River Report by the Numbers
- U.S. Drought Monitor Map: 0.4 percent of the basin is Abnormally Dry (D0)
- Precipitation: 1.3 inches above average for the past year
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Flow at Point of Rocks: 6240 cubic feet per second (daily median is 3460 cfs)
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Flow at Little Falls: 7490 cfs
Is it Safe to Swim in the Potomac River?
During the summer months, staff at ICPRB field frequent calls from people wanting to know if a favorite spot on their local river or stream is âsafe.â
The answer: It depends.
The safety can change day-by-day depending on rain, temperature, and other factors. But there are still ways to ensure you have a safe and fun day on the river.
At many areas designated as bathing beaches, or at parks where wading or swimming is officially allowed, water testing is conducted weekly for bacterial contamination. Other rivers and streams are tested weekly or monthly. Swimguide.org is a good place to start your search.
We’ve recently added links to monitoring organizations on our webpage, Is it Safe to Swim?. If you see a organization missing, please let us know!
Taking your pooch with you on your adventures? Follow these tips from the Maryland Department of the Natural Resources to keep them safe and healthy:
- Bring plenty of water for pets to drink. Do not let your pet drink from natural waterbodies.
- Avoid areas where the water appears green, scummy, or has unavoidable benthic mats present.
- Keep pets on leash while hiking near freshwater bodies to avoid consumption of algae.
- Rinse themselves and pets with tap water right after going in the water.
ICPRB in the Community
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July 11 – Stream Cleanup (Darnestown, MD)
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July 12 – Water Power Day (Washington DC)
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August 29 –Â Shenandoah Snorkeling Paddle