Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District and Riparian Restoration Project

Archaeological Survey for the Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District’s Fencing, Stockwater, and Riparian Restoration Project, Montague, Siskiyou County, CA

Improve Water Quality:

The Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District (SVRCD) was awarded funds under the Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program. These funds will be used to implement projects that will improve water quality by decreasing water temperatures in the Shasta River and its tributaries.

Lowered temperatures will be possible through improved agricultural water and grazing management.  These improvements will benefit not only the important tributaries but also the Klamath River. The project involves the construction of long sections of electric and barbed wire fences, livestock watering troughs, and access points at three ranch properties.  The purpose is to keep the livestock out of the streams and rivers while providing alternative water access points.

Evaluation:

Senior Archaeologist and Historian Mr. Mengers served as the project PI.  He managed PanGIS staff in creating GIS mapping, ordering the record search and the Sacred Lands Search from the NAHC. 

 Mr. Mengers managed a staff that conducted the intensive linear ground surveys around the fence and trough locations. Since the Project is located on long-established ranch lands, research was conducted on the history of the Newton, Lemos, Hull, and Sandahl ranch properties through the Siskiyou County Historical Society (SCHS).

Research sources included the SCHS annual publication Siskiyou Pioneer and conversations with current property owners, descendants of the original ranch families. This research was intended to assist with the evaluation of undocumented historical resources encountered during the field survey. 

 He also wrote the technical report detailing the study findings. The Shasta Valley has a rich Native American, mining, and ranching history.  The purpose of this survey was to provide constraints information to assist the SVRCD and the County of Siskiyou in their compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).