The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed April 1, 2011 to the Chesapeake Bay. The river length extends to if the Jackson River (Virginia), Jackson River is included, the longer of its two headwaters. It is the longest river in Virginia. Jamestown, Virginia, Jamestown and Williamsburg, Virginia, Williamsburg, Virginia's first colonial capitals, and Richmond, Virginia, Richmond, Virginia's current capital, lie on the James River.

History

The Native American tribes in Virginia, Native Americans who populated the area east of the Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line, Fall Line in the late 16th and early 17th centuries called the James River the Powhatan River, named for the Powhatan, Powhatans who occupied the area. The Jamestown, Virginia, Jamestown colonists who arrived in 1607 named it "James" after James VI and I, King James I of England as they constructed the first permanent British colonization of the Americas, English settlement in the Americas along the banks of the river about upstream from the Chesapeake Bay. The navigable portion of the river was the major highway of Colony of Virginia, colonial Virginia during its first 15 years, facilitating supply ships delivering supplies and more emigrants from England. However, for the first five years, despite hopes of discovering gold ores, these ships sent little of monetary value back to the sponsors. In 1612, businessman John Rolfe successfully cultivated a non-native strain of tobacco which proved popular in England. Soon, the river became the primary means of exporting the large hogsheads of this cash crop from an ever-growing number of Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, plantations with wharfs along its banks. This development made the proprietary efforts of the Virginia Company of London successful financially, spurring even more development, investments and immigration. Below the falls at Richmond, many List of James River plantations, James River plantations had their own wharves, and additional ports and/or early railheads were located at Warwick, Virginia (Chesterfield County), Warwick, Bermuda Hundred, Virginia, Bermuda Hundred, City Point, Virginia, City Point, Claremont, Virginia, Claremont, Scotland, Virginia, Scotland, and Smithfield, Virginia, Smithfield, and, during the 17th century, the capital of the colony at Jamestown. Navigation of the James River played an important role in early Virginia commerce and in the settlement of the interior, although growth of the colony was primarily in the Tidewater region of Virginia, Tidewater region during the first 75 years. The upper reaches of the river above the head of navigation at the fall line were explored by North American fur trade , fur-trading parties sent out by Abraham Wood during the late 17th century. Although ocean-going ships were unable to navigate beyond present-day Richmond, portage of products and navigation with smaller craft to transport crops other than tobacco was feasible. Produce from the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont and Great Appalachian Valley , Great Valley regions descended the river to seaports at Richmond and Manchester, Virginia, Manchester through such port towns as Lynchburg, Virginia, Lynchburg, Scottsville, Virginia, Scottsville, Columbia, Virginia, Columbia and Buchanan, Virginia, Buchanan.

James River and Kanawha Canal

The James River was considered a route for transport of produce from the Ohio Valley. The James River and Kanawha Canal was built for this purpose, to provide a navigable portion of the Kanawha River, a tributary of the Ohio River. For the most mountainous section between the two points, the James River and Kanawha Turnpike was built to provide a portage link for wagons and stagecoaches. However, before the canal could be fully completed, in the mid-19th century, railroads emerged as a more practical technology and eclipsed canals for economical transportation, ending the canal's progress at Eagle Rock, Virginia, Eagle Rock. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) was completed between Richmond and the Ohio River at the new city of Huntington, West Virginia by 1873, dooming the canal's economic prospects. In the late-19th century, the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad was laid along the eastern portion of the canal's towpath, and became part of the C&O within 10 years. In modern times, this rail line is used primarily in transporting West Virginia coal to export coal piers at Newport News, Virginia, Newport News.

Kepone contamination

During the 1960s and 1970s, mishandling and dumping of the insecticide Kepone resulted in the contamination of large stretches of the James River Estuary downstream of the Allied Signal Company and LifeSciences Product Company plants in Hopewell, Virginia. Due to the pollution, many businesses and restaurants along the river suffered economic losses. In 1975 Virginia Governor Mills Godwin Jr. shut down the James River to fishing for 100 miles, from Richmond, Virginia, Richmond to the Chesapeake Bay. This ban remained in effect for 13 years, until efforts to clean up the river began to show results. A decade of accumulated silt, lying above the contaminated riverbed, helped to reduce levels of the chemical.Jack Cooksey, "What's in the Water?"
''Richmond Magazine'', June 2007, accessed 13 June 2012.

