December 14, 2010

Hampton Comprehensive Waterway Management Plan

Steering Committee

Session 2-Meeting Agenda

Item

I. Recap/Review of minutes from November 30th meeting

II. Committee Members observations of waterway challenges
III. Overview of previous studies- what has been done before?
IV. Establishing subcommittees-proposal for review/comment
V. Preparing for the Public Listening Session-agenda, logistics
VI. Overview of the Web site/demo10 min
VII. Review syllabus- future meeting topics/dates/logistics
VIII. Public comments/general questions
 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Steering Committee Meeting

December 14th, 2010

I. Recap/Review of Nov 30th meeting minutes

 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Steering Committee Meeting

December 14th, 2010

II. Committee Observations of Waterway Challenges

 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway Management Plan
Steering Committee Meeting

Committee Discussion of Challenges

(Questions to Start the Conversation)

1) What waterway/storm water issues are most important to you for

improving your quality of life? And, what waterway/storm water
issues do you think are the most important for improving this
community’s quality of life?

2) Based on the information you have been provided thus far, are there
other topics/issues that you would like to see added to the background
briefings?

3) Would you like to spend more time discussing the mission of the
Steering Committee, the meeting format, or the proposed process for
accomplishing the mission?

4) Do you have any other comments or concerns about the topics, process
or timetable for the development of this Plan?
Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Steering Committee Meeting

December 14th, 2010

III. Overview of Previous Studies

Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Steering Committee Briefing

on Previous Studies

December 14, 2010

1) Newmarket Creek Flooding

2) Mary Peake Watershed Study
3) Farmington Canal Area Drainage Study
4) Pochin Place Watershed Study
5) Corps of Engineers Ches. Bay Shoreline
6) Citywide Flood Plan Management Plan
7) Salt Ponds Inlet Management Plan
8) Back River Flooding and Shoaling
 Newmarket Creek Flooding Report

March, 2007

Prepared by: Citizens Committee with technical

support from URS Corporation
 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Summaries of Previous Studies

Newmarket Creek Flooding Citizens Committee

March, 2007

Findings/Recommendations: The citizens committee considered,

and discarded, the following options in its report to council:

• Widen/deepen Newmarket Creek- this would be difficult, if not

impossible to permit, it would be very expensive, and, because the
water level in the canal is tidally influenced, it would not be
effective when the tide was higher than normal.
• Build berms or levees to contain the flood waters within the creek-
this would be prohibitively expensive and would create other issues
for dealing with surface water runoff behind the berms.
• Construct levees and storm water pumping stations( New
Orleans solution)- this is cost prohibitive.
• Stop new development- the watershed is already built out ( “the
horse is out of the barn”), and redevelopment is required to provide
measures to address both water quality and quantity under the city’s
development regulations
• Build retention ponds along the creek to store storm water- because
of the tidal impacts, these ponds would fill up and no storage would
be gained. However, such ponds would be beneficial farther up in
the watershed, beyond the tidal range.( the Mary Peake watershed
study recommends one such pond in an undeveloped area off Todds
Lane)
 Newmarket Creek Flooding Citizens Committee
March, 2007

The committee considered, and endorsed, the following options in

its report to Council:

1) Increase the frequency of inspection/maintenance of the storm

sewer system.
2) Modify the storm sewer outfalls into Newmarket Creek to stop
the tidal flow back into the system, with tide gates/flapper
valves
3) Purchase homes with repeated flood damage and demolish
them or raise them above the flood level.
4) Construct a flood gate at the mouth of Newmarket Creek, in
the vicinity of Mercury Blvd. ( this would involve the
construction of a moveable wall that could be raised before a
major storm event to block the tide from flowing back up into
Newmarket Creek, which would allow for more storage of
storm water)
5) Keep the waterway clean and educate citizens about the effects
of dumping in the creek.
Mary Peake Watershed Study

March, 2009

Prepared by: URS Corporation

Farmington Canal Area Drainage Study

October, 2007

Prepared by: Technical Services Group

Pochin Place Watershed Study

September, 2007

Prepared by: URS Corporation

Chesapeake Bay Shoreline- Hurricane and Storm
Damage Reduction Study

April, 2002

Prepared by: US Army Corps of Engineers

Chesapeake Bay Shoreline
Citywide Flood Plain Management Plan

March, 2002

Prepared by: Gannett Fleming, Inc

Chesapeake Bay Shoreline
Chesapeake Bay Shoreline – Buckroe Area
 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Summaries of Previous Studies

