Advocacy Programs

The vision is to make the Anacostia River and its tributaries swimmable and fishable, in keeping with the Clean Water Act, for the health and enjoyment of everyone in the community. The main impediments to a healthy river that is swimmable and fishable are stormwater runoff, bacteria, toxics and trash. 

Safe to Swim or Fish in the Anacostia River?

AWS works toward making the Anacostia River Fishable and Swimmable.  Are either of these activities safe yet? Is it safe to eat fish from the Anacostia River? Learn More

River Report Card

AWS collaborated with Anacostia Riverkeeper to produce the State of the River Report Card for the Anacostia River. The report explores the impediments to a clean and healthy river by analyzing relevant data and assessing the public policy choices being made to restore the river. Learn More

Stormwater

Stormwater is the polluted runoff that results when rain falls on impervious surfaces; collects trash, bacteria, and toxins, and flows into storm drains, and straight into the Anacostia River and its tributaries. With a watershed that is 70% developed, the Anacostia is impacted by a huge amount of impervious surface. Reducing this impact is our single biggest challenge. Learn More

Bacteria

Fecal Bacteria is a major impediment to the river. Excessive amounts are unnatural and prevent a healthy, swimmable Anacostia. High concentrations come primarily from raw sewage. Both MD and DC are awaiting sufficient infrastructure to address this problem. Learn More

Toxics

The Anacostia has a long history as a working port and industrial river, leaving a legacy of toxic pollution that impacts the health of aquatic life and humans that fish, swim, or otherwise recreate on the river. Learn More

Trash

The Anacostia River is so severely impacted by trash that in 2007 it was declared "impaired by trash" under the provisions of the Clean Water Act. There are many efforts to pick up trash manually or catch it with trash traps, but ultimately trash use needs to be reduced from the source. Learn More

History of Advocacy

AWS was founded in 1989 by Robert Boone.  He Dubbed the Anacostia “the Forgotten River” due to the serious lack of attention compared to the Potomac. Robert Boone set out to make the sad condition of the Anacostia River well known to local advocates and elected officials.  This triggered a remarkable 20 year run of advocacy and community partnerships that altered the region perceived the Anacostia. Learn More