Don’t make plans to take a dip in the Potomac River any time soon. According to the Potomac River “Report Card,” a report released by the Potomac Conservancy every two years, the river’s health has stalled, neither improving nor declining. The “Nation’s River” earned its second consecutive “B” grade in the last two years, for a total of five Bs in the past decade.
The report shows a marked improvement from the river’s alarming “D” score in 2011. As a result of decades of work, “bald eagles soar, more wildlife habitat is protected, and people are flocking outside to picnic, paddle, hike, and connect to their hometown river,” the report says. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment levels are down, and “over 20% of the Potomac’s forest and farmland is now conserved,” with 245,000 acres protected in the last two years alone.
However, challenges remain, which means the river still can’t be used for fishing or swimming. Polluted runoff from urban and suburban environments is growing due to “rapid deforestation and extreme weather,” including droughts and torrential downpours. Weakened federal clean water regulations and lower conservation funding pose threats to the gains the Potomac River has made over the past few years.
To raise the Potomac River’s health score to a coveted “A,” the report advocates for protecting healthy forests, restoring streams and habitats, defending water protection laws, and activating community conservation.
Dara T. Mathis is a journalist and nonfiction writer who joined Washingtonian in Fall 2025 as an Editorial Fellow. A 2024 recipient of the American Mosaic Journalism Prize, she resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
