50th Anniversary 1976 – 2026
50th Anniversary 1976 – 2026
Launch of the Batteau Festival
Join us in Lynchburg June 19-20
The festival kicks off Friday with a concert from the Hackensaw Boys. The batteaus depart on their journey on Saturday, followed by the Ultimate Air Dogs dock jumping at Riverfront Park.
JUMP IN
The James River Association works to protect the James and connect people to it.
Keep the Comeback Coming
Find ways to enjoy and protect the river near you.
Enjoy the River
Protect the James
Teach and Learn
The River's Story
OUR IMPACTS
Our goal is a Grade-A river that everyone in the watershed can enjoy. These are some of our accomplishments from the last year:
420 Acres of Riparian Forest Buffers Assessed
22,000 Student Watershed Interactions
477 Water Quality Test Analyzed
268 Rain Barrels Distributed
ABOUT US
OUR WORK
Our Mission
To protect the James River and connect people to it.
Our Vision
A fully healthy James River, valued by all communities in the watershed.
We Protect
JRA monitors the river, responds to problems, seeks policy changes, and implements on-the-ground projects to restore the river’s health. We protect through our Watershed Restoration, James Riverkeeper, and River Advocacy programs.
We Connect
JRA helps communities benefit from the river by increasing river access, supporting river-related events, and implementing volunteer projects. We connect through our Environmental Education and Community Conservation programs. We believe in a James River for all.
EDUCATION
RIVERKEEPER
BUFFERS
STORMWATER
SHORELINES
ADVOCACY
Our Mission in Motion
Experience the story of the James River’s recovery and how we’re working to protect it for the next 50 years.
Keep the Comeback Coming
THE LATEST
News & Notes
Historic Clean Water Funding Marks A Major Step Forward While Critical Gaps Remain
PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:June 22, 2026 CONTACT: Shannon OrcuttGovernment Affairs and Policy Managersorcutt@thejamesriver.org Historic $721.6M for Clean Water Funding Marks Major Step Forward, While Critical Gaps Remain James River Association (JRA) today...
Upper James River Expedition 2026
There is no classroom quite like the James River. This week marks the launch of our first James River Expedition of the summer, sending a group of passionate students ages 14–18 out on a 5-day, 4-night journey of discovery, teamwork, and conservation. From conquering...