3.7 CULTURAL RESOURCES 3. 7 .1 Existing Conditions Information provided within the cultural resource overview of the Salton Sea Anomaly area has been obtained from: record search data (Imperial Valley College Museum and San Diego Museum of Man); survey/excavation reports (Rogers 1966; Mccown 1953-1957; Gallegos 1980); and personal communication (Gallegos 1981). A detailed cultural resource overview is located in Appendix 3. 7 of this report. The liter­ ature search survey encompasses a 111,444 acre (45,119 ha) study region. Moreover, approximately 54 percent of the study area is covered by the Salton Sea. The entire project area contains recorded evidence of historic and prehistoric occupation/land use. At various times in the prehistoric past the study region was covered by a large inter­ mittent body of water referred to as Lake Cahuilla. The anthropological implications of the former lake are outstanding. Lake Cahuilla created a rich environment for fish, shellfish, birds, mammals and man during the past 2000 years. This data as pertains to the Salton Sea Anomaly area is best preserved along the relict 40-foot MSL (12 m) shoreline. The studies of Malcolm Rogers and B.E. Mccowan stand out as being the most interesting for the amount and kinds of materials encountered. Radiocarbon dates identify these areas as post AD 1400. Sites contain .a range of materials, including midden, bone, shell, pottery, lithics, milling tools and charcoal. Rogers reports one resource located within the study area as a four-mile long occupation site. During the J past four decades much has passed to change the character of cultural resources along the relict shoreline; natural agencies, gravel quarries, water conveyances and access roads, plus recreational activities have all disturbed a large share of archaeological sites. An expressed objective of an overview of this nature is to provide management planners with a summary of cultural resource sensitivity zones. A hierarchy of poten­ tial sensitive archaeological regions has been established and is depicted on Figure 3.7-1, A site map of all recorded cultural resources in the study area has been prepared and is on file with the Imperial County.Planning Department. The current overview proposes the following classifications: • Major: This designation identifies regions as having known or prob­ able archaeological resources of a highly sensitive nature. Assess­ ment is based upon extant records, previous field work and personal communications. As pertains to the current project, this region is best exemplified along the relict 40-foot MSL (12 m) shoreline of former Lake Cahuilla. Recorded site locales generally reflect those 3. 7-1 ~~~~WESTEC Services. Inc. ;ea\:evel i969 -i---- 1 I I I I I ,-I 1 - ------I I l I I --, -J ! I ---r ---r-·7--, j I I i - +-+- J I I L.--.J '.=-:; I j feet 2000 FIGURE Cultural Resource Sensitivity Regions 3.7-1 j 3.7-2 l material remains indicative of substantial cultural occupation, i.e., house pits, hearths, food remains, cremations, and assorted tools. In addition, sites regarded as being highly sensitive would also include areas of religious significance to native Americans such as rock art, cremations, and rock alignments. Obsidian Butte is considered a cul­ tural resource of major sensitivity; however, quarry activities are presently being conducted here to extract material for dike construc­ tion. • Moderate: This designation is based upon the likelihood of encoun­ tering archaeological re mains in areas not previously surveyed, but in proximity to recorded site locales. Within the study area, this region refers to "undisturbed" land below the relict shoreline (40 ft MSL; 12 m) to the present-day Salton Sea shoreline. Incorporated within this category would be Red lsland, Mullet Island, and Rock Hill. These relict volcanic features are regarded by investigators as having potential sensitivity based upon their geologic uniqueness as possible lithic source material. • Minimum: The low designation encompasses areas which have been irreversibly altered by land development in the recent historic period, specifically, all cultivated lands within the entire study region. Acreage considered as having minimum archaeological sensitivity would include the Salton Sea and marshlands. Record search data indicates farmlands did contain evidence of Native American land use (Washburn 1856). Unfortunately, the aboriginal trails, mesquite groves, and fresh water sources have been reported destroyed (von Werlhof 1978). 