2011:034 - TIRCREVEN HYDRO SCHEME, TIRCREVEN, Antrim

Monitoring of topsoil-stripping was carried out on behalf of Hydro NI in response to conditions imposed upon the scheme in relation to a proposed hydroelectric power development at Tircreven Road/Big Drain River, Limavady, Co Derry.

Monitoring was carried out over a period of three days along the route of the proposed hydroelectric pipeline. It revealed topsoil to be on average 0.2–0.4m thick along the greater portion of the pipeline, with subsoil consisting of a mix of dry orange-brown boulder clays to wetter dark brown gley clays. Monitoring of the excavation of the pipe trench revealed that the northern portion of the proposed scheme extended through an area of historic flooding, with an approximate 0.5–1m depth of flood material consisting of layers of light brown–grey silting deposits overlying a pebbly raised beach material below. While finished levels along the pipeline extended to the top of the raised beach material at this point, the pipeline did not extend beyond the depth of flood material and eventually cut through a large embankment which extended adjacent to Big Drain River. The majority of the pipeline proved to be sterile of archaeological remains, but a small potential prehistoric occupation site was identified within the middle portion of the scheme in the form of a series of small stake-hole features, two post-holes, two pits and a linear ditch extending along the trench for a distance of 7m. A single small sherd of prehistoric pottery of probable Bronze Age date was recovered from the ground surface surrounding the stake-holes; this, along with the flakes of struck flint recovered from the two post-holes, suggests that the archaeological remains uncovered represent the remains of a prehistoric occupation site.

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