Monday, September 30, 2013

Anthem James River Splash & Dash

Over 800 participants, volunteers and spectators came out for the 2013 Anthem James River Splash and Dash, sponsored by Riverside Outfitters, in Richmond on Sunday, September 22.

The event was scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 13th, but due to extremely high river levels (over 12 ft. at the Richmond – Westham gauge) the event was postponed until Sunday, September 22.

The event took place in downtown Richmond on Belle Isle. Participants started the race on the island and finished by grabbing tubes and paddled across the river to the finish line.  Race results can be found on the event website by clicking here.

We would like to extend a big thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Anthem and to Riverside Outfitters, a generous sponsor and co-founder of the event.  Special thanks also to: Whitten Brothers; 103.7 the River; CW Richmond; Dominion Due Diligence Group; Ellwood Thompson’s Local MarketEstes Express LinesHardywood Park Craft BreweryHealth Diagnostic Laboratory Inc.; SmithfieldRepublic Services; Hirschler Fleischer; Watershed Architects; Falling Springs; Harris Williams & Co.; Coca-Cola; Slime; Blue Ridge Outdoors; Productive AV; McGuireWoods; Cushman & Wakefield; True Timber and Martin’s.

Events photos are posted at
here

Thanks to Marv Sowers and Amy Bram-Sowers for generously donating photography services.  If you would like to order any prints, please email Amy at pearsaab@yahoo.com


JRA is extremely grateful for the Richmond Splash & Dash Committee, a group of dedicated volunteers from the Richmond area.  Without their help and support, this event would not have been possible.


We hope that you will plan to join us for our 2014 event!



Friday, September 27, 2013

Field Day at Presquile National Wildlife Refuge

 You Are Invited to Participate in the Fall ‘Field Day
at Presquile National Wildlife Refuge

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the James River Association are holding a “Field Day” at Presquile National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, October 5, 2013.  This is your chance to tour the 1,329-acre island refuge without the typical permit requirements. 

The ‘Field Day’ event will provide transportation and access to 3 ½ miles of wildlife observation trail, boardwalks, an interior creek water trail and select facilities.  Visitors can meet FWS employees, view interpretive materials and displays within the Menenak Discovery Center, and learn about the energy-efficient components of the James River Ecology School facilities.  Guided and self-guided tours will be available throughout the day.  Family-friendly programs and activities will be offered, including canoeing and basic archery.  JRA educators will offer programs for kids and highlight environmental education programming opportunities at the Ecology School.

Activities begin at 9 am with pontoon boat transportation to and from the island every half hour until approximately 4 pm.   Meet at 4700 Bermuda Hundred Road in Chester, VA.  Parking is free.  Pre-registration is not required. Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather and bring drinking water. 

Please contact Cyrus Brame at 804-829-9020 for more information.



Thursday, September 26, 2013

Historic Crests

By Justin Doyle – JRA’s Outreach Manager

The Atlantic Hurricane Season ends November 30th and fortunately Virginia has been spared the wrath of a hurricane or tropical storm so far this year. Historically, tropical systems have been the catalysts for record-breaking crests on the James River. In fact, the top three historic crests on the James River were the result of tropical systems.

Historic James River Crests at the Richmond Locks:

Rank
Event
Date
Crest (feet)
1
Hurricane Agnes
6/23/72
36.50
2
Hurricane Juan (Election Day Flood)
11/7/85
30.76
3
Hurricane Camille
8/22/69
28.60

Source: National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service

Hurricane Agnes
Hurricane Agnes made landfall in the United States near Panama City, Florida on June 19, 1972. The tropical system drenched the eastern United States and flooded Shockoe Bottom and Manchester in Richmond, Virginia. The James River crested at 36.5 feet in Richmond on June 23. Thirteen fatalities and over $125 million in losses were reported in Virginia.

Hurricane Juan (Election Day Flood)
The remnants of Hurricane Juan combined with another low-pressure system and dropped significant rainfall across the Appalachian Mountains and Mid-Atlantic in late October 1985. The James River crested at 30.76 feet and flooded several blocks of Downtown Richmond on November 7. President Ronald Reagan signed legislation authorizing the construction of Richmond’s floodwall the following year. Construction of the floodwall system was completed in 1994 and to date has not been fully tested by Mother Nature.

