Resurrecting the Anacostia River

By Brittani Garner, Anacostia Program Coordinator No longer will the Anacostia River be known as the “Forgotten River.” Over the past few decades the focus on the Anacostia has been growing and now is it’s time to shine! The Anacostia is home to various recreational spots. The Yards Park has a scenic view of the river while you play in the fountains.  You can’t forget about the numerous parks either: Anacostia Park, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, and Bladensburg Waterfront Park. The list goes on and on. Soon you’ll be able to use the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, which will connect 40 miles of trails from Maryland to D.C. You can view the proposed connections here. Numerous restoration and trail projects have really helped the river gain publicity to natives and visitors alike. The Anacostia River hosts many clean-ups throughout the year. This past weekend Clean Water Action’s D.C. staff joined Subaru and United by Blue at their third annual clean-up at the River Terrace Park in Washington, D.C. With the combined help of over 30 volunteers, we were able to remove 2,984.5 pounds from the river! The park lies just south of the beautiful Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens. Both parks are located downstream of the confluence of the Northwest and Northeast branch of the river. This area takes the burden of the pollution that flows from upstream - the main source of pollution being stormwater runoff. Stormwater runoff carries all the debris, trash, plastic bottles, oil, etc. from properties and streets, right into the river! Maryland has passed and started implementing the Watershed Restoration Act, which aims at reducing some of the run-off. Mayor Gray has also pledged that the Anacostia will be swimmable and fishable by 2032 via his Sustainable D.C. plan. Although these efforts are crucial to the Anacostia’s success, community involvement is the impetus to its future. As more and more people come to the Anacostia and bask in its glory the more they will come to take care of what is theirs. It’s really hard to forget something that you fall in love with. Get informed about upcoming events by liking our local Facebook page.