River Stewards

A great blue heron

Because of its proximity to densely populated areas, the Anacostia River suffers from stresses common to most urban rivers. The river's watershed encompasses an area of 176 square miles in Prince George's and Montgomery counties, and the District of Columbia. It's important to realize that every square foot of the watershed can have an impact on the health of the river.

Businesses occupy a significant fraction of the land area of the watershed, and owners/managers of business and commercial properties can play an important role in protecting and restoring the river by understanding the problems which affect the river and learning how to help solve these problems.

So what can you, as an employee or business owner do to help protect and restore the Anacostia? We have ten suggestions below - click on each link and find out more! For more information, feel free to call or email Steve Saari (ICPRB) at 301-984-1908/ext. 103 or Joan LeLacheur (WMATA) at 202-962-5113.

Assess your business' impact on the health of the Anacostia	Reduce or eliminate your business' use of toxic materials
Apply to become an Anacostia Watershed Steward	Create a spill response plan for your business
Use watershed-friendly landscaping	Install rain barrels to your building's downspouts
Install a rain garden to filter your storm water runoff	Reduce your business' fuel and energy usage
Institute an oil recycling program for your business	Join a Environmental Business Mentoring Network
Join the Anacostia River Business Coalition

Urban Watershed Problems

Urban watersheds have much of their surface area covered by concrete, asphalt, and rooftops. These impervious surfaces prevent rainwater from soaking into the ground and providing steady replenishment for streams in the form of ground water.
Past urban landscaping and engineering practices have sought to remove storm water from properties as rapidly as possible. Water is quickly conveyed by storm sewer pipes to streams, sometimes causing torrential stream flows and erosion during rainstorms, and unnaturally low stream flows at other times.
Human activities leave traces of toxic chemicals on roadways, parking areas, lawns, and other surfaces. This "non-point source pollution" accumulates and is washed into storm sewers and streams by rainwater or melting snow.

More information: ARBC provides information and may provide additional assistance to organizations interested in pollution prevention, or installation of rain gardens and other watershed-friendly landscaping techniques. To find out how to join ARBC or participate in the ARBC Watershed Stewardship program, call or email Joan LeLacheur (WMATA) at 301-618-7522, or Steve Saari (ICPRB) at 301-984-1908/ext. 103. For contact information for businesses that can help you reduce your business's impact on the Anacostia, click here. For additional Internet resources click here.