Managers with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are assessing national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge facilities and habitats damaged as Hurricane Ida swept through the mid-Atlantic November 11-13. Most of the heavy storm damage occurred at Virginia national wildlife refuges with minor damage scattered along the eastern coast as far as Delaware.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge sustained damage and flooding as a result of heavy rains, high tides and sustained wind gusts. In some areas, tides were reported from 5 to 7 feet above normal, inundating refuges facilities.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, located on the southern end of Assateague along the Atlantic coast in Virginia has limited all public access for the foreseeable future for safety and restoration. Beginning Wednesday, Nov.18, only the visitor center will be open. Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The remainder of the refuge and trails will remain temporarily closed.
The refuge suffered from heavy flooding in the refuge impoundment, with 75 percent of Wildlife Loop Road, near the southern end of the refuge, under half a foot to 1 foot of floodwater. The impoundment area is inland from the shoreline.
A tree fell and blocked the entrance to the new Herbert H. Bateman Visitors Center on Friday but volunteers, responding to the emergency, have assisted refuge staff and removed it. The visitor center sustained no other damage. The EE Pavilion sustained serious damage by a falling tree that crushed the roof and pavilion framework.
Beach Road, which is also the main road from Chincoteague allowing access to the refuge, has also been damaged. The dunes along the Beach Road shoreline have been leveled. Salt water washed over the road and into one of the pools nearby. The beach, shared by the Service and the National Park Service is littered with tires displaced from an artificial reef built and used by Ocean City, Md. Several outdoor portable toilets were also damaged during the storm but no traces of waste has been observed or discovered.
The Service is working with the National Park Service to take emergency stabilization actions on the road to prevent the damage from increasing. Images of the damage, as well as updates on public access and damage assessments will be posted on the refuge’s Web site at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco/noreaster.html.http://www.fws.gov.
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, near Virginia Beach, suffered minimal damage. Refuge managers worked with the U.S. Coast Guard to monitor a barge grounded along the beach approximately a half mile from refuge grounds. The barge was refloated and towed out of the area on Wednesday morning. The refuge dunes experienced slight migration across roads but were under control by refuge personnel by late Friday afternoon. The dunes form a natural wall of defense for the marshlands and woodlands from high tides and storms. The vegetation in the area that supports wildlife depends on the dunes for protection.
Chincoteague NWR consists of more than 14,000 acres of beach, dunes, marsh and maritime forest. The refuge provides habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds and song birds, as well as other species of wildlife and plants and has been designated a Globally Important Bird Area, a part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network and designated as one of the top 10 birding Hotspots by the National Audubon Society.
Back Bay refuge provides more than 9,100 acres of barrier beach and dunes, shrub-scrub, woodlands, farm land and fresh and brackish marsh, which are important habitats for migrating and wintering waterfowl. The refuge is an important link in the chain of national wildlife refuges along the Atlantic Flyway.
Interior road system flooding and timber debris was reported at Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Virginia. Refuge Managers at Prime Hook and Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuges near Dover, Delaware were still assessing damage as of Wednesday morning. The initial assessments to the refuge complex at Prime Hook NWR found significant breaches along the shoreline dune system causing saltwater inundation of the marshes impacting adjacent agricultural lands and adjacent landowners.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and a trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information about our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.
