Tour of Quincy Run

WELCOME TO QUINCY RUN WATERSHED

A

B

C

D

E

F

A Bladensburg Waterfront Park

B WSSC Maintenance Facility

C Bladensburg Neighborhood Park

D 50th Ave Storm Water Pond

E Evergreen Cemetary

F Cheverly Nature Park

CHEVERLY NATURE PARK:

Cheverly Nature Park is an 11 acres dedicated green space within the larger Cheverly community. The a sign describing the historic Crawford's Adventure Spring marks the park's entrance from Lockwood Road. The Park contains no amenities, but it is currently stewarded by the Community Native Plant Project.

THE BIG PIPE:

One third of Quincy Run is piped under the Town of Cheverly. The Big Pipe is the outfall from the storm drain system that conducts springs and run-off from the town to the daylit section of the stream in the median at the exist from the BW Parkway, South.

Poison Ivy grows on the stream bank in this area. Enter the stream only from marked access point, and make sure you recognize poison ivy. Long sleeves and long pants should be worn at this site.
trash accumulates rapidly along the road and near the pipe outfall, and little in the stream itself. Bulk trash accumulates on the south bank.
A small path runs along the neighboring property leading to the pipe outfall. Please respect the neighbors property. Glass bottles and plastic bags find their way here from the near by liquor store. Glass should be collected in buckets and transferred to paper yard bags at the pick-up site. Do not place glass in plastic bags.

MONROE GARDENS:

The Tree Conservation area located behind the Public Playhouse, next door to the Monroe Gardens Apartments is plagued by illegal dumping and trash from the adjacent commercial areas. In 2014, beavers built a dam near the outfall of the small parking lot. It was washed out months later by high water flow from a rainstorm.

Department of the Environment installed a raingarden to catch run-off from the Parking lot of the Cheverly Publick Playhouse.

52nd AVE FOOTBRIDGE:

On the 25th Anniversary of the Anacostia Watershed Society, Friends of Quincy Run planted 25 river birch donated by our sponsors. These trees live above one of the many springs which can be found along Quincy Run. Every Earthday our volunteers tend the trees under the supervision of our Tree Steward. Careful pruning, invasives removal, and mulching will keep them healthy and doing their job - cleaning the air and water, and making a home for native birds and insects.

wetland plants to be planted around the trees.
Work boots recommended.
There is a trash snag constricting the flow. Waders are required here.
Do not pick up trash on the west side of 52nd. State Highway is responsible for this. Traffic moves fast up this road and it is very dangerous for volunteers. SHA uses flagmen and safety cones when they do clean-ups. Please take care crossing this road.

50th AVE STORMWATER POND:

If you don't mind getting muddy and REALLY want to get into the stream, this is the site for you. Please pick up waders and make sure to wear rubber or plastic gloves under your work gloves. The adjacent stream has very high, undercut stream banks.

please work in teams of two or three. Throw bottles and pass large items to your partner on the stream banks.
stack bags below the access point to be passed up bucket brigade style.
test the depth with a stick before entering the water. Some areas are QUITE DEEP. If you are not wearing waders, do not go in the water.

BLADENSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD PARK:

While full of potential, this Park currently has no amenities. There is no indication of entrance except for a curb cut off of Kenilworth Ave which is blocked by a locked cable. The area just east of the culvert under Kenilworth Ave has good access to the stream if the invasives are removed. When the water is safe for human contact, this area would make a nice beach.

WSSC CHANNEL:

The stream section running through the WSSC Lloyd Street facility bisect the parking lot. There is a fuel depot on the south bank. The parking lot is a lare source of pollution with stormwater running directly into the channel from the parking lot.

CONFLUENCE WITH THE ANACOSTIA:

After passing under Kenilworth Ave and the CSX tracks, Quincy Run flows about 600 feet where it joins the Anacostia River. The Anacostia Riverwalk Trail runs along its north bank, separating the stream from the Bladensburg Waterfront Park. WSSC Buildings are located on the south bank of the stream. The riparian area of this stream section is choked with invasive plants. There has been an attempt to reforest this area. A small remnant of a wetland with native plants can be found on the north bank 100 feet from the confluence. A trash trap located at the end of the culvert on the east end of this section would prevent a significant amount of floatable trash from entering the River.

A foot bridge on the ARWT mark the confluence of Quincy Run with the Anacostia River. The 5000 square feet of land west to the seawall on the south bank is call Quincy Point. This previously forested area is part of the thousands of acres of riparian area which was decimated by the emerald ash borer arund 2010. Under direction of the Anacostia Watershed Society, the combined efforts of several groups (including Friends of Quincy Run Watershed) to reforest the area are begining to show promise.

Please post photos of your visit and send us impressions of Quincy Run. Having survived with minimal containment withing pipes and channels, it has potential as a recreation area. Let us know your reactions and observations, and please send me our pictures.