Geography
America’s Founding River plays a very interesting and important role in the Virginia’s geology and geography. For definitions, check out the Glossary at the bottom of the page. For more on the James' History and Culture, click here.
Our Founding River
One mile below the small town of Iron Gate, Virginia, a blue collar residence of about 400 people, two rivers converge, beginning their mighty journey to the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia's largest river, the James River, begins at the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Bath and Highland Counties, in the western edge of Virginia. One of the largest rivers contained within a single state, the James stretches over 340 miles, from the mountains to the Chesapeake Bay, and is fed by over 15,000 miles of tributaries from the western Virginia mountains to the Chespeake Bay.The James River watershed encompasses approximately 10,000 square miles, which comprises almost 25% of the state. It is home to one-third of all
Virginians who live in its 39 counties and 19 cities and towns, and touches thelives of more Virginians than any other feature in the landscape. Residents of the watershed rely on the James for drinking water, commerce and recreation. The river is broken up into three different sections: the Upper James, Middle James and Lower James. Below each segment is outlined and its main features are highlighted.
Upper James
Standing atop the peak of one of the Alleghany's many mountaintops, one can witness a breathtakingly unique site. The Cowpasture River flowing swiftly through the Alleghany Mountains joins the meandering Jackson River flowing up from the south of the mountain range. Together, these bodies of water form the historic, cultural and economic mecca of The Old Dominion. These headwaters provide some of the finest canoeing and freshwater fishing available in Virginia. This stretch of the river offers ideal angling opportunities, many of which must be accessed by canoe or kayak. Along the 45 miles of the Upper James River in Botetourt County, you can get up close and personal with the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains. You’ll experience the unspoiled beauty of the river as you paddle through scenic valleys and past rolling farmland while keeping a watchful eye out for native wildlife.
The Upper James River is segmented into two physiographic landforms: Valley & Ridge and Blue Ridge provinces. The geography of the river from the headwaters to the Blue Ridge Mountains are characterized by a trellised drainage pattern typical of the Valley & Ridge province. Major streams flow down strike valleys and are joined by short tributaries that cascade off northeast-southwest trending ridges. Gorges, such as the Bullpasture, occur where rivers cut through mountains and pass from one valley to another. At Iron Gate, the Jackson and Cowpasture meet and the James River takes its name. In the Valley & Ridge province the James is between 30 to 50
meters wide with a gradient of ~1 meter per kilometer. At the Town of Eagle Rock, the James cuts a dramatic gap in Rathole Hole Mountain and Crawford Mountain. As the river reaches the Blue Ridge Mountains, the geography of the river changes. The James reaches the Great Valley at Buchanan and meanders to the northeast along the edge of the Blue Ridge province. At Glasgow the Maury River joins the James: here the river turns to the east and enters the Blue Ridge province. Constricted by mountain walls that contain a series of Class III and IV whitewater rapids, the river cuts a deep gorge. Speeding up through the Blue Ridge, the river exposes siliclastic rocks of the Chilhowee Group and the underlying Proterozoic basement gneisses. The James roars over boulders and ledges of sandstone, limestone, and shale for a total of 7 miles as it carves a swath through the Blue Ridge. At Balcony Falls, the gradient steepens and drops nearly 200 feet through this section, creating significant rapids. At Big Island, the James River emerges from the Blue Ridge Mountains and flows to the southeast.
Middle James
Upon reaching Lynchburg, the James exits the Blue Ridge province and enters Virginia's biggest physiographic segment: the Piedmont Region. This region encompasses much of the Middle James watershed and is characterized by gently rolling topography which becomes somewhat more rugged with proximity to the Blue Ridge. Over this stretch, the James River has a modest gradient with a few riffles breaking long stretches of flat water. The Tye and Rockfish Rivers are significant tributaries that join the James River from the northwest. Throughout the Piedmont region, the James widens significantly to approximately two hundred meters wide and gently meanders relatively flat gradient.
