Submerged Cultural Resources Survey of the U.S. Navy’s Kings Bay Navigation Channel, Nassau County, Florida & Camden County, Georgia

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District (USACE-SAJ) is proposing to dredge the U.S. Navy’s Kings Bay Navigation Channel, which separates Amelia Island, Florida to the south from Cumberland Island, Georgia to the north. In order to determine the proposed project’s effects on potentially significant submerged cultural resources USACE-SAJ contracted with LG2 Environmental Solutions, Inc. (LG2ES) of Jacksonville, Florida, and their subcontractor RECON Offshore (RECON) of Pensacola, Florida, to conduct a comprehensive submerged cultural resources investigation of the Kings Bay Navigation Channel consisting of a Remote Sensing Survey followed by a Diver Identification Survey. Field research for the project was conducted between 23 June and 28 September 2021. The Remote Sensing Survey detected 188 magnetic anomalies, 32 acoustic side-scan sonar targets, and 17 sub-bottom features. RECON’s analysis of the remote sensing data along with USACE review of historical data indicated that five sets of two or more anomalies were identified by geographical proximity association and/or signature characteristics as potentially associated with historical vessel remains or other potentially significant submerged cultural resources. The remaining targets are small single source signatures that appear to have been generated by modern debris such as fish and crab traps, pipes, small diameter rods, cable, wire rope, chain, and small boat anchors. No additional investigation of those remains was recommended in conjunction with maintenance dredging in the proposed Project Area. As the survey area has a high potential for historically significant shipwrecks, those five target sites were recommended for additional investigation since avoidance was not feasible. These five targets were investigated by archaeological divers through visual search and hydroprobing. The source of the primary anomaly/target at each site proved to be modern debris. No additional investigation of those sites is recommended in conjunction with the proposed dredging plan for the Kings Bay Navigation Channel.

Seven distinct subbottom profile features were not investigated by archaeological divers and, therefore, still represent potentially significant submerged cultural resources. Should future dredging for non-routine maintenance activities be required, feature avoidance or additional investigation is recommended to assess the historical significance and impacts of dredging on material generating those potential paleo features.