Community solutions in the Rappahannock River Watershed

The Friends of the Rappahannock has taken the lead in working with Stafford County to develop a watershed management plan for the county--and is using a progressive approach involving the community to make it happen. The Friends of the Rappahannock will promote a neighborhood engagement program, targeting specific neighborhoods within the county for intensive watershed education training. These neighborhoods will then form the nucleus of the community involvement in developing the county’s watershed management plan.

The Rappahannock River Basin Commission has taken a proactive approach to watershed management by supporting the development of a model designed to better understand water resources and supplies in the watershed. When complete, this model — which is one of three nationwide — hopefully will help local governments within the watershed plan future growth with its water resources in mind. It’s being designed as a long-range planning tool to help localities understand the limitations of their water supply — before it’s too late.

With the future of its waterways in mind, Stafford County in the Rappahannock River watershed is the first locality in Virginia to establish low-impact development requirements. Such requirements encourage developers to design urban and suburban development in harmony with the natural landscape, in order to reduce the destructive effects of stormwater runoff. Low-impact development saves space, reduces paved areas, and eliminates the necessity of stormwater ponds to divert run-off.. Through intelligent design, low-impact development protects surface and groundwater quality, reduces soil erosion and the sedimentation of streams, and improves and preserves the quality of our waterways.

For more information on these community solutions, contact:

DCR Watershed Office
P.O. Box 1425
Tappahannock, VA 22560

Phone: (804) 443-6752
Fax: (804) 443-4534

If you’re interested in another conservation group that serves the Rappahannock River Watershed, download a yellow page arranged by conservation topic.

Additional resources

Chesapeake Bay Program
Rappahannock River Basin Commission
Friends of the Rappahannock
Rappahannock Conservation Council