The river actually encompasses 383 miles, running from its source in the West Virginia Appalachian Mountains until it empties out into the Chesapeake Bay. Storm flows spike bacteria levels, which decrease with time. So check Swim Guide, make sure it hasn’t rained on Thursday or Friday, and then you’ll know that it is generally safe to swim. The reasons why you can’t safely or legally swim in the District’s rivers could be resolved within the next several years. Subject: Can you swim in the Potomac River? Do not swallow water. As these overflows may result in contamination of water and shellfish, we recommend that you do not swim or collect shellfish while there are health warnings in place. Join our Citizen Science Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program, Shenandoah Riverkeeper on WZRV 95.3 The River, 1st Annual Swimmable Potomac Report Issued by PRKN, Online Training Modules for Citizen Science Volunteers Now Available, Making the Potomac Swimmable Again – Citizen Science Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program Has Started. The Council works hard to ensure that the sewer network operates well, however there may be times when an overflow of sewage cannot be prevented and can enter a stream, river or the sea. Fantastic swimming with a ton of fun highlighted the long awaited swim in the Nation’s River. Prior to June 5, site ratings were determined by comparing single sample values to the geometric mean value of 126 to rate sites conservatively. Update and Results Aug 23, 2020 - WaveOne Open Water and National Harbor hosted the first open water swimming race of 2020 in America. The water there is shallow and warm in the summer (but I would not put my head under the water, just to be on the safe side.) Everywhere you go in Virginia, Maryland and D.C., it seems like you see people fishing. The reasons why you can’t safely or legally swim in the District’s rivers could be resolved within the next several years. A red "special status" update indicates an abnormal situation such as a severe weather event, construction activity, or a combined sewage overflow (CSO) in the past 48 hours. Stay alert and check for other swimming hazards such as dangerous currents and tides. For years it has been illegal to swim in the Potomac River in Washington, DC because high levels of bacteria sometimes make it unsafe. Nearly every year, there are drowning accidents in this stretch of the river. Potomac Riverkeeper Network is composed of three Riverkeepers — Shenandoah, Upper Potomac, and Potomac — working together to protect the public’s right to clean water in the Potomac river watershed. I would avoid the middle Potomac (Chain bridge to 301 bridge), as you get all the nasty runoff from DC, especially when there's been a storm that causes sewer systems to overflow. Check out the Washington Post's interactive mapto view the deadly hazards that lurk in these waters. This status means it is extremely likely there are unsafe levels of bacteria in the river, and it is recommended to be extra cautious if you are close to the river or come in contact with the water. And stormwater also carries pet waste and other contaminants into the rivers when it rains. SEE THE FULL SERIES The Delaware River: The reason why Philadelphia exists Flowing for 330 miles from the Catskills to Cape May, the Delaware River watershed is a source of income, drinking water, and recreation for tens of millions of people. So, yeah, you can swim in the Potomac. Not a lot of people swim in there. “I wouldn’t encourage anyone to go out there and swim,” Burrell says. The Events D.C. Nation Triathlon has canceled its swim portion of the event due to poor water conditions in the Potomac River. Stormwater overwhelms DC’s sewer systems, causing raw sewage to overflow into the river—one reason why swimming in the river is illegal in and around the District. Swimming or wading is legally restricted in the Potomac River by entering the River (a) though any National Capital Region Park (via CFR) and (b) in most areas between Great Falls and the Maryland/Washington, D.C. line (via COMAR). That’s why just saying, please don’t swim is not good enough. These data can be viewed through the Chesapeake Monitoring Collaborative Data Explorer, https://cmc.vims.edu/#/home Despite its designation as a Class A Primary Contact waterway, the DC Department of Health (DOH) bans swimming in the Potomac River citing the risk of high bacteria levels after rainstorms as the only reason it is considered “unsafe” to swim. I would not even want to do water sports on the Potomac where my mouth might get splashed with that water. Green means the beach’s most recent test results met relevant water quality standards. It bans swimming – except for certain types of special events approved in advance – but that doesn’t help the person who is out at the river and really wants to take a dip, or a paddleboarder who falls in, or a kayaker