spur the onset of chemical carcinogenesis, where normal cells are transformed into cancer cells. She is an active community member who volunteers alongside the Anacostia Watershed Society to collect trash, debris and other litter from the riverbanks. Filled with trash, sewage, sediment and other pollutants, the Anacostia river is a far cry from its sister river, the Potomac. It's mud. “It’s unfortunate that my community has to suffer from these terrible conditions.”. More people with means living near the river means more people invested in the river's health. Jeff Stanley, a 45-year-old teacher and Anacostia resident, has lived with his wife and two children for 20 years in Anacostia. Each year, Washington’s antiquated combined sewer system dumps over 2 billion gallons of raw sewage and storm water directly into the river. All kinds of junk, sewage and debris got washed into the river after three intense days of rain. “It’s just sad to me that people around the river tell their children ‘don’t go near that dirty river,” said Mary McKenna, Ph.D., an ecologist and associate professor of biology at Howard University. Unemployment was 25.1% in 2011, compared to 10% for all of … Around 40 to 50 families are living and selling their production along the Mekong River in front of Sambour market. We rely on law and advocacy to improve water policy. Alejandro Dávila is the press secretary of Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law advocacy group. This runoff carries away oil, trash and dangerous chemicals into the Anacostia River’s slow-moving tide. This time, though, he hopes he won't have to worry about bacteria or toxins in the water or smoke from burning trash piles. Now the river is getting much cleaner and attracting development that not everyone is welcoming. FENSTON: It's an idyllic childhood memory, but if you were to turn away from the water, in those days you'd see the sprawling city dump. “It appears that the District doesn’t care much about the conditions of the river. Why is that River so Dirty? We deploy green infrastructure to improve water quality. In neighborhoods east of the river, the median household income is less than half what it is for the city as a whole. … People in Georgetown don’t have to worry about clean water in the Potomac,” Stanley said. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. We create meaningful encounters with the river for all citizens in order to open opportunities for enjoyment of the Anacostia River. FENSTON: Dennis Chestnut, who grew up swimming in the shadow of the dump, is one of those people who's been fighting to clean up the Anacostia. But the Anacostia River today is undergoing something of a makeover. This organization, along with six other nonprofits as part of United for a Healthy Anacostia, focuses on water quality improvement and improving the conditions of the river and its surrounding communities to attract potential residents and visitors. Learn more About The … For years, the Anacostia River had been written off as an aquatic wasteland.Debris and dissolved pollutants floated along the eight miles of water and into the water source for D.C. residents for over 40 years, making the river less of a natural beauty and more of a mockery –- one of the city’s biggest disappointments. Even still, it’s not yet swimmable and fishable. It smelled horrible and I guessed some people even went to the bathroom in there. Der Anacostia River ist ein Fluss in den Vereinigten Staaten, der auch die Hauptstadt Washington, D.C. durchfließt und dort in den Potomac River mündet. Taylor Sabol, Managing Editor| January 30, 2017. It seems like it's a culture for the upper middle class or the well-to-do where the lower income, people who've been in the city and working, they're being forced out or left out. Swan has been fishing from the bank of the Anacostia River for 49 years. To this day, the statistics are stark. Photo from Riverkeeper's Facebook page.Riverkeeper, a nonprofit environmental group that advocates for the Hudson River, recently announced the results of a five-year study of water quality in the Hudson. “The Anacostia has been near and dear to me ever since.” It was legal to swim then in DC waterways—it’s not now. Share on Facebook. In fact, many D.C. residents don’t even want to go near the river. FENSTON: And he says he hopes he'll one day be able to again swim in the river and take his grandkids and great-grandkids. We treated it like our beach,” says Chestnut, 71. Anacostia Riverkeeper works to protect and restore the Anacostia River for all who live, work, and play in the watershed. Environmental advocacy organizations argued that cleaning up the river will have economic benefits that will outweigh the financial costs. I recently went to India for a visit and had a great time there. “There weren’t many fish in here. It smelled horrible and I guessed some people even went to the bathroom in there. I came across the Ganges River and it was really dirty. Moreover, some families installed their toilets and/or pigs on the riverbank, thus all kind of wastes flow into the river every day. This site is near the new baseball stadium. The Anacostia River / æ n ə ˈ k ɒ s t i ə / is a river in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States. Some residents, like William Rosenfeld — who has lived in Anacostia for 10 years — feel these federal laws are not enough. Those east of the river are characterized by less money, fewer supplies, fewer opportunities and access, and lower standards of education (with the west being characterized in every opposite manner). A 2015 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report found that about 20,000 tons of trash and sewage are dumped into the Anacostia river each year. An empty and abandoned plastic soda bottle floats in the Anacostia. Is it dirty because of the water from the anacostia river (that river ist just filled with crap and junk from dirty ghetto people in the East side of the city and parts of PG just throwing crap everywhere with no respect for the environemnt) or is it some other reason. A March 2016 report by the District Department of Energy and Environment found these toxic chemicals in a study of the river. “I learned how to swim there. Click to see full answer. FENSTON: The Anacostia wasn't just a dirty river. All rights reserved. So we don’t want to just have a river where we’re sitting in a restaurant and saying, ’Oh, it’s nice to have this nice river.’ We want to get our money’s worth for this investment,” said Gretchen Mikeska, the Anacostia Coordinator for D.C.’s Department of Energy and Environment. Jobs will flow into the surrounding communities as they become cleaner and healthier to live in. According to Clean Water Action, the Anacostia is one of the most polluted rivers stemming from the Chesapeake Bay. It's happening all over the country. For example, as part of the D.C. Sustainability Act, the city has banned styrofoam containers to reduce everyday citizen pollution. Per capita income is just over half of the per capita income for the District as a whole. More than half of home sales in the fourth quarter of 2010 were foreclosure-related transactions. “We focus on teaching them about the importance of composting and cleaning up the environment to make the Anacostia River a safer and healthier place.”. FENSTON: And for years, people in those neighborhoods have been fighting to get them cleaned up. In addition to the combined sewer system pollution, … “One of the main sources of pollution that impact wildlife in the Anacostia and other rivers is actually personal care products,” said Chelsea Greene, editor for the National Institute for Standards and Technology. But in the past few years, the river has gone from a place to avoid to an urban amenity. Her preferred term is environmental gentrification. Even still, it’s not yet swimmable and fishable. Federal City Council’s Anacostia River Initiative has similar goals to Groundwork Anacostia. “Cleaning up the Anacostia is going to take a lot more effort and collaboration than expected,” Stanley said. She says that the D.C. sewage system infrastructure is not adequate for massive rain storms and desperately needs to be updated soon. Copyright © 2018 NPR. Dávila said the report confirmed the existence of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs and PCBs, carcinogenic chemicals that have been banned for decades. The name "Anacostia" derives from the area's early history as … CHESTNUT: The Anacostia needs to be viewed as Washington, D.C.'s river - not the forgotten river but the river. Many of the fishermen Bolin sees have coolers used to store caught fish, which leads him to believe they are likely taking them home for food. … The Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., has long been one of the most polluted in the country. He said he’s watched the river become clearer—and the fish become healthier—ever since the 1990s. Anacostia / æ n ə ˈ k ɒ s t i ə / is a historic neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Its downtown is located at the intersection of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.It is located east of the Anacostia River, after which the neighborhood is named.Like the other quadrants of Washington, D.C., Southeast encompasses many named neighborhoods, of which Anacostia is the most well known. They hold many clean-ups in order to bring the community back to the river so they can build a relationship with it, and also foster a stronger sense of community as well. Amazon river's location in South America has a lot of heavy rainfall everyday because it is tropical and very wet environment. “The program is especially beneficial for these students because they get to learn about how important the environment — especially their own community’s — is,” Lance said. The Anacostia River is an 8.7 mile river that flows from Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, DC. She's an avid kayaker. We treated it like our beach,” says Chestnut, 71. A few blocks away, an abandoned boiler factory is now a microbrewery. Not a popular tourist destination, the river is even forgotten by popular travel website Tripadvisor, which doesn’t list the river on its list of 418 top attractions in D.C. These community efforts to improve the Anacostia river have been effective in the short term. And it’s sad because this is my home and the pollution is still not given enough attention.”. As money and people are pouring in to revitalize city centers, rivers that run through them are suddenly valuable commodities. The D.C. Department of Health did not respond to requests for comment on this story. “Tourists go there and sit on the Tidal Basin and have a good time. Why? “The revitalization of the river would benefit everyone in this region both economically and socially,” Siglin said. One of the major sources polluting the river is raw sewage, with a half-billion gallons ending up in the river annually, due to outdated and poor-functioning sewer systems. Now, it's finally happening... CHECKER: But it's coming along with this redevelopment that is going to price them out of the neighborhood. All this is possible in part because the river is a lot cleaner than it used to be after a couple decades of dedicated cleanup efforts and a $2.6 billion sewer upgrade that just went online. Objects in focus Dirty old river: secrets of the Thames London's history has always been closely connected to the River Thames, one of the UK's longest and deepest rivers. The Anacostia is a strip of dirty water