American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 Section 110 Compliance Report for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, NHPA, Cultural Resources Investigations, Technical Report No. 34 (Volume 3)(Part 2), Shoreline Survey of the Lower 80 Miles of the Illinois River Brown, Cass, Pike, Mo

Shoreline Survey of the Lower 80 Miles of the Illinois River
Brown, Cass, Pike, Morgan, Scott, Calhoun, Green, and
Jersey Counties, Illinois

Bear Creek Archeology, Inc. undertook a 4.6 m wide bank site survey along the lower 80 miles of the Illinois River. Seventy-two sites were examined and the soil profile recorded. Limited auger testing supplemented the profile at 18 sites. At 17 sites, datum rods were placed and measured from the scarp for erosion monitoring. Conclusions are that navigation, i.e., maintenance of the channel and boat wave action, are the primary adverse effects to the bank sites. High water levels have caused extensive bankline retreat over the past 100 years and recent deposition of sediment on many of the banks. Thirteen sites are interpreted to either be destroyed by erosion or redeposited artifacts and are recommended not eligible for the NRHP. At 27 site plots, no artifacts were found, but landforms capable of containing sites are present and Phase I survey is recommended. Twenty-six sites produced artifacts and have prehistoric landforms that conform to the artifacts. These sites are potentially eligible for listing to the NRHP and Phase II testing is recommended. Six sites are recommended NRHP eligible and for erosion monitoring and Phase III data recovery.