[Music] the springs have been active for
the springs have been active for
the springs have been active for millions of years as a source of fresh
millions of years as a source of fresh
millions of years as a source of fresh water this area would have been a prime
water this area would have been a prime
water this area would have been a prime location for human habitation since our
location for human habitation since our
location for human habitation since our earliest ancestors here in North America
earliest ancestors here in North America
earliest ancestors here in North America a site this large in this complex is
a site this large in this complex is
a site this large in this complex is really more than any one person can
really more than any one person can
really more than any one person can fully understand over the course of
fully understand over the course of
fully understand over the course of their career or their lifetime what we
their career or their lifetime what we
their career or their lifetime what we have here is is really a unique
have here is is really a unique
have here is is really a unique opportunity to document the fact that
opportunity to document the fact that
opportunity to document the fact that folks have been attracted to this lovely
folks have been attracted to this lovely
folks have been attracted to this lovely spring side setting since the since
spring side setting since the since
spring side setting since the since before the end of the last ice age
Spring Lake is a time capsule and the
Spring Lake is a time capsule and the springs were dammed 150 years ago
springs were dammed 150 years ago
springs were dammed 150 years ago essentially creating an underwater
essentially creating an underwater
essentially creating an underwater archaeological preserve and protecting
archaeological preserve and protecting
archaeological preserve and protecting what once we’re terrestrial deposits in
what once we’re terrestrial deposits in
what once we’re terrestrial deposits in an aquatic underwater environment with
an aquatic underwater environment with
an aquatic underwater environment with funding from the National Geographic
funding from the National Geographic
funding from the National Geographic Society and the Waite Institute and in a
Society and the Waite Institute and in a
Society and the Waite Institute and in a collaboration between the meadow Center
collaboration between the meadow Center
collaboration between the meadow Center for water in the environment in the
for water in the environment in the
for water in the environment in the center for archaeological studies here
center for archaeological studies here
center for archaeological studies here on campus at Texas State University
on campus at Texas State University
on campus at Texas State University we’ve initiated the first ever
we’ve initiated the first ever
we’ve initiated the first ever underwater geo archeology survey of
underwater geo archeology survey of
underwater geo archeology survey of Spring Lake the first phase of the
Spring Lake the first phase of the
Spring Lake the first phase of the project is a sub bottom profile survey
project is a sub bottom profile survey
project is a sub bottom profile survey and basically what that is is there’s an
and basically what that is is there’s an
and basically what that is is there’s an electronic apparatus that’s connected to
electronic apparatus that’s connected to
electronic apparatus that’s connected to a bunch of computer monitors on our
a bunch of computer monitors on our
a bunch of computer monitors on our barge and we just drive lanes back and
barge and we just drive lanes back and
barge and we just drive lanes back and forth throughout the lake and we
forth throughout the lake and we
forth throughout the lake and we basically what we like to call mow the
basically what we like to call mow the
basically what we like to call mow the lawn and what that does is it pings it
lawn and what that does is it pings it
lawn and what that does is it pings it uses sound sort of like a fish finder
uses sound sort of like a fish finder
uses sound sort of like a fish finder then it catches the echo back off of the
then it catches the echo back off of the
then it catches the echo back off of the off of the lake bed but it also reads
off of the lake bed but it also reads
off of the lake bed but it also reads into the sediments so that gives us an
into the sediments so that gives us an
into the sediments so that gives us an idea of the depth of the sediment how
idea of the depth of the sediment how
idea of the depth of the sediment how thick they are levels of compaction you
thick they are levels of compaction you
thick they are levels of compaction you can actually see some some Stratego fior
can actually see some some Stratego fior
can actually see some some Stratego fior different layers of sediment in the
different layers of sediment in the
different layers of sediment in the electronic readout
the second phase is subsequent to the
the second phase is subsequent to the first because the sub bottom profile
first because the sub bottom profile
first because the sub bottom profile survey will give us an idea of what
survey will give us an idea of what
survey will give us an idea of what targets are the best in order to take
targets are the best in order to take
targets are the best in order to take core samples which will give us a
core samples which will give us a
core samples which will give us a snapshot of that depositional history
snapshot of that depositional history
snapshot of that depositional history [Music]
[Music]
[Music] we’ll take the core samples back to the
we’ll take the core samples back to the
we’ll take the core samples back to the laboratory will to be cut in half and
laboratory will to be cut in half and
laboratory will to be cut in half and then we will do the analysis of the
then we will do the analysis of the
then we will do the analysis of the sediments this clay is kind of showing
sediments this clay is kind of showing
sediments this clay is kind of showing soil development and then it would make
soil development and then it would make
soil development and then it would make sense that charcoal and that possibly
sense that charcoal and that possibly
sense that charcoal and that possibly campfires and that will allow us to have
campfires and that will allow us to have
campfires and that will allow us to have a better understanding of truly what the
a better understanding of truly what the
a better understanding of truly what the history was here and what were people
history was here and what were people
history was here and what were people doing and what was the environment like
doing and what was the environment like
doing and what was the environment like over the course of time here in the
over the course of time here in the
over the course of time here in the springs we’re optimistic that the
springs we’re optimistic that the
springs we’re optimistic that the results of this project are going to
results of this project are going to
results of this project are going to help guide and direct and make more
help guide and direct and make more
help guide and direct and make more efficient archaeological and scientific
efficient archaeological and scientific
efficient archaeological and scientific research for many many years to come to
research for many many years to come to
research for many many years to come to get this kind of seed money to help do
get this kind of seed money to help do
get this kind of seed money to help do this Phase one survey or assessment has
this Phase one survey or assessment has
this Phase one survey or assessment has been really important for us working in
been really important for us working in
been really important for us working in this environment is really cool not to
this environment is really cool not to
this environment is really cool not to mention the fact that this is right on
mention the fact that this is right on
mention the fact that this is right on campus being able to work in a setting
campus being able to work in a setting
campus being able to work in a setting of such natural beauty and and actually
of such natural beauty and and actually
of such natural beauty and and actually interact with history we’re barely
interact with history we’re barely
interact with history we’re barely scratching the surface on on what this
scratching the surface on on what this
scratching the surface on on what this area has to tell us about our past
area has to tell us about our past
area has to tell us about our past [Music]
”
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