Alice, I asked my favorite Certified Land Surveyor, Charles Sheckler of Surry, VA, and he said usually the dividing lines between counties run down the center lines of dividing water courses. Islands would usually fall into one county or the other, but should not be taxed in two counties. If land is within an incorporated town, it is usually taxed both by the town and by the surrounding county. In the case of new islands created by dredging or some other extraordinary event, there might be recourse to law to determine ownership. 

If you are researching a particular place, you should definitely look at the chain of title carefully to find out what actually happened. Don't neglect plats that might be on record. There can always be exceptions to the general rule, so don't take anything for granted.

Good luck with your research,

Eve Gregory

Date:    Fri, 4 May 2012 12:05:45 -0700
From:    Alice Owens <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: <No subject given>

Hi Everyone:
 
Hope someone has the answer and can also give me a citation for answer.
 
In Virginia land recording; i.e. tax records, deeds, etc.,
1) when a county has a river as a boundary/border, where does the boundary begin/end?  Is it the middle of the waterway, the closest edge or the the other side?  
 
2) Is this consistent throughout the commonwealth?
 
3) If there are islands surveyed in a river, and at that same point this river is boundary between two counties - what determines where the islands are located and is it possible a deed was recorded and taxes are collected in two counties?
 
Anyone with any similar problems found in land records?
 
Thanks for input

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