Nassawadox Creek dredging delayed as officials seek approved spoils placement plan

Plans to dredge Nassawadox Creek remain on hold as officials work to secure an approvable placement site for more than 24,000 cubic yards of dredged material.

Northampton Board Chairman Dixon Leatherbury brought up the issue at last week’s Supervisors meeting, requesting approval to allow County Attorney Ellen Bowyer to look into the matter.

Dredging of the creek has already taken place, but the sediment placed along the north side of the creek had reshoaled back into the channel. Northampton County Administrator Matt Spuck confirmed that the dredging project has not yet moved forward under the current effort due to delays in finalizing a dredged material placement plan.

Kellen Singleton of the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission (A-NPDC), who leads the region’s Navigable Waterways Committee, said multiple placement options have been evaluated as part of the project planning process.

Among the options under consideration is beneficial use placement associated with Tangier Island. Officials are also reviewing potential action regarding the project’s original near-shore berm proposal while continuing to work through remaining technical and regulatory requirements.

According to Singleton, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) previously denied the original near-shore berm proposal, citing concerns about potential adverse environmental impacts to marine resources. The Commission also found that the prior application had not adequately evaluated upland disposal and beneficial use alternatives.

As part of that decision, VMRC indicated that beneficial use options — including placement on Tangier Island — should be evaluated in any revised application. Tangier Island has since been pursued as part of the ongoing alternatives analysis and interagency coordination to determine a feasible and approvable placement strategy.

No timeline has been announced for when dredging will begin, as officials continue to work through regulatory and planning requirements.