Washington Channel

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title: "Washington Channel" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["anacostia-river", "chesapeake-bay-watershed", "potomac-river-watershed", "bodies-of-water-of-washington,-d.c.", "channels-of-the-united-states", "southwest-(washington,-d.c.)"] topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Channel" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox river"]

FieldValue
nameWashington Channel
imageSW Waterfront, DC.jpg
image_captionView of the Washington Channel from the Southwest Waterfront
source1_locationTidal Basin
mouth_locationAnacostia River at Hains Point
subdivision_type1Country
subdivision_name1United States
length2 mi
source1_elevation0 ft
mouth_elevation0 ft
river_systemPotomac River
::

| name = Washington Channel | image = SW Waterfront, DC.jpg | image_caption = View of the Washington Channel from the Southwest Waterfront | source1_location = Tidal Basin | mouth_location = Anacostia River at Hains Point | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | progression = | length = 2 mi | source1_elevation = 0 ft | mouth_elevation = 0 ft | discharge1_avg = | basin_size = | river_system = Potomac River | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/The_Wharf_2019.jpg" caption="The Wharf development on Washington Channel in 2019"] ::

The Washington Channel is a channel parallel to the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. It is located between the Southwest Waterfront on the east side and East Potomac Park on the west side. The channel is 2 mi long, receives outflow from the Tidal Basin at its north end, and empties into the Anacostia River at Hains Point at its south end. The channel's depth ranges from 8.8 ft to 23 ft.

The Washington Channel's east bank is lined with restaurants, inns, and marinas including Washington Marina, Gangplank Marina (the only liveaboard marina in the District of Columbia), and Capital Yacht Club. The Maine Avenue Fish Market is situated at the north end of the channel, south of the 14th Street Bridge complex. The Titanic Memorial, Fort Lesley J. McNair, the National Defense University, and James Creek Marina are located near the south end of the channel. As of August 2010, USS Sequoia—a former United States presidential yacht—is docked at a pier in the Washington Channel.

Transfer of responsibility

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/EastPotomacParkAerial1935.jpg" caption="Aerial view from the south of East Potomac Park and the Washington Channel, ca. 1935."] ::

On June 16, 2010, District of Columbia Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced a bill (H.R. 5545) into the House of Representatives during the 111th United States Congress that would have transferred responsibility for part of the Washington Channel from the Army Corps of Engineers to the District. The House passed the bill on July 20, 2010.

Norton's bill was part of a larger plan to redevelop the Southwest Waterfront, some goals of which are "to extend docks and increase maritime activity just a short eyeshot from the U.S. Capitol building." The Coast Guard, the Navy, and the Army Corps of Engineers agreed that this transfer "will not affect navigation interests or adversely affect navigation safety." The area under consideration extended from the north end of the Channel to just south of the police pier, totaling 17.84399 acre of water Crossings However, the Senate did not pass the legislation.

Delegate Norton reintroduced the bill into the House of Representatives on February 15, 2011, during the 112th United States Congress. The 2011 bill (H.R. 723) was incorporated into H.R. 2297 (To promote the development of the Southwest waterfront in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes), which became Public Law 112-143 (126 Stat. 990 - 126 Stat. 992) after President Barack Obama signed it on July 9, 2012.

Crossings

References

References

  1. {{cite gnis
  2. (2010). "United States Coast Pilot". National Ocean Service.
  3. "U.S.S. Sequoia - Directions". Sequoia Presidential Yacht Group.
  4. Bill summary and status at [[THOMAS]]: {{USBill. 111. HR. 5545
  5. Neibauer, Michael. (July 20, 2010). "Norton's SW Waterfront Bill Passes". [[Washington Business Journal]].
  6. {{USCongRec. 2010. H5743. (July 20, 2010.)
  7. {{USBill. 112. HR. 723: To deauthorize a portion of the project for navigation, Potomac River, Washington Channel, District of Columbia, under the jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers
  8. {{USStatute. 112. 143. 126. 990. 2012. 07. 09. HR. 2297

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

anacostia-riverchesapeake-bay-watershedpotomac-river-watershedbodies-of-water-of-washington,-d.c.channels-of-the-united-statessouthwest-(washington,-d.c.)