Geophysical Methods for Identifying Submerged Archaeological Sites Using Inland Reservoirs of Oregon

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Approaches to Submerged and Coastal Landscapes", at the 2024 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Inland reservoirs provide a unique opportunity to study submerged terrestrial landscapes and archaeological sites. These reservoirs, with their annual in-fill and drawdown cycles, serve as natural laboratories that mimic the processes of marine transgression and regression on shorter timescales. Our study focuses on geophysical data collected from reservoirs in Oregon's Willamette Valley during summertime high water levels and later ground-truthed through terrestrial methods during winter drawdown. Through this approach, we have successfully identified paleolandforms and archaeological sites in drowned river valleys containing many known archaeological sites of various ages and materials. The characteristic geophysical signatures observed at known sites in these reservoirs can be applied to understand submerged environments elsewhere. Additionally, our findings facilitate the monitoring and management of landform and archaeological site changes resulting from repeated cycles of inundation and exposure. This cost-effective method has the potential to enhance offshore research, contributing to the scientific understanding of submerged sites.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2024   •
• Approaches to Submerged and Coastal Landscapes

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow