Local waters too polluted for the harvest of shellfish comprised 4,744 acres as of July 1, an increase of 222 acres over the total one year ago. All of this gain was accounted for by increases in Gloucester County.

Figures from the Virginia Department of Health, Division of Shellfish Sanitation, show an increase of more than 300 acres scattered among Gloucester County waterways, including a jump of 124 acres in the Ware River.

On the other hand, the total area of condemned waters in Mathews County dropped about 80 acres, from 1,013 in 2013 to 933.5 this year.

A decrease of 13 acres in the North River, shared by Gloucester and Mathews, accounted for the remaining change, according to VDH statistics.

The Division of Shellfish Sanitation samples local waterways every month for the presence of fecal coliform. When levels pass a certain benchmark, the waters are condemned for shellfish harvest. This is considered a measure of water pollution and it has been conducted in Virginia for man...