Sustainabilty Fun Facts

Here are a few great facts from Bronwyn Mitchell, Executive Director of Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education


• A 5-minute shower is equal to 20-35 gallons of water.

• A heavy coat of dust on a light bulb can block up to half of the light.

• When you turn on an incandescent light bulb, only 10% of the electricity used is turned into light. The other 90% is wasted as heat.

• The plastic used in one toner cartridge contains about a half quart of oil.

• An American family of four uses up to 260 gallons of water in the home per day.

• The average American throws away 3.5 pounds of trash per day.

• Americans use four million plastic bottles every hour, yet only one out of four is recycled.

• "Tin" cans (like those used for tuna and soup) are actually 99% steel. Americans throw away enough steel every year to build all the new cars made in America.

• In the US over 40% of municipal solid waste is paper

• 1 ton of aluminum saves the equivalent in energy of 2,350 gallons of gasoline. This is equivalent to the amount of electricity used by the typical home over a period of 10 years!

• One ton of 100 percent recycled paper saves the equivalent of 4,100 kWh of energy, 7,000 gallons of water, 60 pounds of air emissions and three cubic yards of landfill space.

• One ton of paper from recycled pulp saves 17 trees, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 7000 gallons of water, 4200 kWh (enough to heat a home for half a year), 390 gallons of oil, and prevents 60 pounds of air pollutants.

• Recycling 1 ton of glass saves the equivalent in energy of 10 gallons of oil. Recycling one ton of newspaper saves 15 trees.

• One gallon of oil, when reprocessed, can generate enough energy to meet the electricity needs of a home for half a day


The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education is having their 26th Annual Conference, Educating for Sustainability, February 10-13, 2011 at the UMUC Marriott Inn and Conference Center in Hyattsville, Maryland.  For more information visit http://www.maeoe.org/conference/.

Top Ten Great Views of the James River

by Gabe Silver, JRA's Environmental Educator

Its impossible to measure the value of the beauty of the James River for all those who get to gaze upon it. The fall can be the best time to soak up a few great views of the James. Working our way downriver in no particular order of beauty, here are 10 memorable views of the James:

1. The Upper James in Buchanan, VA

2. Balcony Falls along Rt. 501; southeast of Glasgow, VA

3. Harry F. Byrd Bridge over the James (Blue Ridge Parkway); north of Big Island, VA

4. The Riverfront of Lynchburg, VA

5. The Rt. 15 Bridge at Bremo Bluff, VA

6. CSX Railroad Bridge in Richmond, VA

7. The Belle Isle Footbridge; Richmond, VA

8. Libby Hill Park, Church Hill Neighborhood; Richmond, VA

9. Dutch Gap and Henricus Historical Park; Chesterfield, VA

10. Jamestown Island, VA


What are your favorite places to view the James River?

Virginia’s James River Cleanup Plan

We are about to embark on a new chapter in the efforts to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries like the James River. After 25 years of setting laudable goals, of making promises that have come up short, the state and federal governments are now under the gun. By the end of the year, a plan to cut enough pollution to meet the water quality standards for our tidal waters must be developed.

Visit our website to read more about Virginia's James River Cleanup Plan >>

The Coming Fall

By Chuck Frederickson

After a long, hot summer it’s starting to feel a little like fall. The water temperatures in the river are down to the low 80’s as are the air temps. This is better than the 90’s we had all summer. Sweet autumn clamatis is blooming, the yellow flowers are blooming in the marshes, fish are becoming more active and more and more butterflys are crossing the river—a great time to be on the river. A lot of the ospreys have left for the season. I’m always glad to see them come in the late winter and sad to see them go in the fall.

We have numerous Atlantic sturgeon in the river now in the area between Westover and Dutch Gap. Yesterday, eight fish were caught near our spawning reef site and all released in good shape after being measured, weighed and tagged. We also picked up several fish on our hydroacoustic receivers. I counted at least ten fish jumping. If you are out on the water in this area, keep your eyes open for jumping fish. It’s quite a sight to see a six foot long fish come completely out of the water!

