STATE OF THE JAMES
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Stream Health: 69% ⇧+10%

As of 2025, 69% of non-tidal streams and creeks sampled in the James River watershed were classified as being in good or excellent condition according to the Virginia Stream Condition Index. The Clean Water Act, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, has been vital in protecting the 25,000 miles of tributaries that flow into the James. It sets limits on the amount of pollution released by wastewater facilities and requires municipal stormwater systems to reduce polluted runoff. To return the James River and its tributaries to good health, we should strengthen regulatory protections, implement restoration actions, and promote conservation and stewardship of our natural resources.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffers.org.
• Prevent stormwater pollution at home with our River Hero Home program.

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Brook Trout: 75% ⇧+1%

This vividly pigmented member of the salmon family is Virginia’s official freshwater fish and once thrived in dozens of cold headwater streams in the watershed. Extremely sensitive to water quality and rising temperatures, the brook trout’s range has been reduced due to changes in land use, competition with non-native fish species, warming streams, and acid rain. Brook trout currently occupy 74% of the desired habitat targeted by the Chesapeake Bay Program. In the face of future threats posed by climate change and land use disturbances, we must invest in riparian buffers to keep our streams cool, and advocate for sufficient state-level funding to build resiliency into remaining brook trout populations.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffers.org.

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Smallmouth Bass: 83% ⇧+7%

Smallmouth bass are a popular sport fish in the James River throughout the Mountains and Piedmont, with the greater numbers found above Lynchburg on the James, as well as in the Maury and Jackson Rivers. Overall, populations have shown modest improvement over the past two years, reversing eight years of decline. The strongest gains were on the Upper James mainstem. The lower numbers in the Middle James from Richmond to Lynchburg are likely tied to warming water temperatures and the loss of spawning habitat. Protecting smallmouth requires tools like riparian buffers, agricultural best management practices, and consistent state funding to improve water quality, cool riverbanks, and sustain healthy populations. Anglers also play a critical role by preventing the spread and reporting sightings of invasive Alabama bass. If Alabama bass become established, they will likely outcompete smallmouth and drive further population declines in the river.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffers.org.
• Help prevent the spread of invasive Alabama bass.

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Phosphorus Reductions: 71% ⇧+5%

Phosphorus pollution reductions in the James River have increased since the 1980s due to wastewater treatment plant upgrades, fertilizer management plans, and bans on phosphates in detergents and other products. Similar to nitrogen, elevated phosphorus levels can lead to algae blooms which cause poor water clarity, fish kills, and habitat reductions for many aquatic organisms. Rapid phosphorus reductions were seen in the late 1990s and early 2000s, though reductions have slowed since. Record rainfall in 2018-19 caused a major setback due to increased polluted runoff. Pound-for-pound, phosphorus is the most impactful source of nutrient pollution, and it is critical that the James River and other Virginia waterways reach the targets identified in the Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan. To reach these goals, we must ensure that wastewater discharges comply with their permit limits, as well as install more riparian buffers and best management practices on agricultural and developed land.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffers.org.
• Apply for help to install a living shoreline on your property or volunteer as a Marsh Steward at JamesRiverShorelines.org.

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Riparian Forests: 80% ⇧+2%

Riparian forests are forested areas within 100 feet of the James River and its tributaries. These areas provide a variety of benefits to water quality, communities, and wildlife. Forested streams support more biological activity and are better able to regulate the processing of nutrients and pollution. An analysis of high-resolution land cover data and hyper-resolution hydrography data conducted by the Chesapeake Conservancy in 2025 indicates 80% of riparian areas in the watershed are forested with trees and shrubs. The James River Association and its partners are collaborating through the Upper & Middle James Riparian Consortium to conserve and restore riparian forest buffers.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffers.org.

