606.1 Washington, DC is situated at the confluence of two great rivers: the Anacostia and the Potomac. Both rivers have been altered over the centuries to accommodate development, highways, railroads, airports, military bases, parkland, federal monuments, and other vestiges of life in the nation’s capital. Throughout the 20^th century, the Potomac fared better than the Anacostia in this regard—much of its shoreline is publicly accessible and has been conserved as parkland. For years, the Anacostia suffered the fate of being Washington, DC’s lesser known and less maintained river. As its natural beauty yielded to industry, its waters became polluted and the river became a divide that separated lower-income, predominantly Black neighborhoods from the rest of the District.

606.2 In the first years of the 21^st century, a major initiative, the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative (AWI), was launched to restore the Anacostia River. While the initiative is perhaps best known for its efforts to reclaim the shoreline for recreation and bring new life to underused sites, its programs to improve the natural environment are equally important. A range of environmental initiatives is now being implemented to restore wetlands (land consisting of marshes or swamps) and estuarine habitat (partially enclosed bodies of brackish water), improve water quality, and increase environmental education about the river. Today, the turnaround of the Anacostia waterfront is a national model for urban rivers in terms of environmental restoration, public access, economic development, and inclusive growth.

606.3 Foremost among the recent initiatives is the Clean Rivers Project, DC Water’s ongoing program to reduce combined sewer overflows into Washington, DC’s waterways: the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and Rock Creek. The project is a massive infrastructure and support program designed to capture and clean wastewater during rainfalls before it ever reaches the rivers.

A clean river is the foundation for the Anacostia River revitalization and makes all other objectives and investments in the waterfront possible. Once dubbed the District’s forgotten river because of heavy pollution, lack of accessibility, and neglect of its banks, the Anacostia River is on its way to becoming fully fishable and swimmable. While photos from a decade ago show a river covered in floating trash, today the Anacostia River is experiencing an environmental rebirth characterized by improved water quality, wildlife repopulation, and more accessible natural shorelines. To transform the Anacostia River into a fishable and swimmable river, in 2014 Washington, DC launched a long-term project to address contaminated sediments called A Cleaner Anacostia River. This project is the most comprehensive approach to restoration in the river’s history, and

Washington, DC allocated $45 million to support clean-up efforts.

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Improved Water Quality

The restoration of five streams (Pope Branch, Watts Branch, Nash Run, Alger Park, and Springhouse Run) that flow into the Anacostia has diminished sediment, sewage, and trash that pollute the river's waters. Legal requirements paved the way for the local water and sewer utility, DC Water, to initiate the biggest infrastructure project in Washington, DC since the building of the Metrorail system: the DC Clean Rivers Project, a $2.7 billion sewer tunnel system and greening program to decrease the amount of untreated sewage spills into the river by 98 percent. The greening program includes strategies to promote rainwater detention and infiltration into the soil and techniques such as rain gardens, porous pavements, green roofs, and other technologies within targeted sewersheds.

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In addition to the ongoing remediation of several polluted sites, including at Kenilworth and Boathouse Row, A Cleaner Anacostia River will lead to an enforceable clean up strategy for the riverbed itself. The redevelopment of old and highly polluting industrial areas on the riverfront has stemmed industrial runoff. Washington, DC and its partners have also worked to reduce trash pollution in the river through trash traps installed on various tributaries, anti-littering education, illegal dumping enforcement programs, and volunteer clean up events, preventing millions of pounds of trash from entering the Anacostia River each year. Washington, DC's stormwater regulations and incentive programs (e.g., the RiverSmart programs and Stormwater Retention Credit Price Lock Program) are driving the installation of GI across the District to reduce pollution and erosion from stormwater runoff.

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Since 2012, Washington, DC has restored over two miles of streams, including Pope Branch, Nash Run, Alger Park, Springhouse Run, Linnean Park, and Broad Branch. Sustainable DC 2.0 calls for additional stream restoration efforts, toward a goal of 10 total miles. Stream restoration employs a set of techniques to help improve the environmental health of a stream, ranging from simply removing a disturbance that inhibits natural stream function, to stabilizing stream banks or installing stormwater management facilities such as wetlands.

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When completed, these initiatives will greatly reduce sewage overflows and pollutant discharges, reduce stream bank erosion, improve water quality, slow down stormwater flows, uncover long-buried tributary streams, and bring native plant and animal species back to the river. It will also improve access to once-polluted, now restored natural resources to adjoining communities. Improving the health of the Anacostia River will help achieve broader national goals for a healthier Chesapeake Bay. Map 6.3 indicates the location of rivers and streams in Washington, DC.

See the Infrastructure Element for more information about the Clean Rivers Project and other initiatives.

606.6 Policy E-2.2.1: River Conservation Improve environmental conditions along the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and other water bodies, including shorelines, wetlands, islands, tributaries, and the rivers themselves. Particular attention should be given to eliminating toxic sediments, improving river edges to restore vegetation and reduce erosion, enhancing wetlands and wildlife habitats, creating new wetlands, and reducing litter. Particular focus on the Anacostia is important to address its history of neglect and pollution and to improve conditions for adjoining neighborhoods.

