CM-10-01-014TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
ANTIQUITIES PERMIT APPLICATION FORM
ARCHEOLOGY
GENERAL INFORMATION
I. PROPERTY TYPE AND LOCATION
Project Name (and/or Site Trinomial) Oncor Electric Delivery Hutto Switch to Round Rock Rebuild Project
County (ies) Williamson
USGS Quadrangle Name and Number Round Rock (3097-312) and Hutto (3097-311)
UTM Coordinates
Somerset Park Zone 14 (NAD 27) E 624730 N 3377220 to E 625040 N 3377470
Old Settlers Park Zone 14 (NAD 27) E 631440 N 3379650 to E 632640 N 3379840
Location Round Rock, west of 1H-35, Somerset Park
Federal Involvement ❑ Yes ■ No
Name of Federal Agency
Agency Representative
II. OWNER (OR CONTROLLING AGENCY)
Owner City of Round Rock
Representative David Buzzell
Address 301 W. Bagdad, Suite 250
City/State/Zip Round Rock, Tx 78664
Telephone (include area code) 512-341-3345
Email Address dbuzzell @round-rock.tx.us
III. PROJECT SPONSOR (IF DIFFERENT FROM OWNER)
Sponsor Oncor Electric Delivery (formerly TXU Electric Delivery)
Representative Deborah Boyle, Senior Director, Environment, Health, Safety, and Training
Address Energy Plaza, 1601 Bryan Street
City/State/Zip Dallas, Tx 75201.
Telephone (include area code) 214-486-2022 Email Address dboyle@oncor.com
PROJECT INFORMATION
1. PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (ARCHEOLOGIST)
Name Maynard B. Cliff. Ph.D.
Affiliation PBS&J
Address 18383 Preston Road, Suite 110
City/State/Zip Dallas, Texas 75252-5490
Telephone {include area code) 972-588-3136
Email Address mbcliff@pbsj.com
(OVER)
ANTIQUITIES PERMIT APPLICATION FORM (CONTINUED)
11. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Proposed Starting Date of Fieldwork January 2010
Requested Permit Duration 5 Years 0 Months (1 year minimum)
Scope of Work (Provided an Outline of Proposed Work)
Cultural Resources Survey of Two Segments of the Oncor Electric Delivery Hutto Switch to Round Rock
Rebuild, Williamson County, Texas (see attached Research Design)
III. CURATION & REPORT
Temporary Curatorial or Laboratory Facility PBS&J
-Permanent Curatorial Facility Texas Archeological Research Laboratory
IV, LAND OWNER'S CERTIFICATION
Jim Nuse. City Manager , as legal representative of the Land Owner,
City of Round Rock , do certify that I have reviewed the plans and research
design, and that no investigations will be preformed prior to the issuance of a permit by the Texas Historical Commission.
Furthermore, Lunderstand that the Owner, Sponsor, and Principal Investigator are responsible for completing the terms of
the permit.
Signature
V. SPONSOR' C RTIFICATION
Date 1/15 I/0
I. Deborah Boyle , as legal representative of the Sponsor,
Oncor Electric Delivery . do certify that 1 have review the plans and
research design, and that no investigations will be performed prior to the issuance of a permit by the Texas Historical
Commission. Furthermore, I understand that the Sponsor, Owner, and Principal Investigator are responsible for
completing the terms of this permit.
Signature Date
VI. INVESTIGATOR'S CERTIFICATION
1, Maynard 13. Cliff, Ph.D. , as Principal Investigator employed by
PBS&J (Investigative Firm), do certify that I will
execute this project according to the submitted plans and research design, and will not conduct any work prior to the
issuance of a permit by the Texas Historical Commission. Furthermore, I understand that the Principal 'Investigator (and
the Investigative Firm), as well ithe Oyvtir a d Sponsor, are responsible for completing the terms of this permit.
Signature4A,,A. AV_ Date I — Li - 2..0 I O
Principal Investigator must attach a research design, a copy of the USGS quadrangle showing project boundaries, and any
additional pertinent information. Curriculum vita must be on file with the Archeology Division.
