BOW CREEK

As the sea rises, waterways will connect in the lowlands of Virginia Beach. It is here that people will be able to travel through the city on water, either in small boats, canoes, kayaks, or paddle boards, while others enjoy walking or biking through the lush park system that runs along the banks of these sapphire trails.

Enthusiasts launch a kayak from the pocket beaches along the banks to journey upon the waters until they reach one of the many shopping destinations along this route. Later they dock the kayak and walk over to choose between grabbing a juicy burger, or sitting with a glass of wine at a local restaurant to watch the sunset.

Behind them, the kayak taps on the pilings, while the tides subside for the day.

CURRENT 10 YEAR STORM

The most vulnerable community in Virginia Beach lives along Bow Creek, shown above.

CURRENT 20 YEAR STORM

Moderate storms today render roads impassable, damage property, and elevate insurance while locking citizens in place.

CURRENT 100 YEAR STORM

Such extensive flooding might be alleviated through careful incision in the land connecting Mount Trashmore’s canal to the London Bridge Creek Greenway.

Research from the Virginia Insitute of Marine Sciences shows that sedimentation processes of marshlands allow for soil to be collected through the vegetation of this ecosystem. After collected, the root structure provides a armature to protect against erosion. Therefore, today we may design and urban creek which will accommodate marshland plantings and retain floodwaters.

The below script allowed a finer delineation of drainage patterns withing this area with an overall 0.01percent decline between the Chesapeake and Back Bay. Underground piping fills during many high tides or moderate rain storms, leading to flooding. This analysis was compared with historical maps which revealed the location of a perennial stream and provided the path for the proposed urban creek bed.