Flood Plain Management Plan

•Required as a part of the Corps of Engineers Shoreline

Damage Reduction Study

•Primarily looked at the Buckroe area

•No new projects or programs were proposed by the study

•Found existing city programs were adequate to meet the

Corps requirements in the following categories:

1. Managing Storm water

2. Regulating Development
3. Preserving Environmentally Sensitive Areas
4. Providing Emergency Services
5. Developing Education Programs
6. Protecting the Beachfront
 Salt Ponds Inlet
Management Plan

January, 2007

Prepared by: Kimley Horn and Associates

Chesapeake Bay Shoreline
Chesapeake Bay Shoreline Salt Ponds Inlet
 Back River Flooding and Shoaling Report

August, 2007

Prepared by: Citizens Committee with technical

support from URS Corporation
Chesapeake Bay Shoreline
Factory Point Peninsula

Before
 Back River Flooding and Shoaling Citizens Committee- Report to
City Council- August 2007

Findings/Recommendations: The Back River Flooding and Shoaling

Committee included the following findings and recommendations in
their report, and in their presentation to city council:

Findings:

• The Factory Point Peninsula is a naturally occurring land feature that

has been depicted on maps since the 1600s. Until the mid 1990’s this
Hampton landmark has provided storm protection to the Back River
(storm surge, wave action, shoaling, etc)
• The Factory Point peninsula is the city of Hampton’s property.
• The Corps of Engineers does not consider the Factory Point
peninsula breach to be an emergency, thus any work on the breach
will require local funds with permits from state and federal agencies.
• The orientation of the Back River makes it susceptible to storm surge
and wave action with sustained winds from nor’easters.
• Weather patterns and storm tide history suggest we have enjoyed a
“lull” in major storms and normal weather may be returning with
more frequent storms.
• Hampton’s shorelines are experiencing serious erosion due to wave
action.
• Loss of shorelines impacts wildlife habitat, recreational facilities
(Grandview Nature Preserve, Buckroe Beach, etc).
• Based on historical tidal records, sea level has been rising at the rate
of 1.4 feet over the past 100 years.
 9) Dredging will alleviate a serious safety problem and aid navigation
in the channels of Back River. Dredging may provide suitable material
needed to restore the Factory Point peninsula.

10) Breakwaters have proven to be successful at preventing erosion;

local examples are Buckroe Beach and Ft Monroe.

11) The permit application for dredging at the mouth of the Back
River and for the restoration of the Factory Point peninsula is already
underway by the city of Hampton’s consultant, URS.

12) Short term solutions require local dollars; long term solution will
require regional partnerships and/or state and federal help.

13) There is a strong concern in the communities along the southwest

branch of the Back River that a flood gate at Mercury Boulevard
would have an adverse impact on their neighborhoods. Because of
this concern, many citizens at the community checkpoint meeting did
not support the flood gate. The committee feels strongly that repairing
the breach will reduce flooding in the entire Back River watershed,
with no adverse impacts to any neighborhoods.
Back River Flooding and Shoaling Citizens Committee- Report to
City Council- August 2007

Recommendations:

1) Obtain all necessary state and federal permits as soon as possible and
restore( dredge) the boating channels near the mouth of the Back River.
Use suitable dredged material to restore the Factory Point peninsula,
and employ appropriate measures to protect the shoreline along that
peninsula of land.
2) Immediately install and maintain electronic tidal measuring devices on
inside/outside of Back River and along other locations in Back River.
Monitor water level fluctuations before and after the breach repair at
Factory Point.
3) Immediately institute 5 mph “ No Wake Zone” in the vicinity of Factory
Point.
4) Strengthen flood plain management efforts of the city ( FEMA flood
plain map update, development in adjacent shoreline areas, flood
insurance awareness, mitigation grants for raising houses, erosion
control, etc)
5) Develop and implement a shoreline management/protection plan along
Hampton’s Chesapeake Bay shoreline from Factory Point to Fort
Monroe. This should include other shoreline areas in Back River ( using
breakwaters and/or other measures as appropriate) and other measures
as appropriate ( 1980 Dune Act).
6) Increase maintenance of the city’s storm drain system and increase
public awareness/education of protecting waterways and drainage
systems. Enforce laws against illegal dumping.

