ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Albuquerque District and the Pueblo of Isleta entered a partnership agreement to begin a cultural preservation study for the historic Pottery Mound site, here, June 26, 2024.
USACE-Albuquerque District Commander Lt. Col. Jerre Hansbrough and Pueblo of Isleta Gov. Max Zuni signed the agreement during a signing ceremony at the Pueblo of Isleta Cultural Center.
“I personally want to thank the Army Corps of Engineers for all their hard work they have done,” said Zuni. “I really appreciate it and I look forward to the accomplishment and the program we’re going to do now.”
Entering the agreement is the first step in beginning a comprehensive study of erosion at the Pottery Mound and evaluating what solutions can be put in place to protect the site.
Excessive bank erosion is causing immense damage to the Pottery Mound. The Pottery Mound is regarded as a significant cultural and historical resource that many fear will be lost completely if erosion continues to set the conditions for more water damage.
“Today is a really important event with Isleta Pueblo because it represents a significant transition in our Tribal Partnership Program that expands the types of work that we can do,” said Michael Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works).
USACE’s Tribal Consultation Policy was updated in December of 2023 to include authorization for USACE to do cultural resource protection work under the Tribal Partnership Program. The Pottery Mound study is the first ever study USACE will conduct under these updated guidelines to the Tribal Partnership Program.
This study is “very important work as obviously you have heard today from the Pueblo’s leadership about the need to protect their cultural resources and their sacred sites … so to be able to use the Corps of Engineers’ skills and our experience in managing water resources to protect against flooding and erosion and protect this long-term archaeological site of world importance is just amazing. So happy to be part of today’s event,” Connor said.
Work on the study is expected to begin in the fall of 2024. The feasibility cost-share agreement is 50:50, with the first $200,000 being 100 percent federally funded.
Visit https://www.spa.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Tribal-Program to learn more about USACE-Albuquerque District Tribal Programs.
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