE. Hofmann is committed to the
protection and preservation of cultural resources in accordance with federal, state, and City legislation. To
that end, Hofmann has redesigned the Travertine Pro'ect to avoid disturbances to all historic ro erties and
historical resources in and near the Proiect APE.
Table 6. Summary of Management Recommendations
Primary
Number
Trinomial
Site Type Proximity to APE
NRHP Recommendation
Recommendation
P-33-001331 CA-RIV-1331 Habitation site
Eligible
Within individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed MMRD
Avoidance
P-33-003872 CA-RIV-3872
Three Milling
Slicks
Ineligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
Avoidance
P-33-003873
CA-RIV-3873 Milling Slick
Ineligible
Within individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
Avoidance
P-33-003874 CA-RIV-3874
Milling Slick and
ceramic scatter
Ineligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
Avoidance
P-33-003875 CA-RIV-3875
Prehistoric
Ceramic scatter
Within
Ineligible
individually; Not a
contributor to the
proposed district
No further cultural
resources work
required
P-33-003876 CA-RIV-3876
Prehistoric
Ceramic scatter
Within
Ineligible
individually; Not a
contributor to the
proposed district
No further cultural
resources work
required
P-33-005319 CA-RIV-5319
Prehistoric artifact Within
scatter
Ineligible
individually; Not a
contributor to the
proposed district
No further cultural
resources work
required
P-33-005320 CA-RIV-5320
Ceramic pot drop Within
Ineligible
individually; Not a
contributor to the
proposed district
No further cultural
resources work
required
P-33-005321
CA-RIV-5321 Rock Alignment
Ineligible
individually; Not a
contributor to the
proposed district
No further cultural
resources work
required
P-33-05322 CA-RIV-5322
Milling Slick and
rock shelter
Outside
Ineligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
N/A — Outside APE
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Primary
Number
Trinomial
Site Type Proximity to APE
NRHP Recommendation
Recommendation
P-33-005323 CA-RIV-5323 Milling Slick Outside
Ineligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
N/A — Outside APE
P-33-013288 CA-RIV-7394
Multicomponent
ceramic scatter,
historic trash
scatter, habitation
site
Eligible
individually;
Eligible as part of Avoidance
proposed district
P-33-014844 CA-RIV-7911 Milling Slick
Ineligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
Avoidance
P-33-014845 CA-RIV-7912 Milling Slick
Ineligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
Avoidance
P-33-014846 CA-RIV-7913 Milling Slick
Ineligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
Avoidance
P-33-014847 CA-RIV-7914 Milling Slick Outside
Ineligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
N/A — Outside APE
P-33-014988 CA-RIV-7963 Milling Slick Outside
Ineligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
N/A — Outside APE
P-33-15642 CA-RIV-8152
Native American
Trail
Eligible
individually;
Eligible as part of
proposed district
Avoidance
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CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION — FIGURE REDACTED
Figure 35. Proposed Martinez Mountain Rockslide District shown on a USGS topographic map.
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Site Evaluations
Based on the site re -visits, SWCA's evaluation of the significance of the archaeological sites found within
the APE is presented in the following sections. Included are recommendations regarding whether the sites
meet the official definitions of a "historic property" as defined by Section 106 or a "historical resource" as
defined by CEQA regulations. Further, the sites are evaluated individually and as potential contributors to
the proposed MMRD.
CA-RIV-3872 (P-33-3872)
Site CA-RIV-3872 is a rehistoric millin site. The site is located within the current APE.
Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction, and also
guarded from excessive tourism and potential looting.
In 1990 the site was recommended individually ineligible for listing to the NRHP and the State Historic
Preservation Officer (SHPO) concurred. However, it is located within the confines of the proposed MMRD
and is a contributor to that District. Therefore, SWCA recommends this site eligible to the NRHP and the
CRHR as a contributor to the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1 and D/4. Because the Travertine Project
will avoid this site, SWCA recommends that there will be no adverse effect and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-1331 (P-33-001331)
Site CA-RIV-1331 is a prehistoric rock shelter site that is likely the remnants of a habitation site. The site
is partially located within the current APE. The eastern portion of the site, which does not contain features
and contains onl a s arse scatter of artifacts, is located inside the APE.
