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Potomac River ranks No. 1 on new list of ‘Most Endangered Rivers’

Historic sewage spill, data centers threaten water availability, quality, advocacy group says Your support keeps Bethesda Today reporting on the issues Montgomery County cares about. The Potomac River is the most endangered river in the country,...

Dan Murphy • •1 min read
Potomac River ranks No. 1 on new list of ‘Most Endangered Rivers’
Environment & Climate

Potomac River ranks No. 1 on new list of ‘Most Endangered Rivers’

Historic sewage spill, data centers threaten water availability, quality, advocacy group says

By

Thomas Robertson - WTOP

April 15, 2026 9:25 a.m.

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    Creek where wastewater from the Potomac Interceptor sewer line reached fed into the Potomac River
    Creek where wastewater from the Potomac Interceptor sewer line reached fed into the Potomac River. Photo credit: Elia Griffin

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    The Potomac River is the most endangered river in the country, according to a new ranking done by the nonprofit American Rivers.

    The organization cited two factors in its decision: January’s historic sewage spill that sent hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage flowing into the river, and the expanding footprint of data centers in the D.C. area that threaten water availability and quality, according to American Rivers.

    Read more on WTOP.com.

    This article was written by Bethesda Today’s partner WTOP News and republished with permission. Sign up for WTOP’s breaking news, traffic and weather alerts and emails today.

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    Originally published at Bethesdamagazine