Great Wicomico River
Encyclopedia
The Great Wicomico River is a 15.2 miles (24.5 km) river in the U.S. state
of Virginia
, located approximately 60 miles (96.6 km) northeast of Richmond
. In 1864, during the American Civil War
, one of the torpedo boats of Admiral David Dixon Porter
's fleet ran into the Great Wicomico River and was captured.
. It is fed by the freshwater Crabbe Mill Stream
and Bush Mill Stream. The Great Wicomico flows into a trap-type estuary on Ingram Bay, with a history of significant natural spat settlement and seed oyster production. Oyster production is risky, given the high risk of disease. There are three sentinel sites present. The reefs were constructed in 1996 and 1998. The western shore of the Chesapeake Bay between the Rappahannock River
and the Great Wicomico River is generally low with no prominent features. Dolphin
s are occasionally sighted in the river estuary.
and Spanish mackerel
during the summer months.
Large numbers of menhaden
afflicted with lesion
s are periodically caught in the Great Wicomico, and a fish kill
of at least 100,000 was observed by scientists in September, 2001.
was a screwpile lighthouse erected in 1889 at the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. The original structure was deactivated in 1967; the lighthouse superstructure was dismantled and replaced with an automated skeleton tower mounted on the original pile foundation. Today, a lighthouse-shaped folly
, not recognized as a navigational aid, marks the entrance of the river in Fleeton
. Several wrecks are located in the Ingram Bay in the mouth of the rivers; of note are the Davidson, Old Texas and San Marcos wrecks.Jesse Dupont Memorial Highway 200 crosses the river several kilometres from the mouth near the Athena Vineyards and Winery.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, located approximately 60 miles (96.6 km) northeast of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
. In 1864, during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, one of the torpedo boats of Admiral David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter
David Dixon Porter was a member of one of the most distinguished families in the history of the United States Navy. Promoted as the second man to the rank of admiral, after his adoptive brother David G...
's fleet ran into the Great Wicomico River and was captured.
Geography
The Great Wicomico is a small tidal tributary on the western shore of the Chesapeake BayChesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. It is fed by the freshwater Crabbe Mill Stream
Crabbe Mill, Virginia
Crabbe Mill is an unincorporated community in Northumberland County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:...
and Bush Mill Stream. The Great Wicomico flows into a trap-type estuary on Ingram Bay, with a history of significant natural spat settlement and seed oyster production. Oyster production is risky, given the high risk of disease. There are three sentinel sites present. The reefs were constructed in 1996 and 1998. The western shore of the Chesapeake Bay between the Rappahannock River
Rappahannock River
The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...
and the Great Wicomico River is generally low with no prominent features. Dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
s are occasionally sighted in the river estuary.
Fishing
The Dameron Marsh area near the river mouth is said to be a good area for fishing, especially stripers and troutTrout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
and Spanish mackerel
Mackerel
Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They may be found in all tropical and temperate seas. Most live offshore in the oceanic environment but a few, like the Spanish mackerel , enter bays and can be...
during the summer months.
Large numbers of menhaden
Menhaden
Menhaden, also known as mossbunker, bunker and pogy, are forage fish of the genera Brevoortia and Ethmidium, two genera of marine fish in the family Clupeidae.-Description:...
afflicted with lesion
Lesion
A lesion is any abnormality in the tissue of an organism , usually caused by disease or trauma. Lesion is derived from the Latin word laesio which means injury.- Types :...
s are periodically caught in the Great Wicomico, and a fish kill
Fish kill
The term fish kill, known also as fish die-off and as fish mortality, is a localized die-off of fish populations which may also be associated with more generalised mortality of aquatic life...
of at least 100,000 was observed by scientists in September, 2001.
Landmarks
The Great Wicomico River LightGreat Wicomico River Light
The Great Wicomico River Light was a lighthouse located at the mouth of the Great Wicomico River, south of the Potomac River on the western side of the Chesapeake Bay.-References:*, from the Chesapeake Chapter of the United States Lighthouse Society...
was a screwpile lighthouse erected in 1889 at the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. The original structure was deactivated in 1967; the lighthouse superstructure was dismantled and replaced with an automated skeleton tower mounted on the original pile foundation. Today, a lighthouse-shaped folly
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
, not recognized as a navigational aid, marks the entrance of the river in Fleeton
Fleeton, Virginia
Fleeton is an unincorporated community in Northumberland County, in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is located at the mouth of the Great Wicomico River.-Reference:...
. Several wrecks are located in the Ingram Bay in the mouth of the rivers; of note are the Davidson, Old Texas and San Marcos wrecks.Jesse Dupont Memorial Highway 200 crosses the river several kilometres from the mouth near the Athena Vineyards and Winery.