Gathright Dam Releases

By Dave Sligh

Gathright Dam, which impounds Lake Moomaw, is located on the Jackson River, 43.4 miles upstream of its confluence with the Cowpasture River. This project is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) and was authorized by Congress to regulate river flows in the Jackson and James Rivers reduce flood damage downstream, to increase low flows for water quality improvement, and to provide recreational opportunities.

The dam's operation has a heavy impact on the Jackson River and on the James River for many miles downstream of its formation, where the Jackson and Cowpasture join. The COE is currently conducting a study authorized under Section 216 of the Rivers and Harbors and Flood Control Act of 1970 - a process in which JRA will be actively participating and in which we encourage interested citizens and businesses to do so also.

As part of this study the COE made what was termed a "pulse release" from the dam on August 17th. An abrupt rise in dam releases took flow levels in the River below the dam from 280 cubic feet per second (cfs) at 6 a.m. on that day to 3,000 cfs by 9 a.m. After maintaining the 3,000 cfs flows for two hours, the COE decreased releases over the next two hours until they again reached 280 cfs.

This test was done in cooperation with the Virginia Departments of Environmental Quality and Game and Inland Fisheries and was intended to test whether such pulses are effective at removing algae and improving water quality by simulating late-summer and early-fall storm events, a natural variability that's been reduced by the operation of Gathright Dam.

Learning From Waterkeepers Around the World

By Dave Sligh

Last week, I had the great fortune to get together with other Riverkeepers, as well as Baykeepers, Coastkeepers and others from around the world at the annual Waterkeeper Alliance conference. As Riverkeepers, Chuck Frederickson and I are part of this great Alliance of folks who, like us, are trying to protect and improve their waters and communities. There are now around 200 of these programs on nearly every continent (we haven't got Antarctica covered yet but stay tuned).

Talking to this diverse group of colleagues from many different areas and with many different backgrounds always makes me focus on two particular ideas:

First, no matter where they live, all people depend on clean water - and this dependence goes far beyond the need for safe drinking water. Communities were historically formed around water bodies and they constitute a vital part of our lives, by providing for commerce, recreation, and an overall quality of life that we just can't have without clean and safe streams, estuaries, coasts, etc. The Waterkeepers in every area are there to support the values and the needs of our neighbors and our focus on local resources and the knowledge of our own home areas is vital to success.

Second, we always need to remember how fortunate we are to retain such a beautiful and healthy environment, but we can't take it for granted. When I hear the stories of Waterkeepers from China, Russia, Central and South America, and other regions, I quickly recognize that the challenges and problems we are facing, while similar to those others face, are often mild in comparison to those we could encounter.

My friends below, who work on the Han River in China, face dangers and a degree of government resistance and corporate corruption that I can hardly fathom.

And the feisty gentleman below continues to work for the health of his community in Mexico, even in the face of violence. Just this year, he was attacked and beaten but he won't quit.

I thank all of these brave and resolute folks for inspiring me even more to do this job and I count my blessings that so many people in Virginia support the work we do.

Karst

By Dave Sligh

If you care about the quality of the James River, you should know the word "karst," so here's a quick lesson in its meaning and importance. Geologists speak of "karst terrain" or "karst geology" to describe areas where the most prominent bedrock consists of sedimentary rocks, like limestone or other rocks that are easily erodible. These types of rock formations are found throughout the world and are expecially prominent in the western parts of Virginia, from the Blue Ridge mountains to the ridge and valley region to the Appalachian plateau. The map below shows the Virginia counties where most of our karst is found.

Those counties highlighted include Highland, Bath, Alleghany, Augusta, Rockbridge, Botetourt, Craig, Roanoke, and Giles Counties - all of which lie partly within the James River's drainage basin. These areas have features like caves and sinkholes and provide great reservoirs for groundwater, often allowing very productive wells. The land can be honeycombed so that water can move swiftly and in large amounts through natural underground conduits.

