Home - Clean Carter's Creek

CLEAN CARTERS CREEK

Why Restore Carters Creek?

A restored Carter’s Creek will provide a beneficial resource for our community and the greater watershed. By building and restoring oyster reefs, planting native plants, and providing educational opportunities, the creek can progress to a healthier state. Diverse native species and improved water quality will abound, supporting not only Carter’s Creek but also the health of the Rappahannock River and the Chesapeake Bay.

The Clean Carters Creek initiative is a collaboration of local partners and individual oyster lease owners with the goal of restoring oyster habitat within the Creek. Naturally high oyster reproduction rates coupled with active community involvement provides a unique opportunity for a collaborative restoration effort in the Creek.

In 2015, a conversation between Friends of the Rappahannock staff and Tommy Kellum resulted in the idea that oyster leases that waterman can’t or don’t harvest should be restored. The Ellery Kellum Rock was the first lease restored in the Creek.

This project kickstarted more public involvement and resulted in the donation of another oyster lease by a resident and the awarding of grant funding for a holistic approach to restoring the watershed. Projects addressed water quality issues in the uplands, along the shorelines, and on the creek bottom.

Total Number of Oysters Restored

727

Bushels of shells recycled FOR the creek

Oyster shell is in high demand for reef restoration, yet many people are unknowingly throwing away an environmentally valuable resource. Recycled shell is utilized in restoration projects that provide oyster larvae with a place to settle and grow, thereby forming oyster reefs. Friends of the Rapphannock is working with local businesses and individuals to promote and expand the recycling of oyster shells.

887,887

Live oysters planted in Carters Creek

Planting live oysters in Carter's creek has significantly improved the ecological functioning of the ecosystem, benefitting both the environment and our local communities. By filtering millions of gallons of water that flow from the Rappahannock into the Chesapeake Bay, providing habitat for native species, and protecting shorelines from erosion.

104,514

Gallons of water filtered every
minute by our oysters

Since oysters are natural filter feeders, supporting the health of the Rappahannock by filtering out excess sediment and nutrients, we are able to equate each adult oyster to filter between 30 -50 gallons of water a day. As our reefs grow, more and more of the river will be filtered.

11,335

Native plants planted

Adding native plants to our shorelines can exponentially increase the biodiversity of the area. It can also significantly decrease the amount of pollution and excess sediment that ends up in our tributaries and rivers due to runoff and erosion.

Partners

Tides Inn staff conduct oyster outreach programs with guests and are working with FOR to restore oyster habitat in the Creek by settling spat on shell

Donated oyster leases to FOR, provided valuable technical assistance, and will be one of the primary contractors for reef construction in Carters Creek andthe Rappahannock River

Restaurant and Inn located in
Irvington, one of our valuable
oyster shell recycling partners

Local school Pre-K through 8th grade who run multiple education programs surrounding the health of Carters creek

Assisting with project outreach and communication including web development.

Coordinates the community oyster gardening programs

Provides scientific and technical expertise with project design and long term monitoring

Provides technical assistance and guidance to support project success

Local oyster farm growing oysters to plant in restored reef sites

Administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) which provides cost-share funding for green infrastructure practices

Local oyster spat hatchery that provides spat and seed for restoration projects

Develops 3D artificial reef structures for restoration projects. 50 deployed in Carters Creek!

FOR is providing a large amount of the Oyster spat we will need to seed our reefs and grow a thriving oyster community.

Oyster Catcher Sea Farms who will be the future home of one of our spat on shell operations. Also a shell recycling partner.

Local rental housing in Irvington, with owner support over the years, even donated their oyster lease to us.

A restaurant located in Irvington, who is one of our shell recycling partners.

Donate

Adopt half a dozen oysters, $20
In three years, your half dozen oysters will filter 300 gallons of water a day and provide a home for shrimp, crabs and fish.

Adopt a dozen oysters, $40
In three years, your dozen oysters will filter 600 gallons of water a day and provide safe water recreation.

Adopt a peck of oysters, $125
In three years, your peck of oysters will filter 1,250 gallons of water a day and provide health waters to support a booming local economy

Adopt a half bushel of oysters, $250
In three years, your half bushel of oysters will filter 2,500 gallons of water a day and provide clean water for a healthy community.

Adopt a bushel of oysters, $500
In three years, your bushel of oysters will filter 5,000 gallons of water a day and provide a home for outdoor, hands-on education.

Lifetime Oyster Champion, $1,500
Oysters are the lungs of our water and clean water is the heart of community and health. Your donation helps make that and all of the above possible for our river, community and wildlife!