Phase 1 Cultural Resources Survey Proposed Hard labor Creek Reservoir, Walton County

Background. From July 1998 through May 1999, R.S. Webb & Associates (RSWA) conducted a Phase I cultural resources survey of the proposed Hard Labor Creek Reservoir in Walton County, Georgia. The project was performed in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended to meet the conditions of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permitting under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The assessment was conducted to locate and identify cultural resources within the project area and assess resource significance based on National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) criteria [36 CFR Part 60.4]. The proposed reservoir covers an area of approximately 647.8 hectares (1,600 acres) at a normal pool elevation of 213.5 meters (m) (700 feet) above mean sea level. The Area of Potential Effects (APE) was defined as extending to the land acquisition line at the 219.6-m (720-foot) contour. Literature Review The study included a literature/records search and a field survey of the project area. A review of pertinent NRHP files, historic structures files and archeological site files revealed that no archeological or historical resources are located in the project area. Six state-recognized historic structures or properties are located within 1.6 km (one mile) of the project area. Through examination of historic maps and early aerial photographs and interviews with local informants, 16 structure/structural complex locations were identified within or immediately adjacent to the project area. Information gathered during the literature review was field-checked during the survey. Field Survey A combination of shovel testing on a 30-m grid, surface inspection and landscape scanning were used to intensively survey the reservoir site. Much of the project area was found to be severely eroded due to past and recent land use activities. A total of 63 sites and 20 isolated artifact finds were recorded (Table I). The resources include 42 prehistoric sites, 15 prehistoric isolates, four historic sites, five historic isolates, and 17 sites with both prehistoric and historic components. Prehistoric sites include lithic scatters (n=51) and lithic and ceramic scatters (n=7) with components dating to the Paleoindian/Early Archaic (n = 1), Early Archaic (n = 3), Middle Archaic (n = 5), Late Archaic (n=5), Woodland (n=2), Early to Middle Woodland (n=1), Middle to Late Woodland (n=2), Late Woodland/Mississippian (n = 1), Woodland/Mississippian (n =2) and unknown prehistoric (n =40). Historic sites include a cemetery, house sites (n = 5) and artifact scatters (n=15). Components date to the late 19th (n = 1), middle 19'h/early 20`' century (n=1), late 19th/early 20th century (n = 9), late 19th/middle 20th century (n=2), late 19'/late 20' century (n=1), early/middle 20' century (n=6), early/late 20' century (n = 1) and unknown historic (n = 1). NRHP and Management Recommendations As a result of the survey, five sites (Sites 9Wn71, 9Wn78, 9Wn87, 9Wn104,and 9Wn113) are recommended potentially eligible for the NRHP. Sites 9Wn71 and 9Wn87 are both within the 219.6 m flood zone, but outside the 213.5 m normal pool level contour. Avoidance is recommended for Site 9Wn71 and Site 9Wn87, a historic cemetery. The remaining three potentially eligible sites are below the normal pool level contour. Phase II testing is recommended for these sites to clearly assess their NRHP eligibility. This will entail additional shovel testing and the excavation of two by two-meter units on each site.