2019

Anacostia River Sediment Project Proposed Plan

Anacostia UWP member District Department of Energy and Environment released a Proposed Plan for the Anacostia River Sediment Project (ARSP), the plan to address the contamination at the bottom of the river. This major restoration project is a partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) with input from the District of Columbia’s Leadership Council for a Cleaner Anacostia River that includes several Federal representatives including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Interior and more. A Record of Decision for the ARSP is anticipated in Fall 2020. 

District of Columbia Resilience Strategy

Several Anacostia UWP participated in working groups that informed the content of the District of Columbia’s Resilience Strategy released in 2019, which featured a focus on “resilient rivers.” As a result of this document, several parks in Southwest DC were selected to be redesigned to functions as flood management areas in addition to urban parks. 

2018

The Year of the Anacostia

The Anacostia UWP coordinated a steering committee that included over 70 government agencies and community partners to host a yearlong celebration of a milestone year for the Anacostia River. Over 200 events were hosted as part of the “Year of the Anacostia,” celebrating the 200th Birthday of Frederick Douglass; DC Water’s major infrastructure project, the Anacostia River Tunnel, came online and now prevents over 80% of previous sewage overflow from entering the river; the first passing grade for the Anacostia Watershed Society’s Anacostia River Report Card; the MLB All-Star game on the Anacostia waterfront; and more. 

Pedal Paddle Palooza

The Anacostia UWP brought together the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, the Anacostia Riverkeeper, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Anacostia Watershed Society to host a joint public event that provided a day of paddling, boat tours, and bicycle rides across the Anacostia Watershed. Over 300 people attended the event.

Americorps VISTAs at Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

In partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Services, the Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens hired two new staff people through the Americorps VISTA program to manage community events and engagement efforts in the National Park located along the Anacostia River in Ward 7 of the District of Columbia. 

2017

Shape the Future of Anacostia Park Workshop

The Anacostia UWP location supported the National Park Service (NPS) Anacostia Park to convene over 60 stakeholder organizations in a seminal workshop to engage the many community organizations interested in the future of Anacostia Park, which includes over one thousand acres of park space along the Anacostia River.

2015

The East Capitol Urban Farm

The Anacostia UWFP location, the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), and the DC Housing Authority (DCHA) partnered to transform an abandoned parcel into the District’s largest-scale urban farm and aquaponics facility – the East Capitol Urban Farm. The farm promotes urban agriculture and improves nutrition through a community-centered farmers market; offers nutrition education; provides community gardening; creates opportunities for entrepreneurship; and includes a research and demonstration site for UDC. This opportunity for partners is to develop this farm as a model for temporary use of vacant lots while demonstrating on-site stormwater management and local food production.

The Ward 7 Urban Farm Factsheet has more details on the need, purpose, and programming for the East Capitol Urban Farm.

Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

Referencing the US Department of Transportaion’s role as signatory to the Urban Waters Federal Partnership in the application, the National Park Service supported a winning application for the TIGER Grant to benefit the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. The project was selected from over 400 applications and will receive $10M from the DOT to complete the final portion of the DC trail. NPS played critical role in developing successful proposal. 

Anacostia River GIS-Mapping

USGS contributed $100K to develop a Web-based GIS mapping tool for the Anacostia River pilot. For the first time, over 80 existing projects were mapped, as well as over 3000 potential restoration projects identified by local community partners from roughly 20 different federal and local agencies.