The Mead To Phoenix 500kV Transmission Line Project: An Archaeological Survey of Expanded Right-of-Way for Cable Pulling at Eight Point-of-Turn Towers

Summary

SWCA, Inc., Environmental Consultants (SWCA), conducted a comprehensive Class III archaeological survey of expanded right-of-way at eight point-of-turn towers as part of ongoing cultural resources compliance for the Mead to Phoenix 500kV Transmission line project (Figure 1). These activities constituted only one phase of cultural resource compliance for this project undertaken by SWCA for Salt River Project (SRP). Other phases relevant to this project include relocation and re-evaluation (Anduze and Sorrel 1994) of sites previously recorded during survey of the Mead to Phoenix project right-of-way (Keller 1986); survey of construction access roads (Purcell and Chadderdon 1995); survey of additional cable-pulling towers in Arizona (Payton and Purcell 1995) and Nevada (Seymour and Purcell 1995); and monitoring of eligible archaeological sites during construction (Purcell 1995). Figure 1 illustrates the Mead to Phoenix project area.

Construction of the Mead to Phoenix 500kV Transmission Line (Mead-Phoenix) began in January 1994 at the Westwing Addition to the Westwing Substation, located north of Sun City, Arizona. The eight towers investigated during this survey have already been constructed. Tower 727 is located in Yavapai County, Arizona. Towers 932, 973, 1003, 1046, 1066, 1067, and 1074 are located in Maricopa County. Each expanded right-of-way area surveyed is described below in Tables 1 and 2. Survey was undertaken under U.S. Department of the Interior (USDI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Cultural Use Permit AZ-000114 (dated February 2, 1994) and Arizona State Museum General Survey Permit No. 94-9. Installation of transmission cable requires that the wire-spool truck be located a distance from the tower to which it is adjacent of at least four times the height of the tower, and in a location that is level, in line with the towers in the direction of installation, and a safe distance from existing high-voltage overhead cables. SRP has requested an 800-foot arc to provide sufficient space to accommodate these needs and avoid sensitive cultural and biological resources.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Salt River Project Digital Library

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Salt River Project Cultural Resource Manager

Repository(s): Salt River Project

Prepared By(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

Submitted To(s): Salt River Project

Record Identifiers

Salt River Project Library Call No.(s): E78.M54P971995

Salt River Project Library Barcode No.(s): 00090851

Phase(s): 3

SWCA Project No.(s): 23-93414

SWCA Archaeological Report No.(s): 94-116

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