7) Educate the public on measures to mitigate flooding losses on their

property. Develop public notification plans for flooding events.
8) Educate the public on wetland use and development.

9) Request the Corps of Engineers to develop a regional sediment

management plan for the Chesapeake Bay shoreline.

10) Seek all possible outside funding for waterway maintenance/shoreline

protection from regional partnerships and/or state and federal sources.

11) Continue the Back River Flooding and Shoaling Citizens Committee
to monitor the progress of these recommendations and consider
enlarging the committee in the future to address ongoing waterway
maintenance and shoreline protection issues.
Factory Point Peninsula

After
Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Steering Committee Meeting

December 14th, 2010

IV. Establishing Subcommittees

 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Steering Committee Meeting

December 14th, 2010

V. Preparing for the Public Listening Session

Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Steering Committee Meeting

December 14th, 2010

VI. Overview of the Web site/demo

Hampton Engages

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Hampton
Engages

Learn and
Historical
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 Hampton
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Forum
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 Hampton
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Resources
Documentation
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 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Steering Committee Meeting

December 14th, 2010

VII. Review Syllabus of future meetings

 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway Management Plan
Steering Committee

Meetings Outline
(as of 12/02/10)
Session 1- Organizational Meeting of Steering Committee (Nov 30th)

• Welcome- Pete
• Background/mission/community plan- Pete/Terry
• Introductions/Members’ Perspectives- Fred/All
• Roles/Proposed Operating Agreement- Fred/Betsy
• Overview of Topics/Key Issues- Ken
• Public Engagement Plan Overview/Listening Session- Betsy
• Proposed Committee Meetings Outline/ Next Steps- Fred

Session 2-Previous Studies Overview/Listening Session Prep (Dec 14th)

* Community Listening Session * (Jan 11th)

Session 3- Educational Topics- Part 1 “Mother Nature at Work”

Rising Sea Level/Changing Weather Patterns (Jan 25th)

• What does Rising Sea Level mean to Hampton? Skip Stiles-Wetlands Watch
• Why so many storms lately? Bill Sammler- NOAA
• Debrief of Community Listening Session ( time permitting)

Session 4- Educational Topics- Part 2 (Feb 8th)

A) Storm Water Management

• Watersheds/Modeling- John Paine, URS

• “Storm Water Run off -101”- John/ Fred
• Hampton’s Storm System Maintenance- PW staff(?)

B) Water Quality Regs-“the Real Approaching Storm”

• EPA Clean Water Act- Karl Mertig, KHA

• Ches Bay Model(?)- John
• Other?
 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway Management Plan
Meetings Outline
C) Flooding Regulations and Emergency Response

•Emergency Preparedness- Tracy Hanger( Fire Dept)

•New Flood Plain Mapping- Gayle Hicks ( Public Works)
•Flood Insurance Program(?)-speaker
•Development Regulations- Gayle

Session 5- Educational Topics- Part 3 (Feb 15th)

D) Waterways Management-

•Dredging Issues- Ken

•Who’s to blame for all of the siltation?
•Other

E) Shoreline Protection

•Shoreline Management Plan for Chesapeake Bay- Rebecca

•Rivers/Creeks Shoreline Protection- Rebecca
•Wetlands Protection - VIMS

F) Federal/State/ Regional Agencies Perspectives

•“Permitting 101”- COE rep/Ken

•Federal/State Funding Programs- speaker?
•HRPDC – John Carlock

Detailed Discussion Sessions ( Feb- Mar)

Steering Committee Discussions on Draft Recommendations (April)

*Community Checkpoint Meeting * ( May)

Committee Meeting(s) to Revise Report to Council ( May)

*Committee Presentation to Council * ( June)

 Hampton Comprehensive Waterway
Management Plan

Steering Committee Meeting

December 14th, 2010

VIII. Public Comments/general questions