News From Around the Basin – December 12, 2025

River Report: 98% of the watershed is in moderate or severe drought conditions

The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor map released today shows deteriorating conditions across the basin. Almost the entirety of the region is in moderate to severe drought conditions.

Tracking river flows has become more complicated as the temperatures drop. No river flow values were available yesterday for the USGS stream gage at Point of Rocks due to ice, as indicated by the blue bar in the graph. When this occurs, ICPRB CO-OP staff estimate the Point of Rocks flow based on flows from other USGS gages. Predicted warmer temperatures should help alleviate this issue, though.

🌊 Current flow at Point of Rocks is 1580 cubic feet per second (cfs). For reference, the historical low for today is 1050 cfs.

☀️ According to the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center, there was no observed precipitation in the basin over the past 24 hours.

🔮 There is some relief in the forecast with 0.25 – 1 inch of rain possible over the next 3 days.

ICPRB on the World Stage

Earlier this month, Dr. Alimatou Seck, senior water resources scientist at ICPRB, spoke at the International Water Resources Association’s World Water Congress in Marrakech, Morocco. The theme of the conference was “Water in a Changing World: Innovation and Adaptation,” and explored solutions to strengthen water systems in an interconnected world facing constant change.

Dr. Seck’s presentation, “From Forecasts to Action: Building Resilient Urban Water Systems under Climate Uncertainty in Varied Urban Contexts,” highlighted the long history of cooperation in the Potomac River basin and generated interest in ICPRB’s integrated, science-based approach to decision support. The presentation was developed in collaboration with colleagues from San José State University and the Ministry of Hydraulics and Sanitation of Senegal.

Participants in the conference included river basin organizations, international agencies, and senior government officials. A recurring theme across sessions was the role of basin organizations in reducing conflict and supporting resilience through coordination, data sharing, and sustained collaboration. It was recognized that technical tools and models alone are not sufficient without effective institutional governance and leadership.

Reminder: 2026 Internship Announcement

ICPRB has openings for up to two water resources interns for the spring and summer semesters of 2026.  Applications are due by January 9, 2026. Learn more about the position and how to apply on our Jobs page >>>

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