Archaeological Survey and Identification Testing Results and Data Recovery Plan for the Proposed Santa Cruz Interceptor: Phases II and IIl

Summary

Pima County Wastewater Management proposes to construct a sewer line (the Santa Cruz Interceptor [SCI]) along the east bank of the Santa Cruz River. Phase I of this project, has already been completed. Phases II and III will include the installation of a 72-inch-diameter sewer line, manholes, access roads, and other necessary facilities. Under contract with Pima County, SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) conducted an archaeological pedestrian survey and non-site identification testing of the Phase II and III project areas and prepared a plan of work to mitigate potential adverse effects to cultural resources that may result from the proposed undertaking. The cultural resources work was conducted to comply with Pima County and Arizona cultural resources requirements.

The SCI will be constructed on the east bank of the Santa Cruz River at depths of about 15 to 25 feet below modern ground surface. Prior archaeological investigations in the river’s floodplain along the reach from Sentinel Peak (A-Mountain) to its confluence with the Cañada del Oro wash have shown the floodplain to be rich in buried cultural deposits dating back as far as the Middle Archaic period (Gregory ed. 1999, 2001; Mabry ed. 1998; Thiel and Mabry ed. 2006). These Holocene-age floodplain sediments hold significant Middle Archaic period, Early Agricultural period, and Early Ceramic period habitation sites. In contrast to early prehistoric times, in later prehistoric and historic times, the floodplain was used primarily for non-habitation agricultural or refuse-disposal purposes, with habitations located on relict Pleistocene terraces above the Holocene floodplain. Although much of the project area has now been disturbed by agricultural, commercial/industrial, and recreational development, prior studies reveal a wealth of intact cultural horizons preserved several feet below these disturbances. These prior studies and the SWCA archaeological survey and non-site identification testing of the project area have been used to develop the current mitigation plan.

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): Jennifer Levstik

Permitting Agency(s): City of Tucson; Pima County; Arizona Board of Regents; Arizona Department of Transportation

Prepared By(s): SWCA Environmental Consultants

Submitted To(s): Pima County Cultural Resources and Historic Preservation Office

Record Identifiers

Pima County Project No. (s): 3SCP03

ADOT Encroachment Permit No. (s): 96748

Arizona State Museum Accession No. (s): 2006-0712

City of Tucson Traffic Control Permit No. (s): T06TC03361

City of Tucson Right-of-Way Right of Way Excavation Permit No. (s): T06EX01091; T06EX01090

Arizona Antiquities Act Blanket Permit No. (s): 2006-019bl

SWCA Project No. (s): 11801-115

Pima County Contract No. (s): 25-73-S-138474-0806

File Information

	Name	Size	Creation Date	Date Uploaded	Access
	06-489_OCR_PDFA_Redacted.pdf	12.44mb		Feb 22, 2021 12:15:43 PM	Public
	This file is the redacted version of the resource.
	06-489_OCR_PDFA.pdf	23.81mb	Jan 31, 2007	May 22, 2018 12:23:20 PM	Confidential
	This file is the unredacted version of the resource.