From the Newsstands: This story appeared in The Eagle's December 2024 print edition. You can find the digital version here.
Despite its iconic presence in D.C., the Potomac River remains plagued by pollution, making it illegal for residents to swim or fish.
While the river is far from clean, organizations like the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) are working to change that.
The ICPRB is an agency that aims to protect the Potomac through cooperation with other organizations and spread awareness of the Potomac’s issues.
Organizations like D.C. Water work to solve the runoff issue by redirecting water to optimal points like the Anacostia River Tunnel Project, the first phase of their Clean Rivers Project.
As cities like D.C. expand, surfaces like roads prevent rainwater from filtering into the ground. ICPRB works to address how rainwater collects pollutants from streets and carries them into the river through storm drains.
“The problem with very old cities, especially on the East Coast, is that they had a combined sewage overflow system,” Michael Nardolilli, executive director of the ICPRB, said in an interview with The Eagle. “If [the cities] had a really heavy rain it would overwhelm the water treatment facility and so it would have to mix with the sewage and discharge directly into the river.”
The large amount of runoff inspired the construction of the Potomac River Tunnel (PRT), a deep-water sewer tunnel designed to capture combined sewage overflow (CSO). These tunnels are estimated to reduce CSO by 93 percent in an average year.
“In D.C. they have these machines in the tunnel to store the water and release it gradually into the river which is a goodfirststepinregardstothatissue,” Nardolilli said.
The ICPRB and organizations like the Potomac Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership (DWSPP) also work to reduce the use of de-icing salts on the roads during the winter, because these salts are washed into storm drains through rain and melting snow, which in turn harms ecosystems.
“People using icing salts liberally change the salinity of the water and affect species especially,” said Willem Brakel, an adjunct environmental science professor at American University, in an interview with The Eagle.
Particularly sensitive species regulate the high salt levels that interfere with their ecosystem. However, excess salt damages the soil along riverbanks, affecting vegetation that plays a role in filtering pollutants.
“Salt has become a major issue as the overuse of it has created more salt water than freshwater, which has disastrous consequences,” Nardolilli said.
Higher salinity levels increase the presence of invasive species, which can destabilize the food web. This leads to declines in fish populations and affects species that depend on them, such as birds and mammals.
On Oct. 17 the ICPRB held a conference in Lorton, Virginia, where they discussed how invasive species like snakehead, combined with the increasing salinity in the water, create a threat to the Potomacs ecosystem.
These conditions lead to increased competition, declining fish populations and ecological imbalance.
“They have actually changed the name of the snakehead to the Chesapeake Channa to make it more appetizing and appealing on menus to make people order it in restaurants and eat it,” Nardolilli said.
The combination of stormwater runoff, rising salt levels and invasive species have impacted local communities.
Increased salinity from road de-icing practices disrupts ecosystems, threatening fish populations and local wildlife.
The presence of invasive species compounds these challenges. Snakeheads aggressively compete with native fish, which can decrease native fish populations drastically.
This disruption affects not only the ecological balance of the river but also the communities that rely on fishing for recreation, income and sustenance.
“I think people have garnered a greater appreciation for the Potomac, especially in the pandemic,” Nardolilli said. “A lot of people went out on the trails and started to advocate for cleaning up the Potomac by helping to clean up the river.”
As fish populations decline, local fishermen face hardships and families that depend on the river for food now have limited options. The ecological decline can diminish the river’s appeal as a resource. Brakel emphasized that addressing these issues is crucial for healing the river and protecting the communities along it.
“I believe these problems have increased awareness,” Brakel said. “We realize that communities that live near the rivers and streams, particularly disadvantaged communities, tend to bear the brunt of pollution.”
Increased awareness of this polluted state has resulted in a boost to the initiatives that clean up the water. The D grade that the Potomac River received from the Potomac Conservancy in 2011 has risen to a B grade today. This resulted from regulatory enhancements, stormwater management and community engagement.
The ICPRB and Potomac conservancy have engaged communities in clean-up efforts and educational campaigns, fostering a collective commitment to protecting the river by building a strong community focused on cleaning up the river.
Key initiatives like the Clean Rivers Project have mitigated runoff, reducing pollutants entering the river with the construction of the PRT. Nutrient reduction programs targeting agricultural and urban runoff have decreased harmful algae.
Increased awareness can lead to greater community engagement, sustainable practices and advocacy for environmental policies. Nardolilli said communicating the significance of the Potomac River to D.C. residents can foster a culture that supports restoration.
“Even university students have resources at their disposal here in D.C.,” Brakel said. “Battery Kemble, in particular, is a 30-minute walk to the river where you’ll see that there’s a rather disturbed environment, given all the development. But still, it’s a pleasant area.”
This article was edited by Sydney Hemmer, Marina Zaczkiewicz and Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Emma Brown, Sabine Kanter-Huchting, Ariana Kavoossi, Ella Rousseau, Nicole Kariuki and Charlie Mennuti.
