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Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Document
ARLIS Uniform Cover Page
Title:
Cultural resources study, Study plan Section 13.5 : Initial study report --
Part A: Sections 1-6, 8-10
SuWa 223
Author(s) – Personal:
Author(s) – Corporate:
Northern Land Use Research Alaska LLC, Charles M. Mobley & Associates, URS Corporation,
Ahtna, Inc., [and] Gwanshii
AEA-identified category, if specified:
Initial study report
AEA-identified series, if specified:
Series (ARLIS-assigned report number):
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project document number 223
Existing numbers on document:
Published by:
[Anchorage : Alaska Energy Authority, 2014]
Date published:
June 2014
Published for:
Alaska Energy Authority
Date or date range of report:
Volume and/or Part numbers:
Final or Draft status, as indicated:
Document type:
Pagination:
102 pages in various pagings
Related work(s):
The following parts of Section 13.5 appear in separate files:
Part A ; Part B ; Part C.
Pages added/changed by ARLIS:
Notes:
Contents: Part A. Sections 1-6, 8-10 -- Appendix A. Plan for unanticipated discovery of cultural
resources and human remains. Review draft (6/20/12) -- Appendix B. Susitna-Watana
Hydroelectric Project interview questions protocol -- Appendix C. Letter from Ahtna, Inc. to the
members of the Ahtna Lands Committee, June 14, 2013 -- Appendix D. Summary of known cultural
resources -- Appendix E. Western Ahtna land use 1880 to 2013.
All reports in the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Document series include an ARLIS-
produced cover page and an ARLIS-assigned number for uniformity and citability. All reports
are posted online at http://www.arlis.org/resources/susitna-watana/
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project
(FERC No. 14241)
Cultural Resources Study
Study Plan Section 13.5
Initial Study Report
Part A: Sections 1-6, 8-10
Prepared for
Alaska Energy Authority
Prepared by
Northern Land Use Research Alaska LLC
Charles M. Mobley & Associates
URS Corporation
Ahtna, Inc.
Gwanshii
June 2014
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FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page i June 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1
2. Study Objectives................................................................................................................ 2
3. Study Area ......................................................................................................................... 3
3.1. Area of Potential Direct Effect ............................................................................... 3
3.2. Area of Potential Indirect Effect ............................................................................. 3
4. Methods and Variances IN 2013 ...................................................................................... 4
4.1. Previous Surveys ..................................................................................................... 4
4.1.1. Variances......................................................................................... 6
4.2. Locational Model and Survey Strategy................................................................... 6
4.2.1. Variances......................................................................................... 6
4.3. Survey Strategy and Phasing of Field Investigations in the Direct APE ................ 6
4.3.1. Variances......................................................................................... 8
4.4. Survey Strategy and Phasing of Field Investigations in the Indirect APE ............. 8
4.4.1. Variances......................................................................................... 8
4.5. Mapping-Related Activities .................................................................................... 8
4.5.1. Variances......................................................................................... 9
4.6. Ethnogeography-Related Activities ........................................................................ 9
4.6.1. Variances ..................................................................................... 10
4.7. Synthesis and Analysis Activities ......................................................................... 10
4.7.1. Variances....................................................................................... 10
4.8. Unanticipated Discoveries Protocol ...................................................................... 10
4.8.1. Variances....................................................................................... 11
4.9. Archaeological Internship and Additional Workforce .......................................... 11
4.9.1. Variances....................................................................................... 11
5. Results .............................................................................................................................. 12
5.1. Ethnogeography Investigation .............................................................................. 12
5.1.1. Regional Elders Conference ......................................................... 13
5.1.2. Archived Ahtna Language Interviews .......................................... 13
5.1.3. Archived English Language Interviews ........................................ 13
5.1.4. Contemporary English Language Interviews ................................ 14
5.1.5. Place Name Mapping and Ethnogeography .................................. 15
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5.1.6. Trail Mapping ............................................................................... 16
5.2. Archaeological Investigation ................................................................................ 16
5.2.1. Inventory ....................................................................................... 16
5.2.2. Locational Modeling ..................................................................... 18
5.2.3. Testing........................................................................................... 18
5.2.4. Laboratory Analyses ..................................................................... 19
5.2.5. Synthesis ....................................................................................... 19
5.3. Facilities Survey.................................................................................................... 19
6. Discussion......................................................................................................................... 20
6.1. Ethnogeography Investigation .............................................................................. 20
6.2. Archaeological Investigation ................................................................................ 21
7. Completing the Study ..................................................................................................... 21
8. Literature Cited .............................................................................................................. 21
9. Tables ............................................................................................................................... 25
10. Figures .............................................................................................................................. 36
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.2-1. Datasets Used in Project Model 1 ........................................................................... 25
Table 4.2-2. Classified Variables Examined in Project Locational Modeling ............................ 26
Table 5.1-1. Selected Western Ahtna Recordings from the Alaska Native Language Center .... 27
Table 5.1-2. Selected Western Ahtna Recordings from archives of the Ahtna Heritage
Foundation ............................................................................................................................ 29
Table 5.1-3. Sample of Recordings Ordered as A, B, and C Texts ............................................. 32
Table 5.1-4. Interviews on Contemporary Land Use in 2013 ...................................................... 33
Table 5.1-5. Interviews and Proofreading Sessions in 2013 ........................................................ 33
Table 5.2-1. Radiocarbon Results (table 12/13/13) ..................................................................... 34
Table 5.2-2. X-ray Florescence Results on Obsidian Artifacts (table 11/6/13) ........................... 35
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3-1. Map of Study Area for Cultural Resources. .............................................................. 36
Figure 4.1-1. Map of Testing from the Early 1980s-era Investigations....................................... 37
Figure 4.2-1. Map of Survey Methods in the Direct and Indirect APEs. .................................... 38
Figure 4.6-1. Map of Athabascan Groups Within and Peripheral to the Study Area. ................. 39
Figure 5.2-1. Map of the Impoundment Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map 12/9/13) .. 40
Figure 5.2-2. Map of the Dam and Camp Facilities Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map
12/9/13) ................................................................................................................................. 41
Figure 5.2-3. Map of the Denali Corridor Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map 12/9/13) 42
Figure 5.2-4. Map of the Chulitna Corridor Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map 12/9/13)
............................................................................................................................................... 43
Figure 5.2-5. Map of the Gold Creek Corridor Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map
12/9/13) ................................................................................................................................. 44
Figure 5.2-6. Grouping (in red ellipse) of Trace Elements in Obsidian Artifacts. (graph 11/6/13)
............................................................................................................................................... 45
Figure 5.3-1. Map of Deadman Mountain Seismic Station and Vicinity. ................................... 46
Figure 6.1-1. Map of Ahtna Place Names Included for Analysis. ............................................... 47
Figure 6.1-2. Map of Ahtna Land Use Types, 1900-2013. .......................................................... 48
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APPENDICES
Appendix A. Plan for Unanticipated Discoveries
Appendix B. Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Interview Questions Protocol
Appendix C. Letter from Ahtna, Inc. to the Members of the Ahtna Lands Committee,
June 14, 2013
Appendix D. Summary of Known Cultural Resources
Appendix E. Western Ahtna Land Use 1880 to 2013
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LIST OF ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND DEFINITIONS
Abbreviation Definition
AEA Alaska Energy Authority
AHRS Alaska Heritage Resource Survey
ANCSA Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
ANLC Alaska Native Language Center
APE Area of Potential Effects
ATV All-Terrain Vehicle
BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs
CMT Culturally Modified Tree(s)
CRNA Copper river Native Association
FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
GIS Geographic Information Systems
GPS Global Positioning System
HPMP Historic Preservation Management Plan
ILP Integrated Licensing Process
ISER Institute for Social and Economic Research
ISR Initial Study Report
NRHP National Register of Historic Places
OHA [Alaska] Office of History and Archaeology
Project Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project
RPA Registered Professional Archaeologist
RSP Revised Study Plan
SDMI Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative
SPD study plan determination
TCP Traditional Cultural Property
TWG Technical Workgroup
USGS U.S. Geological Survey
USR Updated Study Report
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1. INTRODUCTION
On December 14, 2012, Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) filed with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC or Commission) its Revised Study Plan (RSP) for the Susitna-
Watana Hydroelectric Project No. 14241 (Project), which included 58 individual study plans
(AEA 2012). Included within the RSP was the Cultural Resources Study, Section 13.5. RSP
Section 13.5 focuses on systematically inventorying cultural resources within the Area of
Potential Effects (APE), evaluating the National Register eligibility of inventoried cultural
resources within the APE that may be affected by the Project, and assessing Project-related
effects on National Register-eligible historic properties within the APE. RSP Section 13.5
provided goals, objectives, and proposed methods for cultural resources data collection and
analysis.
On February 1, 2013, FERC staff issued its study plan determination (February 1 SPD) for 44 of
the 58 studies, approving 31 studies as filed and 13 with modifications. RSP Section 13.5 was
one of the 13 approved with modifications. In its February 1 SPD, FERC recommended the
following:
We recommend that the study plan be modified to require AEA to consult with CIRI and
interview knowledgeable Dena’ina elders, as recommended by CIRI, in order to
adequately identify place names, ethnography, history, and culture associated with this
culture group. We also recommend that AEA designate specific locations where they
would interview knowledgeable Dena’ina elders that are convenient for both AEA and
the elders.
We also recommend that AEA evaluate cultural resource sites in the indirect APE for
eligibility for the National Register. However, when and how this may be accomplished
is best left until the initial study results are available and in consultation with BLM
[Bureau of Land Management], SHPO [State Historic Preservation Office], and affected
tribal representatives.
In accordance with the February 1 SPD, AEA has adopted the FERC requested modifications.
Following the first study season, FERC’s regulations for the Integrated Licensing Process (ILP)
require AEA to “prepare and file with the Commission an initial study report describing its
overall progress in implementing the study plan and schedule and the data collected, including an
explanation of any variance from the study plan and schedule.” (18 CFR 5.15(c)(1)) This Initial
Study Report (ISR) on the Cultural Resources Study has been prepared in accordance with
FERC’s ILP regulations and details AEA’s status in implementing the study, as set forth in the
FERC-approved RSP and as modified by FERC’s February 1 SPD (collectively referred to
herein as the “Study Plan”).
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2. STUDY OBJECTIVES
The goals of the Study Plan are to systematically inventory cultural resources within the APE
(36CFR 800.4(b)), evaluate the National Register eligibility of inventoried cultural resources
within the APE that may be affected by the Project (36 CFR § 800.4(c)), and assess Project-
related effects on National Register-eligible historic properties within the APE (36 CFR § 800.5).
Specific objectives are to:
Consult with the SHPO, BLM, and Alaska Native entities during implementation of the
cultural resources survey
Inventory cultural resources within the APE
Evaluate National Register eligibility of cultural resources within the APE that may be
affected by the Project
Determine the potential Project-related effects on National Register-eligible historic
properties within the APE
Develop information needed to prepare a Historic Properties Management Plan (HPMP)
for the Project
The Traditional Cultural Properties (TCP) study will be informed through the ethnogeographic
study, which has as its goals the identification, inventory, and evaluation of landscape features
and resources within the APE that have been and continue to be important to the Native people.
The objective is to use ethnographic landscape and place name data to help identify TCPs
according to procedures set forth under 36 CFR Part 800, and determine their significance
according to National Register criteria (36 CFR § 60.4).
The ethnogeographic study addresses the following topics, with emphasis on Ahtna tribal
practices, supplemented by information on Dena’ina and Lower Tanana tribal practices as
appropriate:
Land use patterns in the study area, including the seasonal migration patterns of the late
19th and early 20th centuries, and how they relate to the system of trails, trap lines,
hunting and fishing sites, winter villages, and religious sites
Types of wild resources harvested and traditional ecological knowledge about historic
plant, animal, and fish populations in the area
Traditional stewardship (i.e., traditional management practices)
Contemporary values associated with the landscape
Transcription and translation of language texts that pertain to the Project APE
Hydrological concepts embedded in place names, directional system, and landscape
narratives
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3. STUDY AREA
The study area for this study (which is the APE for the Project) is set forth in RSP Section
13.5.3, and is composed of an area of direct effect and an area of indirect effect—the geographic
region in which the character or use of historic properties may be affected directly or indirectly
by construction and operation of the Project (Figure 3-1). The APE for both direct and indirect
effects is identified using several types of information, including Project engineering
(transportation corridors and potential visitor infrastructure), known or likely human use
patterns, and topographic features that may act as boundaries to visitor travel beyond the project
footprint. The total area within the study area is approximately 240,736 acres.
3.1. Area of Potential Direct Effect
Direct effects to cultural resources are those consequences directly attributable to construction
and operation of the Project, including inundation. The APE for direct effects encompasses the
Watana Reservoir, a buffer around the reservoir footprint up to the 2,075-foot contour, Watana
Dam and Camp Facilities area, three potential access and transmission alignments (Chulitna,
Denali, and Gold Creek corridors), and facilities associated with construction and operation of
the Project. The proposed direct APE was developed in consultation with the SHPO, federal and
municipal agencies, Alaska Native entities, and other interested parties.
3.2. Area of Potential Indirect Effect
Indirect effects to cultural resources are those that occur beyond the direct effects from
implementing the Project, such as looting of archaeological sites and damage from off-road
vehicle use after the Project has been completed. As with the direct APE, the proposed indirect
APE was developed in consultation with the SHPO, federal and municipal agencies, Alaska
Native entities, and other interested parties (Figure 3-1). As proposed, the Project would inundate
the middle Susitna upriver of the dam site to the 2,050-foot contour. This would create an
approximately 39-mile long lake which will be accessible to the general public. In addition, it is
expected that overland use via existing trails by hunters, fisherman, trappers, and recreationists
will likely increase as an indirect effect of the proposed Project since access and other developed
facilities available for public use will likely be constructed in the immediate Project area. AEA
plans to study possible indirect effects that may result from the construction and operation of the
proposed Project. The indirect APE is comprised of:
1) Areas likely to be affected by induced dispersed recreational activity extending from
existing trails, including all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trails and recent campsites observed
during the 2012 field investigations;
2) Areas near or related to known sites in the statewide Alaska Heritage Resources Survey
(AHRS) inventory, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)’s ANCSA (Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act) 14(h)(1) site inventory, and recent use-areas like airstrips, bridges,
mines, and cabins that are adjacent to APE mapped trails and recreation use areas, based
on the premise that these areas may also be locations where future increased human travel
may occur;
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3) Areas adjacent to APE-mapped trails and recreation areas with known high cultural
resource potential as determined by the site locational modeling and 2012 aerial and
pedestrian reconnaissance, based on the premise that these areas may also be locations
where future increased human travel may occur.
4. METHODS AN D VARIANCES IN 2013
4.1. Previous Surveys
In accounting for information from previous surveys to understand the Susitna cultural resource
site inventory and make the results more statistically representative, AEA implemented the
methods as described in RSP Section 13.5.4.1 with no variances. Developing a modern
archaeological survey strategy typically begins with:
1) a review of relevant literature and previous archaeological work in the study area, often
involving museum and/or archival research; and
2) a geographic information system-(GIS)-assisted field examination of topography and
other environmental variables.
Cultural resource field studies were performed in the late 1970s and early 1980s as part of the
investigations for the earlier Susitna dam project. Investigations conducted within the study area
between 1978 and 1985 documented almost 300 cultural properties spanning the last 11,000
years. Site types in the inventory include historic and protohistoric archaeological sites, historic
buildings and ruins, and other cultural features. Many of these sites are within, and would be
inundated by, the proposed Watana Reservoir. Subsequent archaeological investigations
following the initial surveys have located and recorded additional cultural resources and
expanded knowledge of known sites (cf. Betts 1987; Blong 2011; Dilley 1988; Wygal 2009;
VanderHoek et al. 2007a and b).
The information collected in the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s—the “early 1980s-era”
data—forms the bulk of the spatial data within the study area and resulted from two separate
projects: the first by Dixon et al. (1980, 1985); and the second by Greiser et al. (1985, 1986).
Methods used in the 1979 to 1984 fieldwork (Figure 4.1-1) included the delineation of “survey
locales” by close examination of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic maps in
combination with a survey strategy using additional environmental and artifact variables as
analytical units. These variables were defined within a framework of research questions
addressing the cultural historical sequence of this region. The survey locales were visited and the
terrain within them that was judged higher in site potential was examined by pedestrian survey.
In some places, shovel tests were placed in areas deemed of higher site potential. If sites were
located either by observation of surface artifacts or by subsurface discovery, more concentrated
testing then took place. Areas considered of lesser site potential (as determined by maps and on-
the-ground judgment) were not surveyed or tested. Concentrated testing meant that the
archaeologists set up a grid at a point of site discovery, and then dug shovel tests along transects
at specified intervals outward from the discovery point (Figure 4.1-1). Thus systematic grids of
shovel tests (round holes approximately 12 inches [in] in diameter) and at least one square 16-in
or 36-in test unit was excavated for each artifact discovery. Concentrated testing occurred mainly
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within the impoundment and only at already-detected sites; major portions of survey locales
were not subjected to concentrated testing and in some cases were not walked because terrain
was deemed unsuitable.
Methods used in 1985 in the second of the two projects (Figure 4.1-1) included delineation of
survey “units” by a random sampling method that was more explicitly predictive (Greiser et al.
1985). Two major variables, terrain and vegetation—each of which had numerous subgroups—
were statistically assessed for associations with known sites across the project area; results were
used to stratify areas into lesser or greater degrees of site potential. Then 160-acre survey units
were randomly chosen from within a sample of the population of units defined by a grid of the
project area. Pedestrian survey across the 160-acre units consisted of linear transects spaced at
predetermined intervals that were walked regardless of topography. Though the method was
systematic, fewer sites were located using this approach. Topographic features of higher site
potential within the project area but outside a randomly selected survey unit were not surveyed.
Both methods described above have merit, and current survey strategies typically use aspects of
both. Advanced GIS tools and the cumulative archaeological experience in field survey methods
over the last 30 years contribute to today’s methods. GIS-based models provide a more effective
means of spatially stratifying the Project area, enabling archaeologists to determine which areas
appear to have lower or higher site potential, and this Study Plan calls for both types of areas to
be tested to verify the assumptions on which models are based. The 1980s-era work used similar
approaches but did not have the benefit of modern GIS or global positioning system (GPS)
technology.
The early 1980s-era datasets represent a significant amount of field effort and thought, and they
are especially useful for refining expectations about site discovery, artifact preservation, and
stratigraphic contexts. Site discovery is one of the more straightforward processes in cultural
resource management. In contrast, evaluating a site and determining whether it is eligible for
listing in the National Register is often not straightforward, and may require revisiting and
reassessing other sites within the APE that may be affected by the Project. Because of major
differences in how site locations were recorded and the resulting variations in accuracy (GPS
versus a pencil point on a paper map), as well as changes during the nearly 30 years since site
discovery, matching site data collected during early 1980s-era work and current field
observations can be difficult. The cultural resource investigations for the Project are being
accomplished using best practices for modern archaeology. The utility of the early 1980s-era
data depends in large part on how accurately the old sites can be matched to current field
observations.
