HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCLWD GOLDEN CURRANT WATER LINE - SPA200002 - SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS - ROUND 1 - SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATIONHistory Colorado- Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation
COLORADO CULTURAL RESOURCE SURVEY
LIMITED-RESULTS CULTURAL RESOURCE SURVEY FORM
OAHP 1420
Revised
9/98
This form (#1420) is for small scale limited results projects - block surveys less than 160 acres with
linear surveys under four miles. Additionally, there should be no sites and a maximum of four Isolated
Finds. This form must be typed.
I. IDENTIFICATION
1. Report Title (include County): A Class III Pedestrian Survey of the Proposed Golden Current
Waterline in Larimer County, Colorado
2. Date of Field Work: April 23, 2019
3. Form completed by: Thomas Carr Date: April 26, 2019
4. Survey Organization/Agency: Pinyon Environmental
Address: 3222 South Vance Street, Lakewood, CO, 80227
Principal Investigator: Thomas Carr
Principal Investigator's Signature: ______________________________
5. Lead Agency: City of Fort Collins
Land Owner: City of Fort Collins
6. Client: CivilWorx, LLC.
7. Permit Type and Number: Colorado Archaeological Permit, State Wide Survey 2019-73801
Report / Contract Number: 119126001
9. Comments: None
II. DESCRIPTION OF UNDERTAKING / PROJECT
10. Type of Undertaking: The project would install a new 20-inch diameter waterline approximately
six feet underground. The typical trench section would be about six-feet wide with a trench box.
Soil stockpiles, vehicle traffic, and surface disturbance would be limited to 30-feet on either
side of the waterline. This 60-foot-wide area along the waterline comprises the project area.
Conventional excavation equipment, including diesel-powered hydraulic excavators and front-
end loaders would be used to construct the new waterline.
11. Size of Undertaking (acres): 8.26 Acres Size of Project (if different): NA
12. Nature of the Anticipated Disturbance: Excavation of soil to approximately six feet deep for the
construction of a water pipeline.
13. Comments: None
III. PROJECT LOCATION
Please attach a photocopy of USGS Quad. clearly showing the project location. The Quad. should be
clearly labeled with the Prime Meridian, Township, Range, Section(s), Quad. map name, size, and
date. Please do not reduce or enlarge the photocopy.
14. Description: The project is located at the western edge of the City of Fort Collins, in Larimer
County, Colorado within the Maxwell Natural Area. The survey area begins at the entrance to the
Maxwell Natural Area and ends at two large water tanks, approximately .73-miles to the northwest.
15. Legal Location: Quad. Map: Horsetooth Reservoir, 1962
Principal Meridian: 6th
NOTE: Only generalized subdivision ("quarter quarters") within each section is needed
Township: 7N Range: 69W Sec.: 17 SE 1/4s & SW 1/4s
If section(s) is irregular, explain alignment method: NA
16. Total number of acres surveyed: 8.26 Acres
17. Comments: Final design has not yet been completed for this project, and potential impacts are
unknown at this time. However, several programmatic agreements (PAs) have been developed
exempting the USACE from Section 106 consultation for certain project actives for which this
project may qualify.
IV. ENVIRONMENT
18. General Topographic Setting: The general setting is foothills transition zone with mixed grass
and scrubland. The natural drainages have been heavily modified by the Big Thompson Project, but
in general the area water feeds into the Cache La Poudre River, located to the north of the project
area.
Current Land Use: City of Fort Collins Natural Area
19. Flora: The area is mostly mixed grass, generally comprising of these species: blue gramma
(Bouteloua gracilis), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), needle-and-thread (Hesperostipa
comata), green needle grass (Stipa viridula), scurfpea, scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea),
and yucca (yucca glauca). The area also contains mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus)
rabbit brush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), three-leaf sumac (Rhus trilobata) and some woods rose
(rosa woodsii).
20. Soils/Geology: The eastern portion of the survey area consists of Nunn series clay loam and
Kim series loam, while the western portion is primarily Satanta series loam up against Haplustolls
rock outcrop complexes.
21. Ground Visibility: Ground visibility varies between 10% and 50%, with most of the survey area
covered by thick grasses.
22. Comments: None
V. LITERATURE REVIEW
23. Location of File Search: OAHP/COMPASS, USGS online Date: April 25, 2019
24. Previous Survey Activity - In the project area: There have been two previous surveys that
crosscut small sections of the study area by Bill Butler (1999) and Mary Painter (2004).
In the general region: There was also a large-scale survey of the area around Horse Tooth
Reservoir located to the west by Robert Mutaw (1990).
25. Known Cultural Resources - In the project area: A review of the COMPASS database
maintained by the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP) indicated no known or
previously surveyed archaeological resources within the study area. Newly identified archaeological
resources were not located during a pedestrian survey of the project area. A review of the COMPASS
database maintained by OAHP indicated one previously recorded historic resource in the study area –
the Dixon Feder Canal (5LR.1346). The Dixon Feeder Canal is a supporting component of the
Colorado Big Thompson Project National Register Historic District (5LR.9611). Historic linear
resources are typically treated as historic resources, even when they have associated historical
archaeological features. No associated historical archaeological features were observed in this
survey.