that is as much a cultural and socioeconomic divide as a geographic one. After the historic rainfall in 2018 wiped the river's submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), these underwater grasses came back with a vengeance covering over 96 acres! The Anacostia River, often called the “forgotten river,” flows from Prince George’s County in Maryland to the Potomac River. The river’s conditions have improved within the last ten years with much less trash and debris in the body of water. I came across the Ganges River and it was really dirty. So on hot summer days, they jumped into Watts Branch stream where it meets the Anacostia River. MELISSA CHECKER: There were some people that would call it ecological gentrification. “We didn’t notice any trash,” he says. There were dead bodies floating in the distance and there was garbage by the shore. But this isn’t pollution. (See Scribd document below for the full study. Comments Share your thoughts and debate the big issues. The river is probably a lot better than it once was, but there’s still have a long way to go.”. One of the most notable chemical pollutants in the river is polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), … Cache Lance is a volunteer with the Green Team, which operates through Groundwork Anacostia. He's the founder of an environmental group focused on the river. The trail network links Prince George's and Montgomery Counties to the Kenilworth … The River Thames From Source to Sea . In Anacostia, crime, including violent crime, is reported as 38% higher than in the rest of the District of Columbia. “You can not even swim or fish in the Anacostia river—it’s that polluted,” Morrison said. 1 /0 The Big Question: Why are our rivers so dirty, and what can be done to. Philip Pannell - January 13, 2021. This program establishes and promotes a partnership with students at four local high schools to participate in river cleanup. He's fishing with a good view of all the new development on the other side. Along with this runoff, debris and toxic pollutants gather in the Anacostia, including pesticides, lead, and mercury. “We didn’t notice any trash,” he says. Numerous factories that once lined the Hudson River poured garbage and industrial waste directly into the river. The new trail connects you to Washington D.C. About the Trail The new trail connects the Anacostia Tributary Trail System in Maryland to the Anacostia Riverwalk in Washington, D.C. Remediation measures are slowly cleaning the water. With big projects like the Anacostia River Tunnel making huge positive impacts on the river’s health, headlines started saying things like “ Coming Soon to D.C.: Rivers Clean Enough for Swimming.”. Why is the River Thames so dirty ... it depends on how close it is. Just a few blocks west of the river, the reality of the Anacostia's fishing community is unknown. Additionally, the Anacostia Watershed Society’s 2016 annual report card of river conditions granted the river with an “F” for unsafe and unhealthy conditions. The Anacostia River, which runs through Maryland and the District of Columbia, has suffered from decades of pollution, mainly from runoff and hazardous waste sites. Is it dirty because of the water from the anacostia river (that river ist just filled with crap and junk from dirty ghetto people in the East side of the city and parts of PG just throwing crap everywhere with no respect for the environemnt) or is it some other reason. I hope that organizations like mine play a huge role in that process,” Siglin said. However, one time was really gross. These environmentally-friendly infrastructure suggestions will limit the amount of stormwater runoff in the river. The … A lot of the work done to improve the river conditions has been community-based because of the inaction from the D.C. government. to officially rename the area called ‘East of the Anacostia River,’” according to a statement from the group. It’s time for the forgotten river to get the recognition it needs in order to better the lives of the poor and working-class communities around them. The natural silt of the riverbed makes it this colour. We only learned about the sewage later. Rainwater runoff often picks up and carries oil, gas, and other pollutants, and in much of Washington, it flows directly into our streams and rivers, with all its dirty load. And that's what was circulating, you know, through your house. Wenceslaus Hollar (1607–1677), The 'Long View' of London. CHESTNUT: There was not air conditioners. “You can see how this can be considered a social issue. Anacostia River : Daten Gewässerkennzahl: US: 532032: Lage Maryland, Washington, D.C. (USA) Flusssystem: Potomac River: Abfluss über Potomac River → Atlantischer Ozean: Zusammenfluss von Northeast … FENSTON: This is Craig Munadel. Anacostia locals have expressed their anger and resentment towards D.C.’s government. Anacostia River Valley - US Army Corps of Engineers - middle portion only - 1891.jpg 5,000 × 2,022; 10.32 MB Anacostia River Washington,DC Near Kingman Island June 2017.jpg 4,032 × 3,024; 2.56 MB Anacostia River Watershed Map.png 2,550 × 3,300; 3.15 MB However, one time was really gross. Morrison, among other locals, is concerned that the Anacostia River is intentionally neglected due to the area’s socioeconomic condition. How dirty is the Anacostia River? I recently went to India for a visit and had a great time there. Decreased pollution and increased wildlife are two things helping to improve the river’s health. Anacostia is in fact a only one section of the Southeast portion of D.C. Exactly how many people are fishing in the Anacostia River’s polluted water is not yet ... the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be sponsoring a survey to find out who is fishing in the river