DONATE NOW
Owls Creek-Rudee Inlet Watershed
About

Owl Creek runs behind the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center and joins the Rudee Inlet to flow into the Atlantic Ocean.

Characteristic
Information
Source
Location
  • The Owls Creek watershed is the smallest of the watersheds in the city.
  • It’s bounded roughly by 19th Street to the north and Camp Pendleton to the south; and Birdneck Road to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.

 

Size (shoreline and acreage drained)
  • Roughly 3,000 acres, 1.5% of the city
Population Density
  • Much of the land is commercial, city and state owned and military, so low population density
Land Use (urban/rural)
  • This watershed is highly populated with businesses and homes on the east side, the military base on the southwest. It encompasses marinas, resort hotels and restaurants, mixed with open wetland areas.
Topography
% owned by state or Federal
  • The majority of the watershed is owned by the state and federal governments.
Names of Federal or State properties
  • Camp Pendleton
  • Oceana Naval Air Station
Major Bodies of Water and Salinity
  • Rudee Inlet- brackish- maintained through dredging
  • Owls Creek
  • Lake Rudee- Salt
  • Lake Christine-Freshwater
  • Lake Holly- Freshwater
  • Lake Wesley- borrow pit for sand replenishment- Salt
Tides
  • Lunar Tidal
Recreation Areas (access points, natural areas, parks)
  • Virginia Aquarium
  • Marshview Park
  • Owls Creek Preservation Area
  • Owls Creek Boat ramp
  • Rudee Inlet Station Marina
Flora and Fauna
Characteristic
Information
Source
Plants
  • Evening primrose, beardtongue, cypress trees, salicornia
  • Pilot Online
  • “The Lookdown” Newsletter, December 7, 1987
    • Volume 7, Number 2 Virginia Marine Science Museum
Urban Tree Canopy
  • 35.4%
  • Urban Tree Canopy analysis 2008 Data
Wetlands
  • Owls Creek Preservation area
    Owls Creek marsh is a high salinity marsh because of its proximity to the ocean. The salinity range is typically 20-30 ppt, with lower salinities found immediately after rainfall.
  • Many areas of Non-tidal wetlands, especially along the edges of the Naval air station.
Animals
  • Eagles nest along Owl’s creek, Herons, Egrets, Mergansers, ducks, Osprey, otters, nutria, sand shrimp, bay anchovies, blue crabs, spot, weakfish, blue mussels, tautog, croaker, trout, seahorses, lookdown fish (see checklist in Lookdown newsletter, Dec 1987)
  • “The Lookdown” Newsletter, December 7, 1987
    • Volume 7, Number 2 Virginia Marine Science Museum
Soil Characteristics
Other Organisms
Background Information
Characteristic
Information
Source
History
  • Owls Creek- originally called Old’s Creek (1767)-named for a prominent Princess Anne family.  In 19th Century deed book called it Owl’s Creek.
  • In June of 2013 people were invited to work alongside archeologists from The James River Institute of Archaeology to uncover a 17th c. Colonial homestead. Lots of artifacts from that time period and older were found. A native spearhead from 3000BC was also found.
  • Seatack Community History- originally settled by African Americans in late 1700s-early 1800s-owned their own farms and built their own homes. Formed the first school for Negro Children at Mt. Olive Baptist Church. Seatack Citizens later provided the land for the original Seatack Elementary School that opened in 1952.
  • Black men were appointed Air Raid Wardens to protect the little town of VB during WWII
  • Returning veterans built the first black-owned and operated fire department ever to exist in the US- known as the Seatack volunteer Fire Department.
  • Seatack was named from the words Sea Attack because it was the point on the coast of rural Princess Anne County where the community was the target of cannonballs fired from British ships and was where troops came ashore during an attack in the War of 1812.
Misc
  • This watershed has undergone extensive changes over the last 100 years.
  • Areas known as Lake Wesley, Lake Rudee and Owls Creek were shallow marshy area. Depth was only about 18 inches deep.
    • (see Lookdown Article for all the changes that happen in this area)
  • Railroad came through this area near Lake Holly. Remnants of the track are still existent. 
  • “The Lookdown” Newsletter, December 7, 1987
    • Volume 7, Number 2 Virginia Marine Science Museum

Do you live in the Rudee-Owls Creek 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.

Learn more»
PEARL SCHOOLS

Lynnhaven River NOW recognizes schools providing outstanding environmental education as a Pearl School.

Learn More»
PEARL BUSINESSES

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

Learn More »
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.

Learn More»
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.

Learn More»