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Agricultural Pollution Controls: 64% ⇧+8%

Farmland covers almost 12% of the James River watershed and is one of the largest sources of runoff pollution. Fortunately, agricultural pollution controls, like conservation tillage and stream fencing are cost-effective improvements. With technical assistance from Virginia’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts, farmers have made notable progress installing conservation practices and reducing agricultural runoff to the James River through the Virginia Agricultural Cost-Share Program. Unfortunately, this program has not historically received reliable levels of funding for cost-share or technical assistance. Our James River Buffer Program, in partnership with Virginia’s Department of Forestry and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, helps interested landowners install and monitor forested buffers to slow agricultural runoff and take up excess nutrient pollution. As Virginia enters the final phase of its efforts to achieve Bay cleanup goals, time is of the essence.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffers.org.

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Bald Eagle: 100% ⇨±0%

Since the United States banned the pesticide DDT in 1972 and passed the Endangered Species Act in 1973, the James River’s bald eagle population has rebounded in a dramatic way. There were no known nesting pairs along the James from 1974 through 1978. Today, the James supports one of the densest populations in North America with 352 breeding pairs nesting in the watershed in 2021. Bald eagles require large mature trees for roosting, perching, and foraging. Restoring and protecting riparian forest buffers ensure bald eagles have habitat to support them into the future.

Keep the comeback coming
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffers.org.

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Land Protection: 80% ⇧+2%

Land protection actions in the James River watershed ensure natural and cultural resources are protected in perpetuity and can provide us with open spaces in which to recreate. The acreage of public lands in protective management and private lands in conservation easements in the James River watershed has consistently increased since the release of the first State of the James in 2007. In 2021 the James River Association adopted a new land protection benchmark that is consistent with the 30 by 30 initiative, which aims to protect 30 percent of lands and waters in the United States and around the world by 2030. As of 2025, 1,569,062 acres of 6,571,690.36 acres in the James River watershed are protected. This is 80% of the 30 by 30 benchmark, which is 1,971,507.11 acres. Dedicated funding for land protection is necessary to ensure we reach the benchmark.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.

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Sediment Reductions: 58% ⇧+13%

Sediment reductions increased over the past two years, but have not yet returned to the levels achieved prior to the 2018-19 record rainfall that carried so much polluted runoff into the river system. Sediment pollution continues to pose a significant and long-term threat to water quality on the James River. Agricultural practices and land development are the two main sources of sediment in the James. The lack of overall improvement in sediment reductions indicates that more investments must be made and stronger measures taken to target the primary sources of sediment, as well as increase natural filters like riparian buffers, living shorelines, freshwater mussels and oysters. These measures serve the additional purposes of reducing nutrient and bacterial pollution and expanding wildlife habitat, creating a healthier, more diverse James River.

Keep the comeback coming
•Check the water quality conditions at JamesRiverWatch.org
• Patrol the river with our RiverRats program.
• Prevent stormwater pollution at home with our River Hero Home program.
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffer.org.
• Apply for help to install a living shoreline on your property or volunteer as a Marsh Steward at JamesRiverShorelines.org.

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Stormwater Pollution Controls: 71% ⇧+1%

Stormwater runoff occurs when rain falls and snow melts on impervious surfaces like rooftops, roads, or sidewalks. Stormwater runoff can pick up pollutants like dirt, nutrients, bacteria, or chemicals as it flows across impervious surfaces and pollutes our waterways. This is stormwater pollution. Installing best management practices that intercept stormwater runoff and allow it to infiltrate into the ground reduces stormwater pollution and localized flooding. As of 2025, we are 71% of the way to meeting our pollution plan for stormwater, which we measure by the amount of pollution reaching the river from each acre of developed land. Development is the fastest growing source of pollution in our waterways and poses a great threat to the health of the James. Climate change adds to the challenge of managing stormwater, as high-intensity rainfall events are increasing in frequency. Investments in stormwater pollution controls are needed to improve water quality and reduce localized flooding experienced by some communities.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Prevent stormwater pollution at home with our River Hero Home program.

