Potomac News Reservoir – August 27, 2026 >>>

The Week’s River Report: Improvements Continue

Drought conditions continue to improve across the watershed, but as one news article says, it’s still pretty droughty out there.

Today’s U.S. Drought Monitor map remains similar to last week, with a swath of Moderate Drought conditions across the center of the watershed and much of the remaining area Abnormally Dry.

Flow at the USGS Point of Rocks gage is Above Normal (in the 75-90th percentile).

Average rain still remains in a deficit though, at 8 inches below average for the past year.

Walk in the Woods: Let’s be Smart About Winter Salt

It’s not too late to sign up for our first free, guided hike of the fall season which will take place on September 19 in Chevy Chase, MD.

Step into the shoes of an environmental detective as we explore the hidden impacts of oversalting our streets and sidewalks during the winter season. Discover how excess salt harms delicate aquatic creatures, disrupts the fragile balance of our ecosystems, and pollutes our drinking water. Learn from the experts about what we can all do to be “winter salt smart.”

Sign up for Walk in the Woods: Let’s be Smart About Winter Salt – Rock Creek (MD) >>>

New Employment Resources

Finding a job can be hard, especially if you just graduated or are new to the industry. Where to start? Who to reach out to? We get these questions a lot at ICPRB.

To help young (and young at heart) professionals find careers in the water industry, we have put together a list of regional and national job boards as well as professional organizations that provide membership options for young professionals. These resources go beyond the usual job-hunting sites to provide water-industry focused employment and networking opportunities for the best results.

Check it out on ICPRB’s Jobs page >>>

Did we miss any? What are your favorite job boards or employment resources for the water community?

Spread the word by sharing the list with your LinkedIn network.

Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin Newsletter — August 13, 2026 >>>

The Week’s River Report: August Water Supply Outlook

The August Water Supply Outlook was published yesterday. This monthly report provides an update on the possibility of water supply releases from the area’s reservoirs and gives an overall look at drought in the watershed.

Yesterday’s report shows improvement over earlier this summer. While the July report calculated the chance of needing to release water from upstream reservoirs was up to 48%, the August has up to a 16% chance, which is a more positive outlook for the rest of the year. However, some drought conditions remain.

Here is the full summary:

There is a near-normal probability of releases from the Washington metropolitan area’s back-up water supply reservoirs for the 2026 summer and fall seasons. Typically, the use of the Jennings Randolph and Little Seneca reservoirs is triggered by low river flows resulting from a combination of low summer precipitation and low groundwater levels.

The Potomac basin upstream of Washington, D.C., received 3.9 inches of precipitation in July, 0.1 inches above average; as of August 1, the 12-month cumulative total was 29.2 inches, 10.9 inches below average.

Groundwater conditions are generally near normal basin-wide, though above- and below-normal readings occur at individual wells.

Recent rainfall has increased Potomac River streamflow, prompting ICPRB to suspend daily drought monitoring on August 9 after initiating it on August 3 in response to declining flows.

The Climate Prediction Center’s seasonal outlook indicates drought conditions across much of the Mid-Atlantic should improve or be removed by the end of October. A Drought Watch for the metropolitan Washington region remains in effect. Reservoirs remain near full.

At present, Potomac River flow is sufficient to meet metropolitan area water demands without upstream reservoir augmentation. The region remains well protected by established contingency plans should conditions worsen.

Read the full report >>>

Drought conditions remain across portions of the basin with only a slight improvement over last week. As of August 11, about 12 percent was in severe drought (D2), 44 percent in moderate drought (D1), and 37 percent abnormally dry (D0), with no area in extreme drought (D3).

Upper Potomac mapsets

We are excited to offer a new way to pay for our map sets! You can now buy them using credit card (including Apple Pay and Google Pay) for $8.00.

The five colorful strip maps of the upper Potomac cover the area from Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to Potomac Park, Maryland. A valuable resource for canoeists, hikers and outdoors enthusiasts, this map set is printed on waterproof, tear-proof paper. The maps include information on boating, public access sites, support facilities, camping and fishing sites, and picnic and parking areas. The maps are filled with cultural and historical information, safety tips, and contact information.

