It’s dry out there, folks.
The short of it is that river flows are dropping and there is no rain in the 7-day forecast.
Due to these dry conditions, we have initiated Drought Operations. Staff of ICPRB’s Section for Cooperative Water Supply on the Potomac (CO-OP) are working with water suppliers to prepare two reports per day informing stakeholders on river flow, water use, and weather conditions. The staff also analyzes the need for releases from upstream reservoirs to supplement river flow for drinking water supply to the DC metro area. The Potomac River is the only source of drinking water for the District of Columbia and Arlington, Virginia.
Learn more about Drought Operations in our recent press release and follow the conversation on Twitter using #droughtoperations.
In addition to Drought Operations, CO-OP staff have published the September Water Supply Outlook. This monthly report provides an in-depth look on the possibility of low-flow conditions in the Potomac basin.
The most recent Water Supply Outlook predicts an up to 51% probability that flows will be low enough to require water releases from upstream reservoirs. The report also notes that the area is well-prepared to handle further reductions in flow due to well-designed drought-contingency plans.
Read the full September Water Supply Outlook here >>>
It is always a good idea to conserve water use, but it is more important now than ever. Get some tips and tricks with Earthyeasy’s 45+ Ways to Conserve Water in the Home and Yard.
Celebrating our 2023 Interns
As the summer wraps up, so does our 2023 internship program.
We are grateful for the hard work, innovation, and professionalism shown by our interns and look forward to seeing the great places their careers will take them.
Allyson improved our spill response capabilities using the programming language ‘R’ and collaborated with the Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership to communicate the importance of protecting our drinking water.
Kelly dove right into our Water Quality Data Inventory to provide scientists with improved data and a better interface to access that data.
Check out a video of Allyson and Kelly talking about their experience at ICPRB.
Interested in an internship at ICPRB? Our paid internship program is a great way to dip your toes into the world of water resources. We offer a variety of projects depending on an interns skills and interests. The call for applications typically comes out at the end of the year and closes in mid-January, so stay tuned.