Forest Canopy Loss

The Rappahannock watershed is losing urban and suburban tree canopy at increasing rates. We now have an opportunity to provide localities with tools to help replace trees that are lost during construction. Urge your delegate right now to support these efforts through House Bill XX to plant more trees in your community! HBXX adds tree fund language to existing code 961.3.

These tools are needed to ensure Virginia continues to protect the health of its citizens and waterways by retaining urban and suburban tree canopy!

Land Use Conversion

The Rappahannock River watershed is experiencing large changes in land use. Forests and fields are being developed for residential, commercial, and industrial projects leading to increased stormwater runoff and surface water demand from the river. Localities watershed-wide are receiving many applications for utility scale solar projects due to clean energy deadlines mandated by the Virginia Clean Economy Act. A balance must be established to ensure that water quality cleanup goals can also be achieved.

Water Supply/Data Centers

The Rappahannock River watershed is experiencing a boom in data center project applications and approvals. These projects are vital for our digital lifestyle and can potentially provide localities with financial windfalls but there is a lack of incentives and standards to protect Virginia’s natural resources while allowing for the proper siting of these industrial facilities. Additionally there is a lack of transparency regarding disclosure of water and power usage.

Environmental Literacy

Virginia’s environmental challenges require future generations to be knowledgeable about conservation strategies and environmental issues. Virginia’s environmental literacy is primarily advanced through the Virginia Standards of Learning concepts and community partnerships with the schools. Many school districts in Virginia lack access to necessary curriculum resources, funding, and professional development opportunities. Under-resourced schools often struggle to provide students with effective environmental education programs, including meaningful watershed education experiences (MWEEs), which allow students to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing their local watersheds. Increasing access to funding and training can lead to a more engaged and environmentally literate community, ultimately contributing to the well-being of Virginia’s natural resources and residents. Increased and sustained funding is crucial to supporting environmental literacy programs.

Fisheries

Our Rappahannock River fisheries are important both culturally and economically to the people of the river basin. Virginia’s fisheries managers continue to struggle with managing and rebuilding fish populations, including species such as blue crab, river herring, American shad, striped bass, menhaden, and sturgeon. The growing prevalence of new land uses and the impacts from climate change necessitate prioritizing investment in better understanding the cumulative impacts of these changes on our iconic fisheries.
As localities move toward utilizing surface water to meet future water needs more surface water intake facilities will be installed. These surface water withdrawals kill billions of fish, shellfish, eggs, and larvae each year through impingement (organisms being pinned against mesh screens because of strong withdrawal velocity) or entrainment (organisms that go through a facility’s water system because mesh size is too large). This chronic mortality threat is studied on a case-by-case basis but we lack data on the cumulative effects such withdrawals have on aquatic fauna mortality and water quality.