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The '''Rivanna River''' is about 50 miles long and a tributary of the [[James River]] at [[Columbia]].
The '''Rivanna River''' is about 50 miles long and a tributary of the [[James River]] at [[Columbia]]. It also serves as a common border between [[Albemarle County]] and [[Charlottesville]].  


Long designated as the North Branch of the James, the North Branch takes its name from "River Anne", to honor Queen Anne (1665-1714), then monarch of England, and so of the Virginia Colony as well.  
Long designated as the North Branch of the James, the North Branch takes its name from "River Anne", to honor Queen Anne (1665-1714), then monarch of England, and so of the Virginia Colony as well.  
<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rivannariver.org/documents/RCS-Rivanna-River-History.pdf|format=pdf|title=Rivanna River History|publisher=[[Rivanna Conservation Society]]|accessdate=12 Jun 2009|author=Lindsay Nolting and J. Stephen Pence}}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://rivannariver.org/documents/RCS-Rivanna-River-History.pdf|format=pdf|title=Rivanna River History|publisher=[[Rivanna Conservation Society]]|accessdate=12 Jun 2009|author=Lindsay Nolting and J. Stephen Pence}}</ref>


A ten-mile stretch of the river from the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir to the Woolen Mills area was designated  by the General Assembly as part of Virginia's Scenic Rivers System<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2009/sb957/|accessdate=08 Sept. 2009.|title=Rivanna Scenic River; expands to include length of waterway from South Fork Rivanna River reservoir. (SB957)|work=Richmond Sunlight}}</ref>.  
A ten-mile stretch of the river from the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir to the Woolen Mills area was designated  by the General Assembly as part of Virginia's Scenic Rivers System. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.richmondsunlight.com/bill/2009/sb957/|accessdate=January 26, 2019|title=Rivanna Scenic River; expands to include length of waterway from South Fork Rivanna River reservoir. (SB957)|work=Richmond Sunlight}}</ref>
 
[[File:3224ECF4-6F5A-4718-AB75-8A266AAF1D28.jpg|alt=rivanna river flowing south near Riverside Park|thumb]]


[[Image:RivannaRiverCorridor.gif|thumb|450px|Photo Credit: [[Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission]]]]
[[Image:RivannaRiverCorridor.gif|thumb|450px|Photo Credit: [[Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission]]]]


==History==
==History==
The Rivanna River was originally known as the River Anna.<ref name=A/> [[Thomas Jefferson]] ordered a study of the Rivanna River in 1763.<ref name=A>{{cite web|title=Rivanna Greenbelt Trail|url=http://www.charlottesville.org/Index.aspx?page=391|author=|work=|publisher=City of Charlottesville|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=30 July 2012}}</ref> Jefferson ordered that the river be cleared of rocks and debris. This made the river navigable for canoes and bateaux as far up as Milton<ref name=A/>.  This caused the Rivanna River to become an important transportation route during the Revolutionary War.<ref name=A/>  In the 1820s, the City of Charlottesville renamed the ports along the river "Pireus" after the port city of Athens.<ref name=A/>
The first European visitors to what would become [[Albemarle County]] likely traveled to the area via the Rivanna, which was originally known as the River Anna. <ref name="vortex-podcast">{{cite web|title=|url=http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/13858-river-competition-begins/|author=Tim Shea|work=|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=January 15, 2013|accessdate=January 26, 2019}}</ref> <ref name="A" /> [[Thomas Jefferson]] ordered a study of the Rivanna River in 1763.<ref name="A">{{cite web|title=Rivanna Greenbelt Trail|url=http://www.charlottesville.org/Index.aspx?page=391|author=|work=|publisher=City of Charlottesville|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=30 July 2012}}</ref> Jefferson helped pass an Act of Assembly that cleared of rocks and debris from the river, and constructed a sluice at Milton Falls. <ref name="canal250">{{cite web|title=Canal society celebrates Jefferson the businessman|url=http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/14694-canal-society-jefferson/|author=Tim Shea|work=|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=April 28, 2013|accessdate=January 26, 2019}}</ref> This made the river navigable for canoes and bateaux as far up as [[Milton]]<ref name="A" />.  This caused the Rivanna River to become an important transportation route during the Revolutionary War.<ref name="A" />  In the 1820s, the town of Charlottesville renamed the ports along the river "[[Pireus]]" after the port city of Athens.<ref name="A" />
 