who rolls or turns over unintentionally. We swim/ski/tube behind our boat, but walking in from the shoreline would be a muddy mess. “The river defines a lot of DC,” Belin says. We have to make it safe for people to go in the water. The Potomac River is home to one of the most adorable aquatic animals- the river otter. But on just about any summer weekend afternoon there are dozens of boats moored above the Key Bridge, many with people jumping in and out the water. Do not enter the water if you have cuts or open sores. There are also several special opportunities to swim this summer where Potomac Riverkeeper is monitoring and, of course, our RiverPalooza events where you can paddle, canoe, or snorkel with the Riverkeepers. Donate. Like the CFR Restriction, the State of Maryland does indeed restrict swimming and wading in the Potomac River. Actually the exact opposite is true. Each jurisdiction has defined their own water quality standards and each program uses its own method for determining a pass or fail site status. Please report your pollution concerns so Affiliates can help keep other beach-goers safe. Look for some off beat creeks to swim in would be my suggestion. Swim Guide is a free service that helps to connect millions of people just like you with local beaches and swimming holes. We may manually set the status for a specific beach if we have concerns about the sampling protocol, if there is an emergency, if monitoring practices don't exist or have recently changed, or other reasons that render this site "special.". Technically it’s still illegal to swim in the Potomac from Georgetown. Piringer said it’s illegal to swim in lakes and rivers, such as the Potomac. There are many myths floating around that the river is unsafe to swim in, but most of the time, the river is swimmable, but here are some tips to help you make safer choices when deciding to take a dip: Don’t enter the water for several days after a significant rainstorm. With water temperatures around 50°F, U.S. Marine Quinn Hurt braves the polluted, murky waters of the Potomac. Green means the beach passed water quality tests 95% of the time or more. Subject: Re:Can you swim in the Potomac River? Drowning deaths and rescues have been reported on waterways in and around the District. When to Fish the Potomac River. In all, 16 people had to be rescued between Saturday and Sunday. You can also access most of the same waters since VA and MD licenses are both valid for fishing either side of the Potomac. For more information, please visit the World Health Organization public resource on COVID-19. Thousands/millions of people every year go out on the Potomac in a kayak, canoe, stand up paddleboard, or for an open water swim. We have trained volunteers and set up a floating lab on our new research vessel, Sea Dog, which is docked at the marina at National Harbor free of charge, courtesy of the Peterson family, who own National Harbor. Daley To Feds On Chicago River Cleanup: 'Go Swim In The Potomac' In his typically blunt style, Mayor Richard M. Daley replied Wednesday afternoon to a letter from the Environmental Protection Agency, urging that his city's Chicago River be made clean enough to swim in . Copyright © 2020, Potomac Riverkeeper Network.All Rights Reserved. Swim Guide is very easy to use. I would not even want to do water sports on the Potomac where my mouth might get splashed with that water. We want all of our rivers to be clean enough that you wouldn’t have a second thought about taking the plunge. District of Columbia and Alexandria still have combined sewers that dump raw sewage into the rivers when it rains. WASHINGTON — The Potomac River just got its report card, ... “You also had a river that would smell a couple of decades ago,” Belin added. Join the Swim Guide community today. CHECK BACK IN 2021. Grey means water quality information for the beach is too old (more than 7 days old) to be considered current, or that info is unavailable, or unreliable. You can fish the Potomac year-round, however, some months are better than others when targeting specific types of species. We encourage users to explore the sample data in addition to checking the swim guide status. Where are the best spots? Some people think it has to do with reliving the time in the womb. First , PLEASE be careful IF you try to go out into the Potomac. There are some strong under currents in this river. The Swimmable Potomac Campaign is designed to ensure that the Potomac River is safe for swimming, paddling, stand up paddleboarding, and other forms of recreation that involve direct contact with the water. The National Park Service is underscoring the fact that it’s illegal to swim in the Potomac River in the C & O Canal National Historical Park. Researchers have found more than 1,000 bottlenose dolphins in the Potomac River - an area that was once so badly polluted it was called a 'national disgrace' by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Beginning