Archaeological Testing at the Headwaters of the San Marcos River: Southwest Texas State University Raw Water Supply Project

Abstract

The area to be impacted by the proposed waterline included a tract on the banks of the headwaters of the San Marcos River and tracts adjacent to the Aquatic Biology Building. The project area is partially within the known boundaries of site 41HY161. The archaeological investigations included shovel testing, backhoe trenching, excavation of three 1 x 1-m units, and monitoring. Upon completion, based on the results of this archaeological work, it was determined that no intact cultural resources would be impacted by the planned trench construction between the west bank of the San Marcos River and the southeast corner of the Aquatic Biology Building. However, intact cultural deposits were identified west of the Aquatic Biology Building dating to the late Paleoindian and Archaic periods. Therefore, clearance for the pipeline route was recommended in areas that did not contain cultural resources and in areas disturbed by recent or historic construction. To avoid disturbance to intact cultural materials, Southwest Texas State University was required to modify the depth of the pipeline trench west of the Aquatic Biology Building.

Archaeological Investigations at the Ice House Site, 41HY161: Early Archaic Technology, Subsistence, and Settlement Along the Balcones Escarpment, Hays County, Texas

“…The specimen is additional evidence that the location was occupied during the Paleoindian/Archaic transition, which includes a probable Thrall point from earlier excavations by the Center for Archaeological Research (Lyle, et al 2000).…”

Results of Cultural Resources Survey for the Spring Lake Section 206 Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Project, Texas State University-San Marcos, Hays County, Texas

“…In the summer of 2000, SWT conducted an additional field school at 41HY37. The Bousman and Nickels 2003;Garber and Orlof 1984;Yelacic and Lohse 201041HY147 1979, 1990, 1990 Archaic, late and early Paleoindian, Pleistocene fauna Shiner 1983;Takac 1990, 1991a, 1991b41HY160 1982, 1983, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 Discrete components from Late Prehistoric through Early Archaic, domestic features Aery 2007;Nickels and Bousman 2010;Garber et al 1983;Oksanen 2006; Ramsey 199741HY161 1978, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009 Mixed historic and Archaic, Late Archaic, late and early Paleoindian, human remains, Pleistocene fauna Ford and Lyle 1998;Garber and Glassman 1992;Jones 2002;Leezer et al 2010;Lyle et al 2000;Oksanen 2008;Shiner 1979Shiner , 1981Shiner , 1984Stull and Hamilton 2011;…”

“…The proposed pipeline included a section along the banks of the San Marcos River and sections adjacent to the Aquatic Biology Building. Investigations included excavation of 27 shovel tests, two backhoe trenches, and three test units, and monitoring of the pipeline installation (Lyle et al 2000). Twenty-six shovel tests were excavated in three sections; Section 1 (the lawn area south of the Aquatic Biology Building), Section 2 (the breezeway of the Aquatic Biology Building), and Section 3 (the west lawn of the Aquatic Biology Building).…”

Archaeological Testing at San Marcos Springs (41HY160) for the Texas Rivers Center, Hays County, Texas

“…Six archaeological sites the Texas Rivers Center (Figure 3-1). These are 41HY37, 41HY147, 41HY160, 41HY161, 41HY165, and 41HY306 (Shiner 1981(Shiner , 1983Garber et al 1983;Garber and Orloff 1984;Ford and Lyle 1998;Goelz 1999;Arnn et al 1999;Lyle et al 2000;Ringstaff 2001). In 1978Joel Shiner (1979, 1981 began underwater investigations at 41HY161 (the Ice House Site) below the dam at Spring Lake.…”

“…Six prehistoric sites with components ranging in age from the Paleoindian to Historic periods have been recorded in the Sink Creek valley, but none tested to depths of more than 2 to 3 m (Garber et al 1983;Arnn and Kibler 1999;Lyle et al 2000). The Paleoindian artifacts discovered at the bottom of Spring Lake greatly contribute to the archaeological importance to the area (Shiner 1983).…”