Geomorphological Approaches in CRM: Enhancing Site Identification and Interdisciplinary Collaboration in along the Missouri River

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Geoarchaeology Within the Context of Cultural Resource Management (CRM) Today (Part One)" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In the Midwest, the integration of geomorphological methods to characterize relative age, lithostratigraphy and depositional environments is foundational to cultural resource management (CRM) best practices. This is due to the geologic history in the region and the significant movement of soils since the introduction of modern agriculture, factors that have resulted in the inability for surface survey to identify many significant prehistoric archaeological sites. Previous works have provided a valuable framework for understanding preservation in the region and improving site identification and stakeholder engagement These works emphasize the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, clear communication with stakeholders, and robust public engagement strategies, all underpinned by comprehensive training programs for CRM practitioners. Training programs that focus on interdisciplinary communication are essential for creating a shared language around site formation processes, stratigraphy, and landscape evolution. Building research designs around this interdisciplinary approach ensures that each team member can contribute their expertise effectively and work toward common goals. Based on lessons learned from our geoarchaeological investigations along the Missouri River in the Dakotas, we offer recommendations that might greatly streamline the time- and labor-intensive process of subsurface prospection for sites deeply buried in Holocene alluvium.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)   •
• Geoarchaeology Within the Context of Cultural Resource Management (CRM) Today (Part One)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 50644