Data Recovery Plan for Archaeological Sites on Private Lands along the SRP Pinal West to Dinosaur Extra-High Voltage Transmission Line, Pinal County, Arizona

Summary

Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (SRP) plans to construct an 88-mile-long extra-high voltage transmission line linking the Pinal West, Santa Rosa, Pinal Central, Abel, and Dinosaur Substations. The project corridor traverses the area from the Maricopa/Pinal County line west of the Ak Chin Indian Community, southeastward and eastward past Casa Grande, Arizona, then roughly northward past Coolidge and Florence, Arizona, ending east of Queen Creek, Arizona, along the western side of the Central Arizona Project Canal (CAP). This document addresses cultural resources identified on private lands between the Pinal West and Dinosaur substations and on private lands at the proposed Pinal Central Substation. Survey of the private lands between the Pinal West and Dinosaur substations was conducted by Henderson and her colleagues (Henderson et. al. 2009). The survey of the Pinal Central Substation was conducted by Clark (2007).

The survey of private lands identified 40 archaeological sites within the transmission line corridor (Henderson et. al. 2009). In addition to the archaeological sites, a low-density artifact scatter was identified in the Gila River floodplain, where prehistoric canals may be present as well (Midvale 1965). Because of the potential for buried features and canals in the floodplain, the area outside of the modern Gila River channel will be treated as an archaeological site for the purposes of this project. Sixteen archaeological sites and the Gila River floodplain have been considered eligible for listing in the Arizona and National Registers of Historic Places (Arizona/National Register) or require further investigations to determine eligibility, and may contain subsurface or surface remains that could be impacted by construction of the transmission line. Twenty-one sites within the transmission line corridor are Historic era linear sites—roads, railways, powerlines, pipelines, and canals—that will be spanned by the proposed transmission line and will not be impacted by its construction. The Arizona Corporation Commission in its issuance of the Certificate for Environmental Compatibility (Decision No. 68093, Case No. 126, Docket No. L00000B-04-0126) for the PW- ABL/BRG Project determined that spanning over Arizona/National Register-eligible historical alignments is an acceptable form of avoidance. Three sites have been determined or are considered ineligible for Arizona/National Register listing so construction will not impact significant cultural resources at these locations. No further discussion of the linear or ineligible sites will be presented in this plan.

This file includes related correspondence.

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, Tempe, AZ

Prepared By(s): Desert Archaeology, Inc.

Submitted To(s): Salt River Project

Record Identifiers

Case No.(s): 126

Arizona Corporation Commission Certificate of Environmental Compatibility Docket No.(s): L00000B-04-0126

SHPO no.(s): 2004-1973 (21790)

File Information