Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
1
NATURAL RESOURCES
Gloucester County’s environment includes
many natural resources, including woodlands,
rivers, creeks, and wetlands. These assets, along
with abundant farm land, have provided a
means of livelihood and a high quality of life for
county residents for more than 350 years.
Watermen benefit from the extensive shoreline
and proximity to the Chesapeake Bay, farmers
profit from plentiful good quality soils, and
everyone reaps the rewards of living in a place
of broad rivers, forests, rural landscapes and
waterfront vistas. Maintaining the resources
that support this traditional way of life is a
priority for Gloucester County and serves as a
guiding principle in its growth management
philosophy.
The effects of population growth and land
development impact the natural environment in
many ways. These include, but are not limited
to:
• loss of plant and wildlife habitat;
• contamination of groundwater;
• saltwater intrusion arising from increased
groundwater withdrawals;
• degradation of surface water quality;
• decrease in groundwater recharge and
availability;
• disruption of natural drainage systems;
• air pollution;
• increased solid wastes; and,
• loss of the County’s visual quality.
The impact of growth and development on the
quality of Gloucester’s environment is an issue
of public concern, but environmental
deterioration is not an inevitable consequence
of population growth. Patterns of development
that are detrimental to natural resources can be
identified and mitigated by encouraging growth
in appropriate areas and by ensuring that new
development is designed and constructed in an
environmentally sensitive manner. Areas of
Gloucester County that are more susceptible to
environmental degradation should be identified
and development directed away from them and
guided to areas of the County where
environmental impacts will be less severe. The
County’s “contained growth” philosophy,
together with countywide land use and zoning
ordinances, provide the framework to manage
the location and character of anticipated future
growth in an environmentally sensitive manner.
Legal Framework
Localities are required by state laws and
regulations to address environmental issues
through their comprehensive plans. The same
enabling legislation that allows and requires
localities to create comprehensive plans
specifies what information those plans should
contain. Specifically, localities should designate
areas for various uses such as agriculture,
mineral resources, and flood plains.1 In
addition, localities should designate areas in
order to implement ground water protection
measures and provide maps showing
agricultural and forest areas. To ensure that
comprehensive plans are based on sound data,
localities are required to study a variety of
conditions, including the use of land, the
preservation of agricultural and forestal land,
natural resources, ground and surface waters,
geologic and environmental factors, drainage,
1 Code of Virginia § 15.2-2223
2 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
and flood control. Beginning in 2013, localities
will also be required to include coastal resource
management guidance currently being
developed by the Virginia Institute of Marine
Science.2
The Commonwealth also requires localities to
address environmental issues via the
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and its
associated regulations.3 The Chesapeake Bay
Preservation Act explicitly authorizes local
governments to protect the quality of state
waters through their police and zoning powers,
and requires them to incorporate the
protection of the quality of state waters into
their comprehensive plans, zoning ordinance,
and subdivision ordinances. The Chesapeake
Bay Preservation Act is enforced by the
Commonwealth through the Chesapeake Bay
Preservation Area Designation and
Management Regulations, which specify the
steps local governments must take to be in
compliance. Localities are required to develop a
local program incorporating several elements,
including:
1. a map delineating Chesapeake Bay
Preservation Areas (CBPAs)
2. performance criteria applying to
developments within those CBPAs
3. a comprehensive plan that incorporates the
protection of CBPAs and of the quality of
state waters
4. a zoning ordinance and a subdivision
ordinance that incorporate measures to
protect the quality of state waters in CBPAs
and require compliance with state
regulations
5. an erosion and sediment control ordinance
or revision that requires compliance with
state regulations, and
2 Code of Virginia § 15.2-2223.2
3 Code of Virginia § 10.1-21
6. a plan of development process that
assures that development within CBPAs
will protect the quality of state waters
prior to the issuance of any building
permits
The regulations go into further detail for each
program element. Comprehensive plans are
required to incorporate data collection and
analysis, policy discussions, maps, and
measures to implement local and state water
quality goals. Specific topics mentioned in the
regulations for data collection and policy
discussions are the location and extent of
CBPAs, physical constraints to development,
fisheries and other aquatic resources, shoreline
and streambank erosion problems, land use,
existing and potential water pollution sources,
public and private waterfront access, the
mitigation of development impacts on water
quality, and the use of redevelopment to
improve water quality.
In response to concerns about water quality
and the health of the Commonwealth’s coastal
resources, the General Assembly passed
legislation in 2011 that established “living
shorelines” as the preferred alternative in
Virginia for shoreline management in terms of
erosion control and water quality protection.
This legislation required the Virginia Marine
Resources Commission (VMRC) to develop and
implement a general permit that “authorizes
and encourages the use of living shorelines as
the preferred alternative for stabilizing tidal
shorelines in the Commonwealth” and the
Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) to
develop comprehensive coastal resource
management guidance for local governments.4
Beginning in 2013, localities will be required to
include this guidance in their comprehensive
4 Code of Virginia § 28.2-104.1
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
3
plans and plan updates.5 Although VIMS has not
developed specific guidance for Gloucester
County, general guidance, tools, and best
management practices have been completed;
this information is included in a later section of
this chapter.
Existing Conditions and Trends
Location and Climate
Gloucester County occupies the southernmost
part of Virginia’s Middle Peninsula, bounded by
King and Queen, Middlesex, and Mathews
Counties, and by the York River, Piankatank
River, and the Chesapeake Bay. Gloucester
County encompasses a total land area of 225
square miles and is characterized primarily by
flat terrain with a few areas of steep slopes
(defined as over a 15 percent grade) in the
northern and western areas of the County.
Gloucester’s climate is influenced by its
proximity to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic
Ocean, generally resulting in mild winters and
warm, humid summers. National Weather
Service (NWS) monitoring stations are located
nearby in Mathews County and in the Town of
West Point in King William County. Data from
both stations indicates that the average annual
temperature in the Gloucester area is 57°F to
59°F. January is normally the coldest month,
while July is the hottest. The average annual
rainfall is about 45 inches and is well distributed
throughout the year.
According to the National Climatic Data Center
(NCDC), the most frequently reported weather
events in the County are thunderstorms, severe
lightning, high winds, and flash flooding. In
5 Code of Virginia § 15.2-2223.2
addition to summer thunderstorms, major
producers of rainfall in Gloucester include
northeasters and tropical storms. Hurricanes
occasionally bring heavy rain, high winds, and
tidal flooding. The most significant weather
events in recent years include Hurricane Isabel,
which struck on September 18, 2003 and an
April 2011 tornado. Flooding from the storm
surge of Hurricane Isabel caused extensive
property damage in the region and many trees
were uprooted. The April 2011 tornado
destroyed homes, cost lives, and rendered Page
Middle School unsuitable for use. Storms like
the November Nor’easter of 2009 also caused
flooding in the County. Increased flooding from
“typical” weather events has been noted over
the last decade, with less severe storms causing
flooding in portions of the County.
Soils
A current survey of Gloucester soils is available
from the Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS), part of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.6 Map NE-1 shows soil types in the
County, according to the NRCS. The soils of
Gloucester County are formed from
unconsolidated marine sediments and vary
from east to west. Most of the area west of a
line running from Hayes north to Dutton
contains generally deep, well-drained
permeable soils, although it also contains some
sandy ravines. The majority of agricultural land
and forests are located in this part of the
County. To the east of this line, the County is
characterized by lower elevation and a high
percentage of soils with wetness problems.
These soils also have a high clay content that
6 This data can be viewed online through the
NRCS Web Soil Survey Tool at http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm
4 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
restricts the movement of water and limits its
utility for a variety of land uses.
Soils are classified using a taxonomy developed
by the Natural Resources Conservation Service,
which has six levels: orders, suborders, great
groups, subgroups, families, and series.
Gloucester County's numerous soil types fall
under five different soil orders: histosols,
ultisols, alfisols, inceptisols, and entisols.
Histosols are composed mainly of decomposed
organic matter, such as that found in wetlands
or bogs. Ultisols are forest soils that have lost
much of their minerals which can support
agriculture. Alfisols are also forest soils, but
have retained more of their mineral nutrients
so are favorable for agriculture. Inceptisols are
relatively undeveloped soils. Entisols are the
most undeveloped, consisting of
unconsolidated material.7 Specific soil types, as
cataloged by the NRCS, are described in Table
NENR-1 and shown on Map NENR-1.
7
http://soils.cals.uidaho.edu/soilorders/index.htm
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
5
Table NENR-1: Soil Types
SOIL NAME ORDER DESCRIPTION
Alaga Entisols The Alaga series consists of very deep, excessively drained, rapidly
permeable soils on uplands and non-flooding stream and marine terraces
of the Coastal Plain. These soils consist of loamy sand. They formed in
sandy marine or fluvial sediments.
Caroline Ultisols The Caroline series consists of very deep, well drained soils of moderately
slow or slow permeability on marine terraces of the Coastal Plain. These
soils consist of loam, clay, and sandy clay loam. They formed in clayey
fluvial and marine sediments.
Craven Ultisols The Craven series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils of
slow permeability found on marine terraces and uplands of the Coastal
Plain. These soils consist of silt loam, clay, and sandy clay loam. They
formed in marine deposits.
Dogue Ultisols The Dogue series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils of
moderately slow permeability found on stream terraces of the Coastal
Plain. These soils consist of fine sandy loam, clay loam, and sandy loam.
They formed from marine deposits.
Emporia Ultisols The Emporia series consists of very deep, well drained soils of moderately
slow to slow permeability found on marine terraces and uplands of the
Coastal Plain. These soils consist of sandy loam, clay loam, and sandy clay
loam. They formed from marine deposits.
Eunola Ultisols The Eunola series consists of very deep, moderately well drained,
moderately permeable soils that formed in fluvial or marine sediments.
These soils consist of fine sandy loam and sandy clay loam. They are on
low stream or marine terraces of the Coastal Plain.
Fluvaquents Entisols Fluvaquents are found on flood plains on the Coastal Plain. They are very
deep, poorly drained, and moderately permeable. These soils consist of
loam, sandy clay loam, and gravelly sand. They formed from alluvium.
Fluvaquents,
saline
Entisols Fluvaquents are found on flood plains on the Coastal Plain. They are very
deep, poorly drained, and moderately permeable. These soils consist of
very fine and fine sandy loam. They formed from alluvium.
Hapludults Ultisols Hapludults are found on marine terraces of the Coastal Plain. They are
very deep, moderately well drained, and of moderately slow
permeability. These soils consist of fine sandy loam and sandy loam. They
formed from marine deposits.
Haplaquepts Inceptisols Haplaquepts are found on flats of the Coastal Plain. They are very deep,
somewhat poorly drained soils of moderately rapid permeability. These
soils consist of loam, sandy loam, and loamy sand. They formed from
marine deposits.
6 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
SOIL NAME ORDER DESCRIPTION
Johns Ultisols The Johns series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils of
moderate permeability. They are found on stream terraces of the Middle
or Upper Coastal Plain or river valleys. These soils consist of sandy loam,
sandy clay loam, and loamy sand. They formed from alluvium or
fluviomarine deposits.
Kalmia Ultisols The Kalmia series consists of very deep, well drained soils of moderate
permeability. They are found on stream terraces on the Coastal Plain and
river valleys. These soils consist of sandy loam, sandy clay loam, and
loamy sand. They formed from marine deposits.
Kempsville Ultisols Soils of the Kempsville series are very deep, well drained, and moderately
permeable. These soils consist of fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, and
stratified sandy loam. They formed in loamy sediments on the upper
Coastal Plain.
Kenansville Ultisols The Kenansville series consists of very deep, well drained, soils of
moderately rapid permeability found on Coastal Plain uplands and stream
terraces. These soils consist of loamy fine sand, sandy loam, and loamy
sand. They have formed in marine and fluvial sediments.
Lumbee Ultisols The Lumbee series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils of moderate
permeability found on stream terraces and flats on the Coastal Plain and
river valleys. These soils consist of sandy loam, sandy clay loam, and sand.
They formed from marine deposits.
Meggett Alfisols The Meggett series consists of very deep, poorly drained soils of slow
permeability found on marine terraces on the Coastal Plain. These soils
consist of sandy loam, sandy clay, and very gravelly sandy loam. They
formed from marine deposits.
Ochlockonee Entisols The Ochlockonee series consists of very deep, well drained soils of
moderately rapid permeability that formed from marine deposits. These
soils consist of sandy loam, stratified loamy sand, and stratified sandy clay
loam.
Ochraquults Ultisols Ochraquults are found on flats of the Coastal Plain. They are very deep,
poorly drained soils of moderate permeability. These soils consist of fine
sandy loam and loam. They formed from marine deposits.
Okeetee Alfisols The Okeetee series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils
of very slow to slow permeability found on marine terraces and stream
terraces on coastal plains and river valleys. These soils consist of sandy
loam and sandy clay. They formed from marine deposits.
Osier Entisols The Osier series consists of very deep, poorly drained, rapidly permeable
soils found on flood plains or low stream terraces of coastal plains. These
soils consist of loamy fine sand. They formed from marine deposits.
Pactolus Entisols The Pactolus series consists of very deep, moderately well drained soils of
rapid permeability found on marine terraces of coastal plains. These soils
consist of loamy sand. They formed from marine deposits.
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
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SOIL NAME ORDER DESCRIPTION
Pamlico Histosols The Pamlico series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils of
moderate to moderately rapid permeability found on depressions on
coastal plains. These soils consist of muck and sand. They formed from
organic material.
Portsmouth Ultisols The Portsmouth series consists of very deep, very poorly drained soils of
moderate permeability found on depressions on coastal plains. These
soils consist of loam, silt loam, and stratified loamy sand. They formed
from marine deposits.
Psamments Entisols Psamments are found on marine terraces on coastal plains. They are very
deep, moderately well drained soils of rapid permeability. These soils
consist of fine sand and sand. They formed from marine deposits.
Rumford Ultisols The Rumford series consists of very deep, well drained soils of moderately
rapid permeability found on marine terraces on coastal plains. These soils
consist of loamy fine sand, fine sandy loam, and stratified fine sand. They
formed from marine deposits.
Suffolk Ultisols The Suffolk series consists of very deep, well drained soils of moderate
permeability found on marine terraces on coastal plains. These soils
consist of fine sandy loam, sandy clay loam, and loamy sand. They formed
from marine deposits.
Sulfaquents Entisols Sulfaquents are found on salt marshes on coastal plains. They are very
deep, very poorly drained soils of very slow to slow permeability. These
soils consist of mucky silty clay loam and mucky silty clay.
