Water Quality Monitoring
What is the James River Watch?
James River Watch is a river conditions map that communicates bacteria levels and other river conditions to the public. During the summer, weekly swimming, and paddling conditions are made available at www.jamesriverwatch.org, so before you head down to the banks of the James and take the plunge, remember that it pays to know before you go!
Why Monitor Bacteria?
While the James River is a great place to cool off, it can carry extra pollutants during periods of high water and after heavy summer downpours. Some segments of the river are impaired due to excessive harmful bacteria—which can make an afternoon on the river less enjoyable. James River Watch was designed to report bacteria levels and communicate them to the public, so you can have a better time on the water!
Help the James River Watch project
Volunteers help us track the health of the James by collecting water samples every Thursday between Memorial Day and Labor Day. No monitoring or science background is required. We will assign volunteers to sampling teams, and work with each volunteer to help establish a sampling schedule that fits individual schedules and availability.
Water Quality Monitoring Training 2025
Our 2025 training sessions have wrapped up, but we’d be thrilled to have you participate in our 2026 program! To get started, please complete the form below. We’ll reach out when the next round of training sessions kicks off in early spring. If you have general questions about volunteering for the James River Watch project, you can email Michael Gillert at mgillert@thejamesriver.org.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Volunteers collect water and take measurements on Thursdays between 9 am and 2 pm. Depending on the site, there may be a short amount of time on Friday required to read your sample results.
Use your time on the river to give back to its health.
If you routinely spend time fishing, paddling, or boating the James or one of its tributaries, we have other volunteer opportunities that you may be interested in!

