**York Watershed Council Logo**

The York River Watershed Fact Sheet

[A Publication of the York Watershed Council, this web edition contains the text of the paper publication printed July 1997 -- original text by Sally Mills.]

INTRODUCTION

The information in this fact sheet draws upon three reports and a series of accompanying watershed maps published by the Center for Coastal Management and Policy at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) in 1995. It is, primarily, a synthesis of that information, with a few other bits of analysis sprinkled in. In some counties in the York River basin, historic and changing land use data are not available. The land use information presented here comes from state documents issued during the time period 1987-1990, and from county comprehensive plans issued during the same timeframe in response to specific mandates of the Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act. Population projections are drawn from the State Water Control Board (now part of the Department of Environmental Quality) and from the Virginia Employment Commission.

Scientists at VIMS took a comprehensive look at water resources, land uses, and economic realities in the basin. It is hoped that distillation of their research into an abbreviated form will result in a wider readership, who will carefully consider the reports' conclusions. Those conclusions build a rather convincing argument for a watershed-based approach to water management.

DEFINING THE WATERSHED

The York River watershed sweeps across 2,661 square miles or approximately 1.7 million acres of Virginia's coastal plain, representing about seven percent of the state's land base. The westernmost reaches of the watershed stretch about 10 miles across Louisa and Orange counties and through Montpelier, the ancestral home of James Madison. From there, the watershed widens considerably to about 40 miles across and follows a southeasterly direction to its most narrow point, 5 miles, at the Chesapeake Bay. The York basin includes all of the land draining into the Mattaponi, Pamunkey, and York rivers, and their many creeks, or tributaries.

As one of several large basins in the state ultimately draining into the Chesapeake Bay, the waters of the York system are greatly influenced by tidal action and salt water. The daily ebb and flow of the tide is felt as far as 60 miles upriver on the Mattaponi to the town of Aylett, and as far north as the Route 360 bridge, some 37 miles upriver on the Pamunkey. Heavier, salt water flushed into the bay by the Atlantic mixes with fresh water and continues moving up into the tributaries As you travel up the York and then into the Mattaponi or Pamunkey, salt is found in a decreasing gradient from the Chesapeake Bay to the upland headwaters Both tidal range and salt content fluctuate, however throughout the year and from year to year Wind, precipitation, air and water temperatures, and other variables constantly shape how these two forces affect a particular stretch or body of river and the many lifeforms living in and along its waters.

A QUIET PLACE

Forests and farms dominate the landscape here. Satellite Images neatly confirm that close to 72% of the land in the basin remains protected by forest cover, while 18% is used to produce crops and the remaining 10% supports urban uses or holds surface water. This lack of human density is quite remarkable considering the basin's proximity to Washington, D.C., and Richmond and the fact that it straddles Interstate 95 for approximately 30 miles. The landscape projects delightfully rural scenes, but population centers radiate from existing towns like Ashland, Fredericksburg, West Point, and the City of Williamsburg.

Winding through town centers and forests and cropfields is a tremendous network of small rivulets and creeks, reaching into every corner of the land. Because water is so abundant, and because expansive stretches of the land remain undeveloped, the basin is a welcomed refuge for wild animals, birds, fish, and waterfowl, along with spectacular plants of upland forests and brackish and freshwater marshes. Several endangered or threatened plants and wildflowers, birds, and even a snail make their home here. One of four major migratory routes, the Atlantic Flyway, crosses over the watershed, drawing a seasonal parade of traveling songbirds, swans, herons, ducks, and geese.

Birds are not the only wildlife passing through. As part of the larger Chesapeake Bay estuary, the rivers of the York watershed are visited annually by anadromous fish that spawn in the freshwater reaches before returning to their primary home at sea. River herring, blueback herring, American shad, hickory shad, and the coveted striped bass are much sought-after examples. During their travels, they pass by some of the finest mollusks and shellfish found in bay waters.

THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE

Water, of course, has been around for billions of years in virtually constant supply. Unique to this planet, it is found under, on, and above the earth's surface. What falls from above is just one "leg" of its circular journey of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, called the hydrologic cycle. A host of physical and environmental factors affect how much precipitation occurs in a given location. The York River basin, compared to other regions of Virginia, experiences an ample amount of rainfall each year -- accumulating to 41 inches in the upper reaches and to about 47 inches at the southern end, with the heaviest doses in April and the lightest, in August.