Watershed and course

The James River drains a Drainage basin, catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million people (2000). The James River forms near Iron Gate, Virginia, Iron Gate on the border between Alleghany County, Virginia, Alleghany and Botetourt County, Virginia, Botetourt counties, from the confluence of the Cowpasture River, Cowpasture and Jackson River (Virginia), Jackson rivers in the Appalachian Mountains. It flows into the Chesapeake Bay at Hampton Roads. Tidal waters extend west to Richmond at the river's fall line (the head of navigation). Larger tributaries draining to the tidal portion include the Appomattox River, Chickahominy River, Warwick River (Virginia), Warwick River, Pagan River, and the Nansemond River. At its mouth near Newport News Point, the Elizabeth River (Virginia), Elizabeth River and the Nansemond River join the James River to form the harbor area known as Hampton Roads. Between the tip of the Virginia Peninsula near Old Point Comfort and the Willoughby Spit area of Norfolk, Virginia, Norfolk in South Hampton Roads, a channel leads from Hampton Roads into the southern portion of the Chesapeake Bay and out to the Atlantic Ocean a few miles further east. Many boats pass through this river to import and export Virginia products.

Major Tributaries

* Appomattox River * Chickahominy River * Warwick River (Virginia), Warwick River * Pagan River * Nansemond River * Looney Creek (James River), Looney Creek * Cowpasture River * Jackson River (Virginia), Jackson River * Craig Creek * Catawba Creek * Maury River

Recreation

The James River contains many parks and other recreational attractions. Canoeing, fishing, kayaking, hiking, and swimming are some of the activities that people enjoy along the river during the summer. From the river's start in the Blue Ridge mountains to Richmond, Virginia, Richmond, numerous rapids and pools offer fishing and whitewater rafting. The most intense whitewater stretch is a segment that ends in downtown Richmond where the river goes over the fall line. This is the only place in the country where extensive class III (class IV with above average river levels) whitewater conditions exist within sight of skyscrapers. Below the fall line east of Richmond, the river is better suited for water skiing and other large boat recreation. Here the river is known for its blue catfish, reaching average sizes of , with frequent catches exceeding . In the Chesapeake watershed, the James River is the last confirmed holdout for the nearly extirpated Atlantic sturgeon. In May 2007 a survey identified 175 sturgeon remaining in the entire river, with 15 specimens exceeding .

Dams

Due to its potential for generating mechanical power for rotating machinery such as grist mills, hydroelectric power, and as a water route for trade, many dams have been built across the James River since the time of European settlement of the region. While most of these dams have been removed or failed, several dams still exist along the upper course of the river. From the head of the river downstream to Richmond are found the following dams as identified by the current US Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams: *The Cushaw Hydroelectric Project near Glasgow, Virginia, Glasgow and Big Island, Virginia, Big Island. *The Bedford Hydropower Project near Big Island. *The Big Island Dam near Big Island. *The Coleman Falls Dam in Coleman Falls, Virginia, Coleman Falls *The Holcomb Rock Dam near Lynchburg, Virginia, Lynchburg. *The Reusens dam, Reusens Dam near Lynchburg. *The Scotts Mill Dam in Lynchburg. *The Bosher Dam in Richmond, Virginia, Richmond. The tallest dam is the Reusens Dam, which also has the greatest hydroelectric nameplate capacity and the greatest reservoir capacity. At 1,617 feet, the longest dam is the Cushaw Hydroelectric Project due to the highly angled path the dam takes across the river. While not identified in the National Inventory of Dams, a very low head weir structure is found below Bosher Dam in Richmond on either side of Williams Island. Known as the "Z-Dam" for its zigzag course on the south side of the island, the current structure was built in 1932 and serves to direct water into Richmond's water treatment facility on the north bank. The less than 5 feet tall dam does not serve any power or navigation purpose.

Bridges

Highway bridges below Richmond

In the Hampton Roads area, the river is as much as wide at points. Due to ocean-going shipping upriver as far as the Port of Richmond (Virginia), Port of Richmond, a combination of ferryboats, high bridges and bridge-tunnels are used for highway traffic. Crossings east to west include: *The Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (Interstate 64 in Virginia, I-64) *The Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel (Interstate 664, I-664) *The James River Bridge (U.S. Route 17, US 17/ US 258/ Virginia State Route 32, VA 32) *The Jamestown Ferry (Virginia State Route 31, VA 31) (toll-free) *The Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge near Hopewell, Virginia, Hopewell. This is a drawbridge on Virginia State Route 106, VA 106 / Virginia State Route 156, VA 156 which replaced ferry service in 1966. It was the site of a major collision of a ship in 1977. *The Varina-Enon Bridge is a high cable-stayed bridge carrying Interstate 295 (Virginia), I-295 which was the second of its type in the U.S. when it was completed. *The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge (Richmond), Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge carries the Pocahontas Parkway (State Route 895 (Virginia), State Route 895) via a high-level bridge to connect to State Route 150 (Virginia), State Route 150 at Interstate 95 in Virginia, Interstate 95. The SR 895 high-level crossing is the last bridge east of the Deepwater Port of Richmond and head of ocean-going navigation at the fall line of the James River. West of this point, potential flooding is more of an engineering concern than clearance for watercraft.

