Archaeological Probing, Site Testing, and Monitoring for the Eastside Park Water System Improvement Project
When the City of Omak proposed the construction of new irrigation and domestic waterline within Eastside Park, the cultural resource investigation resulted in a recommendation for subsurface survey and monitoring of the proposed activities. Probing was performed by Plateau under the authority of an Archaeological Investigation Permit issued by the Colville Confederated Tribe’s History and Archaeology Department. Subsurface probing identified four previously unknown archaeological resources and determined that the potential for additional buried deposits within the park is high. Limited testing was conducted in two areas, revealing that one of the sites lacked depositional integrity while the other site would not be impacted by the project water project.
Following probing and testing, an archaeological monitoring protocol was defined and implemented. Monitoring resulted in the identification of one additional previously unknown prehistoric site and the installation was changed slightly to avoid further disturbance. Based on the results of probing, testing, and monitoring, it has been determined that Eastside Park includes undisturbed alluvial sediments, though fill and mixed sediments are present as well.
Location: Okanogan County, Washington
