Rock Creek - Soapstone Creek

Soapstone Creek is located in Soapstone Valley Park, near Connecticut Avenue. Five stormwater outfalls empty into Soapstone Creek. **WARNING: SWIMMING IS PROHIBITED IN D.C. RIVERS AND STREAMS, REGARDLESS OF THE CURRENT STATUS** A “green” rating is demonstrative of the E. coli levels at one point in time. Rock Creek is designated as a Class A waterway, which means primary contact, however the DC Department of Health (DOH) bans swimming in Rock Creek due to sewage overflows. The risk of high bacteria levels after a heavy rain storm is the only reason it is considered “unsafe” to swim in the waterways. The activation of the Clean Rivers Project in DC is expected to reduce system wide combined sewage overflow by 96%, getting us significantly closer to swimmable rivers in DC 365 days a year. When there is a red "special status" update, there has been a combined sewage overflow (CSO) in the past 48 hours. This means it is extremely likely there are unsafe levels of bacteria in the river, and it is recommended to be extra cautious if you are close to the river or come in contact with the water.