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
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.
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. An 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 WW II
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.
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.