2016 River Monitoring Program Launches Memorial Day Weekend

Jamie Brunkow, Lower James Riverkeeper

How’s the river doing?It’s a question James River Association staff receive all the time. The answer is not always clear for the average person. But as the weather warms and more people are outside enjoying the river, it’s important that communities understand how to stay safe on the water.

One rule of thumb can help tremendously – don’t swim after a rain. E. coli bacteria is a common pollutant that people may encounter in the river after rainstorms. Whether it’s from humans, pets, or farms – stormwater runoff carries fecal waste into our waterways and can pose a significant risk to recreational river users. Higher levels of E. Coli mean a higher presence of pathogens that can make people sick.

Enter the James River Watch.

JRA launched the James River Watch online platform to help update the public with the latest water quality conditions. E. Coli bacteria data is posted each Friday to reveal whether conditions meet state standards for recreational contact. And the website pulls in real time data from multiple sources, presenting when water levels are too high or too low for paddling or swimming. The James River Watch is an easy way to track river conditions and to be safe when planning your river trips.

Visit www.jamesriverwatch.org to view the latest information, or download the SwimGuide app.

Getting Involved.

More than 90 volunteers were trained and certified this year to lead water testing at 26 locations across the watershed. Volunteers are collecting invaluable data to help inform the public about the risks associated with bacteria pollution. In addition to tracking this information, we need your help to tackle the immense challenge of stormwater runoff pollution. There are plenty of small steps citizens can take to reduce pollution – you can commit to planting trees and vegetation at home that will soak up stormwater, or installing a rain barrel, or picking up pet waste. Many in communities along the James River have already made these kinds of commitments as a part of JRA’s River Hero program. These small steps do make a difference.

Be safe this Memorial Day weekend, and see you on the river.

Adopt a Duck Blind

By Craig Metcalfe, Lower James RiverRat, James City County

As a JRA RiverRat out on my Powhatan Creek and James River patrols, I have seen

numerous abandoned duck blinds. It has always bothered me that material from these blinds ends up in our waterways.  During the first Saturday in June, I support the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s annual Clean the Bay Day, and along with other boaters, I help by collecting debris from the creek and river. A majority of the debris we collect is from duck blinds that are in disrepair. 

For years, I have been trying to find a way to track and report abandoned blinds. The problem is large enough in Virginia that in 2013, the Virginia General Assembly passed a law which stipulates that “those licensing stationary blinds in the public waters shall remove the blind when the licenses expire or when they no longer intend to use them, whichever occurs first.” This is step a in the right direction, but doesn’t address the issue of old unlicensed or abandoned blinds.

This fall I made contact with Sergeant Randy Hickman at the VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF). After a brainstorming session, we proposed and settled on the following reporting system:

• Find out of date or unlicensed blinds
• Identify the body of water
• Note the GPS coordinates
• Take a picture of the blind
• Record the date and time

Finally I sent the information to Sergeant Hickman, who ran a check on who owned the blinds.  Out of the five Powhatan Creek blinds reported, three were abandoned. The other two had renewed for the 2015 season and posted their licenses by November 1^st, as required by law.

Knowing that we now have a process in place, I met with Jamie Brunkow, Lower James Riverkeeper.  We came to the conclusion that with the support from VA DGIF,  fellow Rats could follow the same process simply by including duck blind information in their patrol logs.

Now the interesting part, Jamie and I thought about removing the abandoned blinds, however, that would be very time consuming and a hassle to take the debris to a dump site.  We came up with the idea to reuse the abandoned blinds by posting a sign, created by the JRA RiverRats, giving information on how to “adopt” the blind.  This is a wonderful incentive to duck hunters looking for a place to hunt as they would only need to fix-up existing blinds, saving both time and money. The adoption and maintenance of existing blinds would cut down on the number of new blinds and prevent the risks of debris to boaters and improve the viewshed.

RiverRats looking for an Action Project may take part in the “Adpot a Blind” project by following Craig’s lead. Get more information from Jamie Brunkow, Lower James Riverkeeper (jbrunkow@jrava.org), or if you’re interested in becoming a RiverRat signup for one of JRA’s upcoming trainings. 

