But you still shouldn’t swim in it. Teach your kids not to swim in the Potomac River. The 9th annual Washington’s Crossing is the only open water race in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia that spans the width of the Potomac River. I would head a lot further down the river, like Colonial Beach, as far as going swimming in the Potomac. That's why people die every single year swimming in it. Fantastic swimming with a ton of fun highlighted the long awaited swim in the Nation’s River. Potomac Riverkeeper Network staff, interns, and volunteers monitor water quality at several locations along the Potomac River in partnership with Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and other non-profit organizations. Athletes in the 2017 Nation’s Triathlon swim in the Potomac River in Washington, DC. You have no idea what's going on under the surface. Third: At the end of the road, park and walk a short way to the Potomac River. There is a big swimming hole about 200-300 yards downstream in the Potomac. An interesting big cave formation above it on a hillside. The Potomac River has a lazy, sleepy, calm surface and a strong undercurrent. A swim in the Potomac? PHOTO, PHOTO There are several rocks to jump off of and 2 pools that are 10-15 feet deep. Image copyright William MacFarland, MacFarlandPhoto.net. 11/02/2020 14:19 Subject: Can you swim in the Potomac River? Over 100 Swimmers complete Washington’s Crossing - Historic 2-Way Potomac Swim. Not only is the river home to a growing number of swimming paddling and rowing competitions, recreation, tourism, but it also supplies the drinking water to most of the metropolitan area. There may be some truth to that however, as in 2007 the race directors sent many e-mails basically saying “Swim pending water tests”, whereas in 2008 there wasn’t a single e-mail that mentioned “Pending testing”. “It was 1966, and I remember visiting Mount Vernon and going down to the dock,” recalls Nardolilli, now executive director of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River … Don't do it. Colonial Beach The boardwalk features shops and eateries that cater to tourists and residents alike, while fishermen enjoy the 500-foot fishing pier and boaters have their choice of numerous marinas. grandest natural resource, the Potomac River. When Mike Nardolilli was ten, his grandparents brought him to Washington for the first time. Rowers practice on the Potomac River near the Key Bridge in Georgetown in 2017. Washington’s Crossing: Swim Across the Potomac River Sunday August 16th, 2020. The river’s remarkable recovery makes that a possibility, report says. It is a great and refreshing hole. It’s the hottest and most humid part of the year and pools are closed…a dip in the Potomac River or … Update and Results Aug 23, 2020 - WaveOne Open Water and National Harbor hosted the first open water swimming race of 2020 in America. So there ya go – my extremely scientific analysis says the Potomac river is getting cleaner. It ultimately lies with each of us to protect the health of the river. While much of the river runs through mountainous terrain, the Potomac does have several large public beaches.