and why. A Dirty History. On London History Day, Jennifer Wexler, Digital Research Project Producer, dredges up some of the fascinating objects found in this famous river. Decreased pollution and increased wildlife are two things helping to improve the river’s health. The River Thames is the cleanest river in the world that flows through a major city. ” Pingback: This Week in #MOWater News. The Old Man of Anacostia. Both the Delaware River and the Schuylkill are tidal rivers, with strong undercurrents, and, at least around the city’s perimers, their water is too dirty for swimming or fishing. They have filed five different petitions over the past seven years for river cleanup. Go out and see it! For the third year in a row, the Anacostia River, a major tributary to the Potomac, has been given a failing bill of health. Efforts to clean up the river over the past 10 years have reduced the sheer amount of trash. Water quality specialists at the District Department of Energy … Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. They are also linked with cardiovascular disease, and they are one of the many contaminants in cigarette smoke and particulate air pollution. The reason that you would be able to see the disk so far into the water below Thurmond Lake is because the dam and lake prohibit the transport of material (sediment, leaves, nutrients, etc.) The goal is to highlight people in different parts of their healing journeys through ... © 2021 • FLEX WordPress Theme by SNO • Log in, where normal cells are transformed into cancer, “A platform for vulnerability”: A conversation with the creators of Lumxn, The “rise up.” photo exhibit brought the Black Lives Matter protests below ground, AU uses past anti-union tactics against WAMU organizers, staff relationship with university remains strained, WAMU content staff move to unionize after a year of upheaval, AU stays quiet, D.C. City Council takes the first step to establish an Office for the Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing. I have always been a writer... Lumxn features the experiences of womxn of color in a raw light. I'm a Senior majoring in Public Health. “Although some laws and regulations have improved the water quality somewhat, so much more should be done.”. We had screen doors, screen windows and fans. Moreover, if there’s too much rain runoff, like in a big storm (that’s why it’s sometimes called “stormwater”) it can cause both flooding and serious erosion. None of the tourists visit the southeast region of D.C., so why bother cleaning it all up?” Morrison said. FENSTON: This is Melissa Checker. Three Supreme Court justices, four Civil War generals and America's first female Marine are among those buried in Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington's oldest burial ground. He says local attention is not enough to save the forgotten river. people insist that “it was never a goal of r.e.e.l. Now, the Anacostia Waterfront is dotted with cranes and some of the hippest new developments in the city. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. The Anacostia River might be small — 8.5 miles — but don’t be fooled by its size. WASHINGTON- You don’t want to eat the fish in the Anacostia River. FENSTON: We're at a quiet spot on the Anacostia, the afternoon light filtering through the cattails. How long does it take you to get from, like, your apartment to being in your kayak? 2 thoughts on “ Why does that water look so dirty? Erosion Control January 19, 2016 at 7:43 pm. It is approximately 8.7 miles (14.0 km) long. It’s no wonder that by 2010, the District was willing to do whatever it took to force the city to pay attention to its aquatic ecosystem. JACOB FENSTON, BYLINE: Growing up near the Anacostia River in the 1950s and '60s, there weren't many public pools where African-American kids could cool off on a hot summer afternoon, so Dennis Chestnut and his friends found their own place to swim. There has been a lot of discussion recently about the Savannah River’s designation as the 3 rd most polluted river in the U.S. We had a chance to provide our thoughts on the topic in a series of reports by WJBF’s meteorologist Jason Nappi (view these here) and … Anacostia definition, a section of the District of Columbia, in the SE part. The Anacostia River Trail is now complete. )The good news? that originates from the landscape upstream of the lake, to the river below the dam. “A comprehensive cleanup will make these communities flourish, especially by spurring job growth. Because of the stigmatization of the Anacostia River as both dirty and dangerous, many of the students who grew up in Washington DC and the surrounding areas described being pleasantly surprised at how scenic the river was, and how many people were out enjoying it. A 12-mile walking trail is drawing joggers and bikers to the shoreline, and redevelopment projects close … Morrison, among other locals, is concerned that the Anacostia River is intentionally neglected due to the area’s socioeconomic condition. FENSTON: The recent transformation here on the west side of the river has been remarkable. “For instance, a certain type of hand sanitizer and birth control pills can get into wastewater treatment plants and can kill fish or cause them to develop abnormalities such as becoming unisex.”. WHY ANACOSTIA. Academics have a term for this. Just a few blocks west of the river, the reality of the Anacostia's fishing community is unknown. It was a dividing line, separating the haves and the have-nots for generations. Another school of thought is that the river is named after the Roman Tam, meaning 'wide', and Isis meaning water. According to the National Center for Education … For NPR News, I'm Jacob Fenston. 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