Become a Citizen Water Quality Monitor

The James Needs YOU to be a Citizen Water Quality Monitor

Many portions of the James River and tributaries are currently impaired due to excessive harmful bacteria. One of the most common questions JRA receives during the summer months is whether it is safe to swim in certain parts of the James River.

JRA launched a water quality monitoring initiative in 2013 across the James River watershed. We are currently looking for volunteers to help us do water testing during the 2014 season. JRA needs your help as a citizen scientist, collecting water samples and recording data to track the environmental health of the River.

As a Citizen Water Quality Monitor you will:

• Be able to identify types of harmful bacteria 
• Learn water sampling methods 
• Be able to collect turbidity and temperature data from the field.
•  Test sampling locations weekly from May to September
• Submit data to the JRA's James River Watch website (thejamesriver.org/jrw).  

No monitoring or science background is required. JRA will assign volunteers to sampling teams, and work with each volunteer to help establish a sampling schedule that fits individual schedules and availability. Volunteers already participating in JRA's RiverRat project may count their water monitoring work as an Action Project.

• Sampling Locations:
• Jamestown Beach, Williamsburg 
• City Point, Hopewell 
• Harvell Dam, Petersburg
• Grapevine Bridge - Chickahominy River, Sandston
• Rocketts Landing, Richmond
• 14th Street Access Point, Richmond 
• Pipeline Rapids, Richmond 
• Rope Swing Beach at Tredegar, Richmond
• Tucker Park, Goochland County 
• DGIF Public Landing, Scottsville
• Riveredge Park, Madison Heights
• Jordan Point Park, Lexington
• DGIF Public landing, Buchanan

Training Sessions:

•  Richmond TrainingMarch 27th, 5:30 pm-7:30 pm
  Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), 2nd Floor Conference Room
  629 East main Street, Richmond, VA 23218
  Directions
• Scottsville Training April 9th, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm
  Victory Hall Theater
  2nd Floor, 401 Valley Street, Scottsville,  VA 24590
  Directions
• Buchanan Training April 17th, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm
  Twin River Outfitters
  653 Lowe Street, Buchanan, VA 24066
  Directions
• Lynchburg TrainingApril 15th, 3:00 pm-6:00 pm
  Riveredge Park
  154 Rock Hill Road, Lynchburg, VA 24572
  Directions
• Lexington TrainingApril 26th, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
  Boxerwood Nature Center & Woodland Garden
  963 Ross Road, Lexington, Virginia 24450
  Directions
• Goochland TrainingApril 29th, 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm.
  Tucker Park At Maidens Crossing
  Maidens Road, Goochland, VA 23063
  Directions
• Williamsburg TrainingMay 8th, 6pm-7:30pm
  Eco Discovery Park
  2054 Jamestown Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23185
  Directions
• Richmond Remedial/Practice Open HouseMay 21st, 12 pm - 5 pm
  JRA Richmond Office
  4833 Old Main Street
  Richmond, VA 23231
  Directions

New or veteran volunteers needing a little extra practice can stop by the JRA office during our monitoring open house. This is a great opportunity to get any remaining questions answered and to practice any of the monitoring tests. Although the open house is informal with no set agenda, registration is still requested

I will embed the registration form as well.

New Signs Feature Facts About the Monster Fish of the James

Learn about Atlantic sturgeon and maybe even see one breach near the boat ramp at Ancarrow’s Landing

Do you want to know more about Atlantic sturgeon? If you find yourself in the Richmond area, keep an eye out for JRA’s new interpretive signs. They can be found at the Conch Republic in Rocketts Landing, near the boat ramp at Ancarrow’s Landing and along the Canal Walk at the Turning Basin. The signs were placed at these locations because sturgeon have been known to breach, or jump out of the water, just below the river’s fall line during the summer and fall.

JRA's Lead Educator Intern, Kyle Burnette, and RiverRat volunteer Steve Hill installing the new Atlantic Sturgeon signs.

