Intensive Archeological Survey Of Little Elm Trunk Sewer City Of Temple, Bell County, Texas

The City of Temple has proposed the Little Elm Trunk Sewer project where an approximate 7,600- linear-foot wastewater line will be constructed in northern Temple, Bell County, Texas. The project engineer, Kasberg Patrick and Associates LP, retained Terracon Consultants, Inc. to conduct a systematic, intensive pedestrian survey of the approximate 12.21-acre project area. Because the City of Temple, a political subdivision of the State of Texas, sponsored the project, the proposed undertaking is subject to compliance with the Antiquities Code of Texas and oversight from the Texas Historical Commission. In addition, the project is also receiving funding from the Special Appropriations Act Projects Grants, administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Thus, the action also falls under the purview of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The cultural resources survey was carried out in advance of ground disturbance under Texas Antiquities Permit Number 8082, issued to Ann M. Scott, PhD, RPA, Principal Investigator. Fieldwork was carried out by Project Archeologist Caitlin Gulihur, MA, and Archeological Technician Juan Morlock under the supervision of Ann M. Scott. Records from the project will be curated at the Center for Archaeological Studies at Texas State University. The 7,600-linear-foot alignment, with a 70-foot wide construction corridor (12.21 acres), was considered the Area of Potential Effect (APE). Survey of the APE consisted of systematic pedestrian coverage, including discretionary shovel tests. The work was carried out on July 21 and 24, 2017. Several hundred linear feet of the alignment had good ground surface visibility and several hundred more were disturbed from previous construction of roads and railroads. Thirteen shovel tests were excavated in areas that had less than 30 percent ground visibility or placed in areas that appeared to be undisturbed. No artifacts were discovered during the excavation of the shovel tests. A few isolated features were observed on the ground surface. No sites were recorded or revisited as a result of the survey. Therefore, there are no historic properties present within the project area. It is Terracon’s recommendation that there are no historic properties eligible for State Antiquities Landmark designation or National Register for Historic Places inclusion that will be affected by future construction of proposed wastewater line. In the unlikely event that human remains are discovered during construction, activities should cease in the vicinity of the remains and Terracon, the Texas Historical Commission’s Archeology Division, or other proper authorities should be contacted