Article Title

A Phase I Cultural Resources Survey of the Charlie’s Pasture Marina Project, Nueces County, Texas

Authors

Sarah Boudreaux
Jennifer Cochran

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

Perennial Environmental Services, LLC (Perennial), on behalf of the City of Port Aransas (City), conducted an intensive Phase I cultural resources survey for the Charlie’s Pasture Marina Project (Project) located on Mustang Island in Nueces County, Texas approximately 1.0-mile (mi) (1.6 kilometer [km]) west of Port Aransas. Within the Project, the City plans to construct an approximately 16-acre (6.5-hectare [ha]) marina, which would include the excavation of an approximate 170.0-foot- (ft-) (51.8-meter- [m-]) wide channel entrance that would extend approximately 650.0 ft (198.0 m) from the shore into the Corpus Christi Channel. Commercial development is also planned for the upland areas surrounding the marina. The entire Project is located within the jurisdictional boundary of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District, and the cultural resources investigations were conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 8611.

In a letter dated September 17, 2018, the USACE requested that archaeological surveys be conducted prior to modifying/extending existing permit SWG-2000-02968 to ensure compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended (36 CFR 800). As the Project is located on publicly-owned land, and sponsored by the City, the Project also falls under the jurisdiction of the Antiquities Code of Texas (Code). In accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA and the Code, the proposed Project must make a reasonable and good faith effort to identify historic properties within the Area of Potential Effects (APE) and to take into account any potential effects, direct or indirect, the proposed undertaking could have on properties listed or considered eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and evaluate their significance and eligibility for designation as a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL). While construction related activities will be limited to an approximate 56.39-acre (22.8 ha) area, the APE for the Project includes the entire property limits totaling approximately 69.0 acres (ac) (28.0 ha). Depths of impact for the channel entrance will average -11.0 ft (-3.35 m) mean lower low water (MLLW), while the marina will average approximately -10.0 ft (3.0 m) MLLW.

Jennifer Cochran served as the Principal Investigator (PI) for the Project, and field investigations were conducted by Perennial Staff Archaeologist, Sarah Boudreaux. Perennial conducted and completed the intensive Phase I cultural resources survey for the Project on October 31, 2018. Survey efforts included intensive pedestrian surveys augmented by strategic shovel testing in non-inundated, undisturbed, less than 30-degree slope, and low visibility areas. The survey efforts have been designed to meet standards in accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA, the Code, and the Texas Historical Commission (THC).

No cultural resources were encountered as a result of the survey efforts either on the surface or within the 15 shovel tests excavated across the APE. Based on results from the survey effort, no intact, significant cultural resources will be affected by any construction activities within the Project APE. In accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA (36 CFR 800) and the Code, and the guidelines set forth by the THC, it is Perennial’s opinion that no further cultural resources investigations are warranted for the terrestrial portion of the proposed Project.

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