The great environmental concern with karst is that water, and the pollutants it carries, can reach the groundwater almost immediately, if it enters a sinkhole or comes in contact with bedrock that shows through thin soil layers. Pesticides and herbicides, animal waste, commercial fertilizer, sewage sludge, polluted stormwater runoff, water from home drainfields, and other pollutants can, and in many cases have, polluted drinking wells in many cases and caused serious human health problems.

Further, the pollutants don't just reach the groundwater but, because streams are so closely connected with surface streams, can end up in creeks and rivers in minutes or hours, as opposed to months or years that groundwater takes to migrate and be treated in other areas. It can also be very difficult to follow these connections, especially because the drainage patterns of water on the land may not be the same. Studies show that pollution on the ground or in streams in one watershed can later appear in other watersheds, linking pollution sources and streams that could not be predicted by looking at the land surface.

Monitoring the Maury and the James

By Dave Sligh

I'm glad to report that I found no dead fish or any signs of infected fish in recent trips to the Maury River and the James near Glasgow. There have been a number of sightings on the Maury in past years, so I was worried about what I might find. Also, I heard of no problems from people fishing that day and had pretty good reports on their success.

Below are some photos from the Maury on that day:

Here are some views of the James along a stretch near Glasgow:

Clean Water and the Law

By Dave Sligh

When many people hear the word “law” their eyes glaze over or they immediately think of contentious and sometimes silly lawsuits. But to me environmental laws are great tools for folks to use in protecting the streams and rivers that are our heritage and commonly-owned resources.

The Clean Water Act is the most important water quality law and has been extremely effective in many ways. The law set an ambitious goal: to protect and restore the integrity of our Nation’s waters from all of the insults, generally unintentional, that we humans inflict upon our natural resources. I like to think of the Act as a promise that Americans made to each other.

Most people don’t know that although the Clean Water Act is a federal law, the vast majority of the time State workers are the ones who implement and enforce it. Here in Virginia, the primary agencies with responsibility for carrying out the Clean Water Act are the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). In addition the Act specifically allows and encourages citizens to help enforce the law by empowering them to bring citizen suits when the government agencies don’t act. But there are many opportunities for citizens to influence the decisions agencies make and the quality of their streams. The State of Virginia adopts regulations that give more specific guidance for carrying out the broader goals in the laws passed by Congress or the General Assembly and citizens must be given the chance to comment and help shape those rules. Also, when a particular permit is being considered for issuance, citizens can and should let their views be known.

One of the first great tasks after passage of the Act in 1972 was to clean up the millions of pipes discharging industrial waste and often poorly treated or untreated sewage into streams. Every pipe that discharges to a stream now has to be permitted by the State of Virginia and is to be held to quality standards designed to protect the receiving stream’s natural balance and all of the uses people have a right to make of it. In the jargon of the Clean Water Act, all waters are supposed to be “fishable and swimmable.” These permitting efforts and large amounts of public funding have brought most of our municipal wastewater up to pretty high standards and most industries have made great progress.

Virginia has its own laws that often mirror the federal model but in some cases add provisions that are especially suited to our conditions. We have additional state and local laws that add other protections. Under other water protection permits, cities are required to have plans to manage the stormwater that pours off of their streets. When we cover the land with pavement and concrete, we increase the amount of water that rushes into streams in a short period of time and we contaminate it with the residue of modern human living – oil, trash, heavy metals, pesticides and lawn fertilizers, and just plain dirt.

Builders are required to prevent erosion and keep dirt and other pollutants from washing off of their sites and local governments play a central role here. They enforce local ordinances that counties and cities adopt to meet or exceed minimum standards set by the State. Foresters face similar regulations that are enforced by the Virginia Division of Forestry.

Farmers with cattle, hogs, or poultry have large amounts of manure that they must handle properly to prevent water pollution which can present health threats and damage to stream life. They are required to contain this waste away from streams and groundwater and to apply it to the land in ways that prevent it from being washed into the water during storm events.

