More than one-third of all Virginians rely on the James River and its tributaries for water, commerce, and recreation. Our vision is a fully healthy James River supporting thriving communities. We believe if you change the James, the James will change you.
Explore
You can hike it, bike it, swim it, run it or raft it. How you enjoy the James River is up to you.
Support
We’ve taken the river from a D- to a B- in terms of overall health – but we need help to reach our goal of a Grade A James.
Volunteer
Whatever your interests are, there is a role for you in improving the health of the James River.
Discover
The James is Virginia’s largest tributary to the Chesapeake Bay, at 340 miles long it is one of the longest rivers in America that begins and ends in the same state.
The James River Watershed
The James River is Virginia’s largest river, flowing across the entire state from its beginning at the headwaters of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Bath and Highland Counties, to its mouth at the Chesapeake Bay in Hampton Roads.
Each year millions of Virginians go to the James and its tributaries to boat, fish, swim, hike or just take in the beautiful scenery.
Greening RVA Libraries
News & Notes
Richmond Education Program Update – Elizabeth Redd
In 2019, JRA was awarded a Chesapeake Bay Trust grant for Elizabeth Redd Elementary School in Richmond, Va. The grant was intended to allow every 5th grade student to participate in a field trip to Presquile National Wildlife Refuge. Due to COVID-19, we have had to...
From the Marsh Living Shorelines Cost-Share Program
Welcome to a very special edition of “From the Marsh!” Today, the James River Association is excited to announce the launch of a brand-new cost-share program for living shorelines within the tidal reaches of the watershed. What is a living shoreline, exactly? While no...