The eastern-most boundary of the Piedmont region is called the Fall Zone, located in the city of Richmond, Virginia's state capital. At the Fall Zone, the James begins its final descent to the Coastal region. This segment is called the Fall Zone because of the fall line, a shift in bedrock created when two types of bedrock converge. Often times, fall lines create a shift in topography and a series of rocky rapids and falls. The Falls of the James at Richmond drop 105 feet over 7 miles. This shift in topography creates a series of rapids, ranging from Class I to Class V and represents the only white water that cuts through the heart of an urban area in Virginia. The Fall line marks the head of navigation, or the farthest navigable point from the river's mouth, shaping the course of early settlers and modern kayakers alike. Back in the 17th century, John Smith and his crew placed a cross on the grounds of what is now Hollywood Cemetery, marking the end point of their voyage upon reach the fall line. The City of Richmond stands where it is today as a testament to the fall line's role in the founding of Richmond. Since its beginnings, Richmonders have utilized the rapid change in elevation of the water, and the resulting energy release for water mills, grist mills, and sawmills.
A good portion of the Middle James is comprised of brackish water, a mix between fresh and salt waters. The fresh water originates from the headwaters, while the salt water trickles in from
the Chesapeake bay. In Richmond, these two waters converge and the brackish water surrounding the city creates a diverse ecosystem home to many different kinds of plants and wildlife.
Lower James
The Fall Zone also marks the natural barrier between the Piedmont and Coastal physiographic provinces. The Coastal, or Tidewater region, encompasses the Lower James watershed and is the portion of the James that first reaches sea level and is affected by the tides from the Chesapeake Bay, called the 'tidal portion'. Still 60+ miles from the sea, the water that flows through the James in this region is primarily freshwater. The river flows south from Richmond to the town of Hopewell. Cretaceous sedimentary rocks are exposed along some of the James River bluffs and record high stands of the Atlantic Ocean. At Hopewell the Appomattox River joins the James from the south. The appomattox is one of the James' biggest tributaries. From Hopewell, the James
flows east and dramatically widens, ranging from 0.5-1.5 miles wider in some stretches. The James River continues to flow east until it meets the Chesapeake Bay at Hampton Roads.
The tidal James River system supports a nationally recognized largemouth bass fishery, and was the site of previous Bass Master Classics and the 2003 FLW Tour Championship. In addition to excellent bass fishing, the tidal portion of the James supports a nationally recognized trophy blue catfish fishery, with people from around the country, nearby states, and all areas of the Commonwealth traveling to localities near the James (such as Richmond) to "fish for big blue cats in the James." In recent years, striped bass (rockfish) fishing has been excellent in the tidal portion of the James River. During the spring season, fishing for stripers near the fall-line can provide exciting action. However, during the fall season, striper fishing on the James is generally best downstream of the I-295 Bridge, with stripers also found in many of the larger tidal tributaries from the Appomattox River downstream.
With a 64,299-square-mile drainage basin that touches six states, the Chesapeake Bay is the largest inland lying estuary in the contiguous United States. The Chesapeake Bay is home to numerous fauna that either migrate to the bay at some point during the year or live there year round. There are over 300 species of fish and numerous shellfish and crab species. Some of these include the Atlantic menhaden, striped bass, American eel, eastern oyster, and the blue crab. Further, birds of the region include osprey, great blue heron, bald eagle[17] and peregrine falcon, the last two of which were threatened by the pesticide DDT. For more information on the Chesapeake Bay, click here.
James River Fast Facts
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The James River is over 340 miles long
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The river contains both tidal and non-tidal portions
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The river begins at the confluence of the Jackson & Cowpasture River
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The James River is Virginia’s largest river and its largest tributary to the Chesapeake Bay
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Approximately 3 million Virginians live in the 10,000 square mile James River watershed
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The James River was home to Virginia’s first colonial capital at Williamsburg and is home of the modern capitol at Richmond.
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The largest roosting area on the eastern seaboard for Bald eagles is the James River.
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The Falls of the James at Richmond drop 105 feet over seven miles. This offers a Class I to Class V rapids and represents the only white water that cuts through the heart of an urban area.
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The James is home to one of the largest and busiest harbors in the world at Norfolk
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Some of Virginia’s oldest plantations overlook the James including: Shirley, Berkeley, Westover, Evelynton, Edgewood, Piney Grove, Carter’s Grove, and Sherwood Forest.
Natural Resources Glossary
Confluence: a place where two rivers or streams join to become one
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Tributary: a stream that flows into a larger stream or river or into a lake
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Watershed: the area of land that includes a particular river or lake and all the rivers, streams, etc., that flow into it
Headwaters: the source of a stream or river
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Physiographic: geography that deals with the exterior physical features and changes of the earth— see Physical Geography
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Trellised: an arrangement that forms or gives the effect of a lattice
Strike Valley: a valley or valleys running perpendicular to a river