Dragon Run Steering Committee
November 10, 2000
Middle Peninsula Planning District Commision
AGENDA
- Conservation Roundtable
- Special Area Management Plan (SAMP)
- Mapping Conservation Land Holdings
- Dragon Run Water Quality Sampling Effort
- Next meeting
Meeting Notes:
Dragon Run Steering Committee
members in attendance were Dorothy Miller, Prue
Davis, - Essex County; Ed Hall (Chairman) and
Russell and Rachel Williams, W.F. Herrin -King
& Queen County, Jerry Horner-Gloucester
County, Robert Major -Middlesex County. Also
in attendance were Teta Kain FODR, Keith C.
Parham King and Queen and Lewis Lawrence- MPPDC
Staff.
Introductions- Chairman Ed Hall
welcomed everyone attending the meeting and
discussed the agenda for the meeting.
Conservation Roundtable- Teta
Kain gave a review of Friends of The Dragon
Run history and land holdings. Teta also extended
an invitation to attend the upcoming general
meeting. Dr Willy Reay CBNERR in Virginia at
VIMS spoke about the effort of CBNERR to purchase
a tract of land on the Dragon and future research
efforts.
Special Area Management Plan (SAMP)-
Lewie lead a discussion of SAMP and opened up
the meeting to a discussion of SAMP activities.
Below are the topic areas of concern from some
elected, appointed, and citizens of the member
localities whose jurisdiction the Dragon Run
watershed drains. These topics represent areas
of concern, future projects, future planning
initiatives etc.
The Dragon Run Steering Committee
fully supports the creation of a SAMP for the
Dragon and looks forward to initiating and serving
as a coordinator for this regional watershed
planning initiative.
Regional Planning
- Land Management Assemblage Assistance-
regional coordination of conservation land
assemblage issues
- Create a higher level of volunteer protection
tools and strengthen local government ordinances
for watershed protection.
- Land use analysis, on-site septic, non
traditional septic opportunities for development
of land in the watershed- buildout projections
- Riparian Buffer for residential and agricultural
uses- educate and implement
- Look towards the Chesapeake Bay Preservation
Act for implementation and protection tools.
- Review and implement past agreements of
local government for watershed management-
Past Dragon Run Steering Committee, MPPDC,
and local government adoption.
- Economic Analysis-Understand and quantify
resource value, local business value, land
value, timber value, recreational value
of the watershed.
- Watch Dog Dragon- Offer timber certification
designation for loggers-"Friend of
the Dragon Logging Program"
- Timber tracking- Create a watershed wide
timber harvest and tracking program
- Purchase of Timber Rights in buffer- create
a program
- Maps and designate certain areas as "special-timber,
habitat, endangered species zones"
for additional protection
- Access Management, clean up-work with
VDOT and other agency players concerning
environmental sensitivity training
- Focused access for general public- Implement
an access management plan
- Establish public park access site
- Facilitate land purchase for different
groups
- Expert on legislation-Bay Act changes,
TMDL, TRIB Strategy
- Land fill expansion- local governments
position and direction.
- Landfill truck transport route in Dragon
Run Watershed- need to minimize
Education
- Creation of a watershed wide outdoor educational
program
- Support for the revival of the Dragon
Run Festival
- Offer timber certification designation
for loggers-"Friend of the Dragon Logging
Program"
- Public educational programs for safety
and awareness
Natural Heritage
- Natural Heritage Inventory- continue and
support
- Environmental Grant Support Other Groups-
need for professional assistance to coordinate
and support grant initiative for environmental
stewards of the Dragon.
Research
- Continue/Expand water quality and land
use research
- Seek Specialized Study- certain watershed
attributes require specialized study
- Work with large agricultural and silvacultural
landholders to effectively improve productivity
while preserving the watershed.
- Diversity of species- identify historic
species and inventory current species to
determine extent of current vegetation i.e.
lob lolly, phragmites
- Old growth tree stands-inventory
- Flooding and 100 year storm effect on
agriculture, run off and water quality.
- Old species once were no more-reintroduction
(American Shad)
- Vegetation density vs. evaporation – is
the Dragon drying up from a loss of vegetative
cover
Recreation
- Recreation / hunting-new program new opportunities,
eco-tourism, guided hunts, outdoor experience
Mapping Conservation Land Holdings-
Lewie lead a discussion of the need to map conservation
group land holdings for the regional. Land assemblage
on a regional basis can illustrate how coordinated
efforts can yiels larger benefits than a disjointed
assemblage effort.
