An Intensive Pedestrian Survey for the Proposed Culebra-Helotes Creeks Connector Trail, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

In March 2024, the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted an intensive pedestrian survey of the proposed Culebra-Helotes Creeks Connector Trail project in northwest San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The work was conducted in response to a request from Adams Environmental, Inc. (AEI), which is an environmental subcontractor of the San Antonio River Authority (SARA). The project area is on land owned by the City of San Antonio (COSA), a political subdivision of Texas. As such, the project requires regulatory review by the Texas Historical Commission (THC) under the Antiquities Code of Texas (Texas Natural Resources Code, Title, Chapter 191) and by the COSA Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) under the Unified Development Code (UDC; Article 6 35-630 to 35-634). The trail was realigned following the initial fieldwork, CAR requested a permit amendment which was approved in early July 2024 by THC to investigate areas outside the original project area. Cynthia Munoz, CAR Interim Director, served as the Principal Investigator for the project under Texas Antiquities Permit Number 31640. Leonard Kemp served as the Project Archaeologist. CAR archaeologists excavated 18 of 31 planned shovel tests within the 2.9 km length of the project area. The shovel tests terminated at an average depth of 33 cm below surface (cmbs). The excavation revealed shallow soils with abundant gravels and cobbles. Shovel tests were not excavated in the western portion of the project area due to the presence of surface bedrock and flood control construction. None of the excavated shovel tests contained archaeological materials or features. No artifacts or features were documented on the surface. Due to the lack of intact soil and presence of gravels and bedrock throughout the project area, CAR recommends that mechanical trenching is not warranted. CAR also recommends that construction of the connector trail proceed as planned. All records generated during the course of this project are permanently curated at the CAR under accession number 2864.