Publice Notice: King William Reservoir Project

This is to provide notification that the Virginia Marine Resources Commission has resumed its review of those components of the King William Reservoir project proposed by the City of Newport News on behalf of the Regional Raw Water Study Group that will require authorization from the Commission pursuant to Chapter 12 of Title 28.2 of the Code of Virginia.

In response to the settlement agreement between the Commission and the City of Newport News, which calls for a supplemental hearing in settlement of litigation, the City on behalf of the Regional Raw Water Study Group (RRWSG) has submitted an amendment to their application including a report from the King William Reservoir Fisheries Panel (Panel) assembled for the RRWSG entitled; King William Reservoir - Mattaponi River Fish Impact Assessment and Mitigation Report.  The amendment submitted by the City and the Panel report may be viewed on the Commission web site (see document web links at the end of this public notice).

Based on the project plans contained in the application for permit, the Commission must consider granting authorization for the installation of a raw water intake structure in the Mattaponi River near Scotland Landing as well as water distribution lines under Cohoke Creek downstream of Route 632, the Pamunkey River at Cousiac Marsh, and the discharge structure in Beaverdam Creek upstream of Interstate 64 in New Kent County.  The City has informed the Commission that there will be no outfall structure on the banks of the Pamunkey River as previously proposed.  In addition, the City proposes the use of directional drilling for the Cohoke crossing as is planned for the crossing under the Pamunkey River.  The intake pipeline from the shoreline into the Mattaponi will be installed using microtunneling technology.  Furthermore, the City indicates that the previously proposed pier and boathouse associated with the intake structure are not needed.  The dam for the reservoir itself is authorized by statute pursuant to Section 28.2-1203 of the Code of Virginia and does not require a permit from the Marine Resources Commission.

The changes proposed by the City's amendment to the permit application previously considered by the Commission in 2003 concern the operation of the intake structure in the Mattaponi River, to address effects on fish spawning through the establishment of a pumping hiatus (i.e. a seasonal shutdown of water withdrawal operations) using temperature as a trigger to begin and end the hiatus based on a long-term (8+ years) preoperational icthyoplankton monitoring program. The City's amendment also describes proposed construction details, including the use of a sheet-pile baffle structure and turbidity curtain during installation of the intake screens.  There are no physical changes to the permanent facilities previously considered by the Commission

As specified by the Agreement for Supplemental Hearing in Settlement of Litigation, written comments will be allowed for 30 days and shall be limited to the potential impacts of the proposed Mattaponi River raw water intake for the King William Reservoir Project on the early life stages of American shad that utilize the Mattaponi River as spawning and nursery grounds and other fishery resources the Commission is entrusted to protect.

Please provide written comments to:  Virginia Marine Resources Commission, King William Reservoir Project, Habitat Management Division, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, Virginia  23607.  E-mail comments must be submitted to kwr-comments@mrc.state.va.us. All comments must be received (or postmarked) during the 30-day comment period which concludes on May 12, 2004.



The following documents are PDF files and require Adobe® Acrobat Reader available for free at Adobe Acrobat


KWR Mattaponi River Fisheries Assessment (April 1 2004)  (Report and Appendices, File Size < 23MB, Download time on 56K dialup < 1 hour)

KWR Mattaponi River Fisheries Assessment Part 1 (April 1 2004)  (Executive Summary through Chapter 8, File Size  <6MB, Download time on 56K dialup < 20 minutes)

KWR Mattaponi River Fisheries Assessment Part 2 (April 1 2004)  (Appendices A - H, File Size  <14MB, Download time on 56K dialup < 35 minutes)

Amendment to VMRC Permit Application #93-0902    (File Size > 1MB, Download time on 56K dialup > 2 minutes)

Agreement for Supplemental Hearing in Settlement of Litigation (File Size > 1MB, Download time on 56K dialup > 1 minute)

Revised Drawing #11 of 20 in the City's amended Application (File Size > 1MB, Download time on 56K dialup > 1 minute)


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