Archaeological Remote Sensing Survey of South Channel, Savannah River, Chatham County, Georgia

The Georgia Department of Transportation [GDOT] has proposed a project to widen US 80/SR 26 from just west of Bull River to just east of Lazaretto Creek in Chatham County, Georgia. The proposed project will widen the existing roadway to four lanes, widen the existing bridges and construct two additional bridges over Bull River and Lazaretto Creek. The source of fill material for the new road bed will be several spoil piles on Bird/Long Island in the Savannah River. The fill material will be transported across the island and barged across South Channel to an off loading point at the parking area for the McQueens Island Trail on McQueens Island. In order to ensure that the proposed project does not impact historic or archaeological resources that are eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, GDOT contracted with Tidewater Atlantic Research, Inc. [TAR] of Washington, North Carolina to conduct a proton precession magnetometer and side scan sonar survey and low water survey of South Channel from Elba Island Cut to the Fort Pulaski Bridge. Fieldwork activities were carried out between 7 - 10 May 2002. Analysis of the remote sensing data identified a total of 117 magnetic and/or acoustic anomalies. Thirty-nine of those targets have a moderate or high potential association with shipwreck material and one other was confirmed on sonar records as a shipwreck site. Fifteen of those targets form a large cluster covering a 350,750square-foot area suggesting a possible association with scattered vessel remains or dumped cultural material. None of the 40 targets are located within the proposed landing corridor. No additional investigation is recommended. However, if construction plans change and spoil barges are directed through South Channel then those targets that may be impacted by the increased traffic should be identified and assessed. The remaining 77 targets appear to have been generated by single ferrous objects such as wire cable, pipes, anchors or other modern debris. No additional investigation is recommended for those anomalies. The low water survey identified six sites and reconfirmed the location of Battery Hamilton (9CH953). The sites include one possible shipwreck (MI-02), a possible Civil War picket station (MI-04), two areas of wooden planks protruding from the mud (MI-01 and MI-03) and two eroding sections of the bed of the Savannah and Atlantic Railroad (MI-05 and MI06). None of those sites are located within the proposed landing corridor. No additional investigation is recommended. However, should construction plans be altered and barge traffic threaten to impact low water sites MI-01, MI-02, MI-03 or MI-04 then additional investigation of the four sites is recommended to determine the nature and significance of the archaeological record present. Battery Hamilton (9CH953), located on the opposite bank from the possible picket station, may also face increased erosion due to potential barge traffic should construction plans change. It is recommended that the battery be monitored during construction. If it appears that erosion has increased, efforts should be made to protect the site. A plan to stabilize the site from project impacts and other future erosion is currently being developed by Southeastern Archeological Services, Inc.