Hurricane Camille, a Category 5 hurricane, made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River on August 17, 1969. On the evening of August 19 and 20, the remnants of Camille crossed the Appalachian Mountains and devastated Nelson County, Virginia. Flash floods, mudslides, and debris flows significantly altered the landscape of Nelson County overnight. Rainfall in excess of 27 inches, mostly falling in a five-hour period, overwhelmed the James River and its Central Virginia tributaries. The James River crested at 41.3 feet at Columbia and 28.6 feet at Richmond.  As a result of this storm, 114 people died and 37 remain missing. Numerous roads, bridges, and structures were washed away. Damage totaled more than $100 million and Virginia was declared a disaster area.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Thanks to Everyone Who Helped Out During the 14th Annual James River Regional Cleanup

By Michelle Kokolis, JRA Watershed Restoration Project Manager

The 14th Annual James River Regional Cleanup was held on Saturday, September 14, 20013. This event included nearly 1,000 volunteers working at 15 sites throughout the watershed, stretching from Lynchburg to Newport News.  Each registration site is run by a dedicated member of the James River Advisory Council (JRAC), including representatives from localities and non-profit organizations.  Through generous donations from sponsors, the Council is able to provide supplies such as trash grabbers, gloves and bags for each site as well as food and drinks for some of the sites that don’t have independent sponsorship. 

As members of the Council, JRA coordinates all of the sites in the City of Richmond.  We also sponsor and run the Reedy Creek site. From Reedy Creek (the second largest of the 15 cleanup locations) volunteers are sent throughout the entire James River Park system.  As a way of saying thanks, we provide lunch for all the volunteers at the end of the cleanup. 

As we were staring at the mound of supplies for this year’s event and trying to decide how many cars it was going to take to move everything to Reedy Creek, we were struck with a thought…this sure is a lot of stuff for a trash cleanup!

If you’ve ever volunteered for any type of event you’ve probably noticed things like the t-shirt you were given or what you had for lunch, but unless you have experience running events, you probably haven’t given much thought to the amount of organization and supplies it takes. 

Let me give you a glimpse into the mountain of supplies that were hauled from the JRA office to Reedy Creek for the cleanup…

There are 11 people, a combination of JRA staff and volunteers, who run registration, serve lunch and sort the trash and recycling.  We are assisted by 5 members of the James River Park staff that spend the day collecting trash from the satellite sites and assisting with recycling.  These dedicated folks also help unload and set up all of the supplies including: 2 tents, 4 tables, 200 trash grabbers, 200 pairs of gloves, hundreds of trash bags, 10 nets and 15 burlap sacks for boaters picking up trash in the river. We also have 4 grills and use at least 2 bags of charcoal.  Then comes the food. 

We have 6 coolers that are packed with 96 hamburgers, 92 hotdogs, 60 veggie burgers and 120 slices of cheese.  The weather was cooler this year so we had fewer beverages than usual, but we still served 48 bottles of Powerade, 100 cans of soda and 20 gallons of water.  All of the food and drink was packed in 20 bags (that’s 210 pounds) of ice!  We also served 20 pounds of grapes, 15 pounds of watermelon, 156 bags of chips, 180 cookies, 192 buns, a 1-gallon jar of pickles and 5 bottles of condiments.  You may be wondering how many cars it took to move all of these supplies.  The answer is 4 SUVs.  All packed to the very top!

Now imagine this happening at 15 sites throughout the watershed on the same day at the same time.  Granted, not all sites are as large as Reedy Creek, but they are all moving mountains of supplies to achieve one common goal – a cleaner James River.

The end result for the 2014 James River Cleanup was nearly 1,000 volunteers collecting over 490 bags of trash and 220 bags of recycling.  Of this, 150 of those volunteers were at Reedy Creek, where we collected 100 bags of recycling and 56 bags of trash.

Whether you were picking up trash or helping run a site, we want to say thank you for all that you do to help make this event a huge success, and we hope to see you again next year!

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

The Raise is On!