Such a consistently abundant heavenly flow adds to the perception that water is, indeed, infinitely available and plentiful year-round to York River basin dwellers. But, this heavenly flow is both limited and unpredictable. H20 in the form of precipitation is the sole "recharger" of waters in our creeks, rivers, and underground supply. It is also the only source of drinking water in the basin and, as such, demands prudent use and protection.

GROUNDWATER

The water flowing through the basin under the ground can be characterized as a series of narrow bands, or aquifers, confined between layers of sands and clays, and ultimately, deep crystalline bedrock. It's been estimated that across the U.S., in some places groundwater moves just a few inches each year. So, left on its own, a drop of rain working its way down to the Middle Potomac Aquifer under the Town of Walkerton could take thousands of years to travel just seven miles to the Mattaponi Indian Reservation!

Water under ground is intricately linked to the hydrologic cycle; many variables affect its movement and availability, including climate, precipitation, topography, and underlying soil structure. All of these variables over which we have no control affect the total available supply. Human intervention into the hydrologic cycle in the form of industrial, commercial, agricultural, and residential water withdrawals affects net supply.

In the York River watershed, the largest withdrawer of water under the ground is St. Laurent of Canada (formerly Chesapeake Corporation), which is permitted to withdraw up to 16 million gallons per day (mgd) from as many as 16 different wells. A long history of water withdrawals at this site has outstripped the replenishment rate of the water under ground. As a result, a significant area under ground has experienced a drop in the water table, or a "cone of depression." Over time, the depression becomes vulnerable to salt water intrusion of both the water table and surface waters.

The balance of groundwater withdrawn is pumped to houses and businesses hooked up to conventional or artesian wells. Folks in the York watershed draw their drinking water from the Brightseat-Upper Potomac, the Aquia, the Middle Potomac, and the Lower Potomac aquifers, the latter situated as far as 1,500 feet down under.

SURFACE WATER

Creeks, streams, and rivers form an intricate water network across the drainage basin. From overhead, it appears that almost every square mile of land is blessed with these threads of life, woven in a dendritic (or treelike) pattern. Thousands of tiny streams weave their way to a somewhat larger stream that, in turn, flows to one of the three main water bodies of the basin: the Mattaponi River, the Pamunkey River, or south of West Point to the main stem of the York River. Situated near the northwest corner of the basin rests 13,000-acre Lake Anna. This tremendous outdoor "sink" acts as a critical coolant for the reactors at Virginia Power's upriver power plant while providing a great recreational outlet for lake visitors and residents of Louisa, Orange, and Spotsylvania counties.

Watershed boundaries, unfortunately, do not follow political boundaries, but by looking at the percentage of land area in the basin -- county by county -- we can very roughly extrapolate population numbers and housing units for the watershed. Based on this very crude method, we can estimate that surface water supplies drinking water to approximately 37,350 homes through private or public centralized systems. In addition, it nourishes thousands of acres of field crops and nursery stock. It freshens the greens on a number of golf courses. It cools nuclear reactors that generate electric power. And, it is a key ingredient in processing waste at two sewage treatment plants.

Moving downriver to the Town of West Point, where the Mattaponi and Pamunkey rivers converge, water more closely resembles the saltier conditions found in the Chesapeake Bay. Again, here sits a sizable paper mill, St. Laurent, withdrawing water every day (most of it from under ground) for processing and power generation, and discharging treated water into the Pamunkey River. From this point south, on the York River proper, water is claimed by two large industrial users: the Amoco oil refinery and Virginia Power's Yorktown plant. Other major users include a number of military operations, such as the Naval Weapons Station, Camp Peary, and the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve Training Center. Industries and municipalities currently discharge treated water at 89 different points throughout the watershed. These "point source" discharges are especially heavy along the I-95 corridor.

A CHANGING LANDSCAPE

Due to their extensive treasure trove of wildlife, the woods and waters of the York draw thousands of recreational hunters, fishermen, photographers, and artists each year. The rivers' scenic shorelines and relative isolation attract hundreds of recreational boaters and, more recently, personal watercraft like jetskis. Expansive views of the Chesapeake and quaint coastal villages beckon cyclists and a growing number of tourists. Whether this started the "domino effect" of seasonal-visitors-turned-year-round residents is anyone's guess, but it's undeniable that the region is undergoing a discovery process by many throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.

An increase in seasonal and year-round traffic places more demands on sensitive natural areas and underscores the need to plan for and carefully manage the growing pressures from inside and outside the basin on its spectacular resources.

