Anacostia Watershed Society Stream Corridor Assessment Above the Beltway
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The following information was provided by Masaya Maeda of the Anacostia Watershed Society.

AWS has decided to conduct a SCA (Stream Corridor Assessment) survey on the Northwest Branch and has already conducted it on a small portion of the stream. We would like to identify environmental problems such as eroding stream banks, inadequate stream buffers, exposed pipes, altered stream channels, fish migration barriers, pipe outfalls, in-stream construction sites and trash dumping locations along the branch. The major findings will be reported appropriately. The data will be also used to raise people's awareness of stream problems and eventually it will be incorporated into WRAS project by State Government.

Survey Date: 4/7/2005

Site 216108 Exposed Pipe
Long stretch of sewer pipe is highly exposed along a small stream flowing to the NW Branch.
Approximate pipe diameter is 10 inches. Approximate length exposed is 220 feet.
Looking up the small stream

This picture taken from the same point as the above picture, but looking downstream.
One might think this pipe is structurally strong enough because it is a metal pipe. But, see the next picture.

It is cracked !!

Site 217104 Exposed Pipe (manhole stack)
This site is the place where Bill Howard of NNWB and his wife found a sewage leak Click here for details.
The exposed pipe was buried but the stack is still exposed. I would like WSSC to cover the stack also.
The pipe was not buried securely; there is a possibility that the pipe will be exposed again.

Before November 12,2004

After April 7,2005

Highly exposed manhole stack

The stack has a crack in it. The stream flows from left to right.
It is likely that the lid will be pulled off by stormwater in the near future, spewing sewage downstream.

Site 217105 Exposed pipe (manhole stack)

Can you see a problem from this stack?

There is a hole in it. Do I have to report this to WSSC?
Let's look inside

Something is weird in it!

This stack is completely silted. I am not sure if this stack is in service or not.
If it is NOT in service, it should be removed from the river bank.
It is apparent that a large amount of river water passed through it to silt it up.