An Archaeological Survey for the Central Texas Water Supply Corporation Water Line Improvements 2009 in Bell County, Texas

Abstract

An archaeological survey along a proposed water transmission line (nine miles) and a proposed pump station site (1.5 acres) in south-central Bell County, Texas was performed by Brazos Valley Research Associates (BVRA) for the Central Texas Water Supply Corporation (WSC) in July of 2009 under Antiquities Permit 5327. The Principal Investigator for this project was William E. Moore, and Edward P. Baxter was the Project Archaeologist. The project area was investigated using the pedestrian survey method supported by shovel tests, shovel probes, and machine-aided subsurface tests. In all, the project area consisted of 12.4 acres. No archaeological sites were recorded, and no artifacts were collected. The Bell Plains Cemetery (BL-099) is within 100 feet of the route of the pipeline as currently proposed. Trenching for graves outside the known boundaries of the cemetery was not necessary because limestone bedrock is present within three feet of the surface. Copies of the final report are housed at the Texas Historical Commission (THC), Archeology Division, the Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL), the Central Texas WSC, and BVRA.