082107 Elizabeth riverMaking restoration
Making restoration
of your home river a reality
of your home river a reality
Most of us work
Most of us work
or play on this
or play on this
river…
river…
The dominant
The dominant
natural feature
natural feature
uniting four cities
uniting four cities
The Elizabeth River cannot recover
The Elizabeth River cannot recover
unless all branches are clean.
unless all branches are clean.
Thank you for a great partnership –VA Beach
Thank you for a great partnership –VA Beach
Why is this
Why is this
important for
important for
Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach?
-The Eastern
-The Eastern
Branch received
Branch received
a score of
a score of
Severely
Severely
Chesapeake
Degraded.
Degraded.
Making restoration
a reality….
.
•Members
•Stormwater improvements
•“River Stars”at work, school
•Government partners in
sediment clean up and wetlands
National modelfor collaborative
National modelfor collaborative
partnerships that achieve results.
partnerships that achieve results.
“If you’re
“If you’re
looking for an
looking for an
example of
example of
the success of
the success of
partnerships
,
partnerships
,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth
River Project
River Project
is the model.”
is the model.”
-EPA former Administrator
-EPA former Administrator
Christie Todd Whitman
Christie Todd Whitman
Restoration results.
Restoration results.
1. By 2000, bay’s most improving water quality.
1. By 2000, bay’s most improving water quality.
2. Pioneer for wetland restoration.
2. Pioneer for wetland restoration.
3. Most major waterfront industries enlisted to
3. Most major waterfront industries enlisted to
reduce pollution voluntarily.
reduce pollution voluntarily.
4. Bay’s largest sediment cleanups underway.
4. Bay’s largest sediment cleanups underway.
5. First curriculum on river ecology
5. First curriculum on river ecology
2020 Goal:
2020 Goal:
Clean the river bottom
Clean the river bottom
.
.
A healthy bottom (benthic)
A healthy bottom (benthic)
community = a healthy estuary.
community = a healthy estuary.
Foundation of
•
Foundation of
•
food chain
food chain
16 percent of all
•
16 percent of all
•
living animals live
living animals live
along the bottom
along the bottom
of waterways
of waterways
Atlantic
•
Atlantic
•
Croaker, striped
Croaker, striped
bass, spot feed on
bass, spot feed on
bottom life
bottom life
Problem:
Elizabeth River sediment contamination
Elizabeth River sediment contamination
from PAH, highest in the Bay
from PAH, highest in the Bay
(463 times average for bay)
(463 times average for bay)
Cancer
in “mummichog”minnow, 60 to 90 percent
Cancer
in “mummichog”minnow, 60 to 90 percent
Lesions, cataracts
in other fish such as “Spot”
Lesions, cataracts
in other fish such as “Spot”
Watershed
Action Plan
Action 1, Goo must go!
Clean up toxic river
bottom. 2007 goal: Restore
the first contaminated site.
-Underway: Money Point,
Atlantic Wood, Scuffletown
Progress:
Progress:
$5 million in sister Trust to clean
$5 million in sister Trust to clean
up sediments off-shore of Money Point –one of
up sediments off-shore of Money Point –one of
the most contaminated sites in the world.
the most contaminated sites in the world.
Progress: Scuffletown Creek
Progress: Scuffletown Creek
•
•
Historic cost-
Historic cost-
share of Corps of
share of Corps of
Engineers project
Engineers project
So. Branch
by VB, Norfolk,
by VB, Norfolk,
Elizabeth R.
Chesapeake,
Chesapeake,
Scuffletown Creek
Portsmouth &
Portsmouth &
Commonwealth…
Commonwealth…
Along with
Along with
Woodstock
Woodstock
wetland
wetland
restoration in
restoration in
Virginia Beach.
Virginia Beach.
Woodstock Neighborhood Woodstock Neighborhood
Before Restoration
Before Restoration
Woodstock Neighborhood After
Woodstock Neighborhood After
Restoration
Restoration
$42 Million Mitigation Plan
$42 Million Mitigation Plan
•
•
Craney Island
Craney Island
Mitigation plan
Mitigation plan
will result in
will result in
the clean up of
the clean up of
all known
all known
contaminated
contaminated
river sites and
river sites and
the creation of
the creation of
new 57 acres
new 57 acres
of wetlands.
of wetlands.
