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Texas Water Science Center |
By Glenn A. Rivers
U.S. Geological Survey
Open-File Report 95–751
In cooperation with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Tulsa District
This report is available as a pdf (39.5 MB).
This report describes the methods used and the results obtained during a field search for abandoned homestead sites and water wells at the former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm (Pantex site) near Amarillo, Texas. The search was the second phase of a three-phase well-integrity survey at the Pantex site proposed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The methods used to locate the abandoned homestead sites and find water wells consisted of navigating to each site using a global positioning system instrument, conducting initial cesium-magnetometer sweeps at the homestead sites and marking the locations of the magnetic anomalies indicative of metal well casings, establishing mapping grids and conducting magnetometer mapping surveys around the locations of anomalies, and excavating to identify the sources of the anomalies.
The existence of abandoned homestead sites was confirmed by remains of foundations and (or) wells at 13 of 18 locations. The existence of abandoned homestead sites was indicated by broken glass and pottery and miscellaneous debris at 3 of the 18 locations. No evidence of past homestead existence was found at 2 of the 18 locations. Eight water wells were found at seven of the abandoned homestead sites. Three of the eight wells are accessible to steel tape measurement—two are accessible to more than 297 feet below land surface and one is accessible to 277.8 feet below land surface. Of the five wells not accessible to steel tape measurement, three are closed at the surface and two are blocked by debris at 12 and 3 feet below land surface, respectively. Water levels were not detected in any well that was accessible by steel tape.
Abstract
Introduction
Background
Location and Physiographic Features of the Pantex Site
Well-Integrity Survey (Phase II)
Methods
Locating Abandoned Homestead Sites
Cesium Magnetometer Sweeps
Cesium Magnetometer Mapping Surveys
Excavation at Abandoned Homestead Sites
Results
Abandoned Homestead Sites Located
Wells Located and Associated Cesium Magnetometer Survey Findings
Wells Not Located and Associated Cesium Magnetometer Survey Findings
Summary, Conclusions, and Scope of Phase III Work
Summary
Conclusions
Scope of Phase III Work
References
Appendix 1—Corrections to Phase I Report
Appendix 2—Photographs of Abandoned Homestead Sites Before Excavation
Appendix 3—Photographs of Abandoned Homestead Sites After Excavation
Appendix 4—Lines of Equal Value for Magnetic Anomalies and Corresponding Grid Maps at Abandoned Homestead Sites With Wells
Appendix 5—Lines of Equal Value for Magnetic Anomalies and Corresponding Grid Maps at Abandoned Homestead Sites Without Wells
1. | Map showing location of former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm (Pantex site) near Amarillo, Texas | |
2. | Map showing approximate locations of abandoned homestead sites at former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm (Pantex site) near Amarillo, Texas | |
3–15. | Photographs showing: | |
3. | Cesium magnetometer and palmtop computer used during well-integrity survey (phase II), former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
4. | Magnetometer sweep at homestead site HL–4, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
5. | Staked and flagged anomaly (well) at homestead site HL–11, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
6. | Mapping grid at homestead site HL–16, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
7. | Magnetometer mapping survey at homestead site HL–4, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
8. | Downloading survey data from palmtop computer to personal computer | |
9. | Case uni-loader used during well-integrity survey (phase II), former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
10. | Well at homestead site HL–10, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
11. | Well at homestead site HL–11, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
12. | Well at homestead site HL–17, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
13. | Excavated well casing at homestead site HL–5, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
14. | Homestead site HL–1, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
15. | Homestead site HL–12, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
2–1—2–7. | Photographs showing: | |
1. | Homestead site HL–3 before excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
2. | Homestead site HL–5 before excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
3. | Homestead site HL–8 before excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
4. | Homestead site HL–9 before excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
5. | Homestead site HL–11 before excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
6. | Homestead site HL–13 before excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
7. | Homestead site HL–15 before excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
3–1—3–10. | Photographs showing: | |
1. | Homestead site HL–3 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
2. | Homestead site HL–5 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
3. | Homestead site HL–7 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
4. | Homestead site HL–8 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
5. | Homestead site HL–9 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
6. | Homestead site HL–11 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
7. | Homestead site HL–13 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
8. | Homestead site HL–15 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
9. | Homestead site HL–16 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
10. | Homestead site HL–18 after excavation, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
4–1—4–7. | Maps showing: | |
1. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–3, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
2. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–4, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
3. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–5, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
4. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–9, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
5. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–10, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
6. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–11, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
7. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–17, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
5–1—5–9. | Maps showing: | |
1. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–2, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
2. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–7, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
3. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–8, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
4. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–12, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
5. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–13, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
6. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–14, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
7. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–15, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
8. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–16, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas | |
9. | Lines of equal value for magnetic anomalies and corresponding grid map at abandoned homestead site HL–18, former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas |
1. | Approximate geodetic coordinates of abandoned homestead sites at former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas |
2. | Cesium magnetometer sweeps and surveys of abandoned homestead sites at former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas |
3. | Summary of objects found at abandoned homestead sites at former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas |
4. | Wells located during cesium magnetometer surveys of abandoned homestead sites at former Pantex Ordnance Plant and Texas Tech Research Farm near Amarillo, Texas |
5. | Errata—phase I report (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1994) |
1–1. | Errata—phase I report (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1994) |
Corrected table 4–1. | Abandoned wells at Pantex Plant and Texas-Tech property for which records exist |
Corrected table 4–2. | Former homestead landowners/tenants at Pantex Plant and Texas-Tech property based on record search |
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