American Rivers named the Potomac River, known as ‘the nation’s river’ as it flows through the capital, the most endangered in the country. While the Potomac is cleaner than it used to be, the river is still threatened by urban and agricultural pollution– and it could get much worse if Congress rolls back critical clean water safeguards. Click here for more information. 

Take Action:

• Be a Potomac Advocate. Keep up on important issues for the lands and waters of the Potomac.

• Write your member of Congress to Stop the Continued Attacks on Your Clean Water. Congress must stop the ongoing attempts to weaken the Clean Water Act or prevent the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from restoring protections for small streams and wetlands under the Act. (Click here for a list of Congressional representatives. For a sample letter, click here).
  

• Canal Stewards at Fletcher’s Cove
  Sunday, May 20, 10 am - 12 pm
  4940 Canal Road NW, Washington, DC
• National Trails Day
  Saturday, June 2, 9 am - 1:30 pm
  River Center at Lock 8
  
  
• Canal Stewards at Fletcher’s Cove
  Sunday, June 17, 10 am- 12 pm
  4940 Canal Road NW, Washington, DC

Read more about each event here, or contact Outreach Coordinator Hannah Larson for more information! 

For more information or to sign up, please contact Hannah Larson at larson@potomac.org or (301) 608-1188 x205. Sign up now to help educate your community about the Potomac River!

Potomac Conservancy Closes Five Easements in 2011
Last year brought great success to Potomac Conservancy’s land protection initiatives! We closed on five easements with a total area of 573 acres. These easements bring Potomac Conservancy’s total land saved to over 12,000 acres! Read more here.

Potomac Conservancy released its fifth annual State of the Nation’s River report, scoring the rivers’ health at a barely passing “D” grade, a downgrade from our previous D+. The report points to reasons for the low grade: growing population and  land use practices as the primary culprits for a polluted and degraded Potomac River.

This new Conservancy report compares the western, undeveloped, reaches of the Potomac River region to the more urbanized sections, east and south. Evidence points to population increases and poor development practices as primary sources of stress on the Potomac River, at a regional and local scale.

• 2011 State of the River report (pdf )
• Potomac Agenda (11/10/11)
• Press Release
• State of the Nation’s River 2011 Web Page

Potomac Conservancy hosted science, policy, and technology experts for an important discussion about how to protect the health of our rivers and streams in light of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and other emerging contaminants that are present in our waterways.

• More information, including speaker presentations (pdfs).
• pdf of the Forum proceedings.

Here are links to media coverage of the event:

• WTOP: 4 in 5 male bass showing female characteristics
• WAMU: Jury Still Out on Endocrine Disruptors, Research Continues (MP3 audio link)
• Washington Post (and others)  via Associated Press: Chemicals linked to intersex fish focus of Potomac Conservancy forum on endocrine disruptors
• DCist: The Sunday Morning Post (final item)

Date/Time: June 3, 9:00am - 2:30pm

Location:

Continental Ballroom, Marvin Center
George Washington University
800 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC

Registration is FREE.

To register, please complete the following information and click on the “Register” button.