All four had E. coli levels greater than the maximum level tested for — 2419.6 MPN / 100mL. We didn't give the Potomac River an improved health grade for nothing. It could be your lawn. All your questions about the past, present, and future of swimming in the Potomac River and our local waters will be answered once as you freestyle your way through our big swimming quiz! A 1967 photograph, showing old cars used as rip-rap along the banks of the Cuyahoga River to protect it from erosion, is held in front the foliage-filled landscape of the river in 2006. Using an established baseline and set of benchmarks, the Conservancy measures restoration progress and assigns the Potomac River a grade. The new complaint encompasses not only allegations of water pollution but also contamination of land. It’s a far cry from when the Conservancy graded the river an abysmal D just ten years ago, but stalled progress could signal a dangerous reversal in course for the river’s health if bold measures are not taken to address threats. That’s the equivalent of removing 25 African elephants worth of trash from the Potomac! on the Potomac River Basin, Washington, D.C. Dog waste, chemicals, lawn fertilizer and other It gets wider Photo of suburban maryland by David Wilson. The Potomac Conservancy, a clean water advocacy group, issued the river a “B” rating – indicating improved pollution levels and healthier river life – in its annual report published last week. We combine the grassroots power of 31,000 supporters with local conservation and policy initiatives to safeguard drinking water sources, protect healthy forests, and provide outdoor spaces that are safe and welcoming for everyone. about 35 miles" above Great Falls, there is a considerable source of pollution, both from the settlement and This example demonstrates that, just as we Available data for this site Click to hide station-specific text DRAINAGE AREA.--11,560 mi 2. Photo by Josh Kurtz Clean water advocates are planning to sue a … This kind of pollution frequently affects the Anacostia River and Rock Creek, and can affect the adjacent segment of the Potomac. to the District of Columbia than a greater proportion of contammatmg matter farther up the drainaO'e area. Anacostia Riverkeeper The most polluted sites tested on July 10 were Hickey Run (an Anacostia tributary in the National Arboretum), Yards Park (on the Anacostia), Thompson Boat Center (on the Potomac), and Pinehurst Branch (a Rock Creek tributary). Our community’s health depends on a thriving and clean Potomac River. Photo of Trash at Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens from the Chesapeake Bay program,. The river that provides 90 percent of the drinking water to the Washington, DC, metro area was overrun with algae and trash.The headwaters of the river may have suffered even more. Wetlands and streams had been bulldozed, filled in, and destroyed. This example demonstrates that, just as we Based on data from 2018 and 2019, heavier-than-average rainfall likely played an outsized role in the outcome, too. Clean water solution: On your next outdoor adventure, do the Potomac a solid and bring a reusable water bottle, pick up your dog toys, and collect and remove trash that you bring with you. English (US) Eels: a slimy, snake-like fish most of us would rather not think about. quality in the Potomac River estuary, particularly the tidal fresh portion of the estuary from Chain Bridge to the area around Port Washington. Here’s why we want to bring them back. © 2021, Potomac Conservancy, Silver Spring, MD. The Potomac Conservancy, which released the 2020 Potomac River Report Card, said more polluted runoff from urban and suburban areas and fewer trees to … The Potomac Riverkeeper Network, Environmental Integrity Project and Appalachian Mountains Advocate sent a joint letter of intent to sue to D&L Coal Company, Inc. on Thursday, claiming that the coal facility has been allowing stormwater runoff contaminated with […] to the District of Columbia than a greater proportion of contammatmg matter farther up the drainaO'e area. In this critical moment, we must prevent threats from destroying progress by passing stronger water protection laws and investing in natural defenses that will make our communities better prepared for our changing climate. The Potomac, as with other urban rivers in the 1960s, was little more than a way to convey trash and pollutants downstream. Caitlin Wall: co-Project Manager Potomac Conservancy’s Potomac River Report Card presents and assesses data on five significant river health indicators: pollution, fish, habitat, land, and people. They allege Verso Corp., owner of the Luke paper mill, and D&L Coal Co. in neighboring Beryl, West Virginia, have ongoing issues with contaminates leaking into the North Branch of the Potomac River. This kind of pollution frequently affects the Anacostia River and Rock Creek, and can affect the adjacent segment of the Potomac. This spells bad news for our waters. PROVISIONAL DATA SUBJECT TO REVISION. If left unchecked, polluted stormwater runoff in urban and suburban areas will continually increase and undo decades of progress to return clean streams to our communities. On November 13, 2007, the Potomac Conservancy, an environmental group, issued the river a grade of "D-plus", citing high levels of pollution and the reports of "intersex" fish. Small pieces of trash and litter amount to enormous pollution found in our local waters. Unfortunately, much of it is making its way into our rivers, causing serious threats to wildlife and public health, a new study found. Every day, we lose 100 acres of forest in the Chesapeake Bay region to development and gain new plazas, parking lots, and housing developments. Water pollution happens because . The release of sewage through aging urban sewer systems is a main reason areas of the Potomac River are closed to swimming. Headwaters to confluence with the Potomac River: 4: Scenic-Scenic portions of the river appear similar to that in George Washington's time. “Contaminated stormwater from this coal site has been polluting the Potomac River for too long, threatening the ecology of the nation’s river and the health of the many people who love to fish and paddle in the river,” said Brent Walls, the Upper Potomac Riverkeeper. We thank Richard Batiuk for offering his expertise, outside review, and assessment of our findings. For example, many permits do not require daily monitoring for TMDLS’s (total maximum discharge limits), allowing much higher amounts of pollutants to enter the water as would otherwise be Join hundreds of volunteers by participating in a local trash cleanup. The Center for Conservation Biology, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Chesapeake Progress, DC Department of Energy and Environment, US Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program, Hood College, Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, James River Association, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Park Service, Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics consortium, National Park Service - National Capital Region, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – Chesapeake Bay, Outdoor Industry Association, Potomac Environmental Research & Education Center, Potomac River Fisheries Commission, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Studies, US Department of Agriculture, US Forest Service, US Geological Survey, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, and West Virginia Parks. Hear how hanging upside down in dirty water changed an Alexandria resident’s relationship with the Potomac, and how you can join her in being a true neighbor to our hometown river. It's great for wildlife, too. *We left out one egregious example: Billions of gallons of raw diluted sewage enter the Potomac River every year through Combined Sewage Overflows (CSOs). Susan took a look at the Potomac (from underwater) and decided to get involved. lution of a local river over time, and propose methods to protect the river from cur-rent and future pollution. At Washington ,Tunction. The river that provides 90 percent of the drinking water to the Washington, DC, metro area was overrun with algae and trash.The headwaters of the river may have suffered even more. The overall grade has been weighted to account for non-quantifiable, inaccessible, or outdated data on water quality threats. 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