Cultural Resources Survey and Site Identification Testing for the Centennial Elementary Flowing Wells Junior High Safe Routes to School Transportation Enhancement Project, Pima County, Arizona

Summary

Pima County proposes the Centennial Elementary Flowing Wells Junior High School Safe Routes to School Transportation Enhancement Project. This project involves an area immediately surrounding two schools (Centennial Elementary and Flowing Wells Junior High). The purpose of this project is to improve pedestrian safety for students and the surrounding community and to promote healthier lifestyles.

SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) was retained by Parsons Brinckerhoff, the project’s engineering and design firm, to analyze the project’s potential to affect cultural resources. Background research conducted in advance of fieldwork identified no archaeological sites in the project APE. One archaeological site, AZ AA:12:31 (ASM), the El Rancho Chaparral site, was recorded in the 1930s and is plotted in AZSITE. Additionally, background research identified as being more than 50 years in age and 19 homes adjacent to the project area as being constructed in or prior to 1963.

A cultural resources pedestrian survey of the APE for direct effects, resulted in the discovery of no archaeological sites, features, or artifacts. Photographs were taken of adjacent homes that were constructed in 1963 or earlier. Pedestrian survey was followed by a program of site identification testing along the east side of The identification testing was requested by Pima County, and conducted within the County- administered R/W. No artifacts were observed on the modern ground surface in the tested area, which was not within a previously recorded site. The tested area was relatively close to the location of historically mapped site AZ AA:12:31 (ASM), as shown on AZSITE, and testing was undertaken verify that there was no evidence of buried deposits within the R/W. There is no previous recommendation or determination of NRHP eligibility for AZ AA:12:31 (ASM). Testing resulted in the discovery of three Hohokam plain ware sherds and three historic-era irrigation ditches. The project area, located in the Flowing Wells Irrigation District, was farmed in the early to mid-twentieth century, which was made possible by groundwater withdrawal. The three Hohokam sherds, found in disturbed soils of the historic-era plow zone, were not considered to be part of AZ AA:12:31 (ASM). There is no evidence that the historically recorded archaeological site extends into the project APE.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SWCA DAHA Resources   •
• Digital Archive of Huhugam Archaeology (DAHA)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

Contributor(s): Pima County Office of Sustainability and Conservation, Cultural Resources and Historic Preservation Division

Submitted To(s): Arizona Department of Transportation, Environmental Planning Group

Record Identifiers

SWCA Project No.(s): 21501 ; 22822

Arizona Antiquities Act Permit No.(s): 2011-027bl; 2012-021bl

Federal Project No. (s): TEA-PPM 0(211)A

ADOT TRACS No. (s): 0000-PM-PPM-SL658 01C

File Information