So, I’d encourage you to realize that clean water laws are your laws. It’s up to you and me to make sure they work, because we all have a lot a stake.

Spring in the Upper James

By Dave Sligh

I just had to show some of the views from the watershed that I was blessed see last week. I was out looking for dead fish and was lucky not to see any of those ugly sights but did find some very nice ones.

A Riffle in the Cowpasture River


Looking east from the Cowpasture
toward North Mountain and Anthony Knobs

Looking upstream on the Cowpasture from below

the Route 633 bridge

Some friends on the James near Saltpetre Cave

Pool near Saltpetre Cave

Looking down on the amazing Tye River watershed

in Nelson County, on the way home

Fish Kills - Again

By Dave Sligh

Red Lesion

With regret, I have to report that fish kills have started again this year in the upper James and the Shenandoah watersheds. After hearing last week of the first deaths in the South Fork Shenandoah, I spent quite a few hours in and around the James between Eagle Rock and Springwood and in the Cowpasture and made a quick check in Craig Creek - all areas where kills have occurred in past years. I found no problems at that time but will spend much more time out there in the next couple of months. The VA Game Department biologists were also out last week shocking fish in several segments of the James River.

I have attached a press release from DEQ below, which includes the request for the public to keep their eyes open, take photos, and report any problems you see with live or dead fish. They have included the contact information for DEQ and you can contact me also at dsligh@jrava.org or 434-964-7635.

I encourage people to look around in tributaries of the Upper James, including the Jackson River, the Cowpasture River, Craig Creek, and the Maury River, where problems have already been identified, but also in Potts Creek, Dunlap Creek, Catawba Creek, and others as far downriver as Lynchburg or beyond.
To remind you of some of the signs to look for on diseased fish, I've included a couple of photos. Also look for fins rotted away, unusual coloration or malformation of gills, and fish that seem disoriented or lethargic. Remember that the dead fish are generally in slow water areas, are larger breeding age adults, and are often on the stream bottom, so they might not be easy to see unless you're looking for them. Small mouth bass and redbreast sunfish are hit most often but look out for problems with other species also.

White Fungus

Major Fin Rot - Tail

Gill Malformation

*********************************************************************************

State investigators prepare for possible fish disease and mortality outbreaks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 19, 2010 Contact: Bill Hayden, DEQ (804) 698-4447 william.hayden@deq.virginia.gov RICHMOND, VA. -- The Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries continue to track and investigate springtime fish disease and mortality events that have occurred in several rivers in the western part of Virginia in recent years. Only a few isolated problems have been reported to date this spring, but as the period begins when these events have occurred in past years, the state agencies are enhancing their investigation by seeking input from the public. Since 2004, fish disease outbreaks and mortality have occurred in the Shenandoah River basin. In spring 2007 similar events began in the upper James and Cowpasture rivers. The impacts appear to be most severe among smallmouth bass and sunfish, although other types of fish also have been affected. Outbreaks often are accompanied by open sores, or skin lesions, in many of the diseased fish. Typically these events have begun in the spring when water temperatures rise into the 50s and have continued until water temperatures reach the mid-70s, generally running from early April until mid-May. In 2005, DEQ and DGIF formed the Shenandoah River Fish Kill Task Force, a group of stakeholders, including university and government scientists, environmental groups, fishing guides, and volunteer monitors - all with the goal of finding the cause of the annual spring die-off events. This coordinated approach helped state agencies set priorities, identify, conduct and evaluate research into causes of the springtime outbreaks. Studies by state and federal scientists and several university researchers have focused on water chemistry, general health of fish and other aquatic life, and fish diseases. Water quality studies to date have not identified any individual chemicals at levels that would be expected to cause fish disease or mortality. Fish health studies indicate that fish are subjected to multiple stresses, with evidence of damaged skin, gills and internal organs. Fish appear to have a high number of internal parasites, and a high prevalence of a condition called fish intersex also has been observed in some species. Biological pathogens, especially bacterial fish diseases, have come under greater focus during the past two years. Initial findings suggest links between certain bacteria and the disease outbreaks. Ongoing studies involving DEQ, DGIF and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Leetown, W. Va., Science Center, continue to explore the role of bacterial communities, along with environmental and contaminant factors that may cause immune suppression. The public has made a significant difference in this investigation. State officials and environmental leaders have learned of many of these outbreaks from reports provided by fishermen, land owners and other river users. Knowing the timing and distribution of these events will help scientists focus on the areas where incidents are active, and will help generate the most meaningful data. This information also allows DEQ and DGIF to post current information on locations and severity of fish disease and mortality and share this information with the public through updates on the agency websites. The public is encouraged to continue to provide reports on observations of diseased, dying or dead fish. Helpful information includes location, date, unusual water conditions, types and numbers of fish, and photographs. Anyone with information on dead or dying fish is encouraged to contact the DEQ regional office in Harrisonburg at (540) 574-7800, or toll-free in Virginia at 1-800-592-5482. Information also can be emailed to fishreports@deq.virginia.gov.

