Volunteering for the James

James River Association volunteers come in all shapes and sizes. They live all over the watershed, have many different skills and can be any age.

Meet our May Volunteer of the Month, Linus. He’s 12 years old student at Tuckahoe Middle School who lives in Lakeside, VA. Linus loves the James River and goes kayaking almost every week in the summer, so he understands the importance of keeping the river beautiful and clean. At school, he is involved with Service as Action, so of course he chose to volunteer for the James River!

When it comes to volunteering with the James River Association, Linus has done his fair share. He has picked up trash at numerous locations along the river, including along Upham Brook and Horsepen Branch, and at Ancarrow’s Landing and Texas Beach. All sorts of items were discovered during his cleanups, including toddler Nike Air Jordans!

His most memorable volunteer experience came when he chose to mark stormdrains with educational markers that remind citizens to put “only rain down the drain.” Linus had to pick up the stormdrain markers from the Department of Public Utilities, which meant navigating through Richmond’s City Hall. He affixed the markers to stormdrains in Carytown and even got his little brother Zane to help him.

When asked why he would encourage others to volunteer, Linus said “it’s really fun and you’re doing something good for your river. My uncle says you should know your river, but I say respect your river.”

Are you interested in volunteering for the James? If so, contact Ben Hawkins, Volunteer Coordinator, at bhawkins@jrava.org or (804) 788-8811, ext. 204.

2016 Poster Contest

The results are in from the sixth annual “What a Healthy River Means to Me” poster contest.  Middle school students in the City of Richmond, City of Lynchburg, City of James City County, Henrico County and Chesterfield County that are situated within five miles of the James River  were invited to illustrate “What a Healthy River Means to Me”.  

This year we had over 150 students submit entries that depicted what a healthy river means to them

1st Place:

Kindall Patton
Teacher: Donald Mugford
Tomahawk Creek Middle School, Chesterfield County

2nd Place:

Alina Zaidi
Teacher: Donald Mugford
Tomahawk Creek Middle School, Chesterfield County

3rd Place:

Conner True
Teacher: Laura Coppler
Elizabeth Davis Middle School, Chesterfield County

4th Place:

Bella Sayers
Teacher: Donald Mugford
Tomahawk Creek Middle School, Chesterfield County

Honorable Mention:

Alysha Akhtar
Teacher: Karen Jaeger
Midlothian Middle School, Chesterfield County

Audrey SchwerTeacher: Donald MugfordTomahawk Creek Middle School, Chesterfield County

Ava Gatewood
Teacher: Donald Mugford
Tomahawk Creek Middle School, Chesterfield County

Emily Nation
Teacher: Donald Mugford
Tomahawk Creek Middle School, Chesterfield County

Faye Ryan
Teacher: Donald Mugford
Tomahawk Creek Middle School, Chesterfield County

Madison Kozlowski
Teacher: Donald Mugford
Tomahawk Creek Middle School, Chesterfield County

JRA would like to congratulate the winners and thank all the students and teachers who showed us "What a Healthy River Means to Me"!

This poster contest was made possible through a generous donation by a long-time JRA member and James River Advocate.  Thank you so much for your continued support!

Top 40 Hikes in the James River Watershed

This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the James River Association. To celebrate this anniversary we’ll be releasing Top 40 lists throughout the year celebrating some of the awesome experiences the James River watershed has to offer.

In honor of Earth Month, we have surveyed our staff to bring you the Top 40 Hikes in the James River watershed. So here they are, in no particular order, 40 places to take a hike!

1.    Mt. Pleasant

2.    Spy Rock

3.    Crabtree Falls

4.    Beaver Lake Trail in Pocahontas State Park

5.    High Bridge

6.    Triple Crown

7.    Jamestown Island, footpath to Black Point

8.    Greensprings and Powhatan Creek Trail

9.    Hoffler Creek

10. Noland Trail

11. Appomattox River Greenway

12. Fort Monroe Seawall Trail

13. Balcony Falls Trail

14. Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest

15. James River Face Wilderness

16. Three Ridges Wilderness

17. Thunder Ridge Wilderness

18. James River State Park

19. Powhatan State Park

20. Douthat State Park

21. Governor's Land Conservation Easement (co-held by James River Association)

22. Chippokes Plantation State Park

23. Chapel Island (Great Shiplock Park)

24. Belle Isle

25. Pony Pasture

26. Huguenot Flatwater

27. Bear Creek Lake State Park

28. Van Clief Nature Area

29. High Bridge Trail State Park

30. Appalachian Trail

31. Ivy Creek Natural Area

32. Pocahontas State Park

33. James River Heritage Trail (Riveredge Park)

34. Ragged Island Wildlife Management Area

35. Canal Walk

36. Floodwall Park

37. Robious Landing Park

38. Crawford State Park

39. City Point

40. Virginia Capital Trail

Top 40 Breweries, Wineries, Cideries and Distilleries in the James River watershed

This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the James River Association. To celebrate this anniversary we’ll be releasing Top 40 lists throughout the year celebrating some of the awesome experiences the James River watershed has to offer.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we have surveyed our staff to bring you the Top 40 Breweries, Wineries, Cideries and Distilleries in the James River watershed. So here they are, in no particular order, 40 places to toast to the James.