The review of previous investigations established a range of field methods appropriate for the
work at hand, all of which were taken into account in defining the strategies for carrying out this
Study Plan. The strategy employed for the Susitna survey employed randomly defined survey
blocks receiving variable levels of field scrutiny depending on microtopography and other
factors.
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4.1.1. Variances
In 2013, there were no variances in implementing the method described in RSP Section 13.5.4.1
for reviewing and accounting for prior cultural resources surveys in the APE.
4.2. Locational Model and Survey Strategy
In accounting for information from previous surveys to assemble a site location model and select
survey strategies, AEA implemented the methods as described in Section 13.5.4.2 of the RSP
with no variances. The 1980s-era archaeological literature helped define expectations about
cultural resources within the study area, and also helped dictate survey strategies (Figure 4.2-1).
The Study Plan laid out survey options and their advantages and disadvantages, leading to the
approach used in 2012 and refined for application in 2013.
The 2012 model used to develop a survey strategy for the Project was based upon several digital
datasets of varying spatial and chronological scales that are listed in Table 4.2-1. Datasets in
many cases provide multiple variables for creating the model surface. For example, Digital
Elevation Model data (elevation) are used to derive slope and aspect within the model area, and
precipitation and temperature datasets provide monthly averages useful for creating variables of
summer and winter extremes. The Project model has a visualized resolution of 30 m, but some
datasets such as temperature and precipitation are based on coarser grids. The Source column in
Table 4.2-1 lists agencies mainly responsible for collecting data and producing rasters
(shapefiles). An increasing number of excellent websites specifically tailored for the distribution
of downloadable data include the Statewide Digital Mapping Initiative (SDMI) based at
University of Alaska Fairbanks, the USGS’s Alaska Geospatial Data Clearinghouse, and the
State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ own Alaska State Geo-Spatial Data
Clearinghouse. Table 4.2-2 lists the variables examined in the modeling process. The modeling
process was described in the Study Plan using vocabulary developed for GIS analysis.
In 2013, the modelling process recognized that different key subsistence resources drew
prehistoric people to different regions on the landscape during different periods of the year. Four
separate seasonal models were created in order to reflect this changing land use. Each model
consists of the weighted key resources that were available for exploitation during each particular
season. The reiteration is a modelled landscape reflecting generalized seasonal subsistence
patterns. A GIS file of unique interest points that are populated in the model are available for
download at http://gis.suhydro.org/reports/isr.
4.2.1. Variances
In 2013, there were no variances in implementing the methods described in RSP Section 13.5.4.2
for developing the locational model and survey strategy.
4.3. Survey Strategy and Phasing of Field Investigations in the
Direct APE
AEA implemented the methods as described in the Study Plan for survey strategy and phasing of
field investigations in the direct APE (RSP Section 13.5.4.5) with no variances, including
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methods related to culturally modified trees (CMTs) (RSP Section 13.5.4.3). The direct APE has
been described, and includes the camp, corridors, and impoundment area (Figure 4.1-1). The
field investigations in the direct APE involve two tasks: inventory – also called identification or
Phase I, and evaluation or Phase II. Field investigations in 2013 focused on inventory of cultural
resources in the direct APE. The Alaska OHA and SHPO have defined standards and guidelines
for these surveys. The Identification Phase is defined as, “reconnaissance level surveys . . . in the
planning stages of a project. They are used to determine if an intensive survey or testing is
warranted, but alone cannot normally be used to satisfy complete compliance. These studies
entail development of research designs, archival and background research, field survey,
analysis, and reporting. All surveys should include pedestrian (walkover) examinations of the
ground surface and might include subsurface testing” (OHA 2003).
This and other direction from prior studies led to a multi-phased plan to inventory and evaluate
cultural resources in the direct APE. The previous survey approaches were studied. A short field
reconnaissance was conducted in 2012. An aerial survey was conducted prior to full field crew
deployment in 2013 to verify proposed survey segments (Figure 4.2-1), identify helicopter
landing zones, and provide more detailed planning information. Aerial surveys are conducted by
helicopter at low airspeed and altitude across large expanses of land. Areas of high potential
within these vast expanses are recorded by GPS and camera and returned to later for pedestrian
survey and testing. Aerial surveys are also necessary in areas where geographic boundaries
prohibit access by survey crews. Examples in the study area include steep valleys and river
crossings, high elevations, and barrier waterfalls.
Pedestrian surveys are conducted in areas that have high potential for cultural resources, and
particularly where there is high potential for deep aeolian sediments (especially during the 2013
field season). Methods used to optimally cover large areas of land (e.g., 40 acres) are to space a
crew of six people 10 to 15 meters apart in a line. The crew travels in a parallel line across the
land inspecting the ground surface, trees, understory vegetation, and micro-topography for
cultural resources.
The field investigation in 2013 focused on inventory of properties within the area of direct
impact, and only on lands for which access was available (private lands belonging to Cook Inlet
Regional Inc. or the village corporations of Chickaloon-Moose Creek Native Association, Inc.,
Tyonek Native Corporation, or Knikatnu, Inc. were not permitted for access; these lands are
hereafter referred to as the Cook Inlet Region Working Group or CIRWG).
Phase I survey in the direct APE differs in coverage, intensity, and access in comparison to Phase
I surveys in the indirect APE (see subsection 13.5.4.4 for indirect APE survey strategy). Survey
in the direct APE consisted of pedestrian transects (described above), which record high potential
areas; these areas are tested as conditions and logistics allow (e.g., helicopter access,
daylight/weather, size of landform, etc.). The majority of effort in both study seasons will be
devoted to the direct APE.
Testing within a designated test area (regardless of whether or not it was identified by helicopter-
based survey or pedestrian-based survey) consists of at least six, 50 x 50 centimeter (cm) test pits
dug to a maximum of one meter depth below ground surface. Tests are hand-excavated using a
shovel and trowel and screened through 1/4 in or 1/8 in mesh. Tests are spaced five to 10 meters
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apart based on the size of the landform. Tests are aligned in a systematically oriented, recorded,
and replicable grid pattern. Grid size, number of tests, grid spacing, and grid orientation are all
dictated by the size and shape of the landform being investigated. If cultural resources are
encountered during Phase I they are recorded as AHRS sites; restricted site information is
reported in the summary field report.
4.3.1. Variances
In 2013, there were no variances in implementing the methods described in RSP Sections
13.5.4.3 and 13.5.4.5 for survey strategy and phasing of field investigations in the direct APE,
including methods related to CMTs. While land-access permits were not available for CIRWG
lands, this was not considered a variance because this study was designed conduct field
investigations within the study area over multiple years.
4.4. Survey Strategy and Phasing of Field Investigations in the
Indirect APE
With regard to the survey strategy and phasing of field investigations in the indirect APE (RSP
Section 15.5.4.6), AEA implemented the methods as described in the Study Plan with no
variances. The indirect APE as defined above and shown on Figure 4.1-1 is the portion that may
see increased human access and activity due to Project development.
Phase I survey in the indirect APE was conducted by aerial survey in 2013. Aerial survey by
helicopter is conducted at low air speed and altitude. Pedestrian survey will also be necessary in
the indirect APE where the Project has been determined to have a potential effect on cultural
resources, but the amount will be less than in the direct APE, and that effort is planned for the
next field season. Pedestrian survey is conducted by a crew of individuals spread along a line 10
to 15 m apart.
4.4.1. Variances
In 2013, there were no variances in implementing the methods described in RSP Section 13.5.4.6
for survey strategy and phasing of field investigations in the indirect APE.
4.5. Mapping-Related Activities
With regard to mapping, AEA implemented the methods as described in the Study Plan (RSP
Section 13.5.4.7), except for the variance described below. The Study Plan contained a series of
bullets addressing the need for highly accurate GPS information for recorded sites, the need for
adjusting known site distributions based on the improved information, and incorporation of that
new information into revision of the site location model. This is all being done as reflected in the
Results, discussed in Section 5 below. The Study Plan also specifically identified the need to
create a geodatabase containing all current Ahtna and Dena’ina place names in the study area,
which is also reported in Results, below.
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4.5.1. Variances
The Study Plan called for a geodatabase to support TCP-related information throughout the first
study season in 2013. To date, however, there has not been sufficient data collected to support
such a file. The geodatabase for TCP-related information will be compiled during the next study
season as data is obtained, meeting the Study Plan objectives.
4.6. Ethnogeography-Related Activities
With regard to ethnogeography, AEA implemented the methods as described in the Study Plan
(RSP Section 13.5.4.8), except for the variance described below. The ethnogeography
investigation assembled data with which to help address specific study objectives. Information
was collected to help inventory and evaluate cultural resources documented by the
archaeological investigation, as well as to determine whether any TCPs are present within the
direct or indirect APE. The HPMP will also incorporate information derived from the
ethnogeography study. Archival and oral history sources were relied upon for the
ethnogeography investigation; site investigations were not conducted except for an aerial
reconnaissance of the study area for general orientation. The method included contemporary
interviews with Ahtna Natives whose traditional territory included the Study Area (Figure 4.6-1),
archival research focused upon pertinent written and photographic records, and transcription,
translation, and analysis of oral history tapes from decades past – some in the Ahtna language,
and some in English. Specific tasks identified in the Study Plan and initiated in 2013 are:
Held a regional elder’s conference as a venue to inform communities of the upcoming
research work, including information on other AEA sponsored research, such as fisheries
and wildlife studies, subsistence studies, etc.
Identified, inventoried, and compiled archival data sources of the Ahtna language, with
particular focus on the Jake Tansy recordings on land use and travel (Tansy 1982), some
of which appear in Kari (2010).
Identified and inventoried additional data from collections of tapes and transcripts
recorded in the English language by the BIA, the Institute for Social and Economic
research (ISER), Ahtna, Inc., and other researchers, including Frederica de Laguna and
Constance West.
Identified knowledgeable Ahtna individuals to interview for current ethnographic
information on potential TCPs in the study area.
Collected interview data on contemporary land use and the cultural landscape.
Developed interview protocol with the assistance of knowledgeable Ahtna individuals to
guide effective interviewing.
Interviewed Ahtna persons of different ages.
Documented the results of interviews, and transcribed tapes.
Developed data on three types of trails: BLM layer, field observation layer, and historic
foot trail layer.
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4.6.1. Variances
In 2013, AEA did not initiate the Dena’ina ethnogeography component recommended by
FERC’s February 1 SPD did not occur in 2013, including the following:
Interviews with Dena’ina elders.
Collection of Dena’ina information on land use and cultural landscape features.
Documentation of results of Dena’ina interviews and transcribe tapes.
During 2013, AEA began discussions with CIRWG members regarding land access and other
licensing matters. As of this writing, these discussions continue, and AEA will meet study
objectives by continuing discussions with CIRWG members, reaching out to tribes in the region,
and conducting this work during the next study season.
4.7. Synthesis and Analysis Activities
The ongoing synthesis and analysis of the cultural resource data reflects the fact that AEA
implemented the methods as described in the Study Plan (RSP Section 13.5.4.9) with no
variances. The Study Plan identified analysis and synthesis of information as a separate task in
the Methods subsection, specifically including development of historic context, updating of
cultural chronology using specialized techniques if appropriate, adding the new site location
numbers to the total sample size to see if the model still has explanatory value, transcribing and
translating Native place name terms and narratives, and proofreading and correcting initial and
secondary translations by language specialists or Native elders, with a final comprehensive
report to be submitted as the Updated Study Report. This data is to be combined with
archaeological results; locational model, historic and contemporary land use patterns, Native
perspectives on the land and resources, Native-language place names, and narratives about
important locations. This is what most of the remainder of this resource study discusses, and
these subjects are addressed in the Results chapter (realizing that some of the information will
not be fully developed until after the next season results are available).
4.7.1. Variances
In 2013, there were no variances in implementing the methods described for synthesis and
analysis described in the Study Plan (RSP Section 13.5.4.9).
4.8. Unanticipated Discoveries Protocol
Protocols for the unexpected discovery of human remains, graves, and/or burial items are
described in the Study Plan for Unanticipated Discoveries of Cultural Resources and Human
Remains (Appendix A), and AEA implemented the methods described in the Study Plan with no
variances. That document outlines the methods for confirming field discoveries, communicating
discovery information, and contacting state officials, federal agents, and affected Alaska Native
entities.
Implementation of the unanticipated discovery protocol in 2013 involved a training program
delivered to most Project field personnel – both contractors and AEA officials, to teach them
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what to do if they found human remains or other possible cultural resources. A one-page field
card with pertinent contact information was prepared and distributed to field workers. Copies of
the Protocol were printed and posted in briefing rooms at field camps. All contractors were
directed to AEA’s website where the Plan and the field card were posted. Senior archaeologists
conducted field briefings for contractors stationed at Talkeetna Camp, Stephan Lake Camp, Gold
Creek Camp, Curry Camp, Gracious House, and Alpine Creek Lodge. When transportation
between camps was impossible an archaeologist conducted the training telephonically. The
presentation was also videotaped to provide footage for a training video, to broaden the training
delivery media. All contractors in attendance of the training wrote their name on a sign-in sheet
to acknowledge that they attended the training.
Where possible, AEA facilitated in-person instruction throughout the 2013 study season. As new
study personnel entered the field, archaeologists were dispatched to the camps to conduct the
training. Archaeologists stationed at Alpine Creek Lodge and Stephan Lake Camp also
conducted new worker training in group meetings, while remote camps were connected
telephonically. In addition, AEA produced a video of the training with the intention that future
field personnel receive the training online.
4.8.1. Variances
In 2013, there were no variances in implementing the methods described in the Unanticipated
Discoveries Protocol.
4.9. Archaeological Internship and Additional Workforce
AEA implemented the methods as described in the Study Plan (RSP Section 13.5.4.11), with the
exception of variances explained below. The cultural resources study included an internship
program to provide the opportunity for Alaska Native students, community members, and/or
others with an interest in anthropology to participate in the fieldwork and work alongside
Registered Professional Archaeologists (RPA). Duties, desired experience, and preferred
educational background for field personnel are outlined below.
The Study Plan also provided for professional archaeologists and agency staff to be invited to
participate in the field investigations. Agencies such as the OHA and the Matanuska-Susitna
Borough that granted land access permits to AEA stipulated that field trips within the study area
be arranged. Precedent was established in 2012 when AEA invited Matanuska-Susitna Borough
and OHA archaeologists to work with the archaeological crews in the field. Identical stipulations
and invitations were made in 2013.
4.9.1. Variances
The Study Plan stated the intention of creating an internship program and inviting MatSu
Borough archaeologists to participate in the fieldwork. Technically this was accomplished, but
the internship program attracted no respondents, and the MatSu Borough archaeologist’s
scheduled field trip did not take place.
A flyer advertising the internship was distributed during the March 2013 Ahtna Elders
Conference at the Cantwell Community Center, to develop interest in the archaeology
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component of the study and inform possible applicants of a paid internship position. This elicited
no response. Inquiries were also made at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage for
possible applicants, with the same result. A third attempt was made to generate potential interns
from the Alaska Native Language Center in Fairbanks, but by then the summer was well
underway and potentially interested individuals at the Center had already secured positions
elsewhere.
The internship position is still open and available through the duration of the Cultural Resources
Study. An expansion of the internship to include potential duties such as office assistance,
laboratory assistance, and research assistance is planned for the next study season to encourage
participation of Alaska Natives and others who may not desire to do fieldwork.
In 2013, OHA and Matanuska-Susitna Borough staff were again invited to participate in the
project. The participation of OHA staff was not explicitly required in the Study Plan, but the
opportunity to participate is a stipulation in the permit to work on State lands. The State
Archaeologist took part in aerial and pedestrian survey as well as subsurface testing and sample
collection during the 2013 field season. A borough staff member was similarly scheduled to
participate in 2013, but the fieldwork was canceled due to flooding in the study area and—
because of the lateness of the season—another trip could not be scheduled. AEA plans to
continue arranging field trips for agency personnel during the next study season.
5. RESULTS
The results of the cultural resource investigation—both ethnological and archaeological—will be
combined with those from the next study season to produce a comprehensive inventory of
cultural resources. The ethnogeography analysis of 2013 is sufficiently advanced to revise the
cultural context needed to understand the ongoing resource inventory. Summarized in this
subsection are the results of the ethnogeography and archaeology investigations, as well as a
survey done specifically for a seismic station as part of ongoing Section 106 compliance.
5.1. Ethnogeography Investigation
The ethnogeography investigation followed the Study Plan, although the Dena’ina component
will be initiated in the next study season. The nine specified tasks identified in the Study Plan
(see Section 13.5.4.6) were all addressed by work in 2013, and can be subsumed into the
subsections described below. During the 2013 field season the study team collected data on
Alaska Native culture and history in the study area, with the interviews and transcripts collected,
translated, and transcribed primarily between February and August of 2013. Interviewees were
asked questions to elicit information about past and present land use, cultural sites and their
history, and in particular TCPs. Much of the resulting data is in the Ahtna language, including a
place name analysis, and the ethnogeography study was much influenced by the fact that there
are Ahtna elders still living who speak the Ahtna language. The ethnogeography investigation
involved: a regional elders conference, analysis of archived Ahtna language interviews, analysis
of archived English language interviews, contemporary English language interviews, place name
mapping and ethnogeographic analysis, and trail mapping.
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5.1.1. Regional Elders Conference
A regional elder’s conference was held in the Hwtsaay Hwt'aene community of Cantwell on
March 26, 2013. Ahtna Inc., in consultation with the Ahtna Heritage Foundation, organized the
meeting and decided to host it in Cantwell since the proposed project is in the traditional territory
of the Cantwell people. Twenty-nine people attended the meeting.
Five presentations were made at the Cantwell elder’s conference. The Project Manager described
the project generally, an anthropologist with Stephen Braund and Associates described the local
and traditional knowledge study conducted as part of the Subsistence investigation, the Program
Lead introduced the cultural and paleontological resources studies, a researcher from Ahtna Inc.
provided an overview of the ethnogeography investigation, and four decades of research on
Ahtna place names and geography were discussed and compared to the current work.
5.1.2. Archived Ahtna Language Interviews
Audio collections identified as pertinent to the Susitna project were those of the Alaska Native
Language Center Archive (ANLC) at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and those at the Ahtna
Heritage Foundation’s C’ek’aedi Hwnax archives in Copper Center. The inventory began by first
identifying audio recordings by individuals well-informed about Western Ahtna history and
culture—such as Jake Tansy, Henry Peters, Morrie Secondchief, Fred Ewan, and Jim Tyone.
Tables 5.1-1 and 5.1-2 list audio recordings from each collection that pertain to the Western
Ahtna.
Audio recordings were then grouped by content or genre: place names, land use, history and
events, and mythic stories (Table 5.1-1). Often a single recording had a number of different
segments—each concerning a separate genre.