Wrightsboro Ultisols The Wrightsboro series consists of very deep, moderately well drained
soils of moderate permeability found on stream terraces on coastal
plains. These soils consist of fine sandy loam and sandy clay loam. They
formed from marine deposits.
Source: Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S Department of Agriculture
Soils are evaluated for their suitability for
common uses, primarily agriculture and
conventional septic systems. Typically, soils best
suited for agriculture are also the soils best
suited for conventional septic tank use.
Farmland classification of soils is shown on Map
NENR-2. Highly permeable soils are unsuitable
for conventional septic drain fields and are
shown on Map NENR-3. These classifications
help identify which areas are more suitable for
development.
Map NENR-4 shows that the majority of the
soils in the southeastern part of Gloucester are
classified as hydric, meaning that inundation
occurs for periods of time that are sufficient to
create anaerobic conditions. Hydric soils are
also found along streams and rivers throughout
the County. Although not all areas with hydric
soils are classified as wetlands, these areas
generally have a high water table and are
susceptible to poor drainage and flooding. They
are unsuitable for development or for
traditional septic systems.
8 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Prior to the implementation of environmental
and land use regulations in the County,
residential and commercial uses developed in
the southeastern half of the County where the
soils are poorly suited for residential
development. Wastewater disposal and
protecting groundwater quality are soil-related
problems that could be aggravated by unguided
future development. The previous Gloucester
County Comprehensive Plan generally
coordinated the proposed Bayside District and
Resource Conservation District, which shows
large areas of soils unsuitable for traditional
septic system use or otherwise unsuitable for
high density or commercial development due to
physical constraints. The issues of water quality
and groundwater protection are discussed in
greater detail later in the chapter.
Slopes
Most of the County is relatively flat. Areas with
slopes greater than 15% are generally not
considered appropriate for building structures.
However Gloucester County does not have any
prohibition against building on steep slopes. In
Gloucester County, most of the areas with high
slopes are along streams and other water
bodies. These are shown on Map NENR-5.
Prime Farmland
Agriculture is an important part of Gloucester
County’s history and economy. Identifying areas
that are well suited for farming is an important
step in preserving those areas for agricultural
uses. The NRCS identifies areas that are
appropriate for farming through its soil surveys.
Gloucester County possesses over 53,000 acres
of prime farmland, over 22,000 acres of land
that would be considered prime farmland if
properly drained, and over 7,500 acres of
farmland that is of statewide importance. The
NRCS classifies farmland based on its potential
agricultural productivity. Prime farmland is
considered the best for agricultural use in terms
of climate, location, physical and chemical
properties, available water supply,
permeability, and erosion potential. Farmland
of statewide importance is land that is not quite
as good as prime farmland for agricultural uses
or that requires additional treatment to
produce high agricultural yields. The precise
definition of farmland of statewide importance
varies by state, while prime farmland meets a
national standard. The County’s prime farmland
is shown on Map NENR-2. When considering
areas of the County for future land use, it is
important to identify the prime soils so that the
areas identified on the future land use plan for
agriculture and forestry coincide with these
prime soils.
Watersheds and Drainage
A watershed is an area of land from which all
water, sediments, nutrients, and other
dissolved materials drain into a common outlet.
When precipitation occurs, water runs to the
lowest point, usually a stream, river, or lake and
eventually the ocean. Gloucester County lies
entirely within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed,
which includes parts of six states (Delaware,
Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and
West Virginia) and the District of Columbia.
These watersheds, or drainage units, cover
Gloucester County's entire land surface and
eventually contribute to the major rivers.
Everything that happens to a watershed can
affect what ends up in the water.
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
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Table NENR-2: Gloucester County Streams
STREAM NAME DRAINAGE
AREA
(SQ. MILES)
LENGTH
(MILES)
ELEVATION
AT SOURCE
(FEET)
ELEVATION
AT MOUTH
(FEET)
MOUTH IN
COUNTY
Sandy Creek 0.94 2.0 42 0 Gloucester
Jones Creek 4.37 3.9 93 0 Gloucester
Aberdeen Creek 3.26 3.4 84 0 Gloucester
Carter Creek 8.51 6.4 90 0 Gloucester
Cedarbush Creek 2.57 3.7 61 0 Gloucester
Timberneck Creek 3.83 4.1 62 0 Gloucester
Sarah Creek 5.22 0.3 0 0 Gloucester
Northwest Branch 2.96 2.5 11 0 Gloucester
Northeast Branch 2.16 2.3 7 0 Gloucester
Poropotank River 39.19 15.6 123 0 King & Queen,
Gloucester
Unnamed Stream 2.44 3.3 135 0 King & Queen,
Gloucester
Woods Mill Swamp 4.92 4.6 131 0 King & Queen,
Gloucester
Poplar Spring Branch 6.26 4.6 107 0 King & Queen,
Gloucester
Adams Creek 2.87 4.5 100 0 Gloucester
Purtan Creek 1.47 2.9 101 0 Gloucester
Leigh Creek 1.40 2.2 100 0 Gloucester
Bland Creek 5.74 4.7 102 0 Gloucester
Fox Creek 2.92 1.7 52 0 Gloucester
Source: Gloucester County
Thus, effective flood control, conservation of
fresh water, enhancement of water quality, and
control of soil erosion and sedimentation make
land use practices throughout the watershed
almost as important as those located directly on
the shorelines.
The land area occupied by Gloucester County is
drained by the York, Piankatank, North, Ware,
and Severn rivers and their tributaries. Major
stream segments in the County that drain
watersheds to the County's creeks and rivers
are identified in Table NENR-12. The County’s
subwatersheds (Hydrologic Unit Code 12), as
cataloged by the United States Geological
Survey (USGS), are shown on Map NENR-6.
Sources of Potable Water and Water
Use
Present water use is a product of local
geography, water needs, transportation
patterns and requirements, social and economic
forces, and development patterns. Water
10 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
resources are critical to the physical and
economic health of the community as well as
the natural environment. Many practices have
the potential to severely degrade the water
quality and quantity. Many of these practices
and threats were cataloged through the
Hampton Roads Source Water Assessment
Program. This program resulted in a Regional
Source Water Assessment for the region’s
surface water sources, which documented land
uses and threats within critical areas related to
surface water supplies.8
Gloucester County began delivering water
services from the Beaverdam Reservoir and
associated water treatment plant in July 1990.
The Beaverdam Reservoir is located north of
the Gloucester Court House area and is
surrounded primarily by low density zoning with
two to five acre minimum lot sizes. The County
owns an approximately 300-foot to 600-foot
wide buffer surrounding the reservoir, which
makes up Beaverdam Park. The Park is used for
passive recreational activities such as fishing,
boating, nature study, picnics, hiking, bicycling,
and horseback riding. Water quality is
monitored weekly through algae counts. A
survey is conducted every three years to
evaluate development around the reservoir.
Other than the various County ordinances
affecting land use and development, there are
no special requirements or overlay district
around the reservoir to prevent or manage
pollution of the surface water. The existing
buffer area and low density zoning have been
sufficient thus far to protect water quality. The
8 CH2M Hill. Regional Source Water
Assessment. Prepared for the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission Directors of Utilities Committee and Hampton Roads Source Water Assessment Program Subcommittee. July 2001
County should consider additional requirements
if deemed necessary as a result of routine water
quality monitoring. Increasing regulations with
regard to surface water protection will require
the County to adopt more protective measures
should the development around the reservoir
continue. The County also has two wells. More
information regarding the county water supply
is found in the Community Facilities section of
this plan.
Regional Water Supply Planning
In 2007, sixteen cities and counties and eight
towns signed a Memorandum of Agreement to
develop a Regional Water Supply Plan for
Hampton Roads. In July 2011, the Hampton
Roads Planning District Commission accepted
the plan and authorized its distribution to local
governments for adoption. The regional plan
enables the localities to meet the water supply
planning requirements of the Commonwealth
of Virginia, 9 VAC 25-780. The purposes of this
regulation are to (1) ensure that adequate and
safe drinking water is available to all citizens of
the Commonwealth, (2) encourage, promote,
and protect all other beneficial uses of the
Commonwealth’s water resources, and (3)
encourage, promote, and develop incentives for
alternative water sources. The regional plan
covers the existing water supply, future water
needs and alternatives, and water demand
management information and drought response
plans.
In accordance with the Code of Virginia as well
as the State Water Control Board
implementation regulations a regional water
supply plan was prepared by staff of HRPDC.
This Plan was prepared for the Cities of
Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport
News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk,
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
11
Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg and the
Counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James
City, Southampton, Surry, and York as well as
the Towns of Boykins, Branchville, Capron,
Claremont, Courtland, Dendron, Ivor, Newsoms,
Smithfield, Surry, and Windsor. The plan was
adopted by the Gloucester County Board of
Supervisors in August of 2011. As of November
2011, all of the localities had adopted the plan,
which was then submitted to DEQ. The Plan
includes elements describing existing water use,
assessment of projected water demand,
statement of need, alternatives analysis,
descriptions of water management and drought
response actions. In the Plan Gloucester is
classified as part of the Peninsula sub-region.
Groundwater Framework
Gloucester County is located within the Virginia
Coastal Plain Physiographic Province, which
extends from the Fall Line in the west to the
Atlantic Ocean in the east, and from the
Maryland border in the north to the North
Carolina border in the south. The surface of the
Virginia Coastal Plain consists of a series of
broad, gently sloping, highly dissected north-
south trending terraces bounded by seaward
facing, ocean cut escarpments. The subsurface
is characterized by wedge-shaped
unconsolidated sedimentary deposits that slope
and thicken towards the east. The thickness of
this wedge ranges from 0 feet at the western
edge to over 6,000 feet along the Atlantic coast
(McFarland and Bruce, 2006). These deposits
consist of clay, silt, sand, and gravel, with
variable amounts of shell material. These
sediments overlay a bedrock basement of
igneous and metamorphic rocks that also slopes
gently to the east.
Many different depositional environments
existed during the formation of the Virginia
Coastal Plain deposits. In general, the
stratigraphic section (vertical profile) consists of
a thick sequence of non-marine (riverine and
alluvial) sedimentary deposits overlain by a
thinner sequence of marine (near shore beach,
estuarine, and delta) sedimentary deposits.
Beneath Gloucester there are also breccia type
sedimentary deposits associated with the
Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater (see Map NR-7).
The groundwater flow system in the Coastal
Plain of Virginia is a multi-aquifer system. The
most recent study of the hydrogeologic
framework was completed by USGS in 2006
(McFarland and Bruce, 2006). Based on the
framework, there are eight water bearing
hydrogeologic units (aquifers) and eleven less
permeable units that restrict groundwater flow
(confining zones and confining units). The
aquifers and confining units are stacked on top
of each other and often alternate. Because of
this configuration, flow in the aquifers primarily
is lateral instead of vertical. The flow moves
eastward and toward large withdrawal centers
and major discharge areas near large rivers and
the Atlantic coast. However, the flow pattern is
disrupted by the Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater,
which was formed over 35 million years ago
when an asteroid or comet landed near the
mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and created a
crater over 50 miles in diameter. The impact of
the asteroid or comet obliterated the deepest
aquifers. A mixture of materials rushed into the
crater and created a layer of sediments
(breccia) unique from the non-marine
sediments present before the impact.
As illustrated in Figure NE-1, the groundwater
system beneath Gloucester County is comprised
of five aquifers and five confining units. The
12 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Columbia aquifer, also referred to as the
surficial aquifer, is the water table aquifer
throughout most of Gloucester. In some areas,
the Columbia aquifer and confining unit below
it have been incised by the bay so the
Yorktown-Eastover aquifer is the water table
aquifer. In other parts of the county, the
Yorktown-Eastover aquifer is a confined aquifer,
covered by the Yorktown-Eastover confining
unit.
The Piney Point aquifer, Aquia aquifer, and the
Potomac aquifer are all deeper confined
aquifers underlying Gloucester. The confined
aquifers are separated from aquifers above and
below by confining beds. The northwest portion
of the Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater covers the
southern third of Gloucester. The Aquia and
Potomac aquifers existed before the crater
impact so both aquifers were obliterated in the
southern portion of Gloucester. They were
replaced by the breccia formed by the impact.
The breccia has a low conductivity and contains
stagnant saltwater in its pore spaces. The
regional groundwater flow appears to diverge
and flow around the crater rim. The Piney Point
aquifer was deposited after the crater impact
and is present across the entire county. The
following paragraphs provide a general
description of the aquifers identified in
Gloucester from youngest to oldest (top to
bottom).
Columbia Aquifer
The Columbia aquifer is the uppermost aquifer
and is unconfined throughout its extent. It
consists of sand and gravel. The Columbia
aquifer is used primarily for domestic water
supplies (drinking water and irrigation). Because
it is shallow and easily accessible, it has
historically been an important water source.
However, it is susceptible to drought and
contamination and is less reliable than confined
aquifers. In favorable conditions, wells may
yield 10 gallons per minute or more (McFarland
and Bruce, 2006).
Yorktown-Eastover Aquifer
The Yorktown-Eastover aquifer is composed of
sand with some interbedded silt. The Yorktown-
Eastover aquifer is separated from the
Columbia aquifer by the Yorktown confining
zone. The confining zone leaks more than a
confining unit and in some areas the Yorktown
confining zone may function as an aquifer. In
cross section, the Yorktown-Eastover aquifer is
wedge-shaped, sloping, and thickening to the
east. In Gloucester, the top of the aquifer is
roughly 50 to 75ft below ground surface.
Numerous wells withdraw water from the
Yorktown-Eastover aquifer and it typically yields
high-quality water. Wells commonly produce 10
to 30 gallons per minute.
Piney Point Aquifer
The Piney Point aquifer is a homogenous, sandy
aquifer. It extends over the entire county
including the impact crater. In Gloucester, the
top of the Piney Point aquifer is approximately
250 to 400ft below ground surface and wells
commonly yield 10 to 50 gallons per minute
(McFarland and Bruce, 2006). The Piney Point
aquifer includes two formations. The upper
formation is rarely used for water supplies
because of low yields and the prevalence of
hydrogen sulfide. The lower formation is a more
effective water producing zone. However, the
Piney Point aquifer as a whole is not used
across the crater where sediments contain
brackish water.
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Figure NE-1: Hydrogeology of the Coastal Plain of Virginia
Source: The Virginia Coastal Plain Hydrologic Framework
Aquia Aquifer
The Aquia aquifer only exists in the northwest
portion of Gloucester. It is composed of
medium to coarse sands. It is less than 50ft
thick and is approximately 400ft below ground
surface. Wells in the Aquia aquifer may yield as
little as 5 gallons per minute or as much as 50
gallons per minute. Typically, the glauconitic
sands found in the Aquia aquifer eventually
weather and clog well screens and produce
poor water quality. Also, it is very likely that in
Gloucester the Aquia aquifer contains brackish
water (McFarland and Bruce, 2006).
