The Nature Conservancy in Virginia - Water for Our Future: The Charlottesville-Albemarle Community Water Supply Plan

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Our press release "Nature Conservancy Applauds State’s Decision to Issue Permit for Charlottesville-Albemarle Water Supply Plan"

Read more on the top two threats to the Rivanna watershed: excessive sedimentation and water withdrawals.

Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority Community Water Supply Project Permit Support Document

More information on protecting the Rivanna River Watershed

In-Depth Review (.pdfs)

Letter from Citizens Concerned with Health of Local Watershed Supporting the Ragged Mountain Alternative.

Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority Minutes on Water Supply Plan, 4/16/06

Charlottesville City Council Vote on Community Water Supply Plan
(pgs 9-10), 6/5/06

Albemarle County Vote on Community Water Supply Plan Minutes
(pgs 28-30), 6/5/06

Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority Minutes on Water Supply Plan, 9/13/07

Through its science-based planning, The Nature Conservancy selected the Rivanna watershed as a key conservation area because the watershed is one of the finest freshwater and stream systems in the Piedmont. The Conservancy identified two major threats to the river systems: excessive water withdrawals and excessive sedimentation. To address the issue of excessive water withdrawals, The Conservancy joined the community in its efforts to develop a long-term water supply plan that also will maintain and restore natural flows to key rivers in the Rivanna watershed.

After 25 years of effort, and re-energized by the perilously low water supply during the drought of 2002, Charlottesville and Albemarle County officials unanimously approved the water supply plan in 2006. The community secured a permit from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality on February 11, 2008.

The water supply plan benefits the community

It Satisfies the Future Drinking Water Needs of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. A core function of government is to provide citizens with an adequate supply of safe drinking water.

It Keeps Our Water Supply Local. By keeping our water supply local, we have an opportunity to be better stewards of our watershed. And we can keep attention focused on addressing excessive sedimentation of our rivers and streams.

It Restores Natural Stream Flows to the Moormans River. The approved water supply plan will restore ecologically sustainable flows to one of the two major rivers which feeds the South Fork Rivanna. Altering the flows of our rivers can be devastating because natural variations in stream flow govern the habitat and life-cycles of wildlife. Once the project is completed, the Moormans River will have a natural flow 99 percent of the time, compared to 64 percent currently.

It Makes Use of an Existing Reservoir Site—One That Already Requires Upgrading and Is Low in Sediment. The Commonwealth of Virginia has determined that the dam at Ragged Mountain is unsafe because it is unable to withstand a large flood. As a result, the Commonwealth is requiring the community to complete the upgrade to the Ragged Mountain dam by June 2011. Therefore, work on the dam must proceed whether we build a larger reservoir there or not. Even if dredging were pursued, the dam at Ragged Mountain would have to be upgraded to meet the dam safety and water supply needs of the community. Contained within a small drainage area and surrounded by forest, Ragged Mountain receives very little sediment.

It Protects Land and Restores Forests Upstream from Charlottesville. While the expansion of water supply cannot be without ecological consequence, the plan addresses those consequences by protecting 700 acres — including the restoration of 200 acres — along another river that feeds the South Fork, Buck Mountain Creek. Buck Mountain Creek harbors wildlife on the brink of extinction.

It Fully Meets the Community’s Needs. The approved water supply plan is the only alternative that meets the drinking water needs of the community, stays within our local watershed, and restores healthy flows to a river upstream of Charlottesville.

Our Commitment to Sustainable Waters

Learn about the Conservancy's commitment to conserving freshwater ecosystems for people and for nature.

Review the Conservancy's work to address fresh water issues in key sectors:

Explore freshwater conservation sites around the Conservancy.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Mary Porter (Rivanna River Watershed); Photo © Daniel White/TNC (The Conservancy's Ridge Schuyler and Greg Culpepper (Army Corps of Engineers) discuss stream restoration at Forks of the Rivanna); Photo © Mary Porter (Rivanna River Watershed).