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Browse History: Water Quality Index (2009) | Choptank River (2009) | Elizabeth River (2009) | James River (2009)

Chesapeake Bay - Reporting Region Summary:



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Scores & Conceptual Diagram


Bay Health Index
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon
43%
C-		James River: 2009

Moderate-poor ecosystem health. Aquatic grasses continue to improve, however, chlorophyll a scores declined by 11%. This region hovers around the border of moderate to moderate-poor health.
  • Water quality: Dissolved oxygen remained quite high (95%), which is consistent with past scores. Water clarity is still in the very poor range (0-19%) but increased slightly from 2008 levels. Chlorophyll a declined from 66% in 2008 to 55% in 2009.
  • Biotic indicators: Aquatic grasses distribution has been gradually improving since the late 1990s, and 2009’s score is the highest on record for this region (45%). Benthic community condition improved by 13% after recording the lowest score on record in 2008. However, the phytoplankton community condition score dropped to 21%, the first decrease in 3-4 years and the lowest it has been since the dry year of 2002.

Score Legend 		Locator Map
  Index/Indicator Score     Index/Indicator Score
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Chlorophyll a
55%
   Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Aquatic grasses
45%
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Dissolved oxygen
95%
   Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity
35%
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Water clarity
8%
   Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Phytoplankton Index of Biotic Integrity
21%
 
Benthic Index of Biotic Integrity Icon Water Quality Index
52%
   Biotic Index Icon Biotic Index
34%
 
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Dynamic Conceptual Diagram

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Region Info

The James River watershed drains approximately 10,000 square miles of land. The river begins in the Allegheny Mountains, where it is formed by the confluence of the Jackson and Cowpasture Rivers and flows approximately 340 miles to the Chesapeake Bay. Sub-tributaries include the Appomattox, Chickahominy, and Elizabeth Rivers. Land use within the watershed is predominantly forest, with agriculture/farming accounting for approximately one-fifth of land use. Major cities in the watershed include Richmond and Hampton Roads. The census population for 2000 in the watershed was over 2,500,000 people. Based on information in Dauer, et al., 2003 and the James River Association.

james_riverconceptual diagram.png

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