Potomac Aquifer
The Potomac aquifer is the deepest and thickest
aquifer in Virginia’s Coastal Plain. The aquifer is
composed of sand and gravel with many large
clay interbeds. In previous studies, the Potomac
aquifer was defined as three aquifers.
the most recent hydrogeologic stud
that it is hydraulically continuous on a regional
scale and the clay interbeds affect flow on a
1: Hydrogeology of the Coastal Plain of Virginia
Source: The Virginia Coastal Plain Hydrologic Framework
The Aquia aquifer only exists in the northwest
It is composed of
It is less than 50ft
thick and is approximately 400ft below ground
Wells in the Aquia aquifer may yield as
little as 5 gallons per minute or as much as 50
Typically, the glauconitic
sands found in the Aquia aquifer eventually
weather and clog well screens and produce
Also, it is very likely that in
Gloucester the Aquia aquifer contains brackish
water (McFarland and Bruce, 2006).
is the deepest and thickest
aquifer in Virginia’s Coastal Plain. The aquifer is
composed of sand and gravel with many large
In previous studies, the Potomac
aquifer was defined as three aquifers. However,
the most recent hydrogeologic study indicated
that it is hydraulically continuous on a regional
scale and the clay interbeds affect flow on a
localized scale. In Gloucester, the top of the
aquifer is roughly 500ft below ground surface in
the western part of the county and dips to over
1000ft below ground surface in the eastern part
of the county. The Potomac aquifer is the most
heavily used groundwater resource in the
Virginia Coastal Plain. In 2005, about 90 percent
of the reported annual withdrawals were from
the Potomac aquifer. Major wa
completed in the central and southeastern
parts of the Coastal Plain have yielded 100 to
500 gallons per minute (McFarland and Bruce,
2006). However, the water is generally brackish
and desalination is required to make it suitable
for domestic or industrial use.
Groundwater Recharge and
Discharge Areas
Groundwater flow in unconfined aquifers tends
to reflect surface water flow. Groundwater
flows from areas of relatively high elevation to
adjacent areas of relatively low elevation.
13
In Gloucester, the top of the
aquifer is roughly 500ft below ground surface in
the western part of the county and dips to over
ft below ground surface in the eastern part
The Potomac aquifer is the most
heavily used groundwater resource in the
In 2005, about 90 percent
of the reported annual withdrawals were from
Major water supply wells
completed in the central and southeastern
parts of the Coastal Plain have yielded 100 to
500 gallons per minute (McFarland and Bruce,
However, the water is generally brackish
and desalination is required to make it suitable
stic or industrial use.
Groundwater Recharge and
Groundwater flow in unconfined aquifers tends
to reflect surface water flow. Groundwater
flows from areas of relatively high elevation to
adjacent areas of relatively low elevation.
14 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Groundwater recharge can occur across almost
any upland surface. Land surfaces with steep
slopes are less effective groundwater recharge
areas than broad and relatively flat grassy
uplands. Groundwater recharge occurs when
rainwater that percolates into the ground
enters the unconfined (water table) aquifer.
Research also suggests that in some areas of
the Coastal Plain groundwater recharge occurs
between aquifers (Meng, A.A. III, and Harsh,
J.F., 1988). This occurs when the hydraulic
pressure of groundwater in one aquifer forces
water through a leaky confining unit into an
adjacent aquifer. This movement can be either
up or down based on the hydraulic properties
of the aquifers. The location and magnitude of
recharge between the aquifers, however, has
not been well documented.
Groundwater discharge areas are located in
low-lying areas and are characterized by rivers,
springs, and wetlands. Discharge areas for the
confined aquifers may occur off the coast
beneath the Atlantic Ocean or beneath the
Chesapeake Bay.
Air Quality
As a requirement of the Clean Air Act, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
maintains National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS) for certain criteria
pollutants including ozone, carbon monoxide,
and particulate matter (40 CFR 50). These
standards are implemented in Virginia by the
state Department of Environmental Quality and
are designed to protect the public health and to
prevent harm to the environment. When a
geographic area meets these standards, the
area is known as an attainment area, however if
an area fails to meet these standards, then the
EPA designates the area as nonattainment.
A designated nonattainment area must develop
a plan to bring the region into compliance with
the NAAQS which it is failing to meet. In
addition to developing this plan, known as a
State Implementation Plan (SIP), the area must
also implement transportation conformity
requirements. Transportation conformity
requires all regional transportation plans,
programs, and projects to be analyzed to
ensure conformity with the EPA’s
Transportation Conformity Rule (40 CFR 93).
The EPA must review and concur with this
analysis before the Federal Highway
Administration can approve it. Any changes to
the regional Air Quality transportation plans,
programs, and projects after a conformity
approval is received, must be re-analyzed and
approved before the change can occur.
Transportation conformity is required for 20
years after an area is able to demonstrate
compliance with the NAAQS. During this 20-
year maintenance period, the maintenance
area, as classified by the EPA, must maintain a
SIP to ensure continued compliance with the
NAAQS.
Hampton Roads is currently classified as an 8-
hour ozone maintenance area. The Hampton
Roads ozone maintenance area includes the
counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James
City, and York, along with the cities of
Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk,
Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach,
and Williamsburg. EPA is expected to revise the
ozone standard sometime in the next few years.
This is likely to result in the reclassification of
Hampton Roads as a nonattainment area for
ozone. The main contributors to air quality
deficiencies are heavy industry and automobile
traffic. Although Gloucester lacks heavy
industry that contributes to air pollution,
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
15
surrounding areas do contain industries and
high levels of traffic that impact local air quality.
Current limits on open burning and potential
alternative transportation plans that reduce
traffic congestion will produce positive effects
on local air quality, although these measures
will not prevent regional nonattainment
designation.
Plants and Animals
The Virginia Department of Conservation and
Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage (DCR-
DNH), and the Department of Game and Inland
Fisheries' Fish and Wildlife Information System
maintain inventories of wildlife resources and
habitats for Gloucester County. The Virginia Fish
and Wildlife Information Service Website
currently lists 446 different species found in
Gloucester County. These include quail, dove,
rabbit, wild turkey, hawks and owls, songbirds,
turtles and amphibians, raccoon, beaver,
opossum, muskrat, skunk, squirrel, woodchuck
and white-tailed deer. Bald Eagles have nest
sites established in the County. Tidal
marshlands attract Sora Rail and Clapper Rail,
and numerous varieties of wild ducks and other
waterfowl. Freshwater fish include large and
small-mouth bass and bream. Saltwater fish
include shad, croaker, spot, bluefish, channel
and black sea bass, menhaden, mackerel, eel,
white and silver perch, and a variety of other
saltwater species.
Natural Heritage Resources
The Virginia Department of Conservation and
Recreation’s Division of Natural Heritage
defines natural heritage resources as the
habitat of rare, threatened, or endangered
plant and animal species, unique or exemplary
natural communities, and significant geologic
formations such as caves and karst features.
Twenty-eight species and communities in
Gloucester County have been designated by
DCR as natural heritage resources (Table NENR-
X3).
DCR identifies and protects natural heritage
resources statewide and maintains a
comprehensive database of all documented
occurrences of natural heritage resources in
Virginia. DCR has developed conservation sites
that contain known populations of natural
heritage resources and include adjacent or
surrounding habitat vital for their protection.
Conservation sites do not represent protected
lands; rather, they are recommended for
protection and stewardship because of the
natural heritage resources and habitat they
support, but are not currently under any official
protection designation. Conservation sites are
areas that contain one or more rare plant,
animal, or natural community and are designed
to include the element, its associated habitat
(where possible), and a buffer or other adjacent
land thought necessary for the element’s
conservation. Conservation sites can be used to
screen development projects for potential
impacts to natural heritage resources, aid local
and regional planning, identify targets for
acquisitions and easements and guide priorities
for restoration activities.
A prominent example of a conservation site in
Gloucester County is the Dragon Run
Conservation Site, which contains multiple rare
species and habitat types. The Dragon Run
supports an abundance of fish, wildlife, and
plants, including ancient cypress trees. There
are six natural heritage resources associated
with the Dragon Run Conservation Site: the Bald
Eagles, the Red Turtlehead, Bald Cypress Mixed
Tupelo Intermediate Swamp, Northern Coastal
Plain Tidal Bald Cypress Woodland, Tidal
16 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Oligohaline Marsh (Narrow-leaved Cattail –
Eastern Rose – Mallow Type), and Tidal
Freshwater Marsh (Wild Rice – Mixed Forbs
type). The Dragon Run’s natural ecosystem has
survived primarily because the area is largely
undeveloped – about 80 percent of the area is
forested and the rest is primarily agricultural.
Conservation sites are given a biodiversity
significance ranking based on rarity, quality, and
the number of element occurrences they
contain; rankings are based on a scale of one to
five, with one being the most significant. The
Dragon Run Conservation Site has been given a
biodiversity ranking of B2, which represents a
site of very high significance. In addition to the
Dragon Run Conservation Site, there are
twenty-four (24) other conservation sites in
Gloucester County (Table NENR-X 4 and Map
NENR-X8).
The Dragon Run watershed is one of the most
important, largely undisturbed natural areas
remaining in Gloucester County. Located along
Gloucester’s northern boundary, this still
pristine spring-fed waterway has been the
subject of intensive study by local, regional, and
state agencies. The Dragon Run Special Area
Management Plan, produced by a partnership
between the Dragon Run Steering Committee,
the Middle Peninsula Planning District
Commission, and the Virginia Coastal Zone
Management Program, part of the Department
of Environmental Quality (DEQ), was completed
in November 2003. The plan represents a
common vision developed by multiple
stakeholders and contains an action plan and
benchmarks to measure progress in the effort
to conserve the resources of the Dragon Run
watershed. Gloucester County adopted the
Dragon Run Watershed Management Plan as an
addendum to the Comprehensive Plan in
November 2004.
The Dragon Run and its surrounding landscape
owe their extraordinary state of preservation to
the landowners in the area that have pursued
compatible land uses such as farming and
forestry. Recent scientific studies have also
highlighted the watershed’s critical ecological
importance to the region and its ecological
value, including the purity of its water, the
wealth of rare and unusual natural species it
harbors, and the rural character of this pristine
watershed. The rural way of life and traditional
landscape in the Dragon Run Watershed are
both valued by the residents of the area and
considered worthy of conservation. One of the
objectives of the Watershed Management Plan
is to “Achieve consistency across county
boundaries among land use plans and
regulations in order to maintain farming and
forestry and to preserve natural heritage areas
by protecting plants, animals, natural
communities, and aquatic systems.” As a result,
the future land use plan identifies the
watershed as the Dragon Run Conservation
District and provides recommendations for this
area to continue to remain largely rural, with
low intensity uses, so as to sustain its key
natural areas, water quality and rural character.
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
17
Table NENR-X3: Natural Heritage Resources
GROUP
NAME
SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME LAST YEAR
OBSERVED
GLOBAL
RANK
FWS
SPECIES OF
CONCERN
STATE
RANK
FEDERAL
STATUS
STATE
STATUS
Terrestrial
Natural
Community
Acer rubrum - Fraxinus
pennsylvanica / Packera
aurea - Carex bromoides -
Pilea fontana - Bidens
laevis Forest
Coastal Plain Calcareous
Seepage Swamp
2010 G2 SOC S2
Vertebrate
Animal
Ambystoma mabeei Mabee's Salamander 2010 G4 S1S2 LT
Vertebrate
Animal
Ammodramus caudacutus Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
1992 G4 S2B,
S3N
Vascular
Plant
Cardamine pratensis Cuckooflower 2010 G5 S1
Vascular
Plant
Carex reniformis Reniform Sedge 1964 G4? SH
Vascular
Plant
Chelone obliqua Red Turtlehead 1999 G4 S1
Vertebrate
Animal
Circus cyaneus Northern Harrier 1992 G5 S1S2B,
S3N
Vascular
Plant
Cuscuta cephalanthi Button-bush Dodder 1970 G5 S1?
Vascular
Plant
Cuscuta indecora Pretty Dodder 1997 G5 S2?
Vascular
Plant
Eleocharis tricostata Three-angle Spikerush 1938 G4 S1
Vascular
Plant
Eriocaulon parkeri Parker's Pipewort 1986 G3 S2
18 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
GROUP
NAME
SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME LAST YEAR
OBSERVED
GLOBAL
RANK
FWS
SPECIES OF
CONCERN
STATE
RANK
FEDERAL
STATUS
STATE
STATUS
Terrestrial
Natural
Community
Fagus grandifolia - Acer
barbatum - Quercus
muhlenbergii /
Sanguinaria canadensis
Forest
Coastal Plain Calcareous
Ravine Forest
2005 G2? SOC S2
Terrestrial
Natural
Community
Fagus grandifolia -
Quercus (alba, rubra) -
Liriodendron tulipifera /
(Ilex opaca var. opaca) /
Polystichum
acrostichoides Forest
Northern Coastal Plain /
Piedmont Mesic Mixed
Hardwood Forest
2010 G5 S5
Terrestrial
Natural
Community
Fagus grandifolia -
Quercus (alba, velutina,
montana) / Kalmia
latifolia Forest
Northern Coastal Plain /
Piedmont Oak - Beech /
Heath Forest
2010 G4 S3
Vertebrate
Animal
Falco peregrinus Peregrine Falcon 1994 G4 S1B,
S2N
LT
Vertebrate
Animal
Haliaeetus leucocephalus Bald Eagle 2002 G5 S2S3B,
S3N
LT
Vascular
Plant
Isotria medeoloides Small Whorled Pogonia 1997 G2 S2 LT LE
Aquatic
Natural
Community
NC-Great Wicomico-
Piankatank First Order
Stream
NC-Great Wicomico-
Piankatank First Order
Stream
2011 G3 S3
Aquatic
Natural
Community
NC-Great Wicomico-
Piankatank Fourth Order
Stream
NC-Great Wicomico-
Piankatank Fourth Order
Stream
2011 G1G2 SOC S1S2
Aquatic
Natural
Community
NC-Great Wicomico-
Piankatank Second Order
Stream
NC-Great Wicomico-
Piankatank Second Order
Stream
2011 G3 S3
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
19
GROUP
NAME
SCIENTIFIC NAME COMMON NAME LAST YEAR
OBSERVED
GLOBAL
RANK
FWS
SPECIES OF
CONCERN
STATE
RANK
FEDERAL
STATUS
STATE
STATUS
Vertebrate
Animal
Nyctanassa violacea Yellow-crowned Night-
heron
1976 G5 S2S3B,
S3N
Vascular
Plant
Sabatia campanulata Slender Marsh Pink 1965 G5 S2
Vascular
Plant
Schoenoplectus fluviatilis River Bulrush 1995 G5 S2
Terrestrial
Natural
Community
Taxodium distichum -
Nyssa (biflora, aquatica) /
Itea virginica / Saururus
cernuus Forest
Bald Cypress - Mixed
Tupelo Intermediate
Swamp
2000 G3G4 S3S4
Terrestrial
Natural
Community
Taxodium distichum -
Nyssa biflora - Fraxinus
profunda / Peltandra
virginica - (Bignonia
capreolata) Tidal Forest
Northern Coastal Plain
Tidal Bald Cypress
Woodland
2000 G3 S2
Vascular
Plant
Trillium pusillum var.
virginianum
Virginia Least Trillium 1984 G3T2 SOC S2
Terrestrial
Natural
Community
Typha angustifolia -
Hibiscus moscheutos Tidal
Herbaceous Vegetation
Tidal Oligohaline Marsh
(Narrow-Leaved Cattail -
Eastern Rose-Mallow Type)
1999 G4G5 S3?
Terrestrial
Natural
Community
Zizania aquatica -
Pontederia cordata -
Peltandra virginica -
Polygonum punctatum
Tidal Herbaceous
Vegetation
Tidal Freshwater Marsh
(Wild Rice - Mixed Forbs
Type)
2000 G4? S4?
20 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
TERM DEFINITION
S1 Critically imperiled in the state because of extreme rarity or because of some factor(s) making it especially vulnerable to extirpation
from the state. Typically 5 or fewer populations or occurrences, or very few remaining individuals (<1000).