The Dixon Feeder Canal was constructed in 1950 under authorization granted by Presidential
approval dated December 21, 1937, which approved the Secretary of the Interior's Finding of
Feasibility for the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. The canal was constructed to replace private
facilities that diverted water from Dixon Creek and were destroyed by construction of Dixon Canyon
Dam (CBTE004). The contract for construction of the Dixon Feeder Canal was awarded to
Lindstrom & Williams on July 20,1950. The canal was completed by the end of 1950. This resource
and other Big Thompson resources in the general area are discussed by Laurie Summons (1999). As
of the date of this survey, the condition of the canal appears to be good and appears to have been
recently cleared of debris. The newly constructed pipeline would pass underneath the Dixon Feeder
Canal and parallel it for approximately 320-meters. Trenching through the canal may be required to
accommodate new waterline construction. The pre-construction contours of the ditch would be
restored within 30 days of completion of the work.
If impacts to jurisdictional Waters of the US (WUS) are anticipated from project activities, impacts
to WUS should be quantified and submitted to the USACE in a request for authorization under
Section 404 of the CWA. Should a 404 permit be required, project work meets the requirements of
“Appendix 1, Item 1: Trenching Through a Ditch” contained in the Programmatic Agreement among
the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Albuquerque District, the United States Army Corps of
Engineers, Sacramento District, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, the
Colorado State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Regarding Standard Treatment of Ditches Determined Eligible for inclusion on the National Register
of Historic Places and Certain Exempt Activities in the State of Colorado [USACE Standard
Treatment of Ditches PA]. Therefore, this project would be exempt from Section 106 consultation.
In the general region (summarize): Some of the resources identified by Mutaw (1990) to the west of
Horsetooth Reservoir included various isolated prehistoric lithics such as biface fragments,
prehistoric open camps and lithic scatters, historic occupations, historic trash scatters, and stone
quarries. No resources of this nature are recorded for the current study area.
26. Expected Results: Based on the previous survey data, the existing Dixon Feeder Canal was the
only resource know to be in the study area. Based on the sites documented by Mutaw (1990), there
was also the possibility of undocumented prehistoric lithic scatters.
VI. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES
27. The main objective was to visually survey and identify any cultural resources that might be
impacted by the proposed drainage improvements. Any resources would need to be evaluated for
their potential eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and to make
management and/or mitigation recommendations.
VII. FIELD METHODS
28. Definitions:
Prehistoric site – any locality exhibiting structures or features (e.g., stone circle or hearth) or
having five or more artifacts in apparent association with one another and occurring within a
restricted area.
Historic site – any structural remnant (e.g., house, outbuilding, root cellar), trash concentration
or scatter suggesting residential or industrial use of the area, with a minimum age of 50 years.
Prehistoric isolated find – nonstructural remains consisting of four or fewer artifacts.
Historic isolated find – individual historic artifacts or small clusters of artifacts that do not
represent established refuse dumps, with a minimum age of 50 years.
29. Describe Survey Method: The author walked two survey lines that paralleled the center line of
the proposed pipeline course.
VIII. RESULTS
30. List IFs if applicable. Indicate IF locations on the map completed for Part III.
No isolated finds were observed.
31. Using your professional knowledge of the region, why are there none or very limited cultural
remains in the project area? Is there subsurface potential?
It is my professional opinion the limited identification of cultural resources in the study area is due to
the relatively low site density for the surrounding region. The likelihood of encountering buried
archaeological deposits is low. It is recommended to use caution when working around the Dixon
Feeder Canal to avoid disturbing this resource.
References:
Butler, Bill
1999 Cultural Resource Survey of Four Bureau of Reclamation Water Supply Canals in Larimer
County, Colorado, LR.R.R38, for Rocky Mountain National Park, on file at Colorado Office of
Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Denver, CO
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation. Colorado-Big Thompson Project Technical
Record of Design and Construction, Volume I, Planning Legislation, and General Description.
Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1957.
Mutaw, Robert
1990 Horsetooth Reservoir North Shoreline Cultural Resources Inventory Larimer County, Colorado
LR.R.R4 Powers Elevation, on file at Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation,
Denver, CO
Painter, Mary W.
2004 A Class III Cultural Resource Inventory of the Proposed Western Area Power Administration
Laporte Tap to Dixon Creek And Richard Lake Tap to Timnath Substation 115/230kv Transmission
Line Upgrade, Larimer County, Colorado, LR.E.R6, Centennial Archaeology, Inc., for the
Department Of Energy, on file at Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Denver,
CO
Simmons, R. Laurie
1999 Cultural Resource Survey of Four Bureau Of Reclamation Water Supply Canals in Larimer
County, Colorado LR.R.R38 Rocky Mountain National Park, on file at Colorado Office of
Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Denver, CO
Locator Map – The project is located in eastern Larimer County, Colorado
Survey Map – The survey area starts just west of South Overland Trail and ends at the water towers
within the Maxwell Natural Area. The legal location is 6
th
Principal Meridian, Township 7 North,
Range 69 West, Section 17, crossing the Southeast and Southwest quarter-sections.