The Chickahominy Report

Por­tion of the James River affected by emer­gency clo­sure of shell­fish harvest.

MECHANICSVILLE, Va. — The Vir­ginia Depart­ment of Health has closed por­tions of two Vir­ginia rivers to shell­fish har­vest­ing because of poten­tial pol­lu­tion in flood­wa­ters trig­gered by heavy rains in west­ern Virginia.

The affected rivers are the James and Rap­pa­han­nock. All of the lower James River, from the vicin­ity of Hog Point in Hog Island State Wildlife Man­age­ment Area to the vicin­ity of the Monitor-Merrimac Memo­r­ial Bridge-Tunnel is closed. The closed por­tion of the Rap­pa­han­nock extends from the vicin­ity of Acco­pa­tough Beach in Rich­mond County down to a line between Monaskon in Lan­caster County and Stove Point in Mid­dle­sex County.

The emer­gency clo­sures apply only to bivalve mol­lusks — such as oys­ters, mus­sels, and clams. Crus­taceans, such as crabs, and fin fish are not affected.

The clo­sures went into effect on Jan­u­ary 27. Michelle Pere­goy, a spokesper­son for the Vir­ginia Depart­ment of Health, said the clo­sures are expected to remain in force for at least two weeks.

Por­tion of the Rap­pa­han­nock River affected by emer­gency clo­sure of shell­fish harvest.

When heavy rains fall in west­ern Vir­ginia, there is a poten­tial for runoff laden with chem­i­cal pol­lu­tion and ani­mal and human waste. Filter-feeding organ­isms, such as bivalves, tend to con­cen­trate pol­lu­tants and pathogens in their tis­sues and make it eas­ier for humans who eat the shell­fish to get poi­soned or ill afterward.

Pere­goy said the pri­mary con­cern is that the con­t­a­m­i­nated runoff may carry pathogens that cause a num­ber of water-borne dis­eases. Those of par­tic­u­lar con­cern are hepati­tis a virus, norovirus, Sal­mo­nella, and Shigella.

The emer­gency clo­sures will remain in effect until test­ing indi­cates that it is safe to resume the harvest.

— David M. Lawrence