1.       Blue Ridge Vineyard

2.       Blue Mountain Barrel House/Blue Mountain Brewery

3.       Early Mountain Vineyards

4.       Veritas Vineyard and Winery

5.       Afton Mountain Vineyards

6.       Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company

7.       Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards

8.       Wild Wolf Brewing Company

9.       Flying Fox Vineyards

10.   Rebec Vineyards

11.   Silverback Distillery

12.   Blenheim Vineyards

13.   Albemarle Cider Works

14.   Starr Hill Brewery

15.   Jefferson Vineyards

16.   King Family Vineyards

17.   Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery

18.   Bold Rock Hard Cider

19.   James River Brewing Company

20.   Thistle Gate Winery

21.   King Family Vineyard

22.   Grayhaven Winery

23.   Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery

24.   Legend Brewing Company

25.   Hardywood Park Craft Brewery

26.   Isley Brewing Company

27.   Belle Isle Craft Spirits

28.   Stone Brewing Company

29.   Garden Grove Brewing Company

30.   Triple Crossing Brewing Company

31.   Ardent Craft Ales

32.   Blue Bee Cidery

33.   New Kent Winery

34.   Saude Creek Vineyards

35.   Williamsburg Winery

36.   Williamsburg Alewerks

37.   Smart Mouth Brewing Company

38.   O'Connor Brewing Co.

39.   Wharf Hill Brewing Company

40.   St. George Brewing

Volunteering for the James

 We love our RiverRat volunteers! They act as the James River’s first line of citizen defense by assisting our Riverkeepers as the eyes and ears of the river and its tributaries. RiverRats come from all over the watershed, are all ages and have many different backgrounds. You don’t need to be a scientist or skilled paddler to become a RiverRat.

Meet David Lauthers, a Logistics Planner at Newport News Shipbuilding. He’s a Lower James RiverRat that teaches the principles of Leave No Trace and is also active with the Virginia Master Naturalists and the Boy Scouts. He also serves on the Board of the Newport News Green Foundation. David has volunteered for the James River Association in a number of ways, here is what he had to say about a few of his experiences:

In 2015 I volunteered at Berkley Middle School teaching Watershed Education. We talked about what watersheds – what they are, how to identify what watershed you live in and how they work. We also had a touch tank with river eels that the students could touch and we played a time lapse video showing oysters filtering a tank of dirty water. I also briefly talked about Leave No Trace and outdoor ethics. This was by far one of my favorite volunteer experiences. Being able to share my knowledge of watersheds and giving children the chance to see and touch an American Eel was a memory I enjoy having and I look forward to doing it again. I encourage anyone with time and energy to share your experiences and knowledge at a school or educational event like Earth Day.

Recently, at the request of the James River Association’s Volunteer Coordinator, I was asked to attend an Environmental Justice Empowerment Luncheon in the Southeast Community of Newport News. I had never heard of the term “environmental justice,” which I learned is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.

Although I have lived in Newport News for 20 years, I had never ventured to the Southeast area of the city, even though it is near where I work. I arrived early to the event and attended a briefing by Congressman Bobby Scott and Delegate Marcia Price. I was among the company of many other state and local organizations such as the Virginia Conservation Network, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Choose Clean Water Coalition, Southeast Asthma Network, Virginia Student Environmental Coalition, VA Sierra Club and the Southeast Care Coalition. Each group was given a chance to speak, reviewing their missions, roles and what potential assistance they could bring to the table to help the Southeast Community.  The elected officials told the group that they are working to ensure our communities have the opportunity to live in a clean and safe environment free from polluted water.

Overall this was a very unique learning experience for me. It showed me the problems within a community in my city and also showed me what organizations are coming together to help put an end to the issues. The chance to network with all these organizations was definitely valuable.

Want to become a RiverRat and help make a difference in your community? Attend one of our upcoming trainings listed below. Contact Ben Hawkins at bhawkins@jrava.org for more information.

March 19 – Newport News

July 23 – Buchanan/Covington

August 13 – Charlottesville

September 17 – Richmond 

General Assembly Budget Update

On Sunday afternoon, the House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia released their proposed budget packages in response to the Governor’s proposal. In the coming weeks, these proposals will be used to formulate the final budget for the Commonwealth of Virginia for the next two years.