S2 Imperiled in the state because of rarity or because of some factor(s) making it very vulnerable to extirpation from the state. Typically 6
to 20 populations or occurrences or few remaining individuals (1,000 to 3,000).
S3 Vulnerable in the state either because rare and uncommon, or found only in a restricted range (even if abundant at some locations),
or because of other factors making it vulnerable to extirpation. Typically having 21 to 100 populations or occurrences (1,000 to 3,000
individuals).
S4 Apparently secure; Uncommon but not rare, and usually widespread in the state. Possible cause of long-term concern. Usually having
>100 populations or occurrences and more than 10,000 individuals.
S5 Secure; Common, widespread and abundant in the state. Essentially ineradicable under present conditions, typically having
considerably more than 100 populations or occurrences and more than 10,000 individuals.
S#B Breeding status of an animal within the state.
S#N Non-breeding status of animal within the state. Usually applied to winter resident species.
S#? Inexact or uncertain numeric rank.
SH Possibly extirpated (Historical). Historically known from the state, but not verified for an extended period, usually > 15 years; this rank
is used primarily when inventory has been attempted recently.
S#S# Range rank; A numeric range rank, (e.g. S2S3) is used to indicate the range of uncertainty about the exact status of the element.
Ranges cannot skip more than one rank.
LE Listed Endangered
LT Listed Threatened
SOC Species of Concern species that merit special concern (not a regulatory category)
Federal designations are developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. State designations are developed by the Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage.
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
21
Table NENR-X4: Natural Heritage Conservation Sites
SITE NAME BIODIVERSITY RANK LEGAL STATUS
Bar Neck B5 SL
Beaverdam Creek Slopes B2 NL
Beech Swamp Uplands B5 SL
Bena Woodlands B5 SL
Carvers Creek at Route 198 (SCU) B4 NL
Carvers Creek B5 SL
Catlett Islands B5 SL
Church Hill Pond B4 SL
Coleman Bridge B5 SL
Dragon Run B2 SL
Dragon Run (SCU) B2 NL
Ferry Creek Ravine B2 NL
Ferry Creek Upstream Route 198 (SCU) B4 NL
Four Point Marsh B5 NL
Harper Creek B5 SL
Heywood Creek B5 SL
Leigh Creek B5 SL
Maryus – Guinea Marshes B5 SL
Piankatank B5 SL
Robins Pond Headwaters B3 FL
Rosewell B2 SL
Shepherdsville Church B5 SL
Signpine B5 SL
White Marsh Pond B5 SL
Woods Mill Swamp B5 SL
Source: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage
TERM DEFINITION
SCU Stream Conservation Unit
B1 Outstanding Significance
B2 Very High Significance
B3 High Significance
B4 Moderate Significance
B5 General Interest
FL Federally listed species present
SL State listed species present
NL No listed species present
22 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Important Bird Areas
The Important Bird Areas (IBA) program is a
global conservation effort coordinated by the
National Audubon Society. IBAs are sites that
provide essential habitat for one or more
species of birds. IBAs may be a few acres or
thousands of acres, but they are usually discrete
sites that stand out from the surrounding
landscape. IBAs may include public or private
lands, or both, and they may be protected or
unprotected. The Virginia IBA Program is a
grassroots effort representing all regions of the
state. The program identifies areas that are
most important for nesting, mating, feeding,
and wintering birds and, once identified, works
to protect these areas through partnerships
with local and state agencies and other groups.
IBAs in Gloucester County are shown on Map
NENR-79. These areas can be considered for
protection or conservation status as part of the
County’s future land use plan.
Forest and Farmland
Vegetation serves important functions in
maintaining the land and supporting
development by stabilizing the soil, preventing
erosion, increasing soil permeability, and
decreasing stormwater runoff. Vegetation also
serves as a buffer for adjacent land uses,
lessens the impact of noise, wind and heat,
improves air quality, and provides habitat for
wildlife. Although much of the land in the
southeast portion of Gloucester County (which
is the most suitable for growing loblolly and
Virginia pine) has been lost to residential
development, there are still large undeveloped
portions of the County devoted to forestry uses.
Good to fair soils occur throughout most of the
northern and western portions of the County
where the majority of forested acres include
loblolly and Virginia pine. Other species grown
and harvested as sawtimber commonly include
yellow poplar, red oak, white oak, sweet and
black gum, sycamore, ash, and some red maple.
About 800 to 1,000 acres are planted by the
Virginia Department of Forestry each year in
Gloucester County. Almost all reforestation
involves loblolly pine seedlings planted at 450
to 500 trees per acre. Even with reforestation at
this level, it is doubtful that the present
production of forest products in Gloucester can
be maintained in the future due to the large
scale conversion of forest land to other uses.
The latest available forest surveys indicated
that total forested acres in the County included
approximately 89,000 acres of privately owned
forest land and 500 acres of public land (U.S.
Forest Service, 2007). The 2007 Census of
Agriculture, published by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture, indicated that there were 159
active farms in Gloucester. Land in farms
totaled 22,957 acres with an average farm size
of 144 acres. Most of the farms, approximately
70%, were devoted to cropland. Soybeans, corn,
and wheat were commonly produced crops.
The 2007 Census also reported that Gloucester
County had 3,738 acres of farmland being used
as woodland, down 741 acres from 2002. Many
more acres are currently being utilized by the
forest industry or fall under private ownership.
Figures are continually changing due to trends
in absentee ownership and corporate land
holdings.
One of the County’s future land use goals is to
preserve the rural character of the community.
This can be achieved in a variety of ways;
however the preservation of an active
agricultural economy contributes to rural
character while also providing economic
benefits. In order to preserve viable agriculture
and forestry in the midst of a growing
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
23
residential population, more active support of
agriculture and forestry may be needed. This
can be done through practical land use policies
and local regulations that support profitability
of these industries while also recognizing and
accommodating for the changing nature of
agriculture.
Critical Areas
The regulations of the Chesapeake Bay
Preservation Act (CBPA) require that local
comprehensive plans address existing natural
limitations of the land that can act as physical
constraints to development. These may include:
flood prone areas, highly erodible soils, highly
permeable soils, wetlands, steep slopes, hydric
soils, seasonally high water tables, groundwater
recharge areas, significant wildlife habitat areas,
prime agricultural lands, and protected lands.
An assessment of soils for septic tank suitability
is also required, although engineered septic
systems now allow for development where soils
are unsuitable for traditional septic systems.
Gloucester County adopted a CBPA ordinance
as the cornerstone of its response to state and
interstate efforts to help protect and restore
the Bay. As part of the ordinance, Gloucester
designated CBPA areas that apply to all
property in the County. Sensitive areas such as
tidal shores, wetlands, and highly erodible soils
are designated as Resource Protection Areas
(RPAs) and include minimum 100-foot wide
riparian buffers landward of these
environmentally sensitive areas. All other lands
in the County are classified as Resource
Management Areas (RMAs), and are intended
to protect the integrity of the RPAs. As a result,
the County’s CBPA Ordinance acts as an overlay
district for the entire County regardless of the
zoning district. Gloucester County’s Site Plan
Handbook summarizes the County’s
Chesapeake Bay regulations in checklist form
and includes stormwater calculation
worksheets that can be used by developers to
achieve compliance with pollutant removal
requirements.
Shorelines
Shoreline conditions are described along
primary and secondary shorelines, and
characteristics are described for all contiguous
navigable tidal waterways. The report covers
492.46 miles of the total 506.6 miles of
shoreline, with approximately 98 miles coded
remotely.9 The shoreline of Gloucester County
is made up primarily of various types of marsh.
The only segments of the Gloucester shore not
considered low shore are along the York River
from the Poropotank River to Sarah Creek. In
this area, much of the land is classified as
moderately low shore with bluffs ranging in
height from 20 to 40 feet. The rest of the shore
zone is composed of beaches. According to the
Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS),
three beaches – near Fox Creek, around
Gloucester Point, and on lower Jenkins Neck
around Sandy Point – have the potential for
medium- to high-intensity recreational uses
(2008).
Natural and Altered Shoreline Features
The Gloucester County, Virginia Shoreline
Inventory Report produced by VIMS indicates
9 The Gloucester County Shoreline Inventory
Report includes thirty-four map plates and a summary table describing shoreline conditions. They are available online through the VIMS Center for Coastal Resources Management website at http://ccrm.vims.edu/gis_data_maps/shoreline_inventories/index.html.
24 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
that the natural shoreline consists primarily of
marsh, accounting for approximately 90% of the
total shoreline. There are also areas of beach,
the most significant of which are located near
Fox Creek, around Gloucester Point, and on
lower Jenkins Neck around Sandy Point. Areas
of forested shoreline are also noted throughout
the County.
Map NENR-8 10 shows manmade shoreline
protection features identified as part of the
shoreline inventory. Bulkheads and riprap
revetments protect about 28 miles of shoreline
in the County. Map NR-11 shows shoreline
recreational structures, such as marinas,
boathouses, docks, and boat ramps. The highest
concentrations of altered shoreline features are
found around Gloucester Point and Sarah
Creek.
Adjacent Land Uses
Gloucester’s Shoreline Inventory Report shows
that the majority of the shoreline in the County
is either forested (44%) or scrub-shrub (29%).
Residential land uses account for the largest
remaining portion of shoreline (20%), with the
rest divided among grass, agriculture,
commercial uses, paved, and timbered areas
(VIMS, 2008).
Impacts of Land Development
Land uses adjacent to the shoreline, both
existing and proposed, are required by the
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act to be
considered in comprehensive planning studies.
This allows for the identification and analysis of
land and water use conflicts and water quality
issues. Activities on land and water regularly
impact the utilization and quality of water
resources. Potential impacts include increased
nutrients, sediment, and pesticides carried in
runoff and increased flows, which can cause
stream bank erosion. In developing areas such
as Gloucester County, local governments have
the opportunity to direct conflicting land and
water uses away from sensitive natural
resources through the comprehensive planning
process. Redevelopment efforts in waterfront
areas within Gloucester County may also utilize
higher densities and other techniques in
conjunction with preservation of open space to
help reduce impacts to the Chesapeake Bay.
Redevelopment
Runoff from developed areas carried from
impervious surfaces can potentially degrade
local water quality. Paved areas cannot absorb
rainwater and the resultant runoff can
transport nutrients, pollutants, and toxic
substances into local waterways. Some of the
older areas of the County were developed prior
to the enactment of environmental regulations
that require water quality protection measures
in their design. In this situation, redevelopment
provides the primary means of making
significant water quality improvements. During
redevelopment of these older areas, water
quality improvement measures such as
stormwater best management practices (BMPs)
and shoreline restoration activities can be
incorporated. Redevelopment activities must
also comply with impervious area limitations,
preserve existing vegetation, and may require
connection to existing sewer service. Several of
these existing developed sites are working
waterfronts and considered to be cultural
resources in Gloucester. Redevelopment of
these sites should be consistent with their
current use.
Potential Shoreline Development Sites
In Gloucester, most of the seafood processing
plants and marinas where boats are moored
have existed for decades and may be
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
25
candidates for redevelopment. Redevelopment
of older sites will also provide the opportunity
for implementation of greater water quality
protection measures. Some of the areas
between Gloucester Point and Achilles, such as
along Guinea Road (Route 216), Terrapin Cove
Road, Tidemill Road, and Yacht Club Road are
served by a Hampton Roads Sanitation District
sewer force main, and the opportunity exists for
marinas to connect for disposal of sanitary
sewer wastes.
Flood Prone Areas
Flood prone areas are those sites in the County
that are predictably subject to overflows from
nearby water bodies. Development in flood
prone areas is potentially both costly and
hazardous. Several factors can determine the
amount of damage caused by flooding, such as
rate of water rise, depth and duration of
flooding, geographic orientation of the
shoreline, topography of the land, and the
amount of threatened development.
Development in flood prone areas can worsen
flooding by increasing the amount of
impervious cover, which prevents the natural
infiltration and absorption of water into the
soil. Preserving floodplains can have many
benefits, including enhancing water quality,
allowing recharge of groundwater aquifers,
reducing flooding, providing fisheries and
wildlife habitat, providing recreational
opportunities, and protecting historic lands.10
Many flood prone areas in the County were
developed before they were identified as part
of a Special Flood Hazard Area and before the
creation of federal and state floodplain
protection programs. This historical
development limits the opportunity to realize
10
DCR-CBLA, 1989
the full benefits of floodplain preservation. The
County’s floodplain management efforts will
continue to focus on the identification,
reduction, and mitigation of flood hazards
within developed areas. There may also be
some opportunities for targeted restoration of
floodplains through buy-out and relocation
programs.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) identifies flood prone areas in
Gloucester County on a series of Flood
Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), which were most
recently revised by FEMA in September 2010.
As part of the revision FEMA also provided the
County the FIRM in digital format, which has
been incorporated into the County’s online
Geographic Information System (GIS).