The third step was to categorize each recording according to its relevance. Recordings were
ranked A, B, C, and D (Table 5.1-3) with the “A-List narratives” being those that focus on
Western Ahtna place names and travel and provide intensive and objective documentation of
Hwtsaay Hwt'aene territory. The “A-List recordings” were made by expert speakers of the Ahtna
language such as Jake Tansy (1907-2003); as a renowned traveler and hunter his narratives
provide the most detailed portrait of an “ethnographic landscape” documented from a single-
band territory for any Alaska Native language.
Recorded stories pertinent to the upper Susitna River from Ahtna narrators Jim Tyone, Jack
Tyone, John Shaginoff, Henry Peters (Peters and Peters 1977), Jake Tansy, Morrie Secondchief,
Fred Ewan, and Fred John were evaluated, along with the few known Shem Pete recordings and
narrative segments that pertain to the Talkeetna Mountains and the upper Susitna River. Audio
recordings by Dena’ina elders Shem Pete, John Shaginoff, and others that relate to traditional
Dena’ina territory have been identified but not translated or transcribed (Table 5.1-1).
5.1.3. Archived English Language Interviews
Oral history tapes and transcripts pertaining to the project area, in English but spoken by Ahtna
elders, were sought and reviewed for their pertinence to the project area. Most of the material is
from well-known bodies of work (Section 5.1.2). The fieldwork of Frederica de Laguna and
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Catherine McClellan in the 1950s and 1960s (de Laguna 1969-70, 1970; McClellan 1970, 1975;
de Laguna and McClellan (1981) formed a foundation for the Susitna data collection. Reckord
(1983a, 1983b) and West (1973) were closely consulted. All reports, tape recordings, interview
transcripts, and field notes produced by BIA investigators were reviewed for the Susitna
ethnogeography investigation.
Peter Dessauer and David Harvey’s (1980) investigation of the Valdez Creek mining district
produced a collection of 18 audiotapes that includes interviews with several Ahtna elders who
grew up at Valdez Creek. These tapes were inventoried and selected portions were transcribed by
the ethnogeography team.
In the 1990s the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), in conjunction with the
Copper River Native Association (CRNA), recorded interviews with individuals discussing
Ahtna subsistence patterns. The study team inventoried these recordings and transcribed those
relating to the project.
5.1.4. Contemporary English Language Interviews
The ethnogeography investigation included interviews with living Ahtna elders and soon-to-be-
elders to help identify potential TCPs in the study area, and to help inventory and evaluate
cultural sites addressed by the archaeological investigation. The process required the
development of an interview protocol, identification of individuals to be interviewed, and then
interviews with those individuals about contemporary land use and the cultural landscape.
The Ahtna Lands Committee, the director of the Ahtna Heritage Foundation, and the Ahtna
Tribal Conservation District were contacted for assistance in developing the interview protocol
and selecting interviewees. The protocol was designed to record Ahtna perspectives on the
significance of activity sites, burials, sacred or spiritual sites, avoidance sites, and traditional use
areas of contemporary, historic, or prehistoric age. The interview format was semi-structured,
meaning the same open-ended questions were asked of each respondent. This helped standardize
the description of Ahtna traditions, customs, and practices, and contributed to the development of
a regional overview of Ahtna land and activities from the late 19th century through the present. It
was understood that answers to some of the questions could involve privileged cultural property.
The final protocol had 20 questions (Appendix B).
The Ahtna Lands Committee represents the various tribes in the region. A June 14, 2013 letter
(Appendix C) to the Committee asking for assistance with interview protocol and identification
of interviewees did not elicit a formal response, but individual committee members provided
feedback and suggested individuals to interview. Neither the Committee nor the committee
members suggested changes to the protocol circulated for their review.
The selection of knowledgeable Ahtna individuals to be interviewed was aided by the
professional backgrounds of the principal researchers, who have over 30 years of experience
working with Ahtna elders. Individuals were selected based on their knowledge of the area and
their ability to speak the Ahtna language.
The interviews were conducted in both Ahtna and English by the Ethnogeography Project Lead
and a specialist from Ahtna Incorporated. Thirteen interviews were conducted during July and
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August of 2013, primarily in Cantwell (Table 5.1-4). In Cantwell the interviews took place at
respondents’ homes, local restaurants, or at the Native Village of Cantwell office. Respondents
were encouraged to answer each question and provide additional information as they desired, and
were also informed that they were free to leave questions unanswered. Each interview took
approximately one to two hours. Interviewees described a variety of different types of sites that
can be roughly categorized as:
Subsistence sites used for hunting, fishing, gathering, and trapping
Villages, hunting camps, fish camps, trapping cabins, and stop overs
Trails or routes
Sites that have to do with supernatural phenomena such as giant fish
Geographic features, and areas
Historical sites
All of these sites have place names – most in the Ahtna Language. In the text of this ISR, Ahtna
words are in italics and Ahtna place names are labeled with a number corresponding to the Ahtna
Place Names List (Kari 2008a) to be updated and presented in the USR (Updated Study Report).
If agreed to by the respondent, a digital recording in a standard Wave or MP3 format was made
of the interview. Research assistants at the Ahtna Heritage Foundation transcribed the interviews,
coded them, and prepared summaries (Table 5.1-5). Original documents and audio recordings are
catalogued and stored at Ahtna Heritage Foundation C'ek'aedi Hwnax archives in Copper Center.
The interviews for the Susitna ethnogeography investigation were conducted in accordance with
the National Academy of Science’s Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic.
Research guidelines adhere to principles of informed consent, confidentiality of personal
information, community review of draft findings, and the provision of copies of research
products including audio recordings and project reports to studied communities.
5.1.5. Place Name Mapping and Ethnogeography
The Ahtna Place Names Lists assembled as a draft in the 1980s by Jim Kari (2008a) was revised
and updated (including map locations) by the study team in 2013, resulting in a total of 2,476
records for the entire Ahtna region. The number of records was increased by 21% for three
sections relevant to the Project: the Nenana River (19 additional records), Susitna River (20
additional records) and Gulkana River (10 additional records). Currently there are 721 records
pertaining to the study area. These records are available for download at
http://gis.suhydro.org/reports/isr
In addition to place names in the Ahtna language, current records include locally used English
names not officially on maps such as “Glacier Stream,” “Four Mile Lake,” “Moose Meadows,”
and “Wolf Point.” While the geographic coverage of such unofficial place names is uneven,
these locally used terms afford a sense of how functional place-naming continues on the current
landscape, especially in the hands of Cantwell Ahtna people.
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5.1.6. Trail Mapping
The study plan identified three data sets to be developed for trails: one based on BLM trail data,
one based on field observations of the archaeological crews, and one (expected to be a foot-trail
map) based on the ethnogeography investigation.
As part of the ethnogeography investigation, “routes” by four or five Ahtna speakers are being
mapped. A route is an ordered sequence of places on trails (usually by foot, at times by boat).
Details about how trails are named and embedded in the Ahtna place names system are being
discriminated. For example, Ahtna “stream-trails” are the most significant and are generally
referred to simply by stream name. Investigations to date have noted 192 trails. The trail
inventory is being assembled as a table and as maps, and will include plots of routes used by the
last three generations of Cantwell Ahtna people.
5.2. Archaeological Investigation
5.2.1. Inventory
The 2013 archaeological investigation involved pedestrian and aerial inspection of selected
survey polygons in conjunction with re-visitation of known AHRS sites in the direct APE. The
field work began June 24 and lasted until August 30, 2013. The six crews – each comprised of
six archaeologists and technicians—took two breaks during the summer roughly every three
weeks. Arrivals and departures of crews were staggered depending on available transportation,
lodge/camp space, and weather. Crews were deployed from Stephan Lake Lodge, Gracious
House, and Alpine Creek Lodge. Initially all crews were stationed at Stephan Lake Lodge, and
consequently they focused on the impoundment area and inspected high-potential survey
polygons while recording clusters of nearby AHRS sites in the direct APE. A few sites were
found to be mislabeled or poorly plotted, and a few sites in the indirect APE were re-recorded
(Appendix D). Later in the season the field work included the access corridors.
Logistical challenges and a shortened field season resulted in reduced testing in 2013. In addition
to postponing the evaluation phase of the Study until the next study season, the lack of testing
meant that most newly found sites are as-yet known only from their surface manifestations, and
the number of undiscovered subsurface cultural resources remaining to be found is thus likely
higher than it would be otherwise. It is expected that many of the known surface sites as well as
yet-to-be-surveyed high-potential areas identified by the model will be found to contain buried
cultural resources.
The AHRS site inventory as developed by the end of 2013 is presented in Appendix D. A total of
68 known AHRS sites were re-recorded, and an additional 82 new sites were recorded. Together
with the three new sites found in 2012, the site inventory in the portion of the direct APE
surveyed thus far (omitting CIRWG land) currently totals 167 AHRS sites. Engineering
components that define the direct APE are also convenient units within which to discuss the
archaeological results: (1) a proposed impoundment; (2) a dam and camp facility; and (3) three
access corridor alternatives with transmission lines (Figure 3-1).
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5.2.1.1. Impoundment
The Susitna-Watana dam will impound an area of approximately 23,528 acres, or about 37
square miles. The reservoir will be roughly 39 miles long and up to 3 miles wide. There were 61
known AHRS sites within the proposed impoundment, of which 38 were found and re-recorded.
Within the impoundment the model produced 118 high-potential survey polygons to be
investigated using pedestrian methods. An additional 13 high-potential polygons were selected
for survey by air. The survey methods and locational modeling are described in the previous
section of this report, while the subsurface testing results appear in a subsequent section. The
total pedestrian survey coverage in 2013 was 3,248 acres, and an additional 4,953 acres were
surveyed by air (Figure 5.2-1). The field teams surveyed 100% of the selected pedestrian
polygons and 65% of the aerial polygons. Ten new discoveries worthy of AHRS numbers
(mostly surface scatters of prehistoric stone flakes) were found in the impoundment area.
5.2.1.2. Dam and Camp
The dam and camp facility form an irregular boundary around the proposed dam site
encompassing 9,573 acres. This component was intensively surveyed early in the summer due to
its proximity to the Stephan Lake field camp. There were 20 known AHRS sites in the dam and
camp facility component, of which 15 were found and re-recorded. Of the 120 pedestrian survey
polygons, the survey teams completed 100% (Figure 5.2-2). The model selected no aerial survey
polygons for this part of the study area. Three new discoveries worthy of AHRS numbers were
found in the dam and camp facilities component, making a total of 18 sites in the current sample;
two from the 1980s-era work that have not yet been found.
5.2.1.3. Denali Corridor
The three proposed access routes are of various lengths and widths, and thus each differs in area.
The Denali corridor is 70 miles (113 km) long and 25, 919 acres in area, and is relatively linear.
The proposed corridor extends from the dam and camp facilities area north up the Deadman
Creek watershed and into the headwaters of the Brushkana Creek and Seattle Creek watersheds.
The corridor then bends west to meet the Denali Highway and continues to Cantwell at the Parks
Highway junction. Of the 12 known AHRS sites in the Denali corridor, seven were found and re-
recorded. The model identified 45 pedestrian survey polygons and five aerial polygons to be
investigated within the corridor. The total area of the survey polygons is 8,141 acres and 4,102
acres respectively. The field crews covered 100% of the pedestrian polygons and 47.2% of the
aerial polygons (Figure 5.2-3). A total of 52 previously unknown sites were found and assigned
AHRS numbers, making a current inventory of 59 sites; another five previously recorded ones
have not yet been found.
5.2.1.4. Chulitna Corridor
The Chulitna corridor is 43 miles (69 km) long and 19,679 acres in area. It extends west from the
dam and camp facility area along and north of the main stem of the middle Susitna River, and
onward to the Parks Highway. Of seven known AHRS sites, all were found and re-recorded.
Another known site originally mapped in the indirect APE was found to be actually in the direct
APE and was re-recorded. The model selected 43 pedestrian survey polygons and three aerial
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polygons to be inspected within the corridor. The total areas of the survey polygons are 3,757
acres and 6,943 acres, respectively. The field teams covered 100% of the pedestrian polygons
and 100% of the aerial polygons (Figure 5.2-4). Sixteen previously unknown sites were found
and recorded, creating a current inventory of 24 sites within the Chulitna corridor.
5.2.1.5. Gold Creek Corridor
The Gold Creek corridor is 41 miles (66 km) long and 18,490 acres in area. It extends west from
the dam and camp facilities, travels south of the main stem of the middle Susitna River, and
eventually joins Gold Creek and continues west to the Parks Highway. The one known AHRS
site in the Chulitna corridor is on CIRWG lands and was not inspected in 2013. The model
identified nine pedestrian survey polygons and zero aerial polygons for inspection within the
corridor. With a total area of 1,676 acres in the nine survey polygons, and an area of 911 acres
surveyed, 54% of the pedestrian polygons were completed in 2013 (Figure 5.2-5). One
previously unknown site was recorded, for a total current inventory of two sites in the Gold
Creek corridor.
5.2.2. Locational Modeling
An explanatory model recognizing statistical correlations among prehistoric site locations was
desired to aid archaeological inventory of the study area. Four geospatial models were created
characterizing generalized game habitat ranges for winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Each
key species was given a value of 1 if present or -1 if absent, and the resulting index is assumed to
correlate with the intensity of human activity within a specific area. Increased effort exploiting
game and other resources would be expected within areas having a high index, while areas less
suitable for game and other resources have a lower index and would be expected to receive less
harvesting. Because site formation and preservation are also dependent on variables such as
surface geology, landscape stability, visibility, and slope, these variables were also coded and
incorporated into the model.
The locational model was applied to the APE to stratify the study area into areas of higher and
lower potential for sites. Survey focused on areas with higher potential for sites, though areas
judged of lower potential were also sampled. Operationalization of the model suggests that it is
most effective for finding buried protohistoric or prehistoric sites because: a) land use patterns
subsequently shifted after Euro-American contact, and b) historic resources such as collapsed
cabins and mines are often more readily identifiable through aerial survey or historic records.
5.2.3. Testing
The locational model identified 262 high-potential areas for prehistoric cultural resources, of
which 26 were archaeologically tested for surface and subsurface cultural resources in 2013.
Two previously unknown archaeological sites—each consisting of prehistoric stone artifacts—
were found. None of the 26 polygons tested in 2013 are considered to be completely
investigated. As mentioned in Section 5.2.1, testing was limited in 2013 because of logistical
challenges, and consequently the sample size of sites to be evaluated in the direct and indirect
APEs has yet to be determined.
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5.2.4. Laboratory Analyses
Limited subsurface testing took place in 2013, but 44 surface sites had artifacts that were
collected in the study area. Complete artifacts such as bifaces, scrapers, and microblades were
collected in the field, as were diagnostic artifacts such as side-notched points or obsidian flakes.
Fossils that appeared culturally modified were also collected.
Buried organic soil samples were collected from three test areas and one known AHRS site
(Table 5.2-1). The radiocarbon results help refine the tephra chronology within the study area
and provide a baseline for assigning prehistoric cultural occupations to their proper time period.
Obsidian artifacts collected from the study area were analyzed using the x-ray florescence
technique to measure trace elements and impurities (Table 5.2-2). Generally, different obsidian
sources have different geochemical signatures, so when compared with the geological sources’
known composition obsidian artifacts can be traced to their place of origin. Preliminary results
indicate that prehistoric peoples in the study area may have been collecting obsidian from an as-
yet undiscovered geological source, since the specimens’ trace element configuration differs
from that of known sources (Figure 5.2-6).
5.2.5. Synthesis
The ethnogeography component of the cultural resource investigations contributed considerable
information to develop the traditional Native context for the study area and surrounding region.
Three main Athabascan linguistic groups, represented by small semi-nomadic bands, inhabited
and controlled large parts of this territory: the Dena’ina, Ahtna, and Lower Tanana. Current
archaeological and linguistic evidence suggests the Dena’ina have inhabited the southern
foothills of the south-central and southwestern Alaska range for perhaps the past 4000 years,
likely migrating from the Copper river drainage or Kuskokwim river drainage areas. Speakers of
the Ahtna and Lower Tanana dialects appear to have inhabited their respective regions since
prior to the Dena’ina migration (Kari and Fall 2003; Kari 2010).
The Study Team used oral histories and other ethnogeographic information to incorporate place
names, routes, trails, and other traditionally recognized features into a GIS geodatabase, allowing
correlation of ethnohistoric datasets with prehistoric archaeology datasets. The ethnographic
record indicates that indigenous groups migrated in annual, repetitive patterns across the
landscape, and that these patterns were dependent on game location and proximity to enemy
territory. Despite oral histories about hostilities, the archaeological record reflects similar
artifacts, houses, and subsistence strategies among the three groups.
5.3. Facilities Survey
A request was received to conduct an archaeological survey prior to installation of aseismic
station on BLM land, on Deadman Mountain. Archaeologists completed the survey on July 7 as
a Phase I or “Site Identification” survey, to determine whether cultural resources would be
affected by the activity. Archaeological fieldwork included pedestrian and aerial survey of the
APE – defined as an arbitrary polygon based on a map supplied by AEA (Figure 5.3-1). An area
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of approximately 240 acres was inspected around the associated landform with the boundary
defined by land contour.
No cultural features, artifacts, human remains, or other cultural resources were encountered in
the survey area surrounding the proposed seismic station location, or in associated helicopter
landing zones. Previous investigators reported no cultural materials in this immediate area
(Dixon et al. 1985). Poor weather – low visibility, driving sleet/rain, and very strong winds –
hampered the archaeological survey. It was apparent that the summit of the mountain is exposed
to regular ice movement, slope-wash, and water/wind erosion, resulting in poor preservation
conditions for cultural resources. The report of investigations submitted to BLM concluded that
likely no historic properties would be affected by the project.
6. DISCUSSION
Only the ethnogeography and archaeology data sets were developed in 2013; as provided in the
Study Plan, the lake-coring effort will take place in the next study season.
6.1. Ethnogeography Investigation
The ethnogeography investigation is on schedule in developing the Ahtna information. The
ongoing analyses of Ahtna oral history tapes and transcripts—along with the contemporary
interviews—will yield a data set with which to develop cultural context for the cultural resource
inventory and to determine in particular whether any TCPs are present in the study area. The
Dena’ina component of the ethnogeography study has not yet been defined, pending
commencement of this work in the next study season.
Information of mutual value to the ethnogeography investigation and the Traditional Knowledge
component under the Subsistence Study has been shared between the two teams. This has
consisted primarily of lists of names and contact information for interviewees and potential
interviewees.
There is little comparison between the ethnogeographic investigations being undertaken as part
of the current Susitna studies and the early 1980s-era work. Ethnographic observations made
during the earlier studies were mostly incidental to the archaeological inventory, and the term
“Traditional Cultural Property” as a formal concept in historic preservation law and regulation
did not yet exist. The Ahtna place name inventory was not nearly as extensive and complete as it
is now, thanks to continued scholarl y work over the ensuing decades. Long term Ahtna presence
in the study area is established through the over 350 places names (Figure 6.1-1).
