Hickey Run is a

tributary A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...

stream of the

Anacostia River The Anacostia River is a river in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States. It flows from Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, D.C., where it joins with the Washington Channel to empty into the Potomac River at Buzzard Point. ...

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Course

The historic

headwaters The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source. Definition The ...

of the stream originate in the Langdon area in Northeast Washington (in the southwest corner of the Langdon Park Community/Recreation Center), however at present this portion of the stream and its tributaries are enclosed in underground pipes and

culvert A culvert is a structure that channels water past an obstacle or to a subterranean waterway. Typically embedded so as to be surrounded by soil, a culvert may be made from a pipe, reinforced concrete or other material. In the United Kingdom ...

s. The daylight portion of the stream can be seen south of New York Avenue, in the National Arboretum, and the stream continues southeast about 1 mile (1.6 km) to the Anacostia, which drains to the

Potomac River The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augus ...

and the

Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the ...

. The

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

area of Hickey Run is about 2.08 mi² (5.4 km²).U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Chesapeake Bay Field Office. Annapolis, MD
''Hickey Run, Washington, D.C. Watershed and Stream Assessment.''
December 2005. Report No. CBFO-S05-01.AWRP

Accessed 2013-11-18. In the 19th century, before

urbanization Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly t ...

, the stream network consisted of the Hickey Run main stem and 15 tributaries, totaling over . Today there are 6 tributaries along with the main stem, totaling 2.3 mi (3.7 km).

Water pollution

Hickey Run is in a highly

urbanized ''Urbanized'' is a documentary film directed by Gary Hustwit and released on 26 October 2011. It is considered the third of a three-part series on design known as the Design Trilogy; the first being ''Helvetica'', about the typeface, and the seco ...

area and its

water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...

has been rated as poor by government agencies. The watershed has a large amount of

impervious surface Impervious surfaces are mainly artificial structures—such as pavements (roads, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots, as well as industrial areas such as airports, ports and logistics and distribution centres, all of which use considerable p ...

s, which along with the piped tributaries, has led to large amounts of

urban runoff Urban runoff is surface runoff of rainwater, landscape irrigation, and car washing created by urbanization. Impervious surfaces (roads, parking lots and sidewalks) are constructed during land development. During rain , storms and other precipit ...

(

stormwater Stormwater, also spelled storm water, is water that originates from precipitation (storm), including heavy rain and meltwater from hail and snow. Stormwater can soak into the soil ( infiltrate) and become groundwater, be stored on depressed la ...

)

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...

in the stream, including oil and grease, and

bacteria Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...

. The D.C. Department of the Environment has ongoing monitoring and public education activities for Hickey Run, and has plans for

stream restoration Stream restoration or river restoration, also sometimes referred to as river reclamation, is work conducted to improve the environmental health of a river or stream, in support of biodiversity, recreation, flood management and/or landscape developm ...

projects.District of Columbia. Department of the Environment
''DDOE Stormwater Activities.''
Accessed 2007-12-05. Other agencies assisting in Hickey Run improvements include the Anacostia Watershed Restoration Partnership, the National Arboretum and the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with oth ...

References

External links

Photographs of Hickey Run"The Fate of Hickey Run of the Anacostia Watershed"
- Video/graphic presentation of development history in the watershed
Anacostia Watershed SocietyAnacostia Watershed Restoration Partnership
{{coord, 38.908142, -76.957469, region:US-DC_type:river, display=title Anacostia River Rivers of Washington, D.C.

Course

Water pollution

See also

References

External links