SECTION 2.261. Archeological Eligibility Testing Phase

(a) Each of the following methods will be employed for test excavations.

(1) Mechanical trenches will be excavated and profiles documented in order to characterize the area's potential for archeological deposits with sufficient integrity to be eligible to occur at the site.

(2) The extent of the site within the APE will be sampled through some combination of shovel-testing, column sampling, augering with an auger diameter of not less than 12 inches, surface collection, and geophysical prospection in order to characterize the distribution of archeological materials across the site.

(3) Additional units will be excavated and screened to evaluate site areas that appear to have the best potential for yielding important data with good integrity, based on the results of previous work.

(4) The materials analyzed will comprise those materials most likely to contribute important information about prehistory or history.

(5) TxDOT reserves the right to depart from these methods in cases where it deems appropriate and shall justify deviations in the report.

(6) Testing procedures conducted for underwater archeological investigations shall be coordinated and approved by THC Marine Archeological Program (MAP).

(b) Data from test excavation projects shall be made available to qualified researchers.

Source Note: The provisions of this §2.261 adopted to be effective August 15, 2018, 43 TexReg 5237