Dragon Run Water Quality Sampling
Effort- Dr Willy Reay CBNERR in Virginia at
VIMS lead a discussion of the pending November
14 sampling effort. Willy explained where samples
would be taken and what would be monitored.
Keith C. Parham addressed the
group. Reverend Parham leads a environmental
awareness effort to promote awareness of the
potential impacts of the BFI land fill in King
and Queen County
Other Business- Charman Ed Hall
reminded the group that the February 2001 meeting
will be the election of officers and discussion
of legislative issues related to the environment
W.F. Herrin made a motion to adjourn, properly
seconded and approved.
Dragon Run Steering Committee
August 10, 2000, 7:30 PM
MPPDC Offices - Saluda
AGENDA -Minutes
- Introductions.
- Resolution acknowledging the efforts of
Heather Wilson to educate and promote awareness
of the Dragon Run to local youth
- Land use – Water Quality project update
- Chesapeake Bay 2000 agreement update
- Virginia Motor Speedway update.
- Shad resolution support update
- Update on the BFI mitigation fund-Friends
of the Dragon Run land purchase.
- Next Meeting.
Meeting Notes:
Dragon Run Steering Committee
members in attendance were Dorothy Miller
and Prue Davis- Essex County; Ed Hall, Russell
and Rachel Williams, and William and Elise Herrin-King
& Queen County, Jerry Horner-Gloucester
County; Robert Major Middlesex County. Also
in attendance were Davis Rhodes and Mike Anderberg-FODR
and Lewis Lawrence- MPPDC Staff.
The Chairman welcomed everyone
in attendance and called the meeting to order.
A resolution was presented acknowledging the
effort of Heather Wilson to educate and promote
awareness of the Dragon Run to local youth.
The resolution will be presented to Heather
Wilson at the next Middle Peninsula Planning
District Commission monthly meeting.
Lewie gave a review of the Land
use-Water Quality grant as well as a brief discussion
of the upcoming system wide water quality sampling
project. The group discussed sample locations.
Lewie provided an update on the
septic issue at the Virginia Motor Speedway.
Indications from Three Rivers Health District
at that the Speedway will use a mass drainfield
and will not try for a discharge permit into
Briery Creek. The final proposal should be delivered
to the Health District shortly.
Lewie provided an update on the
Shad Educational Support resolution supplied
to all local government within the Middle Peninsula.
Support for the resolution was indicated from
all local governments presenting the resolution.
Davis Rhodes, Friends of The Dragon
lead a discussion of the upcoming land purchase
on the Dragon. Davis indicated that funding
raising support for this purchase was overwhelming.
Lewie also took the opportunity to present two
recycling stations to the Friends as a gift
from the Middle Peninsula Recycling Program
administrated through the MPPDC.
Chairman Hall set the next meeting
of the Steering Committee and called closed
the meeting.
Dragon Run Steering Committee
May 10, 2000, 7:30 PM
MPPDC Offices - Saluda
AGENDA
- Introductions.
- Topic Introduction-Watershed hydrology,
water quality, and geology
- Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant Award
- Other Business.
- Next Meeting.
Meeting Notes:
Dragon Run Steering Committee
members in attendance were Dorothy Miller and
Prue Davis- Essex County; Ed Hall, Russell and
Rachel Williams, and William and Elise Herrin-King
& Queen County, Jerry Horner-Gloucester
County; Robert Major -Middlesex County Also
in attendance were Dr. Willy Reay CBNERRS-Vims,
Mike Anderberg-FODR and Lewis Lawrence- MPPDC
Staff.
The Chairman called the meeting
to order and introduced Dr. Willy Reay from
the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research
Reserve – VIMS. Dr. Reay gave an overview of
CBNERR and gave a presentation on the movement
of water. Dr Reay’s presentation focused on:
Hydrologic cycle, review of Virginias water
cycle, development pressure, surface water runoff,
discharge determination based on land use, comparison
of run off based on lands use, aquifers types,
vegetative buffers, buffer zones, nutrient loading
estimates, as well as other water shed issues.
A question and answer period followed.
Lewis gave a review of the upcoming
Land use-Water Quality grant award from Fish
and Wildlife. A general description of the work
program was offered. The Chairman requested
a volunteer to serve as the liaison between
the Dragon Run Steering Committee and the grant
work committee. William Herring offered to serve
as a liaison.
Prue Davis asked if old water
quality data could be useful to this project?