One important finding is that contemporary Ahtna continue to recognize traditional territorial
boundaries. During the contemporary interviews many Ahtna in discussing the project deferred
to their kinsmen living in Cantwell. Acknowledging traditional boundaries is one way that
contemporary Western Ahtna individuals continue their ancestral connection to the land—the
places where their ancestors came from, and where they made their living. This attachment to
place is demonstrated through subsistence activities that continue the actions of their ancestors
on the same land, in the same locations (Figure 6.1-2; Appendix E).
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6.2. Archaeological Investigation
The archaeological investigation is on schedule to date. The total number of sites newly recorded
or re-recorded in the direct APE is 150. These exclude 33 more known sites with AHRS numbers
which either could not be found or were on lands for which the Study Team did not have
permission to access. In 2012, 14 known AHRS sites were re-recorded and another three new
sites were found, so that in 2012-2013 the Susitna cultural resource investigations have
developed field observations on an inventory of 167 sites.
The discovery of 85 new sites in the study area demonstrates the incompleteness of the early
1980s-era surveys, and it is anticipated that additional new sites will be discovered in the next
study season. Preliminary analysis indicates the site types are similar from the earlier sample to
the new, except that rock cairns have been added as a previously unrecognized site type.
The locational model has been a useful tool for increasing new site discoveries. Division into
four seasonal models should provide finer-grained results for site discovery in the next study
season and improve the field teams’ efficiency in surveying the indirect APE.
Collaboration with other studies such as 13.6 Paleontology and 4.5 Geology is ongoing.
Archaeological field teams found four previously unknown fossil sites in the direct APE, and
they have been reported to the paleontological resource team. Archaeological survey and testing
will occur simultaneously with the paleontology field work in the next study season. Many
survey areas overlap and thus increase the chances of one resource team finding new sites of
interest to the other resource investigators. The Study Team has also compared notes with the
Geology Study Team, and the exchange of information about subsurface sediments and bedrock
geology will help refine the tephra chronology for the study area. The tephra chronology in turn
bears directly on the paleoenvironmental reconstruction associated with the Cultural Resources
Study, for which field work is to take place in the next study season, promising further benefit
from continued information-sharing with the Geology Team.
7. COMPLETING THE STUDY
[Section 7 appears in the Part C section of this ISR.]
8. LITERATURE CITED
Alaska Energy Authority (AEA). 2012. Revised Study Plan: Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric
Project FERC Project No. 14241. December 2012. Prepared for the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission by the Alaska Energy Authority, Anchorage, Alaska.
http://www.susitna-watanahydro.org/study-plan.
Betts, R.C. 1987. Western Ahtna Ethnohistory of the Butte Lake Region. Review Draft
4/27/85. Fairbanks.
Blong, J. 2011. Preliminary Summary on 2010-2011 Field Research in the Upper Susitna Basin.
Unpublished manuscript in the files of Northern Land Use Research, Inc., Fairbanks.
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de Laguna, F. 1969–1970. The Ahtna of the Copper River, Alaska: The World of Men and
Animals. Folk 11/12:17–26.
de Laguna, F. 1970 . Sites in Ahtna Territory. Manuscript on file at Alaska Department of Fish
and Game, Division of Subsistence, Anchorage.
de Laguna, F., and C. McClellan. 1981. Ahtna. In J. Helm (ed.) Subarctic, p. 641-663.
Handbook of North American Indians Vol. 6. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington,
DC.
Dessaur, P.F., and D.W. Harvey. 1980. An Historical Resource Study of the Valdez Creek
Mining Company District, Alaska – 1977. U.S. Bureau of Land Management,
Anchorage.
Dilley, T.E. 1988. Holocene Tephra Stratigraphy and Pedogensis in the Middle Susitna River
Valley, Alaska. Unpublished Master of Science thesis, Department of Geology,
University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
Dixon, E.J., Jr. 1985. Cultural Chronology of Central Interior Alaska. Arctic Anthropology
22(1):47-66.
Dixon, E.J., Jr., G.S. Smith, and D.C. Plaskett. 1980. Environmental Studies Procedures
Manual/Research Design: Subtask 7.06 Cultural Resources Investigation for the Susitna
Hydropower Project. Report prepared by Terrestrial Environmental Specialists, Inc., and
University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, under contract to Acres American, Inc., for the
Alaska Power Authority.
Dixon, E.J., Jr., G.S. Smith, W. Andrefsky, B.M. Saleeby, and C.J. Utermohle. 1985. Susitna
Hydroelectric Project, Cultural Resources Investigations, 1979-1985. Alaska Power
Authority, Susitna Hydroelectric Project, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project
No. 7114 Vol. 6 Appendices E and F. University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks, Alaska.
Esdale, J. 2008. A Current Synthesis of the Northern Archaic. Arctic Anthropology 45(2):3-38.
FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission). 2002. Guidelines for the Development of
Historic Properties Management Plans for FERC Hydroelectric Projects. Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Washington D.C.
Fall, J.A. 1987. The Upper Inlet Tanaina: Patterns of Leadership Among an Athabaskan
People, 1741-1918. Anthropological Papers of the University of Alaska 21(1-2):1-80.
Greiser, T.W., S.T. Greiser, G.H. Bacon, T.A. Foor, P.R. Kari, J. Kari, D.F. Gallacher and
J.M. Caywood. 1985. Phase I Report: Background Research and Predictive Model for
Cultural Resources Located Along the Susitna Hydroelectric Project’s Linear Features
Volume I. Report by Historical Research Associates, Missoula, Montana, with
contributions from Alaska Heritage Research Group, Inc., to Harza-Ebasco Susitna Joint
Venture for Alaska Power Authority, Anchorage, Alaska.
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Greiser, T.W., S.T. Greiser, G.H. Bacon, D.F. Gallacher, T.A. Foor and J.A. Fall. 1986. Susitna
Hydroelectric Project Phase II Final Report. Sample Survey and Predictive Model
Refinement for Cultural Resources Located along the Susitna Hydroelectric Project
Linear Features Volumes 1 and 2. Report by Historical Research Associates, Missoula,
Montana, to Harza-Ebasco Susitna Joint Venture for Alaska Power Authority.
Kari, J. 2008a. Ahtna Place Names Lists. revised, 2nd ed. Alaska Native Language Center,
Fairbanks.
Kari, J. 2010. Ahtna Travel Narratives-A Demonstration of Shared Geographic Knowledge
Among Alaskan Athabascans. Alaska Native Language Center, Fairbanks.
McClellan, C. 1970. Introduction – Athabascan Studies. Western Canadian Journal of
Anthropology 2:vi-xix.
McClellan, C. 1975. Feuding and Warfare Among Northwestern Athapaskans. In A.M. Clark
(ed.), Proceedings: Northern Athapaskan Conference, 1971. Vol. 1 p. 181-258, Ottawa:
National Museums of Canada.
Peters, H., and J. Peters. 1977. Nay'nadełiI'ghaanDghat'aen'den (The War at Nay'nadełi.) Told
by Henry and Jennie Peters. Alaska Native Language Center.
Reckord, H. 1983a That’s The Way We Live—Subsistence In The Wrangell-St. Elias National
Park and Preserve. Anthropology and Historic Preservation, Cooperative Park Studies
Unit, University of Alaska Fairbanks Occasional Paper 34.
Reckord, H. 1983b. Where Raven Stood—Cultural Resources of the Ahtna Region.
Anthropology and Historic Preservation, Cooperative Park Studies Unit, University of
Alaska Fairbanks Occasional Paper 35.
Tansy, J. 1982. Indian Stories, HwtsaayHwt'aeneYenida'a, Legends of the Small Timber
People. Written by Louise Tansy Mayo, Edited by James Kari. Reprinted in 1997 by
Ahtna Heritage Foundation.
VanderHoek, Richard. 2011. Cultural Resource Management Plan for the Denali Highway
Lands, Central Alaska. Draft manuscript. Alaska Office of History and Archaeology
Report 112. Alaska Office of History and Archaeology, Division of Parks and Outdoor
Recreation, Anchorage.
VanderHoek, R., B. Wygal, R.M. Tedor and C.E. Holmes. 2007a. Survey and Monitoring of Ice
Patches in the Denali Highway Region, Central Alaska, 2003-2005. Alaska Journal of
Anthropology 5(2): 67-85.
VanderHoek, R., R.M. Tedor and J.D. McMahan. 2007b. Cultural Materials Recovered from
Ice Patches in the Denali Highway Region, Central Alaska, 2003-2005. Alaska Journal
of Anthropology 5(2):185-199.
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West, C. 1973. Inventory of Trails and Habitation Sites in the Ahtna Region. Unpublished
manuscript on file at Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Subsistence,
Anchorage.
Wygal, B.T. 2009. Prehistoric Colonization of Southcentral Alaska: Human Adaptations in a
Post Glacial World. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Department of Anthropology,
University of Reno, Nevada.
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9. TABLES
Table 4.2-1. Datasets Used in Project Model 1
Dataset Source Access
Archaeological site type and location Alaska Heritage Resources Survey (AHRS)-
Alaska Office of History and Archaeology
Permit
Revised Statute 2477 Historic Trails Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources Public
Digital elevation models (DEM) United States Geological Survey Public
Surface geology, lode deposits, sediment
basins
United States Geological Survey, Alaska Dept.
of Natural Resources
Public
Ecoregion United States Geological Survey Public
Hydrography United States Geological Survey, Alaska Dept.
of Natural Resources
Public
Vegetation U of California, Berkeley, Ducks Unlimited Public
Wetlands United States Fish and Wildlife Service Public
Wildlife (fowl, fish, mammals) Alaska Department of Fish and Game & Alaska
Department of Natural Resources
Public
Permafrost National Snow and Ice Data Center Public
Temperature and Precipitation National Snow and Ice Data Center Public
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Table 4.2-2. Classified Variables Examined in Project Locational Modeling
Variables Classes
Site type classes 1 through 4 (Random, Prehistoric, Native Historic, Euro-American Historic)
DEM classes 1 through 23 (100-meter increments)
Slope classes 1 through 9 (5-degree increments)
Aspect classes 1 through 9 (45-degree increments)
Surficial geology 16 classes (dataset codes)
Possible tool-stone location presence/absence (1, 0)
Coal deposits presence/absence (1, 0)
Metalliferous-lode deposits presence/absence (1, 0)
Vegetation classes 0 through 23 (dataset codes)
Distance to lake classes 1 through 4 (within 100, 500, 1000 meters, &> 1000 meters)
Distance to stream classes 1 through 4 (within 100, 500, 1000 meters, &> 1000 meters)
Distance to anadromous waters classes 1 through 4 (within 100, 500, 1000 meters, &> 1000 meters)
Caribou ranges presence/absence (1, 0 - summer, winter, calving, migration routes)
Moose ranges presence/absence (1, 0 - summer, winter, calving, rutting)
Dall’s sheep ranges presence/absence (1, 0 - summer, winter)
Dall’s sheep licks presence/absence (1, 0)
Duck & geese ranges presence/absence (1, 0 - nesting, molting, summer, winter, migration routes)
Swan ranges presence/absence (1, 0 - nesting, molting, summer, winter, migration routes)
Seabird colonies presence/absence (1, 0)
Eagle/raptor concentrations presence/absence (1, 0)
Precipitation classes 1 through 6, January (20 millimeter increments) & July (30 millimeter
increments)
Temperature classes 1 through 5, January (3-degree C increments) & July (1 degree C increments)
Permafrost classes 1 through 8 (dataset codes)
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Table 5.1-1. Selected Western Ahtna Recordings from the Alaska Native Language Center
ANLC# Old # Interviewee Topic
Date of
Recording
Recordings related to Place Names and Routes
ANLC5006 AT21.2 Tansy, Jake 3 travel routes 11/6/1980
ANLC7011 AT21.2 Tansy, Jake Western Ahtna place names 11/6/1982
ANLC7024 AT 100 Tansy, Jake Western Ahtna place names 8/28/1998
ANLC5055 AT 101 Tansy, Jake Western Ahtna place names 11/30/1998
ANLC0809 AT28 Tyone, Jim Gulkana Geography 6/26/1981
ANLC5009a AT33 Tyone, Jim Western Ahtna place names 2/15/1982
ANLC5009b AT 33 1st Tyone, Jim Tyone Lake to K'aasi
ANLC5011 34 2nd Tyone, Jim and Pete Ewan Western Ahtna place names 3/22/1982
ANLC7012 36 3rd Tyone, Jim and Pete Ewan Western Ahtna place names 3/22/1982
ANLC5013 38 Ewan, Fred and Jim Tyone Charley Lake, Tyone Lake 7/13/1982
Recordings related to Land Use and Harvest
ANLC5006 AT23b/24b Tansy, Jake Valdez Creek activities 1/20/1981
ANLC5015b AT40 Tansy, Jake Tyone River Village 10/10/1984
5055-last Tansy, Jake anecdotes
ANLC7031 AT106 Tansy, Jake training, noise, wood, crafts, fishing, 3/1/2000
ANLC7033 AT127 Tansy, Jake Fishing Crafts, baet, cii\hwyaa 1/21/2003
ANLC5043 Tansy, Jake Betts interview
ANLC5011 34 2nd Tyone, Jim Western Ahtna use areas 3/22/1982
BIA MS-9-23-88 Secondchief, Morrie Tyone River Village
ANLC3828 Peters, Henry Western Ahtna use areas 2/19/1981
Recordings related to History, Events, People and Songs
ANLC0816 AT4 Henry and Jennie Peters, Nenana War Story 9/4/1976
ANLC5030 AT86 John, Fred Naltsiin at Tyone L
5009b Tyone, Jim Tyone L Ni'ilyaas
ANLC5015b AT40 Tansy, Jake Tsusena Lake fish 10/10/1984
ANLC5015b AT40 Tansy, Jake noko'en (2)
ANLC5015b AT40 Tansy, Jake Ewan lake Aleuts 8/26/1985
new2013-1 new2013-1 Ewan, Fred War with Aleuts 3/12/2013
Recordings related to Yenida'a, Sukdu (mythic narratives)
ANLC7031 AT106 Tansy, Jake sucker, raven-gull-eagle, woodpecker 3/1/2000
ANLC7010 21.1 Tansy, Jake 1982 texts + 2 11/1/1980
ANLC7011 21.2 Tansy, Jake 1982 texts, place seg 11/6/1980
ANLC5015a AT40 Tansy, Jake duck woman, salmon 3/8/1983
ANLC5015 AT40 Tansy, Jake ling cod
ANLC5028 35 Tyone, Jim Raven brings light 3/23/1982
ANLC7033 AT127 Tansy, Jake baet, cii\hwyaa 1/21/2003
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ANLC# Old # Interviewee Topic
Date of Recording
Recordings related to Educational, Linguistic
ANLC5058 Mayo, Louise, Nicholas Jane Cantwell Ahtna Language Lessons 6/24/1905
Dena'ina recordings to be translated and transcribed in 2014
ANLC4311 AT88 Shaginoff, John West Ahtna/Dena'ina 3/4/1985
ANLC1270 Pete, Shem updenpeo
ANLC3709 Pete, Shem tiduhuk'
ANLC3708 Pete, Shem tiduhuk'
ANLC3682 Pete, Shem 1906 Kroto potlatch
ANLC3681 Pete, Shem Sghaytu
ANLC1275 Pete, Shem Ch'anqet'
ANLC1391 Pete, Shem 2nd Ch'anqet'
ANLC3700a TI87 Pete, Shem qusamt.seg
ANLC3700b 87ab Pete, Shem Wrangell map seg 2/7/85
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Table 5.1-2. Selected Western Ahtna Recordings from archives of the Ahtna Heritage Foundation
Tape Number Interviewee
Date of Recording Access Description Status
14H1-0006-01 Henry Peters 7/25/1992 Completed
OTHB01-0018-01 10/13/1988 Completed
OTHB02-0021-01 Henry Peters 4/19/1988 Completed
OTHB01-0025-01 Henry Peters 10/13/1988 restricted OTHB project Completed
AI05-0003-01 J&M Secondchief/Jim &
John Tyone
08/23-24/1977 standard
Completed
AI05-0007-01 Henry Peters 7/8/1977 standard blm - Valdez Creek
project Completed
AI05-0006-01 Nicklie&Herman/Hpeters 7/9/1977 &
7/28/1977
standard blm - Valdez Creek
project Completed
AI05-0002-01 Nome Stickivan 11/15/1977 standard blm - Valdez Creek
project Completed
AI05-0001-01 A. Norton/Moliver+H.
Peters blm - Valdez Creek
project Completed
CRNA01-0072-01 MorrieSecondchief 4/19/1994 tyoneLk, Valdez Ck, Old
Man Lk Completed
14H1-0002-01 M.Secondchief 8/25/1993 Completed
14H1-0007-01 MorrieSecondchief 04/30/1993 restricted Subsistence/Medicinal
Plants Completed
14H1-0005-01 M.Secondchief 7/15/1992 Completed
14H1-0010-01 M.Secondchief 8/30/1987 Completed
14H1-0011-01 M.Secondchief 8/30/1987 Continuation of above
interview Completed
14H1-0016-01 M.Secondchief 7/22/1988 Completed
14H1-0021-01 M.Secondchief 9/30/1980 Completed
FDL04-0024 Jennie Peters 4/19/1968 Ahtna_only Nay'nade/I; Big chief;
kinship of chief & relation
to Neeleys
Completed
FDL04-0025 Jennie Peters; Jake & Lily
Tansy
4/19/1968 Ahtna_only Kinship; Tsunga/ hst'aene
+ Gulkana people Completed
ANLC01-5118B-01 ANDY TYONE 4/10/2003 standard Interview Andy Completed
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Tape Number Interviewee
Date of Recording Access Description Status
Tyoneplacenames Mostly
Lake Louise
14H1-0002-01 Morrie Secondchief 08/25/1993 restricted Completed
AHF05-0002-01 Atyone & Jmaxim 3/13/2013 Sites and use areas in
Tyone Lake area Completed
CRNA01-0058-01 F. Secondchief, Henry
Peters, Lingo Nicklie Sr.? 4/20/1995 Educational Recording very bad to
11:00 Completed
AHF05-0011-01 Jeanie Maxim 4/29/2013 Jeanie listens to &
interprets FDL04-0052-01 Completed
AHF05-0012-01 Jeanie Maxim 4/29/2013 Jeanie listens to &
interprets FDL04-0053-01
Completed
AHF05-0010-01 Andy Tyone 5/10/2013 Place names and use
areas in Tyone country.
Completed
ANLC01-5091-01 Andy Tyone, Ben Neely,
Fred Ewan, Johnny
Goodlataw
01/28/2003 standard FISHING (NON-
SALMON)
Completed
ANLC01-5081-01 Jake Tansy 02/20/2001 standard FISHING Completed
ANLC01-0809-01 Jim Tyone standard Geography, trail TyoneLk
to Knik 170 mi long
Completed
ANLC01-5009-01 Side B Jim Tyone 3/22/1982 standard Tyone Lake country Completed
CRNA01-0049-01 Ben Neeley, Fred Ewan 7/18/2000 Educational Interview: Places Completed
AI05-0003-01 Bud Carlson 3/26/2013 Interpreting/translating
Naynade/I story
AHF05-0006-01 Jnicholas 3/27/2013 #ANLC 7024 [?]; Switch
to B-jt-5015 Woodsman
story
AHF05-0007-01 Jnicholas 3/28/2013 Kinship. Jake Tansy's
Nay'nade/i story
ANLC0816. Switch to
ANLC5015.
