Planning Documents

Harris Environmental biologists and archaeologists have collaborated to produce several planning reports documenting the potential impacts of proposed road improvements on natural and cultural resources. For these projects Harris Environmental reviewed archaeological literature and the habitats of endangered and threatened species in the vicinity as well as identified possible effects on the environment.

For one study in particular, the natural resources assessment took into account 20 endangered or threatened species in Pima County, including the Chiricahua leopard frog, the desert pupfish, and the lesser long-nosed bat, as well as several others that require special consideration, such as the Sonoran Desert tortoise. Additionally, Harris Environmental biologists identified potential short- and long-term threats from the proposed improvements to ground water, surface water, and air quality.

The archaeologists examined historic and prehistoric sites, finding three particularly important prehistoric sites in the vicinity of the project. The nearby Sunset Mesa Ruin, which is more than 1,000 years old, contained numerous Hohokam dwellings, burials, and canals. Las Capas and the Costello-King Site are large, deeply buried sites that date back to between 1,200 B.C. and A.D. 200. Both of these are well-preserved Archaic villages with enormous potential to contribute information about the poorly understood transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture in the Tucson Basin.  

The challenge of these projects came with the number of factors to be considered. After examining the variables, Harris Environmental biologists and archaeologists were able to identify potential effects on the many nearby resources and provide the multiple alternatives for dealing with natural and cultural resources during the proposed projects.

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