Cultural Surveys in Nevada's High Desert: Jersey Valley Solar

This project encompassed 470 acres of renewable energy development plus critical transmission corridors, located southwest of Battle Mountain near Jersey Valley, Nevada.

Project Overview
The renewable energy initiative includes 114,000 solar panels distributed across multiple arrays, complemented by new 120kV transmission infrastructure and substation facilities. Our cultural resource assessment covered the complete project footprint, including access roads and perimeter installations, ensuring thorough cultural resources documentation.

Field Operations Excellence
Operating across Nevada's sagebrush landscape, Catalyst’s cultural resources crew executed systematic pedestrian surveys with precision transect spacing. The expansive high desert environment, framed by distant mountain ranges, presented both stunning vistas and technical challenges that our experienced team navigated expertly.

From the identification and documentation of precontact lithic scatters on exposed surfaces to detailed site recording across varied terrain, our archaeologists demonstrated exceptional adaptability. Each identified resource was mapped using GPS technology and documented according to Nevada state standards, with particular attention to both precontact Indigenous and historic period resources.

Professional Methodology
The diverse topography required flexible survey strategies, from intensive coverage where archaeological materials concentrate to systematic examination of flat valley floors comprised of pluvial lakebeds. Our seasoned field personnel maintained archaeological protocols while efficiently covering ground in challenging high desert conditions, ensuring no significant cultural resources were overlooked.

Working through sagebrush and across exposed pluvial lake surfaces, the team's systematic approach guaranteed coverage of the entire development area. This methodical fieldwork, conducted under Nevada's expansive desert skies, exemplifies the highest standards of professional archaeology.

Project Deliverables
Catalyst’s CRM documentation process ensures compliance with federal and state cultural resources regulations while maintaining project timelines for this critical renewable energy development. From initial field survey through drafting of final reporting, our Cultural Team provides cultural resources management that protects Nevada's irreplaceable archaeological heritage while facilitating clean energy advancement.

The successful completion of this survey demonstrates our commitment to cultural resource excellence in supporting sustainable energy infrastructure across the American West.
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Ready for the next cultural resources survey!