James River

The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Botetourt County 348 miles (560 km) to the Chesapeake Bay. The river length extends to 444 miles (715 km) if the Jackson River is included, the longer of its two headwaters. It is the longest river in Virginia. Jamestown and Williamsburg, Virginia's first colonial capitals, and Richmond, Virginia's current capital, lie on the James River.

James River
James River at the crossing of the Blue Ridge Parkway
A map of the James River drainage basin
EtymologyKing James VI and I
Native namePowhatan (Powhatan)
Location
CountryUnited States
StateVirginia
Physical characteristics
SourceConfluence of Cowpasture River and Jackson River
  locationIron Gate, Allegheny Mountains, Virginia
  coordinates37°47′4″N 79°46′33″W
MouthHampton Roads
  location
Chesapeake Bay, Virginia
  coordinates
36°56′30″N 76°26′37″W
Length348 mi (560 km)
Basin size10,432 sq mi (27,020 km2)
Discharge 
  average6,835 cu ft/s (193.5 m3/s)
  minimum10 cu ft/s (0.28 m3/s)
  maximum313,000 cu ft/s (8,900 m3/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
  leftChickahominy River
  rightAppomattox River
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