Draft Environmental Impact Report - California Off Highway Vehicle ...

3.6 Cultural Resources
3.6 Cultural Resources
This section presents details about the existing setting and the regulatory setting for cultural
resources. It also presents an analysis of the cultural resources impacts that would result from
implementing the Clay Pit SVRA General Plan, including constructing and operating the
headquarters facilities. This section is based on information presented in the cultural resources
inventory report for Clay Pit SVRA (Perez and Long 2009).
3.6.1 Existing Setting
This section describes additional setting information to supplement the cultural setting
information provided in Section 2.3.3, “Cultural Resources,” of the Clay Pit SVRA General Plan. The
General Plan states that because of the Central Valley’s plentiful resources and temperate climate,
the valley was well populated prehistorically and served as the location for some of the more
substantial village sites known in California. Ethnographically, the Oroville area was inhabited
primarily by the Maidu (also referred to as the Konkow or the Mechoopda near Clay Pit SVRA).
General John Bidwell’s 1848 discovery of gold on the Feather River in Hamilton, Butte County,
occurred 4 months after James W. Marshall’s discovery at Sutter’s Mill. Present‐day Oroville
progressed from being one of the most dangerous and “wickedest” camps among the Feather
River mines to becoming the county seat in 1856. Agriculture and the construction of the Oroville
Dam in the latter decades of the 20th century had a more significant effect on the economy and
landscape of the region than most other endeavors.
Previously Documented Cultural Resources
According to Northeast Information Center (NIC) records, no cultural resources investigations had
been conducted within Clay Pit SVRA (prior to the inventory described below). In addition, no
prehistoric sites, features, or artifacts have been documented in or within 1 mile of the project site.
NIC records also show that no historic‐era resources have been recorded within the SVRA.
However, eight historic‐era resources have been previously documented within 1 mile of the
project site (Table 3.6‐1).
Newly Documented Cultural Resources
A cultural resource inventory was completed for Clay Pit SVRA by OHVMR Division archaeologists
(Perez and Long 2009). The survey of the project site resulted in identifying one historic‐era site: a
ditch complex (Primary number P‐04‐3142). This complex appears to be associated with the
extensive gold‐dredging operations that occurred in the area between 1898 and 1916, although it
could be associated with construction of the clay pit itself. Such ditches are found throughout the
gold‐bearing regions of California and were used as part of elaborate systems for conveying water
to placer diggings. However, this particular complex is not presently known to be directly
associated with any specific significant mining operation. The integrity of the ditch complex was
compromised by activities that took place during the construction of the Lake Oroville Dam, and
Clay Pit State Vehicular Recreation Area
Draft EIR 3.6-1 February 2012