Archaeological Survey and Site Evaluation of the Flint River Project (ferc 1218) Vol. II, Project Shoreline Survey and Reconnaissance

During November 1996 Brockington and Associates conducted archaeological survey and reconnaissance of the shoreline at Georgia Power Company's Flint River Hydroelectric Project (FERC #1218), in Lee and Dougherty Counties, Georgia. The project area consisted of fee simple land along the reservoir shoreline, at or below full pool elevation (182.3 feet above mean sea level). Archaeological investigation was prompted by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing requirements (18 CFR 4.51[4] Application for License for Major Project - Existing Dam). Georgia Power Company (GPC) implemented shoreline survey and reconnaissance to meet the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). Archaeological investigations were conducted during a four foot drawdown of the project reservoir. The survey focused on shoreline areas where future development was most likely, as defined by GPC. Reconnaissance was conducted on all accessible reservoir shoreline areas. As a result of the shoreline survey and reconnaissance, artifact collections were made at seven archaeological sites and five isolated finds (Table 1). One of the sites, 9DU81 (Locus A), was previously recorded at the Georgia Archaeological Site File (GASF), Athens. The shoreline survey did not investigate each site to such a degree that definitive National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility assessments could be made; this would have required assessment of portions of sites extending beyond the FERC project boundary onto private property. However, no intact archaeological features or middens were identified on the portions of these sites within the project boundary (i.e., below 182.3 feet above mean sea level). Data were collected to provide relevant information to GPC in developing a Cultural Resources Management Plan (CRMP). Portions of recorded sites within the project boundary have been severely affected by erosion and appear to lack significant and intact archaeological remains. However, significant prehistoric settlement data might be provided for the Lower Flint River region if an intensive survey of the shoreline were implemented during a future drawdown.