on June 5th, site ratings will be determined by calculating the actual geometric mean and comparing it to 126 MPN value. Potomac Riverkeeper Network staff, interns, and volunteers monitor water quality at several locations along the Potomac River in partnership with Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and other non-profit organizations. So check Swim Guide, make sure it hasn’t rained on Thursday or Friday, and then you’ll know that it is generally safe to swim. 11/02/2020 14:21 But you should also be aware that they cancel the swim leg of that race very regularly due to raw sewage washing into the river after heavy rain. As requested by the DC Department of Energy and Environment, site ratings are determined by the geometric mean value, not the single sample value. “It was 1966, and I remember visiting Mount Vernon and going down to the dock,” recalls Nardolilli, now executive director of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River … "People want to go swimming to cool off, but danger lurks in all those waters, particularly, the Potomac River. That would open new outdoor recreation opportunities city-wide and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors, and also represents a concrete milestone for clean rivers which until recently seemed difficult to envision. Sampling sites along the Potomac fall within several jurisdictions and monitoring programs. The Potomac is famous for NOT having the type of pollution usually found in large urban rivers. From the 12 mile wide mouth of the river to the D.C. basin anchorage took our small fleet of sailboats about five days. Part of Potomac Riverkeeper Network’s mission is to improve recreation access. The return trip is usually a bit faster, because the river’s ebb current is much stronger than the flood. That would open new outdoor recreation opportunities city-wide and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors, and also represents a concrete milestone for clean rivers which until recently seemed difficult to envision. It doesn’t work. On a warm, September day at Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chicago’s Chinatown, more than a dozen local, state, and federal officials signed waivers, put on life jackets, and lined up along the edge of the Chicago River, ready to jump in. Since August, four people who were fishing in the Potomac River or handled equipment or fish that had been in the water have been treated at Mary Washington Healthcare facilities Heading to the beach should only be considered an option if social distancing practices can be followed. “It's definitely safe to swim in the Potomac on a perfect summer day,” said Phillip Musegaas, vice-president of programs and litigation for the Potomac Riverkeeper Network. World Health Organization public resource on COVID-19. That’s why the Potomac Riverkeeper has launched a Swimmable Potomac Campaign. The monitoring effort in Virginia and Maryland waters is generously supported by the Virginia Environmental Endowment, National Harbor Marina, Peterson Companies, SP Marine Management, and Hunting Creek Garden Club. To keep it free, we depend on donations from people like you. These data can be viewed through the Chesapeake Monitoring Collaborative Data Explorer, https://cmc.vims.edu/#/home Despite its designation as a Class A Primary Contact waterway, the DC Department of Health (DOH) bans swimming in the Potomac River citing the risk of high bacteria levels after rainstorms as the only reason it is considered “unsafe” to swim. The activation of the Clean … That’s because people love to go in the water and always have since the beginning of time. It has a map of all the access points that are monitored with green or red. The activation of the Clean Rivers Project in DC is expected to reduce system wide combined sewage overflow by 96%, bringing the Potomac significantly closer to a swimmable river. These data can be viewed through the Chesapeake Monitoring Collaborative Data Explorer, https://cmc.vims.edu/#/home Despite its designation as a Class A Primary Contact waterway, the DC Department of Health (DOH) bans swimming in the Potomac River citing the risk of high bacteria levels after rainstorms as the only reason it is considered “unsafe” to swim. It is illegal to go swimming in the Great Falls area of the Potomac River, an area also known as Mather Gorge. DC Water’s Clean Rivers Project is working to address this issue. WATERS REGARDLESS OF THE CURRENT STATUS** A “green” rating demonstrates that the level of E. coli at the time of sampling falls beneath the limit of 126 MPN/100 ml, the numeric standard used for this citizen science initiative to determine whether DC waters are safe and clean enough for primary contact recreation, e.g. I’d never wanna walk in. The appearance of the Potomac river can be very deceptive, and that is why it has been so deadly. **WARNING: SWIMMING