Richmond River Condition Information – Brought to You by Dedicated Volunteers

By: Conor O’Donnell, Water Quality Intern for James River Association

The James River Association is now in its final week of water quality testing for the 2015 summer.  From the end of May to the beginning of September, the peak time for river recreation, volunteers have spent their Thursday and Friday mornings collecting and testing water at seven different sites in Richmond along the James River – Huguenot Flatwater, Pony Pasture, 42^nd Street Rocks, Reedy Creek, Tredegar Flatwater, 14^th Street Take-Out, and Rocket’s Landing. Volunteers tested these sites for E. coli bacteria, a standard test in determining whether a water source is safe for recreation. Sources of E. coli bacteria in the river include waste from wildlife, dogs, and livestock. Waste from Richmond's sewer system occasionally overflows into the James near downtown during heavy rains, acting as another source of E. coli. When we talk about whether the river is clean or dirty, the amount of E. coli in the water is one of our most useful indicators. 

In measuring for E. coli, our volunteers not only sought to maintain a health record of the James, but also to answer the question that is asked by many river-goers each day:  is this water safe to swim in?  The answer to that question is a resounding yes, with a big "unless...". The pattern that we’ve observed in our testing, is that the river is a very clean and safe place to swim, unless... it is raining or has rained in the past two days. E. coli levels spike during both small and large storms when rainwater washes E. coli into the river from sources such as animal waste and city sewage. Over the course of a few days, this pollution makes its way downstream and the level of E. coli bacteria in our section of the river decreases. This does mean, however, that the pollution that entered the river near us will negatively affect river-goers downstream of us, just as the waste of livestock above the Richmond area directly affects us when it rains upstream. That means that in working towards a clean and healthy James River, our actions and achievements must be the sum of many parts, not just a few - our efforts must stretch through the whole course of James, all 340 miles as well as its tributaries.

In an effort to make public all of our collected data, the James River Association developed the James River Watch, a website that details testing results not only from our seven testing sites in Richmond, but also from other testing sites all along the course of the James and even some of its tributaries. The website is updated each week with new data, and will show you a 'green light' if it is currently safe to swim, or a 'red light' if it is not. It is a great resource to check before going out to the river, whether you're swimming, boating, or fishing.

Our volunteers' efforts this summer are just one example of the many ways in which active citizens have involved themselves in the collaborative effort to protect, care for, and clean up our river. We would like to extend a personal thank you to both our volunteers and to all other organizations and active citizens that have dedicated their time to help make our river the special place that it is. Thank you!

Visit James River Watch to learn more about river condition: jrava.org/jrw