Article Title

Intensive Archeological Survey on County Road 151 at the Nueces River, Live Oak County, Texas

Authors

Mary Rodriguez
Christina Nielsen

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

On behalf of the Texas Department of Transportation, SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted an intensive cultural resources survey on July 25, 2017, of 1.13 acres of along County Road (CR) 151, southeast of George West in Live Oak County, Texas. As the project will receive funding from the Federal Highways Administration, it qualifies as an undertaking as defined in Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 800.16(y); therefore, the archeological survey was conducted in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (54 U.S. Code 306108). Furthermore, the project must also comply with the Antiquities Code of Texas (9 Natural Resources Code 191). Eric Oksanen served as Principal Investigator under Texas Antiquities Code Permit No. 8113.

The project area is defined as the existing CR 151 ROW beginning 508 feet (154 meters [m]) southwest of the south bank of the Nueces River, and ending 175 feet (53 m) northeast of the intersection of the north bank of the Nueces River. The area of potential effects (APE) for archeological resources consists of 0.93 acres of existing ROW and 0.2 acres of additional right of way (contiguous to and extending approximately 10 feet in added width on the east side) along 841 feet (256 m) of CR 151 with depths of impacts ranging from 3 feet (1 m) on the approaches to 40 feet (12 m) for the proposed bridge.

Background research identified one archeological site (41LK286) within 0.6 mile (1 kilometer [km]) of the proposed project APE. Site 41LK286 is located 0.32 miles (0.51 km) southwest of the proposed APE. No archaeological surveys are mapped within a 0.6-mile (1- km) search radius of the proposed project APE. The historic map review identified no potentially historic structures within the current project APE and 48 potentially historic structures within a 0.6-miles (1-km) radius of the current APE. Additionally, two cemeteries, and one historic marker are located within 0.6 mile (1 km) of the project area.

The field investigation consisted of two backhoe trench excavations. The existing ROW has been modified by the construction of CR 151, existing buried utilities, the current concrete span bridge, and disturbances from the active floodplain of the Nueces River. Portions of the ROW consist of tall grasses and dense riparian vegetation near the Nueces River. Outside the APE, the landscape comprises a densely-vegetated floodplain. The trenches and pedestrian survey identified no cultural materials or features in the project APE. One of the trenches uncovered an abandoned buried utility; the cumulative impacts from the roadway and existing utilities indicate a negligible potential for intact archeological resources within the APE.

SWCA made a reasonable and good faith effort as per 36 CFR Part 800.4(b)(1) to identify and locate prehistoric and historic archeological properties within the proposed project APE. The field investigation discovered no cultural resources; therefore, SWCA recommends a finding of “no historic properties affected”.

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