What is a Resource Protection Area?

RPAs are the corridors of environmentally sensitive lands that lie alongside or near the shorelines of streams, rivers and other waterways. In their natural condition, RPAs protect water quality, filter pollutants, reduce the amount of stormwater runoff, prevent erosion, and perform many other important biological and ecological functions.

Examples of RPAs include tidal wetlands, tidal shores, perennial streams, non-tidal wetlands (associated with perennial streams) and a 100- foot wide buffer area adjacent to and landward of these RPA features.

Why are Resource Protection Areas important?

RPA's contain trees, shrubs and other vegetation that function to protect water quality by reducing the amount of pollution and sediment entering a stream. Vegetation slows runoff, filters sediment carrying pollution, and holds soil in place.

Disturbing RPAs results in pollutants entering Henrico's waterways and eventually, the Chesapeake Bay. Without a protective buffer, stormwater is free to carry oil from roads, soil from construction sites, fertilizers and pesticides from farms and lawns, harmful bacteria from animal waste, and other pollutants directly into our streams.

If RPAs are left unprotected or removed and no buffer area is provided, other impacts such as stream bank and channel erosion, habitat destruction and a decrease in the stream's biological diversity can also result. A naturally vegetated RPA buffer slows down and absorbs runoff, thereby reducing stream bank erosion. Remaining runoff is filtered reducing sediment, phosphorus and other pollutants entering the waterway. Trees in the buffer shade the waterway, cooling water temperature for fish and other aquatic organisms. Soils and decomposing debris help to biologically breakdown pollutants...and much more!

Henrico County drains to two major watersheds: The Chickahominy and the James River Watersheds.

Every raindrop that hits the ground in Henrico County that is not absorbed into the soil, will run off the land and end up in either the Chickahominy or James River, and eventually the Chesapeake Bay.

However, the raindrops do not arrive alone. They bring along pollutants, sediments and toxins and deposit them into the river. Protecting RPAs will help to filter and remove pollutants and sediments from the raindrops and help keep Henrico's rivers and streams clean!

Whom do I call for more information about Resource Protection Area on my property in Henrico County?

Robin Wilder, Water Quality Analyst @(804) 727-8325