Shellfish harvesting waters in Virginia classified as "Conditionally Approved" are in the OPEN status unless a 'condition' has been met. If the condition has been met, the waters identified immediately below will convert to CLOSED (Restricted) status for a set duration of time.
Rainfall-based Conditionally Approved waters are in the CLOSED status for ten days, and open on the eleventh day, when a rainfall 'condition' occurs. When rainfall exceeds the condition threshold for a 24-hour (8pm - 8pm) period, these waters will close.
Unless otherwise classified as condemned by separate order, the current status of Rainfall-based Conditionally Approved Areas for the harvest of oysters, clams and mussels as of Sunday, March 29, 2026:
Yeocomico River and tributaries Conditional Area Sections C23 and C24, Conditional Area Sections C8, C25, C26, and C27
- OPEN.
Poquoson River and tributaries Conditional Area Sections C10 & C11, Conditional Area Sections C12 & C13, and Conditional Area Sections C14 & C16
- OPEN.
Back River and tributaries Conditional Area Sections C21, C28 & C31, Conditional Area Sections C22 & C29
- OPEN.
Lynnhaven River and tributaries Conditional Area Section C1
- OPEN.
Onancock Creek and tributaries Conditional Area Sections C9, C20, C31 & C32, Conditional Area Section C30
- OPEN.
Pungoteague Creek and tributaries Conditional Area Sections C4 & C33
- OPEN.
Nandua Creek and tributaries Conditional Area Section C5
- OPEN.
Nansemond River, Linkhorn Bay and Chuckatuck Creek are former Conditionally Approved Rainfall waters reclassified to Approved or Restricted status year round.
Rainfall Decision Support Tool
This application offers a forecasting tool to determine rainfall closure possibilities associated with waters classified as Conditionally Approved Rainfall. Disclaimer: This decision support tool is considered an experimental product, and thus NOAA will not be held liable from issues arising from its interpretation and use.
Number of Rainfall Events, Closed-Day Totals, and Annual Rainfall by Year and Conditional Area:
2026 (through March 28)
Yeocomico River Conditional Areas: 2 events 20 days 7.96"
Poquoson Conditional Areas: 4 events 42 days 9.73"
Back River Conditional Areas: 4 events 36 days 9.83"
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 1 events 10 days 7.79"
Onancock Conditional Areas: 0 events 0 days 6.20"
Pungoteague Conditional Areas: 0 events 0 days 6.22"
Nandua Conditional Areas: 0 events 0 days 6.61"
2025
Yeocomico River Conditional Areas: 10 events 87 days 43.79"
Poquoson Conditional Areas: 13 events 112 days 52.53" **
Back River Conditional Areas: 16 events 133 days 48.23"
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 12 events 105 days 50.30"
Onancock Conditional Areas: 7 events 70 days 33.99"
Pungoteague Conditional Areas: 6 events 60 days 33.87"
Nandua Conditional Areas: 8 events 80 days 37.17"
2024
Yeocomico River Conditional Areas: 3 events 30 days 24.20" *
Poquoson Conditional Areas: 13 events 108 days 45.09"
Back River Conditional Areas: 2 events 20 days 4.08" *
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 19 events 152 days 53.39"
Onancock Conditional Areas: 6 events 68 days 31.57"
Pungoteague Conditional Areas: 6 events 68 days 32.53"
Nandua Conditional Areas: 10 events 103 days 37.99"
2023
Poquoson Conditional Areas: 12 events 96 days 44.38"
Back River Conditional Areas: 8 events 67 days 36.70" *
Chuckatuck Conditional Areas: 9 events 77 days 39.39" *
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 12 events 118 days 47.33"
Onancock Conditional Areas: 6 events 56 days 28.51"
Pungoteague Conditional Areas: 6 events 56 days 27.32"
Nandua Conditional Areas: 7 events 57 days 28.89"
2022
Poquoson Conditional Areas: 10 events 93 days 51.62″
Back River Conditional Areas: 1 event 10 days 6.56" *
Chuckatuck Conditional Areas: 8 events 73 days 44.29″
Nansemond Conditional Areas: 8 events 60 days 33.00″ *