Highway bridges at Richmond

The following is a list of extant highway bridges across the James River with one or both ends within the City of Richmond. * Interstate 95 James River Bridge (Interstate 95 in Virginia, I-95) * Mayo Bridge (U.S. Route 360, US-360) * Manchester Bridge (Virginia), Manchester Bridge (U.S. Route 60 in Virginia, US-60) * Robert E. Lee Memorial Bridge (U.S. Route 1 in Virginia, US-1, U.S. Route 301 in Virginia, US-301 and U.S. Bicycle Route 1) * Boulevard Bridge (Virginia State Route 161, VA-161) (toll bridge, restricted weights) * Powhite Parkway Bridge (Powhite Parkway and Virginia State Route 76, VA-76) (toll bridge) * Huguenot Memorial Bridge (Virginia State Route 147, VA-147) * Edward E. Willey Bridge (Virginia State Route 150, VA-150)

Highway bridges west of Richmond

The following is a partial, incomplete list of extant highway bridges across the James River west of Richmond. * World War II Veterans Memorial Bridge (Virginia), World War II Veterans Memorial Bridge (Virginia State Route 288, SR 288) * U.S. Route 522 (Virginia), U.S. Route 522 near Maidens, Virginia, Maidens * Virginia State Route 45, State Route 45 near Cartersville, Cumberland County, Virginia, Cartersville * Columbia Road (Route 690) near Columbia, Virginia, Columbia * U.S. Route 15 near Bremo Bluff, Virginia, Bremo Bluff * State Route 602 at Howardsville, Albemarle County, Virginia, Howardsville * Virginia State Route 20, State Route 20 near Scottsville, Virginia, Scottsville * Virginia State Route 56, State Route 56 near Wingina, Virginia, Wingina * U.S. Route 60 in Virginia, U.S. Route 60 at Bent Creek, Virginia, Bent Creek * Monacan Bridge (U.S. Route 29 (Virginia), U.S. Route 29 east of Lynchburg, Virginia, Lynchburg) * Carter Glass Memorial Bridge (U.S. Route 29 Business (Lynchburg, Virginia), U.S. Route 29 Business at Lynchburg) * John Lynch Memorial Bridge (Lynchburg) * Blue Ridge Parkway near Big Island, Virginia, Big Island * U.S. Route 501 (Virginia), U.S. Route 501 at Snowden, Virginia, Snowden * State Route 759 at Natural Bridge Station, Virginia, Natural Bridge Station * State Route 614 at Arcadia, Botetourt County, Virginia, Arcadia * U.S. Route 11 (Virginia), U.S. Route 11, Virginia State Route 43, State Route 43 and U.S. Bicycle Route 76 at Buchanan, Virginia, Buchanan * Interstate 81 (Virginia), Interstate 81 at Buchanan * State Route 630 at Springwood, Virginia, Springwood * James Street at Eagle Rock, Virginia, Eagle Rock connecting U.S. Route 220 (Virginia), U.S. Route 220 and Virginia State Route 43, State Route 43 * U.S. Route 220 (Virginia), U.S. Route 220 near Eagle Rock * Bridge Street at Glen Wilton, Virginia, Glen Wilton * U.S. Route 220 (Virginia), U.S. Route 220 near Iron Gate, Virginia, Iron Gate

Bicycles

The Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel prohibits bicycles, but bicyclists may take the Jamestown Ferry. After a fatal accident on the Boulevard Bridge , the City of Richmond requires bicycles to travel on the sidewalk for the length of the bridge.

James River Reserve Fleet

The James River Reserve Fleet is the anchorage () for a large portion of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, called the "James River fleet" or the "ghost fleet", consisting of "wikt:mothball#Verb, mothballed" ships, mostly merchant vessels, that can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping for the United States during national emergencies, either military or non-military, such as commercial shipping crises. The fleet is managed by the U.S. Department of Transportation's United States Maritime Administration, Maritime Administration and is based in Fort Eustis, Virginia. It is a different entity from the United States Navy reserve fleets, which consist largely of warships.

References

External links

Online exhibition of the James River & Kanawha Canal
talk by Ann Woodlief at James River Symposium, 1995
James River AssociationJames River During the Civil War in ''Encyclopedia Virginia''
{{authority control James VI and I James River (Virginia), 01 Rivers of Virginia Tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay Rivers of Richmond, Virginia Rivers of James City County, Virginia James River Watershed, * Rivers of North America