| OCR Text |
Show independently by the consultants who were interviewed. These development units roughly correspond to how the reservation is seen and understood in relation to two halves, a western and an eastern, with one " side" being different from the other in several important respects. The dividing line between the west and east roughly followed a line extending south from Monarch Bench. B. l The Western Side Of the two, this half involves the least special consideration in relation to water development. This may only be a consequence of the fact that presently it is the least peopled part of the reservation. Before the 1950s, many Ute families were settled on allotments and/ or used grazing areas as far west as Tabiona and Hannah but few remain permanently in the reservation's westerly locations today ( 1.3; 3.1; National Archives, Indian Office Files, Uintah- Ouray 1346- 1938, 031; 13965- 1938, 0215; 47912- 1937, 031; 1410- 1939, 031; 13041- 1936, 031; 4 612- 1937, 031; 6691- 1936, 031; 36349- 1939, 032). Despite a substantial decline in the number of Utes who live permanently on the western side , many continue to use portions of this area to hunt, gather and graze stock ( 1.3; 3.1; 4.3). Most of the consultants talked about things going on in this region during the past, and although some referred to ongoing uses, these were not as varied or as regularly pursued as the ones described for the eastern side. In fact, one of the consultants ( 3.1) said, while referring to the mountain lakes and canyons, " they ( Whiterocks and Uintah) hold more stuff than on the other side ( Yellowstone and Lake Fork)." And another maintained that except for a few prime resource sites used for hunting and gathering, most of the Utes do not use this region any longer ( 4.3). Nevertheless, there are still important sites on the Yellowstone- Lake Fork side that have important cultural and resource values, all of which are noted in greater detail in the next section. And there are also families who still live in this area who need to be consulted about specific developments therein. B. 2 The Eastern Side The eastern side is a much more complex and potentially sensitive region on cultural and religious grounds. Indeed, many of the locations north of a line following the Yellowstone feeder canal from Cottonwood Creek Canyon east to the Sun Dance grounds at Hayden and then onto the edge of Merkley Flats rank very high on the scale of cultural weight and significance. While most of the locations south of this line, with a few notable exceptions, rank low. The canyons and high bench drainages of the Uinta and Whiterocks rivers are not only the most ecologically diverse of the four river systems, but they are also the most intensely used. This area has the distinction of |
