Jan 8, 2021: Geospatial modeling of archaeological site potential within the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area (Seth Frame)

In 2012, Alpine Archaeological Consultants, Inc. (Alpine) based in Montrose, Colorado, was retained by the Bureau of Land Management’s Grand Junction and Uncompahgre Field Offices to create site sensitivity models to help them develop a Resource Management Plan for the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area (DENCA). Alpine’s GIS department compiled a database of known archaeological resources and surveys conducted within the DENCA. Ecological, biological and topographic variables based on location were also assigned to each archaeological site in the database. Site sensitivity models were then differentially developed for prehistoric and historic sites based on a factor analysis of the database. Traditional sensitivity maps for historic resources were also created based on qualitative historic factors. The two types of historic sensitivity models were then compared. The details of model construction and comparisons of the two types of historic models will be discussed during the presentation.