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4. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS r 4.10 CULTURAL RESOURCES ceremonial assembly chambers. Dwellings were small and lightly constructed,semi-subterranean and oval. The public structures were large and earth covered. Sedentism was fostered by the abundance of riverine resources in the area. Subsistence among the Northern Valley Yokuts revolved around the waterways and marshes of the lower San Joaquin Valley. Fishing activities involved the use of dragnets, harpoons,and hook and line, which yielded salmon, white sturgeon,river perch,and other species of edible fish. Waterfowl and small game attracted to the water also provided a source of protein. The contribution of big game to the diet was probably minimal. Vegetal staples included acoms,tole roots,and seeds. Goods not available locally were obtained through trade. Paiute and Shoshone groups on the eastern side of the Sierra were suppliers of obsidian(volcanic glass used for tools). Shell beads and mussels were obtained from Salinan and Coastanoan groups. Trading relations with Miwok groups yielded baskets and bows and arrows. Overland transport was facilitated by a network of ` trails, and tule rafts were used for water transport. Most Northern Valley Yokuts groups had their fust contact with Europeans in the early 1800s, ` when the Spanish began exploring the Delta. The gradual erosion of Yokuts culture began during the mission period. Epidemics of European diseases played a large role in the decimation of the native population. With the secularization of the mission and the release of neophytes,tribal and territorial adjustments were set in motion. People returned to other groups,and a number of polyglot"tribes"were formed. The final blow to the aboriginal population came with the Gold ` Rush and its aftermath. In the rush to the southern mines,native populations were pushed out of the way,and out of their existing territories. Ex-miners settling in the fertile valley applied further pressure to the native groups,and altered the landforms and waterways of the valley. Many Yokuts resorted to wage labor on farms and ranches. Others were settled on land set aside for them on the Fresno and Tule River Reserves. HISTORIC SETTING The first Europeans to explore this region were Spaniards who were exploring the watercourses of the San Joaquin Valley in the early 1800s. After the Gold Rush of 1849,the San Joaquin Valley was rapidly settled and the Vernalis area became an agricultural and ranching area. The Central Pacific Railroad constructed a railroad line between Tracy and Newman in 1887, with Vernalis as a station on that route. In 1915 Vernalis also became an oil pipeline station for crude oil pipelines extending from Bakersfield to refineries on the Carquinez Straits(Hillman et al., 1985) During World War II Italian prisoners of war were interned at a facility located in the ` southeast corner of the intersection of highways 132 and 33 (Burgess, 1993). The Vernalis Naval Air Station,located on the southern edge of the project area, was established in 1942 and was ` used for Navy fighter training flights. Beginning in 1953 the Naval Air Station was used for Operation Sky Hook,a project to investigate the stratosphere by launching balloons equipped with electronic devises (Hillman et al., 1985). The Naval Air Station was later abandoned and is ` now used for processing of various organic materials. Virtually the entire proposed project area RMC errs<vevulis Quaffv Mining aoa auiamaaoo nojat 4.10.3 ssArz03015 Admiolstra Draft[]R March 2004 V