Reflections on the importance and comeback of the James

In our class discussion and activity on Friday, April 4th, we learned about the recovery of the James River after the kepone crisis and related ecological problems resulting from pollution and unregulated industrial development near the river. These issues challenged the conventional wisdom of the time that the river was an isolated ecosystem, separate from the surrounding environments. It helped me understand the importance of the river to the surrounding communities and their wellbeing (e.g., in terms of health and economic strength). For me, a striking moment in the readings from In River Time was when Newton Ancarrow described being advised to stay away from the river, as if ignoring the problem made it irrelevant. However, our reading and class activity showed that a heavily polluted river impacts not only the river and its direct ecosystem but also all aspects of the food chain (e.g., from birds of prey to fish that they eat to insects and smaller species in a river contaminated by pollution). Additionally, polluted rivers impact Virginia’s fishing industry, which relies on healthy fish, and the tourism industry, which relies on a clean river that people want to visit. Further, polluted rivers impact the quality of water available to residents in surrounding communities. Though substantial progress has been made in the health of the river’s ecosystem and the quality of its water, continued maintenance of the river and its input tributaries is necessary to ensure that all stakeholders in this complex and interwoven ecology can thrive. Additionally, there is room remaining for further improvement, especially in the restoration of the river’s American shad population and sedimentary pollution, which the James River Association considers to be the greatest challenge facing the river. Lastly, the reading demonstrated the power of activism on behalf of environmental causes, especially when it is performed by determined and influential figures such as Newton Ancarrow.