Completed
AI05-0009-01 Bcarlson/Moliver blm - Valdez Creek
project
AHF05-0003-01 Bud Carlson 3/26/2013 Nenana War Story and
sites and uses of land
around Valdez Creek
area.
Completed
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Tape Number Interviewee
Date of Recording Access Description Status
AHF05-0005-01 Bud Carlson 3/27/2013 Interview about Valdez
Creek area
Completed
AHF05-0004-01 Louise Mayo 3/27/2013
OTHB01-0040-01 Louise Mayo 10/18/1988 standard
AHF05-0020-01 Charlie Hubbard 07/23/2013 in-progress
AHF05-0021-01 Charlie Hubbard 07/24/2013 in-progress
AHF05-0022-01 Charlie Hubbard 07/25/2013
OTHB01-0002-01 Ben Neeley Interview 12/09/1987 ahtna_only 4:35 - 19:11 Tom Neeley
from Tyone; sold meat to
VC
Completed
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Table 5.1-3. Sample of Recordings Ordered as A, B, and C Texts
Order
Edit Status SUWaID No.
Date Recorded Speaker Length Area of Segment
A1.1-4 5 5015 (seg) 10/10/1984 Jake Tansy 15 minutes 1 Banazdleni vista
5006 (seg) 11/6/1980 2 Brushkana to Yanert to Valdez Creek
7011(seg) 11/6/1980 3 Brushkana to mid Susitna
4 Watana R-Jay Ck loop & sketch map
5 JT synopsis & sketch map
A2 5 7024 (all) 8/28/1998 Jake Tansy 28 minutes 6 Valdez Ck-Tyone L-mid Su R
7 Valdez Ck- Deadman L-mid Su
8 Brushkana-Cantwell- Y anert
A3 4 5055 (part) 11/30/1998 Jake Tansy 59 minutes JT drive and descriptions, 5 routes
A4 5 809 (all) 6/26/1981 Jim Tyone 28 minutes 1) Tyone L to Knik
2) west from tyone L
3) Tyone Lake to Tangle L
4) Tyone L to Gulkana
5) Tyone L to Gulkana winter
A5 5 5009b (seg) 3/22/1982 Jim Tyone 9 minutes 1) Tyone L west to TalkeetnaMts, Tyone R.
mouth village
7012 (seg) 3/23/1982 2) Hogan Hill vista
B1 5 5006 (seg) 11/6/1980 Jake Tansy 6 minutes Valdez Creek activities
B2 5 5015 (seg) 10/10/1984 Jake Tansy 4 minutes Tyone River mouth village life
B8 5 7031 3/1/2000 Jake Tansy 5 minutes Mining at Valdez Creek, dynamiting and
noise effect on animals
B11 5 7031 3/1/2000 Jake Tansy 7 minutes Whitefish harvests in 3 or 4 places
C1 5 5015a (seg) 3/8/1983 Jake Tansy 3 minutes Nts'eziBene', Creature in Tsusena Lake
C5 3 816 9/4/1976 Jenny and
Henry
Peters
10 minutes the war at Nay’nadełi
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 33 June 2014
Table 5.1-4. Interviews on Contemporary Land Use in 2013
Task Contractor Town Type of Contact Date
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 7/10/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 7/11/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 7/11/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 7/15/2013
Ethnogeography URS Anchorage Interview 7/16/2013
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview 7/18/2013
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview 7/19/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 7/29/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 7/29/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 7/29/2013
Ethnogeography URS Anchorage Interview 8/9/2013
Table 5.1-5. Interviews and Proofreading Sessions in 2013
Task Contractor Town Type of Contact Date
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview/proofreading 3/12/2013
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview/proofreading 3/13/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview/proofreading 3/26-27/3
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview/proofreading 3/27/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview/proofreading 3/26-27/3
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview/proofreading 4/29/2013
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview/proofreading 4/30/2013
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview/proofreading 5/8/2013
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview/proofreading 5/9/2013
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview/proofreading 5/10/2013
Ethnogeography URS Gulkana Interview/proofreading 5/29/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview/proofreading 6/18/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview/proofreading 6/18/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview/proofreading 6/19/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview/proofreading 6/19/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview/proofreading 6/20/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 6/31/13
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 6/31/13
Ethnogeography URS Fairbanks Interview/proofreading 7/1/2013
Ethnogeography URS Cantwell Interview 7/12/2013
Ethnogeography URS Fairbanks Interview/proofreading 7/23-25/13
Ethnogeography URS Fairbanks Interview/proofreading 8/20/2013
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 34 June 2014
Table 5.2-1. Radiocarbon Results (table 12/13/13)
Location Test Area Cal B.P. (2-sigma)*
Radiocarbon Association with Tephra Associated Tephra Depth Field Tephra Description
Impoundment IM-VAF-025
5316 to 5470 cal BP
(3521 to 3367 cal BC) N/A Unknown Unknown
Impoundment IM-VAF-025
5276 to 5322 cal BP
(3218 to 3175 cal BC) N/A Unknown Unknown
Impoundment IM-MRS-011
3984 to 4157 cal BP
(2208 to 2035 cal BC) Below 20-25 cmbs
Possible Tephra
from Strat VI
Impoundment
IM-MRS-011
4078 to 4164 cal BP
(2215 to 2129 cal BC) Below 20-25 cmbs
Possible Tephra
from Strat VI
Impoundment
IM-MRS-011
4138 to 4295 cal BP
(2346 to 2189 cal BC) Below 20-25 cmbs
Possible Tephra
from Strat VI
Impoundment
IM-MRS-011
4220 to 4358 cal BP
(2409 to 2271 cal BC) Below 20-25 cmbs
Possible Tephra
from Strat VI
Indirect APE Geo-Pit
1352 to 1446 cal BP
(504 to 598 cal AD) Below 3-4 cmbs Devil Tephra
Indirect APE
Geo-Pit
1318 to 1402 cal BP
(548 to 632 cal AD) Below 3-4 cmbs Devil Tephra
Indirect APE
Geo-Pit
2953 to 3083 cal BP
(1134 to 1004 cal BC) Within 26-29 cmbs Watana Tephra
Indirect APE
Geo-Pit
2924 to 3076 cal BP
(1127 to 975 cal BC) Within 26-29 cmbs Watana Tephra
Indirect APE
Geo-Pit
5053 to 5189 cal BP
(3240 to 3104 cal BC) Above 35-38 cmbs Oshetna?
Indirect APE
Geo-Pit
7435 to 7519 cal BP
(5570 to 5486 cal BC) Below 35-38 cmbs Oshetna?
Impoundment TLM-00226
1538 to 1629 cal BP
(321 to 412 cal AD) N/A Unknown Unknown
*Calibrated age was calculated using 2-sigma CALIB 2.0 (INTCAL13) software.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 35 June 2014
Table 5.2-2. X-ray Florescence Results on Obsidian Artifacts (table 11/6/13)
Obsidian ID Test Area Artifact Type K Mn Fe Zn Ga Th Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Provisional Source
AOD-50584 DEMHH100 Possible Scraper 37131 165 8421 171 20 25 321 12 112 131 37 Unknown
AOD-50585 DEMHH100 Source material 37142 155 8155 171 20 27 307 10 114 130 37 Unknown
AOD-50586 DEMHH100 Source material 37079 170 7756 159 22 26 303 7 114 142 37 Unknown
AOD-50587 DEMHH100 Source material 37212 151 8148 173 20 23 311 10 117 129 37 Unknown
AOD-50588 DEMHH100 Source material 37150 176 7885 171 20 24 301 5 118 129 39 Unknown
AOD-50589 DEMHH100 Source material 37344 46 8478 194 19 20 327 6 111 116 35 Unknown
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 36 June 2014
10. FIGURES
Figure 3-1. Map of Study Area for Cultural Resources.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
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FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 37 June 2014
Figure 4.1-1. Map of Testing from the Early 1980s-era Investigations.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
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FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 38 June 2014
Figure 4.2-1. Map of Survey Methods in the Direct and Indirect APEs.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
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FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 39 June 2014
Figure 4.6-1. Map of Athabascan Groups Within and Peripheral to the Study Area.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
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FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 40 June 2014
Figure 5.2-1. Map of the Impoundment Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map 12/9/13)
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
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FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 41 June 2014
Figure 5.2-2. Map of the Dam and Camp Facilities Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map 12/9/13)
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 42 June 2014
Figure 5.2-3. Map of the Denali Corridor Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map 12/9/13)
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 43 June 2014
Figure 5.2-4. Map of the Chulitna Corridor Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map 12/9/13)
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 44 June 2014
Figure 5.2-5. Map of the Gold Creek Corridor Showing Survey Type and Coverage. (map 12/9/13)
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 45 June 2014
Figure 5.2-6. Grouping (in red ellipse) of Trace Elements in Obsidian Artifacts. (graph 11/6/13)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Group H
Group G
Batza Tena
Group N
Dry Creek
Group F
SuWa_DEMHH100_13_002
SuWa_DEMHH100_13_001a
SuWa_DEMHH100_13_001b
SuWa_DEMHH100_13_001c
SuWa_DEMHH100_13_001d
SuWa_DEMHH100_13_001e
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 46 June 2014
Figure 5.3-1. Map of Deadman Mountain Seismic Station and Vicinity.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 47 June 2014
Figure 6.1-1. Map of Ahtna Place Names Included for Analysis.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Page 48 June 2014
Figure 6.1-2. Map of Ahtna Land Use Types, 1900-2013.
Source: URS interview data, Oral History Narratives.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 June 2014
PART A - APPENDIX A: PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERIES
Plan for Unanticipated Discovery
of Cultural Resources and Human
Remains
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project
FERC No. 14241
Alaska Energy Authority
[Review Draft: 6/20/12]
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 1 June 2014
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN
REMAINS DURING THE 2012 SUSITNA-WATANA HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
FIELD INVESTIGATIONS
(Provisional – June 20, 2012)
The first part of this plan (pages 1-3) is addressed to non-cultural resource contractors and other
personnel involved with the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project and establishes procedures in the
event that unreported or unanticipated cultural resources and/or human remains are found in the
field. The field reporting procedures differ depending on: a) whether cultural materials or human
remains are encountered; and b) whether the discoverers are involved in a non-destructive effort or
whether ground disturbance is involved. Reports of finds will then be forwarded by the Cultural
Resources Program or Study Lead as per the remainder of this plan according to c) whether the
finds are on federal, state, or private land1. Prior to fieldwork, AEA and contracted personnel will
receive environmental training including the following guidance for identifying and reporting
cultural resources or human remains discovered in the field. This plan briefly describes cultural
resources in the study area, how to distinguish them from insignificant items and trash, and what to
do if you find them during your fieldwork (all “ifs” are underlined).
Cultural Resources in the Study Area
The general study area contains historic and prehistoric remains going back as much as 10,000
years, and over 250 sites are known from previous studies. Of those, about 90% had stone tools
and other prehistoric artifacts, about 10% were historic sites consisting of building ruins or scatters
of commercially manufactured items (metal cans, bottles, etc.), and only a couple were fossil
discoveries (animal or plant remains). The more recent prehistoric sites are from the Athabascan
Indians who inhabited the area historically and hold the majority of the area’s Native place names
in their linguistic dialect -- Ahtna, while the older sites fade into a more generalized adaptation
shared by most of Alaska’s ancient interior peoples. Historic sites in the Susitna-Watana area
reflect remote land use like mining, prospecting, hunting, trapping, and recreational pursuits, in
addition to simple homesteading.
How to Distinguish Cultural Resources
Prehistoric sites most commonly contain stone tools, which are the main indicator for field
personnel. Rocks free of flaws that fracture easily and predictably (like flint or obsidian) were
typically struck and pressured into form, resulting in tools and discarded flakes with distinctively
faceted surfaces – shallow concave scars on tools as well as the corresponding positive bulbs on
removed flakes (imagine the rippled conical chunk of glass your son, daughter, – or you – once
popped out of a plate glass window with a BB gun). This is the major diagnostic you need to have
in mind for prehistoric sites. Discriminating between an artifact and a naturally shattered rock
relies a lot on context. A few suspicious stone shards among a rocky talus slope of identical
mineralogy are probably not cause for concern. An interesting multi-flaked sharp stone plus a few
others nearby (perhaps with detachment bulbs) on a flat overlook would more likely be a cultural
1 As set forth by the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), as amended (16 USC 470) and implementing regulations
(36 CFR 800), Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation
Act (NAGPRA) and Alaska Statutes 11.46.482 (a)(3), 12.65.5, 18.50.250, and 41.35.200.
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 2 June 2014
occurrence. Many of these locales have already been found and recorded as formal archaeological
sites; likely more remain to be discovered.
Historic sites can have more variability than prehistoric sites in terms of surface and subsurface
features and their degree of preservation. Building ruins ranging from roofed examples to those fast
entering the archaeological record are part of the cultural resource inventory. Scatters of metal cans
and glass bottles legally can be cultural resources, too, if they are 50 or more years old (using that
criterion, hypothetically, archaeologist Ivar Skarland’s field camp from his 1953 investigations of
the then-proposed Devils Canyon dam impoundment could be historically significant).
Unvegetated deposits of loose rock at the base of mineralized outcrops – often reddish or yellowish,
may indicate historic prospecting, as might the remains of water diversion systems. As with the
prehistoric inventory, many of these sites have already been discovered, and likely more remain to
be found.
What to Do if You Find Cultural Features or Artifacts
Regardless of whether you are involved in a non-destructive field program or one involving ground
disturbance, stop work immediately in the vicinity and don’t disturb the features or artifacts further.
If you are involved in a ground-disturbing activity then contact immediately either Cultural
Resource Program Lead Charles M. Mobley or Study Lead Justin Hays (below). Information you
will be requested to provide is primarily description of the finds and location including GPS
coordinates. If you are involved in a non-destructive field program, then you are requested to report
the description and location of the suspected cultural resource including GPS coordinates to Mobley
or Hays within five days. Digital photographs accompanying the report are especially
recommended but no photographs or site-specific location information should be released to the
press or other individuals other than the Cultural Resource Program or Study Leads. Contact either:
Charles M. Mobley Justin Hays
Cultural Resources Program Lead Cultural Resources Study Lead
(907) 653-1937 office OR (907) 474-9684 office
(907) 632-1933 cell (907) 750-9857 cell
mobley@alaska.net jmh@northernlanduse.com
Charles M. Mobley & Associates Northern Land Use Research, Inc.
200 W. 34th Avenue #534 234 Front Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
How to Distinguish Human Remains
Animal bones are statistically more common than human remains by far, so probabilities favor your
find not being human. Ask the biologist or hunter on your crew for an opinion. If the bones are cut
or sawn then let’s assume they’re not human. Human skulls and our all-one-piece jaws are
relatively unique and easily identified. For the other bones, try to imagine each one in your body
where you think it should fit – does it? If not, it’s less likely human.
Context is important. If the bones are scattered around a not-too-old fire ring, for example, then
they’re likely animal. If they’re tumbling out of a rock cairn, they’re more likely human.
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 3 June 2014
What to Do if You Find Human Remains
Regardless of whether you are involved in a non-destructive field program or one involving ground
disturbance, stop work immediately in the vicinity and don’t disturb the bones further. Contact
immediately either Cultural Resource Program Lead Charles M. Mobley or Study Lead Justin Hays,
by telephone or email (below). Information you will be requested to provide is primarily
description of the bones and location including GPS coordinates. Digital photographs
accompanying the report are especially recommended but no photographs or site-specific location
information should be released to the press or other individuals other than the Cultural Resource
Program or Study Leads. Contact either:
Charles M. Mobley Justin Hays
Cultural Resources Program Lead Cultural Resources Study Lead
(907) 653-1937 office OR (907) 474-9684 office
(907) 632-1933 cell (907) 750-9857 cell
mobley@alaska.net jmh@northernlanduse.com
Charles M. Mobley & Associates Northern Land Use Research, Inc.
200 W. 34th Avenue #534 234 Front Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
Forwarding Reports of Discoveries from the Field
After the field report has been made to Mobley or Hays the field finders’ responsibilities are over
other than to be available for further consultation if necessary. The following steps will then be set
in motion:
1. The Cultural Resources Program or Study Lead will compare the find’s GPS coordinates and
description with the known site inventory to determine if it actually reflects a new discovery or an
already-recorded site.
2. If the discovery involves human remains or is determined to be an unrecorded cultural property,
the Cultural Resources Program or Study Lead will immediately notify AEA’s Environmental
Manager of the find and its potential significance.
Betsy McGregor, AEA Environmental Manager
(907) 771-3957 office
(503) 312-2217 cell
BMcGregor@aidea.org
411 W. 4th Avenue, Ste. 1
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
3. AEA’s Environmental Manager will coordinate with a cultural resources consultant who will
travel to the location and evaluate the find as warranted to determine if indeed human bones have
been discovered, or if a new cultural site has been found.
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 4 June 2014
4. If the materials found are human remains, then the protocols outlined in the subsequent two
sections entitled Protection of Human Remains (distinguished according to land ownership) will
be followed. If a cultural site is at imminent risk from a proposed ground-disturbing activity, the
procedures specified in the following two sections entitled Protection of Cultural Remains (again
distinguished according to land ownership) below will be followed. If the materials are already
recorded cultural sites and not in jeopardy, no further action will be taken.
Protection of At-Risk Cultural Materials on Private and State-Managed Land
a) AEA’s Environmental Manager will promptly notify the Environmental Inspector to flag the at-
risk site with a 20-meter buffer as appropriate. This buffer may be larger if there is the possibility
of more resources in the area or in the case of slopes or cut-banks where ongoing construction may
impact the site.
b) AEA’s Environmental Manager will direct the cultural resources consultant to begin a more
detailed assessment of the find’s significance and the potential effect of construction.
c) AEA’s Environmental Manager will promptly notify the Alaska State Historic Preservation
Officer (SHPO) or State Archaeologist of the find. Contact either:
Judith Bittner, SHPO David McMahan, State Archaeologist
(907) 269-8721 (907) 269-8723
judy.bittner@alaska.gov dave.mcmahan@alaska.gov
Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources OR Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources
Office of History and Archaeology Office of History and Archaeology
550 West 7th Avenue Ste. 1310 550 West 7th Avenue Ste. 1310
Anchorage, Alaska 99501-3565 Anchorage, Alaska 99501-3565
d) The landowner will be promptly notified.
e) The cultural resources consultant will document the site circumstances, potential significance,
and risk of harm. If the cultural resources consultant assesses the find as not significant or lacking
integrity, then the consultant will notify the AEA Environmental Manager who will then inform the
SHPO. Upon SHPO agreement of a finding of no effect, AEA will request approval to resume
construction. A brief report of the find will be provided to the SHPO within one week of its
recording. If the archaeological consultant recommends that the find may be significant, then the
following steps will be implemented.
f) AEA’s Environmental Manager will notify other parties, such as appropriate Alaska Native
organizations, as directed by the SHPO.
