The Potomac River is emblematic of all rivers in the USA. As the river that flows through America’s capitol, it has symbolic significance. In practical terms too, the Potomac River provides a test of stewardship. If Washington D.C.’s river can’t get the attention of Congress and the White House, other rivers certainly won’t.

That seems to be the situation, as the health of the Potomac River is falling into neglect. Once, there was a turnaround story for the Potomac. In the first half of the 20th century, the Potomac became increasingly polluted, until the river was almost dead, but then, after attention to the Potomac brought water pollution to the attention of politicians, the river became cleaner.

The good news continued for a couple of decades, but then, increased development and exploitation of the land around the Potomac came. Now, the Potomac Conservancy is issuing a report card for the cleanliness of America’s capitol river, and it’s bad news: It only gets a D plus.

Has America fallen so low in its expectations that a D plus will be regarded as good enough?

(Source: (Potomac Conservancy, November 13, 2007)

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