Elevations range from 0-160 feet above mean
sea level, and approximately 27,000 acres of the
County are within the 100-year flood plain. All
new structures within these areas are required
to be built with their finished floors above the
100-year flood levels indicated on the maps.
Map NENR-9 12 illustrates the flood prone
areas as indicated on the FIRMs. According to
FEMA, Zone AE is the flood insurance rate zone
that corresponds to the 1-percent annual
chance floodplains. In most instances, Base
Flood Elevations are determined within this
zone and mandatory flood insurance purchase
requirements apply. Zone VE is the flood
insurance rate zone that corresponds to areas
within the 1-percent annual chance coastal
floodplain that have additional hazards
associated with storm waves. Mandatory flood
insurance purchase requirements also apply
here. Zone A indicates areas with a 1% annual
chance of flooding and a 26% chance of
flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage.
Because detailed analyses are not performed
26 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
for such areas; no depths or base flood
elevations are shown within these zones
(Source: FEMA). Areas shown as X-500 have a
moderate flood hazard, usually between the
limits of the 100-year and 500-year floods. All
other areas have a minimal flood risk.
Gloucester County is a FEMA Community Rating
System (CRS) member. Being a CRS member
means that the County is audited annually by
the Insurance Services Office (ISO) on how well
the floodplain regulations in the community are
administered and enforced. The CRS program is
designed to recognize and encourage
community floodplain management activities
that exceed the minimum National Flood
Insurance Program (NFIP) standards. In 2010,
Gloucester County earned “Class 7” status in
the CRS program. As a result, Gloucester
landowners who have flood insurance receive a
fifteen (15) percent discount on their annual
premiums.
Gloucester County has addressed the potential
hazards of development in flood prone areas
through the adoption and revision of a
Floodplain Management Ordinance, through
inclusion of floodplain protections in its
Subdivision Ordinance, and through
development of a Floodplain Management Plan
(FMP). The Floodplain Ordinance establishes
performance requirements for development
and redevelopment in floodplains. The
ordinance was revised on August 3, 2010 to
provide for increased flood protection
standards of structures in the Flood Prone areas
of the County. The Subdivision Ordinance
directs that land subject to flooding be set aside
for uses that would not be endangered by a
periodic or occasional inundation. Lastly,
County staff finalized a standalone floodplain
management plan for the County that analyzes
the causes of coastal flooding and identifies
vulnerabilities, evaluates existing coastal flood
management practices, and provides feasible
solutions to strengthen the County’s overall
coastal flood management system. Hazard
mitigation strategies for Gloucester County are
also addressed, and recommendations for
improving existing strategies are provided. The
plan incorporated input gained from citizens
during three public meetings and
communications with local, regional, state, and
federal agencies and organizations. A sixteen
(16) member planning committee made up of
County staff and citizens from flood prone areas
in Gloucester is charged with monitoring
implementation, reviewing progress, and
recommending revision to the plan in an annual
report. The plan must be updated at least once
every five years per the requirements of the
CRS program.
Dam Break Inundation Zones
Localities are required to study dam break
inundation zones and the potential impacts to
downstream properties and incorporate that
information into comprehensive plans. In
general, dams are regulated if they exceed a
certain height and capacity; exemptions are also
made for specific uses. The hazard potential of a
dam (low, significant, or high) is calculated
based on its structural integrity and the various
land uses that lie within its dam break
inundation zone. The Middle Peninsula Planning
District Commission covered dams and the
potential for dam failures as part of its Middle
Peninsula Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan,
completed in 2010. According to the Virginia
Department of Emergency Management, there
is one high hazard dam (Beaver Dam, with a
maximum storage capacity of 20,523 acre-feet)
in Gloucester County and one significant hazard
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
27
dam (Cow Creek Dam, with a maximum storage
capacity of 931 acre-feet). There are nine
additional dams that are not rated for their
hazard potential by DCR. Dam break inundation
zones for the two regulated dams in Gloucester
County are shown on Map NENR-1013.
Tidal and Non-Tidal Wetlands
Wetlands are defined in Chapter 13 of Title 28.2
of the Code of Virginia and are classified as non-
vegetated or vegetated wetlands. Non-
vegetated wetlands means non-vegetated lands
lying contiguous to mean low water and
between mean low water and mean high water,
including non-vegetated areas subject to
flooding by normal and wind tides, but not
hurricane or tropical storm tides. Vegetated
wetlands are defined as lands lying between
and contiguous to mean low water and an
elevation above mean low water equal to the
factor one and one-half times the mean tide
range with certain types of vegetation present.
They consist of mostly visible marshes and
swamps. The type and extent of wetlands in
Gloucester County are shown on Map NENR-
1014. Estuarine wetlands are tidal wetlands.
Lacustrine wetlands are wetlands formed
around interior bodies of water or dammed
rivers. Palustrine wetlands are non-tidal
wetlands. Riverine wetlands are those wetlands
found along rivers before they reach lakes or
salinity levels rise near oceans.
According to the Virginia Wetlands
Management Handbook (1996), there are five
major benefits of wetlands. First, wetlands are
important sites of food and energy production
for the marine ecosystem. Second, they provide
important waterfowl and fish and wildlife
habitat. Third, wetlands provide natural
protection from shoreline erosion. Fourth,
wetlands help to filter pollutants, such as
sediment and nutrients, from urban runoff,
minimizing impacts to local water quality.
Finally, wetlands help to reduce flooding
through their capacity to absorb large amounts
of water.
In 2008, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science
(VIMS) published a shoreline situation report
for Gloucester County that describes its tidal
wetlands. Of the more than 492 miles of
shoreline studied, 90% percent is comprised of
wetlands, including fringe, embayed, and
extensive marshes. The total marsh and
wetland acreage of Gloucester County ranks
fifth among political jurisdictions in the
Commonwealth, behind only the counties of
Accomack and Northampton and the cities of
Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Gloucester
County's more than 12,000 acres of wetlands
are comprised of high and low marshes, creeks,
ponds, wooded areas, and tidal flats. At least
5,000 of these acres are marsh, 3,500 acres are
in creeks, 1,800 acres are comprised of tidal
flats, and nearly 600 acres are swamp land less
than five feet above sea level. Hammocks are
areas elevated above the surrounding marsh
and usually dominated by pines, cedars, and
wax myrtle. They comprise about 1,000 acres of
the County's wetlands and account for about 40
percent of the state's total hammock-type
physiography, more than in any other County.
Existing Wetlands Protection Policies
Gloucester County currently protects wetlands
through its Wetlands Zoning Ordinance. Under
the Ordinance, any proposal to develop any
vegetated or non-vegetated tidal wetland must
first apply for a permit from the local wetlands
board or the Virginia Marine Resources
Commission (VMRC). The Board works in
conjunction with VMRC and the U.S. Army
28 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Corps of Engineers’ Section 404 permit program
in reviewing applications. In addition, tidal
wetlands are protected as Resource Protection
Area (RPA) features by the County’s
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance. This
ordinance provides protection by requiring a
buffer between development and the RPA
feature. Non-tidal wetlands and other areas not
included in the RPA are protected by
designating them as Resource Management
Areas. Some shoreline projects may include
impacts under both the Wetlands Ordinance
and the Chesapeake Bay Preservation
Ordinance and may require coordinated
reviews to address the requirements of both
programs. Map NENR-11 15 depicts the
approximate location of CBPA Resource
Protection Areas in Gloucester County.
In Virginia, tidal wetlands are also protected by
the 1972 Wetlands Protection Act, as amended.
The Act enabled the County to adopt its
Wetlands Ordinance. This law established the
joint permit process for construction, dredging,
or filling in a tidal wetland and serves as the
source of authority for actions taken on permits
by the Gloucester County Wetlands Board.
VMRC coordinates the joint permit with all
appropriate agencies for review. VMRC also
administers the Wetlands Protection Act and
reviews all decisions handed down by the
County board.
Non-tidal wetlands are currently regulated at
the federal level by Section 404 of the 1977
Clean Water Act, as amended, which prohibits
disposal of dredged or fill material into waters
of the United States and adjacent wetlands. A
permit from the Army Corps of Engineers is
required for non-tidal wetlands impacts. In
addition, the Virginia Nontidal Wetlands Act of
2000 governs activities affecting non-tidal
wetlands within the state and includes the
following provisions. The law:
• Requires permittees first to avoid, then
minimize and, if wetlands must be
destroyed, to replace their acreage and
function.
• Adopts the scientifically accepted definition
of wetlands currently used by the federal
government and the State Water Control
Board.
• Requires permits and mitigation from those
proposing to drain, dredge, excavate, ditch,
flood or impound, fill or discharge into non-
tidal wetlands.
• Requires the state to seek a Corps of
Engineers' State Programmatic General
Permit (SPGP) for most activities, thereby
streamlining the permitting process. This
SPGP has been issued. The Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
issues state permits based on this general
permit.
• Exempts normal agricultural and
silvicultural activities and homeowner
landscaping and maintenance.
• Requires general permits for a variety of
activities, including sand, coal and gas
mining activities, linear easements for
public utilities and transportation projects,
and activities affecting less than one-half
acre. These general permits are issued by
DEQ.
Green Infrastructure
As new residential and commercial
development take place in Gloucester County it
will be important to plan carefully for the
protection of rural character and environmental
resources that support a high quality of life for
the County’s citizens. Green infrastructure is a
systematic approach to conservation planning
that can address a broad range of community
needs. A green infrastructure approach can be
used to identify a network of lands that is
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
29
valuable for a variety of reasons including
natural resource protection, water quality
protection, recreation, and protection of
working lands and cultural resources. Green
infrastructure planning is also useful in
differentiating between areas that are suitable
for future development and those that are not.
The Hampton Roads Planning District
Commission (HRPDC) has completed a series of
reports identifying important environmental
areas in the region for inclusion in a regional
green infrastructure network. This network
extends from Gloucester County through the
Peninsula to the Southside and Western
Tidewater, and includes areas that provide
water quality and wildlife habitat benefits. The
most recent version of the Gloucester portion
of the regional green infrastructure network is
shown on Map NENR-1216. This network is
documented in a series of reports11 that
describe the methodologies used to identify the
network. It also contains an inventory of
resources such as parks and recreational areas.
The regional network will be a starting point for
the development of a more detailed network
for the County. This county network can be
used to connect the County’s rich natural
resources with additional cultural and historic
resources. It can also be used as a tool to plan
for connections between important County
assets. Even as the County grows and develops,
existing rural and cultural landscapes and scenic
views can be protected for residents and
tourists visiting recreational and historic sites
throughout the County.
11
HRPDC Green Infrastructure reports include A Green Infrastructure Plan for Hampton Roads (2010), Green Infrastructure in Hampton Roads (2007), and The Hampton Roads Conservation Corridor Study(2006).
The HRPDC regional green infrastructure
network identifies areas that are high value for
water quality, habitat protection, and both. In
Gloucester County, the 2010 green
infrastructure plan identified approximately 900
acres that were high value for water quality,
over 16,000 acres that were high value for
habitat protection, and nearly 26,000 acres that
were high value for both. This analysis can be
used to prioritize areas for conservation,
preservation, or outdoor recreational use. It can
also be used to design a network of active and
passive recreational areas that connect to
environmental resources, as well as cultural and
historic resources.
Major Issues
Soil Suitability for Septic Systems
As discussed earlier, the majority of the soils in
the southeastern part of Gloucester are
classified as at least partially hydric, meaning
that inundation occurs for periods of time that
are sufficient to create anaerobic conditions.
Hydric soils are also found along streams and
rivers throughout the County. Although not all
areas with hydric soils are classified as
wetlands, these areas generally have a high
water table and are susceptible to poor
drainage and flooding. They are unsuitable for
development or for conventional septic
systems.
Prior to environmental and land use regulation,
residential and commercial development
occurred in the southeastern half of the County
where the soils are poorly suited for residential
development. Wastewater disposal and
protecting groundwater quality are soil-related
problems that could be aggravated by unguided
30 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
future development. The Future Land Use Plan
identifies those areas of the county that are
unsuitable for septic system use or are
otherwise unfit for intensive residential,
commercial, or industrial development due to
physical constraints.
Shoreline Erosion and Erosion
Rates
Severely eroding shorelines are defined by the
Virginia Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance
Manual as eroding at a rate greater than 3 feet
per year. Although generally small in size, there
are several areas of high bank erosion noted in
Gloucester County. These include the Carmine
and Mumfort Islands in the York River, isolated
areas around Timberneck Creek, and much of
Mill Creek. Areas with high marsh erosion rates
are reported near Morris Bay, Monday Creek,
and along the Ware River in the vicinity of Page
Creek, Goat Point Creek, Four Point Marsh, and
Mud Point. However, areas of high erosion
account for only about 4% of the marshy
shoreline in the County and the remainder
appears to be generally stable.
A recommended hierarchy of possible shoreline
stabilization measures for low, moderate, and
severely eroding shorelines is provided below.
The following ranking, summarized in Table NR-
5, is consistent with the goals of the
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act and may help
to guide recommendations on applications for
installing new stabilization structures or
replacing existing structures. It is important to
note that although erosion control options are
ranked individually, often a combination of
erosion control methods is necessary. The
measures are listed by ranking, with #1 being
the most preferable option. In 2011, the
General Assembly adopted living shorelines as
the preferred shoreline stabilization measure as
opposed to shoreline hardening measures such
as bulkheads.
Where shoreline stabilization is necessary, a
unified area approach, rather than an individual
site-by-site approach, is recommended. When
such an approach is taken, individual costs can
be lessened and worsening erosion problems
for neighboring properties can be avoided. For
more information on erosion control options,
refer to Section V - Shoreline Erosion Control
and Access Policy Options of the HRPDC
Regional Shoreline Element of Comprehensive
Plans, Part I: Guidance Manual. An additional
source of information on shoreline erosion
control options that is useful for homeowners is
Shoreline Management in Chesapeake Bay
(Hardaway and Byrne, 1999). A series of in-
house studies titled Shoreline Erosion Control
Guidelines, by the Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation (1993), states that
maintenance and establishment of marsh
grasses should be considered as the first choice
for shoreline erosion control in low energy
areas with adequate site conditions.