A Chance Encounter Story

Here's a great story about JRA board member and avid Runoff Rundown participant, Matt Gottwald, and his chance encounter with a man whose "Year of Giving" project is making news --and a philanthropic impact -- across the nation. See how Matt used his $10 gift in Reed's blog.

Year of Giving

Cutting Through the Blue Ridge

By Dave Sligh

Check out the picture above that shows a geological feature in the Blue Ridge Mountains. From this spot you can look down and to the southeast and see Balcony Falls on the James River:

The point from which the picture was taken is shown on the aerial photo below by the camera symbol. Upstream, around Glasgow, the James turns east and has cut a gorge through the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains that's about 9 miles long and nearly 2,300 feet deep at its deepest point. In this segment of the River, the gradient of the stream (the change in elevation per length of travel) steepens to about 11 feet per mile, as opposed to the average slope from the James' beginning at Iron Gate to Richmond of about 4.3 feet.

This Arbor Day Fish Really Do Grow on Trees!

Back in 1872, J. Sterling Morton recognized the importance of trees to the quality of life for people living in the prairie state of Nebraska. That’s where the tradition of celebrating Arbor Day began.

While Virginia seems to be blessed with an abundance of trees, when land is developed, trees are generally the first casualty. Throughout the state, forested lands continue to be lost at an alarming rate and the impact reaches further than most people realize…especially when you consider that fish grow on trees.

All living creatures benefit from trees in one way or another. Healthy urban trees help provide cleaner air, filter water, provide shade that can lower utility bills, and increase property values. The presence of urban greenspaces and a strong green infrastructure helps us connect with nature, as well as provide a habitat for wildlife. From an economic angle, Virginia’s trees and sustainable forestry maintains a strong commercial industry in wood and wood products.

Beauty and value aside, the basic role of trees is to anchor the soil to the earth. So essentially, a clean and healthy James Rivers begin with trees.

Any trees you plant will help prevent rainwater from running off your property, thereby keeping silt and excess nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) out of the waterways. While you want these nutrients on your yard, excess nutrients washing in our streams and rivers can lead to the excess growth of algae, which reduces light penetration. This prevents the growth of underwater grasses used as habitat and food for wildlife. Algae growth also reduces the oxygen content of the water. Without grasses or sufficient oxygen, fish cannot survive. Therefore…fish really do grow on trees! This Arbor Day, plant a tree for yourself, the health of the James River and its fish.

Celebrate Arbor Day on Saturday, April 3 from 10 am to 2 pm at the Carillon in Richmond’s Byrd Park. For more information and a list of free activities, visit http://treestewards.rrpfoundation.org/.

They're Not All Muddy

By Dave Sligh

I have gotten behind on my blogging, so I'm going to reach back and tell about some explorations I made a couple of weeks ago. On March 14th, I looked at the James throughout the area from Lynchburg to Glasgow and a bunch of the tributaries. This was another one of those recent periods when we had really high stream flows and, of course, that often means muddy water in the streams.