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Wastewater Pollution Reductions: 94% ⇩-6%

Wastewater pollution controls have contributed the most pollution reductions for the James River and have been critical to improving the overall health of the James. However, control of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from wastewater decreased over the past two years bringing the score down to 94% from 100%. Population growth and new development are pushing sewage treatment plants closer to their capacities thereby reducing their efficiency in removing pollution. This underscores the need to fully fund and complete construction for the additional wastewater treatment upgrades required under Virginia’s Enhanced Nutrient Removal Certainty Program.

The James River receives 70% percent of Virginia’s total wastewater discharges. Therefore, continuing to improve wastewater pollution controls is vital to safeguarding the health of the river and planning for future growth. More rigorous treatment technology standards will ensure pure drinking water and suitable habitat for wildlife, as well as address emerging threats like PFAS and other forever chemicals. The long term health of the James and of the surrounding communities depend on it.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.

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Juvenile Striped Bass: 57% ⇩-29%

Striped bass are both a prized sportfish and one of the Chesapeake Bay’s most valuable commercial species. Their population declined sharply in the 1970s and 1980s due to overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution, but a fishing moratorium allowed stocks to rebound by the mid-1990s. Since 2018, however, striped bass in the region have not produced an above-average year class. This trend, combined with rising water temperatures and increased recreational fishing pressure in recent years, has put additional stress on the population. The most recent Atlantic States striped bass stock assessments concluded that the striped bass stock was overfished, and an emergency declaration to protect maturing striped bass has been extended through 2025. The tidal James River acts as a nursery for juvenile striped bass populations, and 2024 data indicate that the number of fish reaching the juvenile stage is significantly below average. Protecting nursery habitat and strengthening management measures are essential to support recovery. At the same time, maintaining healthy forage fish populations, especially menhaden, a key food source, is critical. Virginia must enforce strong limits on the commercial menhaden fishery to preserve the food web and sustain striped bass populations.

Keep the comeback coming
• Support responsible wildlife management by purchasing a license or membership through the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
• Learn more about the interstate management of striped bass by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.

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American Shad: ⇨±0%

American shad, often called America’s Founding Fish because of their important historical and cultural role, face a gauntlet of threats during their migrations to and from spawning grounds in the James River. These intrepid swimmers are blocked by dams, sucked up in water withdrawals, preyed on by invasive catfish, and caught in nets set for other species. Virginia has long tried to restore shad in river systems across the Chesapeake Bay. From 1992 to 2017, Virginia stocked nearly 126 million hatchery shad to give the species a leg up. A fishing moratorium has been in place in Virginia since 1994, and significant work has taken place to provide fish passage at existing dams or to remove dams entirely to improve critical habitat access. Despite these efforts, the James River shad population reached an all-time low of 0% in 2020 and has stayed there ever since. Given the dire situation, JRA fought for funding to develop an emergency recovery plan that identifies immediate actions that can be taken to improve the American Shad fishery in the James. This plan, delivered to Virginia Legislators in the fall of 2023, lays out specific projects, initiatives, and research needs to tackle this complex issue. The bottom line is it will take a long-term and sustained effort to bring American shad in the James River back from the brink of collapse.

Keep the comeback coming
• Join JRA’s Action Network or RiverReps program to help us advocate for an American shad recovery plan.
• Support responsible wildlife management by purchasing a license or membership through the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
• Learn More: the James River American Shad Recovery Plan

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Bacteria Reductions: 66% ⇧+4%

Bacteria levels in the James River can change rapidly, but they are consistently highest during and after heavy rains, when E. coli and other pathogens from fecal matter pose serious health risks to swimmers. Major sources may include unfenced livestock, combined sewer overflows, and pet waste. From 2019-2024, 66% of bacteria assessments in the watershed met state bacteria standards designed to protect recreational use of waterways like swimming. Improving this score will require action at every level – from major investments in livestock fencing, sewer upgrades, and stormwater infrastructure to individual steps like regular septic inspections and cleaning up after pets.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Check the water quality conditions at JamesRiverWatch.org
• Prevent stormwater pollution at home with our River Hero Home program.

