Neighbors of Northwest Branch
Neighbors of Northwest Branch
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    • Home
    • About Us
    • The Stream
    • Our Work
    • Take Action
    • Events
    • Sightings NWB
      • Amphib & Reptile
      • Native Plants
      • Animal Pics
      • Insect Pics
    • News
  • Home
  • About Us
  • The Stream
  • Our Work
  • Take Action
  • Events
  • Sightings NWB
    • Amphib & Reptile
    • Native Plants
    • Animal Pics
    • Insect Pics
  • News

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 Events

Happy Holidays to all!

We hope your plans for the end of the year and beginning of the new year include lots of hikes along the Northwest Branch, and that you'll join us in promoting its health!  Stay tuned for educational programs, cleanups, and hiking fun with us in the NWB Stream Valley Park, a true urban treasure.   

Recent Events

Pics from 12/10/22 hike, Pebblestone to Poplar Run

Hike report

Story of Streams presentation 12/6/22

Report & links to SoS website and video

Report from Burnt Mills East cleanup 10/22/22

cleanup report

Report from Hyattsville stream cleanup 9/18

Cleanup report

Report on Listening Session 9/6/22

Listening session report

Pictures from 8/29 hike, top of the NWB trail.

Hike report

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

Spring Stream Cleanups: reports

Pictures on Events page from 3/26, 4/9, 4/10, and 4/23 cleanups.

Jump to Events Page

Deluge! A lesson in uncontrolled stormwater runoff and climate change

From the ground: Rt. 29 blocked for muddy flood waters. Photo by Sarah Hirabayashi, 9/10/20.

    Witness the sound and fury of the NWB !

    Risking life and limb, Jason Hornick took this video from the NWB Trail, east side of the NWB, downstream from Burnt Mills, at about the point where Burnt Crest Ln would hit the NWB if it went through.   According to the National Weather Service, Aspen Hill got 4.55" of rain that day, Glenmont got 3.51" (both upstream from Burnt Mills) and Hyattsville got 5" (downstream).   Our water quality monitoring site off University Blvd was completely submerged, leaving a layer of sediment all over the parking lot that required clearing by bulldozer.  By monitoring time on 9/16, however, the NWB was back within its banks, and bacteria levels were actually less terrible than earlier in the summer.  In all events, swimming is NOT advised!  (FYI, see monitoring results on the Events page.)

    Surging NWB (mov)

    Download

    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.

    Please see the Events tab for recent presentations

    Nature's Secret Garden

    March 30, 2021

    Video, trails guides, slides posted

    The Role of Montgomery Parks in Monitoring & Protecting the Northwest Branch

    February 2, 2021

    Video posted

    The Forest in Winter: What to watch for

    December 1, 2020

    Video posted

    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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