==Planning efforts==
Because of the common border, the [[Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission]] was tasked in 2017 with overseeing a plan to inform land uses on both sides of the Rivanna. One aspect of the plan involved reviewing existing conditions in order to help inform a joint vision.  This work began in part after being identified in the TJPDC's One Community initiative in the early 2010's. Albemarle and Charlottesville in July 2014 opted to prioritize river planning at a joint strategic planning session, followed by approval of a three-plase planning initiative in 2016. <ref name="existing">{{cite web|title=Final Draft Plan - Rivanna River - Phase 1 - Existing Conditions|url=http://tjpdc.org/media/FINAL-DRAFT-RIVANNA-RIVER-PLAN_web.pdf|author=Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission|work=Report|publisher=Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=December 14, 2018}}</ref>
 
===Existing conditions===
The phase 1 report covered the area between the dam at the [[South Fork Rivanna Reservoir]] to the Milton Road bridge near Shadwell. However, the study concluded that more information is needed, such as data on environmental quality, land use and view sheds. There were several recurring themes that came out of the committees:
 
* There is a need to strike a balance between economic development and environmental presentation
* There is a need for additional safe public access points to the river
* There are gaps in the trails and park network
* There is a need to acknowledge the cultural history of the river, especially its use by the Monacan Indian Tribe <ref name="existing" />
 
A second phase is set to kick-off in June 2019 with the meeting of a technical committee. <ref>{{cite web|title=June 2019 Executive Director's Report|url=http://tjpdc.org/media/3a-ED-Report-June-2019.pdf|author=Chip Boyles|work=Report|publisher=Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission|location=|publishdate=|accessdate=June 2, 2019}}</ref>
 
There is also to be a Rural Rivanna Plan.
 
==Stewardship==
The Rivanna River watershed's advocates include the [[Rivanna River Basin Commission]] and the [[Rivanna Conservation Alliance]].
 
==Rivanna River Vortex==
The [[University of Virginia]] [[School of Architecture]] conducted a one-week project on the future of the Rivanna River called the Rivanna River Vortex. <ref name="vortex-podcast" />. At an introductory panel session on January 14, 2013, professor [[Daniel Bluestone]] argued that the river has largely become invisible and recommended teams anchor their projects to the history that has been forgotten.


==Crossings==
==Crossings==
The river is an impediment to east-west travel, crossed in limited places. From north to south, these are:
The river is an impediment to east-west travel, crossed in limited places. From north to south, these are:
* [[U.S. Route 250]] and [[Virginia State Route 20]] at the [[Free Bridge]], the former crossing of the  [[Three Notch'd Road]].
* [[U.S. Route 250]] and [[Virginia State Route 20]] at the [[Free Bridge]], the former crossing of the  [[Three Notch'd Road]].
* [[Interstate 64]]
* [[Interstate 64]]
Line 18: Line 42:


==The river as economic engine==
==The river as economic engine==
Former Planning Commissioner [[Bill Emory]] has called for the Rivanna to play a significant role in the future of the city. Others such as Mayor [[Satyendra Huja]] have agreed.<ref>{{cite-cville|title=Can Charlottesville become a city by the river?|url=http://www.c-ville.com/Article/Development/Can_Charlottesville_become_a_city_by_the_river/?z_Issue_ID=11100901124332472|author=Chiara Canzi|pageno=|printno=24.02|printdate=January 10, 2012|publishdate=January 10, 2012|accessdate=January 12, 2011}}</ref>
Former Planning Commissioner [[Bill Emory]] has called for the Rivanna to play a significant role in the future of the city. Others such as Mayor [[Satyendra Huja]] have agreed.<ref>{{cite-cville|title=Can Charlottesville become a city by the river?|url=https://www.c-ville.com/Can_Charlottesville_become_a_city_by_the_river/|author=Chiara Canzi|pageno=|printno=24.02|printdate=January 10, 2012|publishdate=January 10, 2012|accessdate=January 26, 2019}}</ref>


