Under ACS’ on-call contract with the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, Arizona, which ACS has held since 2007, ACS conducted a multi-phased Cultural Resource Management project that included a Class I literature review, Class III survey, and a Programmatic Agreement and Historic Properties Treatment Plan to guide phased data recovery at multiple archaeological sites. ACS then won the competitive bid for data recovery. Prior to fieldwork, staff reviewed the project area and vicinity using previously recorded cultural resource GIS data overlain on aerial and topographic imagery as well as other project-specific base data (utilities, transportation, land ownership, etc.) to plan fieldwork. All field data was collected using Trimble GeoXH GPS units running ArcPad, and when necessary, Terrasync Centimeter edition during data recovery. All data were then processed daily in-house and edited for map figure preparation and seamlessly imported into a customized geodatabase template. The data were then edited and finalized before map production. ArcGIS and Pathfinder Office were both used for data processing. GIS processing tools were used during the survey to create a stratified random sample of areas covered with dense vegetation to assist in determination of the potential presence of archaeological features. Additional tools were used and developed during the testing phase to determine excavation plans for best placement of units in relation to natural and modern features. These datasets were prepared for the field crew to use in GPS units for ease of navigation and laying out excavation locations.
Additionally, ACS used the ArcGIS Online portal for this project for easy and timely dissemination of project data to both ACS field and office staff, as well as to the client. This system allowed for rapid communication of topical project information from field to end user. The ArcGIS Online portal is user and password protected to ensure sensitive cultural resource information is secure.
