PRESS RELEASE
January 5, 2026
CONTACT:
Anna Luke
Director of Marketing and Communications
aluke@thejamesriver.org
James River Association Celebrates 50 Years of River Revival, Community Action, and Stewardship
Richmond, VA (January 5, 2026) – The James River Association (JRA) celebrates its 50th anniversary year in 2026, marking five decades of protecting and restoring the James River and connecting people across Virginia to its waters. Founded in 1976, JRA began as a citizen-driven movement determined to bring the river back to health after Kepone contamination and other pollution left the river severely degraded .
Fifty years later, the organization has helped turn the James into one of the nation’s great historic rivers that serves as an essential source of drinking water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and pride for Virginia.
At the same time, JRA has grown to a watershed-wide organization that today includes River Education Centers in Lynchburg, Richmond and Williamsburg, the James River Ecology School at Presquile National Wildlife Refuge, two floating classroom boats, approximately 50 professional staff, and thousands of members and volunteers.
Since its founding, JRA has become a statewide leader in river conservation: advancing clean-water policies, mobilizing volunteers for restoration, educating the next generation of river stewards, and tracking river health through science-based reporting. Since 2007, the organization has released the biannual State of the James report, which tracks eighteen different indicators of river health. The report now shows the river’s overall health earns a “B” grade, reflecting dramatic progress since the 1970s.
“Fifty years ago, the James hit rock bottom. And people all across Virginia paid attention in a new way,” said Bill Street, President & CEO of the James River Association. “This anniversary is a celebration of what’s possible when communities fight for a river they love. It’s also a call to action: to keep the comeback coming for the next 50 years.”
Over the last half-century, some of JRA’s most meaningful milestones include:
- 1976: JRA founded in the wake of the Kepone environmental disaster and the closure of the James river to fishing, which some regard as the lowest point in the river’s history.
- 1988: The Virginia Board of Health lifted the fishing ban on the lower James that had been imposed because of Kepone, a clear early sign the river was improving.
- 1995: Two organizations merged to form today’s James River Association, scaling up to become a watershed-wide organization.
- 2007: Congress designated the James River “America’s Founding River,” and JRA published its first State of the James report.
- Early 2000s: First modern sightings of Atlantic sturgeon in the James, an iconic sign of recovery that JRA continues to highlight through public sturgeon-watching boat trips.
- 2019: The James River won the Thiess International Riverprize: a major international recognition.
- Ongoing: JRA continues to expand its efforts through James River Watch, Connect with the James trips, living shorelines and riparian buffer projects, and community conservation efforts.
To celebrate the anniversary, JRA will host a 50th Anniversary Gala on March 21, 2026, as well as celebrations across the watershed throughout the year. Planned calendar highlights include the James River Batteau Festival in Lynchburg, EcoFest at the James A. Buzzard Education Center, and James River Week.
“Reaching 50 years is a huge accomplishment, but it’s not a finish line,” Street added. “Our next chapter demands bold action to protect the James from pollution, urbanization, invasive species, and climate impacts. With this anniversary, we’re recommitting to a future where every community in the watershed can safely enjoy a fully healthy James.”
For more information about the James River Association and its 50 years of service, visit https://thejamesriver.org/jra-50th-anniversary/.
