1984

• Northern Virginia Waste Water Treatment Plants voluntarily impose a phosphorus limit. Virginia passes a de-chlorination initiative.

1985

• Maryland initiates a phosphate ban and a striped bass moratorium.

1986

• All major waste water treatment plants in the metro Washington area have achieved phosphorus removal.
• D.C. initiates a phosphate detergent ban.
• SAV distribution is now over 3,600 acres. Mechanical harvesting of hydrilla is initiated

1988

• Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant starts removing chlorine.
• A survey finds 78 species of fish in the metro Washington Potomac.
• Virginia initiates a phosphate ban.

1989

• Maryland finds dioxin in North Branch fish.
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are found in Shenandoah fish.
• PCBs and chlordane are found in fish in the Washington, D.C. area.
• The Annual Potomac River Cleanup begins with its first two sites at the Alice Ferguson Foundation and the National Colonial Farm in Accokeek, Maryland