An archaeological survey of the Radium Springs area, southern New Mexico

During October and November 1976, the Center for Archaeological Research of The University of Texas at San Antonio carried out an archaeological survey of the Radium Springs area in southern New Mexico (Fig. 1). This survey was conducted under the terms of a contract (YA-5l2-RFP6-80) between the Center and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Dr. Thomas R. Hester, Director of the Center, was Project Administrator, and Dr. Joel D. Gunn and Dr. Paul R. Katz served as Principal Investigators. Fieldwork was under the supervision of Dr. Gunn, with direct field responsibilities handled by Col. Thomas C. Kelly, Research Associate of the Center. Contract Officer for the BLM was Richard Meninger (Denver), and the Contract Officer's Authorized Representative was Karen L. Way (Las Cruces). The Radium Springs survey was initiated because the BLM desired information on the cultural resources of the region for inclusion in the "Radium Springs Geothermal Leasing Environmental Analysis Record." Thus, the survey was designed to provide an assessment of cultural resources within selected areas owned by the government. A major objective of the fieldwork was to provide the BLM with a statistically valid estimate of cultural resource densities within various environmental zones in the project area. The Center prepared, and submitted for BLM approval, a technical proposal outlining the goals of the archaeological survey (this was sent to Mr. Meninger on September 15, 1976). The research and sampling design outlined in that pro-posal (see Section II of this report) followed closely the specifications set forth in Section F of YA-5l2-RFP6-80, pages 22-25. In general, the specifications called for an intensive survey of a minimum of 32 square-mile sections of land controlled by the BLM. The sample units were to be drawn by a stratified random sampling procedure, designed at a 10% level, with regional applicability in southern New Mexico. In addition, a thorough literature review was also required. Specific field survey requirements were set forth by the BLM, and a set of criteria was provided for the documentation of sites.