The Lower Potomac Map Sets (from Washington, D.C. to Opequon Creek, Md.) are currently unavailable in print but can be downloaded and printed from ICPRB’s website.

This handsome guide to the river and canal was produced by ICPRB, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, National Park Service, and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

Potomac News Reservoir – August 6, 2026 >>>

The Week’s River Report

Earlier this week ICPRB initiated daily Drought Monitoring due to low flows in the Potomac River.

Staff in ICPRB’s Section for Cooperative Water Supply Operations on the Potomac (CO-OP) begins daily Drought Monitoring when flow at the USGS stream gage at Point of Rocks, Maryland, falls below 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs).

During Drought Monitoring, CO-OP staff send out daily email reports to stakeholders, including water suppliers and government agencies, summarizing the river’s flow, weather predictions, and how much water the region is using on a daily basis.

Summary of today’s report:

🌊 Rainfall over the past few days has not raised Potomac River flows significantly. Flow at USGS Point of Rocks gage is 1780 cubic feet per second.

🔮 0.1 to 1.0 inches of rain is predicted over the next 3 days. (MARFC)

A summary of the daily report will also be posted on ICPRB’s socials using #DroughtMonitoring. Find a link to the full report on ICPRB’s Drought Monitoring and Operations website.

Established in the 1970s, CO-OP helps manage the Washington metropolitan area water supply system by recommending and coordinating releases from upstream reservoirs when forecasted flow in the river is not sufficient to meet expected needs.

At present, there is sufficient flow in the Potomac River to meet Washington metropolitan area’s water demands without releases from upstream reservoirs. If low‐flow conditions worsen, the metro area is well‐protected from a water supply shortage through well-established contingency plans, which includes CO-OPs drought monitoring and operations protocols.

🗺️ Today’s U.S. Drought Monitor Map shows a slight improvement in drought conditions over last week, with the most marked improvement seen in the Washington metro region and south along the I-95 corridor, which upgraded from moderate drought to abnormally dry conditions.

Watershed Management Conference Next Week

The American Society of Civil Engineers / Environmental & Water Resources Institute 2026 Watershed Management Conference: Advancing Resiliency is coming up next week, August 9-12, in Reston, Virginia. The 2026 program builds on the strong foundation laid in past conferences and introduces new themes around resiliency and watershed management innovations. It will feature technical sessions, policy discussions, and field experiences that bring together practitioners, researchers, and decision-makers. Click here to register >>>

Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin Newsletter — July 30, 2026 >>>

The Week’s River Report

🗺️ Today’s U.S. Drought Monitor map shows slight improvement over last week, with less of the region in Severe Drought conditions. By the numbers:

• 15% Abnormally Dry

• 61% Moderate Drought

• 18% Severe Drought

• 1% Extreme Drought

🌊 Flow at the USGS Point of Rocks gage have been fluctuating lately but is currently at 2,350 cubic feet per second, which is slightly above the 25th percentile.

🏜️ We’ve received 30 inches of rain for the past calendar year, which is 10.4 inches below average (MARFC).

☔ Up to 1.5 inches of rain is expected over the next week (NOAA).

Water-themed week in the news

The news outlet Greater Greater Washington is highlighting the importance of the region’s waterways this week. They started with a piece by ICPRB Commissioner Darryl Madden on How DC is reclaiming its waterfront identity and then shared insights on How governments, advocates, and eels affect the Washington region’s water by ICPRB’s Director of Communications Renee Bourassa.

We’re happy to see waterways getting the attention they deserve!

Volunteer opportunities

If today’s beautiful weather has you wanting to get outside, there are plenty of river clean ups coming up:

• A boat-optional clean up event at Oxon Cove on August 7 with the Potomac Riverkeeper Network.
• Bladensburg Waterfront Park, Fort Foote Park, and Turkey Run Park are on the calendar for the Potomac Conservancy.