AbstractsAnthropology

Gas Wells and Their Impact on Archaeological Sites in Bradford County, Pennsylvania

by Daniel Richard Sandrowicz




Institution: Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Department:
Year: 2015
Keywords: Archaeology ; Cultural Resource Management ; Geographic Information Systems ; Marcellus ; Predictive Model ; Remote Sensing
Record ID: 2061996
Full text PDF: http://hdl.handle.net/2069/2301


Abstract

This study involves creating archaeological predictive models (APMs) for Bradford County, Pennsylvania: a known site model, a regression analysis model, and a multi-criteria analysis model. The APMs show the areas of highest sensitivity for archaeological sites but utilize different methods so that the models can be compared. The thesis also compares locations of known archaeological sites and the areas of high archaeological probability to natural gas well sites to determine the impact of natural gas drilling on the archaeological record. Finally, the thesis addresses whether new archaeological sites can be located using different types of remote sensing. The goal of this study is to provide a planning strategy for the protection of cultural resources. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania statewide historic plan for 2012-2017 calls for the creation of a statewide archaeological probability map. This study provides a baseline for the future creation of predictive models for the state of Pennsylvania.