3.7.2 Impacts For the purposes of this study, adverse impacts to cultural resource areas are defined as those alterations in landform that are a function of proposed geothermal development, i.e., power plant construction, well-pad locations, transmission lines, access road grading, use of parcels as equipment staging areas, etc. Inasmuch as geo­ thermal development on sensitive archaeological and/or historical sites does not appear likely, little in the way of adverse impacts is expected. Nevertheless, in order to minimize impacts (direct, indirect and cumulative) on cultural resources, known sites plus the potential resource areas described above should be avoided to the maximum 3.7-3 extent possible. Despite previously reported impacts to sensitive cultural resource areas, a wealth of significant data can be preserved, or, if necessary, mitigated through effective cultural resource management. 3.7.3 Mitigation Measures Management policy for the protection and preservation of cultural resources should be one of site avoidance whenever possible. The relict Lake Cahuilla 40-foot (12 m) eastern shoreline should be seriously considered a major, potentially sensitive archaeological area to be avoided. If conflicts with cultural resources cannot be avoided, then mitigating programs should be developed and outlined to conform to acceptable professional procedures. Site specific archaeological investigations in con­ junction with geothermal development would be required per appropriate guidelines established by the involved government agencies, e.g., federal, state, or local. Pro­ posed development on federal lands would require direct involvement with the Depart­ ment of the Interior under the auspices of the Bureau of Land Management. These laws begin with the Antiquities Act of 1906, and Public Law 96-95. Other federal mandates directly or indirectly applicable include the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Executive Order No. 11593 of 1971, Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, Historic Sites Act of 1935, Council on Environmental Quality Guidelines, and Proce­ dures of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Archaeological studies con­ ducted on private and state owned lands come under the regulations specified within the California Environmental Quality Act of 1970 (CEQA). It is beyond this scope of this overview to provide specific mitigation mea­ sures, though, based upon an in-field reconnaissance, a field study may include con­ trolled surface artifact collection and excavations as necessary. Research orientation for each site requiring impact mitigation should address regional research questions developed by previous fieldwork including: Rogers (1966), Mccown (9153-1957), Wilke (1978), Eckhardt (1979), Gallegos (1980), and Phillips and Carrico (1981). Moreover, consultation with Native American representatives should be attempted prior to actual in-field examinations. 3.7-4 I I 3.8 LAND USE 3.8.1 Existing Conditions e 3.8.1.1 Land Use Plans and Programs a. Imperial County General Plan The study area is under the planning jurisdiction of the Imperial County General Plan. Various elements of the County's General Plan, the Ultimate Land Use Plan, Open Space Element, Conservation Element, and Geothermal Element, express the goals, objectives and policies which are the premises upon which land use I planning in the County is based. Goals, objectives and policies according to general categories of concern addressed within each element as they pertain to the proposed I amendment of the Geothermal Overlay Zone are outlined in Appendix 3.8. 1. Ultimate Land Use Plan Designations Five land use classifications given by the Ultimate Land l Use Plan (Imperial County, 1973) cover the study area as illustrated on Figure 3.8-1. General Agriculture: The majority of the land within the study area is designated Gen­ l eral Agriculture. All agricultural zones are deemed consistent within the general agri­ culture land use classification and commercial and industrial zones may be consistent. I Certain agriculture-related industries such as feed lots and cotton gins are permitted in designated zones. In agricultural areas, urban, commercial and industrial type uses may be autlx>rized upon granting a conditional use permit (Imperial County 1973). Preserva­ J tion: Within the study area, the Preservation classification includes the Alamo River and the majority of the Salton Sea and its slx>reline. The Preservation land use classifi­ cation encompasses land containing wildlife sanctuaries, historical monuments, archae­ ological remains, and unique geologic areas. It is intended that these areas be pre­ served to the maximum extent feasible (Imperial County, 1973). Recreation: The approximate northern one-third of the study area, east and west of Highway 111, is classified Recreation. Areas classified for recreational land use are located in the vicinity of natural scenic and recreational attractions. These typically encompass areas adjacent to navigable bodies