Hog Island Wildlife Management Area
Site Description
- State: Virginia
- County: Surry
- Ownership: State
Impoundments
- Fishouse Bay: 281 acres
- Hog Island Unnamed 1: 57 acres
- Hog Island Unnamed 2: 58 acres
- Hog Island Unnamed 3: 130 acres
- Hog Island Unnamed 4: 35 acres
- Hog Island Unnamed 5: 25 acres
- Homewood Creek: 287 acres
Ecology and Management
The impoundments at Hog Island WMA provide habitat to many waterfowl, shorebirds, saltmarsh birds, wading birds, and provides breeding and wintering habitat as well. This area also provides habitat for a range of invertebrates, fish, amphibians and reptiles, and mammals. The habitats that exist within the complex face a range of natural threats, including an ongoing invasion of Phragmites, which is treated on an annual/biennial basis. Erosion of outer marshes threatens integrity of the impoundment system, and nutria, Myocastor coypus, present a potential threat to dike and marsh integrity as does muskrat activity. The impoundments were constructed primarily for waterfowl management, which is still the primary management focus today. Waterfowl are managed through moist soil management.
Vulnerability
No over-topping or storm damage has been documented to date. Some erosion has occurred around the water control structures.
Human Value
The WMA and its impoundments are located in a relatively rural / agricultural area. However, there is a nuclear plant nearby. The area is primarily used for hunting and not educational purposes. No data exists on the number of visitors.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Steve Living, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, for providing helpful information used on this page.
Literature Resources
- Dalmas, T. 1993. White ibises at Hog Island Wildlife Management Area. Raven 64:87-87.
- Gooch, B. 2000. Enjoying Virginia Outdoors: A Guide to Wildlife Management Areas. University of Virginia Press, Charlottesville.
- Hardaway, C. S. The durability of gabions used for marine structures in Virginia. Gloucester Point, Virginia: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary; 1988.
- Hardaway, C. S., G. R. Thomas, and J. Li. Chesapeake Bay shoreline study: headlands breakwaters and pocket beaches for shoreline erosion control. Goucester Point, Virginia: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary; 1991.
- Thomas Jr., J. 2014. Wildlife are hog wild for Surry County area. Virginian-Pilot December 7, 2014:1.
- VDGIF [Virginia Division of Game and Inland Fisheries]. Hog Island WMA. http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wmas/detail.asp?pid=4 2015:1.