YORKTOWN -- Naval Weapons Station Yorktown celebrated the completion of a nearly five-year-long project to stabilize and reclaim nearly two acres of the Penniman Spit area with a ribbon-cutting event on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
The ribbon cutting occurred on an area of the spit that was previously washed out by the ebb and flow of the York River, an area that was previously in danger of being lost completely. This collaborative project and efforts to reclaim the area were made possible through a cooperative collaboration with installation leadership, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the William and Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Pew Charitable Trust and the Department of Defense's Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program (REPI), among other partners.
Penniman Spit is situated on the southern side of the York River approximately five miles north of Route 17 and the Coleman Bridge onboard Cheatham Annex. It is attached to Cheatham Annex and protects the entrances to both King Creek and Felgates Creek.
Aerial photos show that the area itself was once a continuous spit; however, the York River's flow over the years has caused it to split into two sections in 2011. In fact, in 1937 the spit itself was over 3,000 feet long and encompassed an area of just over 14 acres.
Surveys conducted in 2019 noted that the spit's total landmass had decreased to just over four acres. The spit almost became a remnant of the installation's past by 2019, with just over 1.7 acres remaining due to the ebb and flow of the York River. Historic photos show the spit itself being used for training and recreation dating to the 1960s, complete with a walking trail that took visitors onto the York River itself.
Planning and execution for this first-of-its-kind restoration project started nearly five years ago when funding from a combination of federal, state and nonprofit partners were utilized to execute a concept plan to rebuild sections of the spit and protect the remaining sections from continued loss. This called for a series of permits that were needed to install a hybrid living shoreline to provide habitat restoration by rebuilding the nearly diminished marshlands and sandy beach ecosystems. This was augmented by rock structures that would shield the area from the tides.
This past summer, nearly 10,000 tons of rock; 24,000 tons of sand were brought in and placed strategically along the shoreline. Oyster reefs were also strategically placed to augment these structures and add to the stabilization of the spit. Additionally, over 90,000 native plugs of native saltmarsh cordgrass were planted to stabilize the sand, capture sediment and add to the existing habitat.
Construction for this first-of-its-kind project was completed earlier this fall. A gathering of nearly a dozen key stakeholders in this project occurred on the windswept morning of Tuesday, Nov. 12, at low tide. Key individuals to the project donned rubber boots and slogged happily through the mud onto the newly restored spit for a brief ribbon cutting like no other.
Captain Dan Patrick expressed gratitude for the multi-year effort.
"Your insights, your perseverance, your resilience is what makes this project stand out. Over time this is a step in this living shoreline project and it's the kind of project that we can all build upon. It is a cornerstone to highlight," he said.
As these remarks were made, several persons in the group remarked about the successful oyster growth on the series of oyster castles that were placed just two summers ago while others reveled at the newly restored land that presented a vibrant ecosystem. Additional remarks were centered around how this small step in stabilization and restoration would eventually add to the surrounding area; and many made plans to return during the warmer months to see the gauge the success of the project.
Russ Burke, Senior Lecturer of Environmental Biology at Christopher Newport University, also chimed in with some remarks.
"Penniman spit is unique because it presents a wonderful opportunity to preserve and this project can be used as an example of a marriage between readiness and environmental stewardship," said Burke.
Ron Lipcius, Professor of Marine Conservation at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science remarked simply that "for me, this is an ecological dream come true, and it is an almost once in a decade type of project to be part of."
Also present during the ribbon cutting was Tom Olexa, NWS Yorktown's Natural Resources Manager, and Jeff Kissler, the installation's Environmental Director. Both provided some brief remarks. Thereafter, the stakeholders in attendance eagerly grabbed the ends of the ribbon and applauded as Captain Patrick cut the ribbon which officially signaled a successful conclusion to this first-of-a-kind project at the installation.