Dr Reay commented that he is reviewing all past
work to determine what is known about the Dragon
and what is useful for this project.
Jerry Horner asked if mercury
concentrations are or could be monitored. Lewie
offered to research these issues further and
report to the committee.
Other Business- A general discussion
of the change of ownership of the Virginia Race
Way and the implications of sewage treatment
and discharge to the Dragon was discussed. The
committee requested that Lewie research the
development plans and report back to the committee.
Old Business- The chairman asked
about a shad support resolution to be issued
by the steering committee to each unit of local
government in the Middle Peninsula. This resolution
was from the previous meeting. Lewie reported
that the PDC board should first approve a resolution
of support and then have the committee pass
along the resolution to local government for
consideration. Lewie also reported that several
PDC agenda items and timing issues have caused
a delay in the presentation of a Shad support
resolution to the PDC board. This delay has
nothing to do with the importance of the support
resolution.
Jerry Horner asked about future
VMRC speakers related to Shad on the Dragon.
Lewie reported that VMRC is still a topic area
and will be considered for future meetings.
The Chairman requested a motion
to adjourn the meeting, William Herrin made
the motion and Robert Major seconded.
Dragon Run Steering Committee
Quarterly Meeting
February 9, 2000
Agenda
1. Introduction
2. Shad Restoration
3. Small Watershed Grant
4. Open Discussion
5. Next Meeting
Other Information-Minutes
Meeting Attendance-
William F. Herrin and Edward Hall
King and Queen; Robert Major Middlesex; Prue
Davis and Dorothy Miller Essex; Jerry Horner
Gloucester; Davis Rhodes Chairman Friends of
the Dragon, Lewie Lawrence MPPDC; Tom Gunter
VDGIF
Chairman Hall welcomed everyone
to the meeting. The first order of business
was to elect a Chairman and Vice Chairman for
the upcoming year. Ed Hall was nominated by
Prue Davis and seconded by Dorothy Miller to
serve as Chairman. There were no opposing votes.
Dorothy Miller was nominated by Prue Davis and
properly seconded to continue serving as Vice
Chair. There were no opposing votes.
Chairman Hall introduced Tom Gunter
VDGIF. Mr. Gunter spoke about the importance
of Shad to the Virginia economy. He estimated
that $5.5 million would be generated if Shad
were fully restored to the James River alone.
Mr. Gunter additionally offered:
- Shad travel 400 miles up the James from
the ocean to spawn.
- Shad reduction is due to factors such
as: dams, over-harvest, off shore fisheries,
and pollution.
- Existing restoration effort are joint
project between many partners.
- Natural spawn rate is estimated to be
between 5%-35% effective.
- Human interaction spawn rate is estimated
to be up to 99% effective.
- Tetracycline used as a tagging identifier
in the otolif (ear bone).
- Electroshock around dams is used to capture
returning fish to see if any have the tetracycline
tags.
- 39 million shad have been released into
the James River.
- Estimated that 1 out of 400 Shad reach
maturity.
Questions:
- How long do shad stay in a tributary?
- Answer-March-June spawn up stream
- Fall-Migrate down rivers
- Stay in salt water till maturity
and return to spawn in March-June
- What can be done to start a restoration
project on the Dragon?
Answer-very hard to do. Must convince
a politician to champion the project, send letters
to VMRC, engage legislatures, and have interest
by the Secretary of Natural Resources.
Chairman Hall made a motion that
PDC staff draft a Shad support letter and circulate
to local government administrators asking for
support. Jerry Horner seconded the motion.
Lewie Lawrence gave an overview
of a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant
the was applied for as directed by the DRSC
committee. This grant will partner with VIMS-CBNERRS
to conduct land use and water quality research
and have the Friends of the Dragon Run and the
Dragon Run Steering Committee disseminate the
results.
Chairman Hall then opened the
floor for general discussion and to give Frank
Herrin, a new appointed member from King and
Queen, an opportunity to address the committee.
During open discussion, it was
suggested that PDC staff call committee members
a few days before the meeting to remind members
of the meeting.
Chairman hall then directed committee
members to develop a topic list for future meetings.
It was decided that the following meeting topics
guide the next year: VMRC and researchers from
Vims be contacted to discuss shad efforts, new
environmental legislation be discussed, geology
and hydrology of the dragon be discussed. Lewie
will arraign for speakers prior to each meeting.
Chairman called the meeting and
Frank Herrin seconded.