To cite just a few sobering bits of data that highlight the changes taking place here, consider the following:

Overall, the population of the 11 counties and City of Williamsburg (some of whom live outside the drainage basin) was 249,490 in 1980. According to 1990 reports, that number was 328,261, representing a 32% increase in just ten years. And using more conservative estimates, regional population is projected to reach almost 584,000 by the year 2030, representing a 43.7% increase over 1990.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Growth usually signals economic health, but for the counties and towns in the York watershed, it has brought mixed results. Historically, the local economy was built upon forestry and farming and the many supporting industries associated with those products. Today, the upper and lower reaches of the basin are facing rapid growth in the residential sector, sprouting houses where once were crops and trees. Also benefitting from strong residential growth is King William County in the middle of the watershed. The quandary is this: parallel growth in commerce has been slow to take off (though recently showing promise in Hanover and Gloucester counties). The disparity between growth in these complementary sectors of the economy has created in several counties a commuter phenomenon in which residents travel to Richmond, Williamsburg, and Hampton Roads for non-farming and non-timbering jobs. The fastest growing areas, then, do not always receive the full tax benefits of the new residential base. Instead, they lose valuable sales tax revenues to the counties where these commuters travel to for work, shopping, and professional services.

In James City County, for example, the number of building permits issued between 1980 and 1990 rose by 38%, but commercial permits issued during the same period actually fell by 87%. In 1990, 89% of county residents commuted to jobs outside of the county. Similarly, Gloucester County has enjoyed strong growth in its population since 1970 but still faces the fact that as of 1990, 60% of its residents work outside the county. The opportunity lost to capture sales taxes from these commuters exacerbates a critical county need for revenue streams to reduce the infrastructure costs and debt burden created by its residential growth.

Other counties, such as King and Queen, remain small and wish to retain their rural character in spite of diminishing job opportunities for residents. Unemployment is high and per capita income is well below the regional average. The diminished capacity of the county to collect tax revenues hinders its ability to pay for basic, mandated services or attract a diverse industrial base. Instead King and Queen has become the site of a large regional landfill that accepts waste from as far away as the Maryland-Pennsylvania state line.

Adjacent King William County has turned to a similar large-scale solution -- a regional reservoir -- to help finance county growth in the absence of a strong commercial or industrial base.

MANAGING MANY NEEDS

While the number of people moving into pockets of the watershed increases, the birds, wild animals, fish and aquatic plants, marshes and wetlands, and -- the fundamental link to all -- water remain finite. Water resources in Virginia and across the U.S. are managed by a number of local, state, regional, and national bodies. Data collection associated with water availability and water quality generally falls to select state agencies or academic institutions, but the business of allocating water use is ultimately decided at the federal level and implemented on the ground by the state.

In the York River basin, 11 counties, 6 planning district commissions, and 7 soil and water conservation districts keep tabs on a variety of water policy issues. At the state level, issues of water protection are shared by Virginia's departments of Environmental Quality, Conservation and Recreation, Health, and in the bay watershed, the Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Department. Overseeing water allocation and permitting decisions at the federal level are the Environmental Protection Agency, Fish & Wildlife Service, and Army Corps of Engineers. Each of these agencies contributes to our understanding of the health and availability of water in our watershed. But each is an institution with a specific mission, or spin, on natural resource matters. Complicating the equation is the fact that not one of these governing bodies neatly aligns with the boundaries of the watershed. Soil and water conservation districts often straddle two different drainage basins, and regional planning district commissions many times represent only a portion of a given watershed. So while higher levels of governing bodies may "manage" a larger piece of the watershed mosaic, no one is looking at the entire picture, basin-wide.

One can imagine, without pointing any fingers, that a framework with multiple layers of overlapping but distinctly unique management goals can lead to inconsistencies in data format, problems in data retrieval and consolidation, and in some cases, sluggish response times on allocation decisions, or permits. In extreme cases, such a framework lends itself open to abuse by those outside the system, especially prospective "users" flaunting big bucks.

Aggravating the current management system are resource limitations faced at the local level. Specifically, data on land use and sensitive environmental areas quickly become invalid in areas experiencing rapid change. Satellite imaging is the most expedient way to document land use, but it is expensive and out of reach for many rural counties. Unfortunately, the data captured by satellite form the very cornerstone of many local and regional land-use decisions.

In summary, the current, top-down method of managing Virginia's water resources does not capture or consolidate comprehensive data for the purpose of watershed-wide planning and decision making.

A NEW APPROACH

By closely studying topography, specifically soils and slopes, and where the surface water in a given creek travels to, it is possible to divide a large stream network into common points of drainage. The smaller drainage areas, like blocks of a quilt, can then be observed. analyzed, and managed over time. Once established, the sub-drainage areas (called hydrologic units) are recorded on a topographic map, based on methods developed by the U.S. Geological Survey.