In August 2012 Albemarle and Charlottesville officials called for a joint planning session that would focus on economic development in the [[Woolen Mills neighborhood]] and river area. Officials have suggested that pedestrian access and use of the area would be among the session's primary focuses, as would expanding the commercial uses. The joint planning commission meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Albemarle officials call for joint planning along Rivanna River border with Charlottesville|url=http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/12594-albemarle-land-use/|author=Sean Tubbs|pageno=|printno=|printdate=|publishdate=August 2, 2012|accessdate=August 6, 2011}}</ref>
In August 2012 Albemarle and Charlottesville officials called for a joint planning session that would focus on economic development in the [[Woolen Mills neighborhood]] and river area. Officials have suggested that pedestrian access and use of the area would be among the session's primary focuses, as would expanding the commercial uses. The joint planning commission meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|title=Albemarle officials call for joint planning along Rivanna River border with Charlottesville|url=http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/12594-albemarle-land-use/|author=Sean Tubbs|pageno=|printno=|printdate=|publishdate=August 2, 2012|accessdate=August 6, 2011}}</ref>
The [[Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission]] was directed by Charlottesville [[City Council]] and the Albemarle [[Board of Supervisors]] in 2014 to study how the river could become an asset for the community. Their plan was endorsed by the [[Charlottesville Planning Commission|city]] and [[Albemarle Planning Commission|county]] planning commissions in January 2017. <ref>{{cite web|title=Rivanna River planning projects endorsed by city, county commissions|url=http://www.cvilletomorrow.org/news/article/26142-rivanna-river-planning-projects-endorsed/|author=Josh Mandell|work=News Article|publisher=Charlottesville Tomorrow|location=|publishdate=January 24, 2017|accessdate=December 26, 2017}}</ref>
==Health==
The water quality and health of the Rivanna River is the subject of ongoing scientific review. As part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, efforts are underway to reduce the number of pollutants that make their way to the Rivanna. This process is governed by a process known as a TMDL, which stands for the "Total Maximum Daily Load" of pollutants that can be allowed into the waterway. Specific steps taken by localities, property owners, farmers and others are called "Best Management Practices", or BMPs. For instance, the Moores Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant underwent a renovation in the early 2010's that improved its ability to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous that is released in the effluent that is released into the watershed. {{fact}}
===North Fork Rivanna River study===
In October 2018, the Virginia [[Department of Environmental Quality]] began a technical study of the North Fork Rivanna River watershed.
Rainfall from Orange, Greene, Louisa and Albemarle counties drain into the watershed of the North Fork. <ref>{{cite web|title=Sediment, phosphorus causing impairments|url=https://www.dailyprogress.com/greenenews/news/sediment-phosphorus-causing-impairments/article_f96897ae-1e80-11e9-899a-63a80b60ffab.html|author=Terry Beigie|work=News Article|publisher=Greene County Record|location=|publishdate=January 24, 2019|accessdate=January 26, 2019}}</ref>




==References==
==References==
<references/>
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/schwartz/vhill/rivanna.html A Brief History of the Rivanna River] Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities at the University of Virginia
*[http://www2.iath.virginia.edu/schwartz/vhill/rivanna.html A Brief History of the Rivanna River] Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities at the University of Virginia
*[http://tjpdc.org/media/FINAL-DRAFT-RIVANNA-RIVER-PLAN_web.pdf December 2018 Draft of Existing Conditions Report created by TJPDC for Rivanna River Plan]]
*{{OnWikipedia|Rivanna_River}}
*{{OnWikipedia|Rivanna_River}}


[[Category:Waterways]]
[[Category:Waterways]]
[[Category:Rivanna River Watershed]]
[[Category:Rivanna River Watershed]]
<references />

Revision as of 11:10, 2 June 2019

The Rivanna River is about 50 miles long and a tributary of the James River at Columbia. It also serves as a common border between Albemarle County and Charlottesville.

Long designated as the North Branch of the James, the North Branch takes its name from "River Anne", to honor Queen Anne (1665-1714), then monarch of England, and so of the Virginia Colony as well. [1]

A ten-mile stretch of the river from the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir to the Woolen Mills area was designated by the General Assembly as part of Virginia's Scenic Rivers System. [2]

rivanna river flowing south near Riverside Park

History

The first European visitors to what would become Albemarle County likely traveled to the area via the Rivanna, which was originally known as the River Anna. [3] [4] Thomas Jefferson ordered a study of the Rivanna River in 1763.[4] Jefferson helped pass an Act of Assembly that cleared of rocks and debris from the river, and constructed a sluice at Milton Falls. [5] This made the river navigable for canoes and bateaux as far up as Milton[4]. This caused the Rivanna River to become an important transportation route during the Revolutionary War.[4] In the 1820s, the town of Charlottesville renamed the ports along the river "Pireus" after the port city of Athens.[4]

Planning efforts

Because of the common border, the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission was tasked in 2017 with overseeing a plan to inform land uses on both sides of the Rivanna. One aspect of the plan involved reviewing existing conditions in order to help inform a joint vision. This work began in part after being identified in the TJPDC's One Community initiative in the early 2010's. Albemarle and Charlottesville in July 2014 opted to prioritize river planning at a joint strategic planning session, followed by approval of a three-plase planning initiative in 2016. [6]