If you are still curious about sturgeon, there is more! A special documentary on James River sturgeon is scheduled to be released at the Richmond Environmental Film Festival on Sunday, February 9. This film, narrated by JRA and US Fish and Wildlife staff, will highlight the challenges facing sturgeon today, as well as our need to work together to protect the health of river.

Not in the Richmond area?  You can contact Jamie Brunkow, Lower James Riverkeeper, at jbrunkow@jrava.org with your questions and concerns regarding Atlantic sturgeon. 

JRA Constructs Experimental Spawning Reef to Benefit Endangered Atlantic Sturgeon

During the week of July 22nd, Coastal Designs carefully placed 2,700 tons of rock in the  James River just downstream from the Varina-Enon Bridge to form a 70-foot by 300-foot by 2-foot high mound on the river bottom. This artificial reef will provide the type of hard, rocky surface that Atlantic sturgeon and other native fish require to lay their eggs. It also provides a safe place for young hatchlings to escape predators.

Centuries of agriculture and development along the length of the river have changed the river bed, adding silt that has obliterated much of the river’s once rocky bottom, degrading the sturgeon’s spawning habitat. It is hoped that by providing an ideal spawning habitat, such as the rocky reef, scientists will have a better chance to study the river giant and help them rebuild their local population. 

Representatives from Luck Stone, who donated the rock, The Nature Conservancy/ NOAA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who helped fund the project, members of the press and JRA staff members watched as a skilled equipment operator scooped up shovels of rock from a barge and carefully placed them on the river bed in a strategic egg-crate design of hills and valleys.  The site for the reef was chosen because it had the optimum water flow and amount of dissolved oxygen in the water for sturgeon. This represents the third experimental spawning reef built in the James since 2009.

The timing of the construction is ideal, as Atlantic sturgeon have recently been seen in the lower James in advance of the autumn spawning season. No sturgeon sightings have yet been reported in the reef area of the river, which may be due to the summer’s elevated rainfall and water temperature. Scientists from VCU and Virginia Department of Games and Inland Fisheries are currently using passive receivers stationed throughout the lower James River to track approximately 125 Atlantic sturgeon that were tagged in the James.

If there’s a “poster child” for the cause of a healthy James River, it has to be the Atlantic sturgeon. After being considered at risk for many years, in 2012 they were placed on the federal endangered species list. While some people call this armor plated fish a living fossil, he’s actually an extraordinary adapter. The dinosaurs with which he swam are gone. In the James River his population was decimated by overfishing and his habitat was degraded by pollution. Yet, every spring and fall, the James River’s Atlantic sturgeon return to spawn. And the fish that was once through to be extirpated from the James may slowly be growing in number, thanks to the hard work of a lot of dedicated people…and a lot of rocks!

A video of Lower James Riverkeeper, Jamie Brunkow speaking about the Sturgeon reef.

An Urgent Message from Your James Riverkeepers

Your Help is Needed to Protect Virginia Rivers and Streams from Construction Site Pollution.  Please Send Your Comments Before June 7^th!

Construction sites can make a mess of local streams and contribute to water quality problems of the James River. Developers are required to have stormwater pollution plans to prevent erosion and sediment pollution.  But citizen access to those water quality protection plans and related permits afforded to construction sites will soon end without YOUR input.

Here’s the scoop:
You’ve likely seen how local streams and rivers run dirty after significant rainfall.  This sediment clogs streams, suffocates and stresses river life and literally buries riverbed habitat with silt. Mismanaged construction sites frequently contribute to these unhealthy conditions.  For the past three years permitted construction sites in Virginia have been required to make publicly accessible Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPP), a working document of construction site water quality assurances and strategies. Agency inspectors cannot be everywhere so informed citizens play a critical role in making sure SWPP’s are followed.  The general permit for construction in Virginia is now up for scheduled renewal and the state is under pressure to permanently extinguish the public’s right to access to these plans.  JRA believes that disabling the public’s ability to know and respond appropriately to water quality threats in their own community is not in the best interested of improved James River water quality. 

