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Our Mission

To restore the health of the Elizabeth River by working with our neighbors, businesses, and governments.

We Need Our River. Our River Needs Us.

By the 1990s, the Elizabeth River had been left for dead. Decades of unchecked pollution had rendered it lifeless, and in the eyes of many, hopeless. But then Hampton Roads’ people, businesses, governments and schools came together to Do Something Beautiful. They joined together to turn the tide of history and bring new life to the Elizabeth River. The most beautiful thing? You can Do Something Beautiful, too. Join us.

Our Story

The Elizabeth River Project is a growing non-profit organization leading the effort to restore the health of our historic urban river, while affirming her value to our region’s maritime economy.

Formed by four concerned residents over a kitchen table in 1991, our organization is a collection of community members, businesses, governments, students, educators and public servants working together to ‘Do Something Beautiful’ by restoring our home river. 

To that end, we rely on the power of partnership – rather than lawsuits and finger-pointing – to accomplish our restoration goals. That philosophy has become an international model for collective action, and led the Stanford Social Review to cite the Elizabeth River Project as one of the country’s best examples of convincing disparate interests to work together on a community project.

 

Land Acknowledgement

The Elizabeth River Project acknowledges the Indigenous peoples of Tsenacommacah (Seh-nuh-cuh-MAH-kah), which means “land of many villages” and is the coastal Algonquian name for Eastern Virginia. We thank the Nansemond, Chesepioc, and other Indigenous nations of the Powhatan Confederacy for continuing to steward these lands and waters as they have for thousands of generations.
 
We honor them now and in the future as the original knowledge-keepers of just relationship with the river that together we seek to heal.


From Distinction Magazine

Marjorie Mayfield Jackson
Founder
The Elizabeth River Project

“From my perspective, there’s been a dramatic change in how people perceive the river and how much they care about it. People are enthralled with it. They never tell me it’s dead anymore. They just want to know what they can do to help.”

Read the Article

DOCUMENTS

State of the River

The latest river report card by the Elizabeth River Project with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, HRSD, Virginia Department of Health and other area agencies and scientists.

Download

Our Watershed Action Plan

The latest update to our Watershed Action Plan sets the course for a new decade of restoration and environmental equity on the Elizabeth River. 

Download

Where the Elizabeth River flows

Ryan Resilience Lab Event Request

Thank you for your interest in the Elizabeth River Project’s Ryan Resilience Lab. We’re delighted that our site is in high demand. As the Ryan Resilience Lab is operated by a small non-profit with a big environmental mission, please help us make sure your event is a great fit.

Our priority is to host groups with relevance to our mission: to restore the Elizabeth River through equitable collaboration with diverse communities, governments, and businesses. When space and staff support are available, we are happy to host such groups free of charge, but do request that you consider an organizational membership and allow us to offer the opportunity for individual memberships.

Please fill this form out at least 30 days in advance of the event.

Our maximum for indoor seated events is 85 theater style and 45 classroom style. For standing receptions, the maximum is 100 indoors or 125 indoor-outdoor.
(restoring the Elizabeth River through equitable collaboration) and Ryan Resilience Lab (environmental resilience to sea level rise)
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Start Time(Required)
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End Time(Required)
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Set Up Time
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Take Down Time
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Set Up Preferences(Required)
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Audio/Visual Needs(Required)
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If given the go-ahead for our event, sponsor organization agrees to these Ryan Lab policies:

Yes, we will offer attendees the option to tour the Ryan Lab(Required)
Yes, Elizabeth River Project can make a 3-5 minute announcement at the start of the event regarding mission and ways to get involved(Required)
Yes, we will join the Elizabeth River Project as a dues-paying organization at a level commensurate with our size and the nature of our operations.
Please see member benefits for further information: https://elizabethriver.org/donor-circles/
Yes, we agree to sustainable/responsible event practices(Required)
Yes, we will adhere to start and end times (15-minute leeway) and will leave the room as clean as possible.(Required)

Additionally, sponsor organization agrees to these administrative/liability requirements:

  • ERP maintains insurance for its activities at the Ryan Lab. Sponsoring organizations should ensure that they have appropriate insurance coverage as well.
  • Weapons are prohibited.
  • Open flames generally are prohibited (special permission only).
  • Outdoor guests will be required to exit the Learning Park during thunder, lightning, high winds or any circumstance deemed hazardous by ERP.
  • Waiver of Claims: Sponsoring organizations agree to release, waive all claims, discharge, and covenant not to sue Elizabeth River Project, its officers, employees, volunteers, and agents from liability from any and all claims resulting in personal injury, accidents or illnesses and property loss arising from, but not limited to, participation in the event and related tours, due to the negligence of sponsor, sponsor's employees, or event participants.
  • Notice of Claims: Sponsor agrees to provide immediate notice to ERP if any participant either files, or threatens to file, a claim arising from or related to the event, so that ERP can notify its insurance carriers.
  • COVID Statement: Participants will monitor their own health prior to reporting to any Elizabeth River Project event/activity. If any signs or symptoms of infection are present, the individual must not report to the event.
  • Photo Release: Photos of the event may be shared as part of grant reporting or posted on Elizabeth River Project website/social media unless otherwise specified by the sponsor organization.
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Youth Water Monitoring Results

Entry Data

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Sample Data

Bacteria

Observations

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