Water Quality Monitoring

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!

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.