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The Anacostia River is a river
River

A river is a natural stream of water, usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake, or another stream. In some cases a river flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water....
 that flows about 8.4 mi (13.5 km) from Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland

Prince George's County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland immediately north, east, and south of Washington, D.C. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it had a population of 828,770 and is the wealthiest county in the nation with an African-American majority....
 in Maryland
Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic States of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the Washington, D.C. to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east....
, USA
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 and through Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
 where it joins with the Washington Channel
Washington Channel

File:SW Waterfront, DC.jpgThe Washington Channel parallels the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. It is about three miles long and joins the Anacostia River near Hains Point at its south end to connect to the Potomac River....
 to empty into the Potomac River
Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. The river is approximately 383 statute miles long, with a Drainage basin of about 14,700 square miles ....
 at Hains Point
Hains Point

Hains Point is at the geographical location where the Anacostia River and the Potomac River converge in Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Located at the southern tip of the East Potomac Park peninsula, it is located between the main branch of the Potomac River and the Washington Channel....
. The name "Anacostia" derives from the area's early history as Nacotchtank
Nacotchtank

Nacotchtank was the name of a native Algonquian people in the 17th century, and their main village, situated within present-day Washington, DC on the east bank of the Anacostia River ....
, a settlement of Necostan or Anacostan Native American
Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii....
s on the banks of the Anacostia River.






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Anacostiamap
The Anacostia River is a river
River

A river is a natural stream of water, usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake, or another stream. In some cases a river flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water....
 that flows about 8.4 mi (13.5 km) from Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland

Prince George's County is located in the U.S. state of Maryland immediately north, east, and south of Washington, D.C. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it had a population of 828,770 and is the wealthiest county in the nation with an African-American majority....
 in Maryland
Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic States of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia and the Washington, D.C. to the south and west, Pennsylvania to the north, and Delaware to the east....
, USA
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 and through Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
 where it joins with the Washington Channel
Washington Channel

File:SW Waterfront, DC.jpgThe Washington Channel parallels the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. It is about three miles long and joins the Anacostia River near Hains Point at its south end to connect to the Potomac River....
 to empty into the Potomac River
Potomac River

The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. The river is approximately 383 statute miles long, with a Drainage basin of about 14,700 square miles ....
 at Hains Point
Hains Point

Hains Point is at the geographical location where the Anacostia River and the Potomac River converge in Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Located at the southern tip of the East Potomac Park peninsula, it is located between the main branch of the Potomac River and the Washington Channel....
. The name "Anacostia" derives from the area's early history as Nacotchtank
Nacotchtank

Nacotchtank was the name of a native Algonquian people in the 17th century, and their main village, situated within present-day Washington, DC on the east bank of the Anacostia River ....
, a settlement of Necostan or Anacostan Native American
Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii....
s on the banks of the Anacostia River. Captain John Smith recorded in his journals that he sailed up the "Eastern Branch" or Anacostia River in 1608 in his search for the main branch of the Potomac River and was well received by the Anacostans.

During the American Civil War
American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
, an extensive line of forts
Fort Stanton (Washington, D.C.)

Fort Stanton was a American Civil War-era fortification constructed in the hills above Anacostia in the District of Columbia and was intended to prevent Confederate Army artillery from threatening the Washington Navy Yard....
 was constructed south of the river in order to prevent Confederate artillery from bombarding the Washington Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard

The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and Weapon plant of the United States Navy in Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S....
, which lies adjacent to the river.

Heavy pollution
Water pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater caused by human activities, which can be harmful to organisms and plants that live in these water bodies....
 in the Anacostia and weak investment and development along its banks have led to it becoming what many have called "D.C.'s forgotten river." In recent years, however, private organizations, local businesses, and the D.C., Maryland and federal governments have made joint efforts to reduce its pollution levels in order to protect the ecologically valuable Anacostia watershed
Drainage basin

A drainage basin is an extent of land where water from rain or snow melt drains downhill into a body of water, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea or ocean....
.

The watershed of the river roughly covers 176 sq. mi.
Square mile

The square mile is an Imperial system and US customary system of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one mile. It should not be confused with miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared....
 (456 km²) in eastern Montgomery County
Montgomery County, Maryland

Montgomery County of the U.S. state of Maryland is situated just north of Washington, D.C. and southwest of Baltimore. It is one of the most affluent counties in the nation, and has the highest percentage of residents over 25 years old who hold a post-graduate degree....
 and northern Prince George's County, as well as parts of Washington, D.C. Tributaries
Tributary

A tributary is a stream or river which flows into a Mainstem river. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea. Tributaries and the mainstem river serve to drain the surrounding drainage basin of its surface water and groundwater by leading the water out into an ocean or some other large body of water....
 of the Anacostia include Watts Branch
Watts Branch (Anacostia River)

Watts Branch is a tributary stream of the Anacostia River in Prince George's County, Maryland, Maryland and Washington, D.C. The headwaters of the...
; Northwest Branch; Northeast Branch, the confluence
Confluence (geography)

Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where a tributary joins a more major river, called the mainstem , when that major river is also the highest Strahler Stream Order in the drainage basin....
 of which just above Bladensburg
Bladensburg, Maryland

Bladensburg is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 7,661 at the 2000 census. Bladensburg includes the Rogers Heights community....
 forms the main stem of the river; Sligo Creek
Sligo Creek

Sligo Creek is a free-flowing tributary of the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River. The creek is approximately 8.3 mile long, with a drainage area of about 11.6 square miles ....
, Paint Branch
Paint Branch

Paint Branch is a stream that flows through Montgomery County, Maryland and Prince George's County, Maryland. It is a tributary of the Northeast Branch, which flows to the Anacostia River, Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay....
, Little Paint Branch, Indian Creek; Beaverdam Creek, Dueling Branch, and Brier Ditch flow into these two tributaries while Lower Beaverdam Creek and Hickory Run flow directly into the river.

