These surveys were essentially emergency measures with very limited goals. They were implemented to: (1) locate and provide basic documentation for as many newly exposed sites as possible within a limited time; (2) identify, map, and collect artifacts likely to be stolen by relic collectors; and (3) locate, document, and cover or remove exposed human remains. Removing tools and human remains evident on the surface prevented their loss to vandals and at the same time made the sites less attractive to these relic collectors. No subsurface testing was conducted at any of these sites.This paper introduces the reader to the recent hydrologic events at Malheur Lake, summarizes the results of the surveys, and presents some inferences regarding regional chronology and land use prompted by the survey data. These interpretations should be considered working hypotheses to be tested by continuing research in the region.

Cressman and his field party recognized the house depressions at the ZX Ranch site as cultural features, and their excavation strategy reflected this. Trenches were placed across each of the house pits to expose and profile such features as floors, rims, or hearths. Thus, these early archaeological tests are still the most extensive excavations of house features in the Lake Abert-Chewaucan Marsh Basin. Fortunately, the field notes, artifacts, and some photographs from these 1939 tests have been curated for the last fifty years at the Oregon State Museum of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene (stored under Accession No. 61). This material was located and analyzed to provide more data on house pits in the Lake Abert- Chewaucan Marsh Basin as part of a larger research project (Getting 1989). This article is meant to recognize and document the ZX Ranch site excavations.