What you can do to help:
The Virginia Soil & Water Conservation Board is now receiving public comments on this permit, but only until June 7.  Please follow the below guidelines and be heard today.  Board members have stated their intent to follow its advising agency’s recommendation to remove public SWPP accessibility from the permit unless persuaded to reconsider concerns from the public.  Now is your opportunity!  In your comments, the Soil & Water Conservation Board should be encouraged to maintain its earlier decision to “require public accessibility of Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans from construction sites upon request,” and should further be encouraged to “re-instate this requirement into the pending construction general permit.”  Any personal accounts of construction site effects on stream water quality would be helpful.

1)      Send an email to “Regulatory Coordinator”regcord@dcr.virginia.gov
cc: pcalvert@jrava.org)

Subject Line: Please send your email with the subject line “Comment on Virginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) Permit Regulations (4VAC50-60)”

2)      Send a letter to:

Regulatory Coordinator

Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation

203 Governor Street, Suite 302

Richmond, VA 23219

Rivers cannot defend themselves.  Please speak on behalf of your local streams and rivers and prevent the concealment of pollution requirements from the public.

Thank you for safeguarding Virginia waterways,

Pat Calvert                                                          Jamie Brunkow
Upper James Riverkeeper                           Lower James Riverkeeper

Sturgeon on the Rise – A Guide to Spotting a Giant Flying Fish

by Jamie Brunkow, JRA's Lower James Riverkeeper

From the falls of Richmond to the expansive estuary near Jamestown, an ancient creature is returning to its spawning habitat in the James River. It’s continuing a fall migration that has taken place for eons. And it’s showing signs of an endangered species attempting to make a comeback.

Sturgeons have persisted since the age of the dinosaurs, making them one of the oldest groups of fish in existence today. They’ve been around so long, that they’ve earned the moniker “living fossils.” Yet the arrival and industrialization of mankind proved to be more than the sturgeon could contend with. Overfishing and loss of habitat have sent the Atlantic Sturgeon population to the brink of collapse.

But in the James River the story of Atlantic Sturgeon has taken a remarkable turn in recent years. It’s clear that sturgeon are not only in the James, but that they’re leaping out of the water during their fall spawning season. Yes – the behavior commonly associated with flipper and other mammalian relatives known as “breaching,” is not uncommon among sturgeon. With a little luck, a fall visit to some portions of the James River can offer an unforgettable experience to the onlooker.

A breach may last less than a second, and if you’re not fast enough you may see only a splash. To increase your odds, here are some of the top places to spot a sturgeon from August to mid-November.

1.       Presquile National Wildlife Refuge – In recent years, more sturgeon have been caught and tagged here for research than anywhere else in the James. The River near Presquile is accessible by boat, and on a good day it’s not uncommon to see 2-3 sturgeon breaching in a half hour period. This is also the site of JRA’s experimental “spawning reef,” which was designed to encourage spawning and to mimic the hard substrate bottom where sturgeon prefer to lay their row.

2.       City Point, Hopewell – Just downstream from Presquile, the James River widens tremendously at the confluence with the Appomattox River. City Point Waterfront Park overlooks the area where the two Rivers meet, offering visitors a scenic view from the water’s edge and an excellent vantage point for any breaching sturgeon. You’re probably just as likely to see a breach here as you are near Presquile.

3.       The Fall Line at Richmond – For those who like to rock hop and explore the riffles and pools around Richmond, the fall season can offer an additional bonus. Researchers believe the rocky bottom and swift moving water found at the Fall Line is the preferred spawning habitat for sturgeon. You’re unlikely to see a breach here, but if you’re lucky you can spot one of these giant fish through the water column. In late September 2012, several sturgeon were spotted from the Mayo Bridge – as large as six feet long. Historically they’ve been spotted as far upstream as Bosher Dam.

4.       Deep Water Terminal – Accessible by boat and right on the edge of Richmond, the River near Deep Water Terminal is great for sturgeon seeking city dwellers. The fairly narrow channel here can mean that when a sturgeon does breach, it’s hard to miss. And reports of sturgeon are common here during the fall spawning season – just be sure one doesn’t land in your boat.

