Methods Report: Water Access Infrastructure in Coastal Virginia

Coastal environments provide numerous ecosystem services including provision of seafood for consumption and commercial use, outdoor recreation, and continuity of cultural practices. Access to these services is determined by the availability of infrastructure that allows people to enter the water and engage in marine activities. Such infrastructure includes docks, boat landings (ramps), marinas, and piers. These types of structures are referred to here as “water access infrastructure” (WAI). This study developed a dataset of WAI available to the public across the entire Virginia coastal region as of 2025.