Waters_SOW-2008-11-10gl.doc

10 November 2008

SCOPE OF WORK

Phase I Archaeological Survey

Vorice Jackson Waters Elementary School

Site 16OR25

New Orleans, Louisiana

I. OBJECTIVE

Recovery School District has requested federal funds for assistance in the demolition and rebuilding of the Vorice Jackson Waters Elementary School, 3800 Cadillac Street, New Orleans, LA (Figure 1). The Area of Potential Effect (APE) for this undertaking encompasses archaeological site 16OR25 (the site), a reported historic-era Indian encampment located on Bayou St. John and the Old Shell Road. This site was recorded by R. Saucier in 1958 based on local informants, but no archaeological materials have been recovered to confirm its location, and the State of Louisiana site record form lists the site’s exact location as “unknown.” The purpose of this project is to complete a Phase I archaeological survey of the APE for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Historic Preservation Group in order to fulfill FEMA’s obligations under Section 106 of the National Register of Historic Places criteria for identification and evaluation of historic properties.

The survey will attempt to locate the site, and, as applicable, delineate the site within the APE, provide an assessment of the site’s integrity and potential eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The objective of this Phase I survey is to determine what impact the proposed demolition and rebuilding of Vorice Waters School will have upon historic properties. The APE for the project is approximately 17 acres, but due to development (including building and parking lot construction) the area requiring archaeological survey is approximately 8 acres, encompassing the open field on the west end of the campus lot, adjacent to Bayou St. John (Figure 1).

II. SERVICES

The contractor shall perform all work required to provide the following services and products with respect to the APE:

Background Research

The contractor will complete a literature and records search, focusing on the history of the project area. At a minimum, background research will include an examination of the records on file at the Louisiana Division of Archaeology and the Louisiana Division of Historic Preservation, property records, historic maps, and archive research. Researchers should attempt to determine and verify the sources used by Saucier in his original reporting and placement of the site. The background research will be focused toward validating the placement of site 16OR25 at this location, and toward providing an historical context for the evaluation of any cultural deposits discovered during field investigations.

Fieldwork

The Contractor will conduct a Phase I archaeological survey of the APE on the above referenced property following the Louisiana Division of Archaeology’s guidelines for Phase I survey. Archaeological investigations will delineate the site boundaries associated with the site within the APE (Figure 1). The contractor will attempt to assign cultural affiliations to the site from recovered artifacts. An additional goal of the Phase I survey is to gain a clear understanding of the integrity of the site by determining the stratigraphy, the extent or depth of modern fill, and the possible depths of intact historic and/or aboriginal midden.

Within the APE, field investigations will consist of a pedestrian survey and systematic subsurface testing using shovel tests. Shovel tests will be conducted at a minimum of 30 m intervals along transects spaced 30 m apart. The transects should be staggered to maximize coverage and to reflect the realities of obstructed transect lines due to the location of buildings. Shovel test pits should terminate at sterile subsoil or 100 centimeters below surface (cmbs), whichever comes first.

Due to the proximity of the western campus area to Bayou St. John and the historic Indian encampment reported to be in this location, shovel testing within a 50-meter buffer around the recorded location of the site will be more intensive (Figures 1 and 2). Shovel testing within this area should be conducted at 10 meter intervals along staggered parallel transects placed no further than 10 meters apart. Figure 2 displays the project area and the recorded location of the site. Also depicted is the 50-meter buffer area surrounding the archaeological site. Additional judgmental placement of shovel tests within areas perceived by the project archaeologist to be of a higher likelihood of containing cultural materials (based upon observation and field experience) is also encouraged. Any additional judgmental shovel testing shall be determined by the project archaeologist and approved in writing by the Contracting Officer Technical Representative assigned by FEMA for this project.

In the event that cultural materials and/or features are encountered during subsurface testing, the positive transect shovel test will be utilized as a datum. Site delineation shall be completed using shovel tests excavated in a grid oriented along cardinal directions at 10 m intervals from the initial positive test. These tests should continue until two consecutive sterile shovel tests are encountered in each cardinal direction within the APE to define site boundary. Deposits of differing cultural affiliation located in distinct areas of the site should be identified and discussed as an individual Locus (ie. Locus 1).

All soil excavated from these tests will be screened through ¼ inch (6.4 mm) mesh hardware cloth. Soils that are too compacted to be screened will be carefully trowel sorted. Artifacts discovered in these tests will be collected, bagged, and labeled for provenience. Representative profiles of soil stratigraphy as observed in these shovel tests should be recorded, including Munsell soil color assignments for natural or cultural strata identified. All excavated holes will be backfilled after being recorded.