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Reviewer Date Permit Issues
Permit Number Permit Expiration Date
Type of Permit Date Received for Data Entry
Texas Historical Commission
Archeology Division
P.O, Box 12276, Austin, TX 78711-2276
Phone 512/463-6096
www.thc.state.tx.us
3/3/09
-o 0 14
TEXAS
HISTORICAL
COMMISSION
The State Agency for Historic Preservation
RESEARCH DESIGN:
CULTURAL RESOURCES SURVEY OF TWO SEGMENTS
OF THE ONCOR ELECTRIC DELIVERY HUTTO SWITCH
TO ROUND ROCK REBUILD, WILLIAMSON COUNTY,
TEXAS
INTRODUCTION
Oncor Electric Delivery (Oncor, formerly TXU Electric Delivery) proposes to rebuild a transmission line
between Hutto Switch and Round Rock substations in Williamson County, Texas. This involves replacing
a small number of existing electric transmission structures with new structures. The replacement
structures will be located within the existing Oncor right of way (ROW) that is approximately 31 meters
(m) (100 feet [ft]) wide. Approximately 411.5 in (1,350 ft) of the transmission line crosses Somerset Park
while another 1,234.5 m (4,050 ft) crosses Old Settlers Park (Figure 1), both of which are owned by the
City of Round Rock. Since the City of Round Rock is a political subdivision of the State of Texas, these
two segments of the rebuild project fall under the jurisdiction of the Texas Antiquities Code, and the two
segments of Oncor ROW in question will require a pedestrian survey, conducted under a Texas
Antiquities Permit, including consultation with the Texas Historical Commission (THC). Two structures
will be replaced in Somerset Park, while eight structures will be replaced in Old Settlers Park. The two
structures in Somerset Park are 138 -kV metal :lattice structures and will be replaced by single -pole
structures. The eight structures in Old Settlers Park are wooden H -frame structures and will also be
replaced by single -pole structures. The new structures in both parks will require foundation holes
approximately 1.2 m (4 ft) in diameter and approximately 6 m (20 ft) deep. The segment of Oncor ROW
that crosses Somerset Park is estimated to cover .3 acres (.12 hectares), while the segment that covers Old
Settlers Park is estimated to cover 9.3 acres (3.8 hectares).
PROJECT SETTING
Somerset Park and Old Settlers Park are located in south central Williamson County. Physiographically,
they lie near the eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau, near its border with the Blackland Prairie
physiographic region (Bureau of Economic Geology [BEG] 1996). Geologically, Somerset Park is
underlain by the lower Cretaceous Edwards Limestone, consisting of limestone, dolomite, and chert;
while Old Settlers Park is underlain by the upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk, consisting of chalk arid marl
(BEG 1974). In regard to surface soils, the western portion of Somerset Park is situated on Georgetown
stony clay loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes; while and the eastern portion is on Eckrant extremely stony clay, 0
to 3 percent (United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service [USDA, SCSI 1983). In
contrast, the Old Setters Park segment of the Oncor ROW crosses four mapped soil types consisting of,
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from west to east, Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes; Castephen silty clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes;
Austin silty clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes; and Austin silty clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes (USDA, SCS 1983).
Georgetown stony clay loam is a well drained level to gently sloping upland soil; typically with an upper
layer composed of brown clay, 18 centimeters (cm) (7 inches) thick underlain by a reddish brown clay
subsoil that extends as deep as 89 cm (35 inches) becoming increasingly cohbly with depth (USDA, SCS
1983:37). Eckrant extremely stony clay consists of a surface layer of extremely stony very dark gray clay
extending to a depth of 28-40 cm (11-16 inches) and underlain by coarsely fractured indurated lirnestone
(USDA, SCS 1983:33), Houston Black clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes, typically consists of an upper layer of
dark gray clay about 81 cm (32 inches) thick, a lower layer of dark grayish brown clay to about 137 cm
(54 inches), and an underlying layer of mottled, grayish brown clay to about 157.5 cm (62 inches)
(USDA, SCS 1983:42). Castephen silty clay, 3 to 5 percent slopes, typically has a surface layer of dark
brown silty clay about 38 cm (15 inches) thick, underlain by platy chalk to a depth of more than 71 cm
(28 inches) (USDA, SCS 1983:27). Austin silty clay, 0 to 1 percent slopes, typically has a very dark
grayish brown silty clay surface layer about 35.5 cm (14 inches) thick, with a brown silty clay subsoil that
extends to about 91.5 cm (36 inches), underlain by very pale brown, laminated chalk (USDA, SCS
1983:17), Finally, Austin silty clay, 1 to 3 percent slopes, typically has a dark grayish brown silty clay
surface layer about 33 cm (13 inches) thick, with an upper subsoil of brown silty clay to about 63.5 cm
(25 inches), a lower subsoil of yellowish brown silty clay to about 86.5 cm (34 inches), and underlying
material of weathered chalk or chalk interbedded with chalky marl (USDA, SCS 1983:18).
Both project areas are suburban parks today, but formerly the Somerset Park area probably consisted of
Oak — Mesquite — Juniper Parks/Woods; while the Old Settlers Park area probably consisted of Silver
Bluestem — Texas Wintergrass Grassland (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department [TPWD} 1984).
