We present results of multiproxy analysis of a sediment core collected from Billy Slope Meadow, a spring-fed wet meadow in Range Creek Canyon, Utah. Range Creek Canyon was the home to Fremont maize farmers between roughly 1200 and 800 cal BP (AD 750–1150). Stable carbon isotope analysis of core sediments from Billy Slope Meadow indicate the Billy Slope Meadow site was used as a field for maize agriculture during that time. Some scholars have suggested the florescence of the Fremont culture may have been driven by increased summer precipitation, which improved the economic profitability of dry farming maize. But analysis of pollen, macroscopic charcoal and sediment geochemistry from Billy Slope Meadow, and a comparison with a local tree-ring chronology indicate the Fremont period in Range Creek Canyon was probably marked by reduced summer precipitation, and not an invigorated monsoon. The Fremont maize farmers of Range Creek Canyon therefore likely used winter snowpack-derived water from Range Creek for maize agriculture. This observation has significant implications, as using creek water rather than direct precipitation and runoff necessitates the construction of dams irrigation infrastructure, limited evidence for which has been reported by archaeologists working in the Fremont region.

我们提出了从比利坡坡草甸收集的沉积物芯的多代理分析结果，比利坡坡草甸是犹他州Range Creek Canyon的春季养护的湿草甸。Range Creek峡谷是约1200至800 cal BP（公元750-1150年）之间的Fremont玉米农民的故乡。来自比利坡草甸的核心沉积物的稳定碳同位素分析表明，该时期比利坡草甸的场址被用作玉米种植的田地。一些学者认为，弗里蒙特文化的开花可能是由于夏季降水增加，从而提高了旱作玉米的经济收益。但是对比利坡草甸的花粉，宏观木炭和沉积物地球化学进行了分析，与当地树木年轮年代的比较表明，Range Creek峡谷的弗里蒙特时期可能以夏季降水减少而不是季风活跃为特征。因此，Range Creek峡谷的Fremont玉米种植者很可能将Range Creek冬季积雪来源的水用于玉米农业。这一发现具有重大意义，因为使用小河水而不是直接降雨和径流需要建设大坝的灌溉基础设施，弗里蒙特地区的考古学家报道的证据有限。