Accomplishments: Anacostia Watershed Urban Waters Location
2020
Anacostia River Tunnel Project
The Anacostia River Tunnel Project is the second in a series of four tunnels that mitigates combined sewer overflows that are currently discharged to the Anacostia River. The 23-foot diameter tunnel is approximately 12,500 feet in length and extends from Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Stadium in northeast DC to Poplar Point in southeast DC. In addition to the tunnel, DC Water has also built surface facilities to divert the combined sewer overflows to the tunnel at various sites along the I-295 corridor, M Street SE and the Southeast Freeway. With the Blue Plains and Anacostia River Tunnels in service, DC Water has met a key Consent Decree milestone in the Clean Rivers Project.
2019
Anacostia River Sediment Project Proposed Plan
Anacostia UWP member District Department of Energy and Environment released a Proposed Plan for the Anacostia River Sediment Project (ARSP), the plan to address the contamination at the bottom of the river. This major restoration project is a partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) with input from the District of Columbia’s Leadership Council for a Cleaner Anacostia River that includes several Federal representatives including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Interior and more. A Record of Decision for the ARSP is anticipated in Fall 2020.
District of Columbia Resilience Strategy
Several Anacostia UWP participated in working groups that informed the content of the District of Columbia’s Resilience Strategy released in 2019, which featured a focus on “resilient rivers.” As a result of this document, several parks in Southwest DC were selected to be redesigned to functions as flood management areas in addition to urban parks.
2018
The Year of the Anacostia
The Anacostia UWP coordinated a steering committee that included over 70 government agencies and community partners to host a yearlong celebration of a milestone year for the Anacostia River. Over 200 events were hosted as part of the “Year of the Anacostia,” celebrating the 200th Birthday of Frederick Douglass; DC Water’s major infrastructure project, the Anacostia River Tunnel, came online and now prevents over 80% of previous sewage overflow from entering the river; the first passing grade for the Anacostia Watershed Society’s Anacostia River Report Card; the MLB All-Star game on the Anacostia waterfront; and more.
Pedal Paddle Palooza
The Anacostia UWP brought together the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, the Anacostia Riverkeeper, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Anacostia Watershed Society to host a joint public event that provided a day of paddling, boat tours, and bicycle rides across the Anacostia Watershed. Over 300 people attended the event.
Americorps VISTAs at Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
In partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Services, the Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens hired two new staff people through the Americorps VISTA program to manage community events and engagement efforts in the National Park located along the Anacostia River in Ward 7 of the District of Columbia.
2017
Shape the Future of Anacostia Park Workshop
The Anacostia UWP location supported the National Park Service (NPS) Anacostia Park to convene over 60 stakeholder organizations in a seminal workshop to engage the many community organizations interested in the future of Anacostia Park, which includes over one thousand acres of park space along the Anacostia River.
2015
The East Capitol Urban Farm
The Anacostia UWFP location, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), and the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) partnered to transform an abandoned parcel into the District’s largest-scale urban farm and aquaponics facility – the East Capitol Urban Farm. The farm promotes urban agriculture and improves nutrition through a community-centered farmers market; offers nutrition education; provides community gardening; creates opportunities for entrepreneurship; and includes a research and demonstration site for UDC. This opportunity for partners is to develop this farm as a model for temporary use of vacant lots while demonstrating on-site stormwater management and local food production.
The Ward 7 Urban Farm Factsheet has more details on the need, purpose, and programming for the East Capitol Urban Farm.
Anacostia Riverwalk Trail
Referencing the US Department of Transportation's role as signatory to the Urban Waters Federal Partnership in the application, the National Park Service supported a winning application for the TIGER Grant to benefit the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. The project was selected from over 400 applications and will receive $10M from the DOT to complete the final portion of the DC trail. NPS played critical role in developing successful proposal.
Anacostia River GIS-Mapping
USGS contributed $100K to develop a Web-based GIS mapping tool for the Anacostia River pilot. For the first time, over 80 existing projects were mapped, as well as over 3000 potential restoration projects identified by local community partners from roughly 20 different federal and local agencies.