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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>374817</law_id><section_number>62.1-194.3</section_number><catch_line>Obstructing tributaries of Big Sandy River; dumping refuse, etc., into Big Sandy River or its tributaries</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="132" identifier="62.1">Waters of the State, Ports and Harbors</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="37" identifier="20">Miscellaneous Offenses</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="a"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> If any person place any dam or other obstruction in any tributary of Big Sandy River so as to prevent the free passage of timber, or any raft or boat, he shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500; and, upon <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> thereof, the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of the county <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall <span class="dictionary">order</span> the dam or other obstruction to be removed at his expense. <a id="paragraph-1398987" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-194.3/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> It shall also be unlawful for any person to dump, place or put, or cause to be dumped, placed, or put into, upon the banks of or into the channels of Big Sandy River or any of its tributaries, any dirt, stone, coal, slate, cinders, mine refuse, trees, timber, logs, garbage or any other <span class="dictionary">material</span> or substance so as to in anywise narrow, fill or restrict or partially narrow, fill or restrict the channels of said streams or impede the natural flow of the waters of said river or any of its tributaries or dump, place or put, or cause to be dumped, placed or put any dirt, stone, coal, slate, cinders, mine refuse, trees, timber, logs, garbage or any other <span class="dictionary">material</span>, or substance where the same does by natural rainfall or flow of water become washed or otherwise carried into, upon the banks of, or into the channels of, such river or any of its tributaries so as to in anywise narrow, fill or restrict or partially narrow, fill or restrict the channels of any of said streams or impede the natural flow of the waters thereof. Any person who violates any provision of this <span class="dictionary">law</span> shall be guilty of a <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> and upon <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> be punished by a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500 or by confinement in jail not more than twelve months or both such fine and imprisonment. Each day that any of said <span class="dictionary">materials</span> or substances so dumped, placed or put, or caused to be dumped, placed or put into or so allowed to be washed or otherwise so carried into, upon the banks of or into the channels of, said streams shall constitute a separate <span class="dictionary">offense</span> and be punished as such. <a id="paragraph-1398988" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-194.3/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="c"><p><span class="prefix-number">c.</span> In addition to the foregoing penalties for violation of this <span class="dictionary">law</span>, the <span class="dictionary">judge</span> of the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the county wherein any such violation occurs, whether there be a criminal <span class="dictionary">conviction</span> therefor or not shall, upon a bill in <span class="dictionary">equity</span>, filed by the attorney for the Commonwealth of such county or by any person whose property is damaged or whose property is threatened with damage from any such violation, award an <span class="dictionary">injunction</span> enjoining any violation of this <span class="dictionary">law</span> by any person found by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in such suit to have violated this <span class="dictionary">law</span> or causing the same to be violated, when made a <span class="dictionary">party</span> <span class="dictionary">defendant</span> to such suit. <a id="paragraph-1398989" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-194.3/#c"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="d"><p><span class="prefix-number">d.</span> This section shall not be construed to restrict the construction or reconstruction of highways, or the construction or reconstruction of the right-of-way of any company subject to the Commonwealth Corporation Commission, or the maintenance thereof in either case, provided the channel thereafter continues to permit a flow of water in such stream at least as large as that prevailing theretofore, provided that if the channel above the point of such work be widened or deepened subsequently then such company may be required by the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the county on <span class="dictionary">petition</span> of any interested person to change its right-of-way where practicable so as to permit the increased flow of water. <a id="paragraph-1398990" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/62.1-194.3/#d"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 62-190; 1960, c. 257; 1968, c. 169.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