Characteristic plants associated with the Oak — Mesquite — Juniper Parks/Woods consisted of post oak,
Ashe juniper, shin oak, Texas oak, blackjack oak, live oak, cedar elm, agarito, soapberry, sumac,
hackberry, Texas pricklypear, Mexican persimmon, purple three -awn, hairy grarn, Texas gra.ma, sideoats
grama, curly mesquite, and Texas wintergrass; while characteristic plants of the Silver Bluestem — Texas
Wintergrass Grassland consist of little bluestern, sideoats grama, Texas grama, three -awn, hairy grama,
tall dropseed, buffalograss, windmill grass, hairy tridens, tumblegrass, western ragweed, broom
snakeweed, Texas bluebonnet, live oak, post oak, and mesquite (McMahan et al. 1984:5, 15).
CULTURAL SETTING
Both Somerset Park and Old Settlers Park fall within the Central Texas Archeological Region, as defined
by the THC (Mercado-A.11inger 1996:Figure 1.1.4). The cultural history of this region, developed from the
archeological record as presented in previous research in central Texas and surrounding regions, can be
divided into four primary chronological and developmental stages: Paleo-Indian, Archaic, Late
Prehistoric, and Historic (Black 1989). These stages are believed to reflect changes in subsistence and
cultural development as reflected by the material remains and settlement patterns. For detailed discussions
of the culture history of this area, the reader is referred to Black (1989). Collins (2004), Fox (1989), and
Hester (1989).
A search of the Texas Archeological Sites Atlas Online of the THC and the files at the Texas
Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) of the University of Texas at Austin revealed no previously
recorded archeological sites within either the Somerset Park segment or the Old Settlers Park segment of
the Hutto Switch to Round Rock rebuild. However, 11 sites have previously been recorded within 1,000
m (3,280 ft) of Somerset Park, while five sites have been recorded within 1,000 m (3,280 ft) of Old
Settlers Park. The former consist of 41WM11/150, 4IWM600, 41.WM601, 41.WM602, 41WM603,
41WM604, 41.WM605, 41WM731, 41WM789, 41WM996, and 41WM997; while the latter consist of
41WM737, 41WM738, 41WM742, 41WM744, and 41WM953. These sites largely consist of prehistoric
lithic or historic artifact scatters found at the surface, in a few cases the historic components are
associated with standing buildings. None of the previously recorded sites are recommended to be eligible
for inclusion in the NRHP.
SURVEY METHODS
This project involves a 100 percent pedestrian survey with supplemental shovel testing of the Oncor
ROW within Somerset Park and Old Settlers Park (see Figure 1). The field methodology, previously
approved by the THC in the generic research design for Oncor transmission line projects in Texas
(PBS&J 2008), calls for the ROW to be stratified into High .Probability Areas (HPAs), Moderate
Probability Areas (MPAs), and Low Probability Areas (LPAs) on the basis of perceived likelihood for the
occurrence of unidentified cultural resource properties. HPAs are defined as possessing the greatest
cultural resource potential. Site integrity is also presumed to be highest in these areas. HPAs will include
areas of interfluve summits and shoul.derslopes, which contain deep soils and lie within 305 m (1,000 ft)
of natural water sources. These also will include levee remnants and rises within floodplains, toeslopes,
and lower alluvial terraces. HPAs will be initially defined on maps prior to the field effort and will be
adjusted during the actual survey based on microtopography, soil conditions, and the degree of surface
erosion or disturbance. MPAs will be defined in the field as areas of undisturbed uplands, undisturbed
areas greater than 305 m (1,000 ft) from water, and nonbedrock or undisturbed slopes of greater than 20
percent but less than 45 percent. LPAs will also defined in the field as areas of very steep slopes (i.e.,
greater than 45 percent), exposed bedrock, modern development, or extensive ground disturbance, such as
mass wasting or sheet erosion. In this particular case, only the easternmost 460 m (ca. 1500 ft) of the Old
Settlers Park segment has been identified as possible HPA because it lies within 305 m (1,000 ft) of a
small unnamed tributary of Chandler Branch. A check of the surface geology and soils along the proposed
rebuild revealed that neither the Somerset Park segment nor the Old Settlers Park segment are associated
with identifiable alluvial deposits or flood plain soils and have a low likelihood of containing deeply
buried archeological sites. Thus, monitoring will not be needed during the Oncor rebuild within either
Somerset Park or Old Settlers Park.
