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Northwest River Watershed
About
Characteristic
Information
Source
Location
  • Far southwest corner of the city.

Size (shoreline and acreage drained)
  • 2,142 acres, 1.1% of city
  • Total watershed is 140,00 acres in VA and NC
  • Discharges into Currituck Sound
  • Only 1% is in VB
Population Density
  • Least populated.
  • Very low population density.
Land Use (urban/rural)
  • The Northwest River Watershed is not heavily developed.
  • Of its 66,437 acres, less than one percent of the area, 3,554 acres, is in residential or commercial development.
  • Farming and agriculture use about twenty-five percent of the area, or 16,527 acres.
  • The remaining 46,356 acres is either wetlands or unmanaged forest lands.
Topography
  • Flat
% Owned by State or Federal
  • 0%

Names of Federal or State properties
Major Bodies of Water and Salinity
  • Northwest River-primary water supply for the city of Chesapeake.
  • Mostly freshwater, dependent on wind tides.
Recreation Areas (access points, natural areas, parks)
  • Northwest River Park in Chesapeake.
  • Several sites along Indian Creek Road off Battlefield Blvd. South
Flora and Fauna
Characteristic
Information
Source
Plants
  • Listed along with North Landing River and Back Bay as having the highest concentration of rare plants and animal species east of the Blue Ridge Mtn.
  • Old mans beard
  • Grey green fungi
Urban Tree Canopy
  • Scattered examples of mature upland forest
Wetlands
  •  Non-riverine swamp forest
  • Water tupelo/bald cypress swamp
  • Tidal shrub swamp
  • Marshes
Animals
  • Important wildlife corridor, linking the Dismal Swamp to Back Bay and North Landing River Preserve.
    • Largemouth bass
    • Chain pickerel
    • Blue catfish
    • Yellow perch
    • Canebrake rattlesnake- endangered
    • Frequented by black bears
Soil Characteristics
  • Wetland soils.
  • Western part has good farming soil.
Threats
  • Climate Change over time will create the possibility of ghost forests in the future. 
  • Landward movement of marshes/swamps.
Background Information
Characteristics
Information
Source
History
  • The North Landing River was originally called the North River. The Northwest River was named to differentiate from the North River.
  • The settlers that settled this watershed were from North Carolina, coming up from the Albemarle Sound.
  • Currituck Inlet was open to the Ocean across from Knotts Island and there is commerce into the southern part of Virginia Beach (then known as Princess Anne County)
  • Civil War and the advent of the RR and the canals connected this part with the rest of  VB
  • Cypress tree logging for shake singles and fence pickets
Misc.
  • Part of the Albemarle/Pamlico watershed.
  • Majority of the watershed is in Chesapeake.

Do you live in the Northwest River Watershed? Order your FREE sticker today! Email Office@LRNow.org 

Don’t know which watershed you live in? Click HERE to discover your watershed.

HOW YOU CAN HELP THE ENVIRONMENT
PEARL HOMES & NEIGHBORHOODS

PEARL HOMES are places where people care about our environment and want to do what they can to help protect our resources.

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PEARL SCHOOLS

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PEARL BUSINESSES are essential to truly move towards a more sustainable Virginia Beach and cleaner waters.

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PEARL FAITH

We all want to do our part to restore the health of all of our sacred waterways and protect them for future generations to enjoy.

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SUSTAINABLE YARDS PROGRAM

SUSTAINABLE YARDS PROGRAM: Let us help you “green” your Lynnhaven watershed home. This unique program provides specific stormwater management practices to your yard at a significantly reduced cost to you.

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