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Nitrogen Reductions:86% ⇧+7%

Major sources of nitrogen include wastewater, agricultural runoff, and urban stormwater. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the water can lead to algal growth, which decreases water clarity, lowers dissolved oxygen, and harms critical habitats for fish and aquatic life. As of 2025, we are at 86% of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan nitrogen pollution target. Recent progress has been made after the record rainfall in 2018-19, which resulted in more polluted runoff. Wastewater treatment plant upgrades have benefited the James along with pollution controls for agricultural and stormwater runoff. Moving forward, Virginia needs to continue to invest in clean water programs.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.

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Tidal Water Quality: 59% ⇩-3%

Dissolved oxygen, algae levels, and water clarity serve as crucial metrics, each conveying significant information regarding the quality of tidal waters. Dissolved oxygen is essential for aquatic life, and the James River generally maintains high levels. However, many areas of the tidal James continue to struggle with algae overgrowth and poor water clarity. These problems stem from excess nutrients and sediment pollution, which become especially severe in years with heavy rainfall.

In 2024, the James River recorded the highest tidal water quality of any major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. The river showed a slight improvement in algae levels, along with small declines in water clarity and dissolved oxygen. Overall, when these measures were averaged, the James ranked 59% for tidal water quality.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffers.org.
• Check the water quality conditions at JamesRiversWatch.org.

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Oysters: 58% ⇩-17%

Oyster reefs provide vital habitat for a wide variety of aquatic life, and a single adult oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water each day. With a fully healthy population, oysters could filter the entire James River estuary every six days. The public oyster fishery collapsed in the 1960s due to overharvest, pollution, and disease, but from 2006 to 2020 oysters made a remarkable comeback, fueled by cleaner water, stronger wild stocks, and management efforts like the 585-acre Wreck Shoals sanctuary created in 2009. Even setbacks, such as record rainfall in 2018 that caused major die-offs, were followed by rapid recovery, with oyster grounds expanding by 25% in just two years. More recently, though, the trend has shifted downward. Between 2022 and 2024, oyster numbers fell 17 points to 58%, largely due to weak reproduction across some reefs in the watershed. Oysters are unique because they form three-dimensional reefs over time, with young oysters settling and growing on existing live oysters or accumulated shell material. When there aren’t enough shells or other hard surfaces available, young oysters have nowhere to attach, which limits reproduction and growth. To support recovery, it’s essential to maintain steady state funding for adding shell material back into the river and to continue long-term monitoring efforts.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Join an oyster shell collection program or become an oyster gardener.

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Underwater Grasses: 41% ⇩-19%

Underwater grasses in the James River declined in 2024, dropping 19 points to 41%. The Chickahominy estuary has historically supported the largest concentrations of underwater grass beds in the tidal James watershed, but it experienced a steep decline in these grasses between 2022 and 2024. Some positive growth was observed in eelgrass beds in the more brackish portions of the river. Underwater grasses are vital habitat for juvenile fish, crabs, and waterfowl, and their presence is closely tied to water quality, particularly sunlight availability. Continued improvements in water clarity, along with reductions in nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, and algae levels, are essential to reach a tipping point where conditions can more broadly support underwater grass beds and approach the restoration goal of 3,663 acres in the tidal James River watershed.

Keep the comeback coming
• Tell your elected representatives to make funding for natural resources a priority.
• Apply for a forested buffer on your property or volunteer to plant trees at JamesRiverBuffers.org.
• Help us keep an eye on underwater grasses in the James through our River Rats program!

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River Health:

The River Health score consists of ten indicators, identified in blue, related to the ecological health of the James. They include fish and wildlife species native to the river as well as the habitat features that help these species thrive. Overall, the River Health score dropped five points over the past two years to 62% and from a B to a B-minus. The score for fish and wildlife species declined by seven points and the overall habitat score decreased three points. In both cases, substantial declines in tidal water indicators offset gains in upstream areas. American shad remained at an alarming score of 0% where it has been since 2021. Additionally, striped bass declined 29 points. Urgent action is critically important for restoring these iconic species and other migratory fish.