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
31
Table NENR-X5: Hierarchy of Possible Shoreline Stabilization
Measures Ranking Stabilization Measure
Areas with a Low Erosion Rate (<1 foot/year)
1 Vegetative stabilization with/without bank regrading (if applicable)
2 Revetments
3 Bulkheads
Areas with a Moderate Erosion Rate (1-3 feet/year)
1 Vegetative stabilization (depending on site-specific conditions)
2 Beach nourishment
3 Revetments
4 Breakwaters
5 Groins
6 Bulkheads (depending on site-specific conditions)
Areas with a Severe Erosion Rate (>3 feet/year)
1 Relocation
2 Beach nourishment
3 Revetments
4 Breakwaters
5 Groins
6 Seawall
Generally speaking, for enhancing water quality
and aquatic habitat, the Living Shorelines
approach using vegetative and non-structural
forms of erosion control is preferred over other
forms of shoreline stabilization. However, non-
structural forms of erosion control are not
always effective at shoreline stabilization as
wave energy increases and erosion becomes
more severe. Along shorelines with less than 0.5
nautical miles of fetch, marsh planting may be a
viable form of shoreline erosion control. Along
interior creeks where erosion is more severe,
marsh plantings may be protected by a
breakwater type of structure, such as a
submerged sill, to protect the marsh toe. This
approach has been shown to be successful
throughout the Chesapeake Bay.
Gloucester County Code, §7.5-10, allows the
County to designate erosion impact areas under
the Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance.
Additionally, approval of a conservation plan for
any erosion impact area can be required and
made subject to all review, bonding, inspection,
and enforcement provisions that apply to
approved land-disturbing permits. The plan
must be submitted by the property owner.
Currently, the County has not determined a
need to designate any areas as erosion impact
areas. It appears that most of the areas with
erosion problems are areas that have already
been developed. Where new development is
considered, the County’s existing regulations
32 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
provide for protection of shorelines through
avoidance (buffers) and mitigation. In areas
where erosion affects already developed land,
erosion control is the responsibility of the
property owner.
Stormwater Management
Managing stormwater is an important local
government function in Virginia. Gloucester
County does not have a municipal stormwater
system along the lines of those in cities such as
Norfolk or Virginia Beach. Instead, it manages
stormwater primarily through regulations such
as the County’s Chesapeake Bay ordinance and
its Erosion and Sediment Control ordinance,
both of which are part of the County Code. This
type of stormwater management program
works best in mostly rural counties like
Gloucester. However, parts of Gloucester such
as Gloucester Point are growing. This may result
in Gloucester being required to manage its
stormwater through a dedicated treatment
program. The United States Environmental
Protection Agency is studying potential changes
to federal stormwater regulations for coastal
communities. This, along with the results of the
2010 U.S. Census, has the potential to redefine
Gloucester as a more urban or highly populated
locality, which would require additional
investment in stormwater infrastructure. The
Chesapeake Bay TMDL and recently-adopted
Virginia state stormwater regulations could also
result in changes to how the County will have to
manage its stormwater system.
Coastal Resources Management
Coastal ecosystems reside at the interface
between the land and water and are naturally
very complex. They perform a vast array of
functions, including shoreline stabilization,
water quality protection, flood protection, and
fish, wildlife, and plant habitat, all of which
provide direct and indirect benefits to coastal
communities like Gloucester County. Research
on coastal ecosystem resource management
has revealed that traditional resource
management practices limit the ability of the
coastal ecosystem to perform many of these
essential functions. The loss of these services
has already been noted throughout coastal
communities in Virginia as a result of
development in coastal areas coupled with
common erosion control practices. For
example, beaches and dunes are diminishing
due to a reduction in a natural sediment supply.
Also, wetlands are drowning in place due to the
combination of sea level rise and barriers to
inland migration resulting from the construction
of bulkheads and revetments. Continued
armoring of shorelines and development in
coastal areas threatens the long-term
sustainability of coastal ecosystems adapting to
sea level rise.
In response, the General Assembly has
designated “living shorelines” as the preferred
alternative for shoreline stabilization in
Virginia’s coastal areas. The term living
shoreline encompasses a full spectrum of
design options appropriate for various wave
energy settings and erosion problems; they
range from marsh plantings to the use of rock
sills in combination with beach nourishment.
These approaches combat shoreline erosion,
minimize impacts to the natural coastal
ecosystem, and reinforce the principal that an
integrated approach for managing tidal
shorelines enhances the probability that the
resources will be sustained. Therefore, local
governments should adopt the guidance and
practices recommended by VIMS to ensure that
functions performed by coastal ecosystems will
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
33
be preserved and the benefits derived by
humans from coastal ecosystems will be
maintained into the future. The guidance
developed by VIMS recommends:
- utilizing VIMS Decision Trees to review and
select appropriate erosion control and
shoreline management practices12
- adopting these shoreline best management
practices as the recommended approach
and requiring justification by applicants
seeking to use another approach
- training local staff on these decision-making
tools
- making local policies consistent with the
general permit being developed by VMRC
- educating citizens and stakeholders on the
benefits of living shorelines
- evaluating and considering a locality-wide
permit to promote living shorelines
- considering preserving available open
spaces adjacent to marshlands to allow for
inland retreat in response to sea level rise
- evaluating and considering cost share
opportunities for construction of living
shorelines
Sea Level Rise
The Hampton Roads region is highly vulnerable
to damages from storm surge and potential sea
level rise. Much of the region is relatively flat
and low-lying, which allows storms to push
ashore and flood large areas. While related,
vulnerability to these two hazards creates
different sets of risk for Gloucester County.
Storm surge vulnerability impacts the County
now. A significant part of the County lying east
of Route 17 lies in a Category 1, 2, 3, or 4 Storm
Surge Area, as shown in Table NENR-36. The
most vulnerable areas of the County are found
12
More information on the VIMS Decision Trees is available on the website for the Center for Coastal Resources Management at http://ccrm.vims.edu/decisiontree/index.html
along Mobjack Bay and include Jenkins Neck,
Maryus, Severn, Achilles, Bena, Perrin, Robins
Neck, Glass, Dutton, Ware Neck, White Marsh
and portions of Gloucester Point. This is
illustrated on Map NR-1317.
Table NENR-36: Area Vulnerable to Storm Surge
in Gloucester County (Areas are cumulative)
STORM SURGE CATEGORY AREA (ACRES)
1 21,476
2 35,518
3 40,254
4 43,904
Source: Hampton Roads Planning District
Commission
Hurricanes and other storms can cause
significant damage to buildings. Tidal and surge
flooding is limited to coastal areas. In addition
to impacts on structures, these storms can have
significant impacts on the natural environment.
Storms can erode beaches and blow down trees
and other vegetation. Many of the most critical
environmental areas in Hampton Roads are
located in areas that could be affected by storm
surge. For example, an analysis by the Hampton
Roads Planning District Commission calculated
the amount of green infrastructure in the region
that is vulnerable to a Category 1 storm surge at
approximately 84,000 acres, or 16.5% of the
region’s entire green infrastructure network.
Sea level rise could potentially result in the
inundation or severe erosion of a significant
part of eastern Gloucester County, as shown on
Map NR-1417. Global sea level rise is the result
of melting ice, which adds to the amount of
water in the oceans, as well as the warming of
the oceans, which results in their thermal
expansion. At the local scale, sea level rise is a
combination of global sea level rise, local and
regional currents, and the vertical movement of
34 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
land. Gloucester, like much of Hampton Roads
and eastern Virginia, is sinking, or subsiding,
due to several geological processes. The end
result is that the entire region is experiencing
significant local sea level rise. According to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), the long-term trend of
sea level rise at the Gloucester Point/Yorktown
Tide Station is about 0.15 mminches/year, or
approximately 1.25 feet every 100 years.
However, climate change is projected to
increase the rate of global sea level rise, which
could result in much higher rates of sea level
rise experienced in Gloucester and across
Hampton Roads. Current projections of global
sea level rise by the end of the 21st century
range from about half a meter to two meters,
according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.13
Surface Water Quality
Point Source Pollution
Point source pollution is a major source of
surface water quality issues. Point sources of
pollution include municipal and industrial
dischargers and individual waste treatment
systems. The Clean Water Act requires
wastewater dischargers to have a permit
establishing pollution limits and specifying
monitoring and reporting requirements.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(NPDES) permits regulate household and
industrial wastes that are collected in sewers
and treated at municipal wastewater treatment
plants. Permits also regulate industrial point
sources and concentrated animal feeding
operations that discharge into other
wastewater collection systems or that discharge
directly into receiving waters. The types of
13
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering Circular 1165-2-212, “Sea-Level Change Considerations for Civil Works Programs”
pollutants regulated include conventional
pollutants (human wastes, food from sink
disposals, laundry and bath waters), toxic
pollutants (organics and metals), and
nonconventional pollutants, (such as nitrogen
and phosphorus), that may require regulation.
In Virginia, NPDES permits are administered by
the Virginia Department of Environmental
Quality (DEQ) and are identified as Virginia
Pollution Discharge Elimination System (VPDES)
Permits. According to data from DEQ, there are
four current holders of VPDES permits in
Gloucester County.
Thirteen Hampton Roads localities, including
Gloucester County, are currently under a
Special Order by Consent with the Virginia
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
concerning sanitary sewer overflows. The
Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) has
separately entered into a Consent Decree with
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). This consent order is the result of the U.
S. EPA’s expanded enforcement priorities,
which target sanitary sewer systems serving
populations over 1 million. This Consent Order
requires local and regional wastewater utilities
to assess and test their conveyance systems for
failures and capacity related issues, making
necessary replacements and system
enhancements. The affected Hampton Roads
localities and HRSD are working together in this
compliance effort, which will result in a
Regional Wet Weather Management Plan that
will guide prioritization and investment in larger
scale projects.
The Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) contains
information about more than 650 toxic
chemicals that are being used, manufactured,
treated, transported or released into the
environment. Hazardous waste information is
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
35
contained in the Resource Conservation and
Recovery Information System (RCRIS), a
national program management and inventory
system about hazardous waste handlers. In
general, all entities that generate, transport,
treat, store, and dispose of hazardous wastes
are required to provide information about their
activities to state environmental agencies.
According to the EPA, there were no TRI permit
holders in Gloucester in 20102011, the latest
year for which data is available. EPA’s Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act Information
(RCRAInfo) database lists 46 48 RCRIS permit
holders in Gloucester as of October 2011June
2013. Both RCRAInfo and VPDES permit holders
are listed in Table NENR-67.
The release of hazardous materials at
designated hazardous material facilities on
major transportation routes within the County
poses potential threat to both surface water
and groundwater resources. Gloucester County
has established a Local Emergency Planning
Committee (LEPC) to address this threat. In
addition to the benefits to public safety, the
LEPC works to reduce the threat of surface
water and groundwater contamination through
quick response to transportation accidents and
release of hazardous materials.
Non-Point Source Pollution
Non-point sources, which have the most
significant impact on surface water quality in
Gloucester County, encompass all those inputs
to surface water that cannot be identified as
having originated from a distinct discharge
point. These include stormwater runoff from
agriculture, urban or forested land surfaces;
atmospheric inputs; solid waste disposal; land
application of sludge and wastewater; septic
tanks; dredging; development/construction
material spills and leaks; marinas, and
shipyards, as well as impacts from the natural
environment such as weathering of soils which
provides metals, acids, etc. These types of
pollution are not readily quantified, although a
relationship does exist with the amount of
precipitation. More precipitation produces
more runoff and thus a greater non-point
source impact. In Gloucester County,
agricultural runoff, residential septic system
discharges, stormwater runoff, or marina
discharges are generally linked to the
condemnation of shellfish grounds due to non-
point source pollution. Many of the same
sources affecting surface water quality impacts
also have the potential to impact groundwater
resources.
36 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Table NENR-67: Gloucester County Potential Sources of Pollution
PERMIT TYPE FACILITY LOCATION
RCRA 7-11 #10848 - Rt 17 & 641 Gloucester Point
RCRA 7-11 #19634 – Route 17 North Gloucester
RCRA 7-11 #20570 Glenns
RCRA Advanced Finishing, Inc. Hayes
RCRA Borden Chemical Gloucester
RCRA Cleo Huskeys Body Shop Hayes
RCRA Colony Metalsmiths, Inc. Hayes
RCRA Control Products USA Hayes
RCRA East Coast Oil #54 Gloucester Point
RCRA East Coast Oil #74 Gloucester
RCRA Farm Fresh #6290 Hayes
RCRA Fast Fare Inc. Hayes
RCRA Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. Ordinary
RCRA Glass Marine, Inc. Hayes
RCRA Gloucester Auto Body Repair Hayes
RCRA Gloucester Convenient Care Hayes
RCRA Gloucester County Public Schools Gloucester
RCRA Gloucester Laundry And Cleaners Gloucester
RCRA Gloucester Lumber Products, Inc. Gloucester
RCRA Green Gates Gifts Gloucester Point
RCRA Gunns Body Shop, Inc. Gloucester
RCRA Home Depot #4650 Gloucester
RCRA Hudgins Bill Olds Pontiac GMC Gloucester
RCRA Industrial Resource Tech, Inc. Gloucester
RCRA Industrial Resource Tech, Inc. Gloucester
RCRA Jordan Marine Service, Inc. Gloucester Point
RCRA Ken Houtz Chevrolet Buick Gloucester
RCRA Mega Contractors, Inc. Glenns
RCRA Merchant’s LLC #420 Gloucester
RCRA Merlin Auto Machine Hayes
RCRA Mid-County Center Gloucester
RCRA Middle Peninsula Landfill Glenns
RCRA Middle Peninsula Landfill Hayes
RCRA Quinn Motors Gloucester
RCRA Rappahannock Community College Glenns
RCRA Riverside Walter Reed Hospital Gloucester
RCRA Southern States Gloucester
RCRA Southern States Gloucester
RCRA Star Metal Finishing, Inc. Hayes
RCRA Star Metal Finishing, Inc. Hayes
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
37
PERMIT TYPE FACILITY LOCATION
RCRA Tidewater Newspaper, Inc. Gloucester
RCRA VIMSVirginia Institute of Marine Science Gloucester Point
RCRA VEPCO Gloucester
RCRA Wal-Mart #1759 Gloucester
RCRA Wal-Mart Supercenter #1759 Gloucester
RCRA Waste Management Gloucester High Gloucester
RCRA Wawa Food Market #652 Hayes
RCRA York River Yatch Haven Gloucester Point
VPDES Gloucester County Wastewater Water Treatment
Plant
Gloucester
VPDES Gloucester Lumber Products Inc. - Dutton Gloucester
VPDES Rappahannock Community College – Glenns
Campus
Glenns
VPDES VIMS Toxicology LaboratoriesGloucester Point Gloucester Point
Source: DEQ; EPA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Info
Impaired Waters
The most recent Virginia Water Quality
Assessment, published in 2010, identifies
several types of water quality problems in
Gloucester County’s waterways, including
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury
in fish tissue, dissolved oxygen, E. coli, and fecal
coliform contamination. DEQ’s 2010
305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment
Integrated Report for Virginia shows
impairments for shellfishing, fish consumption,
aquatic life, and recreation (Table NENR-78). Of
particular concern in Gloucester is the number
of shellfish condemnations due to the presence
of fecal coliform bacteria. These closures affect
numerous creeks throughout the County. In
addition, due to PCBs found in fish tissue, a fish
consumption advisory has been issued for the
main stems of both the Chesapeake Bay and the
York River. The most recent draft of the 2012
report is available by accessing the Department
of Environmental Quality’s website.Department
of Environmental Quality’s website.14
14
http://www.deq.virginia.gov/Programs/Water/Wat
Total Maximum Daily Loads
The Commonwealth of Virginia has set a goal
for all streams to support beneficial uses, which
include primary contact/swimming, fishing,
shellfishing, drinking water, and aquatic life. In
order to achieve this goal, the state is
responding to mandates from the
Environmental Protection Agency by developing
Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), or
“pollution diets”, for impaired waterways.
