Phase I Resources Survey of the Proposed Columbus, Georgia to Phenix City, Alabama Water Supply Pipeline

On September 28-29, 1998, Brockington and Associates, Inc. conducted a Phase I cultural resources survey of the proposed water supply pipeline extending from Columbus, Georgia to Phenix City, Alabama. This pipeline corridor is approximately 8 km (5 miles) long and a maximum of 12.2 m (40 ft) wide. The survey corridor width allows for the excavation of the pipeline trenches with a small buffer zone on either side of the pipeline, therefore, the project's Area of Potential Effect was defined as the corridor width. The pipeline route in Georgia extends west from the Columbus Waterworks, turns south at the Lake Oliver Dam, paralleling the Chattahoochee River, and terminates at the North Highlands Dam. The pipeline crosses the Chattahoochee River just north of the North Highlands Dam. In Alabama, the pipeline takes two routes. The first extends from the river crossing west-southwest to the Phenix City Water Treatment Plant. The second route extends from the river crossing northwest along 5 tAvenue to St. Andrews Way, where it turns west and terminates at Summerville Road. The pipeline corridor was specifically designed to follow existing right-of-way easements and/or road cuts. This survey was comprised of archival research, archaeological and architectural field survey, and evaluation of resources located along or in proximity to the proposed pipeline route. Archival research and architectural survey resulted in the identification of several architectural resources along the proposed pipeline route. These resources include the Columbus Water Works, which contains structures and buildings dating back to 1915. The Bibb Manufacturing Company complex (ca. 1900) is located at the North Highlands Dam (ca. 1920) and is contained within the proposed Bibb City Historic District, and the existing Columbus Historic Riverfront Industrial District, a National Historic Landmark (NHL) district. The Phenix City Water Treatment Plant was constructed in 1928, but significant architectural modifications were made to the complex in the 1950s and it is not considered to be a significant historic resource. Archaeological survey resulted in the identification of two archaeological sites and two isolated finds. Site 1RU434 is located along a road cut, approximately 610 m (2,000 ft) northeast of the Phenix City Water Treatment Plant. This site is comprised of a light scatter of lithic debitage on a small knoll top. All artifacts were recovered from the road surface. Site 1RU435 was identified along the same road cut, adjacent to a transmission line right-of-way. This site is also comprised of a surface scatter of lithic debitage. The two isolated finds were identified along this transmission line right-of-way as it heads north to State Route 80. These isolates are comprised of three lithic artifacts each but were not recorded as sites as the cultural materials appeared to have been either dragged or washed to their location and their point of origin could not be determined. Each of these archaeological resources are extremely disturbed and lack any additional research potential. The proposed pipeline will directly impact the Columbus Water Works, the Columbus Historic Riverfront Industrial District, and the Phenix City Water Treatment Plant. The proposed pipeline will require excavations across the property at each of these locations. However, with restoration of the original appearance of the area following the completion of pipeline construction, the proposed pipeline will have no adverse effect on resources recommended or determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The pipeline route runs between the Chattahoochee River and the proposed Bibb City Historic District boundary and will pose no physical impact to those resources. The visual impact will be minimal during construction due to the topographic setting of the structures (approximately 5 m [16 ft] above the pipeline right-of-way) and there will be no visual effect during construction. The pipeline river crossing is sufficiently north of the North Highlands Dam and Bibb Manufacturing Company complex that no adverse effects to these National Historic Landmark (NHL) resources will be incurred. All four of the archaeological resources are recommended ineligible for the NRHP and no further archaeological investigation is recommended.