DWR Dam and Boat Launch Facilities
West Point, VA
Through a statewide term contract, AMT is providing environmental services for some of the 38 regulated dams on Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (now called DWR) properties, within Wildlife Management Areas (WMA’s) and at boat launch facilities throughout Virginia.
West Point Facilities: AMT provided environmental services for the development of a new hand launch facility and renovations to existing boating infrastructure. Relevant environmental services included delineation of the estuarine emergent and estuarine scrub/shrub wetlands, along with a Joint Permit Application (JPA) submittal and the receipt of a Nationwide Permit. A Water Quality Impact Assessment (WQIA) was prepared to determine if the proposed launch and parking areas were able to be constructed within the Resource Protection Area. Sensitive Joint Vetch and anadromous fish species presented potential time of year impacts to the project schedule.
Morris Creek Canoe Launch: AMT provided environmental services permitting for a new hand launch on Morris Creek within the Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area in Charles City County, Virginia. The project elements include detailed tidal evaluation of the launch area due to unpredictable fluctuations between high and low and the extremely varied terrain of the launch location. The freshwater tidal Palustrine Forested (PFO) wetland which contains a rare within the commonwealth old growth Bald Cypress Swamp. Services included confirmed wetland delineation and stream classification and Joint Permit Application (JPA) resulting in a Nationwide Permit. The area required clearance of several endangered species, including Swamp Pink, two bat species and anadromous fish. The facility is the first non-motorized specific launch in the DGIF inventory and is now a key component of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake Historic Trail. The 20’ wide articulated concrete block ramp and associated parking area and access path were constructed.
Hoskins Creek Boat Launch Facilities: AMT provided the surveying, design and environmental services for the renovation and expansion of a motorized boat launch and fishing dock on Hoskins Creek. Improvements include renovations to the motorized boat launch ramp with vinyl sheet piling and a courtesy pier, converting a fueling dock to a fishing dock, re-allocation of parking, additional ADA parking spaces, pavement repairs, and a design for mitigating environmental impacts to the Resource Protection Area using a conserved open space and shoreline stabilization work.
Dam Safety Projects: Task orders have included Preliminary Engineering Reports (PER’s), Access/Maintenance Studies, Spillway Capacity Studies, Dam Inspections, Surveying and Engineering Design Plans, Environmental Permitting, Bid and Construction Phase Services. Projects have included the Briery Creek Lake Dam, Brunswick Dam, Upper and Lower Powhatan Lake Dams, and the Fluvanna Ruritan Dam.
The West Point Boat Launch received a 2016 national States Organization for Boating Access (SOBA) Outstanding Project Award.