Article Title

Cultural Resources Monitoring Investigations for the San Antonio Water Systems (SAWS) Silverhorn Rehabilitation Project San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Authors

Jason M. Whitaker

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21112/ita.2020.1.19

Abstract

Raba Kistner, Inc. (RKI), was contracted by K Friese + Associates (CLIENT) to conduct cultural resources monitoring investigations for the San Antonio Water Systems (SAWS) Silverhorn Rehabilitation Project in northern San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The project involved rehabilitating 3,690 linear feet of existing sewer line within the Silverhorn Golf Club, which is within the Walker Ranch National Register District. The majority of the proposed undertaking was conducted by non-invasive methods (i.e., cured-in-place-pipe (CIPP)); however, point repairs involving excavations were conducted in areas where broken pipe was encountered. Given that the proposed undertaking is located on lands owned by the City of San Antonio (COSA), and because COSA is a political subdivision of the State of Texas, the project falls under the jurisdiction of Chapter 35 of the Unified Development Code (UDC) of the City of San Antonio, as well as the Antiquities Code of Texas (ACT). The UDC is regulated by the COSA Office of Historic Preservation (OHP), while the ACT is administered by the Texas Historical Commission (THC).

Cultural resources investigations for the project were conducted on January 11, 12, and 24, 2020. Jason M. Whitaker served as Principal Investigator and Project Manager for the duration of the project, and all fieldwork was completed by Jason M. Whitaker and Christopher Matthews. All work was conducted in accordance with the standards set forth by the Council of Texas Archeologists and adopted by the Texas Historical Commission, under Texas Antiquities Committee Permit Number 9220.

The overall undertaking consisted of the rehabilitation of approximately 3,690 linear feet of existing sewer line within the Silverhorn Golf Club. The majority of the project area was rehabilitated through the use of cured-in-place-pipe (CIPP) with no subsurface impacts. However, four areas along the 3,960 sewer line alignment were in need of point repairs which required subsurface excavations. For archaeological purposes, the Area of Potential Effects (APE) was comprised of four areas where subsurface excavations were conducted. Excavation within the APE areas were comprised of a single backhoe trench measuring approximately 22.3 by 13.1 feet (6.8 meters [m] by 4.0 m) and three 5-inch diameter boreholes. The combined area of impact of the APE areas measured approximately 0.007 acres. Depths of impacts reached 10.33 feet below surface within the trench, and a depth of 5.5 feet below surface.

Disturbances within the APE included the existing sewer line, golf course construction, and various associated utilities. The APE was located entirely within areas impacted by the installation of the existing sewer line and was evident during the monitoring of the excavations. Evidence of previous disturbances was observed during the monitoring of the point repairs. No cultural deposits or features were documented during monitoring excavations of the SAWS Silverhorn Rehabilitation Project. Additionally, no evidence of unmarked burials or human remains were observed.

Given that excavations occurred over a previously excavated areas and no cultural materials were identified, RKI recommends no further archaeological investigations for the current APE. However, should additional point repairs along the existing sewer line be required, it is recommended that additional monitoring be conducted. All field records generated by this project will be permanently curated at the Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

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