Analysis of spatial characteristics and traditional knowledge of freshwater springs as a foundation for predictive settlement modeling and identification of submarine groundwater discharge

Summary

Modeling of late Pleistocene and early Holocene coastal regions in the northern Channel Islands and globally has provided important foundations for understanding impacts of sea level rise on the archaeological record, near coastal communities and environments during the past 20,000 years. A complex, effective model of suitable coastal locations for human settlement and habitation takes into account myriad variables, including resources such as water and less-quantifiable, cultural causes. The research reported here details initial research into forms of local and traditional knowledge about freshwater, and reports on geospatial analysis of freshwater on Santa Catalina Island, one of the southern Channel Islands off the coast of southern California. With Stage Three water rationing being instituted, freshwater sources play an ever more important role in sustaining Catalina Island. Spring locations, terrain parameters, geology, and landscape parameters, including elevation, slope, aspect, land cover, and geology were analyzed. These data comprise a foundation for our surveys to define and document submarine groundwater discharge around Catalina Island; support a fuller understanding of the water balance and hydrological systems; and are valuable in modeling human settlement, past, present, and future, on this island.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 17595