2020 Goal:
2020 Goal:
Create 10 miles of restored river
Create 10 miles of restored river
shoreline, with sections in all 4 river cities.
shoreline, with sections in all 4 river cities.
Problem:
Severe
habitat loss
50
Including
50
Including
percent loss of
percent loss of
tidal wetlands
tidal wetlands
since World
since World
War II
War II
Progress:
Progress:
dozen wetland
More than a
dozen wetland
More than a
restorationsmost oyster reefsrestored
…& the
restorationsmost oyster reefsrestored
…& the
per acre
of any river on the bay!
per acre
of any river on the bay!
Partnership with
Partnership with
LynnhavenNOW
LynnhavenNOW
Wetlands in the Classroom
Wetlands in the Classroom
2020 GOAL:
2020 GOAL:
Make
Make
environmental
environmental
stewardship the
stewardship the
industrial ethic,
industrial ethic,
Elizabeth River.
Elizabeth River.
Progress:
Progress:
Majority of largest riverfront
Majority of largest riverfront
facilities are River Stars –178 acres
facilities are River Stars –178 acres
restored/conserved in the last 2 years!
restored/conserved in the last 2 years!
2020 GOAL: Reduce toxics and
2020 GOAL: Reduce toxics and
nutrients in stormwater
nutrients in stormwater
Progress:Model
Progress:Model
strategy, 80-acre Low
strategy, 80-acre Low
Impact Development
Impact Development
plan for Scotts Creek,
plan for Scotts Creek,
under implementation
under implementation
by Earl Industries…
by Earl Industries…
including a large
including a large
green roof!
green roof!
2007 Action Plan Revision
2007 Action Plan Revision
?
?
Short-term goals up 2007
Short-term goals up 2007
?
?
Scientists now analyzing
Scientists now analyzing
latest data; stakeholder
latest data; stakeholder
group to reconvene fall 07
group to reconvene fall 07
to spring 08
to spring 08
?
?
We invite Virginia
We invite Virginia
Beach to appoint
Beach to appoint
meaningful participation
meaningful participation
and consider adopting
and consider adopting
the plan along with the
the plan along with the
other river cities and the
other river cities and the
Commonwealth.
Commonwealth.
Time Line for Revision of Plan
Time Line for Revision of Plan
•
•
Mon/Tue, Nov 5/6
Watershed Summit
Mon/Tue, Nov 5/6
Watershed Summit
–
–
Guest speakers:
Guest speakers:
Robert Zimmerman from Charles River
Robert Zimmerman from Charles River
•
•
Watershed Association
Watershed Association
•
•
Jeff Lape, Director, EPA Office, Chesapeake
Jeff Lape, Director, EPA Office, Chesapeake
Bay Program
Bay Program
•
•
Jeff Bridges, Executive Director of the
Jeff Bridges, Executive Director of the
Virginia Port Authority
Virginia Port Authority
•
•
Plan to be published and adopted by state and local governments
Plan to be published and adopted by state and local governments
June 2008
June 2008
by
by
We need Virginia Beach’s leadership
We need Virginia Beach’s leadership
in restoring one of the great rivers of
in restoring one of the great rivers of
the world.
the world.
“When the wetlands really come back,
“When the wetlands really come back,
When the forests return to the shore…
When the forests return to the shore…
“When healthy fish
“When healthy fish
and clams and
and clams and
oysters find a home
oysters find a home
in the Southern
in the Southern
reaches of the river
reaches of the river
again
again
“And the sun rises off the Altanticin the morning
“And the sun rises off the Altanticin the morning
to reflect itself in the serene, pure waters of the
to reflect itself in the serene, pure waters of the
Elizabeth River
Elizabeth River
“Our children
“Our children
and grandchildren
and grandchildren
will know
will know
that we had them
that we had them
in mind.”
in mind.”
-Charles Kuralt
-Charles Kuralt
Life on the river should
include the joys of a
healthy river.
www.elizabethriver.org
399-RIVR