Description

A government-to-government consultation between the Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office (DOE/NV) and the Consolidated Group of Tribes and Organizations (CGTO) focused on the interpretation and determination of eligibility for nomination to the National Register of Water Bottle Canyon. The consultation entailed a systematic ethnographic study of the cultural resources found in the Water Bottle Canyon area. The main goal of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of this unique area for contemporary Indian people and its role in Numic cultural landscapes. During the field visits Native American consultants were interviewed with standardized survey instruments and they provided ethnographers with observations, comments, and recommendations regarding the various features found at Water Bottle Canyon. The project involved 10 tribes and one organization. They represent the Indian people who have aboriginal and historic ties to the lands currently under use by the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The study was originally funded as rapid cultural assessment for an environmental assessment for the proposed construction of a rocket launch facility by the Kistler Aerospace Corporation. This present report builds upon first study and the studies that have followed. The four studies expanded upon previous work conducted on the NTS and will contribute to the DOE/NV’s further understanding of and continued efforts to manage and protect American Indian cultural resources.