Starting in 1900, dredging, filling, and other alterations to the Anacostia River destroyed this marsh habitat, and many of the plants that had previously absorbed water and prevented erosion could not survive. For years, local residents urged the city and the federal government to improve water quality in the Anacostia River. As a result, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments launched the Kenilworth Marsh Project, and during the 1900s, over 32 acres of tidal wetland were restored and native vegetation was reintroduced to provide habitat for native wildlife.