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Shellfish harvesting waters in Virginia classified as "Conditionally Approved" are in the OPEN status unless a 'condition' has been met. If the condition has been met, the waters identified immediately below will convert to closed (Restricted) status for a set duration of time.
Rainfall-based Conditionally Approved waters are in the CLOSED status for ten days, and open on the eleventh day, when a rainfall 'condition' occurs. When rainfall exceeds the condition threshold for a 24-hour (8pm - 8pm) period, these waters will close.
Unless otherwise classified as condemned by separate order, the current status of Rainfall-based Conditionally Approved Areas for the harvest of oysters, clams and mussels as of Thursday, November 21, 2024:
Poquoson River and tributaries Conditional Areas C10 & C11, Conditional Areas C12 & C13, and Conditional Areas C14 & C16
- CLOSED through November 25, 2024. Currently set to re-open on November 26, 2024.
Lynnhaven River Conditional Area C1
- CLOSED through November 25, 2024. Currently set to re-open on November 26, 2024.
Onancock Creek Conditional Areas C9 & C20
- OPEN.
Pungoteague Creek Conditional Areas C4 & C19
- OPEN.
Nandua Creek and tributaries Conditional Areas C5, C6, C17 & C18
- OPEN.
Yeocomico River and tributaries Conditional Areas C23, C24, and C25, Conditional Areas C26 and C27
- OPEN.
Back River and tributaries Conditional Areas C21 & C28, Conditional Areas C22 & C29
- CLOSED through November 25, 2024. Currently set to re-open on November 26, 2024.
Nansemond River, Linkhorn Bay, Chuckatuck Creek, and Back River are former Conditionally Approved Rainfall waters reclassified to Approved or Restricted status year round.
Rainfall Decision Support Tool
This application offers a forecasting tool to determine rainfall closure possibilities associated with waters classified as Conditionally Approved Rainfall. Disclaimer: This decision support tool is considered an experimental product, and thus NOAA will not be held liable from issues arising from its interpretation and use.
Number of Rainfall Events, Closed-Day Totals, and Annual Rainfall by Year and Conditional Area:
2024 (through June 30)
Yeocomico River Conditional Areas C23, C24 and C25: 1 events 10 days 8.89" *
Poquoson Conditional Areas C10 through C15: 6 events 49 days 24.33"
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 9 events 82 days 27.55"
Onancock Conditional Areas C9 & C20: 2 events 30 days 17.04"
Pungoteague Conditional Areas C4 & C19: 2 events 30 days 17.13"
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C6, C17, & C18: 4 events 38 days 19.82"
2023
Poquoson Conditional Areas C10 through C15: 12 events 96 days 44.38"
Back River Conditional Areas C21 and C22: 8 events 67 days 36.70" *
Chuckatuck Conditional Area C8: 9 events 77 days 39.39" *
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 12 events 118 days 47.33"
Onancock Conditional Areas C9 & C20: 6 events 56 days 28.51"
Pungoteague Conditional Areas C4 & C19: 6 events 56 days 27.32"
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C6, C17, & C18: 7 events 57 days 28.89"
2022
Poquoson Conditional Areas C10 through C15: 10 events 93 days 51.62″
Back River Conditional Areas C21 and C22: 1 event 10 days 6.56" *
Chuckatuck Conditional Area C8: 8 events 73 days 44.29″
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 8 events 60 days 33.00″ *
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 9 events 69 days 44.93″
Linkhorn Conditional Area C3: 8 events 57 days 30.83″ *
Onancock Conditional Areas C9 & C20: 4 events 40 days 32.60″
Pungoteague Conditional Areas C4 & C19: 5 events 50 days 33.35″
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C17, & C18: 7 events 70 days 33.98″
2021
Poquoson Conditional Areas C10 through C15: 8 events 62 days 23.58″ *
Chuckatuck Conditional Areas C8 & C16: 15 events 160 days 48.43″
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 36 events 194 days 51.86″
