Monitoring a project area during construction can be an appropriate method of identifying subsurface cultural resources in certain circumstances. This method is effective when archaeological testing cannot be conducted before the start of a project due to closures of high-traffic-volume roads, subsurface utility relocations, and other similar situations.

LSD’s Cultural Resources Team has developed field methods to document and record significant subsurface features while minimizing the production time lost to construction. Additionally, many of our archaeologists are also trained in basic environmental monitoring and can often combine those requirements with monitoring for cultural resources. We have monitored cultural resources for linear pipeline installations, utility relocations, and street surface removals, and to ensure that previously identified sites were avoided throughout the duration of a project.