Anacostia Watershed Society Debuts Water Trail Map and Guide for the Anacostia River

The Anacostia Water Trail Map and Guide Will Serve as a Resource to Enhance Usage and Enjoyment of the Anacostia River

Bladensburg, MD - The Anacostia Watershed Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cleaning the water, recovering the shoreline, and honoring the heritage of the Anacostia River and its watershed communities, today announced the release of the Anacostia Water Trail Map and Guide.  The Anacostia Water Trail Map and Guide, created in partnership with the National Park Service, brings together all of the resources and activities available on the Anacostia River and guides users to access points and features of the trail.

The Anacostia Water Trail Map and Guide will inform the public on the resources available to them throughout the Anacostia River. Features of the map and guide include:

• Highlighted sites along the river including parks, marshes, marinas, an education center and an aquatic garden.

“Everyone at the Anacostia Watershed Society and the National Park Service is excited for the release of the Anacostia Water Trail Map and Guide and we look forward to getting this information in the hands of the public,” said Jim Foster, President of the Anacostia Watershed Society. “For so long, the Anacostia River has been thought of as an undesirable destination, but the Anacostia Watershed Society is working hard to change that mindset and show people the Anacostia River is an amazing asset D.C. has in its backyard, and it should be embraced by residents in the surrounding watershed communities.

“The map and guide will serve as an excellent resource to provide the public with not only history and facts about the area, but also educate them on how to access the water trail and make the most out of their visit with activities like kayaking, biking, etc.”

The Anacostia Water Trail is an important part of both the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historical Trail and Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail. The trail covers a ten mile stretch of the Anacostia River extending from Bladensburg, Maryland through Washington, DC to the Anacostia’s juncture with the Potomac River, about two miles south of Capitol Hill.

Anacostia Watershed Society began working on the Water Trail Map and Guide over a year ago with the help of a coalition of nearly 30 private and public partners including Washington, DC and Maryland government agencies, non-profits, businesses and stakeholders.  Together the coalition identified key sites along the Anacostia River and worked together to develop a map and guide to be used to enhance the Water Trail user’s experience.