 Help
and guidance for you and
your backyard wetland
 Regulatory Agencies
Because wetlands are essential to water quality
and protecting wildlife – both fish and fowl – many
government agencies are involved in keeping wetlands from being
harmed. If you are planning a yard project near backyard tidal
wetlands or if you would like to improve your wetlands,
check first with the government agencies that protect wetlands
to see if a permit is needed.
There are three main
agencies involved with tidal wetlands
protection and each has a different role. However, they work
together jointly if a regulatory permit is needed because of
wetlands disturbance.
US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) (Norfolk District Office)
USACE is responsible for protecting tidal wetlands, mudflats,
river bottoms, and coastal shorelines.
http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/
US Army Corps of Engineers: Norfolk District
803 Front Street
Norfolk, Va 23510-1096
(757) 201-7500
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
DEQ regulates the water quality impacts of wetlands disturbance.
http://www.deq.virginia.gov/wetlands/permitfees.html
DEQ Tidewater Regional Office
5636 Southern Blvd.
Virginia Beach, Va. 23462
(757) 518-2000
Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC)
VMRC is mainly concerned with the habitat impacts of disturbing
wetlands and mudflats.
http://www.mrc.state.va.us/hm-permits.htm
Virginia Marine Resources Commission
2600 Washington Avenue
Newport News, VA 23607-0756
(757)247-2200
Wetlands Boards
Each locality has a wetlands board, comprised
of citizen members, to review any wetlands-disturbing activity.
The wetlands board staff in each city or county can help
determine if you need a permit.
The Wetlands Boards of most interest to those who recently
received the waterfront homeowners’ mailings are:
Virginia
Beach Wetlands Board
http://www.vbgov.com/e-gov/vbcsg/faqinfo/0,1172,5996,00.html
(757) 427-8246
Norfolk Wetlands Board
http://www.norfolk.gov/planning/wetland_dune.htm
(757) 664-4368
A list of other local wetlands boards can be found
on our links page.
Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division
of Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance
In addition to wetlands, the area of your
property that is 100 feet landward of the edge closest to
shore of any wetland or is 100 feet landward of mean high
tide, is critical to the water quality and habitat of the
water. It is also protected under the Chesapeake Bay Preservation
Act and any land disturbance within this 100 foot zone may
need regulatory approval. The state agency responsible for
overseeing this law on shoreline buffers is the DCR Division
of Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance: http://www.cblad.state.va.us/
The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act is administered locally
and, within the areas covered by the Wetlands Watch waterfront
homeowner mailings, the contact points are:
Virginia Beach Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area Board
http://www.vbgov.com/dept/planning/boards/cbpa/
(757) 427-4621
Norfolk Bureau of Environmental Services
Lee Rosenberg - lee.rosenberg@norfolk.gov
(757) 664-4242
Wetlands Conservation and Restoration
State and federal agencies provide information on the conservation
and restoration of wetlands:
Virginia DEQ information
http://www.deq.virginia.gov/wetlands/volrestor.html
USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/backyard/BakWet.html
Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences – Natural Shoreline
Erosion control
http://www.vims.edu/newsmedia/pdfs/ShorelineEros.pdf (requires
Adobe Acrobat)
In addition, a range of non-profit organizations have information
and resources on backyard wetlands.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
http://www.cbf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=action_outdoors_landscaping_resources
Save the Bay (Narragansett Bay, RI) – “Backyards
on the Bay”
http://www.savebay.org/bayissues/backyardbay/index.htm
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