A Summary of 25 Years of Research on Water Supplies of the Ancestral Pueblo People
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
- Field topographic surveys using traditional civil engineering technology with theodolites, level instruments, measuring tapes, and planetables. The team defined and mapped the topography so that shapes of features, heights of mounds, and lengths of canal routes could be calculated (Figure 4).
- Using soil augers to recover soil profile data from the archeological sites so sediment layering could be defined with specificity, along with charcoal evidence. Soil profile data also helped define the physical extents of reservoir and canal building where natural, undisturbed soil layers were confirmed (Figure 5).
- Surface infiltration tests for site-specific data on present-day infiltration rates of bare and vegetated soils and typical permeability. These data informed estimates of rainfall–runoff relationships (Figure 6).
- Geologic descriptions for an understanding of basin characteristics and the source of eroded materials. The team defined bedrock outcrops and faults.
- Geomorphological analyses to define the character of canyon bottoms.
- Ceramic analyses performed by archeologists to estimate the period of human activity for reservoir dating.
- Paleo climate evaluations using dendrochronology (tree rings) for estimates of precipitation and temperature going back to about 500 CE. Overall, the long-term precipitation in the Four Corners area has been roughly equal to modern times, i.e., about 46 cm per year [5].
- Rainfall–runoff determinations to verify that a surface water supply existed.
- Pollen analyses of various sediments to define prehistoric vegetation, the type and location of agricultural practices, and the presence or absence of wetland plants. Forest successional periods and the presence or absence of sagebrush and medicinal plants were also evaluated.
- Laboratory analyses of reservoir sediments using hydrometer and sieve analyses of soils and sediments to define sand, silt, and clay content to estimate sediment transport and depositional character. The team looked for redoximorphic features that indicate long-term soil saturation.
- Carbon dating, where feasible, to determine the age of prehistoric structures and artifacts, such as a deer antler, to supplement pottery analyses.
- Groundwater evaluations to estimate water sources available and whether reservoir inflow might have originated via aquifers.
- Archeological studies of the reservoir structures, canals, watersheds, and adjacent villages, allowing the engineering data and studies to be properly placed in their anthropological context.
- Aerial, standard black and white, color and infrared photographs to define the ground conditions, wetlands, and water tables, and assist with the evaluation of geomorphological processes.
3. Discussion and Results
3.1. Morefield Reservoir
3.2. Far View Reservoir
3.3. Sagebrush Reservoir
3.4. Box Elder Reservoir
3.5. Mug House Cistern
3.6. Goodman Point Spring
4. Conclusions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Wright, K.R. A Summary of 25 Years of Research on Water Supplies of the Ancestral Pueblo People. Water 2024, 16, 2462. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16172462
Wright KR. A Summary of 25 Years of Research on Water Supplies of the Ancestral Pueblo People. Water. 2024; 16(17):2462. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16172462
Chicago/Turabian StyleWright, Kenneth R. 2024. "A Summary of 25 Years of Research on Water Supplies of the Ancestral Pueblo People" Water 16, no. 17: 2462. https://doi.org/10.3390/w16172462