SU0012813 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

E b 4 Central Valley Native American tribes have been discussed by i Baumhoff (1963 , 1978) , Beals and Hester (1960) , Heizer and Elsasser (1980) , Heizer and Whipple (1971) , Kroeber (1925) , Latta (1949, 1977) , and Spier (1954) . Description of the Local Environment The proposed 500-acre gravel extraction area is located near the intersection of Interstate Highway 5 and Interstate Route 580 in San Joaquin County, California. Approximately 300 feet above sea level, the area slopes gradually from west to east (Figure 2) . For purposes of discussion herein the proposed project area, is considered to constitute two major segments. These are transected unequally northwest to southeast by Interstate Route 580. The larger "northeast area" is located in the south half of S-6' and the northeast quarter of S-7 (T4S, R6E) ; the "southwest" segment occupies portions of the southwest quarter of S-7. The T-- latter portion of the proposed project area has been extensively { altered by a previous gravel extraction operation and, more recently, by installation of a gas pipeline. (The pipeline corridor was surveyed for surficial evidence of cultural resources with locally negative results. ) At present the southwest segment of the proposed project area is used for pasturing cattle. The only significant natural vegetation on the proposed project area is native grass and, in the western portion, scattered Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) , willows (Salix sp. ) , sycamore (Platanus racemosa) , and other riparian flora along Hospital Creek. At the time of field inspection the native grass cover was much reduced by very heavy cattle grazing. i.• Current Land Use and Previous Modifications As noted in the preceding section of this report, the proposed project area has been extensively altered from its natural state. The proposed project area, as noted above, consists of two portions, the first comprised by an almond orchard and a contemporary gravel extraction locus, and the second by a former gravel extraction area, now a livestock pasture transected by Hospital Creek. Hence, the entire proposed project area has been extensively altered, at least in respect to r relatively natural areas in the adjacent Coast Range. There are several gravel extraction operations in San Joaquin County (Clark 1955: 60-69) .