How We Celebrated Our First 100th Year

The National Capital Section of ASCE celebrated its 100th year in 2016. During our Centennial Year, all activities had a centennial focus. We held walking, driving, and boating tours of civil engineering landmarks located in the nation's capital region. We had a monthly article on Outstanding Civil Engineers in our Monthly Newsletter, and participated in two major Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math events, including the Science and Engineering Festival where we highlighted civil engineering to over 10,000 students, teachers, and parents. Our lasting tribute to our first hundred years was a coffee table book, Engineering the Nation's Capital, that features memorable civil engineering projects from our past. The highlight of our Centennial was a day-long Centennial Conference held on June 3, 2016 that featured Technical Sessions, Panel Discussions, and Exhibits.

Presented by Jeff Seltzer, PE, Associate Director, Stormwater Management Division
District Department of Energy & Environment

The Anacostia River Watershed covers portions of the District of Columbia, Prince George’s, and Montgomery County in Maryland. The Watershed is approximately 176 square miles in area and approximately 18 percent of its land area lies in the District. The river is entirely tidal in the District while the upstream land area in Maryland is primarily non-tidal.

The Anacostia River, once a pristine river is now degraded, mainly due to its highly urbanized character and decades of industrial and urban activities throughout the watershed. The river is the focus of large-scale restoration efforts by the District of Columbia government. The District Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) has taken the lead in restoration efforts and is working to transform the Anacostia River into a fishable and swimmable river.

During the first Section Meeting of 2016, on January 19, Jeff Seltzer of the District's DOEE, discussed:

  • The history of the Anacostia River and issues that have impacted its health
  • Current conditions of the Anacostia River
  • Modeling performed to determine the required level of effort to restore the river
  • Current public initiatives to restore the river
  • The outlook for accelerated restoration efforts leveraging public and private investments

Jeff Seltzer is the Associate Director for the Stormwater Management Division at the DOEE. In this role, he is responsible for the District’s stormwater management initiatives that improve the quality of the District’s tributaries and rivers, and ensure compliance with federal stormwater requirements. He manages an annual budget of approximately $18M that is used for capital projects as well as the administration of the District’s stormwater program. Jeff is a Professional Civil Engineer with over twenty years of experience. Prior to joining DOEE, Jeff worked as a Program Manager for the District Department of Transportation where he was responsible for water quality initiatives and capital projects under the District’s Anacostia Waterfront Initiative. Additionally, Jeff was the manager of Capital Projects for the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation that was charged with redeveloping over 2,000 acres along the Anacostia River.