Aztec Ruins Administrative History

GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (1988) RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Preservation subzones to include the antiquities--excavated and unexcavated--and their natural environments.

The preservation and protection of the resources demands intensive ongoing monitoring. That necessitates documenting prestabilization and restabilization conditions and upgrading procedures accordingly so as to more correctly replicate where necessary or preserve what remains of aboriginal appearance, while at the same time assuring greater security. Vandalized sites not to be specifically included in the interpretive program and portions of excavated structures not open for public viewing will be backfilled to reduce their future deterioration and the staff workloads. Irrigation will be halted on lands adjacent to endangered sites, and flood controls will be installed in threatened places. The new boundary will be fenced to keep vandals and stock off the property. Other intrusive development will be restricted to trails and signs to guide visitors to overlooks.

2. Adaptive use subzone to include the visitor center.

The exterior of this structure will be maintained as it is, but the interior will be remodeled to allow more reception, exhibition, and audiovisual space, a fuller display dedicated to Earl Morris and his contributions to Southwestern archeology, and a work and office area for the interpretive staff.

Interpretive themes presented to visitors initially in the museum and subsequently on-site will depend upon perspectives emerging from the opportunity to more thoroughly examine the range of additional sites taken into the monument and to study their relationships to each other, to the large sandstone masonry structures comprising the centerpieces of the monument, and to the Chaco Phenomenon as theorized by the National Park Service program of the 1970s.

3. Park development subzone to include facilities for the monument operation and visitor use, such as offices, specimen storage, personnel housing, maintenance and stabilization areas, picnic tables, rest rooms, and parking lot.

The main improvements for which the plan provides are new centralized administrative and maintenance facilities removed from the visitor center and enlarged picnic and parking areas in anticipation of a steady increase in visitation.

4. Landscape management subzone to include plots east of the north-south county road presently farmed by private individuals and the riparian habitat by the Animas River.

Little change is proposed, other than restricted grazing of the bluffs in order to reduce damage to sites and to rid the area of certain vegetation. The aim is to maintain a green rural scene.

5. Landscape modification subzone to include presently irrigated fields immediately to the south, west, and north of the former monument boundaries and lands there where modern dwellings are situated.

The goal for this subzone is to return it to a habitat such as might have prevailed in the past. Because no evidence for them remains, possible Anasazi gardens will not be indicated. The irrigation seepage that has threatened the principal ruins for the past 70 years will end. A more suitable vista for the structures will be provided.

6. Special mineral use subzone to include and exercise control over areas where future mineral extraction might occur.

7. Special use transportation/utilities subzone to include the existing Ruins Road, any road constructed in the future that changes access to the monument, and power lines.

The city of Aztec is considering construction of a new bridge across the Animas River and a strip of connecting road that will allow visitors to the monument to approach it from the east. If this project is consummated, the National Park Service will plant vegetation to screen the residential areas on Ruins Road from view and so create a more attractive, park-like entry.

The proposed monument development plan designed on the subzone concept will be implemented whenever Congress appropriates the necessary funding. Under the plan, the staff will be increased to 16.3 full-time employees to bring the annual personnel budget to $375,502. For the first time, a professional archeologist will be on regular duty. Cost estimates of 1988 for implementing the monument development are $4,204,500.