Help JRA do “Amazing Things” during the 3rd Annual Amazing Raise

The Amazing Raise, hosted by The community Foundation, takes place from 6 am, September 18 to 6 pm, September 19.  During this exciting 36-hour giving campaign more than 550 Richmond-area nonprofit organizations will compete for over $130,000 in bonus prizes. This includes a $20,000 grand prize for the organization with the most unique donations of $50 or more at the end of the 36 hours.

Here’s how YOU can do something amazing for JRA…

  • All donations must be made online by credit or debit card, use the form below. Minimum donation is $25.
  • Only gifts made between 6 am on September 18 and 6 pm on September 19 count toward JRA’s The Amazing Raise total.
  • You can make your gift in honor or memory of a loved one. And, you can track JRA’s progress on the real‐time leaderboard on www.GiveRichmond.org.
Donate here:

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Conservation Tips - Fall is the perfect time to landscape for the river

Fall is the perfect time to landscape for the river

native plants
Crabapples
Choose native plants for your landscape.
Choosing native plants for the landscape around your home helps the environment (and you) in several important ways:
First, native plants evolved to live right where you live, which means that after you get them started, they can take care of themselves without extra watering or chemical assistance. Second, native plants help support native wildlife, who have themselves evolved to make good use of the plants that have always been around. Lastly, native plants are very unlikely to spread or become invasive, making them well-behaved citizens of your landscape and our ecosystem.



Plant a rain garden.  


Garden
Rain Garden
Using plants to soak up extra stormwater runoff before it gets onto the streets, into the sewers, or into the river is a great idea. Runoff, or the water that moves over the surface of land into our waterways during storms, can pick up toxic chemicals, nutrients, and sediment along the way. Landscape features can help your property capture this runoff and let it soak into the ground. By creating swales with well-drained soil planted with moisture-loving plants, we can give the stormwater a place to slow down and soak in. That’s key for reducing the runoff pollution from the urban and suburban environment.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Part II - From Mud Pit to Rain Garden

By Linda Mills, River Hero Homeowner

In the photo below, it may look as if we could aerate the ground and plant grass seed in this section of the yard, right? Tried that. It washed away. Plant some perennials, soak up the water? Tried that. Rotted. Bulbs? Rotted. Shrubs? Slow sad death.


The problem was that runoff from the roof flowed into this lower area of packed clay. Enough rain and it would flow out into the street. Just a little rain and the water would stand. And stand. As you can see the weeds were happy, but I still wore rubber boots into that part of the yard.


Luckily, a rain garden was one of the projects approved by Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay based on our runoff audit. I must admit, I was a little skeptical at first. I understood the concept of a rain garden—a depression in the ground planted with native plants that didn’t mind damp feet. The plants and the depression would allow rainwater flowing from our roof over our compacted yard to be absorbed. A rain garden would also reduce runoff by allowing the water to soak into the ground as opposed to flowing into storm drains and, in our case, Reedy Creek. It was the perfect solution to our problem if it worked.
           
As soon as the Greener Landscapes team arrived with the backhoe, I knew why our attempts had failed. The first thing they did was dig a hole…a large, deep hole as you can see. 


Shortly after they finished digging that hole, it rained. The water didn’t drain much. I was a little worried, but everyone assured me that all would be well (or dry as the case may be) in the end.

The next day the Greener Landscapes team brought in a bio-retention mix. It was made up of 50 percent coarse sand, 25 percent topsoil, and 25 percent compost. Ian Johnson of Greener Landscapes says on other projects, “We have used up to 66 percent sand with 16.5 percent topsoil and 16.5 percent compost. Visually a pie chart divided into three, where two slices are sand and the last slice is divided into two, one half topsoil and the other compost.” It all depends on the situation. Our rain garden holds between seven and ten cubic yards of bio-retention soil. The dirt that was dug out originally was used to build a berm around the rain garden, as well as berms for the upcoming BayScape. Clever.

The native plants went in next. The landscaping team knew to consider that the rain garden would have various zones where different kinds of plants would thrive. For example, the center and the deepest part of the garden would support the wet-loving plants. That’s where they planted the Virginia blueflag iris. These plants have long-lasting purplish-blue flowers that attract humming birds and insects, and roots that hold the soil.
           
