Cultural Resource Survey of the South Texas Syngas Directional Drill Locations Negative Findings Phase I Survey Report Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area Brazoria County, Texas

Abstract

During October of 2014, Turpin and Sons Inc. (TAS) conducted a cultural resource assessment of two potential horizontal directional drill (HDD) locations and one additional baseline trench location along Jones Creek within the Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The area of interest is located along an existing pipeline corridor between the San Bernard and Brazos rivers in southwest Brazoria County, Texas. The project was sponsored by Gremminger and Associates Inc., acting as agents for Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP, and conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit Number 7029 issued to Dr. Jeff Turpin. The scope of work involved trenching potential HDD borehole locations to investigate possible impact to archeological material in the subsurface at depth. The field investigations consisted of the mechanical excavation of four trenches across two potential HDD locations, and one additional baseline trench approximately 130 m east of Jones Creek. Trenches were approximately 4 - 6 m long by 2 m wide and were dug to a depth of 0.90 - 1.30 m deep. The trenches were placed on the edges of 200 ft by 200 ft temporary work spaces in the only areas affected by ground disturbance. The remainder of the temporary workspace will be covered in laminated board skids to prevent ground disturbance. The trenches were examined for cultural remains by TAS staff, with geomorphological investigations performed by Brittney Gregory. No cultural resources were identified within the approximately 66 square meters of substrata examined, and geomorphological information suggests that the potential for intact buried cultural deposits in these areas is little to none. Based on the negative findings of trench examinations, TAS recommends no further work at the two potential HDD location. A preliminary report containing basic archeological and geomorphological summaries was provided to all vested parties immediately after fieldwork, and based on that report pipeline construction was allowed to proceed. What follows is a detailed report of the cultural resource assessment