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Photo of severe streambank erosion and downcutting.

Fort Dupont Creek Stream and Wetland Restoration Project

National Capital Parks - East » Fort Dupont Creek Stream and Wetland Restoration Project » Document List

Fort Dupont Creek is suffering from high rates of bank erosion due to stormwater flows entering the stream system during storm events combined with sandy soils prone to erosion. The District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) and the National Park Service (NPS) are preparing design plans for 9 project areas encompassing approximately 18,600 linear feet of stream restoration on Fort Dupont Creek and its tributaries and stormwater outfall stabilization in southeast Washington, DC. All project areas are on parklands administered by the NPS, primarily in the confines of Fort Dupont Park.

The need for the proposal is to restore the degraded stream channel exhibiting high rates of bank erosion and channel incision (downcutting) and degraded habitats. These issues are the result of past and current excessive, concentrated stormwater flow from outside the park boundaries and past alterations of the stream network and valley associated with land development within the Park. High erosion rates lead to poor water quality, poor aquatic habitat conditions, loss of canopy trees, and excessive sediment loads; ultimately, affecting the Anacostia River, an important sub watershed of the Chesapeake Bay.

The purpose of the proposal is to improve stream, floodplain, and wetland conditions in the Fort Dupont Watershed making it resilient to future changes. Specifically, we aim to accomplish the following: reconnect the existing eroded channels to the historic wetland/floodplain elevations, stabilize stormwater outfalls and streambanks to prevent export of sediment and associated nutrients, improve instream water quality and aquatic habitat conditions, preserve the existing riparian forest and minimize impacts to the maximum extent practicable, and enhance riparian conditions through establishment of native vegetative communities and invasive species control.

Background and Conception:
The Fort Dupont watershed is part of the District of Columbia's Anacostia River Watershed Implementation Plan (WIP) approved in 2012 by the EPA. DOEE and NPS were looking to institute a comprehensive watershed restoration project for the Ft. Dupont watershed. The projects to be explored and assessed are consistent with the project inventory of the Anacostia WIP. DOEE continues to work in watersheds across the District but the unique and highly forested nature of the Fort Dupont watershed requires watershed restoration attention and presents a great opportunity for long-term stability.

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To submit a formal comment to the EA (due electronically or postmarked by 10/5/2023):

Online:
In the menu to the left, select "Open for Comment", click on the Environmental Assessment document, and "Comment Now".

U.S. Mail:
Superintendent
ATTN: Fort Dupont Creek Stream and Wetland Restoration Project
National Capital Parks - East
1900 Anacostia Drive, SE
Washington, DC 20020

Contact Information

For information contact:

Josh Burch, Project Manager
DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE)
202-734-9527

Catherine Dewey, Resource Management Lead
National Capital Parks-East
catherine_dewey@nps.gov