HomeMy WebLinkAbout20211529 Ver 1_Bridges 560166 and 560353 Madison Tribal Consultation_20211123
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
ROY COOPER J. ERIC BOYETTE
GOVERNOR SECRETARY
October 19, 2021
Russell Townsend
Tribal Historic Preservation Officer
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI)
2077 Governors Island Road
Bryson City, NC 28713
Whitney Warrior
Tribal Historic Preservation Officer
United Keetoowah Band of
Cherokee Indians
PO Box 1245
Tahlequah, OK 74465
Elizabeth Toombs
Tribal Historic Preservation Officer
Cherokee Nation
PO Box 948
Tahlequah, OK 74465
Dr. Wenonah Haire (via mail)
Catawba Indian Nation
Tribal Historic Preservation Office
1536 Tom Steven Road
Rock Hill, SC 29730
LeeAnne Wendt
Muscogee (Creek) Nation
P.O. Box 580
Okmulgee, OK 74447
Dear Sir/Madam,
The NC Department of Transportation is conducting project development, environmental, and
engineering studies for a proposed bridge replacement projects in Madison County, NC. Bridge 166
and 353 are proposed for replacement due to structural deficiencies. The bridges will be replaced
with a box culverts. The US Army Corps of Engineers is the lead federal agency for compliance with
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation
Act (NHPA). A Permit is anticipated under the Section 404 Process with the USACE. Project vicinity
maps for the project are attached within the NCDOT Archaeological Reports. The coordinates of the
projects are approximately 35.822409 N, -82.454354 W for Bridge 166, and 35.802547 N, -
82.747286 W for Bridge 353.
We would appreciate any information you might have that would be helpful in evaluating potential
environmental impacts of the projects including recommendation of alternates to be studied. Your
comments may be used in the preparation of a State Environmental Documentation.
In accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA, we also request that you inform us of any historic
properties of traditional religious or cultural importance that you are aware of that may be affected
by the proposed project. Be assured that, in accordance with confidentiality and disclosure
stipulations in Section 304 of NHPA, we will maintain strict confidentiality about certain types of
information regarding historic properties.
If you have any comments or questions concerning this project or would like any additional
information, please contact me at rdbryan@ncdot.gov or 828-250-3005. Please provide your
comments by November 19th for inclusion in the environmental documentation.
Sincerely,
Roger D. Bryan
NCDOT Division 13 Environmental Supervisor
cc: Matt Wilkerson, NCDOT Archaeology Team Leader
Lori Beckwith, US Army Corps of Engineers
Mailing Address:
NC DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DIVISION THIRTEEN
55 ORANGE STREET
ASHEVILLE, NC 28801-2340
Telephone: (828) 250-3000
Fax: (828) 251-6394
Customer Service: 1-877-368-4968
Website: www.ncdot.gov
Location:
55 ORANGE STREET
ASHEVILLE, NC 28801-2340
Project Tracking No.:
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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18-12-0029
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: Bridge 166 County: Madison
WBS No: 17BP.13.R.161 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 replacement of Bridge No. 166 on SR 1533 (Hamburg Road) over Terry Fork in
Madison County. The archaeological Area of Potential Effects (APE) for the project is defined as an
approximately 930-foot (283.46 m) long corridor running 490 feet (149.35 m) east and 440 feet
(134.11 m) west from the center of the bridge. The corridor is roughly 300 feet (91.44 m) wide extending
150 feet (45.72 m) from either side of the centerline.
SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW
Brief description of review activities, results of review, and conclusions:
The proposed Bridge 166 replacement project is located east of Mars Hill in Madison County, North
Carolina. The project area is plotted near the center of the Barnardsville USGS 7.5' topographic
quadrangle (Figure 1).
A site file search was conducted by Casey Kirby at the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) on January 2,
2019. No previously recorded archaeological sites were identified within the APE and only two sites
(31MD363 and 31MD365) are found within a mile of bridge. According to the North Carolina State
Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) online data base (HPOWEB 2019), 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 Google Street View application were further 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.
Bridge 166 and Hamburg Road run east to west along the Terry Fork drainageway (Figure 2). The
project area is situated mostly along hillside slopes with a narrow floodplain adjacent to the creek. The
floodplain widens towards the southeast. Terry Fork drains west into Paint Fork and is part of the French
Broad drainage basin. The area is rural with residential homes, forest, and agricultural properties within
the project limits. The house sites have been cut into hillsides and are located north of the road. A
pasture is in the floodplain to the southeast. It is low lying and appear saturated with water from images
provided by Google Street View. The hillsides seem undisturbed and covered in forest. However, they
are steeply sloped and possible eroded.
The USDA soil survey map for the county identifies four soil types within the project area (USDA NRCS
2019) (see Figure 2). The French loam (FrA) occupies the floodplain. This is a somewhat poorly drained
Project Tracking No.:
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for the Amended Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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18-12-0029
soil type with a slope of less than 3 percent. It is subject to occasionally flooding. Due to persistent
wetness, this series is unlikely to yield significant evidence of early settlement activities. The hillsides
are made up of the Buladean-Chestnut complex (BnE; BnF), the Evard-Cowee complex (EvD2), and Tate
loam (TaC). These are all well drained soils with slope generally over 15 percent except on the Tate
series. The Evard-Cowee complex is also described as moderately eroded. Slope of 15 percent or more
is not usually tested, since intact archaeological resources are unexpected. The Tate series, however,
covers a small area to the northwest adjacent to the floodplain at the foot of the hillside. Although
moderately sloped at 8 to 15 percent, erosion appear to be the strong in this location according to aerial
and Street View images. It also encompasses only a small portion of the APE. Due to disturbance and its
limited extent, no significant cultural material is likely present in this area.
