Multiple complementary studies clarify which co-occurring congener presents the greatest hybridization threat to a rare Texas endemic wildflower (Hibiscus dasycalyx: Malvaceae)

The Neches River Rose Mallow (Hibiscus dasycalyx) is a rare wildflower endemic to Texas that is federally protected in the U.S.A. While previous work suggests that H. dasycalyx may be hybridizing with its widespread congeners, the Halberd-leaved Rose Mallow (H. laevis) and the Woolly Rose Mallow (H. moscheutos), this has not been studied in detail. We evaluated the relative threats to H. dasycalyx posed by hybridization with H. laevis and H. moscheutos by 1) examining their relatedness to one another via modern phylogenomic methods, 2) examining the species’ ecological (dis)similarities to one another using ecological niche modeling, and 3) looking for genomic evidence of hybridization among the three species. Our results suggest that H. dasycalyx is very closely related and ecologically similar to H. laevis, and suggest that H. laevis is interbreeding with H. dasycalyx in the wild. Conversely, H. moscheutos appears to be more distantly related to H. dasycalyx and more ecologically dissimilar, and the two are most likely not hybridizing. For these reasons, we believe that H. laevis poses a greater threat to H. dasycalyx than H. moscheutos. We offer some hypotheses as to why H. dasycalyx and H. laevis are coming into secondary contact where hybridization can occur.

NOAA Scientific Support for a Natural Gas Pipeline Release During Hurricane Harvey Flooding in the Neches River Beaumont, Texas

ABSTRACT During the height of historic flooding from Hurricane Harvey's rainfall, a rupture occurred in a 16-inch, 80 psia (65 psig) natural gas pipeline crossing the Neches River east of Beaumont, Texas. Over the preceding five days, Hurricane Harvey stalled over the area, generating rainfall totals between 35 and 60 inches. The storm broke the record for rainfall totals in the U.S., with 60.58 inches reported in Nederland, Texas and 60.54 inches near Groves, Texas. The Neches River was in extreme flood conditions, cresting the day after the pipeline rupture at a historic high of 19.59 feet (nearly 10 feet above major flood stage and nearly 7 feet above the former historic record from 1994). At the request of the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Port Arthur, NOAA's Emergency Response Division provided scientific support for the incident including on-scene support from the NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (pre-deployed in Port Arthur, Texas for disaster response) as well as technical assistance from the NOAA Scientific Support Team in Seattle and Baton Rouge. Products and support provided by NOAA included air hazard modeling using ALOHA (Areal Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres) as well as the overall hazards assessment. ALOHA modeling indicated that several significant ignition sources were located within the specific threat zone identified. However, no ignition occurred and no injury or further damage resulted from the release. This incident highlights the advantages and limitations of using ALOHA to model a subsurface natural gas release from a large underwater pipeline provided in the context of an ongoing response to historic flooding and high intensity search and rescue and emergency port operations resulting from a natural disaster.

The Ancestral Caddo Ceramic Vessel Sherd and Ceramic Pipe Sherd Assemblage from the A. C. Saunders Site (41AN19) in the Upper Neches River Basin, Anderson County, Texas

The A. C. Saunders site (41AN19) is an important ancestral Caddo settlement in the upper Neches River basin in Anderson County in East Texas. The site is one of only a few ancestral Caddo sites with mound features in the upper Neches River basin, particularly those that are known to date after ca. A.D. 1400, but this part of the upper Neches River basin, including its many tributaries, such as Caddo Creek just to the south and west, was widely settled by Caddo farmers after that time. These Caddo groups left behind evidence of year-round occupied settlements with house structures, middens, and outdoor activity areas, impressive artifact assemblages, as well as the creation of numerous cemeteries, most apparently the product of use by families or lineage groups.

The Long Site (41CE330), An Ancestral Caddo Site on Box’s Creek in the Neches River Basin, Cherokee County, Texas

The Long site is principally an ancestral Caddo site dating primarily to the Early Caddo period, and the Alto phase, on Box’s Creek in the Neches River basin in the East Texas Pineywoods. A few diagnostic decorated ceramic vessel sherds and radiocarbon dates also indicate that there is a Middle Caddo period (ca. A.D. 1200-1400) component there as well, along with a mid-19th century Anglo-American component on only one part of the site.

Bone and Shell Tools and Ornament from the Feature 2 Midden Mound at the A. C. Saunders Site (41AN19), Anderson County, Texas

The A. C. Saunders site (41AN19) is an important ancestral Caddo settlement in the upper Neches River basin in Anderson County in East Texas. The site is one of only a few ancestral Caddo sites with mound features in the upper Neches River basin, particularly those that are known to date after ca. A.D. 1400, but this part of the upper Neches River basin, including its many tributaries, such as Caddo Creek just to the south and west, was widely settled by Caddo farmers after that time. These Caddo groups left behind evidence of year-round occupied settlements with house structures, middens, and outdoor activity areas, impressive artifact assemblages, as well as the creation of numerous cemeteries, most apparently the product of use by families or lineage groups.

