Neighbors of Northwest Branch
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Welcome to the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch

Welcome to the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch Welcome to the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch Welcome to the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch

We are neighbors committed to protecting, promoting, and restoring the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River. 

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Contact Us

Welcome to the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch

Welcome to the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch Welcome to the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch Welcome to the Neighbors of the Northwest Branch

We are neighbors committed to protecting, promoting, and restoring the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River. 

SCROLL DOWN

Contact Us

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram (icons above) and join our listserv (button below)

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Upcoming and Recent Events

April 22 cleanups in Hyattsville

NNWB, in cooperation wiith the Anacostia Watershed Society, is leading 2 Earth Day cleanups.  Sign-up will be with AWS.  More information will be available soon.

May 20 Cleanup at Burnt Mills

This cleanup is sponsored by the Anacostia Riverkeeper (ARK).  NNWB has been working with ARK on water quality monitoring at this site and we encourage everyone to help keep it litter free.  

More info & to sign up

Recent event: NWB trail hike, Lamberton to Burnt Mills 3/11/23

Picture report

Recent event: NWB trail hike,Kemp Mill to Lamberton 2/19/23

Picture report

In search of mills on the Northwest Branch

 

"Each watershed . . . seems to  have its own undiscovered "mystery" mill site, 

and hikers are encouraged to seek these out when they are located on parkland." 

Michael Dwyer, Montgomery County Mills A Field Guide, 2012 

One neighbor of Northwest Branch goes in search of such a mystery mill on the Northwest Branch. 

Mystery Mill on NWB_2023 02 21 (pdf)

Download

Our Northwest Branch has a story to tell...

The Story of Streams

Neighbors of the NW Branch, along with the Friends of Oxon Run in DC and Holmes Run in Fairfax County, VA, participated in the visionary assessment organized by Eliza Cava of the Audubon Naturalist Society.  Our streams were scored for ability of aquatic life to thrive, human access, resilience to climate change, and biodiversity and habitats.  


The beauty of it all is that the story has not ended.  It is being written all the time, and YOU can help write it so that it is a tale of improvement.

How did the NWB do?

Check out the report!  You'll also find history, maps, and stream user interviews in an interactive format--and of course information about the grading criteria. 

Click here for more about the report launch.

Water quality results for summer '22 go into the record book

End of season: Sept. 21, 2022, results

End of season: Sept. 21, 2022, results

End of season: Sept. 21, 2022, results

The NWB ended the season on a high note, with a better than passing grade! That was due to our relative lack of rain prior to the monitoring date.

End of the season, Sept. 21

End of season: Sept. 21, 2022, results

End of season: Sept. 21, 2022, results

While the NWB came off smelling like a rose, sites in Sligo Creek were not as fortunate.  Two of the three sites on Sligo failed, but Long Branch, usually unhealthy, was better!  Go figure.

Sept. 7 results. Horrible everywhere.

End of season: Sept. 21, 2022, results

Sept. 7 results. Horrible everywhere.

All sites failed, which could be expected following so much rain.  The message: stay out of the water this weekend.

Monitoring results explained

Sept. 7 results at Burnt Mills, Sligo Creek, and Long Branch

Sept. 7 results. Horrible everywhere.

A reminder to Northwest Branch users --that yellow mark the Branch so often gets at Burnt Mills means caution near the water.  RED means stay clear!

Sept. 7 results at Burnt Mills, Sligo Creek, and Long Branch

Sept. 7 results at Burnt Mills, Sligo Creek, and Long Branch

Sept. 7 results at Burnt Mills, Sligo Creek, and Long Branch

Bad news all the way around.

August 24 results

Sept. 7 results at Burnt Mills, Sligo Creek, and Long Branch

Sept. 7 results at Burnt Mills, Sligo Creek, and Long Branch

Burnt Mills was passable, but certainly not great.  Would love to see a green column there!

August 10 results, before the storm

July 27 results. Only the NWB at Burnt Mills passed.

August 10 results, before the storm

The NWB monitoring site at Burnt Mills had an E.coli level of 235.9, passing but not great. The storm will have raised that level considerably, so stay out of the water for the next few days.

August 10 results, graph

July 27 results. Only the NWB at Burnt Mills passed.

August 10 results, before the storm

July 27 results. Only the NWB at Burnt Mills passed.

July 27 results. Only the NWB at Burnt Mills passed.

July 13 results. NO ONE passes. Our repeated rains put the whammy on water quality.

We continue to get frequent rains, which tend to bring more bacteria into the water.  At NWB-2, our E.coli reading was 307.6, in the "moderate" range. More info on the ARK monitoring program.

July 13 results. NO ONE passes. Our repeated rains put the whammy on water quality.

July 13 results. NO ONE passes. Our repeated rains put the whammy on water quality.

July 13 results. NO ONE passes. Our repeated rains put the whammy on water quality.

Bacterial (E.coli) levels were off the chart at all sites, including the Northwest Branch. No need for the bar chart.

June 29 results. Only Burnt Mills tested o.k. (sort of) for recreation.

July 13 results. NO ONE passes. Our repeated rains put the whammy on water quality.

June 29 results at Burnt Mills, along Sligo Creek, and Long Branch, mapped

charts for E.coli pollution

For more information about the Anacostia Riverkeeper water quality monitoring program, see https://www.anacostiariverkeeper.org/programs/water-quality-monitoring/

June 29 results at Burnt Mills, along Sligo Creek, and Long Branch, mapped

July 13 results. NO ONE passes. Our repeated rains put the whammy on water quality.

June 29 results at Burnt Mills, along Sligo Creek, and Long Branch, mapped

Observations

The Northwest Branch in Winter

Inspired by Paula Wang's talk for NNWB on what to look for on your winter walks, this video shows a particularly beautiful section of the Northwest Branch Stream Valley Park.  Watch and then go and look at the real thing!

What's that foam?

If you saw foam in the water, don't panic!  Ed has an explanation for you.  But do make sure it's not firefighting foam.

Video

In just 7 minutes 4 seconds, here's the Northwest Branch and what we do.  Check it out.  Then join us.  The more people are engaged, the more we all can accomplish!  Special thanks to John Sullivan for creating this video! 

Please help us! Become a member!

Your participation and generous contributions enable us to improve the health of the Northwest Branch.


    Membership levels:

Salamander Saver - $20 - $49

Wood Frog Friend $50 - 99

Great Blue Heron Hero - $100 +


ALL donations are appreciated!

Prefer a check? Send to P.O. Box 4314, Silver Spring, MD 20914.  Thanks!

Pay with PayPal or a debit/credit card

Fun in the Outdoors

Rachel Carson

Stream Monitoring

Rachel Carson

Hike along the Northwest Branch where Rachel Carson once gained inspiration.

Clean Up

Stream Monitoring

Rachel Carson

Bring friends and help remove litter that gushing storm water and thoughtless residents have left along and in our Northwest Branch. 

Stream Monitoring

Stream Monitoring

Stream Monitoring

Observe as the water quality team gathers macro-invertebrates four times a year to gauge the health of the Branch, a chilly job in the winter!

Copyright © 2017 Neighbors of the Northwest Branch - All Rights Reserved.

P.O. Box 4314, Silver Spring, MD 20914


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