Existing conditions

The phase 1 report covered the area between the dam at the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir to the Milton Road bridge near Shadwell. However, the study concluded that more information is needed, such as data on environmental quality, land use and view sheds. There were several recurring themes that came out of the committees:

  • There is a need to strike a balance between economic development and environmental presentation
  • There is a need for additional safe public access points to the river
  • There are gaps in the trails and park network
  • There is a need to acknowledge the cultural history of the river, especially its use by the Monacan Indian Tribe [6]

A second phase is set to kick-off in June 2019 with the meeting of a technical committee. [7]

There is also to be a Rural Rivanna Plan.

Stewardship

The Rivanna River watershed's advocates include the Rivanna River Basin Commission and the Rivanna Conservation Alliance.

Rivanna River Vortex

The University of Virginia School of Architecture conducted a one-week project on the future of the Rivanna River called the Rivanna River Vortex. [3]. At an introductory panel session on January 14, 2013, professor Daniel Bluestone argued that the river has largely become invisible and recommended teams anchor their projects to the history that has been forgotten.

Crossings

The river is an impediment to east-west travel, crossed in limited places. From north to south, these are:

The river as economic engine

Former Planning Commissioner Bill Emory has called for the Rivanna to play a significant role in the future of the city. Others such as Mayor Satyendra Huja have agreed.[8]

In August 2012 Albemarle and Charlottesville officials called for a joint planning session that would focus on economic development in the Woolen Mills neighborhood and river area. Officials have suggested that pedestrian access and use of the area would be among the session's primary focuses, as would expanding the commercial uses. The joint planning commission meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18, 2012.[9]

The Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission was directed by Charlottesville City Council and the Albemarle Board of Supervisors in 2014 to study how the river could become an asset for the community. Their plan was endorsed by the city and county planning commissions in January 2017. [10]

Health

The water quality and health of the Rivanna River is the subject of ongoing scientific review. As part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, efforts are underway to reduce the number of pollutants that make their way to the Rivanna. This process is governed by a process known as a TMDL, which stands for the "Total Maximum Daily Load" of pollutants that can be allowed into the waterway. Specific steps taken by localities, property owners, farmers and others are called "Best Management Practices", or BMPs. For instance, the Moores Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant underwent a renovation in the early 2010's that improved its ability to reduce the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous that is released in the effluent that is released into the watershed. [citation needed]

North Fork Rivanna River study

In October 2018, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality began a technical study of the North Fork Rivanna River watershed. Rainfall from Orange, Greene, Louisa and Albemarle counties drain into the watershed of the North Fork. [11]


References

  1. Web. pdf. Rivanna River History, Lindsay Nolting and J. Stephen Pence, Rivanna Conservation Society, retrieved 12 Jun 2009.
  2. Web. Rivanna Scenic River; expands to include length of waterway from South Fork Rivanna River reservoir. (SB957), Richmond Sunlight, retrieved January 26, 2019.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Web. [1], Tim Shea, Charlottesville Tomorrow, January 15, 2013, retrieved January 26, 2019.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Web. Rivanna Greenbelt Trail, City of Charlottesville, retrieved 30 July 2012.
  5. Web. Canal society celebrates Jefferson the businessman, Tim Shea, Charlottesville Tomorrow, April 28, 2013, retrieved January 26, 2019.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Web. Final Draft Plan - Rivanna River - Phase 1 - Existing Conditions, Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, Report, Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, retrieved December 14, 2018.
  7. Web. June 2019 Executive Director's Report, Chip Boyles, Report, Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, retrieved June 2, 2019.
  8. Web. Can Charlottesville become a city by the river?, Chiara Canzi, C-VILLE Weekly, Portico Publications, January 10, 2012, retrieved January 26, 2019. Print. January 10, 2012 , 24.02, .
  9. Web. Albemarle officials call for joint planning along Rivanna River border with Charlottesville, Sean Tubbs, August 2, 2012, retrieved August 6, 2011.
  10. Web. Rivanna River planning projects endorsed by city, county commissions, Josh Mandell, News Article, Charlottesville Tomorrow, January 24, 2017, retrieved December 26, 2017.
  11. Web. Sediment, phosphorus causing impairments, Terry Beigie, News Article, Greene County Record, January 24, 2019, retrieved January 26, 2019.

External links