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River Restoration Progress:

The River Restoration Progress score increased by five points over the past two years to an overall score of 74% and grade of B. The eight River Restoration indicators, identified in green, track our progress as a watershed to complete the restoration actions outlined in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Cleanup Plan and reduce the amount of pollution entering the James River. Pollution Reductions increased by seven points with improvements for each of the pollutants assessed. The score for Protection and Restoration Actions increased two points over the past two years to reach a score of 77% and a grade of B-plus. Strong investment by Virginia in clean water programs for wastewater, agriculture and urban stormwater has yielded direct reductions in pollution levels which have helped to improve the overall health of the river. Notably, Agricultural Pollution Controls climbed ten points thanks to record funding in recent years for the Virginia Agricultural Cost Share Program.

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Key Conclusions:

• Big comeback over 50 years: In 1975, the James River was shut down to any kind of fishing due to toxic contamination. Untreated raw sewage and industrial waste also made the river very unhealthy. Since then, things have gotten much better. The State of the James now gets an overall grade of B with a score of 68%.

• Healthier upstream areas: 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 of the Upper James as well as restoration efforts across the watershed.

• Investments are paying off: Virginia’s investments in clean water programs – wastewater treatment, agricultural practices, and stormwater management – are making a real difference. The more we invest, the better the river gets.

• Trouble in tidal areas: Underwater grasses, oysters, and tidal water quality declined in the last two years. Despite progress in river restoration, the tidal James still faces heavy stress from pollution sources, including wastewater, erosion, agricultural runoff, and stormwater. To restore these waters, we must reduce pollution at its source and rebuild critical habitats so the tidal James – and the whole river – can thrive.

• Migratory fish at risk: American shad remain at zero and striped bass numbers also declined substantially since our 2025 report. To bring back these and other iconic migratory fish, Virginia needs to act fast to deal with problems like invasive catfish, pollution, blocked waterways, water intakes and degraded habitats.

• Challenges remain: Progress has slowed over the past 10 years because of population growth, land development, and climate change. To keep improving the James River, everyone needs to help protect it for the future.

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In 2020, JRA helped pass a law with a deadline for reaching our agricultural pollution reduction goals through voluntary actions by 2028. If Virginia falls short, certain actions, like fencing cattle out of streams, become mandatory.

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists 77 endangered and threatened species (fish, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, birds, mammals and plants) living in the Commonwealth.

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The James River is the only place in the United States where you can experience Class IV rapids alongside a city skyline.

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In 2022, the federal Clean Water Act turned 50! This bedrock environmental law forbids point sources like wastewater facilities from discharging without a permit and pollution controls.

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In 2024, there were 508,311 people who had purchased fishing licenses in the watershed.

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Did you know 2020 was the Hottest and Wettest Year on Record? 2024 and 2019 were hotter, and 2018 and 2003 were wetter, but the combination of heat and precipitation for 2020 has them all beat.

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Measuring nearly 5 miles in length, when the James River Bridge opened on November 17, 1928, it was the longest bridge in the world!

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Before it was renamed for King James I by English colonists, the river was named “Powhatan” by and for the indigenous Alqonquian people whose lands we are on.

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Naval Station Norfolk is the largest naval complex in the world.

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Did you know you can livestream a pair of eagles who annually return to a nest just off the Chesapeake Bay? You can also view ospreys and falcons on the James!

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Riverside parks in the James River watershed are enjoyed by millions of people annually. Over 50 public access sites have been added in the watershed since 2013.

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Virginia is losing tree canopy at an alarming rate. The James River Buffer Program has installed nearly 1,300 acres of riparian buffer, equal to over 400,000 native trees, since 2019.

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