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Home My WebLink About20220353 Ver 1_BC 181 Cultural Resources Letters_20220307 Project Tracking No.: “No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement. 1 of 4 15-12-0025 NO ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY REQUIRED FORM This form only pertains to ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES for this project. It is not valid for Historic Architecture and Landscapes. You must consult separately with the Historic Architecture and Landscapes Group. PROJECT INFORMATION Project No: B-5622 County: Brunswick WBS No: 45577.1.1 Document:SMC F.A. No: na Funding: State Federal Federal Permit Required? Yes No Permit Type: NWP Project Description: The project calls for the replacement of Bridge No. 181 on SR 1437 (Old Fayetteville Road) over Sturgeon Creek in Brunswick County. The archaeological Area of Potential Effects (APE) for the project is defined as a 1,400-foot (426.72 m) long corridor running 700 feet (213.36 m) northwest and 700 feet southeast along Old Fayetteville Road from the center of Bridge No. 181. The corridor is approximately 200 feet (60.96 m) wide extending 100 feet (30.48 m) on either side of the road from its present center. SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW Brief description of review activities, results of review, and conclusions: Bridge No. 181 is located just west of Wilmington and south of Leland in the northeastern portion of Brunswick County, North Carolina. The project area is plotted near the northern edge of the Winnabow USGS 7.5' topographic quadrangle (Figure 1). A map review and site file search was conducted at the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) on January 19, 2016. No previously recorded archaeological sites have been identified within the APE, but site 31BW375 was recorded adjacent to the APE’s southeastern boundary. According to the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office online data base (HPOWEB 2016), there are no known historic architectural resources within the APE that may yield intact archaeological deposits. Topographic maps, USDA soil survey maps, aerial photographs (NC One Map), historic maps (North Carolina maps website), and the Google Street View application were examined for information on environmental and cultural variables that may have contributed to prehistoric or historic settlement within the project limits and to assess the level of ground disturbance. The APE for the project crosses the Sturgeon Creek floodplain with stream terraces to either side (Figure 2). Sturgeon Creek drains to the north and east emptying into the Brunswick River, part of the Cape Fear drainage basin. The floodplain is forested, while the terraces consist of residential properties. Wide ditches, utilities, and landscaping characterize the terraces. According to the USDA soil survey report, the floodplain is made up of Muckalee loam (Mk) (see Figure 2). These are nearly level and poorly drained soils, which are unlikely to yield archaeological sites due to wetness. The terraces are mostly former borrow pits (Pt). These areas are also unlikely to yield archaeological sites since the original surface material has been removed. Lastly a small segment of the southeastern terrace is composed of Baymeade and Marvyn soils (BdC). These soils are well drained sands with a slope of 6 to 12 percent. These soils would generally need testing but due to development and their limited extent within the APE, it is unlikely for significant or intact deposits to be present. Project Tracking No.: “No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement. 2 of 4 15-12-0025 OSA’s site maps plot site 31BW375 just outside of the APE to the southeast. This prehistoric site was identified in 1979 during a pipeline survey and prior to the placement of the borrow pits. It’s likely that this site no longer exists as it would have been destroyed when the borrow pit was in operation. Lastly, the project area could not be correctly identified on any of the historic maps prior to the 20th century. This was due to a lack of distinguishable features that could be correlated to modern features. Swamp and forest appears to cover most of the general area. After the 20th century, Old Fayetteville Road and the crossing over Sturgeon Creek were illustrated on all maps, but no significant features were found within or adjacent to the APE. As a result, no significant historic feature should be encountered during this project. Brief Explanation of why the available information provides a reliable basis for reasonably predicting that there are no unidentified historic properties in the APE: The defined archaeological APE for the proposed replacement of Bridge No. 181 in Brunswick County is unlikely to impact intact and significant archaeological deposits. This is primarily due to previous ground disturbance caused by borrow pits along the terraces and persistent wetness in the floodplain. Other disturbances such as ditches, grading associated with landscaping, and utilities along with the limited extent of the APE have greatly diminished the chances of encountering a significant resource on southeastern terrace. As long as impacts to the subsurface occur within the defined APE, no further archaeological work is recommended for the proposed replacement of Bridge No. 181. If work should affect subsurface areas beyond the defined APE, further archaeological consultation might be necessary. SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION See attached: Map(s) Previous Survey Info Photos Correspondence Photocopy of County Survey Notes Other: images of historic maps FINDING BY NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST NO ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED 1/26/16 C. Damon Jones Date NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST Historic Architecture and Landscapes NO SURVEY REQUIRED form for Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2007 Programmatic Agreement. Page 1 of 3 HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPES NO SURVEY REQUIRED FORM This form only pertains to Historic Architecture and Landscapes for this project. It is not valid for Archaeological Resources. You must consult separately with the Archaeology Group. PROJECT INFORMATION Project No: B-5622 County: Brunswick WBS No.: 45577.1.1 Document Type: SMC Fed. Aid No: N/A Funding: State Federal Federal Permit(s): Yes No Permit Type(s): NWP Project Description: Replace Bridge No. 181 on SR 1437 (Old Fayetteville Road) over Sturgeon Creek. SUMMARY OF HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPES REVIEW Description of review activities, results, and conclusions: Review of HPO quad maps, HPO GIS information, historic designations roster, and indexes was undertaken on February 11, 2021. Based on this review, there are no existing NR, SL, LD, DE, or SS properties in the Area of Potential Effects, which is 700’ from each end of the bridge and 100’ from the centerline each way. A survey of the area indicates that there are no properties over fifty years of age that warrant further evaluation. Bridge No. 181 is not eligible for National Register listing based on the NCDOT Historic Bridge inventory. There are no National Register listed or eligible properties and no survey is required. If design plans change, additional review may be required. Why the available information provides a reliable basis for reasonably predicting that there are no unidentified significant historic architectural or landscape resources in the project area: HPO quad maps and GIS information recording NR, SL, LD, DE, and SS properties for the Brunswick County survey, Brunswick County GIS/Tax information, and Google Maps are considered valid for the purposes of determining the likelihood of historic resources being present. There are no National Register listed or eligible properties within the APE and no survey is required. SUPPORT DOCUMENTATION Map(s) Previous Survey Info. Photos Correspondence Design Plans FINDING BY NCDOT ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN Historic Architecture and Landscapes -- NO SURVEY REQUIRED Kate Husband February 11, 2021 NCDOT Architectural Historian Date 15-12-0025 UPDATE Project Tracking No. (Internal Use)