Western Cultural, Inc. performed a Class III Cultural Resource Inventory of the Clear Creek Drainage between 2011-2012 for the Nez Perce National Forest in order to establish a cultural resources baseline for planning several forest projects. Possible actions include thinning or removing trees at risk of mountain pine beetle attack, removing or reducing fuels to decrease the fire dangers, a variety of watershed restoration activities, stream crossing improvements, road decommissioning, soil restoration and possible broadcast burning. The area of potential effect for this survey was defined as the parcels identified for the survey by the Nez Perce National Forest.
Western Cultural, Inc. completed survey of 3,200 acres in the Clear Creek Drainage as part of this Class III Cultural Resource Survey. The Clear Creek Class III Cultural Resource Inventory and Site Reevaluation resulted in the recording of three new cultural resources and the reevaluation of an additional eight previously known cultural resources. Newly recorded cultural resources included a prehistoric rock cairn, a historic ditch segment, and historic Forest Service trail. Revisited sites included two historic cabins, two historic Forest Service fire lookout locations, two prehistoric/historic trail segments, a historic livestock management location, and a historic road segment
The project reports described the areas that were inventoried, the field methodology, and the results of the inventory with complete recommendations for the NRHP. Site forms for all resources located during the inventory were completed. Maps were created at a 1:24,000 scale showing the areas of potential effect, parcels inventoried, and the cultural resources located during the investigations. The project required knowledge of the prehistory and history of Central Idaho, knowledge of archaeological and historical recordation and evaluations, as well as knowledge of the potential and current effects to cultural resources by the various projects proposed on the forest. The project required knowledge of the standards and guidelines of the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and how to meet those requirements, as well as knowledge of the Secretary of Interior’s standards and the ability to comply with such standards