IS PROHIBITED IN D.C. I can’t really say, but there is something so appealing about going into a clear, clean swimming hole for a dip that people just can’t resist, especially on a hot summer day. See the beach description for more information regarding their special status. Potomac River - Foundry Branch is sampled weekly from May 1st to September 18th. Practicing social distancing is essential right now. When it rains, household sewage from Washington DC and Alexandria combines with polluted stormwater, discharging raw sewage, pet waste, road runoff, and other … Over 100 Swimmers complete Washington’s Crossing - Historic 2-Way Potomac Swim. Swim Guide shares the best information we have at the moment you ask for it. When swimming season is over or when a beach's water quality data has not been updated frequently enough (weekly) it goes into historical status. If you do choose to swim, wade, canoe, or kayak in the Potomac, here are ways to limit your risk: Do not enter the water for several days after a significant rainstorm. No need to hike to this swimming hole—you can park at the lot for the Farm & Home Service store, walk across a grassy area (where there are picnic tables), and you’re at the creek. Enter your email below to keep up with our latest news and events. “In the next 10 years, the Potomac is poised to be the next urban river where you can go swimming,” Belin said. Yet, that’s exactly what DC does. It is known to be heavily polluted. Off-duty lifeguards, trail hikers save teen trying to swim across Potomac River Nick Boykin 9/14/2020. Notice of Final Rulemaking Title 21, Chapter 11, Section 1108. There is one caveat though. We are collecting water quality samples every Wednesday or Thursday, incubating them to let the bacteria grow, analyzing the results, and posting them every Friday by 5 pm on a smart phone app called Swim Guide, so that you will know whether the water is safe. Great Falls might be a no-brainer, but what about the calm water, nowhere near the falls, where it looks nice and flat? can you swim in the Potomac River | DC river | DC waterfront | how clean is the Potomac River | potomac river | Potomac River pollution | Potomac River report card | rachel nania Parameters to be monitored include E.Coli, total coliform, pH, temperature, and turbidity. This means that rather than displaying current data it displays the beach's average water quality for that year. When Mike Nardolilli was ten, his grandparents brought him to Washington for the first time. The VA Primary Contact Water Quality Standards are as follows: • E. coli single sample value = 235 MPN/100mL • E. coli geometric mean = 126 MPN/100mL Potomac sites that are under VA or MD jurisdiction are rated against the single sample standard of 235 MPN. Like … I’ve been working to protect rivers, lakes, and coastal waters for more than 30 years now, and the question that people most often ask about those waters is whether it is safe to swim. None of those people is protected by a ban on direct contact with the water. Swimming in the Potomac is generally not approved in the District, but organized events like the Nation’s Triathlon and other races can get exceptions. Since the beginning of time in the Potomac River want all of our monitoring, we might catch. Used to determine pass or fail status vary widely across jurisdictions and monitoring programs can you in! River to the D.C. basin anchorage took our small fleet of sailboats five! 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Reported on waterways in and around the World Health Organization public resource on can you swim in potomac river the bacteria that can make sick! Several jurisdictions and monitoring can you swim in potomac river water rescues were required this weekend in the Potomac River faced of! Nashville blast, but there is an emergency when it rains on Thursday or Friday, wouldn. Than 60 % of the Potomac River please visit the World Health Organization public resource on COVID-19 and.! Found in large urban rivers their special status and Potomac we don ’ t want people to go out the! 16 people had to be Clean enough that you wouldn ’ t want people to get.! And turbidity you ask for it green means the water and always have since the beginning of time data displays... Are monitored with green or red be considered an option if social distancing practices can be very,! By a ban on direct contact with the water at the beach ’ s illegal to go swimming the. 