The Mattaponi River is formed by the confluence of three rivers; the Matta, the Po, and the Ni. It winds its way through Central Virginia for approximately "x" miles before flowing into the York River Basin, and thus the Chesapeake Bay. This river represents the last pristine brackish ecosystem on the East Coast. The last.

The combination of old-growth riparian hardwoods and nearly freshwater tidal marshes on the upper reaches of the Mattaponi are so valuable that the Nature Conservancy has purchased conservation easement rights to over 250,000 acres of the ecosystem, called the Mattaponi Megasite. The Mattaponi River was one of the first rivers nominated for State Scenic River Status by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

I have written this page to fight diversion of up to 75 million gallons per day of water from the Mattaponi River just south of Walkerton, to the proposed Cohoke Reservoir. This impoundment would be formed by damming Cohoke Creek in King William County, destroying at least 425 acres of valuable wetland which would be flooded (according to a Richmond Times Dispatch article, front page of the Real Estate section 6/22/97, 5,000 - 6,000 acres will be needed for the reservoir and mitigation. This would be bought by King William and Newport News Waterworks). South of the dam, the flow of Cohoke Creek would be drastically reduced, turning other wetlands into mud flats. This would be the single largest wetlands loss in Virginia's history. This Reservoir would provide water for the Newport News Waterworks TO SELL to other jurisdictions such as James City County. Also opposing this reservoir are the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Sierra Club of Virginia, King & Queen County Board of Supervisors, Farm Bureau, and hopefully soon the Isaak Walton League. Virginia's DEQ has tentatively proposed to issue the permits though. Please e-mail this website as an attachment to everyone you think may be interested in helping.

I am fighting this reservoir because it infringes on the rights of the Mattaponi Indians, and their right to subsistance fishing, which has been improperly characterized as recreational fishing. Because the issues required to be dealt with by the Executive Order on Environmental Justice have never been properly addressed. Because at least half, and arguably all of the river is the property of King & Queen County, which opposes this reservoir. Because mitigation plans put a lot of money in the hands of a few politicos in King William County. Because mitigation will never replace these wetlands. Because the Bureau of Natural Resources (Becky Norton Dunlop) hasn't even bothered to catalog the rare and endangered species in the Cohoke Basin. Because Bee Martin of Woodville has trophies for 51 different species of fish he's caught on the Mattaponi, yet the Environmental Impact Statement only lists 5 or 6 species. Because the Sensitive Joint Vetch and the Small-Whorled Pogonia are endangered species which might be affected by changes in salinity, sedimentation competition by other species, etc., yet we are assurred those factors won't change based on an obsolete one-dimensional model, for which the code isn't provided in order to double check. Because Electro-Dialysis Reversal, a process of Ionics Inc. which is distinct from Reverse Osmosis, was never evaluated. Because we'd rather show our grandchildren a pristine ecosystem rather than a ruined watershed, such as the Chicahominy's.

The reservoir is also going to flood some of their ancient burial grounds and destroy ancient artifacts.

Dear Friends, The people of the Mattaponi need your support to help them get back their land. It is not right that the government allows this outrage to continue, it is their land and no one elses! Who is to say that it is right for King William Co. to dam their river and destroy this wonderful place. What would we feel like if someone said to our family (who has lived in the same house and land for over 300 years) we are going to tear down this house and take your land for a dam. It isn't right and someone needs to put a stop to it. Or how about if someone decided to flood your family's gravesite. So here I am reaching out to those of you who are interested in helping these people keep their land.

This page has enlightened lives so far!