In 1608, John Smith and a small crew from the Jamestown colony were the first settlers to sail up the Anacostia River in what is now modern-day Washington, D.C. At the time of John Smith's journey up the river, he noted the crystal-clear conditions of the waters he sailed up. Now, over 400 years after Smith's journey on the river, the river finds itself in a vastly different state. The Anacostia River suffers greatly from pollution due to industrial dumping and storm runoff from the nation’s capital.

The Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) has made it its goal to improve the river's water quality and the surrounding ecosystem. Through the cultivation of wild rice to help the river naturally filter its water and help with sediment levels, garbage collection to remove waste from the river, and holding community events to help raise interest in the health of the river are some of the ways that AWS hopes to return the river to its former status.