Alaska Native Regional Corporations:
Ahtna, Incorporated (Ahtna)
Michelle Anderson, President
PO BOX 649, Glennallen, Alaska 99588
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 5 June 2014
Glennallen Office: (907) 822‐3476
Fax: (907) 822‐3495
Anchorage Office: (907) 868‐8250
Fax: (907) 868‐8285
Email: manderson@ahtna.net
Cook Inlet Region Incorporated (CIRI)
2525 C Street Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503
P.O. Box 93330, Anchorage, Alaska 99509-3330
(907) 274-8638
Fax: (907) 279-8836
Doyon, Ltd. (Doyon)
1 Doyon Place, Suite 300
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701-2941
(907) 459-2000
(888) 478-4755 (toll-free)
(907) 459-2060 (fax)
Doyon, Limited - Anchorage Office
11500 C Street, Suite 250
Anchorage, Alaska 99515-2692
(907) 563-5530 or (907) 375-4220
(907) 375-4205 (fax)
A more complete contact list is attached as Appendix A.
g) If the find is significant and continuing work may damage more of the site, then AEA’s
Environmental Manager will request recommendations from the SHPO and other parties regarding
appropriate measures for site treatment. These measures may include: formal archaeological
evaluation of the site; visits to the site by the SHPO and other parties; preparation of a mitigation
plan by AEA for approval by the SHPO; implementation of the mitigation plan; and/or approval to
resume construction following completion of the fieldwork component of the mitigation plan.
h) If further analysis indicates that the find lacks significance, then AEA’s Environmental Manager
will consult with the SHPO and other appropriate parties to request approval for resumption of
construction.
i) AEA’s Environmental Manager will notify the on-site Field Coordinator who will grant clearance
to the Contractor to start construction.
Protection of At-Risk Cultural Materials on Federal Lands
a) AEA’s Environmental Manager will promptly notify the Environmental Inspector to flag the at-
risk site with a 20-meter buffer as appropriate. This buffer may be larger if there is the possibility
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 6 June 2014
of more resources in the area or in the case of slopes or cut-banks where ongoing construction may
impact the site.
b) AEA’s Environmental Manager will direct the cultural resources consultant to begin a more
detailed assessment of the find’s significance and the potential effect of construction.
c) AEA’s Environmental Manager will promptly notify the appropriate federal land managing
agency and Alaska State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) of the find. Contact both:
John Jangala, Archaeologist Judith Bittner, SHPO
(907) 822-7303 (907) 269-8721
jjangala@blm.gov judy.bittner@alaska.gov
Glennallen Field Office Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources
Bureau of Land Management Office of History and Archaeology
P.O. Box 147 550 West 7th Avenue Ste. 1310
Glennallen, Alaska 99588-0147 Anchorage, Alaska 99501-3565
d) The cultural resources consultant will document the site circumstances, potential significance,
and risk of harm, and then notify the AEA Environmental Manager who will in turn then inform the
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) archaeologist and the SHPO. If the cultural resources
consultant assesses the find as not significant or lacking integrity, and the BLM and SHPO agree on
a finding of no effect, then AEA will request approval to resume construction. A brief report of the
find and an AHRS site form will be provided to the BLM and SHPO within two weeks of its
recording. If the archaeological consultant recommends that the find may be significant, then the
following steps will be implemented.
e) AEA’s Environmental Manager will notify other parties, such as appropriate Alaska Native
organizations, as directed by the SHPO.
Alaska Native Regional Corporations:
Ahtna, Incorporated (Ahtna)
Michelle Anderson, President
PO BOX 649, Glennallen, Alaska 99588
Glennallen Office: (907) 822‐3476
Fax: (907) 822‐3495
Anchorage Office: (907) 868‐8250
Fax: (907) 868‐8285
Email: manderson@ahtna.net
Cook Inlet Region Incorporated (CIRI)
2525 C Street Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503
P.O. Box 93330, Anchorage, Alaska 99509-3330
(907) 274-8638
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 7 June 2014
Doyon, Ltd. (Doyon)
1 Doyon Place, Suite 300
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701-2941
(907) 459-2000
(888) 478-4755 (toll-free)
(907) 459-2060 (fax)
Doyon, Limited - Anchorage Office
11500 C Street, Suite 250
Anchorage, Alaska 99515-2692
(907) 563-5530 or (907) 375-4220
(907) 375-4205 (fax)
A more complete contact list is attached as Appendix A.
f) If the find is assessed as significant and continuing work may damage more of the site, then
AEA’s Environmental Manager will request recommendations from the appropriate federal land
managing agency, SHPO, and other parties regarding appropriate measures for site treatment.
These measures may include: formal archaeological evaluation of the site; visits to the site by the
SHPO and other parties; preparation of a mitigation plan by AEA for approval by the appropriate
federal land managing agency and SHPO; implementation of the mitigation plan; and/or approval to
resume construction following completion of the fieldwork component of the mitigation plan.
g) If further analysis indicates that the find lacks significance, then AEA’s Environmental Manager
will consult with the federal land managing agency, SHPO and other appropriate parties to request
approval for resumption of construction.
h) AEA’s Environmental Manager will notify the on-site Field Coordinator who will grant
clearance to the contractor to start construction.
Protection of Human Remains on Private and State-Managed Land
a) AEA’s Environmental Manager will promptly notify the Environmental Inspector to flag the at-
risk site with a 20-meter buffer as appropriate. This buffer may be larger if there is the possibility
of more resources in the area or in the case of slopes or cut-banks where ongoing construction may
impact the site.
b) AEA’s Environmental Manager will notify a peace officer of the state (police, Village Public
Safety Officer, or Alaska State Trooper [AST]) and the Alaska State Medical Examiner (SME)
immediately of the discovery, as stipulated in Alaska Statute 12.65.5. In addition to a local peace
officer (if in a local jurisdiction), notification should include the AST Criminal Investigation
Bureau. If the human remains appear recent (less than 50 years old) in the judgment of the
archaeologists, the AST and SME will determine whether the remains are of a forensic nature
and/or subject to criminal investigation. The AST and SME contacts are:
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 8 June 2014
Sgt. Kid Chan
(800) 478-9333
(907) 269-5058
choong.chan@alaska.gov
(cc: Stephanie Johnson at steph.johnson@alaska.gov)
Alaska State Troopers
Missing Persons Bureau
5700 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99507
Talkeetna Post - Alaska State Troopers
(907) 733-2256
HC89 Box 8576
Talkeetna, AK 99676
Dr. Gary Zientek, Deputy Medical Examiner
(907) 334-2200
gary.zientek@alaska.gov
Alaska State Medical Examiner
5455 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave
Anchorage, Alaska 99507
c) The landowner will be promptly notified.
d) The Alaska SHPO will also be notified of any discovery unless circumstances indicate that the
death or burial is less than 50 years old and that there is need for a criminal investigation or legal
inquiry by the coroner.
Judith Bittner, State Historic Preservation Officer
(907) 269-8721
judy.bittner@alaska.gov
Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources
Office of History and Archaeology
550 West 7th Avenue Ste. 1310
Anchorage, AK 99501-3565
e) Written authorization in the form of a Burial Transit Permit from the Alaska State Bureau of
Vital Statistics (BVS) shall be obtained prior to any excavation or re-interment of any human
remains. In addition, clearance from the appropriate Alaska Native organization must be obtained
prior to excavation or re-interment of Alaska Native remains. The BVS contact is:
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 9 June 2014
Phillip Mitchell, Section Chief
(907) 465-3391
BVSResearch@alaska.gov
Phillip.mitchell@alaska.gov
Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics
5441 Commercial Boulevard
P.O. Box 110675
Juneau, AK 99801
f) If the human remains are found to be historic in nature, a qualified professional physical
anthropologist with experience in the analysis of human remains will examine them in situ to
determine racial identity. The physical anthropologist shall document, analyze, and photograph the
remains so that an independent assessment of racial identity can be made. The physical
anthropologist shall be afforded no more than 30 days time to conduct his or her analysis.
g) If the unanticipated discovery consists of Alaska Native human remains, AEA will consult with
the Alaska SHPO, FERC, and appropriate Alaska Native organizations regarding the appropriate
measures to respectfully handle such a discovery. If it can be determined adequately that the
identified human remains have affinity to any federally recognized tribe(s), a reasonable effort will
be made by AEA to identify, locate, and notify these tribes. The appropriate Alaska Native
Regional Corporations also will be contacted by AEA. A comprehensive contact list is attached as
Appendix A.
h) AEA’s Environmental Manager will notify other parties, as directed by the SHPO.
i) If the human remains are not Native American, and a determination has been made by the AST
and Alaska SME that a death investigation is not warranted, then AEA, in consultation with the
Alaska SME, will identify, locate and inform descendants of the deceased.
j) After permission to resume construction has been issued by the SHPO, AEA’s Environmental
Manager will notify the on-site Field Coordinator who will grant clearance to the contractor to
restart construction.
Protection of Human Remains on Federal Land
a) AEA’s Environmental Manager will promptly notify the Environmental Inspector to flag the at-
risk site with a 20-meter buffer as appropriate. This buffer may be larger if there is the possibility
of more resources in the area or in the case of slopes or cut-banks where ongoing construction may
impact the site.
b) AEA’s Environmental Manager will notify a peace officer of the state (police, Village Public
Safety Officer, or Alaska State Trooper [AST]) and the Alaska State Medical Examiner (SME)
immediately of the discovery, as stipulated in Alaska Statute 12.65.5. In addition to a local peace
officer (if in a local jurisdiction), notification should include the AST Criminal Investigation
Bureau. If the human remains appear recent (less than 50 years old) in the judgment of the
archaeologists, the AST and SME will determine whether the remains are of a forensic nature
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 10 June 2014
and/or subject to criminal investigation. The appropriate federal land managing agency will also be
contacted in case the human remains are related to a crime scene. The contact of the AST and SME
are:
Sgt. Kid Chan
(800) 478-9333
(907) 269-5058
choong.chan@alaska.gov
(cc: Stephanie Johnson at steph.johnson@alaska.gov)
Alaska State Troopers
Missing Persons Bureau
5700 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99507
Talkeetna Post - Alaska State Troopers
(907) 733-2256
HC89 Box 8576
Talkeetna, AK 99676
Dr. Gary Zientek, Deputy Medical Examiner
(907) 334-2200
gary.zientek@alaska.gov
Alaska State Medical Examiner
5455 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave
Anchorage, Alaska 99507
John Jangala, Archaeologist
(907) 822-7303
jjangala@blm.gov
Glennallen Field Office
Bureau of Land Management
P.O. Box 147
Glennallen, Alaska 99588-0147
c) The Alaska SHPO will also be notified of any discovery unless circumstances indicate that the
death or burial is less than 50 years old and that there is need for a criminal investigation or legal
inquiry by the coroner. The SHPO contact is:
Judith Bittner, State Historic Preservation Officer
(907) 269-8721
judy.bittner@alaska.gov
Alaska Dept. of Natural Resources
Office of History and Archaeology
550 West 7th Avenue Ste. 1310
Anchorage, AK 99501-3565
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 11 June 2014
d) Written authorization in the form of a Burial Transit Permit from the Alaska State Bureau of
Vital Statistics shall be obtained prior to any excavation or re-interment of any human remains. In
addition, clearance from the appropriate Alaska Native organization must be obtained prior to
excavation or re-interment of Alaska Native remains. The BVS contact is:
Phillip Mitchell, Section Chief
(907) 465-3391
BVSResearch@alaska.gov
phillip.mitchell@alaska.gov
Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics
5441 Commercial Boulevard
P.O. Box 110675
Juneau, AK 99801
e) If the human remains are found to be historic in nature, AEA, as directed by the appropriate
federal land managing agency, will determine the origin of the human remains. A qualified
professional physical anthropologist with experience in the analysis of human remains will examine
them in situ to determine racial identity. The physical anthropologist shall document, analyze, and
photograph the remains so that an independent assessment of racial identity can be made. The
physical anthropologist shall be afforded no more than 30 days to conduct his or her analysis. The
appropriate federal land managing agency will follow NAGPRA and the implementing regulations
set forth in 43 CFR 10, for Alaska Native remains.
f) For Alaska Native remains, the appropriate federal land managing agency will retain the
responsibility for determining and contacting the appropriate Alaska Native groups. In this case,
NAGPRA dictates that work in the immediate vicinity of the remains cannot proceed until 30 days
after the reply from the federal agency in charge or appropriate Alaska Native group that the
documents regarding the finding were received, unless a written and binding agreement is issued
from the federal agency in charge and the affiliated Native American group(s) (NAGPRA 25 USC
3002 Sec 3(d)). The remains will then be assessed and treated based on the guidance of the federal
agency in charge and the appropriate Alaska Native group as defined by NAGPRA.
g) If the human remains are not Native American, and a determination has been made by the AST
and Alaska SME that a death investigation is not warranted, then AEA, as directed by the
appropriate federal land managing agency in consultation with the Alaska SME, will identify,
locate, and inform descendants of the deceased.
h) AEA’s Environmental Manager will notify other parties, as directed by the appropriate federal
land managing agency.
i) After permission to resume construction has been issued by the appropriate federal land
managing agency, AEA’s Environmental Manager will notify the on-site Field Coordinator who
will grant clearance to the Contractor to restart construction.
Contacts for AEA’s Cultural Resource Program
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 12 June 2014
Charles M. Mobley Justin Hays
Cultural Resources Program Lead Cultural Resources Study Lead
(907) 653-1937 office OR (907) 474-9684 office
(907) 632-1933 cell (907) 750-9857 cell
mobley@alaska.net jmh@northernlanduse.com
Charles M. Mobley & Associates Northern Land Use Research, Inc.
200 W. 34th Avenue #534 234 Front Street
Anchorage, Alaska 99503 Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 13 June 2014
APPENDIX A: CONTACTS FOR ALASKA NATIVE ENTITIES
Though communities potentially affected by the Project have different histories and cultures,
they are characterized by strong past and present ties to the land and its resources. The
successful completion of the Consultation and Coordination phase of the National Historic
Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 process requires an efficient and effective consultation
process that addresses the laws and regulations within the context of local custom and practice.
Several Alaska tribal entities recognized by the U.S. Department of Interior and established
through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971, are broadly located near
the study area. In Alaska, consultation typically occurs with the 229 federally-recognized
tribes, the 13 Alaska Native Regional Corporations, and some 200 Alaska Native Village
Corporations created by the ANCSA (the Regional and Village Corporations are recognized as
“Indians tribes” for NHPA purposes).
There are four Regional Native Alaskan corporations that have interests within or near the
Project area (see Table 1). In addition, twenty-two tribes recognized by the Bureau of Indian
Affairs under 25 CFR 83.6(b) are located within or near the Project area, including those
indicated in Table 2. Table 3 includes a list of recognized and non-recognized ANCSA village;
group and urban corporations; and village organizations that also have interests.
Table 1. List of Regional Native Corporations with interests within the vicinity of the Susitna-
Watana Hydroelectric Project.
Ahtna, Incorporated (Ahtna)
Michelle Anderson, President
PO BOX 649, Glennallen, Alaska 99588
Glennallen Office: (907) 822-3476
Fax: (907) 822-3495
Anchorage Office: (907) 868-8250
Fax: (907) 868-8285
Email: manderson@ahtna.net
Doyon, Ltd. (Doyon)
1 Doyon Place, Suite 300
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701-2941
(907) 459-2000
(888) 478-4755 (toll-free)
(907) 459-2060 (fax)
Cook Inlet Region Incorporated (CIRI)
2525 C Street Suite 500, Anchorage, Alaska 99503
P.O. Box 93330, Anchorage, Alaska 99509-3330
(907) 274-8638
Doyon, Limited - Anchorage Office
11500 C Street, Suite 250
Anchorage, Alaska 99515-2692
(907) 563-5530 or (907) 375-4220
(907) 375-4205 (fax)
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 14 June 2014
Table 2. List of Tribes recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs under 25 CFR 83.6(b) within
the vicinity of the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project.
Cheesh‐Na Tribal Council/Mount Sanford
ibal Consortium
P.O. Box 357
Gakona, Alaska 99586
907‐822‐5399
Fax 907‐822‐5810
Knik Tribe
P.O. Box 871565
Wasilla, AK 99687
907‐373‐7991
Fax 907‐373‐2161
kniktribe@mtaonline.net
Chickaloon Native Village
P.O. Box 1105
Chickaloon, AK 99674‐1105
907‐745‐0707
Fax 907‐745‐7154
cvadmin@chickaloon.org
http://www.chickaloon.org
Mentasta Traditional Council
P.O. Box 6019
Mentasta Lake, AK 99780‐6019
907‐291‐2319
Fax 907‐291‐2305
kmartin@tribalnet.com
Native Village of Chitina
P.O. Box 31
Chitina, AK 99566‐0031
907‐823‐2215
Fax 907‐823‐2233
aceak2000@yahoo.com
Native Village of Cantwell
P.O. Box 94
Cantwell, AK 99729
907‐768‐2591
Fax 907‐768‐1111
hallvc@yahoo.com
Gulkana Village
P.O. Box 254
Gakona, AK 99586
907‐822‐3746
Fax 907‐822‐3976
lclaw@gulkanacouncil.org
http://gulkanacouncil.org/
Eklutna Native Village
26339 Eklutna Village Road
Chugiak, AK 99567‐6339
907‐688‐6020
Fax 907‐688‐6021
nve@eklutna‐nsn.gov
http://www.eklutna‐nsn.gov
Healy Lake Village
P.O. Box 74090
Fairbanks, AK 99706‐0300
907‐876‐0638
Fax 907‐876‐0639
jpolstonhitc@live.com
Native Village of Gakona
P.O. Box 102
Gakona, AK 99586
907‐822‐5777
Fax 907‐822‐5997
gakonavc@cvinternet.net
www.nvgakona.com
Kenaitze Indian Tribe
P.O. Box 988
Kenai, AK 99611‐0988
907‐283‐3633
Fax 907‐283‐3052
kenaitze@alaska.net
http://www.kenaitze.org/
Native Village of Kluti-Kaah
P.O. Box 68
Copper Center, AK 99573‐0068
907‐822‐5541
Fax 907‐822‐5130
nvkktops@cvinternet.net
Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 15 June 2014
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Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 16 June 2014
Table 2. List of Tribes recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs under 25 CFR 83.6(b) within
the vicinity of the Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project (continued).