5.       Chickahominy River – If the Chickahominy is your neck of the woods, keep your eyes peeled for an occasional five foot sturgeon breaching out of the water. Although little is still known about the extent of sturgeon spawning habitat in the James River watershed, Sturgeon may have historically utilized more of the Chickahominy than we currently understand. As early as August 2012, a sturgeon was seen breaching near the mouth of Shipyard Creek, on the Chickahominy River.

Earlier in 2012, Atlantic Sturgeon were listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Throughout the Chesapeake Bay region, scientists believe sturgeon numbers are still far too few. Moratoriums on catching sturgeon have been in place for decades, but the fish is slow growing and slow to reproduce – not reaching sexual maturity until approximately 10 years. Sturgeon in the James River are far from a complete recovery. Our continued actions to protect the species are critical to bringing them back – and are a constant reminder of how extraordinarily lucky we are to have them in the James River.

A Perfect Weekend for the 2nd Annual RiverRats Raft-Up

On October 20^th, a group of our 30 RiverRats came out to Rockcliffe Farm Retreat in Concord  for JRA’s 2^nd Annual RiverRats Raft-Up. It was a gorgeous fall weekend and the trees had really started to peak. The day started with a talk from Scott Smith, a Fisheries Biologist with the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, about the various types of fish found in the Upper James and their monitoring efforts.

The advanced training portion of the day included bacteria monitoring from Jamie Brunkow, our Lower James Riverkeeper, and about fishing and boating conditions from Pat Calvert, our Upper James Riverkeeper. Both of these trainings were created to help RiverRats learn more about what they can do to help our Riverkeepers gather data for the new James River Watch.

Lunch was a great time to chat with other Rats from throughout the watershed and share their experiences. After lunch, some RiverRats joined Pat and Jamie on a short float. The river was pretty low, so lots of rocks, but everyone had a good time. They all returned to relax and hear from the Marshall Expedition, which was an inspiring story for everyone.

 Awards were given out at dinner to Kim Payne for the Upper James, Kevin Hansen for the Middle James, Chris Gwaltney for the Lower James, and Joe Seiffert for his overall outstanding commitment to the James River and the RiverRats program. For those  who stuck around, we got to enjoy the campfire and listen to music by the local group, Farm Use String Band.

Some folks stayed the night and went on an 8-mile float from Rockcliffe to Bent Creek on Sunday, which was another gorgeous fall day on the James.

It was a great weekend filled with education, new friendships, and fun with a group of people sharing a love of the James River.  Thank you RiverRats!

View more photos from the Raft-up on flickr.

Awkward Swimmer: An Unusual River Rescue Story

by Jamie Brunkow, Lower James Riverkeeper

On a steamy July afternoon in the James River, near its confluence with the Chickahominy River, we spotted an unusual scene. Wading through the water with wings outstretched, and only a soggy head poking through the surface, was an osprey.

In the summer these raptors are common in the Chesapeake Bay area – but I’ve never seen one swimming.

As we slowed the boat and approached for a closer look, the osprey began to feebly sweep its wings through the water inching slowly toward us. The osprey appeared to recognize our boat as the next best thing to dry land. It looked tired or possibly injured, and it was unable to take flight. And from our position in the middle of the 2.5 mile-wide James, the osprey’s chances of reaching shore seemed slim.

It was not at all wary of us, and when I extended a pole towards the osprey it latched on right away and I carefully pulled it in.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp… splash!” In no time the osprey lost its hold on the plastic pole and awkwardly teetered back into the River. When it emerged at the surface again, its red eyes appeared more animated and its wing motions more frantic. It was no longer interested in grabbing hold of the pole, and simply bobbed there like someone that had been prank-shoved into a pool.

I eased the boat closer to the osprey, pulled on a leather glove, and reached for the bird which immediately grasped my hand with its talons. JRA RiverRat, David Bernard, held a plastic tub under the bird as I coerced it off my hand. Nestled in the tub at the stern of the boat, the osprey shivered and peered at us suspiciously. Although out of the water at last, the osprey did not look pleased to be in our hands. A glance at the raptor’s talons was enough to convince us to keep our distance.