Marine Archaeology Assessment of the South Terminal Project Orange and Jefferson Counties, Texas

BOB Hydrographics, LLC (BOB) conducted a marine archaeological assessment in support of the Orange County South Terminal Project. The South Terminal is proposed on an oxbow channel of the Neches River, downstream from Beaumont, to accommodate loading and unloading of ships and barges and an adjacent tank storage facility. Plans for marine portions of the property include construction of two ship docks and one new barge dock. Dredging will remove sediments down to an elevation of -42 feet (ft) Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW) to create ship berths and a turning basin. Planned future expansion would increase the depth of the berths and turning basin to -48 ft MLLW. A barge dock will be dredged along the edge of the Neches River Channel to an elevation of -17 ft MLLW. Pilings will be driven to support dock and gangway platforms and to create mooring and breasting dolphins and barge monopiles. A portion of the oxbow, west of the ship docks will be filled to create upland as part of a proposed storage tank facility. Horizon Environmental Services, Inc. contracted with BOB, on behalf of the project sponsor, Port of Beaumont Navigation District, to assess the potential for submerged archaeological sites within the proposed South Terminal. Submerged archaeological sites, in this context, might be historic sites, such as sunken or abandoned watercraft, which may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or as State Antiquities Landmarks. The South Terminal will be constructed on publicly owned land; therefore, Texas Antiquities Permit 8926 was obtained prior to beginning fieldwork. A review of the cultural background determined that 3 prior marine archaeological investigations have been conducted within 3 miles of this project. At least 7 wrecks have been reported within 3 miles of the survey area. Field investigations included marine geophysical survey and probing of 2 anomalies. Geophysical survey was completed by BOB from June 10-13, 2019. A total of 78 acres was surveyed. The submerged Area of Potential Effect totals 54.7 acres, including: 34.3 acres for dredging ship and barge berths, 10.3 acres for ship docks and storage tanks, and 10.1 acres of survey buffer, mandated by the Texas Historical Commission, along the eastern margin of the dredging footprint. The Principal Investigator was solely responsible for archaeological data analysis and report preparation. Preliminary analysis of geophysical survey data resulted in recommendations of archaeological avoidance for 3 potential historic sites, designated as Anomalies 1, 2 and 3. Additional investigation was conducted from August 26-29, 2019 and January 19-21, 2020. Probing disproved the significance of Anomaly 1. Closeorder magnetometer survey disproved the significance of Anomaly 2. Probing determined that Anomaly 3 is associated with a buried, wooden-hulled watercraft, Site 41OR113, measuring 32 feet wide and at least 82 ft long. Site 41OR113 is potentially eligible as a State Antiquities Landmark and for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. All disturbance of the river bottom, related to construction of the South Terminal, must be avoided within state-mandated target avoidance buffers extending 50 meters beyond the margins Site 41OR113. If the wreck cannot be successfully avoided, then further investigation would be required to determine whether the site is historically significant and eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. All portions of the survey area, outside of the 41OR113 avoidance zone, are recommended for archaeological clearance. This study was completed in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (Public Law 89-665; 16 U.S.C. 470), requiring that the lead agency consider the effects of projects upon historic resources, if those projects receive either permits or funding from the federal government. This study complies with the Antiquities Code of Texas (Texas Natural Resource Code, Title 9, Chapter 191), which provides for the protection of cultural resources on state lands. Title 13, Part 2, Chapters 26 and 28 of The Texas Administrative Code mandates the minimum reporting and survey requirements, respectively, for marine archaeological studies conducted under Texas Antiquities Permits. Archaeological project records are curated at the Center for Archeological Studies at Texas State University in San Marcos. No artifacts were collected during these investigations.

The Archaeological Findings from the East Texas Archeological Society 2018 Field Day at the Bowles Creek Site (41CE475), Cherokee County, Texas

The Bowles Creek site is a substantial Historic Caddo period Allen phase settlement on a natural rise in the Bowles Creek floodplain in the Neches River basin in East Texas. There have been several rounds of work completed at the site, and other ancestral Caddo sites in the Bowles Creek valley since the Bowles Creek site was first recorded by Stingley, including intensive shovel testing, the excavation of a number of 1 x 1 m units in various parts of the site, and the remote sensing of a 2400 square meter area in the southern part of the site. In this article, we discuss the archaeological findings from work done at the site in May 2018 by the East Texas Archeological Society.