"Findings - Phase II Evaluation of Archeological Site 9BA1113

From December 28,2011 through January 6, 2012, R.S. Webb & Associates (RSWA) conducted a Phase II evaluation of a portion of archeological site 9BA1113, located within the proposed raw water intake site (approximately six acres) for the Richland Creek water supply reservoir project in Paulding and Bartow Counties, Georgia. The intake site is located in Bartow County just south of the Etowah River. The Phase II evaluation was requested by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Savannah District) archeologist, Mr. Dave Crampton, during an onsite meeting December 14, 2011. The work was performed to determine if the proposed intake construction would adversely affect an archeological site eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The following document provides a description of the methods employed and the findings from the Phase II excavations, along with RSWA's assessment of how proposed construction might affect the portion of 9BA 113 located within the intake site. In summary, two 1.0 by 2.0-meter test units were excavated to 75 centimeters below surface at locations with the highest survey shovel test artifact densities. No archeological features or buried, possibly intact archeological deposits were exposed or sampled during the excavations. On this basis, it appears that the construction of the intake structure will have no adverse effect on the portion of9BA1113 within the intake site, and no additional archeological work is recommended for the six-acre intake site. The nature of9 BA1113 beyond the limits of the intake site is unknown; that is, the overall National Register of Historic Places eligibility status of 9BA1113 remains unknown. For this reason, it is recommended that project-related ground disturbing activities be confined within the six-acre intake site.