Article Title

Intensive Archeological Survey for the Proposed City of Pflugerville Carmel-Sorento Interceptor Line and Force Main Relocation, Travis County, Texas

Authors

Haley Rush

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

In August and September 2015, an intensive archeological survey was completed in order to inventory and evaluate archeological resources within the footprint of proposed wastewater improvements east of Pflugerville in northern Travis County, Texas. The proposed improvements would occur along segments of two separate lines: an interceptor line and a re-routed segment of a previously analyzed force main line. The archeological area of potential effects (APE) includes the footprints of both segments, which cover a total area of approximately 6.2 hectares (ha) or 15.4 acres (ac). The interceptor line is approximately 2 miles or 3.2 kilometers (km) long and the re-routed segment of the force main line is approximately 0.5 miles or 0.8 km long. The typical width of the APE is 15 meters (m) or 50 feet (ft); this includes the force main and the interceptor location, maintenance roadways, and temporary easements. The work was carried out for the City of Pflugerville under Texas Antiquities Permit 7397 by Haley Rush and David Sandrock of Cox|McLain Environmental Consulting, Inc. (CMEC), a subcontractor to K. Friese and Associates.

Ground surface visibility within the APE was mixed; it was between 0 and 50 percent across approximately one-third of the project area near Wilbarger Creek, and at or near 100 percent for the remainder, which is located on active agricultural fields. Twenty shovel tests were excavated along the APE, concentrated above Wilbarger Creek and areas where ground surface visibility fell below 50 percent. None of the shovel tests were positive for cultural material. A few lithics and historic glass and ceramic artifacts were noted near the western terminus of the APE. Previously recorded site 41TV2453 is located approximately 80 m or 262 ft north of the area where the lithics, glass, and ceramics were noted. This sparse artifact scatter was recorded as a revisit to site 41TV2453 and the boundaries were extended. Two shovel tests were excavated near the artifacts to test for any subsurface deposits, but both were negative. There is a historic-age house located between the previously recorded boundary for 41TV2453 and the boundary recorded for this study. The Pfluger Cemetery is located 50 m north of the APE near its eastern terminus; the cemetery is well marked and the burials are well documented. T he current APE has very low probability for burials associated with this cemetery.

In addition to the historic-age residence near 41TV2453, there were numerous other historic-age buildings noted from the APE. No materials from those buildings were present in the APE. No further work is recommended within the APE prior to construction.

As the artifacts recovered from site 41TV2453 within the project boundary were from poor context, it was determined that the site’s characteristics would not contribute to National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or State Antiquities Landmark (SAL) eligibility for that portion of the site contained within the APE. Statements about NRHP/SAL eligibility for prehistoric or historic components outside the APE cannot be made at this time, so the overall eligibility of the site remains unknown. None of the other historic-age buildings visible from the APE will be directly impacted by the construction of the pipeline and no materials from those buildings were noted in the APE.

As the artifacts recovered from site 41TV2453 within the project boundary were from poor context, it was determined that the site’s characteristics would not contribute to National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) or State Antiquities Landmark (SAL) eligibility for that portion of the site contained within the APE. Statements about NRHP/SAL eligibility for prehistoric or historic components outside the APE cannot be made at this time, so the overall eligibility of the site remains unknown. None of the other historic-age buildings visible from the APE will be directly impacted by the construction of the pipeline and no materials from those buildings were noted in the APE.

No materials were collected; therefore, this project generated no archeological materials to be curated. Notes, forms, and other project data will be made permanently available to future researchers at the Center for Archaeological Studies (CAS) at Texas State per TAC 26.16 and 26.17. The Texas Historical Commission (THC) concurred with the findings and recommendations of this report on November 18, 2015 (see Appendix A).

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