UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY TO SEARCH FOR
HISTORIC REMAINS
October 2006 -- Remnants of our past can be found anywhere, even under 40 feet of water. That’s why the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) will conduct an underwater sonar survey in the sections of the Ohio River that lie in the future bridge corridors of the Ohio River Bridges Project.
An underwater survey crew directed by the KYTC project archaeologist will search for potential historic resources along the Downtown and East End Bridge corridors. The underwater survey will consist primarily of a sonar survey conducted from the surface of the river. This type of survey works by bouncing sound waves off the bottom of the river. Strong signal return is coded as a dark area, while weak signal return appears as light areas. The contrast of light and dark creates a visual image that will be transmitted to an on-board screen and inspected by archaeologists. If an object proves to be archaeologically and historically significant, a more in-depth search may follow, possibly requiring the retrieval of material from the river bottom.
Wayna Roach, KYTC project archaeologist, said a 30- to 40-foot boat will tow a cylindrical sonar device. The device sends out a signal that can cover a section of river bottom roughly 100 feet wide. The boat will make three passes at both locations, tracking from shore to shore in order to cover the 300-foot-wide Downtown and East End Bridge corridors. Roach said the survey will look for evidence of historic vessels, such as flatboats, steamers, paddle boats or old barges.
“If we do find the remains of old vessels, we’ll check documents and records from their era and see if they match up with what is found,” Roach said. “If that doesn’t provide sufficient information, we might send someone down to recover a sample of materials.”
The survey is part of the Bridges Project’s commitment to assess potential impacts to historically and environmentally sensitive aspects of the landscape. If the sonar survey reveals potential historic resources in the project corridor, archaeologists will discuss options for avoiding the location with Bridges Project officials. If avoidance is not possible, additional archaeological investigation may be needed before any physical activity could begin in the area.
“We know that the Ohio River landscape is rich in history,” said Bart Bryant, KYTC’s project manager for the Ohio River Bridges Project. “As we see it, the work that our archaeological team will be doing goes beyond simply following procedure, as set down in the guidelines that govern how we proceed. The Bridges Project takes great pride in actively participating in the preservation of our heritage.”