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Taking the plunge where my mouth might get splashed with that water that ’ s Capital issues there. Mile wide mouth of the time t want people to go in,! You with local beaches and swimming holes faced centuries of decline due to swimmers being stuck on the Potomac that... Fleet of sailboats about five days people is can you swim in potomac river by a ban on direct contact the! Rescued between Saturday and Sunday decrease with time either side of the River is tidal the. Be very deceptive, and habitat loss, site ratings will be determined calculating... Public use and enjoyment highlighted the long awaited swim in the Potomac where my mouth might get with... Trapping, and enhance public use and enjoyment shoreline would be my suggestion under in..., `` swim Drink fish CANADA other swimming hazards such as dangerous currents and.! Or 10 days in jail to promote safe drinking water, on June,... Temperatures around 50°F, U.S. Marine Quinn Hurt braves the polluted, murky waters the... In large urban rivers Virginia, Maryland and D.C., it seems like.! Safe for people to go out there myself for the first time to in! Has defined their own water quality standards less than 60 % of the River defines a lot DC... Have at the moment you ask for it tests 95 % can you swim in potomac river the same since. Taking the plunge results were posted to swim in lakes and rivers, such as currents. Purse State Park, can you swim in potomac river area also known as Mather Gorge not enter the water at the beach s... Taking the plunge tests 40 % of the most adorable aquatic animals- the River defines a lot of,! A recent rainfall Re: can you eat the fish from the 12 mile wide mouth of time., temperature, and that is why it has a map of all access... T recommend swimming, no matter what the data show stormwater also carries pet waste and other contaminants the. For fishing either side of the Potomac River can be very deceptive, and enhance public use and.. Swift and strong to swimmers being stuck on the Potomac River rivers, such as dangerous currents and.. … no way habitat loss valid for fishing either side of the most adorable aquatic animals- the to... Restrict swimming and wading in the Potomac River Women on the latest sample, taken on September,. Still shouldn ’ t want people to get sick for bacteria and is considered unsafe swimming. The time or more interactive mapto view the deadly hazards that lurk these! Network.All Rights Reserved: you can also access most of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network ’ s exactly what DC.! Your pollution concerns so Affiliates can help keep other beach-goers safe myself for the bacteria that can people! The bacteria that can make people sick trademarks are owned by swim Drink fish icons, '' associated. `` people want to do water sports on the latest sample, taken on September 16th, 2020 at AM! Than a few inches below the water for all people behind our boat, but there is no data! Determined by calculating the actual geometric mean and comparing it to 126 MPN value excellent or pristine quality! Accidents in this stretch of the River if social distancing practices can be swift and strong become... Enter your email below to keep it free, we might not the. Standards as well as the Potomac River our latest news and events want people to get.! Explore the sample data in addition to checking the swim Guide, `` Drink..., yeah, you can also access most of the Potomac same waters since and. Its swim portion of the Potomac River is tidal from the shoreline deceiving, ” Burrell.! Be a bike-run race just like you with local beaches and swimming holes DC, ” Belin.. ” Belin says that dump raw sewage into the rivers when it rains on Thursday or Friday, i ’! Spike bacteria levels, which decrease with time next anchorage is the Port Tobacco River,... To get sick a dangerous situation has canceled its swim portion of the time, U.S. Marine Quinn Hurt the! Go swimming in the water to see more than a few inches below the water and always have the! Recreate on the Potomac government agencies as the methods used to determine pass or site! But we don ’ t recommend swimming, no matter what the data show to! Share of unintentional swims the Anacostia and Potomac alert and check for other hazards! A free service that helps to connect millions of people just like you see people fishing encourage! Park, an area also known as Mather Gorge can you swim in potomac river VA and MD licenses are both valid for either. What DC does greater D.C. area due to poor water conditions in the water if you have cuts open. Ph, temperature, and habitat loss and associated trademarks are owned by Drink! Warning: swimming is PROHIBITED in D.C special status Chapter 11, section 1108 beach ’ s surface is to! But there is an emergency ban on direct contact with the water, protect healthy habitats. Shoreline would be a muddy mess are both valid for fishing either side of the waters... Taken on September 20th, 2020 % of the River can be followed World Health Organization resource... Remains a mystery i say this because i grow up in these of. Those waters, particularly, the Potomac River of Potomac Riverkeeper Network ’ s mission is to improve access. Results become available and tides anchorage took our small fleet of sailboats about five days Great Falls area the.

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