There are 27 hydrologic units, or sub-watersheds, in the basin. The designation of discrete drainage units across the larger landscape allows for transfer of information about each unit, or "cell," into a database, and gives us the ability to look at specific land-use parameters or frame specific land-use questions in the form of an overlay map placed on top of a base map.

Sub-watersheds, then, give us the ability to consider the physical conditions in the local landscape to project the impacts of a proposed land-use change. For instance, by "zooming in" on the physical conditions in Cell F19 (e.g., soil characteristics, number of feeder creeks, local ridge lines and slopes, existing forest cover, etcetera) and comparing those conditions to an adjacent cell, say F20, a county might decide that Cell F20, is better suited for a new subdivision, and make provisions to steer future growth there when updating its comprehensive plan. Perhaps the soils in Cell F19 are so sandy and slopes along the river corridor so steep that the best land use for that cell is the extensive forest cover that currently exists. The land and water in Cell F19 might best be protected through designation as a forestal district.

Likewise, a hydrologic unit provides an opportunity for the people who live within its bounds to become actively involved in getting to know their local water resources-to monitor their rivers and to protect the water flowing through their "backyard." The size of the sub-watershed is designed to make it accessible to those of us, both professional and lay people, who must ultimately steward the longterm health of our creeks and rivers.

Sub-watershed units provide a sound basis for watershed planning and land-use management decisions. Sub-watersheds also create a manageable basis on which to account for those decisions and a tangible basis to measure our success in balancing land-use needs with water quality protection.

FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS

Given the long history of abundant forest cover and lack of human density in the York basin, residents continue today to think of the region as water rich. And from the earliest records of explorers and naturalists, we know that the tributaries of the York basin are pristine, supporting a magnificent array of flora and fauna. The Pamunkey Indians have hunted, fished, and trapped along the lower shores of the Pamunkey River for several hundred years and tell magnificent stories of wild game and bountiful fish of the marshes and shallows.

But we know, of course, that more people moving into the watershed means increased pressure on conflicting uses and less water coming out of the spigot for the rest of us. By studying the legendary water "battles" occurring along the West Coast, and the high cost of water for residential use throughout much of the East Coast north and south of here, it's apparent that what the York River watershed has offered to date is rare indeed. And it is no surprise to anyone following water issues in Virginia that the "have- nots" outside the basin are turning their gaze here.

The past ten years alone have witnessed requests from James City County and Hanover County for water to serve people mainly outside the basin. Folks in the mid-reaches of the watershed are currently embroiled in a fight to stop a reservoir project that, if built, will withdraw up to 75 mgd of fresh water from the Mattaponi River and pipe it to customers in Newport News and beyond. The proposed King William reservoir, as mentioned earlier, is one method of financing county growth while safeguarding long-term water supply for the project's host (in this case, King William County).

Even if all requests for water from outside the basin were turned down, the VIMS study predicts a shortfall in basin-wide supply, perhaps as early as the turn of the century for a few population centers. Spotsylvania County and Williamsburg may be the first to feel the pinch, but Hanover and New Kent counties will likely face this problem by the year 2030 if population- projections hold. The eventuality of a water shortfall, then, will be exacerbated by successful "grabs" from coastal cities or urbanizing counties outside the basin.

All of this suggests it may be time to re-think how we manage the water in a watershed. Clearly, water supply and water quality issues require a comprehensive, holistic approach that draws upon the best information available at each level of government and academia but transcends arbitrary political boundaries.

The York Watershed Council formed in 1996 to stimulate public debate over these ideas and, specifically, promote watershed-wide planning and management of water resources in the York basin. If you would like to get involved in this effort or would like more information about the council, contact the project coordinator at (804) 769-0841 phone/fax, or send an e-mail message to: coordinator@yorkwatershed.org or visit our web site at http://www.yorkwatershed.org.

The York Watershed Council would like to thank the Center for Coastal Management and Policy at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science for its continued support. Copies of the 1995 York River Basin reports are available upon request by calling the Center at (804) 684-7380.

References:

 

© Copyright 1997, 1998, The York Watershed Council
All rights reserved.

York Watershed Council Home Page:
www.yorkwatershed.org

This Page:
www.yorkwatershed.org/factshet.htm

Updated: 08-AUG-98

Webmaster: Mike Gilbert  of  Gilbert Consulting Services, Inc.