Inventory Survey of the Lower Hidden Mountain Floodpool, Lower Rio Puerco Drainage, Central NM

Edited by Peter L. Eidenbach With Contributions by Peter L. Eidenbach, Richard C. Chapman, A.H. Warren, Cye Gossett, Bill Gossett, D.W. Love, J.W. Hawley, and J.D. Young
©1982     590 pages      $25.00

HSR conducted an intensive inventory archaeological survey of cultural resources, within 10,360 acres or approximately 16.2 square miles, potentially affected by construction of the Lower Hidden Mountain Dam, Socorro and Valencia Counties, New Mexico. The status of lands includes patented, private lands, New Mexico State Trust lands, and public domain. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers initiated this survey to identify cultural resources potentially affected by the proposed action; assess the significance and potential eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places for each resource in the inventory; evaluate potential adverse impact on historic and prehistoric sites; identify possible mitigation strategies; and develop an overall research perspective for cultural resources within the lower Rio Puerco drainage

In addition, the survey evaluates predications concerning density and character of archaeological resources based upon a 10% stratified random sample reconnaissance of the region. Data on site types, periods of occupation, location, frequency and density of artifacts, environmental context, and basic analysis of assemblages are presented. Particular attention is devoted to formal field methods of the survey, analysis of ceramic and lithic assemblages, geological and sedimentary history of the drainage, evaluation of a 10% sample reconnaissance, and formal methods for evaluating potential resource significance.

One hundred sixty (160) sites are reported in detail, spanning the Archaic through Historic periods (circa 1000 B.C. to A.D. 1900). Most of these are lithic, or lithic and ceramic, scatters, representing small campos and activity areas deposited during intermittent occupations, possibly during periods of climatic or environmental stress. Evidence of architectural features in the inventory area is limited to five small historic sites.
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