Watershed Restoration

Green Homes

In its 2009 State of the James River report, the James River Association (JRA) gave the James a score of 59%, indicating that the River is half way to full health. Much progress has been made addressing the problems associated with sewage and industrial discharges, which were the primary causes of its degradation for decades. Despite these efforts, the River's health is still ailing, as the recent fish kills in the upper James and poor fish health in the lower James demonstrate.

Now more than ever, individual actions are critical to achieving a healthy environment and clean James River. With the help of the Green Homes program, individuals will be empowered to reduce stormwater pollution from their homes. JRA has partnered with the Timmons Group to create a pollution and runoff calculator for homeowners. By entering some basic information about their property and yard maintenance practices, a homeowner can quickly generate a report that tells them how much runoff leaves their property annually and how much nitrogen and phosphorus is in the runoff. The calculator also provides tips for reducing pollution and runoff. Runoff Calculator

2010 Green Home Makeover

To help promote the Green Homes initiative, JRA  is conducting contests for families in selected localities to receive a "Green Home Makeover." The first of these contests was held in the spring of 2010. Middle schools in Chesterfield, Henrico and the City of Richmond that lie within 5 miles of the James were invited to participate. To enter the contest, students had to complete JRA’s online runoff calculator and submit an essay explaining why they needed a Green Home Makeover. Students were also asked to incorporate their connection to the river into their essays. The winning essay, written by a 7th grader from Midlothian Middle School, was chosen by JRA staff.

JRA recruited several local partners and worked with the winning family over the summer and fall to plan their makeover, which features a rain garden and a patio made of permeable pavers. The makeover will also include several small gardens located at the base of downspouts and re-seeding the yard with a grass mixture that will require less water and fertilizer.
Through cold temperatures and snowy weather, Rock Creek Innovations, a landscape construction company out of Rockville, Virginia, began construction in mid December. The permeable pavers that were chosen for the patio are the SF Rima by Eagle Bay and are manufactured locally in Richmond, Virginia. Permeable pavers built on a gravel base provide a unique and aesthetic way for homeowners to control water runoff into rivers, decrease the impervious surface area of driveways and patios, and refresh the aquifer. In addition to the patio there are several other earth-friendly design elements including a stone walkway and a deck made of composite decking.

The back yard was renovated with a layer of compost, soil aeration, and seeded. It was graded to divert runoff into the proposed rain garden, which will remove pollutants before entering the storm inlet on their property. Rain gardens are depressed landscaped areas planted with native plants, shrubs, and trees that that hold and soak up rain water, often from the roof of a house or from higher ground and allow about 30% more water to soak into the ground than a conventional lawn. A diverse palette of native plants will be installed in the rain garden, as well as the smaller proposed planting areas in late winter/early spring of 2011.

In addition to Rock Creek Innovations,  JRA would like to thank several other local contractors and businesses for their donations and assistance on this great project. Shade & Wise donated plastic edging and spikes, Eagle Bay provided a generous discount on the pavers, and Luck Stone donated the stone for the storage area under and between the pavers. The landscape plan was created by BioForm, a local landscape architecture firm.  Funding for the Green Homes program has been provided by Altria and Dominion.

2011 Green Home Makeovers

Check back often for updates on our first makeover and information on how you can enter to win a “Green Home Makeover.”  Upcoming “Green Home Makeover” contests are planned for the Lynchburg and Newport News areas.