• Appendix C Cultural Resource • Constraint Analysis • • CULTURAL RESOURCE CONSTRAINT ANALYSIS FOR THE WETLANDS AND SEDIMENTATION BASIN SITES NEW AND ALAMO RIVERS IMPERIAL COUNTY, CALIFORNIA • Report Prepared for: Helix EnvilJ(mmental Planning, Inc. Decembet.l2001 • Kyle Consulting • CULTURAL RESOURCE CONSTRAINT ANALYSIS FOR THE WETLANDS AND SEDIMENTATION BASIN SITES NEW AND ALAMO RIVERS IMPERIAL COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Prepared for: Prepared by: Helix Environmental Planning, Inc. Kyle Consulting 8100 La Mesa Boulevard, Suite 150 2495 Bartel Place La Mesa, California 91941-6476 San Diego, California 92123 (619) 462-1515 (8.58) 569-0534 National Archaeolo~cal Data Base Infoonation: • Type of Study: literature review, record search, and windshield check Area Covered: The New and Alamo River alignments between the Salton Sea and the U.S.lMexico International Border Sites Previously Recorded Within Study Area: New River: CA-IMP-889, CA-IMP-890, CA-IMP-1692, CA-IMP-1693, CA-IMP-3333-H, CA-IMP-3334-H, CA-IrvtP-3679, CA-[MP-7644, CA-IrvtP-7645 Alamo River: CA-IMP-3288-H Isolates Previously Recorded Within Study Area: Sites Newly Recorded: None 7.5' USGS Quadrangles: Alamo River: Niland, Westmoreland East Weist Alamorio, Holtville West, Holtville East, and Bonds Comer, California New River: Westmoreland West, Westmoreland East, BraWley. Seeley, Mount Signal, and Heber, California Key Words: Prehistoric trails, historic trails, historic stageline, historic resources. recommendations include field surveys for selected sites, testing, research G,n~Ci?- Project Archaeologist • December 200 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS • SECTION NAME fA!lE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 111 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Project Location 1-1 1.2 Project Description 1-1 1.3 New River 1-3 1.4 Alamo River 1-19 2 PREHISTORIC AND HISTORIC BACKGROUND 2.1 Background 2-1 2.1.1 Prehistory 2-1 2.1.2 History 2-2 3 LITERATURE REVIEW AND RECORD SEARCH RESULTS FOR THE PROPOSED NEW RIVER SITES • 3.1 Record Search Results for the New River 3-1 4 LITERATURE REVIEW AND RECORD SEARCH RESULTS FOR THE ALAMO RIVER SITES 4.1 Record Search Results for the Alamo River 4-1 5 DEfERMINATION OF SITE SIGNIFICANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 Determining Site Significance 5-1 5.1.1 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 5-1 5.1.2 Federal Procedures and Policies 5-1 5.2 Discussion and Recommendations 5-2 6 REFERENCES CITED 6-1 • TABLE OF CONTENTS, CONTINUED LIST OF FIGURES • FIGURE NAME bill; 1-1 Regional Location of Study Area 1-2 1-2 Location of Site NR 2 1-4 1-3 Location of Sites NR 8 and NR 9 1-6 1-4 Location of Sites NR 12, NR 13, NR 14, and NR 15 1-7 1-5 Location of site NR 16 1-9 1-6 Location of Site NR 17 1-11 1-7 Location of Site NR 18 1-12 1-8 Location of Site NR 20 1-13 1-9 Location of Site NR 21 1-14 1-10 Location of Site NR 22 1-15 1-11 Location of Sites NR 26, NR 28, and NR 29 1-17 1-12 Location of Sites NR 30, NR 31, and NR 32 1-18 1-13 Location of Sites NR 33 and NR 34 1-20 1-14 Location of Sites NR 40 and NR 41 1-21 1-15 Location of Sites AR 13 and AR 14 1-23 • 1-16 Location of Sites AR 16, AR 17, AR 18, and AR 19 1-24 1-17 Location of Sites AR 20 and AR 21 1-26 1-18 Location of Site AR 22 1-27 1-19 Location of Site AR 23 1-28 1-20 Location of Site AR 24 1-29 1-21 Location of Sites AR 27 and AR 28 1-31 1-22 Location of Site AR 29 1-32 1-23 Location of Site AR 30 1-33 1-24 Location of Site AR 37 1-34 3-1* NR 16 showing Sites CA-IMP-1692, CA-IMP-1693, 3-3 CA-IMP-3333H, and CA-IMP-3334H 3-2* NR 18 showing Location of CA-IMP-889 and CA-IMP-890 3-5 3-3* NR 20 Showing Location of CA-IMP-7644 and CA-IMP-7645 3-6 3-4* NR 33 Showing Location of CA-IMP-3679 3-9 4-1* AR 14 Showing Location of CA-IMP-3288H 4-2 • ji EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TITLE: Cultural Resource Constraint Analysis for the • Wetlands and Sedimentation Basin Sites New and Alamo Rivers Imperial County, California AUTHORS: Carolyn E. Kyle Kyle Consulting 2495 Bartel Place San Diego, California 92123 DATE: December 200 1 SOURCE OF COPIES: Southeast Information Center Office of Historic Preservation Imperial Valley College Desert Museum Ocotillo, California 92259 ABSTRACT: This study included a literature review, record search, and windshield survey of the New River and the Alamo River between the Salton Sea and the U.S./Mexico International Border in Imperial County, California. The windshield survey was completed on November 12 and 13, 2001 by Carolyn Kyle and Robert Kyle. The study was conducted in compliance with state (CEQA) guidelines. The proposed project is to construct wetland and sedimentation basin sites along the New and Alamo rivers that will help to remove agricultural, sewage, and industrial wastes from