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UDC
UDC
CAUSES / WRRI

DC Water Resources Data Dashboard

Monitoring, analysis, and visualization of water quality data across the Anacostia River watershed. Integrating research from UDC's Water Resources Research Institute with environmental data for DC communities.

12 Monitoring Stations
Anacostia Watershed
USGS Data Integration
EPA Standards Tracking
Data Sources: Water quality readings are ingested from USGS NWIS real-time sensors (sites 01651000, 01649500, 01651827, 01651750, 01651800, 01651770) and EPA Water Quality Portal lab results (HUC 02070010). USGS data refreshes every 6 hours; EPA WQP daily; broad WQP parameters weekly. Initial seed values are progressively replaced by measured data as ingestion runs accumulate — each reading is tagged with its source (USGS, EPA WQP, or Seed). Green infrastructure sites (GI-001 through GI-003) are BMP installations measuring stormwater retention performance. Station locations from DC GIS. EPA thresholds follow the 2012 Recreational Water Quality Criteria (E. coli: 410 CFU/100mL single-sample). This is a research and educational tool developed by UDC CAUSES/WRRI.

Interactive Watershed Map

Anacostia River, tributaries, monitoring stations — toggle layers with the control panel

USGS & DOEE monitoring network
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Water Quality Timeline — 2026

Seasonal variation in water quality parameters

Mar 2026
Mar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Good quality
Moderate
Poor quality
E. coli severity: 160% of peak

Water Quality Analysis

Historical trends and current conditions across four key monitoring parameters. Dissolved oxygen and E. coli levels are compared against EPA recreational water quality standards. Data is sourced from USGS NWIS sensors and the EPA Water Quality Portal for the Anacostia watershed (HUC 02070010).

Dissolved Oxygen Trends

Monthly average (mg/L) — 2026

Research baseline (USGS/EPA/DOEE). Real sensor data will overlay as ingestion runs.

Water Temperature

Monthly average (°F) — 2026

Research baseline.

E. coli Levels

Monthly average (CFU/100mL) — 2026

Stormwater Runoff Volume

Monthly totals (million gallons) — 2026

Estimates based on NOAA precipitation normals and DC DOEE MS4 reports.

Multi-Parameter Overview

Correlate dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, and turbidity on a unified timeline. Parameter relationships reveal how seasonal changes and storm events affect overall water health — for example, elevated turbidity after rainfall often coincides with depressed dissolved oxygen levels.

Multi-Parameter Overview

Water quality trends — 2026

Research baseline — real data overlays as ingestion accumulates.

Environmental Justice

Water quality issues disproportionately affect communities in DC's eastern wards. Combined sewer overflows (CSOs), impervious surface coverage, and limited green space access are interconnected factors that UDC's WRRI tracks across all eight wards to support equitable environmental policy and community-led restoration.

Ward-Level Environmental Justice Analysis

Combined sewer overflow frequency, impervious surface coverage, and green space access by DC ward. Wards 7 and 8 — home to much of the Anacostia watershed — consistently experience higher CSO event counts and lower green space access, reflecting longstanding environmental inequities that UDC research aims to address.

Ward 1
Low
4 CSOs
Ward 2
Low
6 CSOs
Ward 3
Low
1 CSOs
Ward 4
Low
3 CSOs
Ward 5
Medium
8 CSOs
Ward 6
Medium
12 CSOs
Ward 7
High
18 CSOs
Ward 8
High
22 CSOs

Combined Sewer Overflow Events (Annual)

Green Space Access (%)

Key finding: Wards with the highest impervious surface coverage tend to have more CSO events and less green space, contributing to degraded water quality in nearby waterways. Green infrastructure investments — bioretention, permeable pavement, and rain gardens — are a primary strategy tracked by UDC WRRI to reduce runoff and improve equity outcomes.

Monitoring Stations

All 12 stations across the Anacostia, Potomac, and Rock Creek watersheds. Click any row to view detailed readings, historical charts, and data export options for that station. Data provenance badges indicate whether readings come from USGS sensors, EPA WQP records, or the seed dataset.