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.