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PROGRAM AREAS - Restoring the Anacostia River
The Most Polluted Body of Water in the National
Capital Area
The main stem of the Anacostia River is only 8 miles long, flowing
from Bladensburg, Maryland into the Potomac River at the southeast
tip of the District of Columbia. The Anacostia’s watershed (the
network of streams that lead to the river) covers 176 square miles,
about 5/6 of which lies in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties
in Maryland.
The Anacostia River runs through the heart of the nation’s
capital and has been called one of the most endangered rivers in
America. It is badly polluted and has been officially designated
one of the Priority Urban Watersheds flowing into the Chesapeake
Bay.
Today, the Anacostia remains beset by a host of major and interrelated
conditions:
- Polluted stormwater runoff and trash in much of the watershed;
- Years of neglect and environmentally destructive flood-prevention
projects;
- A widespread lack of public connection to – and appreciation
for – this important natural resource; and
- An antiquated combined sewer system in the District of Columbia
that discharges million of tons of raw sewage when it rains.
A Major Asset for Our Community
Summit’s long-term goal is to ensure that the Anacostia
becomes a biologically productive, socially viable river that is a
source of pride for the national capital region.
We believe that there now exists an unprecedented opportunity for
our community to connect to the Anacostia and recognize it as a
major asset to the health, beauty and prosperity of our region.
Just as people worked together to clean up the Potomac, it is time
to accelerate the restoration process and complete the job of cleaning
up the Anacostia. We see the river and its parks and tributaries
as:
- An urban natural resource that provides recreational opportunities
for all;
- A focal point for appropriate economic development to improve
the quality of life for neighboring residents;
- A source of pride for those who live and work along the river;
and
- A unique place of tranquility and beauty in the midst of a
congested city.
Recent Progress
Since signing the historic 1991 Anacostia Restoration Agreement, progress
has been made in addressing the restoration goals as identified in
the Six-Point
Action Plan (PDF Download: 7KB) adopted by the Anacostia Watershed
Restoration Committee (AWRC). Yet, nearly fifteen years since
the original inter-agency commitment, the Anacostia remains severely
degraded, dangerous to the health of those who would otherwise enjoy
its assets, and an embarrassment to the region. In spite of the dedicated
work of many individuals, organizations and agencies, restoration
of the Anacostia remains an unrealized dream.
Over the past several years progress has been made in addressing
some of the most significant issues facing the Anacostia:
- The revised 2001
Anacostia Restoration Agreement (PDF Download: 793KB) established
specific 2010 targets for several restoration indicators.
- The DC Water and Sewer Authority completed and EPA approved
a Combined
Sewer Overflow Long Term Control Plan (PDF Download: 852KB),
which, when fully implemented (by 2025), will result in a 98%
reduction in sewage discharged into the Anacostia.
- Since 2002, Congress has appropriated more than $130 million
to help clean up sewage overflows into the Anacostia.
- In 2007 the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation approved a set
of environmental standards designed to restore and revitalize
the river and require green development. If implemented by the
District of Columbia, these will be the most advanced in the country.
- The new Anacostia Watershed Restoration Partnership has committed
itself to accelerating the restoration process. In May of 2007
they hired an Executive Director to lead and focus planning and
resources. This increased capacity, commitment and accountability
should result in significant improvement in water quality.
- In 2004, Congress authorized the US Army Corps of Engineers
to begin to develop an Anacostia River Watershed Restoration Plan.
- There is an emerging network of citizen groups working on behalf
of many of the watershed tributaries (Friends of Sligo Creek,
Neighbors of Northwest Branch, Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek,
etc.).
Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments
The Summit Fund’s Anacostia Priorities
The Summit Fund will consider support for efforts that build on these
recent accomplishments and address the following strategies:
- Public Awareness and Involvement
A new, shared vision for a restored Anacostia needs to continue
to emerge throughout the region. When there is sufficient demand
of those accountable for a clean river and when a new context
is created to view its full potential for community revitalization
and urban progress, the necessary public and private resources
will be allocated to restoration activities.
- Advocacy
Government officials must be informed, engaged, encouraged and
held accountable for their actions. A knowledgeable, strategically
focused and politically active citizenry is critical to restoring
the Anacostia River.
- Public Goal Setting and Monitoring Progress
The 2010 targets established in the 2001
Restoration Agreement (PDF Download: 793KB) must be met and
progress must be monitored to ensure that those commitments are
fulfilled. A comprehensive restoration plan must be developed
and implemented.
- Emerging Needs
When the context shifts, new and innovative strategies and solutions
will become apparent that address significant gaps in the restoration
process. Organizations that identify those strategies must be
supported and their capacity strengthened so that what’s
missing can be provided.
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| Photo by Anacostia Watershed Society |
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| Photo by Anacostia Watershed Society |
Click here
to download
Anacostia River
Indicators and Targets
(PDF Download: 27KB)
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