On May 25 2016, we installed our first surface elevation table (SET) benchmark at the Rice Rivers Center. There's a nice article about this on the VCU Rice Rivers Center website. A few days ago (July 12), we installed our 18th SET in the upper James River. There are six SETs in the restored Kimages Creek wetland (currently a tidal freshwater marsh with the ultimate goal of restoring it to a tidal freshwater forest), six SETs in the adjacent Harris Creek tidal forested wetland, and three SETs each in tidal freshwater forested wetlands at the Presquile and James River components of the Eastern Virginia Rivers National Wildlife Refuge Complex. This network of SETs will give us valuable information on how well tidal freshwater wetlands in the upper James River are keeping up with sea level rise.
The purchase of the SETs was made possible through an award from the Rice Rivers Center. Invaluable support was also provided by Cyrus Brame of the National Wildlife Refuge, who provided boats and his time for the installations on the wildlife refuges. Thank you!!