Archaeological, Historical, and Biological Assessment of the Plant McIntosh Combustion Turbine Site Effingham County, Georgia

In April, 1991, Savannah Electric & Power Company [SE&PC] contracted with Brockington and Associates, Inc. to conduct archaeological, historical, and biological assessment studies of a proposed combustion turbine (CT) site in southeastern Georgia (Figure 1). The proposed site is located northeast of Rincon, Georgia (Effingham County) adjacent to SE&PC's Plant McIntosh. Under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's Section 404 permitting guidelines (33 CFR 320-330; the Clean Water Act), SE&PC is responsible for determining the potential impact that proposed construction might have on natural and cultural resources. Archaeological survey of the proposed 24.8-acre CT site was conducted during April, 1991. The proposed site is located on a bluff near the confluence of Lockner Creek and the Savannah River, at approximately 55 feet above mean sea level (amsl). Methods of cultural resource investigation included a review of the Georgia state site and report files, an examination of historic maps, historical research, and field survey. Field survey and evaluation consisted of the excavation of screened shovel tests on a 20-meter interval across the entire site area, systematic (10-meter dog leash) surface collection of cleared/bare surface areas, and excavation of a 1 by 1-meter test unit. Biological assessments of the proposed CT site were conducted during June, 1991. These studies consisted of background research related to vegetation, fauna, soils, and hydrology, and field examination of the site for presence of protected species and jurisdictional wetlands. Results of these assessments are presented in Appendix A.