Editing Buena Vista, Virginia (section)

===Flooding===
[[File:Flooding in Buena Vista (7797517896).jpg|thumb|left|Flooding in Buena Vista caused by the passage of Hurricane Camille through the area]]
{{Main|Maury_River|l1=Maury River}}

Buena Vista is situated on the east side of the [[Maury River]] at the western foot of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]]. The Maury has a history of destructive floods damaging nearby communities. Particularly notable were floods on Oct 12, 1870, on the death of [[Robert E. Lee]], when the Maury River provided Lee a temporary coffin due to a dock washed away up river (source: Library Virginia Military Institute), and in 1936, 1969, 1985 and 1995.<ref name="field">''Field Guide to the Chessie Nature Trail''. Rockbrige Area Conservation Council, 1988.</ref> The Flood of '69 was the result of rainfall from the inland movement of [[Hurricane Camille]]. The Flood of '85 resulted from the convergence of three systems, including [[Hurricane Juan (1985)|Hurricane Juan]], which dumped tremendous amounts of rain on western Virginia.<ref name="va">[http://www.vaemergency.com/newsroom/history/hurricane.cfm VAEmergency.com > Newsroom & Archives > Virginia Hurricane History<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050904212755/http://www.vaemergency.com/newsroom/history/hurricane.cfm |date=September 4, 2005 }}</ref> The flood of record for the lower Maury River (downstream of the confluence with the [[South River (Maury River)|South River]]), including Buena Vista and [[Glasgow, Virginia|Glasgow]], occurred on August 20, 1969, at a stage of {{convert|31.23|ft}} on the Buena Vista gauge. (Flooding begins at {{convert|17.0|ft}} and major flooding at {{convert|21.0|ft}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/ahps2/weekly.php?wfo=rnk&gage=buvv2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1 |title=Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: Blacksburg<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2013-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105074616/http://newweb.erh.noaa.gov/ahps2/weekly.php?wfo=rnk&gage=buvv2&view=1,1,1,1,1,1 |archive-date=2013-11-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref>) The downtowns of Buena Vista and Glasgow were submerged in over {{convert|5|ft}} of water.<ref name="va"/> The upper Maury River including Lexington saw its flood of record during the Flood of 1985 when the gauging station at [[Rockbridge Baths, Virginia|Rockbridge Baths]] recorded a value of {{convert|19.19|ft}} from flood marks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://va.water.usgs.gov/annual/2000/sw/02021500.2000.sw.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2013-05-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510075439/http://va.water.usgs.gov/annual/2000/sw/02021500.2000.sw.pdf |archive-date=2009-05-10 }}</ref> The difference in flooding results from differing contributions of the South River depending on rainfall in the respective watersheds.

The James C. Olin Flood Control Project was completed in 1997 to reduce the potential for damage from flooding of the Maury River and inland streams in Buena Vista. The project consists of a 2.5-mile levee wall, topped by a walking trail known as the River Walk.