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Work Session Summaries 2026
Page history
last edited
by Mary.Ellsworth 1 day, 15 hours ago
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Section5
west end
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Section4 |
Section3 |
Section2 |
Section1
east end |
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Bioswale Work Session - DC Strokes
Sunday, July 18, 2026
Almost a dozen crew members from DC Strokes came out in the heat and poor AQI (164) to work in the bioswale. A good rain last night made the ground softer and easier to pull the invasive Loosestrife, roots & all. We finished up early (out bef 11am) but accomplished 4 important tasks this morning. The new Tiger Jaw tool was deemed to be very helpful against the False Indigobush - a 2nd one would greatly speed up the work.
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Tasks accomplished today
 Tried the new Tiger Jaw on the False Indigobush, followed by daubing root killer laced w blue dye
Cleared around bioswale sign, put vinegar on wire grass, and lay two bags of mulch
Staked the 3 new paw paw saplings
Continued removing invasive Purple Loosestrife.
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 Locating then staking the new paw paws. |
Even tho we had rain and the ground was wet, they gave the paw paw saplings an extra boost of water.
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Removing invasive Loosestrife, section 4
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Removing Loosestrife, section 1
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Tasks for August work session
Remove Phragmites from Section 1
Clear vines fr bushes along path to TT.
Cut down False Indigobush w new tool. Daub
Hack & squirt the Tree of Heaven sapling
Limb up River Birch by Paddler's
Put fencing on River Birches, Sec 1, etc
Pull vines off River Birches, Section 1 & 5
Put cages on the new Paw Paw
Limb up the Paddler's River Birch
Cont. removing invasive Purple Loosestrife
Request new watershed map from AWS.
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 These four used the new Tiger Jaws to cut into the False Indigo stand. Then used a dauber to poison the cut stem. |
 These are cut stems with blue dye. The dauber poison bottle also had dye to help see where the cut stems are. |
 They were a terrific team! Tiger Jaws & dauber |
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The Tiger Jaw's 65° angled head design allows for cuts level with the ground.
Now we can cut False Indigobush without leaving short stubs that are a serious tripping
hazard in the tall grass. We anticipate this tool will be a great help in controlling
aggressive False Indigobush, which is a problem due to it's 12-15' height.
Left unattended a few years ago, False Indigobush (along with black walnut) totally
obliterated the boathouse view of the river!
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Bioswale Work Session - Wakefield HS
Sunday, June 28, 2026
Wakefield Crew along with parents and family worked diligently in the rain 🌧️ this morning! It let up a bit as we started to work, and came on strong again as we were finishing up. Great spirit and enthusiasm with this group!
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Tasks accomplished today
 Cleared thick porcelainberry from the fence near bioswale sign.
Cleared around bioswale sign and rocks.
Raked sections 2 & 3 after it had been mowed
Started removing invasive Purple Loosestrife.
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 Clearing around the bioswale sign |
 Removing vines from fence and rocks |
 Raking after Landscaper has mowed |
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 Removing invasive Purple Loosestrife |
 Trash picker uppers working in Section 5 |
 Two volunteers removing Purple Loosestrife Way Over There! |
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Tasks for JULY work session
Remove Phragmites from Section 1
Hack & squirt the Tree of Heaven sapling
Put fencing on River Birches, Sec 1, etc
Pull vines off River Birches, Section 1 & 5
Cut down False Indigobush w new tool
Mulch the bioswale sign area
Use vinegar on the wiregrass, bioswale sign
Stake the new Paw Paw
Cont. removing invasive Purple Loosestrife
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Bioswale Work Session - Capital Rowing Club
Saturday, May 31, 2026
A dozen volunteers from Capital Rowing Club removed a ton of vines from the plaza riverside fence, removed False Indigobush, section 4, and planted three new Paw Paw trees.
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Tasks accomplished today
Cleared thick porcelainberry and clematis vines from the plaza fence.