The osprey was soaking wet, somewhat mellow or probably just worn out, but we didn’t see any apparent injuries. Still, it was not trying to fly or move an inch from the back of the boat.  We set out toward Hopewell where we had begun the Riverkeeper patrol that morning, and contacted a local bird rescue for some help.

Within a few hours, the osprey was dry and getting a free meal at the Calmary Farms rescue.

Teresa Whipp, at the rescue said, “He was seen by a vet that said, just give him a couple days rest and you will know when he is ready to go.  He was very calm when he came in, but on Wednesday, I went to feed him and he was trying to kill me through the cage, so that was his way of telling me I am ready.” After just a few days, the bird flew off like a champ.

So how did this osprey end up swimming in the James? July and August is the time of year when young ospreys are learning to fly and leaving the nest. Perhaps inexperience led this one to plunge into the River, or maybe it got hold of a fish that was little too big to carry off. What do you think?

Of Storms and Sturgeon

Chuck Frederickson, Lower James Riverkeeper

Hurricane Irene—Irene certainly left her mark on the James River watershed with a huge number of downed trees and power lines. But her overall impact on the river itself seemed to be beneficial. Before the storm, I could measure light penetration in the river with a Secchi disk to around an average of 40 cm. Four days after the storm, the first day I was able to get out on the water, I was surprised to see readings of 70 cm! I got these levels at several sites from Herring Creek to Jones Neck Cut. Not a lot of sediment washing down from above Richmond, along with the big slug of water washing out the algae, lead to this situation. Nice to see, but we are back to really turbid water now after all the rain last week.

Sturgeon—The fall run of Atlantic sturgeon in the James is in full swing. So far this fall we have caught 29 sturgeon in the area near the Presquile spawning reef. As in past years, we have also seen numerous fish jumping and rolling from around Presquile up to Kingsland Reach.

Last Friday, Matt Balazik and crew from VCU caught 12 sturgeon. Ten were confirmed mature males but the most exciting catch was a female that had very recently spawned. Matt was able to extract several mature eggs from her before measuring, tagging and releasing her. Later that day a large (approximately 200 pounds) fish was caught that we believe was a gravid female, but could not confirm. That’s me with the sturgeon in the photo. Earlier this year a gravid female was caught in Burwells Bay, but this is the first one we have caught up river. I’ll be monitoring the egg mats we’ve placed on the spawning reef and give you an update.

Exciting Underwater Grass News!

By Chuck Frederickson, JRA's Lower James RIVERKEEPER

Last Friday we received a report from our good friends and underwater grass experts at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Dr. Ken Moore and Dr. Bob Orth, that some underwater grass beds on the main stem tidal James had shown up on their most recent aerial photographs of the area. Most of the tidal creeks had grass beds but we had not found any in the river. Grass beds are important because they provide food for waterfowl, anchor bottom sediments, provide nursery habitat and in general help clean up our waters. We have been looking for this for a number of years so I could hardly wait to get out yesterday to see for myself.


At the Queens Creek site I found a huge bed of mostly hydrilla near the mouth of the creek and some smaller patches near the river shoreline. We had previously found grass beds further up the creek but nothing like this. As amazing as this site was, it was nothing compared to the Tyler Creek area. There I found grass beds extending out approximately 150 feet for three-quarters of a mile of shoreline. These grasses were mostly a form of niad. Both beds were full of crabs, fish and many of aquatic organisms.

As good as aerial photos are at identifying underwater grass beds, nothing beats human eyes on the water. If you see or know of any underwater grass beds in the tidal James, please let me know. You can reach me at keeper@jrava.org.

Posted by Chuck Frederickson

Quite a storm for "just a nor'easter". I talked to one of my friends in Pequoson and he told me that the water at his house on Friday was within five inches of the the Hurricane Isabell level. If we would have had Isabell's sustained winds, it would really have been a mess. I went on a short tour yesterday and was pleased to see that there did not appear to be much damage from the storm. The river was still running high and there was a lot of debris but all in all, not too bad. It's not the logs floating on top that worry me, it's the one that is about six inches below the surface that you can't see that will take out a lower unit. Just be careful out there.