Colonial National Historic Park Shoreline Management Plan: Phase II York River Shoreline and Swanns Point, James River Shoreline

Authors

C. Scott Hardaway Jr., Virginia Institute of Marine ScienceFollow
Donna A. Milligan, Virginia Institute of Marine ScienceFollow
Carl H. Hobbs III, Virginia Institute of Marine ScienceFollow
Christine A. Wilcox, Virginia Institute of Marine ScienceFollow

Document Type

Report

Department/Program

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Publication Date

7-2006

Abstract

This report presents a comprehensive shoreline management plan for Colonial National Historical Park (COLO) along its York River coast. In addition, COLO property at Swanns Point on the James River was addressed (Figure 1-1). The shoreline controlled by the U.S Naval Weapons Station on the York River is included in the overall reach analyses but not in the management plan recommendations. The plan addresses the mutual desires of state and federal agencies to improve water quality and enhance wetland habitat in Chesapeake Bay while preventing the loss of significant cultural and natural resources. Shoreline processes, past, present, and future, and the ways they relate to hydrodynamic forcing are a main component of this study.
Generally, the entire COLO shoreline on the James and York Rivers is subject to wind driven, wave forces that cause moderate to severe shoreline erosion. Numerous shoreline structures, such as stone revetments and seawalls, have been installed over the years to protect upland improvements from erosion;however, the unprotected shorelines continue to erode, and, under extreme storm conditions such as occurred in September 2003 during the passage of Hurricane Isabel, even protected shores were impacted.This study develops a management plan that puts the natural process of shoreline erosion into perspective as to potential long-term impacts to cultural and natural living and non-living resources. Specific goals of COLO will be incorporated into the analyses in order to produce a shoreline management plan.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21220/V5VW2V

Keywords

Shoreline Management, York County, VA, James River, York River, Colonial National Historic Park

Recommended Citation

Hardaway, C., Milligan, D. A., Hobbs, C. H., & Wilcox, C. A. (2006) Colonial National Historic Park Shoreline Management Plan: Phase II York River Shoreline and Swanns Point, James River Shoreline. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://doi.org/10.21220/V5VW2V