Enclosed are several site maps that illustrate the proper site boundaries for archaeological sites investigated during TRC Garrow Associates' Phase II study of 117 sites within the floodpool of the proposed West Georgia Reservoir. These are included in response to Comment 1 in your letter of July 8, 1997, that concerns the documents referenced above. A map detailing the APE cannot be developed until the size and configuration of the West Georgia Reservoir is known. This decision has not yet been finalized, nor have decisions been made with regard to the location of all ancillary facilities related to the operation of the reservoir. Our study assumed a maximum floodpool level of 1,010 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) for the Tallapoosa system, and 1,020 feet AMSL for the Beach Creek system. All of the relevant archaeological sites and architectural resources within the APE of that footprint were assessed. The study we conducted was essential to the overall planning effort for the proposed reservoir, and concerns about the final APE cannot be addressed until further decisions are made. The final pool elevation will be determined after the ACF/ACT Comprehensive Study is completed and an environmental impact statement (EIS) has been prepared on the proposed regional reservoir. The APE will be defined, and the potential impacts on cultural resources will be addressed in detail, during the EIS process. The Georgia State Historic Preservation Officer and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be included in the scoping process by having an opportunity to review the Draft EIS and provide comments on the final proposed project.
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