Below is a summary of the priority budget items for the James River Association.

Urban Water Quality Initiatives

Virginia has made significant investments in water quality over the last two decades resulting in major pollution reductions and improvements to local water quality. But urban stormwater is the only pollution source that is still growing. In order to stop this upward trend, it is important for Virginia to make investments in the critical water quality need. The Senate included $20 million which is a step in the right direction.

SUPPORT $20 million in bonds for the Stormwater Local Assistance Fund

Protecting Virginia’s Vital Lands

Did you know that investments in land conservation, such as state parks and other open spaces, provide significant economic benefits to communities in Virginia? These benefits include increased opportunities for outdoor recreation and tourism, attraction and retention of businesses and skilled workers, improved water quality, enhanced property values, reduced costs of community services, and support for the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries. The House of Delegates included $39 million for land conservation. We need to protect this investment.

SUPPORT $39 million for Land Conservation

Keeping Virginia’s Farms Clean Water Friendly

Agriculture is the largest industry in Virginia. It is important to work with members of the agricultural community to reach solutions that help to restore the James River and support local farming operations. Both the House and the Senate included $61.7 million to help Virginia’s farmers – a remarkable investment.

SUPPORT $61.7 million for agricultural management practices

Support Wastewater Upgrades

Much of Virginia’s water quality progress is due to great work done by wastewater treatment plant upgrades. This year, more upgrades are due. We must keep this impactful state/local partnership strong. Both the House and Senate included $59 million in bonds for wastewater improvements across the state.

SUPPORT wastewater bonds totaling $59 million

General Assembly Update

www.RiverAtRisk.org

We’ve made it halfway through the 2016 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: Virginia has made significant investments in water quality and land conservation over the last two decades resulting in major pollution reductions and improvements to local water quality. In order to keep Virginia’s on track with meeting our restoration goals, continued investment is necessary.

Update: The budget debate is heating up on the hill. This week, legislators will vote on funding that could determine whether the Commonwealth continues to make progress towards cleaner rivers and streams — or falls short on its goals. We will be there making the case for the James River!

Priority Two: Support Proper Coal Ash Pond Closure (Senate Bill 537)

Background: The James River watershed is home to coal ash ponds capable of holding five billion gallons of coal ash. Each pond in the watershed is adjacent to the river or one of its tributaries. Coal ash, which is a waste product of the electricity generation process, contains arsenic, lead and mercury among other toxics. Simply capping coal ash ponds in place, as currently proposed, does not stop the potential of groundwater contamination or leaching in to surface waters. Every North Carolina pond that has been tested has been shown to be contaminating the surrounding groundwater. Despite this track record of contamination, Virginia’s code does not require lining, capping and long-term monitoring for these facilities. Passing this critical bill will provide that protection to Virginia’s waterways and will allow power generating companies to recover the costs.

Update: This bill spurred great conversation of the coal ash issue with Virginia legislators. Unfortunately, the coal ash pond closure bill died in the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources committee on a 7-7-1 vote. But do not fear — this conversation will not stop here. A dewatering permit to drain the ponds at Chesterfield Power Station is coming soon, as well as permits for the ultimate closure of the ponds. We still need your help in this fight!


Priority Three: Support Swifter Spill Notification (Senate Bill 581 & House Bill 977)


Background: Current law requires the spill of a dangerous substance be reported within 24 hours to the Department of Environmental Quality. We believe that this timeline leaves our waterways, citizens and economy at risk. Accelerating that timeline to 12 hours and enhancing public notification will better protect us all.

Update: After working with stakeholders to address opposition to this bill, we reached a compromise that removed the 12 hour timeline for notification (leaving it at the current 24 hours) but still increased spill notification from just newspapers to also include radio and television. The bill successfully made it out of the House of Delegates, but did not make it out of the Senate. We will work tirelessly to ensure that we can be successful when the House bill comes before the Senate again.


Priority Four: Support Proper Menhaden Management (Senate Bill 98 & House Bill 150)


Background: Menhaden have been called "the most important fish in the sea." Menhaden are both filter feeders and a primary food source for striped bass, bluefish, sharks, ospreys, brown pelicans, and dolphin. Beyond its ecological importance, the menhaden fishery is very important economically to the Commonwealth, supporting hundreds of jobs. JRA urges legislators to transfer management of the menhaden fishery from the General Assembly to the experienced fishery professionals at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). VMRC currently manages all of the Commonwealth's fisheries except menhaden.

Update: Both bills have been defeated, due to the delicate relationship between menhaden management and jobs. This is a conversation that will continue at the General Assembly level in the future.