Conservation groups raise alarm as Potomac River named most endangered in the nation

The Potomac River, a vital source of drinking water for over six million people across Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C., has been named the most endangered river in the country by the national nonprofit American Rivers. The designation follows a massive 243-million-gallon sewage spill in Maryland earlier this year and is largely driven by the unchecked expansion of water-intensive data centers in Northern Virginia. Pat Calvert, Virginia conservation director for American Rivers, warned that the river "cannot continue to sustain the rapid expansion of water-guzzling data centers" and urged immediate action. Environmental groups like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Nature Forward echoed these concerns. Allison Hooper Prost of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation called the designation a "wake-up call" for infrastructure investment. Lydia Lawrence of Nature Forward emphasized the serious threats posed by "unchecked data center development" and the pipeline spill. The Potomac Conservancy reported that while data centers account for only 1% of water withdrawals in the Washington metro area, they represent 9% of annual consumptive use and up to 12% in summer. These organizations are calling on federal, state, and local legislators to implement policies protecting the river and to restore Clean Water Act grants to fund essential wastewater projects.