Archaeological Survey and Testing for the Proposed Water Outflow Pipeline, Plant Scherer, Monroe County, Georgia

Archaeological survey and testing were undertaken in conjunction with the route selection for the proposed water outflow pipeline, Plant Scherer, Monroe County, Georgia. The field research included three tasks: (1) the testing of two rock piles within site 9M0485 that were faced by potential impact if that alternate route was selected; (2) the survey of approximately 200 m of corridor immediately west of Highway 87, which was not previously surveyed, and which faced potential impact; (3) the survey of various alternate corridors east of Highway 87, in and near site 9Mol89; and (4) the transit mapping of rock features in site 9Mo189. The archaeological survey utilized screened shovel testing on a 30 m interval. Testing of the two rock piles at 9Mo485 was comprised of plan view drawings and photographs, removal of one-half the pile, and photographing and drawing the resultant cross-section profile. The two piles tested at site 9Mo48S did not yield any artifacts or subsurface features. Their form is consistent with historic field clearing piles, but a prehistoric origin cannot be dismissed. No significant date loss will occur if the alternate route is constructed as planned through this portion of site 9Mo485. The short segment west of Highway 87 yielded no artifacts. An historic terrace wall is present, but significant data loss will not result from construction activities. Site 9Mol89 was the only cultural resource encountered east of Highway 87. The site includes a large rock mound, numerous dispersed small rock piles, and the rock foundations and chimney fall associated with a twentieth century structure. Shovel testing failed to recover any artifacts from the site. A single rock pile within the revised preferred corridor at this site was examined; it proved to be part of a twentieth century farm terrace wall. Because the suspected significant data at this site are limited to the stone mound, the other stone piles and the house locus, it will be possible to construct the pipeline through the site without compromising its research potential.