On the slope, the team planted Chrysogonum (common name Green and gold) and foamflower—both flowering groundcovers. Closer to the rim where it’s a little drier, the shrubs and tree went in. The American beautyberry is developing glorious purple berries right now that the birds love. The fothergilla (which I had never heard of) will produce one of the first blooms to appear in the spring. Its white fragrant blossoms will attract insects and butterflies.

Finally, the American hornbeam, or ironwood, tree was planted. These trees love wet feet and do not grow very large so it is perfect for our rain garden. Birds eat its seeds and catkins. Of course all of these plants are adapted to our climate, and once established do not need extra water or fertilizer.

So the day the plants went in, it rained. A lot. The drainage was somewhat better, but there was still lots of mud. I was encouraged, but still wearing my rubber boots.


I should have had more faith! Ian Johnson and his team at Greener Landscapes knew exactly what they were doing. Once the berms were completely sculpted and the mulch was laid down, we had a gorgeous rain garden. The best part is it works! See the visual evidence in the photos below. And I can’t wait until next year to see these plants burst forth with blooms that attract wildlife. 

Completed rain garden during torrential rain.
Completed rain garden less than 10 minutes later. No runoff! And no worries!       

Next time: Part III—From Boring to BayScape!

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Not Your Typical Rain Garden: The Journey of a Rain Drop at the James River Ecology School

by Amber Ellis, JRA's Watershed Restoration Associate/Volunteer Coordinator

Many of us have heard of rain gardens and know how great they are at reducing the amount of runoff leaving our homes and businesses and what a great tool they are in cleaning that runoff water. But have you heard of a garden that not only soaks up rainwater, but also grey water? Here’s a tour through a unique garden that was designed by JRA’s Landscape Architect, Amber Ellis to take care of the grey water produced from the bunkhouse (a tricky task on an island!), handle the overflow from the rainwater cistern, and provide a great educational landscape for the students.


 Rainwater flows through both downspouts on either side of the bunkhouse into the cistern underground. You can see the green top of the cistern if you look closely!


The grey water is sent to an underground tank that is a matrix of plastic cubes that resemble milk cartons. These are then wrapped in a fabric that allows the water to seep out, but keeps the dirt and debris out of the tank.

The grey water is sent to an underground tank that is a matrix of plastic cubes that resemble milk cartons. These are then wrapped in a fabric that allows the water to seep out, but keeps the dirt and debris out of the tank.


Once the tank is underground and the hole is filled with a bioretention soil mix (compost, sand, and topsoil), JRA’s volunteers came out on a cold day in March to install the plants and place the stones.



The plants used in the garden had to meet a lot of requirements including able to handle being really wet, really dry, deer resistant, and native.


 As of this August, the plants are doing great! The Goldenrod and Asters are already blooming!



 The only challenge will be keeping weeds out of the garden. Many of the students that come out to the Ecology School participate in service projects and maintaining this garden will be just one of the many projects they get to work on.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Wildlife of the James - Canada Goose

Geese Philip Bouchard

Autumn marks the return of a magnificent creature to the James River. The migratory populations of Canada geese that raise their young each summer in the north come back to the James to wait out the winter and feed on aquatic vegetation and cropland. Hearing the calls of a great flock of geese on a moonlit autumn night is cause for awe, but the return of the geese was once noted with extraordinary delight more so than it is today. Why is this?
Geese - Merlin_1While the migrations still occur as they once did, Virginians have become familiarized and sometimes frustrated with the cousins of the migratory birds whose recent ancestors decided to forego the migration and stick around in the South year-round. We no longer say goodbye to the Canada goose in the spring, but expect to find them in numbers in our neighborhoods, parks, and golf courses throughout the warm-weather months. Why has this change occurred?