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 9 events 69 days 44.93″
Linkhorn Conditional Areas: 8 events 57 days 30.83″ *
Onancock Conditional Areas: 4 events 40 days 32.60″
Pungoteague Conditional Areas: 5 events 50 days 33.35″
Nandua Conditional Areas: 7 events 70 days 33.98″
2021
Poquoson Conditional Areas: 8 events 62 days 23.58″ *
Chuckatuck Conditional Areas: 15 events 160 days 48.43″
Nansemond Conditional Areas: 36 events 194 days 51.86″
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 6 events 69 days 40.57″
Linkhorn Conditional Areas: 7 events 54 days 40.26″
Onancock Conditional Areas: 3 events 30 days 22.81″ *
Pungoteague Conditional Areas: 4 events 40 days 29.58″
Nandua Conditional Areas: 6 events 60 days 33.48″
2020
Chuckatuck Conditional Areas: 1 events 10 days 6.05" *
Nansemond Conditional Areas: 46 events 276 days 67.87"
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 11 events 99 days 61.85"
Linkhorn Conditional Areas: 12 events 103 days 60.67"
Pungoteague Conditional Areas: 5 events 56 days 48.24" *
Nandua Conditional Areas: 7 events 63 days 52.46" *
2019
Nansemond Conditional Areas: 33 events 215 days 49.30"
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 6 events 60 days 46.40"
Linkhorn Conditional Areas: 8 events 66 days 46.51" *
2018
Nansemond Conditional Areas: 37 events 269 days 51.77"
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 9 events 78 days 55.45"
2017
Nansemond Conditional Areas: 28 events 194 days 47.91"
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 11 events 104 days 49.43"
2016
Nansemond Conditional Areas: 10 events 45 days 25.52" *
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 15 events 111 days 75.13"
2015
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 9 events 69 days 50.51"
2014
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 14 events 114 days 50.92"
2013
Lynnhaven Conditional Areas: 6 events 51 days 22.43" *
* Totals denote a partial year since the date a specific conditional area became active / inactive.
** Includes days closed per emergency closure.
Waters Classified Seasonally - Open from September 1 through March 31
Effective annually from September 1 - March 31, the following Seasonally Condemned Conditional Areas are OPEN to the harvest of oysters, clams and mussels:
Northern Neck:
None.
Middle Peninsula:
GA # 028 - Lagrange Creek: Section S217
GA # 028 - Robinson Creek and tributary: Section S218
Lower Peninsula:
None.
South of James River / Southern Hampton Roads:
None.
Eastern Shore:
None.
Waters Classified Seasonally - Open from November 1 through March 31
Effective annually from November 1 - March 31, the following Seasonally Condemned Conditional Areas are OPEN to the harvest of oysters, clams and mussels:
Northern Neck:
GA # 006 - Gardner, Jackson and Bonum Creeks: Sections S1-S3 & S203
GA # 013 - Upper Great Wicomico River and tributaries: Sections S178-S180
GA # 013 - Lower Great Wicomico River and tributaries: Sections S84-S85 & S183
GA # 022 - Greenvale and Paynes Creeks: Section S108
GA # 022 - Beach Creek: Section S107
Middle Peninsula:
GA # 030 - Meachim Creek: Sections S35 & S214-216
GA # 031 - Locklies and Mill Creeks: Section S34
GA # 032 - Hunting and Sturgeon Creeks: Sections S36 & S37
GA # 037 - Queens and Lanes Creeks: Section S127 & S132
GA # 037 - Stutts and Billups Creeks and tributaries: Sections S128, S130 & S131
GA # 037 - Milford Haven and Gwynns Island: Section S126
Lower Peninsula:
None.
South of James River / Southern Hampton Roads:
None.
Eastern Shore:
None.
For more information see the Division of Shellfish Safety’s web page at www.vdh.virginia.gov/shellfish, or contact the Division at 804-864-7480 during normal business hours.
Rainfall Decision Support Tool
Disclaimer: This decision support tool is considered an experimental product, and thus NOAA will not be held liable from issues arising from its interpretation and use.