the river water before it flows into the Salton • Sea. A previous study by Nolte Associates, Inc. (2001) identified and categorized proposed sites for feasibility. This study is a constraint level analysis of those areas identified as Category 1 and 2 sites. The final development sites will be selected based on the results of constraint studies. The literature review and record search identified few previous studies or recorded cultural resources within the proposed site areas. Historic research has identified use of the New River basin as an Indian Trail that was later used as the Southern Immigrant Trail used by the forty-niners, military teams, and Anglos moving to California. In 1858 the route between the USlMexico International Border became part of the Butterfield Overland Mail route between San Antonio and San Diego. The County of Imperial General Plan has identified the Alamo and New rivers as areas with the potential for significant cultural resources. Recommendations include an intensive survey of all selected areas that have not been surveyed within the last five years. Cultural resources identified during field surveys will need to be tested to determine significance/importance. Cultural resources identified as significant will need to be protected by avoidance or a data recovery program designed to mitigate construction impacts will be necessary. • iii TABLE OF CONTENTS, CONTINUED LIST OF APPENDICES • LETTER NAME A* Record Search Results A-I *Bound Separately in Confidential Appendix • • iii SECTION 1 • INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROJECT LOCATION The current study for the New and Alamo River project includes a literature review, record search, and windshield survey of the New River and the Alamo River between the Salton Sea and the US.lMexico International Border (Figure 1-1). The New and Alamo rivers are "international rivers" with headwaters in Meixco, entering the United States in Imperial County. The rivers travel through the City of Mexicali across the International Border and into the Imperial Valley at Calexico, California, meandering through agricultural fields and the cities of El Centro, Brawley, Seeley, and Calipatria until the rivers empty into the Salton Sea .. The study area for the New River is shown on the Westmoreland West, Westmoreland East, Brawley, Seeley, Mount Signal, and Heber, California USGS Quadrangle maps (Figure 1- 2). The study area for the Alamo River is shown on the Nilan, Westmoreland East, Weist, Alamorio, Holtville West, Holtville East, and Bonds comer, California (Figure 1-3). The study was conducted in compliance with state (CEQA) guidelines. Literature infonnation • and site records on previously identified cultural resources were obtained from the Southeast Infonnation Center at the Imperial Valley College Desert Museum (Appendix A). The resume of Ms. Kyle is included as Appendix B. 1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The New and Alamo rivers acquire pollutants from both American and Mexican sources as the rivers flow from their headwaters to the Salton Sea. Pollutants in Mexicali come from sewage and industrial activities. Pollutants in Imperial County are mostly derived from agricultural wastes. These pollutants are causing an impact on the Salton Sea. Prior to the current study a reconnaissance inventory completed by Nolte Associates, Inc. (2001) for the County of Imperial on behalf of the Citizens Congressional Task Force on the New River. The study examined potential wetland and sedimentation basin sites for the New and Alamo rivers using existing survey information, topographic maps, aerial • photographs, and site visits. The purpose of the wetland and sedimentation 1-1 Kvle Consulting Wetland and Sedimentation Basin Project • 10 SAU!!H SEA l'ES1l8ASE • . ' S!TON SEA . TIOHAL ~II,.· IFE REF~GE l. 13 I ~\ 14 "y IS' • 15 '6 Yuha. Desert Scale: No Scale Source: United States Department of the Interior Geological Survey: t State of California, South Half NORTH Figure 1-1 Regional Location of Study Area 1-2 • --------------------------------- basin sites will be to help remove the contamination of the Salton Sea and to control sediment flow into the sea which is an important wildlife refuge. Water treatment with the • use of wetlands will help create wildlife habitats and increase the biodiversity and recreational potential of both rivers. Selection criteria for feasible wetland andlor sedimentation basin construction sites included presence of drop structures, water discharges from agricultural drains andlor municipal discharges, bank heights, surrounding land use, accessibility, existing vegetation, topographic properties, and site location. Based on this review potential sites were broadly classified as: • Category 1 sites are those that are feasible because of gravity flow characteristics.