Ala. Admin. Code r. 460-X-9-.03 - Submerged Cultural Resource Survey

These standards have been developed to guide institutions, groups, or individuals conducting submerged resource assessments for compliance with Alabama Law in efforts to seek and identify submerged resources within Alabama waters and for compliance with federal laws and regulations including but not limited to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, Executive Order 11593, Department of the Interior Standards, 36 CFR part 61, 36 CFR part 79, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Regulations 36 CFR part 800, and the Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987. The purposes of these standards are to specify clearly and unequivocally the minimum requirements necessary to complete a submerged resource survey of a permit area approved by the Alabama Historical Commission as the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and to provide standardized criteria by which the SHPO will evaluate the results of the research efforts. These guidelines include four parts;

(1) professional qualifications, (2) field work, (3) laboratory analysis and curation, and (4) reports.

(1) Professional Qualifications. Documentation in the form of official graduate transcripts and a curriculum vitae shall be submitted to the SHPO with any research request. The principal investigator for each submerged resource investigation shall meet the minimal professional qualifications which include a graduate degree in archaeology, anthropology, or closely related field, plus: At least one year full-time professional experience or equivalent specialized training in archaeological research, administration, or management; at least four months of supervised field and analytical experience in general maritime archaeology; demonstrated ability to carry research to completion. In addition to these minimum qualifications, professional archaeologists should have at least one year of full-time professional experience at a supervisory level in the study of marine archaeology.

(2) Standards for Field Work

(a) Basic Record and Literature Search Prior to Fieldwork.

1. Consult existing archaeological site files for previously recorded submerged historic resources within the permit area.

2. Consult with the SHPO to determine if properties listed on or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places are located within or near the permit area.

3. Consult other documents, maps, records, or local experts as necessary to determine the known history and prehistory of the area.

(b) Infield Survey.

1. Conduct an underwater remote sensing survey of the entire permit area to locate vessels, objects, and sites of potential prehistoric or historic significance.

2. All anomalies whether associated with the research design or not, will be recorded, plotted, and presented in the report with interpretations of each.

3. Minimally, the initial survey will include a magnetometer and side scan sonar survey and examination of sub-bottom materials. High resolution, shallow seismic profiler records or solid core data may be presented to document sub-bottom conditions.

4. The remote sensing shall be conducted by geophysical technicians qualified to operate the equipment and interpret the magnetometer, sided scan sonar, and seismic profiler data acquired. Final interpretation of the data and the report findings of the survey must be prepared by the principal investigator.

5. Initial reconnaissance survey procedures shall consist of line spacing not to exceed fifty (50) meters. A sufficient number of lines shall be run to insure full coverage of the permit area.

6. "X" and "Y" coordinates of all magnetic anomalies and side scan targets recorded by the survey shall be plotted on maps of sufficient scale and detail to allow for easy relocation should further studies be required or contemplated.

7. Whenever possible, Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates shall be given for each anomaly and target recorded by the survey.

8. Locations of submerged abandoned river or bayou channels and natural levees that are identified through evaluation of sub-bottom data shall also be plotted on these maps.

(3) Standards for Laboratory Analysis and Curation. Although artifact(s) retrieval, either loose or attached, is not part of this action, an instance may occur in which a find is considered extremely significant and/or endangered and retrieval is considered to be the only prudent and feasible option. The permittee shall consult with the SHPO to request this retrieval providing all pertinent information to allow the SHPO to make an educated decision as to whether or not to allow the retrieval. Written approval from the SHPO shall be required for any such retrieval. If such an occasion does occur, the permittee shall provide the SHPO information so as to assure the SHPO that the permittee has the knowledge, expertise, facilities, and financial support to obtain, stabilize, preserve, and interpret the artifact(s). Furthermore, the permittee shall provide the SHPO with the final disposition of the artifact(s) which shall be curated in an Alabama facility which meets the curatorial standards set forth in 36 CFR part 79.

(4) Standards for Reports. The report of a submerged resource survey should be, above all, a clear and concise presentation of the project purposes, methods, results, and recommendations.

(a) Title Page: needs to include a report title (including the project name and location); the report author's name(s), organizations, and address; and the date of submission.

(b) Introduction: must include the project's statement of purpose, scope of work, or research design; and a description of the survey tract along with its location plotted on copies of relevant maps (as previously described in this policy). This section should also indicate the principal investigator.

(c) Literature and Document Search: shall include the result of searches previously noted in this policy.

(d) Field Methods: shall specify the personnel who conducted the field work; describe the physical condition, i.e. weather conditions; a discussion of the survey equipment used; survey procedures; types of data collected; recording techniques; and any special analytical methods and techniques.

(e) Results: shall contain a discussion of the history of the general area of the permit with specific reference to any known vessel losses in the area or submerged resources in the area. This information should be used to correlate remote sensing data collected during the survey with potential shipwreck sites. The potential correlation of sub-bottom data with submerged prehistoric archaeological sites shall also be discussed.

(f) Survey Interpretation and Evaluation: the report shall contain an inventory of all magnetic anomalies and side scan targets recorded. Evaluation of anomalies and side scan targets shall also be provided with supporting documentation.

(g) Recommendations: the report shall include recommendations for further study or cessation of activities supported by information provided in the report.

(h) Signature: the report shall be signed by the principal investigator (the professional marine archaeologist) responsible for the contents.

Author: Gregory Rhinehart

Notes

Ala. Admin. Code r. 460-X-9-.03

New Rule: Filed April 18, 1997; effective May 23, 1997.

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala 1975, §§ 41-9-241, 41-9-249.