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Help strengthen the voice for the river by joining our Action Network. We’ll keep you up to date on the latest river policy issues and connect you to your elected officials so you can let them know that water quality is important to you.
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The overall grade of the 2025 State of the James has improved to a B with a score of 68% from its failing health decades ago. Although the pace of progress has slowed, a grade-A James River is possible if we keep up our collective efforts and continue to address key issues together. However, the 2023 American shad stock assessment by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science found that populations of American shad in the James are at an all-time low. Given the dire situation, JRA fought for funding to develop an emergency recovery plan that identified immediate actions that could be taken to improve the American shad fishery in the James River. This plan will be delivered to Virginia Legislators in the fall of 2023 with more actions to follow, but it will take a long-term and sustained effort to bring American shad in the James River back from the brink of collapse.
Advocacy News
General Assembly Update: Progress for the James River
We’ve made it halfway through the 2017 General Assembly Session! Thanks to your help, we’ve made our priorities clear to legislators. Below is an update on each of our key priorities: Priority One: Support Water Quality and Land Conservation Funding Background:...
ACT NOW – Protect Our Waters from Coal Ash Toxins
Power generating utilities in the James River watershed have coal ash ponds capable of holding five billion gallons of coal ash. These are unlined earthen ponds, and they are leaking arsenic, lead and chromium among other toxins. Monitoring data collected by James...