Native Village of Tazlina
P.O. Box 87
Glennallen, AK 99588-0087
907-822-4375
Fax 907-822-5865
tazlinajulie@cvinternet.net
Northway Village
P.O. Box 516
Northway, AK 99764
907-778-2287
Fax 907-778-2220
dnnvc@yahoo.com
Native Village of Tetlin
P.O. Box 797
Tetlin, AK 99779
907-883-2021
tetlin@earthlink.net
Seldovia Village Tribe
P.O. Drawer L
Seldovia, AK 99663
907-234-7898
Fax 907-234-7865
svt@svt.org
http://www.svt.org/
Native Village of Tyonek
P.O. Box 82009
Tyonek, AK 99682-0009
Phone 907-583-2271
Fax 907-583-2442
E-mail tyonek@aitc.org
Native Village of Tanacross
P.O. Box 76009
Tanacross, AK 99776
907-883-5024
Fax 907-883-4497
jerry_isaac@hotmail.com
Nenana Native Association
P.O. Box 369
Nenana, AK 99760
907-832-5461
Fax 907-832-1077
nibor652004@yahoo.com
Village of Dot Lake
P.O. Box 2279
Dot Lake, AK 99737-2279
907-882-2695 or 907-322-2694
Fax 907-882-5558
dotlake@aitc.org
Ninilchik Village
P.O. Box 39070
Ninilchik, AK 99639
907-567-3313
Fax 907-567-3308
ntc@ninilchiktribe‐nsn.gov/
http://www.ninilchiktribe‐nsn.gov/
Village of Salamatoff
P.O. Box 2682
Kenai, AK 99611
907-283-7864
Fax 907-283-6470
Part A - Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 17 June 2014
Table 3. List of recognized and non-recognized ANCSA village; group and urban corporations;
and village organizations that have interests within the vicinity of the Susitna-Watana
Hydroelectric Project.
Alexander Creek, Incorporated
8128 Cranberry
Anchorage, AK 99502
(907) 243-5428
Knikatnu, Incorporated
P.O. Box 872130
Wasilla, AK 99687-2130
907-376-2845
Fax 907-376-2847
knikcorp@gci.net
Caswell Native Association
HC 89, Box 83
Willow, AK 99688
(907) 495-1263
Little Lake Louise Corporation
(907) 250-2098
Chitina Native Corporation
P.O. Box 3
Chitina, AK 99566‐0031
907‐823‐2223
Fax 907‐823‐2202
chitina_native@cvinternet.net
http://www.chitinanative.com
Lower Tonsina Corporation
Unavailable
Chickaloon‐Moose Creek Native Association,
corporated
P.O. Box 875046
Wasilla, AK 99687
907‐373‐1145
Fax 907‐373‐1142
cmena@alaska.net
http://www.chickaloon.org
Kenai Natives Association, Inc.
215 Fidalgo Ave. #101
Kenai, AK 99611-7776
907-283-4851
Fax 907-283-4854
Dot Lake Native Corporation
3500 Wolf Run
Fairbanks, AK 99709
907‐882‐2755
Fax 907‐882‐2775
Nabesna Native Group, Inc.
Unavailable
Eklutna, Incorporated
16515 Centerfield Dr. #201
Eagle River, AK 99577
907-696-2828
Fax 907-696-2845
receptionist@eklutnainc.com
http://www.eklutnainc.com
Mendas Cha-ag Native Corporation
Gary Lee, President
457 Cindy Dr.
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Appendix A
PLAN FOR UNANTICIPATED DISCOVERY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AND HUMAN REMAINS
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Page 18 June 2014
Table 3. List of recognized and non-recognized ANCSA village; group and urban corporations;
and village organizations that have interests within the vicinity of the Susitna-Watana
Hydroelectric Project (continued).
Gold Creek-Susitna NCI
P.O. Box 847
Talkeetna, AK 99676-0847
(907) 733-2329
Seldovia Native Association, Incorporated
P.O. Drawer L
Seldovia, AK 99663-0250
907-234-7625
Fax 907-234-7637
info@snai.com
http://www.snai.com
Montana Creek Native Association
P.O. Box 100379
Anchorage, AK 99510
Tanacross, Incorporated
P.O. Box 76029
Tanacross, AK 99776
907-883-4130
Fax 907-883-4129
http://www.tanacrossinc.com
Ninilchik Natives Association, Incorporated
P.O. Box 39130
Ninilchik, AK 99639
907-567-3866
Fax 907-567-3867
nnai@nnai.net
http://www.nnai.net
Tetlin Native Corporation
Gary David Sr., President
P.O. Box 657
Tok, AK
(907) 883-6652
(907) 505‐0253
Northway Natives, Incorporated
P.O. Box 401
Northway, AK 99764
907-778-2298
Fax 907-778-2266
Toghotthele Corporation
P.O. Box 249
Nenana, AK 99760
907-832-5832
Fax 907-832-5834
Toghotthele@hotmail.com
Point Possession, Incorporated
Feodoria Pennington, President
1321 Oxford Dr.
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 563-1848
Twin Lake Native Group, Incorporated
Unavailable
Salamatkof Native Association, Incorporated
100 N. Willow Street
Kenai, AK 99611
907-283-3745
Fax 907-283-6470
info@salamatof.com
http://www.salamatof.com/
Tyonek Native Corporation
1689 C Street, Suite 219
Anchorage, AK 99501
907‐272‐0707
Fax 907‐274‐7125
http://www.tyonek.com/
Slana Native Corporation - Unavailable
Part A - Appendix A
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 June 2014
PART A - APPENDIX B: SUSITNA-WATANA HYDROELECTRIC
PROJECT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS PROTOCOL
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix B – Page 1 June 2014
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix B – Page 2 June 2014
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 June 2014
PART A - APPENDIX C: LETTER FROM AHTNA, INC. TO THE
MEMBERS OF THE AHTNA LANDS COMMITTEE, JUNE 14, 2013
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix C – Page 1 June 2014
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix C – Page 2 June 2014
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 June 2014
PART A - APPENDIX D: SUMMARY OF KNOWN CULTURAL
RESOURCES
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 1 June 2014
Appendix D. Cultural Resources Recorded or Re-Recorded as of 2013 Within the Direct APE
(AHRS sites in bold were newly recorded in 2013). 12/13/13
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete
or
Incomplete
HEA-00180 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Two lithic debitage scatters were located on
a deflated surface on a prominent knoll top
that is located near Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00184 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Two modified flakes (that refit with one
another) were located on a deflated area of
the eastern shore of a small lake located
northwest of the outlet stream which drains
Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00185 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Several flakes, a retouched flake, a
thumbnail scraper, and a flake core fragment
were located on a deflated surface of a ridge
that overlooks Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00250 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Five flakes were located on the deflated
surface of a low-rising terrace above
Deadman Creek. Complete
HEA-00251 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A surface scatter of 14 gray-blue chert flakes
was located at the base of a low knoll
situated on a terrace off of the west bank of
Deadman Creek. Complete
HEA-00523 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Approximately 100 waste flakes and one utilized flake, comprising a single surface scatter, were located on a south-facing slope overlooking Deadman Creek. Complete
HEA-00524 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A single surface lithic scatter composed
of two waste flakes was located on a deflated surface of a linear glacial landform. Complete
HEA-00525 State Land Denali Corridor
A single flake fragment was located on a deflated surface of knoll overlooking Lily
Creek. Complete
HEA-00526 State Land Denali Corridor
A single argillite flake located on the deflated surface of an east-facing terrace overlooking Lily Creek. Complete
HEA-00527 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A utilized basalt flake and possible waste flake were found on a deflated surface of
a glacial feature that is located southwest
of Brushkana Creek. Complete
HEA-00528 State Land Denali Corridor
A single church key opened sanitary can with a lapped seam was identified on the surface of a vegetated terrace. Complete
HEA-00529 State Land Denali Corridor
A banded gray rhyolite flake core was found on a deflated surface of a glacial
feature. Complete
HEA-00530 State Land Denali Corridor
Eight lithic flakes, a flake core, and a possible hammerstone were found on a deflated surface of a large knoll. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 2 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
HEA-00533 State Land Denali Corridor
An isolated lap-seamed can was located on an established ATV trail on a sloping foothill. Complete
HEA-00534 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A surface scatter consisting of 9 pieces of rhyolite and banded chert debitage and an
expended flake core were located on knob
200 m (656 ft) southeast of Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00535 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Two surface scatters, consisting of 9 pieces of debitage, were noted on a relatively flat and deflated surface located
near the center of a terrace that leads to
Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00536 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A single gray basalt point base and a gray argillite flake were located on a deflated surface of a knoll northwest of Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00537 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A notched gray basalt projectile point
base, a basalt biface fragment, and three pieces of basalt debitage were located on a deflated surface of a low-lying knoll that is situated north-northwest of Deadman
Lake. Complete
HEA-00538 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Seventy pieces of debitage and three
edge modified flakes were located on a deflated surface of a gravelly bench
situated at the base of Deadman Mountain. Complete
HEA-00539 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A single light gray basalt projectile point
base was located on a deflated surface on top of an elevated drumlin that overlooks Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00540 State Land Denali Corridor
Four argillite flakes and an early stage biface were located on a deflated surface of a kame overlooking Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00541 State Land Denali Corridor
A small lithic concentration of 29 flakes,
an edge-modified rhyolite flake, and an argillite biface were located on a kame overlooking Deadman Creek. Complete
HEA-00542 State Land Denali Corridor
A large surface scatter consisting of 53 pieces of debitage, two end scrapers, and
one flake end scraper were located on a large kame within the Deadman Creek valley. Complete
HEA-00543 State Land Denali Corridor
A single flake was located on the deflated surface of a small sloping kame within the
Deadman Creek valley. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 3 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
HEA-00544 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Two distinct surface scatters consisting of 77 pieces of debitage, a gray argillite biface fragment, and two argillite distal point fragments identified on a deflated surface northwest of Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00545 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A surface scatter of 11 pieces of rhyolite
debitage was located on the deflated surface of a linear kame ridge located within the Deadman Creek valley. Complete
HEA-00546 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Two biface fragments and a few rhyolite flakes were identified on a deflated
surface of kame that overlooks a kettle
lake situated within the Deadman Creek valley. Complete
HEA-00548 Federal Land Denali Corridor
One basalt flake was located on a small knoll overlooking the outlet of Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00549 State Land Denali Corridor
Two rhyolite flakes were located on a
prominent knob rising from the surrounding Nenana River valley. Complete
HEA-00550 State Land Denali Corridor
A surface lithic scatter of 5 flakes and one utilized flake were located on a knob overlooking the Nenana River. Complete
HEA-00552 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A white chert biface was collected from a
deflated surface of a long linear kame that is situated south of Brushkana Creek. Complete
HEA-00553 State Land Denali Corridor
A small cluster of 13 surface flakes were located on a long ridgeline overlooking a
drainage valley. Complete
HEA-00556 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Three waste flakes and a black basalt
scraper were located on a deflated surface of a low-lying kame near Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00557 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Three waste flakes and a basalt uniface were located on a deflated surface of a
low-lying kame near Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00558 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Six flakes and a biface were located on a deflated surface of a low-lying kame near Deadman Lake. Complete
HEA-00561 State Land Denali Corridor
A single argillite flake was located on the deflated surface of a partially vegetated terrace near Deadman Creek. Complete
HEA-00562 State Land Denali Corridor
Two flakes and a possible flake core were
identified on a deflated surface of an alluvial bench in the Susitna River valley. Complete
HEA-00563 State Land Denali Corridor
Nine flakes ere located on a deflated surface of an elongated knob that is
located south of the Denali Highway. Complete
HEA-00567 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A single brown chert flake was identified
on a deflated surface of a bench located south of Brushkana Creek. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 4 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
HEA-00568 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Three flakes and a piece of basalt shatter identified on a deflated surface of a kame located south of Brushkana Creek. Complete
HEA-00569 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Two biface fragments and 13 pieces of lithic debitage were identified on a
deflated surface of a linear kame that is
located south of Brushkana Creek. Complete
HEA-00570 State Land Denali Corridor
One flake, one core, and one possible core identified on a deflated surface of two knobs connected by a saddle located north of Lily Creek. Complete
HEA-00571 State Land Denali Corridor
A surface lithic scatter consisting of one
chert core and one chert flake were located on a large elongated knob overlooking Lily Creek and a broad swath of the Nenana River Valley. Complete
HEA-00572 State Land Denali Corridor
A surface scatter of four rhyolite flakes, a
chert core, and four chert flakes were
located on a knob overlooking Lily Creek and the Nenana River valley. Complete
HEA-00573 State Land Denali Corridor
A banded chert core was located on a deflated surface of a kame ridge overlooking the Nenana River valley. Complete
HEA-00574 Federal Land Denali Corridor
Three basalt flakes were located on a
deflated surface of a glacial-lacustrine terrace Complete
HEA-00575 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A single rhyolite biface fragment was collected from a deflated surface on an
elevated ridge that is situated above the
Deadman Lake valley. Complete
HEA-00576 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A single argillite flake was located on the deflated surface of a long linear ridge situated in the floodplain of a clearwater creek. Complete
HEA-00578 Federal Land Denali Corridor
A large gray flake was located on the
surface among heavy vegetation of a
slope near Brushkana Creek. Complete
HEA-00586 State Land Denali Corridor
An isolated metal can that is pressed flat (with lithography that reads "Good Food") was located near a terrace edge situated near Seattle Creek. Complete
HEA-00587 State Land Denali Corridor
A chert scraper was found eroding from a
hill slope in addition to a lithic scatter (16 flakes and a core) located at the top of the hill slope on a deflated surface. Complete
TLM-00286 State Land Chulitna Corridor
A single flake was recovered from a
plateau overlooking several small kettle
lakes. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 5 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00287 State Land Chulitna Corridor
A large knoll with boulder outcroppings where 82 basalt artifacts (including one utilized flake) were located on a deflated surface. Complete
TLM-00288 State Land Chulitna Corridor
A single flake was identified on a game
trail located on a deflated surface of a
glacial feature adjacent to a small tributary, whose name is not known. Complete
TLM-00289 Federal Land Chulitna Corridor
A single flake was recovered from a subsurface test 10-20 cm (4-8 in) below the surface on an L-shaped peninsula
located on the southeast shore of
Swimming Bear Lake. Complete
TLM-00290 Federal Land Chulitna Corridor
Two blades and one flake were Located on a deflated surface located in a U-shaped valley near Swimming Bear Lake. Lithic materials include rhyolite and chert. Complete
TLM-00291 State Land Chulitna Corridor
Two basalt flakes were located on a
deflated surface of a very small and discrete knoll. Complete
TLM-00292 Federal Land Chulitna Corridor
A small lithic scatter of approximately 8 flakes and 1 utilized flake were Located on a deflated area of a small knoll situated
off the eastern shore of Swimming Bear
Lake. Complete
TLM-00293 Federal Land Chulitna Corridor
A projectile point tip was discovered on a deflated surface of a prominent landform
consisting of two knobs that are separated by a saddle. Complete
TLM-00294 State Land Chulitna Corridor
A several small, mostly chert, waste
flakes were located in a single shovel test placed on a narrow vegetated terrace. Complete
TLM-00295 Private Land Chulitna Corridor
An abandoned WWII era track vehicle was located less than a kilometer east of the Indian-Portage Creek Trail. Complete
TLM-00296 Private Land Chulitna Corridor
A collapsed stacked log structure, and 3
circular pit features, were located within the Indian River flood plain. Complete
TLM-00297
Alaska Railroad
Corporation Land Chulitna Corridor
Five glass insulators and the sawn top of a telephone pole were located on a steep disturbed embankment that is situated
between the modern AK railroad tracks
and a modern ATV frontage road. Complete
TLM-00298 State Land Chulitna Corridor
Two flakes (one rhyolite, one basalt) where located in two loci on deflated
areas of a terrace that extends from a creek that is locally known as No Name
Creek. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 6 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00299 State Land Chulitna Corridor
One large basalt flake was located on a deflated surface of a knob 150 m (492 ft) west of a creek that is locally known as No Name Creek. Complete
TLM-00300 State Land Chulitna Corridor
A rhyolite flake and a basalt flake were
located on a bench that extends off of a
terrace that is west of the creek that is locally known as No Name Creek. Complete
TLM-00301 State Land Chulitna Corridor
A shelter frame (possible dog house) was located at the base of a large white spruce. A depression was also located on
a north facing slope situated on the
western side of the Tsusena River valley. Complete
TLM-00302 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facilities
An extensive site consisting of ten semi-subterranean structures, two hearths, and a single basalt flake were identified in two loci. The site is located on a kame
between Deadman and Tsusena Creeks. Complete
TLM-00303 State Land Dam and Camp Facilities
A multicomponent site consisting of a modern, temporary campsite, a cluster of tree trunks, and a prehistoric semi-subterranean rectangular structure with a
circular hearth feature were located on a
flat-topped kame that rises out of a lowland area characterized by kettle lake topography. Complete
TLM-00304 State Land Dam and Camp Facilities
A subsurface site was located on a kame ridge 100 m (328 ft) southeast of Deadman
Creek. A single rhyolite flake was
recovered 10-15 cm (4-6 in) below the surface. Complete
TLM-00305 State Land Denali Corridor
Two loci consisting of seven pieces of lithic debitage were found on a deflated surface of a bench overlooking Deadman
Creek. Complete
TLM-00306 State Land Denali Corridor
A cluster of 9 pieces of debitage were identified on a deflated surface of a kame that is adjacent to Deadman Creek. Complete
TLM-00307 State Land Denali Corridor
A cluster of 11 flakes were located on a deflated surface of a glacial feature that
was cut by an unnamed tributary of
Deadman Creek. Complete
TLM-00309 State Land Denali Corridor
A possible modified bone fragment, with a hole in the center, was located on a deflated surface of an east facing slope situated near Deadman Creek. Complete
TLM-00310 State Land Denali Corridor
A single chert flake was located on a
deflated surface of a rocky knoll overlooking Tsusena Butte. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 7 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00311 State Land Denali Corridor
A single lithic scatter of approximately 5 flakes and a biface fragment, along with several possible cultural surface depressions were located on a knoll that slopes down towards Tsusena Butte. Complete
TLM-00312 State Land Gold Creek Corridor
A collapsed cabin is located in a clearing
off of a trail that is situated in a relatively flat area of the central portion of a hill. Complete
TLM-00314 Federal Land Impoundment
A single flake was identified on a deflated surface of a knob located on a lake terrace that surrounds Duck Embryo
Lake. Complete
TLM-00315 Federal Land Impoundment
A cluster of three small basalt flakes were located on the surface of a game trail located on a small knoll near a stream whose name it not currently known. Complete
TLM-00316 Federal Land Impoundment
A chert biface base was located on a
deflated surface of a narrow ridge that is
situated on a vegetated terrace that parallels the Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00317 State Land Impoundment
A single granite boulder spall scraper was located on a game trail that is situated on a high ridge that overlooks a meandering
drainage. Complete
TLM-00318 State Land Impoundment
A rectangular surface feature, in addition to five pieces of thermally altered rock, a split cobble tool, a cobble spall, and a