4
The survey will consist of a pedestrian surface inspection of both the Somerset Park and Old Settlers Park
segments of the Oncor Hutto Switch to Round Rock ROW, with intensive shovel testing to locate buried
cultural resources obscured by vegetation. Two transects will be walked, no more than 30 m (98 feet)
apart. Distances between shovel tests in the HPAs will not exceed 30 rn (98 feet), so that overall density
of shovel tests will not be less than one shovel test per 30 m (98 ft) of linear ROW. If the condition of any
portion of the survey area warrants it. HPAs may be downgraded in the field to either MPAs or LPAs.
Shovel tests within MPAs will be placed judgmentally (i.e., in locations to be determined at the discretion
of the project archeologist in the field), with distances between shovel tests not to exceed 100 m (327
feet), so that overall density of shovel tests will not be less than one per 100 in (327 feet) of linear ROW.
The LPAs will be walked, but not shovel tested.
Shovel tests will be approximately 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter and will be excavated in arbitrary levels
not exceeding 10 cm (4 inches). Whenever possible, shovel tests will be excavated to subsoil. If subsoil is
not present, they will be excavated to a maximum depth of 80 cm (31.5 inches) below surface. The
excavated soil from each shovel test will be sifted through 0.64 -cm (0.25 -inch) mesh hardware cloth
unless the matrix is dominated by clay. A clay matrix will he hand -sorted and visually inspected.
Information relating to each shovel test will be recorded in a shovel test log, including a description of the
sediments present, the general environmental setting of the shovel test, its position as marked by a Global
Positioning System unit, any artifacts that were present, and any additional comments. All shovel tests
will be backfilled upon completion.
If an archeological site is identified, its location will be recorded on a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
7.5 -minute quadrangle map. If any soil is preserved on the surface of the site, a series of shovel tests will
be excavated within the limits of the Oncor ROW. A minimum of six shovel tests will be excavated in
each site area. A pace -and -compass map will be made showing the location of the shovel tests and any
other salient features at the site, and the site area will be photographed. A temporary field designation will
he assigned, and a TexSite form will be completed and submitted to TARL for assignment of a permanent
trinomial designation. All of the artifacts recovered from the shovel tests will be described on PBS&J
shovel test forms; representative samples will be photographed and/or sketched. The range of variability
of any observed surface artifacts will be described in field notes, with photographs taken and/or sketches
made of selected artifacts representative of the site. Only diagnostic artifacts will be collected, analyzed at
PBS&J, and submitted for curation at TARL. After examination and recording, all other artifacts found
within shovel tests will be reburied, and surface artifacts will be left where they are found.
LABORATORY METHODS
Standard procedures will be used for processing any diagnostic artifacts recovered by the survey. Such
artifacts will be washed, labeled, catalogued, and analyzed prior to curation. Labeling and cataloguing
will comply with current TARL curation standards. Prehistoric lithic artifacts will be sorted by reduction
stage or functional classification, as applicable.. Raw material type for each piece will be recorded. When
possible, type names appropriate to the local sequence will be assigned to the projectile points. If
5
prehistoric ceramics are recovered they will be classified according to form (rim, neck, body),
paste/temper composition, and surface treatment. Where possible they will be associated with previously
defined local ceramic types. Historic artifacts will be sorted by material type (i.e., glass, ceramic, metal,
etc.) and subdivided according to diagnostic attributes.
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Immediately following the cotnpletion of the fieldwork, an interim report will be submitted to Oncor for
review and transmittal to the THC. This interim report will be in the form of a summary letter and will
present information on the methodology used to conduct the survey, descriptions of the cultural resources
identified by the survey, and recommendations regarding the research potential of each cultural resource
site. The interim report will be specific enough to allow the THC to make determinations regarding the
proposed project's effect on cultural resources.
Following this, PBS&J will prepare and submit a draft report of findings to Oncor for transmittal to the
THC for review and comment. The report will meet the report format standards of the Council of Texas
Archeologists. The report will provide a discussion of background research and results of field
investigations, including a list of sites that have been identified, an assessment of their eligibility for
listing in the National Register of Historic Properties or formal designation as a State Archaeological
Landmark, and the appropriate criteria under which the sites were evaluated. Site forms will be submitted
to TARL and trinomials will be obtained. The report will also include recommendations for further work
or no further work with appropriate justifications based on the requirements of 13 TAC 26.5(35), 13 TAC
26.5 (35), 13 TAC 26.20(1), and 13 TAC 26.20(2). The final report will be revised to address the review
comments of the THC. Following completion, 20 bound copies and one tagged .pdf copy on CD of the
final report will be submitted to the THC.
6
REFERENCES CITED
Black, S.L.