606.7 Policy E-2.2.2: Waterfront Habitat Restoration Undertake a range of environmental initiatives along the Anacostia and Potomac rivers to eliminate combined sewer overflows, reduce urban stormwater runoff, restore wetlands and tributary streams, install natural shorelines when possible, increase oxygen levels in the water, remediate toxins in the riverbed, remove seawalls when possible, clean and redevelop contaminated brownfield sites, and enhance natural habitat.

606.8 Policy E-2.2.3: Retention of Environmentally Sensitive Areas as Open Space Retain environmentally fragile areas such as wetlands and riparian areas along the Anacostia and Potomac rivers as critical areas. In areas under federal jurisdiction, such as Rock Creek Park and some portions of the Anacostia waterfront, work with NPS to conserve and carefully manage such areas, and to implement an effective no-net-loss policy.

606.9 Map 6.3 Waterways in Washington, DC

(Source: DOEE and DC GIS, 2018)

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Policy E-2.2.4: Identification, Protection, and Restoration of Wetlands

Identify and protect wetlands and riparian habitat on private and public land. Require official surveys when development is proposed in areas where wetlands are believed to be present to ensure that wetlands are preserved. Implement the

Wetland Conservation Plan to achieve the objective of no net loss and eventual net gain of wetlands. Work collaboratively with stakeholders to undertake wetlands restoration, enhancement, and creation projects on public and private lands to mitigate the impacts of stormwater runoff, sea level rise, and storm events, and to improve habitats.

606.11 Policy E-2.2.5: Wetland Buffers

Maintain natural buffers around existing and restored wetlands to reduce the likelihood of environmental degradation from runoff and human activities.

606.12 Action E-2.2.A: Potomac and Anacostia River Habitat Improvements

Work collaboratively with federal agencies, upstream jurisdictions, and environmental advocacy groups to implement conservation measures for Washington, DC's waterways by:

1. Restoring tidal wetlands while maintaining access along the Anacostia River and infilled areas that were historically tidal wetlands, consistent with the 2015 District of Columbia Wildlife Action Plan;
2. Installing stormwater management best practices upland of tributary streams;
3. Creating new stormwater wetlands along tributary streams;
4. Restoring degraded streams in Washington, DC and, where possible, daylighting streams by removing them from pipes to let them flow uncovered;
5. Removing bulkheads and seawalls and replacing them with natural shoreline and fringe wetlands, where possible, to provide protection from flooding and erosion;
6. Restoring degraded gullies downstream of stormwater outfalls;
7. Preventing litter and trash from entering waterways and removing it when it is present;
8. Encouraging natural buffers compatible with the recommendations of the AWI Framework Plan; and

1. Preventing the net loss of parkland and improving access to the waterfront and river trails.

606.13 Action E-2.2.B: Wetland Setback Standards

Establish clear regulations to conserve and preserve wetlands, streams, and their buffers during development and ensure compliance with these regulations during plan review, permitting, and inspections.

606.14 Action E-2.2.C: Wetland Planting and Maintenance

Plant and maintain wetlands to achieve the objective of no net loss and eventual net gain of wetlands. Focus efforts in areas of the District that offer the best opportunity and potential for conservation, as identified in Washington, DC’s 2015 Wildlife Action Plan.

606.15 Action E-2.2.D: Anacostia River Sedimentation Project

Develop and implement an Anacostia River remediation work plan that restores fish and wildlife habitats while improving public access to the river.

See the Water Quality section of this element for additional recommendations for the Anacostia River watershed.

SOURCE: District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984, effective April 10, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-76; 31 DCR 1049 (March 9, 1984)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Element Amendment Act of 1984, effective March 16, 1985 (D.C. Law 5-187; 32 DCR 873 (February 15, 1985)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-129; 37 DCR 55 (January 5, 1990)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1989 NCPC-Recommended Amendments, and Closing of Public Alleys in Square 669, S.O. 88-452, Act of 1990, effective May 23, 1990 (D.C. Law 8-132; 37 DCR 2213 (April 6, 1990)); as amended by District Government Land Use Temporary Amendment Act of 1994, effective October 1, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-190; 41 DCR 5360 (August 12, 1994)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendments Act of 1994, effective October 6, 1994 (D.C. Law 10-193; 41 DCR 5536 (August 19, 1994)); as amended by District of Columbia Comprehensive Plan Act of 1984 Land Use Amendment Act of 1994, effective March 21, 1995 (D.C. Law 10-235; 42 DCR 30 (January 6, 1995)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 18, 1996 (D.C. Law 11-110; 43 DCR 530 (February 9, 1996)); as amended by Second Technical Amendments Act of 1996 effective April 9, 1997 (D.C. Law 11-255; 44 DCR 1271 (March 7, 1997)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 1998, effective April 27, 1999 (D.C. Law 12-275; 46 DCR 1441 (February 19, 1999)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 1999, effective April 12, 2000 (D.C. Law 13-91; 47 DCR 520 (January 28, 2000)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 8, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-300; 54 DCR 924 (February 2, 2007)); as amended by Technical Amendments Act of 2008, effective March 25, 2009 (D.C. Law 17-353; 56 DCR 1117 (February 6, 2009)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-361; 58 DCR 908 (February 4, 2011)); as amended by Comprehensive Plan Amendment Act of 2021, effective August 21, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-20; 68 DCR 006918 (July 16, 2021)).