Stone is just the start of…
PROTECTING the CHESAPEAKE BAY
Using Our Resources to Restore the Environment
As awareness around stormwater runoff and erosion has become heightened as a result of legislation like the Chesapeake Bay Act, there is greater need for products to help with erosion and sediment control along the coastline, river, and streambeds. As this demand increased, Luck Stone’s South Richmond Plant in Richmond, Virginia received more requests for rip rap, stones of varying sizes, used for erosion control.
With this demand came a question: Should the South Richmond Plant continue to be a multi-product producer or focus on the environmentally-critical rip rap? Changing its focus would require an operational shift that would slow down production and extend the quarry’s life.
“The South Richmond Plant is located on the James River—its unique location makes it one of few quarries on the East Coast that can easily supply large rip rap by waterway.”
In 2023, the site made the shift to focus its product on the sustainability of the Chesapeake Bay.
“Today, the plant produces about half of the tonnage it did in prior years, but its production is helping restore waterways that support important ecosystems within the Chesapeake Bay,” said Eric Sankey, Plant Manager of the South Richmond Plant.
As part of this work, we partner with Coastal Design & Construction, another family-owned, multigenerational business focused on shoreline construction, oyster reef restoration, and rising sea-level mitigation.
“My father started the company in 1978,” said Richard Gunn, Engineer at Coastal Design & Construction. “His passion for the water has guided us to work that is helping to preserve the Chesapeake Bay and its many tributaries—whether we are assisting navigation, restoring infrastructure, or protecting habitat and wildlife. Luck Stone has been a great partner over many years.”
Preserving the Environment and History
We recently helped Coastal Design & Construction with a project to preserve the historic Colonial Parkway, a 23-mile scenic roadway stretching from the York River in Yorktown, Virginia, to the James River in Jamestown, Virginia.
Over the past several decades, storms have eroded the existing structures that stabilize the shoreline of the river, putting the parkway in danger.
Our South Richmond Plant’s position along the James River allows us to send large quantities of rip rap by barge to help restore the shorelines.
“The parkway is an important part of history and a main thoroughfare today,” said Emilie Gunn, Marketing Communications Manager at Coastal Design & Construction. “It’s important to this community— it’s the road my brother, Richard, and I used to take to school every single day, and it’s also the way for tourists to get to Jamestown.”
Rebuilding Islands to Restore Natural Ecosystems
We have also had the opportunity to partner with Coastal Design & Construction to restore natural land structures and ecosystems in the Bay. This includes small islands that are habitats for wildlife and play essential roles in water movement. These islands are disappearing due to coastal erosion and rising sea levels, and as they have diminished, shoreline erosion has increased.
“Luck Stone’s quarry location on the James River allows us to take product in by barge,” said Richard. “This is an important asset when working on projects like Colonial Parkway and others that support the Bay.”
Luck Stone is participating in a project providing 4,300 to 5,400 pound pieces of rip rap that the Army Corps of Engineers uses to line the perimeter of one of these islands.
As the Army Corps of Engineers dredges the waterways to keep the channels open for larger ships, they take the dredging spoils and place them in the stone-lined footprint of the original island. Over time, the island is restored and resumes its role of providing important shoreline protection and habitats.
“The Colonial Parkway Project is one great example of the environmental support we are providing from the South Richmond Plant.
We are protecting our shorelines for generations to come, and that is very gratifying work.”
