Anacostia River
| Anacostia River | |
 Anacostia River adjacent to the United States National Arboretum
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| Country | United States |
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| States | Maryland, District of Columbia |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Northeast Branch |
| - right | Northwest Branch |
| Source | |
| - location | Bladensburg, Maryland |
| - coordinates | 38°56′33″N 76°56′38″W / 38.94250°N 76.94389°W |
| Mouth | Potomac River |
| - location | Washington, D.C. |
| - elevation | 3 ft (1 m) |
| - coordinates | 38°51′13″N 77°01′13″W / 38.85361°N 77.02028°WCoordinates: 38°51′13″N 77°01′13″W / 38.85361°N 77.02028°W |
| Length | 8.4 mi (14 km) |
| Basin | 176 sq mi (456 km2) |
| Topo map | USGS Alexandria |
 Anacostia River Watershed
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The Anacostia River /ænəˈkɒstiə/ 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. It is approximately 8.7 miles (14.0 km) long. The name "Anacostia" derives from the area's early history as Nacotchtank, a settlement of Necostan or Anacostan Native Americans on the banks of the Anacostia River.
Heavy pollution in the Anacostia and weak investment and development along its banks have led to it becoming what many have called "D.C.'s forgotten river." In recent years, however, private organizations, local businesses, and the D.C., Maryland and federal governments have made joint efforts to reduce its pollution levels in order to protect the ecologically valuable Anacostia watershed.
The mainstem of the Anacostia is formed by the confluence of the Northwest Branch and the Northeast Branch just north of Bladensburg, Maryland. Tributaries of these sources include Sligo Creek, Paint Branch, Little Paint Branch, Indian Creek; Upper Beaverdam Creek, Dueling Branch, and Brier's Mill Run. Tributaries of the mainstem Anacostia include Watts Branch, Lower Beaverdam Creek and Hickory Run.
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