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 6 events 69 days 40.57″
Linkhorn Conditional Area C3: 7 events 54 days 40.26″
Onancock Conditional Area C9: 3 events 30 days 22.81″ *
Pungoteague Conditional Area C4: 4 events 40 days 29.58″
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C6, & C7: 6 events 60 days 33.48″
2020
Chuckatuck Conditional Area C8: 1 events 10 days 6.05" *
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 46 events 276 days 67.87"
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 11 events 99 days 61.85"
Linkhorn Conditional Area C3: 12 events 103 days 60.67"
Pungoteague Conditional Area C4: 5 events 56 days 48.24" *
Nandua Conditional Areas C5, C6, & C7: 7 events 63 days 52.46" *
2019
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 33 events 215 days 49.30"
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 6 events 60 days 46.40"
Linkhorn Conditional Area C3: 8 events 66 days 46.51" *
2018
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 37 events 269 days 51.77"
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 9 events 78 days 55.45"
2017
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 28 events 194 days 47.91"
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 11 events 104 days 49.43"
2016
Nansemond Conditional Area C2: 10 events 45 days 25.52" *
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 15 events 111 days 75.13"
2015
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 9 events 69 days 50.51"
2014
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 14 events 114 days 50.92"
2013
Lynnhaven Conditional Area C1: 6 events 51 days 22.43" *
* Totals denote a partial year since the date a specific conditional area became active / inactive.
Waters Classified Seasonally - Open from September 1 through March 31
Effective annually from September 1 - March 31, the following Seasonally Condemned Conditional Areas are OPEN to the harvest of oysters, clams and mussels:
Northern Neck:
None.
Middle Peninsula:
GA # 028 - Lagrange Creek: Section S217
GA # 028 - Robinson Creek and tributary: Sections S218 & S219
Lower Peninsula:
None.
South of James River / Southern Hampton Roads:
None.
Eastern Shore:
None.
Waters Classified Seasonally - Open from November 1 through March 31
Effective annually from November 1 - March 31, the following Seasonally Condemned Conditional Areas are OPEN to the harvest of oysters, clams and mussels:
Northern Neck:
GA # 006 - Gardner, Jackson and Bonum Creeks: Sections S1-S3, S14 & S203
GA # 008 - Kingscote & Glebe Creeks and tributaries: Sections S77-S79 & S133-S134
GA # 008 - Coan River and tributaries: Sections S5 & S135
GA # 010 - Upper Little Wicomico River and tributaries: Sections S11 & S86-S87
GA # 010 - Lower Little Wicomico River and tributaries: Sections S12-S13 & S186
GA # 016 - Dymer Creek: Section S112
GA # 016 - Indian Creek: Section S136
GA # 022 - Greenvale and Paynes Creeks: Sections S108
GA # 022 - Beach Creek: Section S107
Middle Peninsula:
GA # 031 - Locklies and Mill Creeks: Section S34
GA # 032 - Hunting and Sturgeon Creeks: Sections S36 & S37
GA # 036 - Barn Creek: Section S212
GA # 037 - Queens and Lanes Creeks: Section S132
GA # 037 - Stutts and Billups Creeks and tributaries: Sections S128 & S130
GA # 042 - Lower North River and tributaries: Sections S22, S160 & S204
GA # 042 - Upper North River and tributaries: Section S24
GA # 048 - Morris Bay, Adams and Bland Creeks and Purtan Bay: Sections S19 & S90
Lower Peninsula:
None.
South of James River / Southern Hampton Roads:
None.
Eastern Shore:
None.
For more information see the Division of Shellfish Safety’s web page at www.vdh.virginia.gov/shellfish, or contact the Division at 804-864-7480 during normal business hours.
Rainfall Decision Support Tool
Disclaimer: This decision support tool is considered an experimental product, and thus NOAA will not be held liable from issues arising from its interpretation and use.