On Saturday, August 6th, the Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors launched its Mid Atlantic programming out of Washington, DC. Service members and veterans from George Washington University and the surrounding area explored the Anacostia Watershed by canoe for the regional group’s inaugural outing. After a quick bus ride beyond the District’s border, we arrived in Maryland at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park and were joined by the Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS), a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental education, stewardship, recreation, and advocacy. Throughout the summer and fall months, AWS hosts their Anacostia River Discovery Series to educate the community on the river’s wildlife and historical significance. Visitors can discover the river by canoe, pontoon boat, kayak, or a nature hike. All guided tours are free and funded by the District’s 5-cent bag tax, which was implemented in 2010.
Fun Fact: the 5-cent fee has reduced the usage of plastic bags by over 60% in DC and in turn, has decreased the amount of plastic polluting the river.
Before everyone loaded into the forest green canoes, we were first briefed on the watershed’s geography. The Anacostia Watershed is approximately 176 square miles of land and covers the Eastern half of the District as well as Prince George's and Montgomery counties, Maryland. Over the past century, the watershed has been overwhelmed by constant development resulting in non-point sources of pollution flowing into our waterways. This trend has a severe environmental health impact on the Anacostia, the Potomac River, Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean; all of which are downstream of the Anacostia. After our group had a chance to study the Watershed’s map, life jackets and paddles were distributed and folks hopped in the canoes.
Once we were on the water, AWS began to tell the history of the Anacostia. Folks were shocked to learn that the river was once over 40 feet deep and played an important role in the colonial trading industry. Now, less than three centuries later, the river is barely three feet deep. Another dramatic change noted by the society is the substantial decrease in surrounding wetlands. Over 2,500 acres of natural wetlands once protected the river’s water. Today, less than 150 acres exist, allowing many pollutants, which would naturally be filtered out by native vegetation, to flow directly into the water. Two billion gallons of raw sewage and storm water flow into the river annually along with 20,000 tons of trash and debris. As a result, the river’s natural wildlife has suffered and there has been a significant decrease in native species. The vision of AWS is to restore the Anacostia River and its tributaries so that they become swimmable and fishable again.
As our group of service members and veterans canoed further down the River, we were able to see the exciting progress AWS is making each day. Since 2014, AWS has worked with various partners to restore 20% of the Watershed’s tidal wetlands. The increase in wetlands has made it so that many indigenous species can return to the area. We were able to identify native ospreys, herons, turtles, and, most excitingly, a beaver family!
According to AWS, there is still much more progress that needs to be made in order for the water to become swimmable and fishable. Community efforts to clean up the river, remove invasive species, restore the wetlands, and advocate for RiverSmart communities are all big steps in the right direction.
At the end of the discovery series, AWS thanked all of the participants for defending this beautiful country. The participating veterans and service members replied by thanking AWS for their service protecting our natural environment.
For more information about the Anacostia Watershed Society, you can visit their webpage here. If you are interested in learning more about Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors program and how you can get involved, visit our website or, email military.outdoors@sierraclub.org.