Mug House Cistern.

In 2007, WPI studied the rate, quantity and reliability of the water supply for the cistern at the Mug House cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde National Park.  The cliff dwelling was named for a cluster of mugs found hanging in the ruin in 1890.  The Mug House area was occupied by the Ancestral Pueblo people from A.D. 1066 to about A.D. 1277.

The Mug House cistern is filled by water flowing through a notch from 85 feet above.  Under a NPS Research Permit, WPI studied soil infiltration and climate data, characterized the drainage basin and investigated system hydraulics.  The studies determined that the cistern water supply was a masterfully created public works project that helped make the Mug House residents’ life better.