FT #3 - Restored tidal freshwater wetlands of the Anacostia River in Washington DC
     Leaders: Dick Hammerschlag (rhammerschlag@usgs.gov) and Cairn Krafft (cairn_krafft@usgs.gov)

Trip departs at 12:15 PM from the circular drive at the rear entrance to the Wardman Park Hotel
Anticipated return at 7:00 PM
Limited to 40 participants

The urban Anacostia River is tidal for 13 km from Bladensburg, Maryland to its confluence with the Potomac River in Washington DC opposite Regan Airport.  During the first half of the 20th century, most of the approximately 810 ha of freshwater tidal marshes were removed by mandated dredging, filling, erosional scour, etc.  Over the past 15 years, efforts to restore the Anacostia wetlands have taken place through seven separate projects.  For our purposes, wetlands/marshlands are considered to encompass a complex of open water, submersed wetlands, mud flats, emergent wetlands, wet meadows, and swamp forest.    The tour is designed to visit five of the Anacostia's most prominent freshwater tidal marsh reconstruction sites that vary with respect to size, date of reconstruction, whether reconstructed via filling or excavation to achieve target elevations, whether located in a low-energy backwater of the Anacostia mainstem, whether emergent wetlands have sustained significant damage due to herbivory by resident Canada geese, whether the sites were fenced, or whether impacted by invasives, such as Phragmites and purple loosestrife, etc.  Ordinary field footwear will suffice.

Photos from Dick Hammerschlag and used with permission