TMDLs specify a given amount of a pollutant
that can be put into a water body on an annual
basis. A TMDL Study identifies sources of
pollution and reductions needed from the
identified pollutants to attain water quality
standards. Pollution from both point sources
such as residential, municipal, or industrial
discharges and non-point sources such as
residential, urban, or agricultural runoff are
included in the TMDL study (DEQ, 2010).
erQualityInformationTMDLs/WaterQualityAssessments.aspx
38 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
The Virginia Department of Environmental
Quality (DEQ) has completed seven TMDLs for
Gloucester County as of March 2010. These
address water quality impairments in the
following waterways:
• Browns Bay and Monday Creek
• North River
• Severn River Watershed
• Ware River Watershed
• Poropotank River and Adams Creek
• Sarah Creek and Upper Perrin River
• York River shellfish waters (growing area
47)
Implementation plans need to be developed for
each of these TMDLs to produce improved
water quality, and additional TMDLs are
planned to address other impaired waterways
in the County. Gloucester County will continue
to support this process and assist in effectively
implementing these plans to improve water
quality.
Chesapeake Bay-Wide TMDLs
Because the water quality goals set forth in the
Chesapeake 2000 Agreement were not met by
2010, and because impaired segments of the
Chesapeake Bay remain on the states' Clean
Water Act section 303(d) lists, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency established a
Total Maximum Daily Load for nutrients and
sediment for the entire Chesapeake Bay and its
tidal tributaries. The final version of the
Chesapeake Bay TMDL was released in
December 2010, and Virginia submitted its
completed Phase II Watershed Implementation
Plan to EPA in March 2012.
(http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/vabaytmdl) The
TMDL assigns nutrient allocations for nitrogen,
phosphorus, and sediments by major river
basin; because these allocations are currently
exceeded, reductions will be required.
Gloucester is located in the York River and
Chesapeake Bay Coastal basins. Virginia, based
on the Chesapeake Bay TMDL allocations, has
assigned allocations and prescribes reductions
in its Phase I Watershed Implementation Plan
(WIP) by sector: agriculture, atmospheric
deposition, forest, septic systems, urban areas,
and wastewater. The state also assigns theses
allocations by segment sheds, or sub-basins.
Virginia will issue its Phase II WIP in March 2012
that will include allocations by locality and
propose strategies to meet those allocations.
Implementing the Chesapeake Bay TMDL has
the potential to impose significant costs on the
County. Most of the reductions (60%) will have
to be met by 2017, with the rest by 2025.
Significant requirements will be placed on new
development and redevelopment, in the form
of reductions in nutrient loads or required steps
to eliminate load increases beyond the
designated undeveloped standard. Agricultural
lands will have to reduce their loads through
increased use of agricultural best management
practices (BMPs). Developing management
plans for reducing its nutrient loads across all
sectors will be a major responsibility for
Gloucester County over the life of the TMDL.
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
39
TABLE NENR-78: Water Body Segments Not Meeting Quality
Standards
WATERBODY USE NOT BEING MET IMPAIRMENT
Lower York River Aquatic Life Aquatic Plants (Macrophytes)
Mobjack Bay Aquatic Life Aquatic Plants (Macrophytes)
Piankatank Mesohaline Estuary Aquatic Life Aquatic Plants (Macrophytes)
York Mesohaline Aquatic Life Aquatic Plants (Macrophytes)
Unnamed Tributary to Bland Creek Aquatic Life Benthic-Macroinvertebrates
Crany Creek Aquatic Life Dissolved Oxygen
Dragon Swamp Aquatic Life Dissolved Oxygen
Fox Mill Run Aquatic Life Dissolved Oxygen
Fox Mill Run, UT Aquatic Life Dissolved Oxygen
Lower York River Aquatic Life Dissolved Oxygen
Mobjack Bay Aquatic Life Dissolved Oxygen
Northwest Branch Severn River Aquatic Life Dissolved Oxygen
Piankatank Mesohaline Estuary Aquatic Life Dissolved Oxygen
York Mesohaline Aquatic Life Dissolved Oxygen
Lower York River Aquatic Life Estuarine Bioassessments
Dragon Swamp/Piankatank River Fish Consumption Mercury in Fish Tissue
Chesapeake Bay Mainstem & Tidal
Tributaries
Fish Consumption PCB in Fish Tissue
York River Mainstem Fish Consumption PCB in Fish Tissue
Burke Mill Stream Recreation E. coli
Crany Creek Recreation E. coli
Fox Mill Run Recreation E. coli
Northwest Branch Severn River, UT Recreation E. coli
Ferry Creek Recreation Enterococcus
Harpers Creek Recreation Enterococcus
Northwest Branch Severn River Recreation Enterococcus, E. coli
Aberdeen Creek - Upper Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Adams Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Back Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Belleville Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Carter Creek - Middle Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Carter Creek - Upper Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Cedarbush Creek - Mouth Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Cedarbush Creek - Upper Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Dancing Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
40 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
WATERBODY USE NOT BEING MET IMPAIRMENT
Davis Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Elmington Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Elmington Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Ferry Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Free School Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Frenchs Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Heywood Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Jones Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Morris Bay Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
North River Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
North River Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Northwest Branch Severn River Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Northwest Branch Severn River/Vaughns
Creek
Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Perrin River Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Piankatank River, UT Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Piankatank River/Harpers Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Piankatank River/Harpers Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Poropotank River Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Purtan and Leigh Creeks Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Sarah Creek - Western Branch, Upper Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Sarah Creek, Western Branch and Eastern
Branch, Upper
Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Thorntons Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Timberneck Creek - Upper Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Ware River Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Ware River/Fox Mill Run Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Wilson Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Wilson Creek Shellfishing Fecal Coliform
Source: DEQ, 305(b)/303(d) Water Quality Assessment Integrated Report for Virginia, 2010
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
41
Groundwater Protection
In Gloucester County, the unconfined aquifer is
the Columbia Aquifer. In the context of potable
drinking water supplies, the Columbia Aquifer is
not the aquifer of choice due to relatively low
yields, poor water quality, and the propensity
for groundwater contamination. Some older
homes, however, may still rely on the Columbia
aquifer for consumptive use. Groundwater
contained in the upper confined aquifers is a
much better choice for drinking water than the
Columbia Aquifer.
The Aquia and Potomac aquifers in Gloucester
are likely to contain brackish water that
requires desalination to make it potable. The
Yorktown-Eastover and Piney Point aquifers are
the best groundwater resources available in the
county. The USGS study of domestic water use
estimated that 94% of wells serving individual
homes or businesses in Gloucester are in the
Yorktown-Eastover aquifer or confining zone
and 6% are in the Piney Point aquifer. The total
domestic use is approximately 1.87 million
gallons per day.
Based on a review of literature and DEQ
records, there are seven high priority threats to
groundwater in Southeastern Virginia. These
are (1) inefficient septic systems; (2) leaky
underground storage tanks; (3) spills and
improper disposal of hazardous materials; (4)
leaky surface waste impoundments: (5) leaky
landfills; (6) improper pesticide and fertilizer
applications; and (7) pumping induced saltwater
encroachment.
Local Groundwater Protection
Decisions made by local governments have the
greatest potential to impact groundwater
quality. Developing a groundwater
management plan that incorporates
community-specific goals and locally
appropriate management techniques and
reflects local groundwater protection needs is a
key step in creating an effective groundwater
protection program. Several management
techniques should be combined to maximize
effectiveness and minimize costs. The Ground
Water Protection Handbook for Southeastern
Virginia (1990) prepared by the Hampton Roads
Planning District Commission (formerly the
Southeastern Virginia Planning District
Commission) provides local guidance for
developing a groundwater management plan.
Some steps that Gloucester County has already
taken to minimize negative impacts on
groundwater resources involve septic systems.
Traditional septic tanks are only allowed in
areas where soils allow those systems to
percolate; they are not allowed in areas with
hydric soils, for instance, which include many of
the County’s Chesapeake Bay Resource
Protection Areas. Minimum drain fields are also
required for septic system use. However, these
soil-based regulations do not apply to
engineered alternative onsite sewage systems
(AOSS).
The County’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area
Ordinance is of particular importance in
protecting groundwater quality. This ordinance
requires mitigation measures, including best
management practices, vegetative buffers,
protection of sensitive environmental
resources, and limitations on impervious cover,
on all development sites. These measures help
to protect both surface and groundwater from
pollution, and also better enable water to
percolate through the soil to groundwater.
42 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
In 2009, the Department of Environmental
Quality began considering expansion of the
Groundwater Management Areas. Gloucester is
in the proposed expansion area. Section 9 VAC2
5-600-20 would have to be amended to add
more localities to the groundwater
management program. Within Groundwater
Management Areas, withdrawals over 300,000
gallons per month (e.g. large industrial users
such as paper mills, nurseries, or golf courses)
require a permit from DEQ. The state reviews
requests for withdrawals. It considers many
factors including whether or not there is
enough groundwater available to meet the
request and if the withdrawal amount is
justified by beneficial uses. The groundwater
withdrawal permit fee is $6,000 and the term of
the permit is ten years.
Potential Groundwater Pollution
Sources
Defective Septic Systems
On-site sewage disposal systems, if improperly
designed, installed or poorly maintained, can
pose threats to surface water and groundwater
supplies. Pesticides, herbicides, household
cleaning products, and septic tank cleaning
products can enter groundwater systems
through septic systems. Nutrients such as
nitrogen and phosphorus dissolved in
wastewater can also negatively impact the
water quality of adjacent surface waters. The
County’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area
Ordinance requires that all conventional on-site
sewage disposal systems be pumped-out at
least once every five years. The County’s
Department of Codes Compliance coordinates
monthly with local septic system contractors to
maintain a database of all septic systems that
have been pumped out. Notices are sent to
those that have not pumped out their systems
within the five-year period from the start of the
database. The County holds periodic workshops
regarding septic tank maintenance and has
included a section explaining the need to pump
out septic tanks in its “Natural Resource Map
and Assistance Guide” published in January
1999. The County also requires primary and
reserve drain fields areas outside the RPA on all
new lots and a reserve location on prior
recorded lots where an acceptable percolation
site is available.
Problems with failing septic systems have been
documented by the Virginia Department of
Health (VDH) during shoreline sanitary surveys.
Failing septic systems are of particular concern
in the lower eastern quadrant of the County
where hydric soils and tidal and non-tidal
wetlands prevail on developed properties. The
Three Rivers Health District of the VDH has
committed additional personnel to address the
problems of failing septic systems documented
during the shoreline surveys. A database has
been designed to track violations and VDH is
actively involved in instituting corrective
measures, either through enforcement or by
facilitating septic repair through a cooperative
effort with agencies offering financial assistance
through grants or low interest loans. One
element not addressed in these shoreline
surveys is the number of properties that lack
indoor facilities. Homes that rely on “pit” or
“vault” privies (outhouses) are not cited unless
the privy is unusable or is expressing sewage
onto the ground surface.
Gloucester County’s Commissioner of Revenue
office estimates there are approximately 13,700
homes on private septic systems. According to
the VDH staff in Gloucester County, the
approximate failure rate of septic systems in
the County is estimated at ten to fifteen
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
43
percent (10-15%) with a replacement rate of
approximately every twenty (20) years.
In July 2000, the state implemented new
regulations governing the installation of sewage
disposal systems (12 VAC 5-610). These
regulations shift attention from mere disposal
of household water effluent to treatment and
protection of groundwater resources. One
major change is that the repair of existing septic
systems must comply to the greatest extent
possible with the new regulations, not just
merely replace what currently exists. Because
of the soil types encountered in the southeast
portion of the County, most repairs will need
engineered systems that provide secondary
treatment of sewage effluent prior to disposal.
Due to the economic level of many of the
residents in the affected areas, the higher cost
of the technology required is not easily
attainable. These regulations also may permit
the use of pre-treatment systems where, under
the previous regulations, they may not have
been permitted. In addition to the economic
issue, these engineered systems require
continued maintenance in order to be effective.
If properly installed and maintained, pre-
treatment systems are very effective. However,
without proper maintenance, these systems
may result in the discharge of unacceptable
effluent into surface and groundwater
resources. Continued maintenance of pre-
treatment systems is an important issue to be
addressed. In 2006 the County revised its
ordinance to require any new lot less than two
(2) acres in size to connect to public water and
sewer. This was done to reduce the County’s
susceptibility to failing septic systems on
smaller lots.
In June 2011, the Virginia Department of Health
(VDH) adopted new regulations for alternative
onsite sewage systems (AOSS), or engineered
septic systems; these regulations took effect on
December 7, 2011. Alternative onsite sewage
systems are treatment systems that do not
result in point source discharges. These new
systems do not require drain fields or need to
percolate like conventional septic systems. They
can be installed and used in areas with soil
conditions that would not support conventional
systems. State law allows for the installation of
these systems under a general permit without
the need for a specific VDH permit. However,
the regulations contain specific requirements
for the operation and maintenance of these
systems, including responsibilities for system
owners.15 These responsibilities include:
1) Maintaining a relationship with an operator
2) Having the AOSS operated and maintained
by an operator
3) Having an operator visit the AOSS at the
required frequency
4) Having an operator collect any required
samples
5) Keeping a copy of the log provided by the
operator on the property where the AOSS is
located, making the log available to VDH
upon request, and making a reasonable
effort to transfer the log to any future
owner
6) Keeping a copy of the Operation and
Maintenance Manual for the AOSS on the
property where the AOSS is located, making
the manual available to VDH upon request,
and making a reasonable effort to transfer
the O&M Manual to any future owner
7) Complying with the onsite sewage system
requirements contained in local ordinances
adopted pursuant to the Chesapeake Bay
Preservation Act and the Chesapeake Bay
Preservation Act Designation and
Management Regulations when an AOSS is
15
12VAC5-613-140
44 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
located within a Chesapeake Bay
Preservation Area.
