The James River Association (JRA) released its 2025 State of the James report, a review of ongoing efforts to bring the river back to full health. This year’s overall grade is a B with a score of 68%.
The report is published every two years. In 2023, the James received a B as well, just two points lower at 66%.
In the organization’s official statement, President and CEO Billy Street said, “It’s like paddling against an ever-stronger current, where every bit of progress takes more effort to stay on course.”
The report is divided into two categories:
- River health (fish, wildlife, and habitats)
- River restoration (pollution reductions, protection, and restoration)
We dove into the details to anchor down some significant stats, reflecting which scores spiked and which ones sank. Here’s a quick breakdown:
River health
River health scores dropped five points since 2023, settling in at 62% (B-).
Top marks:
Smallmouth bass (83%) and stream health (69%) saw the largest point increases since 2023, increasing by seven and 10 points, respectively. Riparian forests bumped up by two points, maintaining an 80% score. The bald eagle indicator held steady at 100%
Areas for improvement:
The most significant decreases? Juvenile striped bass (57%), oysters (58%), and underwater grasses (41%). Striped bass saw the largest indicator drop by 29 points. The American shad number remains at 0%, reflecting stagnancy since 2021.
River restoration
River restoration scores increased by five points since 2023, settling in at 74% (B).
Top marks:
Across the board, pollution-reduction efforts earned higher scores. nitrogen reductions (86%), phosphorus reductions (71%), sediment reductions (58%), and bacteria reductions (66%) collectively increased by 29 points. Sediment reduction saw the largest individual increase by 13 points.
Agricultural pollution controls (64%) increased by eight points.
Areas for improvement:
Wastewater pollution (94%) dropped six points, marking its fall from a perfect score in 2023. According to JRA’s detailed report, this score may be due to population growth and new developments pushing sewage treatment plants closer to capacity.
While pollution reduction scores indicated positive improvement, JRA also states, “despite progress in river restoration, the tidal James still faces heavy stress from pollution sources, including wastewater, erosion, agricultural runoff, and stormwater.”
