Tangier Island Jetty Navigation Study

Accomack County, VA


Contact:Thomas J. Szelest, P.E. (757) 201-3274

Authorization:

  • Section 577 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-303), as amended.
  • Section 3162 of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-114), as amended.

Location and Description:

  • Approximately 90 miles southeast of Washington, D.C.
  • 2000 Census population (approximately): 600.
  • 2020 Forecast population: 450.
  • Per Capita Income: $24,042.

Tangier Island is located in the Chesapeake Bay approximately 90 miles southeast of Washington, DC, and is entirely within the political boundaries of Accomack County on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Three Army Corps of Engineers projects already have been constructed on Tangier Island in the vicinity of the proposed project. One is a navigation channel to the Chesapeake Bay that provides a channel seven feet deep at mean lower low water and 60 feet wide. The channel runs from the anchorage basin at the Town of Tangier northwesterly to the Chesapeake Bay, a total length of approximately 3,820 feet. The second is a navigation channel to Tangier Sound that provides a channel eight feet deep and 100 feet wide. It runs from the anchorage basin northeasterly for a distance of approximately 4,800 feet. The third is existing project is a seawall that provides over 5,700 feet of shore protection to the island's west coast, south of the navigation channel.

The proposed jetty would extend south approximately 230 feet from the north shore on the western side of the island to the Federal channel and then dogleg southwest approximately 200 feet, paralleling the channel. About 170 feet of revetment would armor the shoreline at the base of the structure. In addition, a small, 50-foot spur jetty would be constructed off the seawall on the south shore to reduce wave refraction. The purpose of this project is to protect the inner channel and harbor from direct wave attack and from damage caused by sheets of ice pushed into the inner channel and harbor. It will also reduce erosion of the shoreline and sediment inflow to the navigation channel.

A reconnaissance report was approved in March 1995 which indicated that the proposed jetty described above was not economically feasible. However, the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 authorized the project stating that, "in view of the historic preservation benefits resulting from the project..., the overall benefits of the project exceed the costs of the project." The Water Resources Development Act of 2007 authorized an increase of the project cost to $3.6 million. In letters dated 6 May 2003 and 31 May 2005, the Governor of Virginia stated that the Commonwealth would be the non-Federal sponsor, would provide the necessary funding, and requested that the project be initiated. However, no funds were received until recently. With these funds a report has been prepared at the request of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. The Secretary will determine if further work is to be done on this project and, if so, how it will be prosecuted. The total cost of the design and construction of this project is estimated to be $3.6 million with the ultimate Federal share being $2.88 million and the local sponsor share being $0.72 million. To date, only Federal funds have been spent on this project.

 

Updated: 27-Oct-2011