Friends of Cabin John Creek, the volunteer nonprofit that stewards the waterway running through Potomac, earned Montgomery Parks' "Most Remarkable Growth" recognition for its 2025 watershed cleanup work.

The recognition honors FoCJC for expanding its cleanup impacts more than any other watershed group in the county last year, the group announced on its website. Specific metrics behind the award, such as pounds of trash removed or number of events held, were not detailed in the announcement.

The timing matters. Cabin John Creek flows through Rockville, Bethesda, Potomac and Cabin John before draining into the Potomac River near the C&O Canal. That's just upstream of where the 72-inch Potomac Interceptor sewer line collapsed in January, dumping approximately 243 million gallons of raw sewage into the river.

"We're concerned about potential algae blooms and fish kills this summer," Dean Naujoks of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network told NPR in March. Water testing nine days after the collapse showed fecal bacteria levels more than 2,700 times the safe limit set by Maryland and Virginia.

FoCJC's cleanups target trash along the creek and its tributaries, preventing debris from reaching the Potomac downstream. The group held a cleanup at Cabin John Local Park, 7401 MacArthur Blvd., in April in partnership with Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County.

Broader county efforts

Montgomery Parks itself exceeded its 2025 stormwater pollution reduction goal, treating runoff from more than 71 acres of impervious surfaces, above the required 66.5 acres under its federal stormwater permit. Miti Figueredo, director of Montgomery Parks, credited the department's scientists, engineers and maintenance teams for surpassing the target.

How to get involved

FoCJC accepts volunteers as interns, event supporters, program organizers, and board members. Residents looking to reduce stormwater runoff from their own property can find the group's rain planter installation guide at cabinjohncreek.org. The devices slow rainwater before it reaches storm drains and the creek.

For the current schedule of cleanups and volunteer opportunities, visit cabinjohncreek.org.