1.0Friends of James River Parkhttps://jamesriverpark.orgrpmadminhttps://jamesriverpark.org/author/rpmadmin/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="E5g7v2qieS"><a href="https://jamesriverpark.org/explore-the-park-williams-island/">Explore the Park: Williams Island</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://jamesriverpark.org/explore-the-park-williams-island/embed/#?secret=E5g7v2qieS" width="600" height="338" title="“Explore the Park: Williams Island” — Friends of James River Park" data-secret="E5g7v2qieS" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); </script> https://jamesriverpark.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/williams-island.jpeg1200600Williams Island - Surrounding the island are two distinctly different channels created by dams built to help divert water into the city’s purification plant. On the south side, is the highly visible Z-dam, rebuilt in 1932 to replacing a dam of loose rocks. Z-dam is known as a low-head dam, with dangerous hydraulics, and should be respected by even the most experienced paddlers. It was altered with a 30-foot notch in 1993 to allow migratory fish species such as shad, river herring and striped bass to swim upstream. The north channel is much more peaceful and calm, with the serenity broken up only by the occasional train. The dam was constructed in 1905 and begins at the northeast shore of the island and runs across the river to a portion of the north bank known as “Dead Man’s Hill.” The island is frequently used to portage around the dams.