Ch. 1 · Mountain Confluence And Bay

James River.

~4 min read · Ch. 1 of 6

The James River begins its journey in the Appalachian Mountains near Iron Gate. It forms from the meeting of the Cowpasture and Jackson rivers in Botetourt County. This specific confluence marks the official start of Virginia's longest waterway. From this high point, the river travels hundreds of miles to reach the Chesapeake Bay at Hampton Roads. The total length extends further if one includes the longer headwater known as the Jackson River. Tidal waters push westward all the way to Richmond at the fall line. This geographical boundary separates the navigable lower river from the upper reaches where rapids begin.

Colonial Highway And Tobacco

Native Americans called the Powhatan River the name given by the Powhatans who occupied the area east of the Fall Line. In 1607, Jamestown colonists arrived and named it James after King James I of England. They constructed the first permanent English settlement in the Americas along these banks about 100 miles upstream from the bay. During the first fifteen years, the navigable portion served as a major highway for colonial Virginia. Ships delivered supplies and emigrants from England but sent little monetary value back to sponsors initially. John Rolfe successfully cultivated a non-native strain of tobacco in 1612 that proved popular in England. Soon the river became the primary means of exporting large hogsheads of this cash crop. Plantations with wharves lined its banks below the falls at Richmond. Ports and early railheads appeared at Warwick, Bermuda Hundred, City Point, Claremont, Scotland, and Smithfield during the seventeenth century.

Canal Dreams And Railroads

The James River was considered a route for transport of produce from the Ohio Valley. Builders constructed the James River and Kanawha Canal to provide a navigable portion of the Kanawha River. A tributary of the Ohio River flows into the Chesapeake Bay system. For the most mountainous section between two points, the James River and Kanawha Turnpike provided a portage link. Wagons and stagecoaches traveled this path before the canal could be fully completed. Railroads emerged as more practical technology in the mid-nineteenth century. They eclipsed canals for economical transportation and ended progress at Eagle Rock. The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway completed work between Richmond and Huntington by 1873. This new line doomed the canal's economic prospects forever. In the late nineteenth century, the Richmond and Alleghany Railroad laid tracks along the eastern portion of the towpath. It became part of the C&O within ten years. Modern times see this rail line used primarily for transporting West Virginia coal to export piers at Newport News.

Kepone Crisis And Cleanup

Mishandling and dumping of the insecticide Kepone occurred during the 1960s and 1970s. The brand name chlordecone resulted in contamination of large stretches of the estuary downstream. Allied Signal Company and LifeSciences Product Company plants operated in Hopewell, Virginia. Sections of the river were considered dead and unfit for human use due to pollution. Many businesses and restaurants along the river suffered significant economic losses. Virginia Governor Mills Godwin Jr. shut down fishing for 100 miles in December 1975. The ban extended from Richmond to the Chesapeake Bay and remained in effect for thirteen years. A decade of accumulated silt lying above the contaminated riverbed helped reduce chemical levels. Since the 1970s, health of the James River has improved substantially. The Chesapeake Bay Agreement of 1983 established baseline environmental protections. Governors of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania signed it alongside the mayor of Washington D.C. and the EPA.

Watershed And Tributary Network

The James River drains a catchment comprising approximately 10,000 square miles. The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million people as recorded in 2000. Tidal waters extend west to Richmond at the river's fall line. Larger tributaries draining to the tidal portion include the Appomattox River and Chickahominy River. Warwick River, Pagan River, and Nansemond River also feed into the main channel. At its mouth near Newport News Point, the Elizabeth River joins the James River. This confluence forms the harbor area known as Hampton Roads. Between Old Point Comfort and Willoughby Spit, a channel leads into the southern portion of the Chesapeake Bay. Many boats pass through this river to import and export Virginia products daily.

Whitewater And Sturgeon Recovery

From the Blue Ridge Mountains to Richmond, numerous rapids offer fishing and whitewater rafting opportunities. The most intense stretch measures 3.5 miles and ends in downtown Richmond. Here the river goes over the fall line creating class III conditions. Class IV conditions appear with above average river levels within sight of skyscrapers. Below the fall line east of Richmond, the river suits water skiing and large boat recreation better. Blue catfish reach average sizes of 15 pounds with frequent catches exceeding 20 pounds. In the Chesapeake watershed, the James River is the last confirmed holdout for the nearly extirpated Atlantic sturgeon. A survey identified 175 sturgeon remaining in May 2007. Fifteen specimens exceeded 6 feet in length during that count. Commercial fisheries and conservation programs work together to protect these ancient fish populations today.

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Common questions

Where does the James River begin in Virginia?

The James River begins its journey in the Appalachian Mountains near Iron Gate. It forms from the meeting of the Cowpasture and Jackson rivers in Botetourt County.

When did Jamestown colonists name the river after King James I of England?

Jamestown colonists arrived in 1607 and named it James after King James I of England. They constructed the first permanent English settlement in the Americas along these banks about 100 miles upstream from the bay.

Why was fishing banned on the James River for thirteen years starting in December 1975?

Virginia Governor Mills Godwin Jr. shut down fishing for 100 miles in December 1975 due to contamination by the insecticide Kepone. The ban extended from Richmond to the Chesapeake Bay and remained in effect until 1988.

How many square miles does the James River drainage basin cover as recorded in 2000?

The James River drains a catchment comprising approximately 10,000 square miles. The watershed includes an area with a population of 2.5 million people as recorded in 2000.

What is the length of the most intense rapids section on the James River near downtown Richmond?

The most intense stretch measures 3.5 miles and ends in downtown Richmond. Here the river goes over the fall line creating class III conditions.

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