1989 Central Texas Plateau Prairie, in From the Gulf to the Rio Grande: Human Adaptation in
Central, South, and Lower Pecos Texas, by T.R. Hester, S.L. Black, D.G. Steele, B.W. Olive,
A.A. Fox, K.J. Reinhard, and L.C. Bement, pp. 17-38. Research Series 33. Arkansas
Archeological Survey, Fayetteville.
Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG)
1974 Geologic Atlas of Texas, Austin Sheet. Bureau of Economic Geology, The University of
Texas at Austin (scale: 1:250,000).
1996 Physiographic Map of Texas. Bureau of .Economic Geology, The University of Texas at
Austin.
Collins, M.B.
2004 Archeology in Central Texas. In The Prehistory of Texas, edited by T.K. Perttula, pp. 101-
126. Texas A&M University Press, College Station.
Fox, A.A.
1989 Historic Anglo -European Exploration and Colonization. In From the Gulf to the Rio Grande:
Human Adaptation in Central„couth, and Lower Pecos Texas, by Hester, T. R., S. L. Black,
D. G. Steele, B. W. Olive, A. A. Fox, K.J. Reinhard, and L. C. Bement, pp. 85-92. Research
Series No. 33. Arkansas Archeological Survey, Fayetteville.
Hester, T.R.
1989 Historic Native American Populations. In From the Gulf to the Rio Grande: Human
Adaptation in Central, South, and Lower Pecos Texas, by Hester, T. R., S. L. Black, D. G.
Steele, B. W. Olive, A. A. Fox, K. J. Reinhard, and L. C. Bement, pp. 76-84. Research Series
No. 33. Arkansas Archeological Survey, Fayetteville.
McMahan, C.A., R.G. Frye, and K.L. Brown
1984 The Vegetation 'Types of Texas, including Cropland. Wildlife Division, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, Austin.
Mercado-Allinger, P.A.
1996 Introduction to Section I. In Archeology in the Central and Southern Planning Region, Texas:
A Planning Document, edited by P. A. Mercado-Allinger, N. A. Kenmotsu, and T. K.
Perttula, pp. 3-27. Special Report 35, Office of the State Archeologist, and Cultural Resource
Management Report 7, Division of Antiquities Protection, Texas Historical. Commission.
Austin,
PBS&J
2008 Generic Research Designlar Archaeological Surveys for Oncor Electric Transmission Line
Projects in Texas. PBS&J Document No. 070050. PBS&J, Austin.
7
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
1984 The Vegetation Types of Texas. Reproduction of an earlier map compiled by R.G. Frye, K.L.
Brown, and C.A. McMahan, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1984. Map prepared by
GIS Lab, TPWD.
United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service (USDA, SCS)
1983 Soil Survey of Williamson County, Texas. United States Department of Agriculture, Soil
Conservation Service, in cooperation with the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.
8
DATE: January 11, 2010
SUBJECT: City Manager Approval —January 15, 2010
ITEM: Consider executing Antiquities Permit Application Form Archeology with the
Texas Historical Commission regarding Oncor Electric Hutto Switch to Round
Rock Rebuild Project (Old Settlers Park and Somerset Park).
Department: Parks and Recreation
Staff Person: Rick Atkins, Director
David Buzzell, Park Development Manager
Justification: Oncor Electric Delivery is required to perform an antiquities study prior to
rebuilding the overhead electric transmission line that runs from the Hutto switch station
through Round Rock. Two segments of this project run through two city parks, Old Settlers Park
and Somerset Park, and therefore must be an applicant on the permit form acknowledging the
study.
Strategic Plan Relevance: N/A
Funding: $0.00
Cost: $0.00
Source of funds: N/A
Outside Resources (if applicable): Oncor Electric Delivery and PBS&J
Public Comment (if applicable): N/A
UPDATED: October 19, 2009
LEGAL DEPARTMENT APPROVAL FOR CITY COUNCIL/CITY MANAGER ACTION
Required for Submission of ALL City Council and City Manager Items
Department Name: PARD
Project Mgr/Resource: David Buzzell
[Council Action:
ORDINANCE
Agenda Wording
Protect Name: Old Settlers Park and Somerset Park
ContractorNendor: Oncor Electric Delivery
a RESOLUTION
City Manager Approval
CMA Wording
Consider executing Antiquities Permit Application Form Archeology with the Texas Historical Commission regarding Oncor
Electric Hutto Switch to Round Rock Rebuild Project (Old Settlers Park and Somerset Park).
Attorney pproval
Attorney
Notes/Comments
cka,
Date
O:lwdox\SCCInts10123110001MISC100180131.XLS
Updated 6/3/08