Here's a photo of the James River near Big Island on that day:

At the same time, some of the tributaries in this area had high flows but, having watersheds protected by forests, they looked much different. Here's Otter Creek, which flows alongside the Blue Ridge Parkway and enters the River just downstream from the Parkway bridge across the James:

The water here was clear and beautiful. And you can see the stark contrast here, at the spot where Otter Creek enters the River:

There's a strong message here. Don't let anyone tell you that all streams get muddy during heavy rains and high flows.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Don’t Get Pinched – Go "Green”!

Show your support of St. Patrick’s Day this year not by wearing green, but by having “green” actions. This year commit to one behavior change to help the environment.

“…We must continue to take strong actions to keep the James River’s health moving in the right direction; unless we do so, we risk losing the progress that we have made to date. The choice is ours. Let’s choose clean water and a healthy James River for the future…” State of the James Report, 2009.

Here are a few of our staff’s favorite eco-friendly websites:

Great water conservation tips, facts, and resources:
http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/

The Natural Resources Defense Council’s Simple Steps for Better Health and Sustainable Living:
http://www.simplesteps.org/#tk-switchboard-blog

Green America- Economic action to support just and sustainable purchasing:
http://www.greenamericatoday.org/greenbusiness/

National Geographic’s guide to green living:
http://www.thegreenguide.com/

Green Living, earth friendly goods for the home:
http://www.green-living.com/

March 17, 2010
On Tuesday night I attended a meeting of the Hopewell Community Industrial Panel held at the Hopewell Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (HRWTF). Before the meeting, we were taken on a tour of the facilities’ new experimental treatment system to remove nitrogen from the treated water before it is released into the James River. The Hopewell plant, like others around the Commonwealth, is faced with reducing its nitrogen load, to meet new tougher requirements for improving water conditions in the river and the Chesapeake Bay. I was really impressed with what I saw.
HRWTF ‘s experimental system uses a series of rotating wheels turning in a pool of water. The wheels are turned by a bubble system powered by a low horsepower motor. Algae naturally forms on the ridged wheels and takes nitrogen out of the water as it grows. It then sloughs off the wheels and collects at the bottom of the pools. It is collected, centrifuged and dried. The dry algal product can then be turned into biofuel, feed supplements, etc., turning a problem for the river into a potentially profitable enterprise. Many times the City of Hopewell gets a bad rap because of its industrial base and the sins of the past, such as Kepone, but the effort of our industries and the HRWTF to look for new and better ways to treat our wastewater and improve water quality in the James is admirable. We look forward to seeing how this experiment plays out.

On Tuesday I took the boat from JordanPoint down to Newport News and then on to Portsmouth. I wanted to check the waterfront and take a look at Craney Island. I had not been down by water since before Christmas. It never ceases to amaze me how much activity takes place in that area--shipbuilding, ship repair, coal loading, container ships, dredge material storage, military operations, commercial fishing and so on. The Hampton Roads area could really use a Keeper of its own.

The weather Tuesday was extraordinary! Cool in the morning but warmed up nicely during the day and best of all, no wind! This was one of the few trips I have made recently where the water was glassy calm. It's nice not to get beat up when making those long runs. It is about a three hour run to the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge Tunnel from Jordan Point. Rough water can make for tough going in a small boat like mine.

On the way down I stopped at Kingsmill to meet a friend and was happy to spot a pair of ospreys. These were the first I have seen this year. I also saw two large flocks of swans heading north. This made me realize that spring is just around the corner. Don't know about you, but I'm ready!

A Greener Valentine’s Day

Red may be the traditional color, but this year, why not go “green” for Valentine’s Day! Here are a few ways to re-think the holiday for greener, more environmentally-friendly gift giving. The James River and the earth will love you for it:

Gold -
Mining gold is a dirty process. Open pit mining (the method most used in the U.S.) produces 8 to 10 times the amount of waste rubble as an underground mine. Only a small percentage of the rock removed actually contains gold. The gold must be extracted in a process that often includes the use of cyanide. The cyanide is then held in retainer ponds for reuse. These toxins can leach into ground water or end up in streams and lakes. In addition, mercury emissions from the mining of gold is a major source of air pollution in several states in the western U.S.