This site will be avoided during construction, and also guarded from
excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site has previously been recommended individually eligible for listing to the NRHP, with SHPO
concurrence. SWCA concurs that this site is individually eligible for listing in the NRHP. Further, SWCA
notes that this site is located adjacent to the proposed boundaries of the MMRD and therefore recommends
that the site is also eligible as a contributor to the proposed MMRD. This site is recommended individually
eligible for listing in the NRHP and the CRHR under Criterion D/4 and under Criteria A/1 and D/4 as a
contributor to the proposed MMRD. Because the Travertine Project will avoid this site, SWCA
recommends that there will be no adverse effect and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-3873 (P-33-3873)
Site CA-RIV-3873 is a rehistoric millin site. The site is located within the current AP
Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction, and also
guarded from excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site was previously recommended ineligible for listing in the NRHP and SHPO has concurred.
However, it is located within the confines of the proposed MMRD and is a contributor to that District.
Therefore, SWCA recommends this site eligible for listing in the NRHP and the CRHR as a contributor to
the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1 and D/4. Because the Travertine Project will avoid this site, SWCA
recommends that there will be no adverse effects and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-3874 (P-33-3874)
Site CA-RIV-3874 is a .rehistoric ceramic scatter and millin_ site. The site is located within the current
APE; Therefore, this site will be avoided during
construction, and also guarded from excessive tourism and potential looting.
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The site was previously recommended ineligible for listing in the NRHP and SHPO has concurred.
However, it is located within the confines of the proposed MMRD and is a contributor to that District.
Therefore, SWCA recommends this site eligible for listing to the NRHP and the CRHR as a contributor to
the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1 and D/4. Because the Travertine Project will avoid this site, SWCA
recommends that there will be no adverse effects and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-3875 (P-33-3875)
Site CA-RIV-3875 is a prehistoric ceramic scatter site. The site was previously recorded as bein located
within the current APE, but attem•ts to relocated the site have been unsuccessful.
. Therefore, this site area is likely to be graded and
landscaped during construction.
The site was previously recommended ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR. Further, the mapped
site location is outside the proposed MMRD and attempts to relocate the site have been unsuccessful.
Therefore, SWCA recommends this site is not a contributor to the proposed MMRD and that grading of the
site area will not result in an adverse effect or impact because this site is not a historic property or historical
resource.
CA-RIV-3876 (P-33-3876)
Site CA-RIV-3876 is a prehistoric ceramic scatter site. The site was previously recorded as bein located
within the current APE, but attem • ts to relocated the site have been unsuccessful.
Therefore, this site area is likely to be graded and
landscaped during construction.
The site was previously recommended ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR. Further, the mapped
location of the site is outside the proposed MMRD and attempts to relocate the site have been unsuccessful.
Therefore, SWCA recommends this site is not a contributor to the proposed MMRD and that grading of the
site area will not result in an adverse effect or impact because this site is not a historic property or historical
resource.
CA-RIV-5319 (P-33-5319)
Site CA-RIV-5319 is a rehistoric ceramic scatter. The site is located within the current APE
Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction, and also guarded
from excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site was previously recommended ineligible for listing to the NRHP or the CRHR. Further, it is not
located within the proposed MMRD and is not a contributor to that District. Therefore, SWCA recommends
this site ineligible for listing to the NRHP and the CRHR as a contributor to the proposed MMRD. Because
the site is ineligible for listing in the NRHP, it is not a historic property for the purposes of Section 106;
because it is ineligible for the CRHR, it does not qualify as an historical resource under CEQA. Nonetheless,
the site will be avoided during construction.
CA-RIV-5320 (P-33-5320)
Site CA-RIV-5320 is rehistoric pot drop. The site is located within the current APE
Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction, and also guarded
from excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site was previously recommended ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR. Further, it is not
located within the proposed the proposed MMRD and is not a contributor to that District. Therefore, SWCA
recommends this site ineligible for listing to the NRHP and the CRHR as a contributor to the proposed
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MMRD. Because the site is ineligible for listing in the NRHP, it is not a historic property for the purposes
of Section 106; because it is ineligible for the CRHR, it does not qualify as an historical resource under
CEQA. Nonetheless, the site will be avoided during construction.
