Photos: Fall colors, high water and further erosion in Rock Creek Park and the Soapstone Valley

by Marlene Berlin

I went to explore our creeks after a storm dropped just under 1.5 inches of rain overnight Saturday and Sunday morning. Here’s what I found.

After a long dry spell, it felt refreshing to be out on wet trails. Streamlets reappeared.

And the sound of roaring water made a comeback. Rock Creek flowed swiftly under Joyce Bridge.

Thanks to the trail work and advocacy by the Black Horse Trail Preservation Club, rip rap held the bank firm and prevented flooding onto the trail.

And what a delight to see fall colors bursting out everywhere I looked – above, below and right in front of me.

Broad Branch Stream was calm with a beautiful reflection of fall colors.

Soapstone Creek was high, making the three crossings to get to Audubon Terrace a bit of a challenge.

The downside of a considerable amount of rain over a short period? The runoff and erosion. The water pouring from storm sewer outfall F-140 at the southern end of Linnean Avenue continues to make its own path…

…instead of flowing through the established drainage area into Soapstone Creek. The stormwater conveyance below was constructed by the DC Department of Energy and the Environment a few years ago where Linnean Avenue dead-ends to the north of Soapstone Valley. It is supposed to guide and slow the stormwater and stabilize the slope.

This outfall needs some attention. DC Water mentioned it in the 2019 environmental assessment of the Soapstone Valley sewer rehabilitation plan as one of the storm sewer outfalls in need of work.

The National Park Service, which is DC Water’s project partner, collected public comments on the environmental assessment until August 2nd. Now, the community waits to learn whether this and other planned Soapstone Valley work will commence.