Cut & removed False Indigobush, section 4
Planted 3 paw paw saplings donated from Mary T's yard.
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The fence, BEFORE ....
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Cutting and digging False Indigobush
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Tasks for JUNE work session
Remove Phragmites from Section 1
Slash & poison the Tree of Heaven sapling
Clear around the bioswale sign
Put wire fencing on River Birches, Sec 1
Pull vines off River Birches, Section 1
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Mary T planting Paw Paw saplings with
help from other volunteers
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 One of three little Paw Paws.
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 Three new Paw Paws to bring delight and fresh
fruit to out community!
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 AWS EARTH DAY Clean up @ACBA
Saturday, April 25, 2026
AWS registered 50+ volunteers for the boathouse clean up site. In the end we counted at least 68 volunteers plus the 9 ACBA event leaders, for a total of 77 Earth Day volunteers. Groups such as RK&K (Rummel, Klepper & Kahl, LLP), the Samberg Foundation, Emen Akpan, and a large contingency from the Stonewall Sports Kickball team.
The data collected (#'s of bags) today will be used to support Bottle BIlls in DC and Prince George's County.
 ACBA volunteers set up the CRC canopy. THANK YOU DC Jrs for working out a way to share this! |
 Tables, registration, Earth flags, free gloves, wheelbarrows - everything in place as AWS registration begins to arrive. |
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 Each group leader (5 of them) met their volunteers and gave an orientation. Coach Morgan here did a great presentation. |
 Coach Morgan explains the Anacostia watershed where we'll be working.
All groups started out by about 11:15.
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 About 1.5 hours later groups began to return with trash for the dumpster. These kids rolled 4 tires all the way! |
 Under the PA Ave brigde - a handgun was found. Police came quickly to take it. |
We put the tires outside the ACBA gate and will request a DC pick up by calling 311
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 Not all trash was brought back to the boathouse. The group leaders created GPS locations to share with 311 for pick up |
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We raise our grabbers high, victorious in the conquest of 20 bags of recyclables (blue), 22 bags of trash (black), 4 car tires, a hand gun, a bike frame, and large items in several piles of trash out along the route (we'll call 311 for those). How can working so hard be so much fun? Who knows, but that's what everyone claimed!
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Bioswale Work Session - Gonzaga Day of Service
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Gonzaga rowed 14 miles in the morning and then spent 3 hours of hard work in the bioswale! We also welcomed GT Visitation rowers. They removed invasive Clematis and brambles, and dug up False Indigobush mostly in section 4. They cleared the M St fence in prep for building of new boat racks. Coach Meehan mowed. Excellent team-work!
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Seeking out vines & other invasives to dig them out,
roots & all.
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Filling the dumpster with many wheelbarrow trips.
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Trash pick up around the whole facility.
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Tasks accomplished today
Removed brambles, sec 4
Removed tons of False Indigobush, all sections
Dug up SA Clematis, all sections
Picked up a ton of trash, over the whole facility
Removed vines from fence, beside boathouse
Picked up old brush piles from previous work session
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Compacting the brush in the dumpster
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Vines were cleared from this fence
to make gate work better
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Tasks for MAY work session
Move piles of brush/vines to the dumpster
Remove vines from two more trees in Section 1
Remove the large Bush Honey suckle, Section 1 (and any other)
Remove wire fencing from River Birches and replace with larger fences
Clean up the fencing around the Magnolia, section 1
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Jim uses his chain saw to remove stubborn
stumps from seawall, section 5
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Coach Meehan brought his heavy duty weed
whacker and cleared the edge of sec 2
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Excellent work by Gonzaga boys and staff to
clear heavy vines from the fence here.
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Hard working Gonzaga Fr, So, Jr, & Sr rowing teams, and Georgetown Visitation rowers
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Coach Daley provided his truck to help move vines &
brush removed from the fence after clearing the area
where new racks will be built.
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Work Session Summaries 2026
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The fence, AFTER. 
ACBA Freshwater Mussel Project
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