The annual report card is in for the Anacostia River, and while the overall grade is a D-plus, there are some positives in terms of the future of the river’s heath.
In its 2024 State of the River Report, The Anacostia Watershed Society said the water quality of the Anacostia is the best it’s been in 10 years. Several points of measurement are showing improvement, including the amount of submerged aquatic vegetation.
This year, the river received an A — a perfect score of 100 in that category. That means, according to the report, the Anacostia has at least 20 acres of submerged vegetation.
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Over the past decade, that acreage has fluctuated between 5% and 100% and likely experienced a rejuvenation because of improved land management and green infrastructure in the city.
Another positive is the amount of measured chlorophyll in the river. The report gives the river a score of 81, a B-minus, which means the Anacostia is doing better when it comes to having the appropriate amount of nutrients that should be in the water.
However, the river failed in 3 areas — the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, the amount of stormwater runoff and water clarity.
In addition, the report said fecal bacteria in the river is still a big problem.
Although the score for fecal bacteria improved over the last year from 53% to 60%, levels remain high in parts of the river despite the dramatic reduction in sewer overflows as a result of the completion of D.C. Water’s Anacostia River Tunnel, the report said.
The Anacostia Watershed Society said that for the river to continue to improve, there needs to be more effort to conserve and restore wetlands and forests, as well as reconnect flood plains with the river and streams of D.C. and Maryland’s Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.