Rivanna River

The Rivanna River, originally the River Anne, is the northern branch of the James River. Its headwaters originate in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia, in both Albemarle and Greene Counties and stretches south through Fluvanna County to Columbia where it becomes the James River. The confluence of the North and South forks forms the mainstem which totals 50 miles in length. This 766 square miles of watershed supports a variety of terrestrial and aquatic species such as the rare James Spinymussel (Pleurobema collina). Sixty-five percent of the Rivanna Watershed remains forested.

Historically, the Rivanna River's banks were home to the Monocans previous to European settlement. At which point, it became an essential resource for early agricultural activity. Thomas Jefferson enhanced its usefulness by improving navigation. For more on the history, please read the full 1991 document (PDF). StreamWatch provides complete health and quality assessment results for the Rivanna Watershed. The USGS and DEQ collect realtime stream flow data at the following locations:

RCS encourages the use of the Rivanna for recreation and exploration of the beauty of the watershed. To help with this exploration, RCS has developed the Rivanna River: Official Map and Guide, funded in part by the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network and the National Park Service. The written text details the history, wildlife and topography of the Rivanna River Water Trail from Charlottesville to Columbia, Virginia.