Humans have been up to three very important activities in the last century as far as the Canada goose is concerned. First and most importantly, we have been damming water sources in thousands of farm ponds, golf-course ponds, subdivision lakes, and large reservoirs. To the goose, such artificial impoundments represent a safe haven once found only in the glaciated landscape of the north, where natural lakes are abundant. Second, we have continued reducing numbers and range of natural predators of the goose first through hunting and now through habitat destruction. Third, through suburban sprawl and agriculture, we have created open, grassy spaces which provide the goose further protection from predator ambush and also serve as a Baby Geese Philip Bouchardkey grazing ground for hungry young families of geese. Where open grassy spaces coincide with water sources, such as at a golf course, geese find themselves very much in heaven. We have created the perfect replica of the summertime tundra that once required a very long flight to obtain. The result has been the explosion of a population of “resident” Canada geese.

Rarer forms of wildlife tend to capture our attention and imagination, as the Canada goose once did. It’s unfortunate that for many of us along the James River, the goose has become a bit of a nuisance where it is over-populated in suburban areas. This fall, when you see a flock of geese, remember that it could be coming to the end of a long journey southward to rest on the waters of the James, and pretend that you haven’t heard their call for half the year. That might help you see them in a new light.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Help JRA do “Amazing Things”

Help JRA do “Amazing Things” during the 3rd Annual Amazing Raise, sponsored by The Community Foundation

The Amazing Raise takes place from 6 am, September 18 to 6 pm, September 19.  During this exciting 36-hour giving campaign more than 550 Richmond-area nonprofit organizations will compete for over $130,000 in bonus prizes. This includes a $20,000 grand prize for the organization with the most unique donations of $50 or more at the end of the 36 hours. See complete list of prizes here.


Here’s how YOU can do something amazing for JRA…
  • Starting on September 18, go to GiveRichmond.org, or The Amazing Raise form on JRA’s website and blog, www.jrava.org.  (To give to JRA through the GiveRichmond.org website, you must search for the James River Association from the list of participating organizations.)
  • All donations must be made online by credit or debit card. Minimum donation is $25.
  • Only gifts made between 6 am on September 18 and 6 pm on September 19 count toward JRA’s The Amazing Raise total.
  • You can make your gift in honor or memory of a loved one. And, you can track JRA’s progress on the real‐time leaderboard on www.GiveRichmond.org.

What amazing things has JRA done this past year?
Here are just a few examples. Thanks to the support of people like you, JRA has…

Established the James River Ecology School
We’re connecting students in grades 5 through 12 to nature and inspiring our next generation of river stewards through innovative, hands-on programs at the new James River Ecology School on Presquile National Wildlife Refuge. http://www.jrava.org/what-we-do/education-and-outreach
Built an experimental sturgeon spawning reef
Located in the James River, just downstream from the Varina-Enon Bridge, this experimental reef duplicates ideal spawning conditions for Atlantic sturgeon. The reef will help scientists study this giant, native fish in an effort to help rebuild their population. The project was made possible by support from The Nature Conservancy, NOAA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Luck Stone.

Certified 135 River Hero Homes
These 135 homeowners are among the first to successfully take steps to improve local water quality. They have reduced the amount of stormwater and pollution leaving their property every time it rains! Through some river-friendly landscaping, like adding a rain barrel, you too can become a River Hero Home. Find out how at www.jamesriverhero.org.

Trained 125 RiverRats to monitor our waterways for pollution
RiverRats are volunteers who have been trained to monitor a stretch of the James or a tributary looking for pollution or threats to the environment. More than 527 river miles are currently being monitored by our RiverRats. This includes 91% of the main stem of the James River! For more information on this program visit: http://www.jrava.org/get-involved/volunteer/riverrats


Worked to ensure $216 million was approved by the Virginia General Assemble for water-quality improvement
In 2013 the Virginia General Assembly approved $216 million for water quality improvements. This funding will help localities upgrade wastewater treatment plants, better manage stormwater runoff, and improve sewer systems. $26 million was also approved for agriculture. Cleaner waterways means greater economic, tourism and recreational opportunities, a benefit for all Virginians! 


Created three new public access sites
This year two new public access sites opened on the James River in Charles City County and Botetourt County. A third site opened on the Cowpasture River in the Town of Clifton Forge. JRA is currently working with a number of partners, including the National Park Service and Chesapeake Conservancy, to establish public river access sites in Henrico, Charles City and Surry counties.




Help JRA do more amazing things to protect  America’s Founding River through your donation of $50 or more during the Amazing Raise, 6 am September 18  to  6 pm September 19! Go to www.jrava.org

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Searching For a Purpose? Get Involved!