CA-RIV-5321 (P-33-5321)
Site CA-RIV-5321 is an isolated rock rin feature of unknown temporal affiliation. The site is located
within the APE Therefore, this site will be avoided during
construction and also guarded from excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site was previously recommended ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR. Further, it is not
located within the proposed MMRD and is not a contributor to that District. Therefore, SWCA recommends
this site ineligible for listing to the NRHP and the CRHR as a contributor to the proposed MMRD. Because
the site is ineligible for listing in the NRHP, it is not a historic property for the purposes of Section 106;
because it is ineligible for the CRHR, it does not qualify as an historical resource under CEQA. Nonetheless,
the site will be avoided during construction.
CA-RIV-5322 (P-33-5322)
Site CA-RIV-5322 is a prehistoric milling and rockshelter site. The site is located outside the current APE.
Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction.
The site was previously recommended individually ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR (Chace
1994; Sikes et al. 2006). Currently SWCA concurs with the previous recommendation and recommends the
site individually ineligible for listing in the NRHP and the CRHR. However, SWCA recommends this site
eligible for listing to the NRHP and the CRHR as a contributor to the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1
and D/4. Because the Travertine Project will avoid this site, SWCA recommends that there will be no
adverse effects and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-5323 (P-33-5323)
Site CA-RIV-5323 is a prehistoric milling site. The site was originally recorded as being located
approximately 10 m inside the current boundary of the APE; however, the site is actually located outside
the current APE by approximately 30 m. Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction.
The site was previously recommended individually ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR (Chace
1994; Sikes et al. 2006).Currently, SWCA concurs with the previous recommendation and recommends the
site individually ineligible for listing in the NRHP and the CRHR. However, it is located within the confines
of the proposed MMRD and is a contributor to that District. Therefore, SWCA recommends this site eligible
for listing to the NRHP and the CRHR as a contributor to the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1 and D/4.
Because the Travertine Project will avoid this site, SWCA recommends that there will be no adverse effects
and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-7394 (P-33-13288)
Site CA-RIV-7394 is a large multi-com onent site with a historic -era scatter of artifacts and rehistoric
features and artifacts. The site the APE.
. Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction and also guarded
from excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site has previously been recommended individually eligible for listing in the NRHP and CRHR. SWCA
concurs that this site is eligible for listing to the NRHP as a standalone site. Further, SWCA notes that this
site is located adjacent the proposed confines of the MMRD and therefore recommends that this site is also
eligible as a contributor to the proposed MMRD. This site is recommended individually eligible for listing
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County, California
in the NRHP and the CRHR under Criterion D/4 and eligible under Criteria A/1 and D/4 as a contributor
to the proposed MMRD. Because the Travertine Project will avoid this site, SWCA recommends that there
will be no adverse effect and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-7911 (P-33-14844)
Site CA-RIV-7911 is a rehistoric milling site. The site is located within the current APE;
. Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction, and also
guarded from excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site was previously recommended individually ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR (Sikes
et al. 2006). However, it is located within the confines of the proposed MMRD and is a contributor to that
District. Therefore, SWCA recommends this site eligible for listing in the NRHP and the CRHR as a
contributor to the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1 and D/4. Because the Travertine Project will avoid
this site, SWCA recommends that there will be no adverse effect and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-7912 (P-33-14845)
Site CA-RIV-7912 is a rehistoric millin site. The site is located within the current APE;
Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction, and also
guarded from excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site was previously recommended individually ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR (Sikes
et al. 2006). However, it is located within the confines of the proposed MMRD and is a contributor to that
District. Therefore, SWCA recommends this site eligible for listing in the NRHP and the CRHR as a
contributor to the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1 and D/4. Because the Travertine Project will avoid
this site, SWCA recommends that there will be no adverse effect and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-7913 (P-33-14846)
Site CA-RIV-7913 is a rehistoric millin site. The site is located within the current APE;
Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction, and also
guarded from excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site was previously recommended individually ineligible for listing in the NRHP (Sikes et al. 2006).
However, it is located within the confines of the proposed MMRD and is a contributor to that District.
Therefore, SWCA recommends this site eligible for listing to the NRHP and the CRHR as a contributor to
the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1 and D/4. Because the Travertine Project will avoid this site, SWCA
recommends that there will be no adverse effect and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-7914 (P-33-14847)
Site CA-RIV-7914 is a prehistoric milling site. The site is located outside the current APE
M. Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction.
