The National Park Service contracted with Louis Berger and Associates and Impact7G to conduct a geoarchaeological investigation at Effigy Mounds for potential areas of disturbance to determine if prehistoric mounds would be affected by the septic system upgrade.

Impact7G used our Giddings drill rig to document soil preservation and prehistoric mound fills in developed areas of the park where previous remote sensing technology indicated potential anomalies. Our team relocated anomaly locations and placed geologic cores in the high terrace surrounding the Visitor’s Center and parking area. Extracted cores were analyzed on-site to determine the presence/absence of prehistoric mound fills. Findings allowed the National Park Service information needed to preserve a previously unrecorded mound, leading to enhanced park user experiences.