Sometimes you find archaeologists in surprising places!

Mike Imwalle monitoring the well excavation. Photo by Anne Petersen

On September 7th and 8th SBTHP archaeologist Mike Imwalle (in the blue hat) monitored excavation for a water quality monitoring well for the Chevron gas station site at the corner of Anacapa and Canon Perdido Streets in Santa Barbara.  Contractors for environmental consultants Holguin, Faha, & Associates will drill down thirty-five feet below ground level to install the well. The work, which has been ongoing since 2006, is required by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District in order to ensure that environmental pollutants do not enter the ground water.

Now a parking lot, and part of El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park, the gas station site lies near the Presidio northwest corner defense wall. Mike’s archaeological monitoring is required as a condition of the California State Parks’ environmental review in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to ensure that archaeological resources within the site of the Santa Barbara Presidio are not adversely affected by the testing.