basalt flake were identified on a deflated surface of a low rise near Duck Embryo
Lake. Complete
TLM-00319 Federal Land Impoundment
A retouched basalt flake and a white chert flake were identified on a deflated surface of a narrow bench located on the north side of the Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00320 Federal Land Impoundment
A white chert lanceolate point with a
missing tip was identified on a deflated
surface of a ridge located on the southwest shore of Duck Embryo Lake. Complete
TLM-00321 Federal Land Impoundment
A small basalt flake and a rectangular surface depression were located on and near a deflated surface of a knob located
southwest of the confluence of Jay Creek and the Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00322 Federal Land Impoundment
A single granite boulder spall was located on the deflated surface of a ridgeline that overlooks the Susitna River to the
southeast. Complete
TLM-00323 Federal Land Impoundment
A chalcedony flake fragment was located in a game trail on vegetated terrace that parallels the Susitna River. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 8 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00002 Private Land Chulitna Corridor
This is a construction camp from 1920 or
1921. A roadhouse was reported nearby as
early as 1918. According to Orth (1971) this
station was named in 1916 for nearby
Chulitna River and has been in use since the
opening of the line. Complete
TLM-00015 State Land Dam and Camp
Facility
A small chipping station consisting of two
flakes that were collected from within a
paleosol on top of a kame knoll located east
of Tsusena Creek. Complete
TLM-00016 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
This is a hearth and flaking station, partially
destroyed by a blowout. Approximately 341
bone fragments, 126 flakes, bifacially and
unifacially retouched flakes, a chert end
scraper, a modified argillite piece, and four
basalt cobble fragments, al associated with a
charcoal and charcoal stained matric that is
possible natural in origin. 14C dates reported
are: 3,220 and 4,950 BP. Cultural material
was identified between the Watana and
Oshetna tephras. Complete
TLM-00017 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
This is a flaking station where 372 basalt
flakes were recovered at the base of a large
boulder located east of Tsusena Creek. Complete
TLM-00033 Federal Land Impoundment
A single modified flake/biface fragment was
recovered during subsurface tests on a flat
terrace near the confluence of a lake outlet
stream with the Susitna River Complete
TLM-00039 Federal Land Impoundment
Several waste flakes, microblades and
microblade fragments, a burin spall,
thermally altered rock, and an ochre piece
were recovered during subsurface testing on
top of a knoll on the southwest end of an
18ha lake known locally as Duck Embryo
Lake and also Sally Lake. Complete
TLM-00048 Federal Land Impoundment
Several waste flakes, a flake core, a
retouched flake, a microblade fragments, a
biface, thermally altered rock, and bone
fragments were recovered from subsurface
tests on top of a knoll located east of the
north end of Duck Embryo Lake also known
as Sally Lake. Two components, one with a
hearth, were defined. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 9 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00050 Federal Land Impoundment
Several waste flakes, a retouched flake,
thermally altered rock, and burned bone and
bone fragments were recovered from two
components on a bench on the east bank at
the mouth of a small creek, whose name is
not currently known. 14C dates of 280 +/-110
BP and 280 +/-246 BP were obtained from
two hearth features in the upper component,
the lower component was not dated. Complete
TLM-00051 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
Four waste flakes and a retouched flake
were recovered during subsurface testing of
a bench situated off of a knoll west of
Tsusena Creek. Complete
TLM-00061 Federal Land Impoundment
Multiple waste flakes, a biface, ochre pieces,
burned bone fragments, thermally altered
rock, and charcoal were recovered from two
subsurface components on a high kame
knoll. Complete
TLM-00062 Federal Land Impoundment
Multiple waste flakes, retouched flakes, two
fragments of an end scraper, a biface
fragment, a flake core, and numerous
calcined bone fragments were recovered
from two subsurface components located on
a terrace. A single 14C date of 1,380 +/-155
was reported in association with the upper
component. Complete
TLM-00072 Federal Land Impoundment
A large circular depression measuring 4.5 x
4.2 x 0.9 m deep (14.7 x 13.7 x 2.9 ft), with a
2.2 x 2 x 0.5m deep (7.2 x 6.5 x 1.6 ft)
rectangular depression within the larger
depression is situated on a ridge that is
located along the north wall of the Susitna
Canyon. Subsurface tests produced burned
wood, charcoal, birch bark, and moose bone. Complete
TLM-00075 Federal Land Impoundment
Three waste flakes and a rejuvenation flake
were recovered from subsurface tests of two
loci, spaced 38 m (125 ft) apart on a discrete
knoll and ridge system south of the Susitna
River. Complete
TLM-00079 Federal Land Impoundment
This is a trapper's line cabin complex that
consists of a 13' x 19' log cabin, an outhouse,
shed, dog kennel, tree cache, and garbage
dump. It was built in the mid-1930s by Elmer
Simco as his line camp number 3. Complete
TLM-00098 State Land Denali Corridor
Two argillite flakes were located on a
deflated surface of an elongate kame located
east of a major tributary of Deadman Creek. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 10 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00099 State Land Denali Corridor
Fourteen argillite flakes, 1 argillite modified
flake, and 1 basalt flake were identified on a
blown out surface of two site loci that are
situated on two adjacent knolls southwest of
Deadman Lake. Complete
TLM-00102 Federal Land Impoundment
Six basalt flakes, 1 chert flake, and 2
modified chert flakes were recovered from
subsurface tests on an east-west trending
terrace that overlooks the Susitna River to
the south. Complete
TLM-00107 State Land Chulitna Corridor
Waste flakes, retouched flakes, biface
fragments, and a lanceolate point base were
collected from the edge of a terrace
approximately 8.9 km (5.5 mi) northwest of
the confluence of Tsusena Creek with the
Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00108 State Land Chulitna Corridor
Over 100 waste lakes and 2 retouched flakes
were noted within a deflated area of a knoll
located on a prominent terrace 2.5 km (1.5
mi) southeast of Swimming Bear Lake. Complete
TLM-00109 Federal Land Chulitna Corridor
Four waste flakes and a retouched flake
were located in two surface exposures and
one subsurface test on a lake terrace. A 5 m
(16 ft) in diameter and 50 cm (1.6 ft) high rise
approximately 70 m (230 ft) to the southwest
was thought to be a house, however
subsurface tests did not reveal any evidence
of cultural activity. Complete
TLM-00110 State Land Chulitna Corridor
Waste flakes and two biface fragments were
collected form a deflated surface and in
subsurface tests. The site is located on the
crest of a ridge situated north of the west end
of a large lake. Complete
TLM-00111 Federal Land Chulitna Corridor
A rectangular 1.3 x 1.5 x .45 m deep (4.2 x
4.9 x 1.4 ft) depression was located on a
slight peninsula. Subsurface tests inside and
out of the depression were inconclusive in
determining cultural activities. Complete
TLM-00115 Federal Land Impoundment
A single basalt lanceolate point was collected
form within the Oshetna tephra in a shovel
test placed on a flat bench near the Susitna
River. Complete
TLM-00137 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
One basalt and 1 chert flake were collected
were recovered from a subsurface test
placed on a kame northeast of the
confluence of Tsusena Creek with the
Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00160 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
Three heavily weathered waste flakes were
recovered from a subsurface test at the west
end of a discrete knoll located between
Tsusena Creek and the Susitna River Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 11 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00166 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
Basalt and argillite flakes, a basalt modified
flake, and a basalt preform fragment were
recovered from subsurface tests placed on a
knoll within the Tsusena drainage. Complete
TLM-00167 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
A single retouched flake were recovered form
one shovel test on top of a small knoll north
of the Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00170 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
Twenty-five waste flakes (f five material
types) and two flake core fragments (one
argillite one rhyolite) were collected from a 5
x 4 m (16 x 13 ft) surface on a slope of a
kame ridge knoll overlooking Deadman
Creek. Complete
TLM-00172 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
Five waste flakes and a retouched flake were
recovered form a test pit on a level bench on
the west slope of a ridge east of Tsusena
Creek. Complete
TLM-00175 Federal Land Impoundment
Several waste flakes (of four material types),
thermally altered rock, a quartzite biface, an
argillite lanceolate point, and an argillite flake
core were recovered from subsurface tests
on a discrete knoll that overlooks the
northwest end of Duck Embryo Lake, also
known as Sally Lake. Two subsurface
components were defined. Complete
TLM-00181 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
One argillite flake was recovered from a
subsurface test placed on a slope of a knoll
above Deadman Creek. Complete
TLM-00184 Federal Land Impoundment
Numerous waste flakes, retouched flakes,
flake cores, scrapers, blades, rejuvenation
flakes, bifaces, an adze preform, a notched
point fragment, a hammerstone, thermally
altered rock, ochre pieces, and numerous
bones and bone fragment were recovered
from three subsurface components. A
possible tent ring, and two possible hearth
features were noted. Complete
TLM-00191 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
An argillite flake was recovered from a
subsurface test placed on a ridge that
parallels Deadman Creek. Complete
TLM-00193 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
Two chert fragments were identified on a
deflated surface of an exposed slope west of
Deadman Creek, northeast of its confluence
with the Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00194 Federal Land Impoundment
Eighteen basalt flakes and argillite waste
flakes were recovered from subsurface tests
on a relatively flat kame terrace located south
of the Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00197 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
A single chert flake core was located on a
deflated surface of a ridge located west of
Deadman Creek. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 12 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00204 Federal Land Impoundment
This is an historic site that was occupied
during the late 1950s in association with
Corp of Engineer studies for the Susitna
Hydroelectric Project. The site is estimated to
be 4,900 square meters (16, 076 square ft)
and is located south of the Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00214 State Land Chulitna Corridor
This site consists of two loci situated on a flat
plateau located southeast of the confluence
between Clark Creek and Tsusena Creek.
Two separate surface exposures revealed
multiple waste flakes, a retouched flake. Raw
materials include basalt, chert, and argillite. Complete
TLM-00215 Federal Land Impoundment
Fifty-six waste flakes (of basalt, argillite, and
chalcedony), a retouched flake, thermally
altered rock, and calcined bone fragments
were recovered from subsurface tests of a
2.6 x 2 m (8.5 x 6.6 ft) oval shaped
depression that is situated on a 5 m (16 ft)
high knoll west of Watana Creek. Complete
TLM-00216 Federal Land Impoundment
Two retouched flakes, 552 waste flakes (of
multiple material types), and numerous
calcined bone fragments were recovered
from subsurface tests on a small knoll west
of Watana Creek. A single component was
identified. 14C dates from a single piece of
wood revealed three different dates: 1,880
+/50, 1,670 +/-50, and 1,530+/-80 were
obtained. Complete
TLM-00220 Federal Land Impoundment
Retouched flakes, a tci tho, modified antler
and bone fragments, bone point fragments,
beamer fragments, waste flakes, and
numerous tooth and bone fragments and a
cache pit feature were recovered from
subsurface deposits associated with two
components. The upper component is early
historic, and the lower component is
prehistoric. Complete
TLM-00221 Federal Land Impoundment
Multiple thermally altered rock fragments
(one of which was ground), a basalt waste
flake, two glass trade beads, and numerous
burned and calcined bone fragments were
recovered in association with a circular
hearth from subsurface tests placed on a
kame west of Watana Creek. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 13 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00222 Federal Land Impoundment
Five loci (A-E) were identified in the 1980s
spread out over a 250 m (820 ft) area on a
set of kames west of Watana Creek. A
rectangular depression, a small circular
depression, and a possible hearth feature
were identified. Cultural material recovered
includes a glass seed bead, a piece of
hammered copper, a waste flake, thermally
altered rock, and numerous burned and
unburned tooth, bone, and antler fragments.
A new locus (locus F) was identified in 2013
that include two rings line by white small to
medium sized granite boulders. Complete
TLM-00223 Federal Land Impoundment
Thirty-two chert and rhyolite waste flakes, a
chert biface fragment, and calcined bone
fragments were recovered during subsurface
testing in and around a 70 x 30 cm (2.29 x
0.98 ft) rectangular depression located on a
flat-topped knoll located west of Watana
Creek. Complete
TLM-00224 Federal Land Impoundment
Two waste flakes of rhyolite and chert were
recovered from subsurface tests placed in
the vicinity of two small depressions on the
northeast end of an elongate knoll located
west of Watana Creek. Complete
TLM-00225 Federal Land Impoundment
Sixty-six waste flakes of a variety of material
types, a retouched flake, two ochre pieces,
and calcined bone fragments were recovered
in association with two subsurface
components located in an elongate kame
west of Watana Creek. A possible hearth or
firepit was noted in association with the lower
component. Complete
TLM-00226 Federal Land Impoundment
Six loci within a 75 x 40 m (246 x 131 ft) area
revealed waste flakes, a retouched flake, a
tci-tho, a trade bead, bone fragments, and a
4.1 x 3.75 m (13.1 x 12.3 ft) rectangular
depression and hearth feature were identified
in association with two possible components
west of Watana Creek. Complete
TLM-00227 Federal Land Impoundment
Two hundred and thirty-six calcined bone
fragments were recovered from a subsurface
test placed on the southern end of a large
knoll west of Watana Creek. Possible
thermally altered rock was also found 50 m
(164 ft) to the southwest in possible
association with a 1 x 0.4 m (3.2 x 1.3 ft)
rectangular concavity. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 14 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00231 Federal Land Impoundment
A chert flake, a cobble fragment, thermally
altered rocks, and numerous bones and bone
fragments were recovered from subsurface
tests on the northeastern point of a discrete
ridge west of Watana Creek. An indistinct
depression feature was also noted. Complete
TLM-00232 Federal Land Impoundment
Two loci were identified on a river terrace
near the Susitna and Jay Creek. Items and
features noted from surface survey and
subsurface testing include 5 depressions, a
dense scatter of bone and thermally altered
rock, waste flakes, several tci thos, a
hammerstone, a modified cobble, bone and
awl fragments, worked bone, and leather
moccasin fragments. Complete
TLM-00234 Federal Land Impoundment
Two loci were identified on a flat bench west
of Watana Creek. Site loci produced bone
fragments, thermally altered rock, and nine
glass trade beads from subsurface tests.
Locus A has two depressions that are both
approximately 1 m (3.2 ft) in diameter and
15-30 cm (6-12 in) deep. Complete
TLM-00235 Federal Land Impoundment
This site consists of three loci that are
situated on a razorback ridge west of Watana
Creek. Subsurface tests placed within the
site loci produced waste flakes, thermally
altered rock fragments, and a single basalt
biface fragment. Five surface depressions
were also noted at the site. Complete
TLM-00236 Federal Land Impoundment
A total of 33 waste flakes, of argillite and
basalt, were recovered from subsurface tests
placed in the center of a crescent-shaped
ridge west of Watana Creek. Complete
TLM-00238 Federal Land Impoundment
A semi rectangular 3.5 x 2.4 x .6 m deep
(11.4 x 7.8 x 1.9 ft) depression was noted on
the southern portion of a 400 m (1,312 ft)
north-south trending terrace located east of
the confluence of Kosina Creek with the
Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00239 Federal Land Impoundment
Twelve basalt waste flakes, obsidian
retouched flake, a basalt retouched flake,
and three calcined bone fragments were
recovered from subsurface tests placed on
the northern point of a terrace located east of
the confluence between Kosina Creek and
the Susitna River. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix D – Page 15 June 2014
AHRS
Number Landowner Direct Ape Area
AHRS Site Description or 2013 Field
Description
Inventory Complete or
Incomplete
TLM-00240 Federal Land Impoundment
A large rectangular house feature was
located near the edge of a terrace on the
east bank of Jay Creek. Subsurface tests of
the depression revealed remnants of a
collapsed wood frame and earth roof and
charcoal and bone fragments. Subsurface
tests of a second rectangular depression and
the area between the depressions produced
a number of trade beads (tubular, Cornaline
d'Aleppo, and seed), ceramic fragments,
thermally altered rock, and bone. Old axe-cut
(girdled) stumps were also noted on at the
site and surrounding area. The site is
estimated to date form the middle 1800s. Complete
TLM-00241 Federal Land Impoundment
Thirty-two waste flakes, mostly basalt, were
recovered from a subsurface test on the
south-end of a narrow relict terrace of Kosina
Creek. Complete
TLM-00243 Federal Land Impoundment
A single waste flake was recovered form a
shovel test placed in the central area of a
linear ridge west of Watana Creek. Complete
TLM-00245 State Land
Dam and Camp
Facility
Four argillite flakes were recovered from a
subsurface tests placed on a prominent
kame that overlooks Deadman Creek to the
east. Complete
TLM-00246 Federal Land Impoundment
Eleven argillite waste flakes and five calcined
bone fragments were recovered from a
subsurface test on the southern end of a
small ridge located near Jay Creek. Complete
TLM-00247 Federal Land Impoundment
This site consists of three loci that are
located on a terrace west of Jay Creek.
Sixteen depression features were noted on
the surface. Subsurface tests revealed waste
flakes a retouched flake, a hammerstone,
thermally altered rock, and bone. Complete
TLM-00256 Federal Land Impoundment
Burned and unburned bone and bone
fragments (including caribou) were recovered
from a depth of 35 cm (1.1 ft) of a forested
point bar on the Susitna River. Complete
TLM-00275 Federal Land Chulitna Corridor
A light surface scatter of lithics was noted in
a deflated area at the crest of a prominent
knoll northwest of Devil Creek. Artifacts
noted include three flakes, a retouched
basalt flake, and a green argillite biface. Complete
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 June 2014
PART A - APPENDIX E: WESTERN AHTNA LAND USE 1880 TO 2013
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix E – Page 1 June 2014
Appendix E - Western Ahtna Land Use 1880-2013
The data represented in these maps was collected using different methods so is only illustrative
of Ahtna land use over time. Figure 5.2 shows the Western Ahtna hunting areas from about
1880 to 1930 as described in oral history narratives collected, translated, and transcribed in 2013.
Data for figures 5.3 and 5.4 were compiled during household surveys conducted by the Alaska
Department of fish and Game (ADF&G). During the survey each informant was asked to draw a
line around areas in which they harvested specific resources. Figure 5.3 shows hunting areas
used by Cantwell residents between 1964 and 1984 based on a large sample of Cantwell
household surveys conducted in 1984. Figure 5.4 represents data collected in 1999 and shows
lifetime hunting areas for seven Cantwell households. Map 5.5 was compiled in 2013 from
information collected from four families in Cantwell. Respondents were asked to be as
geographically precise as possible. Eventually this information will be overlaid with data
collected by ADF&G in 2013 to increase the reliability of any perceived patterns.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix E – Page 2 June 2014
Figure 5.1 Land Use Area, 1880-1930. Source: Oral History Narratives.
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix E – Page 3 June 2014
Figure 5.2 Land Use Area 1964-1984 . Source: ADF&G Division of Subsistence
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix E – Page 4 June 2014
Figure 5.3 Land Use Area, Lifetime for 7 households. Source: ADF&G Division of Subsistence
INITIAL STUDY REPORT CULTURAL RESOURCES STUDY (13.5)
Susitna-Watana Hydroelectric Project Alaska Energy Authority
FERC Project No. 14241 Part A - Appendix E – Page 5 June 2014
Figure 5.4 Land Use Area, Current use areas for 4 households, 2013. Source: URS interview data.