Virginia Coastal Program: 2002 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
FY2002 Task 92
Grantee:
Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission
Project Title:
Special Area Management Plan for the Dragon Run Watershed
Project Description as Proposed:
The Dragon Run Watershed's
primary coastal management problem is maintaining or enhancing its
cultural, historic, and natural character, while preserving property
rights and the traditional uses within its watershed (e.g. farming,
forestry, recreation). In the face of increasing growth, the Dragon
Run SAMP seeks to balance demands by improving the tools available
to manage the environmental, social, and economic resources of the
watershed.
The Advisory Group, consisting of a cross-section of elected officials,
community leaders, citizen landowners, and organizations with statewide
interests, will generate ideas for the SAMP. The goal is for local
governments to consider the Advisory Group's recommendations and
adopt appropriate regulations and policies. The following products
will be pursued in FY 02:
1) Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan: Staff will finalize
the draft watershed management plan produced in FY01, which will
develop priority areas for watershed management and define action
plans to address them.
2) Local Land Use Regulation/Policy Amendments: Staff will develop
draft language for amendments to local land use regulations and
policies to achieve consistency across county boundaries.
3) Public Access Management MOU: Staff will develop draft language
for a public access management memorandum of understanding (MOU)
that will address watershed access issues.
4) Dragon Run SAMP Education Program and Resource Library: Staff
will administer a program to educate decision-makers, community
leaders and citizens about critical watershed issues. Staff will
continue to collect and organize a resource clearinghouse of paper
and digital information related to these issues.
5) Dragon Run SAMP Technical Assistance Program: Staff will continue
to work with each local government to identify strengths and weaknesses
in existing planning tools. Staff will also serve as a regional
reviewer for grant development activity in the waterMay 16, 2006urces Inventory: A comprehensive, GIS-compatible database
of resident and migratory fish communities will be developed. This
aquatic inventory will be used for (1) developing land and water
use policies that will minimize the impacts to rare or threatened
species identified (2) enhancing interpretive signage and public
education on the Dragon and (3) supplementing the GIS Inventory
for the Dragon Run (Item #1 in the Project Summary and Products
#1 and #3). This aquatic inventory will be used as a baseline of
study for the Dragon. Future data can then be compared to the baseline
to reflect any changes in aquatic species as a result of changes
in water quality or land use that may occur (positive or negative).
Federal Funding:
$47,000
Project Contact:
David Fuss, 804.758.2311, dfuss@mppdc.com
Project Status:
Grant Closed
Final Product Received:
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
The
Dragon Run SAMP is a partnership between the Virginia Coastal Program
and the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission's Dragon Run
Steering Committee. Its mission is to support and promote community-based
efforts to preserve the cultural, historic, and natural character
of the Dragon Run, while preserving property rights and the traditional
uses in the watershed (e.g. forestry, farming, hunting). The Dragon
Run is a fresh and brackish water stream that encompasses 90,000
acres of the Middle Peninsula counties of Essex, King and Queen,
Middlesex, and Gloucester.
The Dragon Run Steering Committee and its SAMP Advisory Group finalized
the "Dragon Run Watershed Management Plan" with input
from a broad cross-section of the watershed community. Information
about the watershed management plan and the process and resources
used in its development were disseminated through brochures, fact
sheets, community presentations, and a web site (www.mppdc.com/projects/dragonSAMP.htm).
The watershed management plan contains draft language for amendments
to local land use regulations and policies.
A multi-organizational meeting was convened to address invasive
species in the watershed. The result was a strategy to monitor and
control invasive species and to educate the public about the threat
they pose.
A special educational module, entitled "Classroom Activities
Using GIS: The Dragon Run Watershed," was created based on
the Dragon Run Management Framework (FY98). The module was presented
at the National Marine Educators Association Conference and at a
middle school Technology Camp for Rappahannock Community College.
Technical assistance was provided in the form of mapping, access
and natural resource information, canoe and kayak trips, information
for land acquisition, and field inventory work.
Combined with external funding, this grant enabled the collection
of baseline information about fish, insects, freshwater mussels,
natural communities, rare species, and land use policies. As a result,
the "Aquatic Living Resources Inventory" was produced
for the Dragon Run watershed that supported the development of the
watershed management plan. The final report includes a CD-ROM with
a digital interface to the inventory's digital database.
Ongoing funding support enabled this project to continue to strive
toward its mission and to implement the actions in the watershed
management plan to achieve its goals and objectives.
Form C end
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
