Report: James River gets overall health grade of B

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- The James River Association's (JRA) biennial State of the James Report, released on Thursday, has given the river an overall health grade of a B.

Released on Thursday, Oct. 23, JRA said its biennial State of the James Report shows the overall health of the James River at a grade B, with a score of 68%.

Positive indicators

Compared to the river's health 50 years ago, JRA said it has improved significantly.

The association said upstream indicators like stream health, smallmouth bass and riparian buffers have high scores and saw increases over the past two years.

"This reflects the good watershed health on the Upper James as well as restoration efforts across the watershed," the organization said.

JRA added that Virginia's investments in clean water programs, like wastewater treatment, agricultural practices and stormwater management, are making a real difference.

Declines and stresses

Underwater grasses, oysters and tidal water quality, however, have declined in the last two years, JRA said.

James River oysters (Photo: James River Association)

Underwater grasses (Photo: James River Association)

Despite progress in river restoration, the association said the tidal James still faces heavy stress from sources of pollution, including wastewater, erosion, agricultural runoff and stormwater runoff.

To restore these waters, JRA said pollution must be reduced at its source and critical habitats must be rebuilt.

In addition, American shad reportedly remain at zero, meaning researchers did not catch any American shad for the report, though JRA has occasionally received reports of this species from Virginia anglers.

The organization said striped bass numbers have also declined substantially since the association's 2023 report. To bring back these and other migratory fish, JRA said Virginia needs to act quickly to address problems like invasive catfish, pollution, blocked waterways, water intakes and degraded habitats.

The association added that population growth, land development and climate change are making additional progress more difficult.

"To keep improving the James River, everyone needs to help protect it for the future," JRA said.

The State of the James Report, issued every two years, examines the status and trends of 18 indicators that fall into two categories: river health and river restoration. The organization uses the most current data available and evaluates it based on benchmarks set by the state and other authorities.

How Virginians can help

The association has numerous ways Virginians can help highlighted on its website.

Residents can take these actions in support of the James River:

• Join JRA's River Hero Homes program, and implement river-friendly conservation practices at your home. You can properly dispose of pet waste, use native plants, reduce the use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, and conserve water.
• Volunteer through the association's James River Buffer Program to plant seedlings, increasing Virginia's riparian forests.
• Help alert JRA to threats like sewage leaks and sediment runoff by joining the association's James RiverRats Program.
• Help keep track of bacteria levels by volunteering with James River Watch, which monitors water quality.
• Join a cleanup day with a variety of local organizations.
• Volunteer with JRA to remove invasive species and restore habitat.

For more information about the report and ways you can help, visit the organization's website.