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Home My WebLink About20210672 Ver 1_No Archaeological Survey Required PA 18-08-0016_20210615 Project Tracking No.: “No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement. 1 of 6 18-08-0016 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: SR 1130 County: Henderson WBS No: 14C.048166 Document: Minimum Criteria F.A. No: na Funding: State Federal Federal Permit Required? Yes No Permit Type: USACE Project Description: The project calls for the improvement (grade, drain, base, pave, and erosion control) of SR 1130 (Shoals Falls Road) in Henderson County. The archaeological Area of Potential Effects (APE) for the project runs for approximately 0.25 miles (402.34 m) along Shoals Road starting at its intersection with SR 1127 (Crab Creek Road) and extending south. The APE corridor is approximately 45 feet wide extending 22.5 feet to either side of the centerline to cover the proposed right-of-way. SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW Brief description of review activities, results of review, and conclusions: The proposed Shoals Falls Road improvement project is located east of Brevard and southwest of Hendersonville in Henderson County, North Carolina. The project area is plotted in the northwest portion of the Standingstone Mountain USGS 7.5' topographic quadrangles (Figure 1). A map review and site file search was conducted by Casey Kirby at the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) on September 6, 2018. No previously recorded archaeological sites are identified within the APE or within a mile of the project area. According to the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) online data base (HPOWEB 2018), 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 also 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. Shoals Falls Road runs north-south crossing a wide floodplain with a high stream terrace at its northern end (Figures 2). Crab Creek is traversed at Bridge No. 84, while Shoal Creek, a tributary, is located at the southern end of the project area. The waterways flow to the west and are part of the French Broad drainage basin. The area is primarily agricultural consisting of pastures; however a residential lot with light tree cover is just southwest of the Shoals Falls and Crab Creek Roads’ intersection. Ground disturbance is minimal apart from a road cut into the terrace to allow for the current road. A review of the USDA soil survey map shows three soil types within the project limits (see Figures 2). The floodplain is made up of Codorus loam (arkaqua) (Co). This is nearly level and somewhat poorly drained. It is also subject to frequent flooding. It is not likely for significant archaeological resources to be present due to its poor quality (wetness) for early settlement activities. The high stream terrace is Project Tracking No.: “No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement. 2 of 6 18-08-0016 composed of Hayesville loam (HyC; HyE) and Tate fine sandy loam (TeC). Both are well drained with a slope of 7 to 15 percent for the HyC and TeC variants, but much steeper at 15 to 25 percent for HyE. Slope of 15 percent or more is not usually tested since significant resources are typically not found. The soils with a more gradual slope only cover a small portion of the APE and are disturbed by the road cut. As a result, intact resources will not be present. Previous archaeological investigations in the surrounding area are rare with no known sites being reported. Further archaeological work in the regions would, however, likely identify several resources, but the current investigation will not provide any new or important data. This is due to the limited extent of the project area and it location on wet or disturbed soils. A map review also failed to provide any significant historical information. Most early maps prior to the 20th century show few details concerning the project area. The earliest maps to depict the area with any accuracy are the 1892 and 1905 USGS Pisgah topographic maps (Figures 3 and 4). The 1892 map identifies Crab Creek Road and the waterways but nothing else. The subsequent 1905 map illustrates the same alignment for Crab Creek Road and plots Shoals Falls Road. It also depicts a structure to the northeast at the location of the current silo. This is likely the site of a former barn, which would fall outside of the APE. Other early 20th century maps for the county display no new features. 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 proposed Shoals Falls Road improvement project in Henderson County is not likely to encounter significant archaeological sites. This is due persistent wetness in the floodplain, steep slope leading up to the high stream terrace, and disturbance from a road cut at the intersection with Crab Creek Road. These are undesirable conditions for significant or intact archaeological resources. As a result, no further archaeological work is recommended for this project. But if design plans change to 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: FINDING BY NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST NO ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED 9/17/18 C. Damon Jones Date NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST Project Tracking No.: “No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement. 3 of 6 18-08-0016 REFERENCES CITED HPOWEB 2018 North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office GIS Web Service. http://gisNCDCR.gov/hpoweb/. Accessed September 17, 2018. United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Services (USDA NRCS) 2018 Henderson County Soil Survey. Available online at http://webosilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/. Accessed September 17, 2018. United States Geological Survey (USGS) 1892 Pisgah, North Carolina 30 minute quadrangle map. 1905 Pisgah, North Carolina 30 minute quadrangle map. 2013 Standingstone Mountain, North Carolina 7.5 minute quadrangle map. Project Tracking No.: “No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement. 4 of 6 18-08-0016 Figure 1. Topographic Setting of the Project Area, Standingstone Mountain (2013), NC USGS 7′5 Topographic Quadrangle. Project Tracking No.: “No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement. 5 of 6 18-08-0016 Figure 2. Aerial photograph of the APE showing development, contours, and soils. Project Tracking No.: “No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement. 6 of 6 18-08-0016 Figure 3. The 1892 USGS Pisgah topographic map showing the location of the project area. Figure 4. The 1905 USGS Pisgah topographic map showing the location of the project area.