By Justin Doyle, JRA Outreach Manager

JRA Volunteers
Searching for a purpose in life is a common human experience. Living a purposeless life can be unfulfilling and even depressing. Many people find their purpose in a career or playing a role in a family unit. It was my freshman year of college when I discovered my purpose.

I attended a small school in rural Southwest Virginia characterized by the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, and after growing up in suburban Northern Virginia, what the unspoiled nature of Southwest Virginia offered was a breath of fresh air. In college I spent a considerable amount of my free time exploring the Jefferson National Forest where one of my favorite places to visit was a mountain peak called High Knob. The 360-degree view from High Knob was spectacular on a clear day, but I was always troubled by the visible scars left behind by mountaintop removal mining occurring on nearby mountains. After learning about the severe environmental degradation attributed to mountaintop removal mining and considering how much I cherished unspoiled nature, I decided to dedicate my life to environmental conservation.

While I have not seized the opportunity to protect elephants in Africa or Leatherback sea turtles in Costa Rica, I have lobbied elected officials and volunteered with a number of environmental organizations. Even picking up trash left behind on a hiking trail or city street brings me great satisfaction and ultimately a sense purpose. I feel like I am making a difference in the world every time I pick up a cigarette butt or plastic bottle.

Today, I am employed by the James River Association, an organization working to protect America’s Founding River, and realize I am incredibly fortunate to have a career that complements my passion for environmental conservation. I encourage anybody seeking a purpose in life to get involved with the James River Association. Your involvement can be anything from becoming a River Hero Home, to training to be a RiverRat, organizing a trash cleanup in your neighborhood, volunteering  for a JRA community project or becoming a JRA member. Get involved for a healthier James River!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Top 5 Things to Look Forward to on the James this Fall

By JRA Staff

1-Perfect Paddling Weather
Crisp days and clear skies make fall the best time to paddle the James. To check for prime colors along your section of the river visit the Virginia tourism site  http://www.virginia.org/fall/  for the foliage report or call the hotline at 1-800-424-LOVE. Be safe before you go…check out current river conditions at JRA’s James RiverWatch. 

2- Anthem James River Splash & Dash in Richmond
Get ready to get wet! Or just come to watch! The Anthem Splash & Dash, a 5K trail run around Belle Isle and tube race across the James takes place on SundaySeptember 22, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. to benefit JRA. Join us after the race for the party at the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar Ironworks. There will be live music, food and beer sales. Event registration is $34 and open until September 18. www.richmond/jrsplashanddash.org

3 - Atlantic Sturgeon are Leaping
Take a 2.5 hour tour on the James near Presquile NWR to watch for Atlantic sturgeon as they leap completely out of the water! Join Discover the James and JRA on Thursday, September 12 or 19 from 5 to 7:30, p.m. for a nature cruise aboard the 40-foot pontoon boat Spirit of the James, leaving from Jordan Point Marina, Hopewell. Cost is $55 ($45 for JRA members). Reserve your place now! http://discoverthejames.com/?q=content/special-event-atlantic-sturgeon-james or call 804-938-2350.

4 - Fall is Planting Time
This is an ideal time to do some river-friendly landscaping.  Aerate your lawn. Plan and plant a rain garden. Evaluate the plants that didn’t make it through the summer and replace them with hardy, low maintenance native plants. Plant a tree! For the sake of a cleaner James, take steps to eliminate your home’s stormwater runoff and become a JRA-certified River Hero Home. You’ll be eligible for discounts that will save you money now and in the months to come. Find out more. http://www.jrava.org/what-we-do/river-hero/

5 - Oysters!
Fall is the season of “months with an R,” traditionally the best time for enjoying oysters. Virginia’s oyster industry is making a comeback, with the biggest harvest since 1985. Good news for oysters, oyster lovers and clean water! This year Virginia is spending $2 million to restore oyster beds in the Newport News and lower James region to help increase the population of this important and tasty native bivalve.
If you have waterfront access, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation offers information on how you can begin “oyster gardening” at your own dock. http://www.cbf.org/Document.Doc?id=195