The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and Thalia Creek is one of more than one-hundred thousand creeks and rivers that flow into it. In attempts to decrease the impact of urbanization and restore what is a natural habitat to an abundance of wildlife, the City of Virginia Beach and Va. Beach Public Schools Partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in what is known as the Lynnhaven River Basin Ecosystem Restoration Project. This video explains the goals of the project and how the return of certain species to the area after restoration indicates improved conditions for everyone that enjoys what this watershed has to offer.

Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commander Col. Brian Hallberg along with City of Virginia Beach and Virginia Beach City Public Schools officials celebrate the opening of Princess Anne High School’s outdoor living laboratory near Thalia Creek, Virginia, Sept. 21, 2021. The event displayed Lynnhaven River Basin Ecosystem Restoration Project partnership, aimed at restoring the Lynnhaven River back to its historic levels of health by addressing reef, wetlands and submerged aquatic vegetation.

The Lynnhaven River Basin Ecosystem Restoration Project, a partnership program between the City of Virginia Beach and the Norfolk District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is seeing its reef structure installation underway in Virginia Beach, Virginia, March 31, 2021. The reef habitat restoration is one of a three-part, multiphase program to restore the local habitat, which may aid in increasing water quality of the Chesapeake Bay.