If a surface scatter is present, it will be mapped and the artifacts will be collected, bagged, and labeled for provenience. In cases of extensive scatters, diagnostic artifacts and an overall representative sample of observed artifacts will be collected. The appropriate photographic information will be taken at each location and information recorded on photographic log forms.

Finally, a site map showing natural and cultural features, all locations of subsurface testing, surface scatters, disturbed areas, the site datum, and any other pertinent information will be generated. This site map will also depict, roads, utility poles, buildings, and any relevant infrastructure within the APE and immediately adjacent, if relevant. Maps shall contain adequate information to tie site data to permanent landmarks or real world coordinates within 5 m of true position. At least one site map showing the location of the transects and associated shovel tests will be plotted on high resolution aerial imagery at sub-meter accuracy.

Data Analysis and Report Preparation

The Contractor will be responsible for providing all labor, equipment, housing, and laboratory/office space required to carry out the project. The Contractor will synthesize data gathered during background research and fieldwork in order to assess the overall nature of cultural resources in the APE. An eligibility recommendation for the site will be made with clear evidence to support it. If eligibility is not clear, a recommendation for future work should be stated.

Additionally, the Applicant’s planned undertakings at the site (demolition of the school, the removal of the foundations, and possible rebuilding of the school) should be correlated to the archaeological findings. A copy of the planned undertakings at this site will be provided to the contractor by FEMA or an entity designated by FEMA. The findings need to address whether any or all of potential undertakings (demolition/slab removal/rebuild) will affect intact cultural resources.

All artifacts discovered during the survey will be collected according to standard Louisiana Division of Archaeology guidelines and processed at the contractor’s laboratory. Material culture will be described using standard nomenclature and analyzed with accepted methods. A basic faunal analysis may be necessary to determine if the remains are mammalian (non-human), or human.

All collected artifacts will be curated in compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation as well as those guidelines stipulated by the Louisiana Division of Archaeology. All artifacts recovered (surface or excavation) during the course of the project must be labeled and packaged for permanent curation and submitted to the Louisiana Division of Archaeology or a state approved Deputy Custodian for long-term curation.

If human remains are found, compliance with the Louisiana Unmarked Human Burial Sites Preservation Act (R.S. 8:671 et seq.) is required. The contractor will notify the law enforcement agency of Orleans Parish within twenty-four hours of the discovery. Local authorities will determine if the human remains are 50 years of age or older. The contractor will also notify FEMA during this time frame. FEMA will in turn notify the Louisiana Division of Archaeology and appropriate tribal representative(s). If human remains are able to be identified as such in the field, they should be left in place whenever possible but not left exposed or unattended. If it is necessary to remove human remains for identification, analysis, or for their protection, FEMA will consult with the tribes, as applicable, and the Louisiana Division of Archaeology to determine their final disposition.

Deliverables and Schedule The contractor will begin the background research within one working day of the award of this task order. Fieldwork should be completed within 21 days of the award of this contract. The contractor shall submit to FEMA four copies of the Management Summary and digital copy within 14 days of completion of fieldwork. The Management Summary should outline the results of the survey to FEMA and make recommendations regarding future work at the site. This Management Summary will be used as part of the cultural resources coordination with the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

A complete technical report of the investigations will be produced by the contractor in accordance with the standards and guidelines set forth by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation (Federal Register 48(190) 1983:44716-44737). The report shall, at a minimum, include a description of the study area; relevant historic documentation and background research; the field studies/investigations; all field observations; a discussion of the stratigraphy with maps; analyses and results illustrated with appropriate tables, charts, and graphs; an evaluation of the investigations in terms of the goals and objectives of the investigations; an eligibility determination if appropriate; management recommendations; any recommend changes by FEMA’s Historic Preservation staff or SHPO; a bibliography; and updated site forms.

Four copies of the draft report and a digital copy on CD will be submitted within eight weeks after the completion of all field investigations. Following a review and comment by FEMA and the Louisiana SHPO of the draft, recommend changes will be incorporated into a final report within two weeks of receipt of agency comments. Six copies of the final report along with a digital copy will be submitted to the Historic Preservation staff at FEMA to complete the task order. All artifacts collected and processed as a result of this Phase I investigation in the condition stipulated above shall be submitted by the contractor to curation at upon submittal of the final report.

Figure 1. Area of Potential Effects shown in red. Area requiring archaeological survey is outlined in broken yellow line. In green is the approximate boundary of 16OR25 (digitized at approximately 1:24,000) including the 50 meter buffer within the area requiring archaeological survey. The area within the green arc will be tested at 10 meter intervals.

Figure 2. Project area (in red), showing location of archaeological site 16OR25 with a 50 meter buffer area (yellow circle around site polygon).

SOW Phase I Vorice Waters Elementary