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4.9 CULTURAL RESOURCES ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING The project site is situated on the Mokelumne River, approximately five miles north of the City of Lodi in San Joaquin County. This region's central location ensured its contact with more natural ecozones and cultural groups than most other area of California. Intensive agricultural uses and cattle grazing have caused massive alterations to the valley ecology. The Tracy Lakes vicinity is known as the last area remaining in San Joaquin County with moderate environmental and archaeological integrity. A complete description of the site's history, archaeology and ethnohistory is found in Appendix G of this report. A technical report is on file with the San Joaquin County Community Development Department, the Central Information Center at California State University, Turlock, the North Central Information Center at California State University, Sacramento, and the Native American Heritage Commission, Sacramento. Archaeology The end of the last glaciations resulted in the emergence throughout the west of shallow lakes such as the Tracy Lakes. These pluvial lakes produced much more biomass than did deeper lakes, and are of high significance archaeologically because of their great resource-bearingcapacity. Wetland plant species produced roots, stems and seeds for food and fiber. As other water sources dried up, remaining bodies of freshwater attracted waterfowl, shorebirds and mammals. This large environmental change,coupled with smaller, local modifications,spurred the growth of cultural variety and specialization as individual groups adapted to their changing habitats. In 1929, Egbert Schenck complied and published the work previously undertaken in the Stockton area. He identified 91 archaeological sites; 38 of these were habitation sites containing associated burials; 28 of these were habitation sites with no known burials, and eight were classified as temporary campsites. The remaining sites lacked sufficient investigation and evidence for specific classification in their report. Materials recovered from the sites in the Lodi vicinity are associated with three age and typology groups, later known as horizons. Their classifications were historic (Late Horizon)for the period 500 B.C. until 1880 A.D., late prehistoric (Middle Horizon) for the period 2000 B.C. until 500 B.C., and early prehistoric (Early Horizon)for the period 5500 B.C. until 2000 B.C. (Heizer, 1974). Late Horizon sites are characterized by houses of tule mats and grasses; finely-coiled mortuary baskets; baked clay items used probably as cooking stones, net sinkers and effigies; wooden mortars; and pestles imported from the Sierra Mountains. Middle Horizon sites are represented by large points, clay artifacts, incised bird bone and small mortars. Early Horizon sites are typified by quartz crystals, charmstones, distinctive 4.9-1