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Grand Avenue Widening Project Environmental Impact Report Section 3.0 3.7 CULTURAL RESOURCES Based on the findings of the IS, the proposed Grand Avenue widening may or would result in potentially significant adverse impacts on cultural resources, specifically related to impacts on archeological resources, historic resources, and existing religious and sacred uses. The analysis of the potential impacts of the proposed Grand Avenue widening related to cultural resources is documented in the Cultural Resource Assessment for Grand Avenue Widening Project, City of Santa Ana, Orange County (Discovery Works, Inc., April 2001). In addition, in December 2001, the City conducted additional analyses for two structures at 702 North Grand Avenue and at 714 North Grand Avenue. These additional analyses are also provided in Appendix H. The findings of the cultural resources assessment are summarized in this Section. The complete technical report is included in Appendix H of this EIR. 3.7.1 EXISTING SETTING RELATED TO CULTURAL RESOURCES Cultural Resources Background for the Grand Avenue Area Prehistoric Setting The project segment of Grand Avenue is in the floodplain east of the Santa Ana River and south of Santiago Creek, an area subject to seasonal floods which in the past created swamps and sloughs. Prehistorically, the environmental conditions would have been much the same as today. While this floodplain would have provided abundant food and tool making resources, and undoubtedly served as a procurement area for regional prehistoric populations, it is an unlikely location for long term or village -type settlement. Most documented prehistoric sites in Orange County that represent long term occupation and possible villages are on mesas around coastal bays and estuaries or on knolls above the floodplain. The archival research conducted for the Grand Avenue project identified several documented prehistoric sites on the bluffs overlooking the River. These locations were favored because they are more secure and less subject to periodic flooding. Some archaeological sites within several miles of the Grand Avenue project area date to the earliest identified prehistoric traditions, termed either the Early Man Horizon or the San Dieguito Tradition. The earliest local cultural tradition is a late San Dieguito component at the Irvine Site (CA -ORA - 64) on the bluffs above Middle Newport Bay. The San Dieguito/Early Man traditions are followed by cultures termed either Milling Stone Horizon or Encinitas Tradition. Prehistoric sites representing this time period (after 5500 B.C.) typically yield large numbers of metates and manos (milling stones) as well as unique artifacts of unknown use, called discoidals and cogged stones. There are a number of Milling Stone Horizon sites in Orange County. One site, CA -ORA -83, known as the Cogged Stone Site, is on the Bolsa Chica Mesa on the north side of Bolsa Chica Bay and the wetlands. Cogged stones are also recorded for CA -ORA -145 and CA -ORA -163, which are well south of the Grand Avenue project area. By 3000 B.C., coastal populations begin exhibiting greater reliance on marine resources. Along the coast, deep sea fishing began in earnest and circular fishhooks and perforated stones, possibly associated with larger nets, appear. Inland and in the San Joaquin Hills canyons, acorn processing technology appears. The Intermediate Horizon is followed by the Late Prehistoric Horizon or FIPROJ-ENVIGrand eirWew Text- GrandlSection 3 SplitlSection 3.7.doc Page 3.7-1