Industrial Clients

Mines

Historic mine shafts and a spoil pile documented by OCA crews on surveys in New Mexico.

OCA helps mining companies gain regulatory approval for their hard rock, sand, and gravel mining, reclamation, and restoration operations. Mine projects in New Mexico include the Fence Lake Coal Mine Project, where both surveys and historical overviews were prepared for the Salt River Project company of Phoenix, Arizona. This research resulted in the following reports:

  • Peggy A. Gerow (2003): Eighty-Two Miles from Nowhere; Historical Overview Study for the Fence Lake Coal mine Project, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-716
  • Patrick Hogan (1978):Archaeological Investigations at Eight Small Sites in West-Central New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-211b and 185-271.
  • Patrick Hogan (1985): Prehistoric Settlement Patterns in West-Central New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-211
  • David C. Eck (1982): Fence lake Coal Exploration; An Archeological Survey on the Hubbell Ranch near Quemado, New Mexico for Salt River Project, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-140a and b

Similarly, OCA surveyed the San Lorenzo Mining Claim and an access road in 2002 for the Princess Research and Development Group of Socorro, NM. The work concluded with this report:

  • Peggy A. Gerow (2002): Cultural Resources Inventory of the San Lorenzo Mining Claim and Access Road, Socorro County, New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 071

OCA also has performed archival research for 48 coal lease tracks in northwestern New Mexico. Our research was concluded with the following publication:

  • Frederick F. York and Joseph C. Winter (1988): Report of an Ethnographic Study and Archeological Review of Proposed Coal Lease Tracts in Northwestern New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-247m

Our research concerning historic and modern mines also includes an overview of Native American sites at the Fruitland Coal Gas Development Area located on Navajo Nation land in northwestern New Mexico. The work was conducted for the Bureau of Land Management and finished with the following publications:

  • David M. Brugge (1993): An Investigation of AIRFA Concerns Relating to the Fruitland Coal Gas Development Area, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-434
  • Patrick Hogan and Joseph C. Winter (1983): Economy and Interaction Along the Lower Chaco River: The Navajo Mine Archeological Program, Mining Area III, San Juan County, New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-94/94A

OCA also performed another survey of lands in the west-central New Mexico to assess potential impacts of minig operations in the area. This survey was conducted for the Carbon Coal Company of Gallup, New Mexico. The research ended with these publications:

  • James L. Moore (1981): An Archeological Study of the Catalpa Mine, and an Ethnographic Profile of the Catalpa Canyon Navajo, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-91
  • David C. Eck (1980): An Archaeological Survey of Approximately 2300 Acres near Gallup, New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-80

Pipelines

Trackhoes preparing to lower natural gas pipe into
pre-excavated trench

Welders working on natural gas pipe

Excavated pit structure with gas pipeline

Archeological surveys, excavations, and monitoring at pipeline construction belong among the largest of OCA projects. Major surveys and excavations have been performed by OCA to secure archeological clearance for the following pipeline constructions:

  • Transwestern Pipeline Expansion Project conducted for Transwestern Pipeline Company
  • Mid-America Pipeline conducted for the Mid-America Pipeline Company
  • Cortez CO2 Pipeline conducted for Woodward-Clyde Consultants
  • Mid-America Pipeline Western Expansion Loop conducted for Enterprise Products Operating LP
  • Bravo CO2 Pipeline conducted for AMOCO Production Company and Bravo Company
  • Continental Divide Pipeline conducted for Continental Divide Pipeline Company
  • Chevron Pipeline conducted for Chevron Pipeline Company

These projects resulted in the following publications:

  • Kenneth Brown (1999): Data Recovery along the 1995 MAPCO Four Corners Pipeline (Vols. 2 -5), OCA/UNM Report No. 185-547d
  • Ronna J. Bradley and Kenneth L. Brown (1998): Cultural Resources along the MAPCO Four Corners Pipeline (Vol. 1), OCA/UNM Report No. 185-547b
  • Michael P. Marshall, Nancy J. Akins, and Joseph C. Winter (1986): The 1983 Cultural Resources Monitoring and Data Recovery Project for the Cortez CO2 Pipeline in the Las Huertas Valley Area, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-161i, j
  • Michael P. Marshall (1985): The Excavation of the Cortez CO2 Pipeline Project Sites, 1982-1983, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-161a, c, d, m
  • Frank E. Wozniak (1985): Across the Caprock: A Cultural Resources Survey on the Llano Estacado and the Canadian River Valley of East Central New Mexico for the Bravo CO2 Pipeline, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-191
  • Marcia Donaldson (1983): Cultural Resource Inventory along the Proposed Continental Divide Pipeline, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-107
  • Patrick Hogan and Joseph C. Winter (1981): Test Excavations at Six Sites in the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Central New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-88

Anthropological studies along the Transwestern Pipeline remains, to date, OCA's largest project ever conducted. Archeological surveys, excavations, and archival research was performed for the sites along the Arizona-New Mexico-Colorado pipeline owned by Transwestern Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of the ENRON Corporation. The work resulted in a 20-volume publication series. See Volume XI and all other volumes in the series (see List of OCA Publications).

Powerlines

Over the past three decades, OCA crews have performed various power lines surveys.

OCA has conducted numerous surveys to accommodate upgrades of existing electric powerlines as well as the construction of new lines for firms such as Sierra Electric Cooperative of Truth or Consequences, NM, Central New Mexico Electric Cooperative, Inc., and the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This research resulted into the following publications:

  • Cynthia Herhahn (2007): An Archaeological Survey for Proposed Slope Stabilization and Powerline Tower Relocation near Abiquiu Dam, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 891
  • Catherine M. Heyne (2006): Intensive Pedestrian Archeological Survey along a Proposed Powerline Southeast of Corona, Lincoln County, New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No.185-877
  • Peggy A. Gerow (2002): Cultural Resources Inventory of Four New Powerline Corridors Near Cuchillo and Hillsboro, Sierra County, New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 185-749

Fiber Optic & Telephone Cables

OCA has performed various surveys and excavations for firms involved in construction of underground utility lines, such as fiber optic and telephone cables. While these projects are generally conducted to ensure that cultural resources located within the proposed right-of-way can be identified for proper treatment prior to construction, we are occasionally tasked with conducting damage assessments of sites impacted by prior construction. Results of one such damage assessment are presented in:

  • Peggy A. Gerow (2001): Investigations at LA 3549 and LA 3552, Two Early Pueblo Sites Along I-40 Near Laguna, New Mexico, OCA/UNM Report No. 185686