The regulations also specify setback
requirements for drinking water sources,
shellfish waters, sinkholes, and wetlands. In
general, AOSS must be tested every five years
by a certified operator. This new development
potentially opens up large areas of the county
to residential development where previously it
was not possible due to septic system
restrictions. Map NENR-15 19 shows which
areas of the County, as surveyed by the NRCS,
have limited favorability for the installation,
use, and maintenance of conventional septic
tanks. This favorability is determined by a
number of factors, including depth to water
table, depth to bedrock, soil permeability,
subsidence rates, and slope.
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks
Leaking above and underground storage tanks
can be a significant source of pollution. These
storage tanks contain hazardous substances,
such as petroleum, gasoline, diesel fuel,
acetone, or kerosene. Over time, underground
storage tanks can corrode and begin to leak. If a
storage tank is leaking, the surrounding soil can
become contaminated. In addition, the shallow
groundwater aquifer may become
contaminated. Once contaminants enter the
shallow groundwater aquifer, they can be
transported into local waterways.
The Department of Environmental Quality
(DEQ) is charged with regulating underground
storage tanks in Virginia. DEQ annually receives
federal funds to clean up leaking underground
storage tanks (LUSTs). To prevent leaks from
developing in the future, LUST regulations
required that after December 22, 1998, all new
tanks be made of non-corrodible materials and
be equipped with overfill and spill prevention
devices. Tanks in existence prior to that date
were required to be replaced or retrofitted to
meet the new standards by the deadline. Tanks
are also required to possess leak prevention
devices and monitoring equipment to help
detect leaks. Underground storage tank
regulations do not apply to residential
underground storage tanks.
DEQ’s database lists 88 96 Petroleum Release
Clean-up sites in Gloucester County in
September June 20112013. Six of these release
files are still open. As may be expected,
concentrations of leaking underground storage
tanks are found in the Gloucester Courthouse
area, and in the Gloucester Point area along
Route 17 from Hayes to the Point. Smaller
concentrations (three to four instances) were
found in the White Marsh and Glenns areas of
the County.
Aboveground and underground petroleum
storage tanks used for business purposes are
now subject to regulatory requirements for
preventive measures designed to reduce the
likelihood that the tanks will leak. The
Gloucester County Department of Codes
Compliance, Building Inspection Office will
continue to work with the state to implement
its UST and LUST permitting, monitoring and
inspection program for the removal and
installation of underground storage tanks.
Solid Waste Management Facilities
Gloucester County has three state regulated
solid waste management facilities. The
Gloucester County landfill, located on the east
side of Route 17 south of the Courthouse area
and behind the shopping center north of
Beehive Drive, was permitted in 1972 and
closed in 1994. The landfill has been capped
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
45
and meets all state and federal post-closure
requirements. The Middle Peninsula Landfill
and Recycling Center, located off of Route 17 in
Adner, is permitted under state regulations as
an active landfill, transfer station, and yard
waste composting facility. Industrial Resources
Technologies, located within the County’s
Industrial park, is permitted as a materials
recovery facility for toner and recycling
products. Virginia’s Department of
Environmental Quality lists this site in
compliance with all procedural requirements.
In addition to the landfill, Waste Management
operates five waste disposal convenience
centers within the County:
• Adner-Glenns (3741 Waste Management
Way)
• Belroi (5122 Hickory Fork Road)
• Courthouse (6550 Beehive Drive)
• Dutton (10430 Burkes Pond Road)
• Hayes (7599 Guinea Road)
These centers are available to County residents
and businesses for waste disposal and recycling.
Gloucester County’s Clean Community Program
sponsors a harmful household waste collection
through Waste Management twice per year.
Collection and proper disposal of hazardous
household wastes such as pesticides and
solvents reduce the potential for these wastes
to be improperly discarded and potentially
impact water resources. Gloucester’s solid
waste management facilities are shown on Map
NE-16CF-5.
Land Conversion and Use Conflicts
Gloucester continues to experience population
growth and residential development, faster
than any other locality on the Middle Peninsula.
Much of this growth is tied to the County’s
connection to the greater Hampton Roads
region and the economic opportunities it
provides. With this growth comes pressure to
build on currently undeveloped lands, including
agricultural or forestry lands as well as natural
areas. Part of Gloucester County’s identity
comes from its connections to agriculture and
the waters of the York River and the
Chesapeake Bay. The conversion and loss of
working lands to residential development is a
concern for the County as it continues to grow
and become more tied to the rest of Hampton
Roads. In addition, residential development can
result in use conflicts between homeowners
and agriculture or forestry interests. Developing
a comprehensive policy to address and mitigate
land use conflicts may be an effective way to
promote development that complements the
County’s environmental protection goals.
Preserving lands in their natural states or as
working lands can have many practical benefits.
Designating areas as working lands can help to
preserve important parts of the local economy
and culture that focus on agriculture, forestry,
and water industries. These sectors provide jobs
to Gloucester residents and maintain a
connection to the County’s history and rural
character. One potential option for helping to
preserve these areas and industries is through
agritourism. Ecotourism and cultural and
historic tourism are also opportunity to achieve
economic benefits from protecting our natural
and cultural resources. This would promote the
County’s agricultural and water resources as
historical and cultural assets, while also
enhancing their economic potential. Preserving
agricultural lands can also have environmental
benefits.
46 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Goals Objectives Implementation Strategies Short
Term
Long
Term
Preserve Gloucester’s rural
character
Encourage growth away from areas such as farms
and other working lands
Zone for increased density and
development in development district
and Village Areas
����
Identify areas that should be protected as working
lands and zone them accordingly
Maintain Agricultural Zoning for
Working Lands and Develop a Working
Waterfront Zoning District
����
Consider the creation of a Transfer of
Development (TDR) program or Purchase of
Development Rights (PDR) program to provide
incentives to preserve working lands
Initiate a study to determine
appropriate transfer and receiving
areas as well as determine incentives
and a process for use of TDR or PDR
����
Allow working lands as part of the open space
requirement for cluster developments
Modify the Zoning Ordinance related
to conservation subdivisions ����
Consider the creation of a Purchase of Agricultural
Conservation Easements program to provide
incentives to preserve working lands
Work with local land trusts and state
agencies to encourage Conservation
Easements
����
Encourage new forms of agriculture and natural
resources-based businesses such as agri-tourism
Modify Zoning Ordinances to
encourage and support natural
resource based businesses
Promote and provide support for
natural resource based businesses for
both local business and tourism based
����
����
Encourage development in areas where public
utilities such as water and sewer are provided
Zone for increased density and
development in development district
and Village Areas
Develop incentives for connection to
public water and sewer
����
����
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
47
Goals Objectives Implementation Strategies Short
Term
Long
Term
Protect and Improve Water
Quality
Restore the quality of Gloucester’s surface waters
to meet standards for swimming, shellfish
harvesting, and other uses
Work with the State to Ddevelop
TMDLs for impaired waterways
Develop Work with the State to
develop TMDL implementation plans
for impaired waterways to reduce
current excess nutrient loads and offset
future loads
Implement water quality BMPs on
public riparian properties
Encourage the implementation of
water quality BMPs on private property
����
����
����
����
Work with state and regional agencies to educate
farmers and residents about and encourage the
use of agricultural and other best management
practices, nutrient management planning, and
available state and federal cost-share programs
Partner with other agencies to inform
and educate the community
Provide continued information and
education during staff interaction with
the public
����
����
Work withSupport state and regional agencies to
that educate farmers and residents about proper
fertilizer and pesticide use and efficient irrigation
and watering practices to protect surface and
groundwater resources
Continue to support agencies that
provide these resources for the
community such as Cooperative
Extension and Tidewater Soil and
Conservation District
����
Utilize a growth management strategy to protect
groundwater recharge areas and surface water
sources
Identify appropriate groundwater
protection areas
Identify appropriate buffers for the
protection of surface water sources
Implement low-density zoning near
groundwater recharge areas and
surface water sources
����
����
����
48 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Goals Objectives Implementation Strategies Short
Term
Long
Term
Work with the Virginia Department of Health and
other agencies to address issues with failing septic
systems and their replacement through alternative
designs or connections to the County’s sewer
system
Support and promote low cost loan
and replacement grants offered by
other agencies and non-profit groups
Continue to seek enabling legislation
from the General Assemble to allow
the county to require mandatory
connections to public water and sewer
if the county invests in extension of
the system to address failing septic
systems
����
����
Work with the Virginia Department of Health and
other agencies to educate residents about the
importance of maintaining septic systems, both
conventional and alternative
Continue educational outreach
regarding septic maintenance through
multimedia approach and through
staff interaction during permitting and
inspection.
����
Consider the use of impaired water bodies as the
basis for watershed management planning to
improve water quality based on the source of the
impairment
Participate in the state’s preparation
of Implementation Plans for local
impaired water bodies
Coordinate land use plans and
development proposals with
recommendations found in TMDL
implementation plans
����
����
Consider water quality benefits when deciding
when and where to extend public water and sewer
infrastructure
Coordinate with VDH to identify areas
most susceptible to failing septic
systems
Develop a cost-benefit analysis tool to
determine the effectiveness of
extending public utilities and the costs
to the environment and the economy
of impaired water bodies
����
����
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
49
Goals Objectives Implementation Strategies Short
Term
Long
Term
Consider impacts to water quality caused by
private and public development decisions,
including capital project and public improvements
Ensure compliance with the
Chesapeake Bay Preservation
Ordinance on all projects
����
Encourage or require nutrient management plans
for agricultural and land-based uses (such as
athletic fields, golf courses, parks, etc.)
Support and promote educational
efforts of regional agencies such as
TWSCD
Develop Nutrient Management Plans
for public properties
Encourage developers to provide
nutrient management plans and
maintenance on private developments
����
����
����
Consider the adoption of a Clean Marina program Support and promote participation in
the state’s program
����
Identify areas as appropriate for designation as
“No Discharge” zones
Explore the possibility and
requirements to establish “No
Discharge Zones”
Develop the process for designation
and evaluate the resources needed to
implement “No Discharge” zones
����
����
Continue to work with the state to register
existing and proposed underground storage tanks
and identify leaking tanks through the building
permit process
Maintain active database of UST and
enforce corrective action on Leaking
UST
����
Designate watershed management areas and
consider impacts to watersheds when reviewing
development proposals
Develop Watershed Management
Plans for each watershed in the
County
����
50 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Goals Objectives Implementation Strategies Short
Term
Long
Term
Monitor the location and effectiveness of
stormwater Best Management Practices to
implement the County’s Chesapeake Bay Total
Maximum Daily Load Watershed Implementation
Plan
Inventory existing BMP’s in the County
Develop and maintain a database of
BMP
Monitor the effectiveness of the
existing BMPs
Monitor and enforce long term
maintenance of BMPs
���� ����
���� ����
Protect Air Quality
Promote alternative modes of transportation such
as walking, bicycling, and carpooling to reduce
congestion and automobile emissions
Allow and encourage pedestrian scale
development in Village Areas
Encourage carpooling through
maintenance of park and ride lots
Support local carpooling and transit
providing agencies
Promote and enforce local and state
burning ordinances
����
����
����
����
Encourage the preservation of existing tree
canopy on new developments and
redevelopments
Evaluate and modify local ordinance to
provide for tree protection and
canopy cover
Provide incentives for tree
preservation
����
����
Encourage the planting of trees and native
vegetation on public and private property
Coordinate with state and regional
agencies to identify appropriate native
plants
Provide incentives for use of native
species in new developments
����
����
Conserve and manage
Gloucester’s natural
resources
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
51
Goals Objectives Implementation Strategies Short
Term
Long
Term
Consistently and effectively enforce and
implement the Zoning, Subdivision, Erosion and
Sediment Control, Wetlands, Floodplain, and
Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinances
Review and modify development
ordinances for effectiveness and
efficiency
����
Update the County’s ordinances as appropriate to
comply with state laws and regulations
Continue to process development applications
such that the early identification of wetlands in
the development process is ensured
Use available on-line resources to
determine the potential for wetlands
Work with local, state and federal
agencies to evaluate properties for
potential impacts and design
developments to reduce impacts
where possible
����
����
Work withSupport the Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation to in conduct ing
additional natural heritage and habitat planning
studies of the County’s natural resources
Consider impacts to natural heritage
features and species in future planning
efforts
����
Protect wetlands and other natural resources from
unnecessary destruction due to drainage, filling, or
construction that would unnecessarily hamper or
destroy vegetation, water storage, erosion control,
or plant and wildlife habitats
Work with developers and other
agencies to design projects to
minimize impacts
����
Prepare a Countywide open space and natural
resources inventory and evaluation as a baseline
for an open space plan, which would guide the
County’s land use, preservation, and infrastructure
decisions
Develop a green-infrastructure plan
for the county or for various regions
within the county
����
52 Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
Goals Objectives Implementation Strategies Short
Term
Long
Term
Protect and preserve open space through
ordinances and policies
Consider requiringDevelop incentives
for Cluster Zoningcluster development
in areas zoned used for agriculture or
conservation lands
Consider the use of a Conservation
Zoning ordinance to require critical
natural resource features to be
preserved during development
Create a Green infrastructure plan
identifying open spaces and potential
connections
Review Ordinances to better define
“open space” and provide appropriate
protection based on the use of the
open space as buffers, natural habitat
or recreation areas
����
����
����
����
Consider adopting a Transfer of Development
Rights program that would incentivize
development away from ecologically valuable
areas
Consider adopting a Purchase of Development
Rights program that would incentivize
development away from ecologically valuable
areas Cluster zoning
Consider the use of local programsEvaluate
opportunities to educate residents about the
benefits of preserving and protecting natural
resources
Promote and support local and
regional opportunities and agencies
that inform residents about the local
environment and the benefits
provided by natural resources
����
Gloucester County
Comprehensive Plan 2013
53
Goals Objectives Implementation Strategies Short
Term
Long
Term
Promote public awareness and community
participation in natural resources protection
through educational programs and events
Continue collaborative educational
efforts and events in the county and
look for opportunities for new events
and programs that promote the
county’s abundant natural resources
����
Identify appropriate sites for public waterfront
access and boating facilities and preserve those
that exist
Inventory existing public access sites
and identify their current and
potential uses
Work with the Chesapeake Bay Public
Access Authority, FEMA and other
agencies to identify new site for public
access
Develop management plans for open
space and public access parcels
Develop a county policy for acquiring
new sites through dedication,
donation or acquistion
����
����
����
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