Diamonds -
Anyone who has seen the movie, “Blood Diamond,” knows the personal toll at which this treasured gem is mined. While diamonds are mined in various ways, most mining removes large quantities of soil and uses water for extraction. In Africa, where water is a scarce resource, this only makes a serious situation worse. When purchasing a diamond, make sure it comes from an industry source that is working to ensure ethical practices for people and the environment.

Roses-
How far have your flowers traveled? Many of the roses found in U.S. florists have been grown in East Africa or South America. That’s a lot of air miles and a big carbon footprint for a flower that only lasts a few days. A houseplant may not be as romantic as a rose, but it can have added benefits to the environment. If you give a potted hydrangea, a colorful pepper plant, or a rosemary shrub, you can plant it in the garden this spring.

Cards –
According to the Waterkeeper Alliance, the paper industry is the largest consumer of water and the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the U.S. When buying Valentines, look for cards made from recycled paper or make your own cards using recycled items in your home. Better yet, send an e-Valentine!

Chocolate-
It’s everyone’s last-minute go-to gift idea. Read the label and look for chocolate that is organic and supports Fair Trade and environmentally responsible production. This means the cocoa used in the making of the chocolate was grown in a manner that empowers the grower (usually a small, independent farmer), provides a fair wage, prevents the exploitation of children, and produces cocoa in a manner that is environmentally safe and sustainable. A sweet deal all the way around!

Nothing says “I love the James River and my local environment” better than being a JRA member. Help protect your favorite romantic spot on the river. Give your Valentine a gift membership in the James River Association! Go to http://www.jamesriverassociation.org/ to make a gift membership.

Horrible Contrast

By Dave Sligh


This photo was taken last week during the high waters. The stream entering the view from the left is called Buck Island Creek and flows into the Rivanna River in southern Albemarle County. The water in Buck Island Creek is dark brown, as we would expect with high flows and bottom sediments being carried downstream. The tributary to the right is named Slate Quarry Creek and presents an amazing contrast in stream quality. Clearly, large amounts of clay are being washed from the watershed that feeds Slate Quarry Creek - a sure sign that significant land disturbance has been occurring upstream.

I want to thank Patrick Nugent for capturing this great view. Patrick is an environmental studies student at Randolph-Macon College and he interned with me during January. He performed stream habitat assessments for about a dozen streams and helped with mapping and data collection for the James River Basin.


The aerial photograph below, copied from Google Earth, shows the outline of the small watershed for Slate Quarry Creek and some of the land features. My next move is to spend time in this watershed to discover the source(s) of this damaging erosion and stream pollution. I'll let you know what I find, in a later blog.

Flooding Impacts

By Dave Sligh


The James was overflowing its banks in a number of places yesterday and many tributaries were roaring in the last several days, with some localized flooding. I'm thankful that I didn't see or hear of any human injuries or death. However, there was lots of damage done to stream channels because of the high flows. It's natural that periodic floods rearrange stream banks and habitats - in fact it's an essential process in the life of the stream. Our activities on the land though cause changes that aren't within the natural range and aren't beneficial.

The first photograph below shows a portion of a stream that I've observed over the last year. While this small section of the stream bank was already eroded and cut down to form a vertical wall of dirt, the recent high waters ripped away all of the dirt in this large depression. I'm not too experienced at estimating amounts of dirt but would guess that at least several tons of soil was carried downstream from a length of stream reaching no more than 100 yards. If you recognize that similar erosion effects occurred in dozens of other places on this same stream and multiply this by the thousands of small streams throughout the James River watershed, you can see the enormity of this problem.

You can see in the second picture (below) the stream bank across from that in the first view. This slope was covered all the way to the top of the slope with large stones (generally known as rip rap) in an attempt to stabilize the portion nearest the adjacent road. Almost all of the stones were washed away during this storm, showing that our human attempts at channel protection are sadly inferior to natural vegetative buffers and land cover.

This small tributary to Ivy Creek, in Albemarle County, is less than one mile in length upstream of the point shown in these photographs and this portion of the stream drains an area of about 0.5 square miles. The land is primarly in pastures with scattered home sites and a relatively small percentage of impermeable surfaces. However, the stream-side vegetative buffers are completely missing or very narrow along at least half of the stream's length. That this small watershed with primarily agricultural land can produce such force and destruction illustrates the extreme importance of maintaining stream buffer plantings and re-establishing them.

Finally, you can click on the link below and see a short news segment from Channel 19 TV in Charlottesville where I was interviewed describing this type of damage from high flows.




http://www.newsplex.com/video?clipID=4490640&autoStart=true&contentID=82706652

Flow Patterns in the James

By Dave Sligh

I've been looking at stream flow records during the last week to understand effects of human management and storms on stream flows in the James River basin. The graphs below show recent flows in the Jackson River, the stream which joins with the Cowpasture River to form the James, in the mountains of Alleghany County.

Releases of water from Gathright Dam control flows in the Jackson River and in the James River for a considerable distance downstream under many conditions. However, we can see that the effects of this recent storm has overridden the influence of the Dam. The first graph below shows that stream flows were maintained at a stable, low level below Gathright Dam through controlled releases by the Corps of Engineers which operates that dam. In contrast, the flows rose very sharply in the Jackson River at the stream gage below Dunlap Creek at Covington.

Flows rose very quickly in the Jackson during a 9 hour period, with an increase of over 400%. Several factors likely contributed to this drastic increase in flow over such a short period. Consistent rains in recent weeks have contributed to saturated soils so that much of the rainfall runs off the land rather than soaking into the ground and the steep mountain slopes in this area can contribute to rapid rises. Finally, there are fairly large percentages of impermeable surfaces (streets, parking lots, buildings, etc.) in the Covington area. To assess the relative contributions of these factors, we can look at storm-related flows during other times of year when the soil is drier and more likely to hold a larger percentage of rainfall that lands on vegetated areas.

I and others plan to make a long-term study of the effects of Gathright dam releases on the James River system. Wherever human actions and structures affect a natural system, we must periodically consider whether these factors can or should be altered to provide for better water quality, for competing human uses, and for the overall natural balance of the stream ecosystem.

Big Challenges For the James and the Bay

By Dave Sligh

I attended a meeting yesterday with citizens and officials from the Rivanna River watershed who are trying to see if they/we can help determine the way that EPA's newest efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay can and should be applied in the area. I hope this effort can be a model that other citizens in watersheds throughout the upper James basin might emulate, because it could help local folks be more committed to following-through on the implimentation of pollution control plans. These plans are designed to benefit the Bay and all of the downstream resources but can and must correct significant problems from sediment and nutrient pollution in waters throughout the headwaters and Piedment areas of the James watershed.

If you don't yet know about initiatives that EPA, the states, and groups like ours are involved with to finally move Bay restoration forward forcefully, you might be interested to read some of the background materials. One good place to start is the Virginia DEQ's site at: http://www.deq.state.va.us/tmdl/chesapeakebay.html/chesapeakebay.html. We'll working to keep you up-to-date on these issues in the coming year or two and will need your help to support strong, specific cleanup goals and vigourous enforcement. Please also check out our brand new "State of the James" report - our report card on the River and its tributaries (http://jamesriverassociation.org/the-james-river/state-of-the-james/).

Finally, I'll leave you with a view of the Rivanna River this past summer, to remind you of the kinds of impacts an over-supply of nutrients can have on local streams.
























The solid-looking masses you see in the Rivanna are not rocks but large clots of algae that made the stream unpleasant for human use and are a symptom of water quality problems.