The absence of known archaeological sites in this region is due to a lack of archaeological investigations.
The two known sites (31MD363 and 31MD365) were recorded by amateur archaeologist, who was
surface collected along Paint Fork. Although more work is needed in the regions to better understand
settlement distribution, the current project setting will no provide any useful information.
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 1902 USGS Mount Mitchell topographic
map is one of the first to display a reliable location for the project (Figure 3). This map depicts a road
similar to Hamburg Road with a crossing at or near the current bridge site. Two structures are also
shown, one to the north and the other to the southwest. Both appear to be outside of the project limits.
The later 1936 Soil Map for Madison County provides a clearer picture (Hearn et al. 1936) (Figure 4). It
illustrates the same road layout with all historic structures well away from the crossing. Although historic
resources might be encountered, they should be 20th century in nature and will not provide any new or
important information.
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 Bridge 166 replacement project in Madison County is not likely to impact any significant
archaeological resources. This is due steep hillside slopes and persistently wet soils, which contribute to
a low probability for archaeological sites. 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
1/3/19
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.
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18-12-0029
REFERENCES CITED
Hearn, Edward, Eugene Goldston, William Davis, C. Croom, and Samuel Davidson
1936 Soil Map for Madison County, North Carolina. U.S. Department of Argiculture,
Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. On file at North Carolina Collections,
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
HPOWEB
2018 North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office GIS Web Service.
http://gisNCDCR.gov/hpoweb/. Accessed January 2, 2019.
United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Services (USDA NRCS)
2018 Madison County Soil Survey. Available online at
http://webosilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/. Accessed January 2, 2019.
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
1902 Mount Mitchell, North Carolina-Tennessee 30 minute quadrangle map. Reprinted in
1932.
2013 Barnardsville, 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.
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Figure 1. Topographic Setting of the Project Area, Barnardsville (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.
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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.
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Figure 3. The 1902 USGS Mount Mitchell topographic map showing the location of the project area.
Figure 4. The 1936 Soil Map for Madison County showing the location of the project area.
Project Tracking No.
16-02-0038 (2019)
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
1 of 6
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: County: Madison
WBS No: 17BP.13.R.166 Document: State Minimum Criteria Checklist
Federal Aid No: Funding: State Federal
Federal Permit Required? Yes No Permit Type: USACE
Project Description:
Replace Bridge 353 on SR 1155 (Anderson Branch Rd.) over Paw Paw Creek in Madison
County. The Area of Potential Effects (A.P.E.) measures approximately 4,728 acres. It includes
approximately 211 meters (693 ft.) along SR 1155, and 120 meters (395 ft.) along SR 1133 (Paw
Paw Rd.). No design plans were provided.
NOTE: This is a re-evaluation of a project with a smaller A.P.E. that was reviewed in 2016. The
A.P.E. for that project measured approximately 3,347 acres, and included land along the bridge
and SR 1155, only. A No Archaeological Survey Required form was submitted on 7/7/2016.
SUMMARY OF CULTURAL RESOURCES REVIEW
Brief description of review activities, results of review, and conclusions:
The review included an examination of a topographic map, an aerial photograph, and listings of
previously recorded sites, previous archaeological surveys, and previous environmental reviews at
the Office of State Archaeology (O.S.A.). The bridge is oriented northeast-southwest, but is
considered east-west for this review. SR 1155 crosses the bridge and runs approximately east-
west, while SR 1133 intersects with SR 1155 along the west side of the bridge and runs
approximately north-south.
The topographic map (Marshall, N.C.) shows the bridge is located in a narrow creek valley. The
landforms include narrow strips of floodplain along the creek, ridge toes, and sloped ridge sides.
A seasonal tributary joins Paw Paw Creek to the east of the bridge. The landforms within the
A.P.E. appear to have a low potential for archaeological sites.
The aerial photograph shows the A.P.E. is mostly wooded. There is a small structure located at
the east end of SR 1155.
A review of information at the O.S.A. shows there are no previously recorded archaeological sites
within or adjacent to the A.P.E. The A.P.E. has not been previously surveyed for archaeological
sites. The A.P.E. is not located within any projects that have been reviewed by the State Historic
Preservation Office (HPO).
Project Tracking No.
16-02-0038 (2019)
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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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 landforms in the A.P.E. have a low potential for archaeological sites.
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
Caleb Smith 3/25/2019
NCDOT ARCHAEOLOGIST II Date
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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2017 A.P.E.
2017 A.P.E.
“No ARCHAEOLOGY SURVEY REQUIRED” form for Minor Transportation Projects as Qualified in the 2015 Programmatic Agreement.
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SR 1155
(Anderson Branch Rd.)
Bridge
SR 1133
(Lower Paw Paw Rd.)
SR 1155
(Anderson
Branch Rd.)
2017
A.P.E.
2019
A.P.E.