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Yorktown BattlefieldOld Guard on Yorktown Day
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Yorktown Battlefield
Water Quality


Back River, Jamestown Island
Chuck Rafkind
Back River from Jamestown island
 
Preliminary findings indicate generally good water quality in most surface waters within the park. Most of the water bodies and wetlands in the park have major portions of their drainage basin upstream and outside of park boundaries. The park, in cooperation with researchers from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science conducted a study to investigate the effects of adjacent urban and agricultural development on the shallow groundwater and selected surface water resources of the park. Testing indicates potential local sources of groundwater contamination from nitrate and ammonia at several sites near Jamestown Island, Williamsburg and Yorktown. Salinity and phosphate concentrations were low or below detectable levels.
Living History Participants  

Did You Know?
On July 6, 1781, near Jamestown, the Marquise de Lafayette’s small American force fought General Cornwallis’s army at the Battle of Green Spring. Lafayette lost this, Virginia’s largest infantry battle of the war, but saved his army, enabling him to spy on the British army as it moved to Yorktown.

Last Updated: July 25, 2006 at 00:31 EST