Article Title

Cultural Resources Investigations for the CPS Energy Leal Road & Martinez Losoya Road Gas Regulator Station Upgrade, Bexar County, Texas

Authors

Rhiana D. Ward

Agency

Texas Historical Commission

Abstract

Raba Kistner Environmental, Inc. (RKEI), was contracted by CPS Energy (CLIENT) to conduct cultural resources monitoring investigations for the CPS Energy (CPSE) Leal Road & Martinez Losoya Road Gas Regulator Station Upgrade Project (Leal-Martinez Gas Project) in southern San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The project was conducted under CPSE Work Order Number 40243475, and consisted of the installation of 113 feet (34 meter [m]) of new gas main and regulator system. Given that the project took place within a publicly owned right-of-way (ROW) and because CPSE is a political subdivision of the State of Texas, the project was subject to review under the jurisdiction of Chapter 35 of the Unified Development Code (UDC) of the City of San Antonio (COSA) (Article VI, Historic Preservation and Urban Design, COSA UDC), as well as the Antiquities Code of Texas (ACT) (Texas Natural Resources Code, Title 9, Chapter 191). For archaeological purposes, the Area of Potential Effects (APE) encompassed 49.7 cubic yards of soil, or 0.006 acre of disturbance.

An archaeological desktop review submitted on November 6, 2018, determined that the project was located within the potential boundaries of the 1813 Battle of Medina battleground, and cultural resources monitoring was recommended. RKEI conducted monitoring investigations on November 15-17 and 18-20, 2018. Rhiana D. Ward served as Project Manager and Principal Investigator, and field work was conducted by Kirsten Atwood, Kathleen Jenkins, Lindy Martinez, and Rhiana Ward. Monitored excavations included one bore entrance pit, one bore exit pit, three location pits that exposed the existing gas main to be tied into, and approximately 52 feet (16 m) of linear trenching. Excavations uncovered heavily disturbed soil deposits in areas of existing underground utilities, but a majority of the excavations encountered intact stratigraphic deposits. A single, heavily patented, brown container glass fragment and a few fragments of red brick were observed within the upper levels of linear trench excavations, none of which were associated with an intact deposits. As a result, no significant cultural materials, cultural deposits, or cultural features were documented during the Leal-Martinez Gas Project.

RKEI made a reasonable and good faith effort to identify cultural resources within the given APE. RKEI recommends no further archaeological investigations for the current APE. However, should additions be made to the Project Area, additional cultural resources investigations may be required. All photographs and records produced during field investigations will be curated at the Center for archaeological Research at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

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