The Albemarle Sound Coastal Watershed (Pasquotank River Basin) is about 3,900 square miles, with its water flowing south to southeast into the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds of North Carolina. Approximately 577 square miles of this watershed are in Virginia, and include four distinct subwatersheds: the Great Dismal Swamp, North Landing River, Northwest River and Back Bay. Predominantly rural in nature, about 28 percent of the watershed is forested, 52 percent is agricultural, with the remaining 30 percent in wetlands and urban/residential use. About 200,000 people live in the four subwatersheds in Virginia, concentrated in the southern parts of the cities of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake and the southeastern portion of the city of Suffolk.
This ecologically unique watershed is a place of transition for many plants and animals. Because of its geographic position, it is both the northern limit for many southern species of wildlife, and the southern limit for many northern species. This watershed is in effect a biological border crossing for many plants and animals. Species that are normally encountered only north or south of Virginia can be found in this remarkable area. Here we find them existing together— at the very edges of their range. In addition, the extensive and relatively inhospitable wetlands of the region have helped to protect the watershed’s natural resources from the rapid development patterns so evident just northward. As a result, the basin supports 19 rare natural communities plus 67 plant and 22 animal species rare to Virginia.
Some natural highlights of the watershed include:
The largest Great Blue Heron rookery in Virginia on the North Landing River-- home to more than 300 nesting herons.
Back Bay serves as a winter home for mallards, black ducks, pintails, Canada geese and snow geese. It is also an important resting area for thousands of birds migrating along the Atlantic Flyway.
Some of the lasts stands of Atlantic White Cedar exist in this watershed.
*In 1996, the Nature Conservancy scientist discovered a virgin forest in the watershed, never before recorded in botanical annals, containing cypress and black gum trees that may be as old as 800 years.
The Great Dismal Swamp is one of the largest areas of continuous forest in the Atlantic Coastal Plain.
Ongoing conservation and water quality efforts in the watershed include the Southern Area Watershed Management Program (SWAMP), designed to coordinate natural resource management activities in the Albemarle (Pasquotank) Sound watershed. These efforts include long-range planning for wetland restoration and mitigation, land-use planning, stream corridor protection, and the increase of forest riparian buffers.
Contact information
DCR Watershed Office
1548 Holland Road
Suffolk, VA 23434
Phone: (757) 925-2468
Fax: (757) 925-2388
Learn more about community solutions in watersheds.
Additional resources:
Back Bay Restoration Foundation
Nature Conservancy
Hampton Roads Planning District Commission
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge
