A Phase I Archaeological Survey of SR 26 at the Ohoopee River, Emanuel and Johnson Counties, Georgia PI #0013748

Between June 13–20 and on July 18, 2017, TerraXplorations, Inc. (TerraX) of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, conducted an archaeological survey of State Route (SR) 26 at the Ohoopee River in Emanuel and Johnson counties, Georgia. The proposed project would involve the replacement of the bridge on SR 26 over the Ohoopee River. This survey was conducted on the behalf of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) (PI #0013748) and the lead federal agency is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The Phase I survey was performed by Jeff Thompson, Shawna Felkel, Tyler Reece, and Paul D. Jackson, Co-Principal Investigator. The Area of Potential Effects (APE) measures 3,110 feet [ft] in length with its width varying between 215 ft and 415 ft, for a total area of 24.9 acres. GDOT requires a 100 ft Expanded Survey Corridor (ESC) buffer around this APE. The ESC encompasses 42.6 acres and measures 3,310 ft in length with its width varying between 415 ft and 615 ft. The survey area for this project includes both the APE and ESC. The Phase I investigation consisted of a pedestrian survey and 30-m interval shovel testing. This included the placement of 185 shovel tests along seven transects. Of these, nine recovered cultural materials, 130 were negative, and 46 were unable to be excavated due to the Ohoopee River, inundated portions of the Ohoopee River floodplain, a retention pond, and road disturbance. The Phase I survey identified six newly recorded archaeological sites (9EM125, 9EM130, 9EM131, 9EM132, 9JH27, and 9JH28) within the study area. Sites 9EM125, 9EM131, and 9EM132 are low-to-moderate density lithic artifact scatters presumably representing short term precontact special use activity areas in the northeastern portion of the project area. The only artifacts recovered from these sites were late stage reduction flakes; the absence of shatter, flakes with cortex, core fragments, or other artifacts suggests that finished or nearly finished lithic tools were brought to these locations and worked. The available evidence suggests that the lithic reduction activities at these sites were limited in both time and scope, and that little more could be gained from further testing of the portions of these sites located within the project ESC. Based primarily on the absence of diagnostic artifacts, the seemingly expedient nature of the sites, and the apparent lack of cultural features, the portions of these sites located within the project boundaries are considered to lack significant research potential. However, because the site boundaries of 9EM125, 9EM131, and 9EM132 were unable to be fully determined, their NRHP eligibility recommendations are listed as unknown.

Sites 9EM130 and 9JH28 denote a segment of a late nineteenth to mid-twentieth century railroad (the Wadley and Mount Vernon Railroad/Wadley Southern Railway) and a ca. twentieth century, low-density historic artifact scatter, respectively. The location of site 9JH28, relative to 9EM130, suggests that it may also be related to the historic railroad segment; however, no conclusive evidence of such an association was identified during this investigation. The low-density nature and the poor integrity of both sites suggest that the portions of 9EM130 and 9JH28 situated within the project area are unlikely to retain significant data potential. However, due to the constraints of the project area, full delineation of these sites was not possible, and therefore, the NRHP eligibility recommendations for both sites 9EM130 and 9JH28 are also listed as unknown.

Only one site, 9JH27, appears likely to retain significant archaeological research potential, although further work is needed to evaluate the integrity of the cultural deposits. Site 9JH27 is located in the southeastern portion of the project area and represents an aboriginal artifact scatter tentatively dating to the Early (ca. A.D. 1000–1200) or Middle (ca. A.D. 1200–1350) Mississippian period. While the site appears to have the potential to yield information important in prehistory, further work is needed to evaluate the integrity of the cultural deposits, and since the site boundary could not be conclusively established beyond the project area limits, the NRHP eligibility recommendation of 9JH27 is also listed as unknown. Due to its potential to retain significant data, TerraX recommends avoidance of construction activities in the immediate vicinity of site 9JH27; however, given that the site is positioned outside of the project APE, 9JH27 is not considered likely to be impacted by bridge replacement activities. If avoidance is not possible, then further testing of the site is recommended to assess the stratigraphic integrity of the deposits and to determine if any cultural features are present in the portion of 9JH27 identified within the ESC.

The six sites located during this survey are all positioned outside of the project APE; however, because portions of these sites are located within the project ESC and extend to an unknown extent beyond the project boundaries, TerraX recommends that each of the six sites be designated an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) and be avoided by any bridge construction activities. TerraX also recommends that the contractor install orange safety fencing along the edge of the APE bordering these sites in order to clearly demarcate and avoid these resources.