The site has been previously recommended individually ineligible for listing in the NRHP or the CRHR
(Sikes et al. 2006). However, it is located within the confines of the proposed MMRD and is a contributor
to that District. Therefore, SWCA recommends this site eligible for listing in the NRHP and the CRHR as
a contributor to the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1 and D/4. Because the Travertine Project will avoid
this site, SWCA recommends that there will be no adverse effect and no impact to this resource.
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CA-RIV-7963 (P-33-14988)
Site CA-RIV-7963 is a prehistoric milling site. The site is located outside the current APE
M. Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction.
The site has been previously recommended individually ineligible for listing to the NRHP (Sikes et al.
2006). However, it is located within the confines of the proposed MMRD and is a contributor to that
District. Therefore, SWCA recommends this site eligible for listing to the NRHP and the CRHR as a
contributor to the proposed MMRD under Criteria A/1 and D/4. Because the Travertine Project will avoid
this site, SWCA recommends that there will be no adverse effect and no impact to this resource.
CA-RIV-8152 (P-33-15642)
Site CA-RIV-8152 is a rehistoric trail site
The site is located within the current APE;
Therefore, this site will be avoided during construction, and also guarded
from excessive tourism and potential looting.
The site has never been evaluated for listing to the NRHP or the CRHR. However, it is located within the
confines of the proposed MMRD and is a contributor to that District. Therefore, SWCA recommends this
site eligible for listing to the NRHP and the CRHR as a contributor to the proposed MMRD under Criteria
A/1 and D/4. Because the Travertine Project will avoid this site, SWCA recommends that there will be no
adverse effect and no impact to this resource.
RECOMMENDATIONS
There are 14 sites located within the APE. Of these, one is eligible individually and nine are eligible as
contributors to the MMRD. However, the project has been redesigned to avoid impacts and effects to
eligible resources. All resources which are eligible either individually or as contributors to the MMRD are
located within open space/restricted areas which will be avoided by construction (including grubbing,
grading, or other development) and allow for their conservation and protection long-term. As such, there
will be no direct effects or impacts to eligible resources.
Under Section 106 of the NHPA, assessment of indirect effects to historic properties, and under CEQA,
indirect impacts to historical resources and the MMRD, is also required. The indirect effects or impacts can
include visual, vibration, or other impacts that may cause alterations to the character -defining features or
traits of historic properties/historical resources. While the project will result in some alterations to the
setting of the MMRD and the individually eligible site (CA-RIV-7394), the setting is not integral to the
ability of the MMRD or CA-RIV-7394 to convey significance under Criteria A/1 (association with events
that have made a significant contribution to California's history or prehistory) and Criteria D/4 (has yielded
or is likely to yield data important to prehistory or history). Therefore the project will not result in indirect
effects or impacts to the MMRD or CA-RIV-7394. With the implementation of the measures outlined below
to ensure avoidance, SWCA recommends a finding of no adverse effect under Section 106 of the NHPA
and less than significant impact to cultural resources under CEQA for this Project.
Avoidance and Mitigation Measures
SWCA has prepared the following mitigation measures in order to ensure the protection of known and
unknown cultural resources. With the implementation of the following mitigation measures SWCA
recommends that the proposed project will have no impact to cultural resources:
• Retain a Qualified Archaeologist. Hofmann Land Development Company should retain a
qualified archaeologist, defined as an archaeologist who meets the Secretary of the Interior's
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Standards for professional archaeology, to carry out all mitigation measures related to cultural
resources.
• Prepare a Monitoring and Mitigation Program Plan. Prior to the commencement of ground
disturbance, a Tribal Cultural Resources Monitoring and Mitigation Plan (Monitoring Plan) shall
be prepared. The Monitoring Plan shall include, but not be limited to, monitoring protocol for
ground -disturbing activities; a worker training program; and discovery and processing protocol for
inadvertent discoveries of historic properties. The plan should detail a protocol for determining
circumstances in which additional or reduced levels of monitoring (e.g. spot checking) may be
appropriate. The monitoring plan should also establish a protocol for communicating with the Lead
Agency and interested Native American parties.
