Waterkeepers are known for taking legal actions against polluters and regulators to enforce laws and to ensure cleanup of pollution. But not all pollution issues call for a legal remedy. Sometimes the issues are complicated and we need to employ several different strategies under a campaign. We often have to enlist the community to stop pollution or demand better laws. Sometimes we need a legislative solution or regulatory reform which means we lobby for better laws and comment to improve regulations and permits. We enlist the media’s help to shine a spotlight on an issue. We send out calls for action when we need your voice and need you to show up at public meetings and rallies. Check out our current campaigns and see how you can become involved.

Projects

  • Respect the Shenandoah

    June 24, 2020

    The Shenandoah River and its Valley have long been regarded as among the most beautiful and majestic natural features of America. But for many reasons, the river has suffered over the last few decades. Fish kills and algal outbreaks, associated with manure from unfenced herds of cattle and large poultry

  • Floating Wetland Area National Harbor

    50 Million Mussel Project

    April 21, 2020

    “Putting some Mussel back in the River!” Mussels are so valuable to maintaining water quality — they filter nutrients, toxins, and sediments. The mussels population in the Potomac has suffered but because of their importance, we’re launching the Million Mussel Project to return them to the river so they can

  • Swimmable Potomac River Campaign

    April 1, 2020

    CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: All of the water bodies covered by the bacteria TMDLs in DC are designated as Class A, meaning they are intended to be clean enough for primary contact recreation uses like swimming and kayaking.

  • Potomac Watershed Clean Up Initiative

    March 7, 2020

    Help Us Keep the Potomac Trash-Free Join us at National Harbor or Alexandria Waterfront! From April to October, we have clean up events – the second Saturday of the month at National Harbor and the third Sunday of the month at Oronoco Park at the Alexandria Waterfront.   For National

  • water quality monitoring program

    Citizen Science Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program

    March 5, 2020

    Participate in our Citizen Science Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Program to Make the Potomac Swimmable Again! Part of Potomac Riverkeeper Network’s mission is to improve recreation access. For years it has been illegal to swim in the Potomac River in Washington, DC because high levels of bacteria sometimes make it

  • Cacapon River Capon Bridge WV

    Keep the Cacapon Clean Initiative

    February 3, 2020

    CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: Brent Walls, Upper Potomac Riverkeeper, is a leading figure in The Keep the Cacapon Clean Initiative (KCCI), a cooperative effort along with the Friends of the Cacapon River and Cacapon Institute to focus attention on water quality issues and to engage in “get wet” activities for river enthusiasts.

  • Verso Corporation's Luke Mill

    Verso Corp. / Luke Paper Mill Campaign

    November 19, 2019

    CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: Washington, D.C. – November 19 – Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) today filed a Notice of Intent to Sue (NOI) Verso Corporation, owner of the now-closed Luke, Maryland paper mill, for the ongoing unlawful discharges of a toxic waste called “black liquor” into the North Branch of the Upper

  • Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Plant

    November 14, 2019

    CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: Washington, D.C. – November 14 – Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) today filed a Notice of Intent to sue Charles County, Maryland’s Board of Public Works in federal court for the ongoing unlawful discharges of wastewater from the county’s Mattawoman Wastewater Treatment Plant into the Potomac River and Mattawoman

  • 2017 Algal Outbreak, Deer Rapids, Strasburg VA

    Shenandoah Algae Reporting Campaign

    August 6, 2019

    CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: Algal Outbreaks Continue to Plague the Shenandoah The Shenandoah River and its inhabitants have been suffering from algal outbreaks for years now. We know that a principal source of the problem is nutrient runoff from agricultural operations, and we know that the fish kills directly result from the

  • shenandoah river paddlers

    Green and Prosperous Valley Vision: SRK’s Chesapeake Bay Trust Collaboration

    March 13, 2019

    CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: Shenandoah Valley Clean Water Collaboration Creating a Smart, Green, and Economically Prosperous Watershed Potomac Riverkeeper Network has obtained a $100,000 grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to develop a Shenandoah Valley “Green Vision” through the use of expanded collaborative forums in the Valley that will be focused on