Arboretum in Northeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Restoring an Urban Stream
Welcome to Springhouse Run, a restored waterway that provides the same ecological benefits as the natural stream that flowed through this valley long ago.
Throughtout the 1800s, as the city grew into the watershed, trash and other pollutants made their way into the stream. In the early 1900s, wastes from a nearby brickyard were also dumped here. After the Flood Control Act of 1936, it was straightened and channeled in the name of progress, as were many urban streams.
The U.S. National Arboretum and the DC Department of Energy and Environment joined forces to restore Springhouse Run. Arboretum staff, interns, and volunteers collected seed from local populations of more than 75 species of native plants and grew more than 30,000 plants for the project. The restored landscape, designed to mirror plant communities native to this area, will serve as a genetic resource for threatened native flora and as a case study in the field of restoration horticulture.
[Captions:]
Before restoration, invasive plants hid a concrete channel that sped the movement of water, sediment, and pollutants toward the Anacostia River.
In 2017, the concrete channel was removed. Boulders, cobble, gravel, sand, and woody debris were placed in the streambed, and planting began.
Large pools now slow the stream flow, recharging groundwater and providing wildlife habitat. Plants reduce erosion, filter pollutants, and cool the stream.
Erected by U.S.
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Horticulture & Forestry • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1936.
Location. 38° 54.793′ N, 76° 57.899′ W. Marker is in Northeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Arboretum. It is on Valley Road Northeast north of Meadow Road Northeast, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1700 Valley Rd NE, Washington DC 20002, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: "There are no borders in bonsai…" (approx. 0.2 miles away); Bonsai Pioneer (approx. 0.2 miles away); Inherited Wealth (approx. 0.2 miles away); An Art Form Is Born (approx.
Other markers no longer nearby. If trees could talk… (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); What shape do you see? (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been permanently removed).
Credits. This page was last revised on November 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 1, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 1, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