• Avoid environmentally sensitive areas. Where operationally feasible, all NRHP and CRHR
eligible resources shall be protected from direct project impacts by project redesign (i.e., relocation
of the ground disturbance, ancillary facilities, or temporary facilities or work areas). Avoidance
mechanisms shall include fencing off such areas as Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) for
the duration of the Proposed Project. ESAs shall include the boundary of each historic property
plus a 30 meter radius.
• Worker Training. Prior to the commencement of ground -disturbing activities, at the project
kickoff, the selected qualified archaeologist or their designee will provide a briefing to construction
crews to provide information on regulatory requirements for the protection of cultural resources.
As part of this training, crews will be briefed on proper procedures to follow should unanticipated
cultural resources discoveries be made during construction. Workers will be provided contact
information and protocols to follow if inadvertent discoveries are made. Additionally, workers will
be shown examples of the types of tribal cultural resources that would require notification of the
project archaeologist. If necessary, the project archaeologist can create a training video, PowerPoint
presentation, or printed literature that can be shown to new workers and contractors to avoid
continuous training throughout the life of the project.
• Monitoring for Cultural Resources. Prior to ground disturbance a qualified archaeological
monitor shall be retained to monitor ground -disturbing activities. The duration and timing of the
monitoring shall be determined by the qualified archaeologist in consultation with the Lead
Agency. The archaeological monitor will work under the supervision of the qualified archaeologist.
Specifically only ESAs will require monitoring.
• Inadvertent Cultural Resource Discoveries. In the event that cultural resources are exposed
during excavation, work in the immediate vicinity of the find must stop until a qualified
archaeologist can evaluate the significance of the find. Ground disturbing activities may continue
in other areas. If the discovery proves significant under CEQA (Section 15064.5f; PRC 21082),
additional work such as testing or data recovery may be warranted. Should any tribal cultural
resources be encountered, additional consultation with NAHC-listed tribal groups should be
conducted immediately in coordination with the City.
• Unanticipated Discovery of Human Remains. The discovery of human remains is always a
possibility during ground disturbances; State of California Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5
states that no further disturbance shall occur until the Los Angeles County Coroner has made a
determination of origin and disposition pursuant to PRC Section 5097.98. The Los Angeles County
Coroner must be notified of the find immediately. If the human remains are determined to be
prehistoric, the Coroner will notify the NAHC, which will determine and notify a Most Likely
Descendant (MLD). The MLD shall complete the inspection of the site within 48 hours of
notification and may recommend scientific removal and nondestructive analysis of human remains
and items associated with Native American burials.
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Modern Remains
If the Coroner's Office determines the remains are of modern origin, the appropriate law
enforcement officials will be called by the Coroner and conduct the required procedures. Work will
not resume until law enforcement has released the area.
Archaeological Remains
If the remains are determined to be archaeological in origin and there is no legal question, the
protocol changes depending on whether the discovery site is located on federally or non -federally
owned/managed lands.
Remains discovered on federally owned/managed lands
After the Coroner has determined the remains are archaeological or historic and there is no legal
question, the appropriate Field Office Archaeologist must be called. The archaeologist will initiate
the proper procedures under Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) and/or
NAGPRA. If the remains can be determined to be Native American, the steps as outlined in
NAGPRA, 43 CFR 10.6 Inadvertent discoveries, must be followed.
Resumption of activity. The activity that resulted in the discovery of human remains may resume
after a written, binding agreement is executed between the BLM, lineal descendants, and/or the
federally recognized affiliated Indian Tribe(s) that adopts a recovery plan for the excavation or
removal of the human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony
following 43 CFR §10.3 (b)(1) of these regulations. The disposition of all human remains and
NAGPRA items shall be carried out following 43 CFR § 10.6.
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County, California
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Confidential
Appendix A.
Sacred Lands File Search Results
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
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Appendix B.
DPR Forms
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
APPENDIX REDACTED
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Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
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SWCA Environmental Consultants
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
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SWCA Environmental Consultants
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Confidential
Appendix C.
2006 SWCA Report
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
APPENDIX REDACTED
SWCA Environmental Consultants
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
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SWCA Environmental Consultants
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside
County, California
Confidential
Appendix D.
Results Maps
CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
APPENDIX REDACTED
SWCA Environmental Consultants
Supplemental Cultural Resources Technical Report for the Travertine Development, City of La Quinta, Riverside County, California
SWCA Environmental Consultants