Permit Spotsylvania County to Replace Utility Infrastructure at Chancellorsville Battlefield

Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park proposes to permit Spotsylvania County to replace water and sewer infrastructure on NPS-managed lands at Chancellorsville Battlefield, including lands owned in fee along Jackson Trail East and an adjacent County-owned tract on which NPS holds a conservation easement. The existing infrastructure does not provide the necessary reliability of water and sewer services for the County's customer base, nor does it provide the required capacity to meet the demand caused by increased residential development in the area. In addition, the existing Pump Station 24 on NPS-managed land is located within the floodplain of the Ni River and periodically experiences sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), threatening downstream water quality. The current proposal relocates the pump station off NPS-managed lands entirely and upgrades failing sewer and water lines within an existing right-of-way (ROW). NPS will issue a Special Use Permit for construction activities taking place on NPS-managed lands. A NPS right-of-way (ROW) permit may also be required for long-term occupancy of NPS-managed lands.

The County's proposed improvements include installing 6,532 ft (1.2 miles) of new 12-inch sanitary force main, a short section (102 ft) of new 18-inch gravity sewer, and 6,532 ft (1.2 miles) of new 16-inch water main within the County's existing utility right-of-way (ROW) on NPS- managed lands to carry flow from the west side of the Ni River near Jackson Trail East to a tie-in point at Catharpin Road, off NPS-managed lands. The water main would run generally parallel to the gravity sewer and sanitary force main for the entire length of the improvements. The proposal also includes relocation of the existing Pump Station 24 off NPS-managed lands and upgrading overhead and underground electrical utility lines to supply power to the relocated pump station.

All sewer and water infrastructure would be installed by open cut (trench) methods, including the crossing of the Ni River. The short section of gravity sewer would be installed at a maximum depth of less than 20 ft, which complies with the County standard of 20 ft for gravity sewers. The remaining portion of the alignment would be conveyed by force main, where the depth of excavation would not exceed 5.5 ft to provide adequate cover. Portions of the existing asbestos-containing (AC) water pipe (350 linear feet) in the vicinity of the existing pump station and temporary work area would require removal to allow space to install the new water pipe. OSHA handling procedures for Class II asbestos work would be strictly followed. The remainder of the pipe will be abandoned in place.

A 0.2-acre temporary work area would be needed on the NPS conservation easement, outside the utility ROW, between the Ni River and Sawhill Boulevard. The alignment in this area is adjacent to a steep embankment and a portion of the slope would be graded to provide the contractor with an adequate level space to install the underground utilities. All underground infrastructure would remain within the existing utility ROW and no additional ROW would be required.

NPS worked closely with Spotsylvania County and their contractors, US Army Corps of Engineers, Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and other federal, state, and local agencies during project design development to minimize potential short- and long-term impacts to cultural and natural resources from construction and long-term infrastructure maintenance activities. Sensitive resources considered include the historic Virginia Central Railroad that runs parallel to the project corridor, the Ni River and associated floodplains and wetlands, forest and wildlife resources, and the Chancellorsville Battlefield cultural landscape. Mitigations for protection of these features and restoration of impacted resources are being developed as part of the compliance and permitting process.

Contact Information

Eric Mink
540-627-6079