An Archaeological Probability Assessment (APA) can occur before any state and federal review process. This is a quick, low-cost way to identify if the parcel of land to be developed will be flagged by the state historical commission as needing archaeological testing. Using the same criteria that the historical commission uses in its review process, we can give you the heads up on whether or not you can expect the need for archaeological testing in the future. MAP archaeologists will look at the following classes of information to predict the likelihood of archaeological resources:

• proximity to water

• proximity to known archaeological resources

• proximity to local occupation cores

• orientation of the area

• development of the property as can be traced through historic maps

• types of soils present in the project area.

Generally, the generation of an APA is a three day process- one day for meeting with you to discuss the project and walkover the area, another day to gather the necessary background information and a final day to write up the assessment. This assessment is for your eyes only and is not filed with state or local agencies. The APA will allow you to plan accordingly for your development by pinpointing the most sensitive portions of the project area, identifying the types of soils that will be encountered and letting you know what the likelihood of further archaeological testing may be. Knowing where archaeological material may occur will allow you to restructure plans or budget for later archaeological work.