1. Looking to the Future to Protect the Past: Managing the effects of climate change and sea level rise on archaeological sites at Fort Eustis, Newport News, Virginia
Scott Seibel, RPA
7 April 2017

2. Threat of Global Climate Change to Cultural Heritage
Global climate change poses myriad threats to coastal and riverine cultural heritage
Most pressing threat to tangible cultural heritage is erosion from sea level rise and increased tides, flooding, and storm surge
Erosive forces are increasing shoreline retreat, undermining buildings and structures, and eroding cultural heritage
The scope of this problem is international and grows more concerning as climate change intensifies
Per Erlandson (2008:168), “if left unchecked, rising seas, accelerated erosion, .... will destroy many of the world’s most important coastal…sites.”
Jamestown, Virginia
Hashima Coal Mine, Japan
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

3. Impact Assessment and Climate Change
Acute need to effectively plan for climate change impacts to cultural heritage
Need to factor in the long-term impacts of climate change to ensure that projects are designed in such a way to protect costly investments.
Need to ensure assessments focus on both short-term direct effects and long-term preservation strategies.
How can we integrate climate change into impact assessment, project planning, and design to protect cultural heritage over the long-term?
Skara Brae, Scotland
Rapa Nui National Park, Chile
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

4. Project Location and Regulatory Driver
Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia
Need for recommendations regarding site significance, long-term planning, and mitigation for 31 threatened archaeological sites
National Historic Preservation Act
Section 106: For specific Federal actions, such as those Federally funded or permitted
Section 110: For overall management of cultural heritage and establishment of preservation programs by Federal agencies
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

5. Current Threats to Archaeological Sites from High Tide and Flooding
MHHW (Mean Higher High Water) Floodplain
Shows water elevation at maximum high tide
1% Water Surface Elevation
Shows area that has a 1% annual chance of flooding
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

6. Potential Future Sea Level Rise Impacts
Estimates for Low and High Sea Level Rise for:
2020
2025
2035
2065
Impacts to low elevation wetlands over year timeframe
Loss of buffers protecting sites
Moderate to significant site impacts
As early as 2035
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

7. Examples of Erosion at Archaeological Sites
Environmental Factors Causing Erosion at Archaeological Sites
Long Fetch
High Wave Energy
Lack of Vegetative Buffers
Inundation during High Tide and Flood Events
Shoreline Orientation
Soil Composition
Bank Slope
Sea Level Rise will exacerbate all of these factors
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

8. Engineering and Archaeological Management Options
Engineering Options
Geotextile Tubes
Living Shorelines (including Hybrid)
Oyster Reefs
Rip-Rap
Reef Balls and Wave Attenuation Devices
Archaeological Options
No Action
Site Monitoring
NRHP Significance Evaluation
Archaeological Data Recovery Excavation
Alternative/Creative Mitigation
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

9. Installation Specific Recommendations
Road map for the future management and protection of Ft. Eustis’ cultural heritage.
Integrate recommendations into the Fort Eustis Cultural Resources Management Program.
Refocus efforts to evaluate significance of high risk sites to determine need for long-term erosion control measures.
Determine where short-term erosion controls would reduce threat profile while sites are integrated into a longer-term program of significance evaluation.
Deprioritize site evaluations within low-threat areas that may be buffered from the effects of climate change for decades.
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

10. Relevance of Project to Impact Assessment
Pro-active Project Design and Integrative Impact Assessment
An integrated, holistic approach can reduce or eliminate threats of global climate change and project impacts on cultural heritage
Use Available Data Sets to Estimate Future Sea Level Rise
Even simple data can provide useful and actionable information
Integrate into Long-Term Management
Lack of long-term protection is an indirect effect to significant cultural heritage
Cultural Heritage at Ft. Eustis
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

11. Impact Assessment and Project Design
How Do Project Design and Resource Protection Interact?
Modeling water flow can be used to identify locations where erosion may be increased, or diminished, based on different project designs.
Mitigation as Preservation or Effect
Planting of shoreline vegetation as mitigation can provide protection for on-shore cultural heritage
Placement of groins or seawall changing water flow and causing erosion of cultural heritage
Assess and Mitigate for Threats over the Long-Term
Preserved cultural heritage may be flooded 20+ years after project construction
Long-Term Monitoring Programs
Assess changing impacts to cultural heritage (and natural resources)
Provide remedies for failing preservation methods
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

12. Impact Assessment has a Role in the Management and Mitigation of Threat of Global Climate Change to Cultural Heritage

13. Scott Seibel, MSc, RPA Principal Investigator Education Registrations
Scott Seibel, MSc, is a Registered Professional Archaeologist with over 20 years of professional experience in archaeological excavations, research, and compliance studies who exceeds the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards (36 CFR Part 61). He is the Archaeology Team Lead for AECOM’s Germantown’s Cultural Resource Management Group. Mr. Seibel has extensive cultural resource management experience, having served as Principal Investigator or Field Director for tens of thousands of acres of Phase I archaeological survey, dozens of Phase II evaluations, and 12 Phase III data recovery excavations within the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Texas.
Education
M.Sc., Archaeomaterials, University of Sheffield, 1997
BA, Archaeological Studies, University of Texas, 1996
Registrations
36 CFR 61 (Archaeology and History)
Registered Professional Archaeologist
Looking to the Future to Protect the Past
September 20, 2018

14. Thank You
7 April 2017