The City of Tonasket plans utility improvements including extension of the city sewer system, and replacement of the existing city water system into the Bonaparte Creek area, and improvements to the City’s water system in other parts of Tonasket. The project includes installation of new gravity sewer pipe and manholes, water mains, fire hydrants, service reconnections, new meters, and road surface replacement. Completion of the project requires excavation, drilling, construction, and other related ground disturbing activities. During project development, The City of Tonasket was planning to apply for federal funding to help complete the project. Projects supported by federal funds must be in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and consider potential impacts to historic properties within the project boundaries. To strengthen their funding applications, the City requested completion of a cultural resource survey prior to the submission of the application. The cultural resource survey was intended to identify the presence or absence of cultural materials within the Area of Potential Effects (APE).
Plateau performed a background review and conducted pedestrian survey across the APE. The APE is divided into two distinct Project Areas: the City Project Area (located in the northwest section of the APE), and the Bonaparte Creek Project Area (located along the southern margin of the APE). All of the City Project Area and the majority of the Bonaparte Creek Project Area are in areas with significant pre-existing ground disturbance, therefore, no shovel probes were performed. Due to the highly developed nature of the City Project Area, Plateau recommended the water quality improvement project proceed as planned in this portion of the APE. Because there is potential for buried, intact cultural deposits in the Bonaparte Creek area, Plateau recommended monitoring of all ground disturbing activities within that project area by a professional archaeologist.
Location: Okanogan County, Washington
