AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Texas officials say they worry as extreme drought dries up rivers and lakes in the state, archaeological sites will be exposed and be vulnerable to looters.
Since midsummer, the Texas Historical Commission, which oversees protected historical sites, has reported newly exposed sites each month, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday. Among the sites are four cemeteries, including an apparent slave burial ground in Navarro County.
"In many ways, this is the only way we can learn about these times and the people who came before us," said the agency's archaeology director, Pat Mercado-Allinger. "I would hope that people who might encounter any archaeological sites ... would consider the damage they might do."
State nautical archaeologist Amy Borgens said as many as 300 shipwrecks lay in Texan waterways, most of which are safely submerged, but some may soon become visible above water.
"Many of these are significant because their construction was unique or they were built regionally," she said.
"It's kind of both an opportunity and a misfortune," Mercado-Allinger said of receding levels on lakes and rivers. "It does give us an opportunity to view these resources, but we don't have the [financial] resources to deal with them. The historical commission is working with other partners out there to help accomplish these tasks."
Mercado-Allinger urged those who come upon sites protected by the Texas Antiquities Code to contact the historical commission's Austin office. So far, the agency has received no definitive reports of sites being looted or damaged.
Punishment for people found looting or vandalizing such sites can be up to 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine per offense.