Pollution sources

One of the biggest problems facing the Anacostia River is raw sewage
Sewage

Sewage is the mainly liquid waste containing some solids produced by humans which typically consists of washing water, feces, urine, laundry waste and other material which goes down Plumbing fixture from households and industry....
 that enters the river and its tributaries due to antiquated sewer
Sewer

Sewer may refer to:*A system for transporting sewage:**Sanitary sewer, a system of pipes used to transport human waste**Storm drain, a collection and transportation system for storm water...
 systems. The sewage creates a public health threat due to fecal coliform bacteria and other pathogen
Pathogen

A pathogen , infectious agent, or germ, is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its Host .There are several substrates and pathways whereby pathogens can invade a host; the principal pathways have different episodic time frames, but soil contamination has the longest or most persistent potential for harboring...
s; it also impairs water quality
Water quality

Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance can be assessed....
 and can create hypoxic
Hypoxia (environmental)

Hypoxia or oxygen depletion is a phenomenon that occurs in aquatic environments as oxygen becomes reduced in concentration to a point detrimental to aquatic organisms living in the system....
 conditions that lead to large fish kills.

The Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) sued the Washington, D.C. Water and Sewer Authority
District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, or WASA, provides drinking water, sewage treatment and stormwater management services in the Washington, D.C.....
 (WASA) in 1999 for allowing more than 2 billion US gallon
Gallon

A gallon is a measure of volume of approximately four litres. Historically it has had many different definitions, but there are three definitions in current use....
s (7,600,000 m³) of combined sewage and urban runoff
Urban runoff

Urban runoff is surface runoff of rainwater created by urbanization. This runoff is a major source of water pollution in many parts of the United States and other urban communities worldwide....
 (stormwater
Stormwater

Stormwater is a term used to describe water that originates during precipitation events. It may also be used to apply to water that originates with snowmelt or runoff water from overwatering that enters the stormwater system....
) to flow into the river via its antiquated combined sewer overflow system. In settling the lawsuit, WASA agreed to invest US$
United States dollar

The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States and was defined by the Coinage Act of 1792 to be between 371 and 416 grains of silver ....
140 million on pump station rehabilitation, pipe cleaning and maintenance and public notices of overflows.

Pursuant to a stormwater discharge permit issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an List of United States federal agencies of the federal government of the United States charged to Regulation of chemicals and protect human health by safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land....
 (EPA), the D.C. government is implementing a stormwater management program to improve water quality in the Anacostia. The governments of Montgomery County and Prince George's County also operate stormwater management programs in their respective jurisdictions.

In late 2004, AWS and other organizations announced plans to sue the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission provides safe drinking water and sewage treatment for Montgomery County, Maryland and Prince George's County, Maryland Counties in Maryland....
 (WSSC) over similar problems with river contamination from the Maryland suburbs. According to WSSC, more than 4 million US gallons (15,000 m³) of raw sewage were released into Anacostia tributaries between January 2001 and June 2004. The discharges are due to breaks in older sewer lines as well as overwhelmed or failing pumps and clogged lines.

Another large source of river pollution is the Washington Navy Yard
Washington Navy Yard

The Washington Navy Yard is the former shipyard and Weapon plant of the United States Navy in Washington, D.C. It is the oldest shore establishment of the U.S....
, which is sited alongside the river and is believed to be a source of PCB
Polychlorinated biphenyl

Polychlorinated biphenyls are a class of organic compounds with 1 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl which is a molecule composed of two benzene rings each containing six carbon atoms....
 contaminants in the river and sediment.

See also

  • 11th Street Bridges
    11th Street Bridges

    The 11th Street Bridges are a pair of one-way bridges across the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. They convey Interstate 295 across the Anacostia to its northern terminus at the unsigned Interstate 695 ....
  • Anacostia
    Anacostia

    Anacostia is a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Its historic downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King Jr....
  • Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge
    Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge

    The Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, otherwise known as the South Capitol Street Bridge, carries South Capitol Street over the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C....
  • John Philip Sousa Bridge
    John Philip Sousa Bridge

    The John Philip Sousa Bridge is a bridge that carries Pennsylvania Avenue across the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. It has partial interchanges with unsigned Interstate 695 at its western terminus and with District of Columbia Route 295 at its eastern terminus....
  • List of District of Columbia rivers
    List of District of Columbia rivers

    List of rivers in Washington, D.C. , sorted by name.* Anacostia River* Hickey Run* Oxon Creek* Potomac River* Rock Creek * Tiber Creek* Watts Branch ...
  • List of Maryland rivers
    List of Maryland rivers

    List of rivers in Maryland .The list is arranged by drainage basin from east to west, with respective tributaries indented under each larger stream's name and ordered from downstream to upstream....
  • Maryland Crew
  • Nationals Park
  • Whitney Young Memorial Bridge
    Whitney Young Memorial Bridge

    The Whitney Young Memorial Bridge, otherwise known as the East Capitol Street Bridge, is a bridge that carries East Capitol Street across the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., U.S.A....


External links