San Carlos Reservoir Study in Gila, Graham, and Pinal Counties, Arizona

USDI Bureau of Reclamation, Phoenix Area Office

San Carlos Reservoir Study in Gila, Graham, and Pinal Counties, Arizona

Summary

At the request of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Affairs' San Carlos Irrigation Project (SCIP), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) undertook a Class III cultural resources inventory on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in the vicinity of San Carlos Reservoir, developed a cultural affiliation statement for human remains and associated objects encountered within the project area, and prepared an overview and needs assessment for cultural resources that may be adversely affected by activities related to the use and maintenance of San Carlos Reservoir.

The San Carlos Apache Tribe sought the establishment of a minimum pool in San Carlos Reservoir to prevent a total drawdown of the reservoir and a resulting catastrophic fish kill and loss of revenue from sport fishing and other reservoir-related recreational activities. The San Carlos Apache Tribe was also concerned with the effect fluctuating water levels was having on cultural resources located along the perimeter of the reservoir, particularly the possible exposure of human remains.

Reclamation undertook the survey and cultural affiliation study to examine the impacts fluctuating water levels had on cultural resources, identify resources that had been adversely affected by erosion, and evaluate ways to mitigate these impacts to sites along the reservoir shoreline.