Potomac News Reservoir – Oct. 15, 2026 >>>
**Over the next few weeks we will be highlighting exciting new (or recently updated) ICPRB tools. These include a map that tracks the health of our watersheds, data that explores water use in the region, resources for land use planners, and more. Make sure to check them out!**
River Report: Isaias gave us a good soaking
After only a few days, ICPRB suspended daily Drought Monitoring when the remnants of Isais blew through and increased the river’s flow.
During the storm the region received 1 – 4 inches of rain, with the majority in the western part of the watershed.
🗺️ After weeks of stagnant conditions, we finally got some movement in the U.S. Drought Monitor map today. The area in Moderate Drought dipped to 9% while 40% of the watershed remains in abnormally dry conditions.
🌊 After the storm, flow at the USGS gage at Point of Rocks went from near the 25th percentile of 1,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 26,300 cfs, which is considered Extremely Above normal.
📈 Due to the recent storm, our rainfall deficit has decreased to only 3.4 inches below normal for the past year.
☔ 0.0 – 1.25 inches of rain is expected over the next week. (MARFC)
From watershed to a wider region
Five years ago ICPRB released a map that featured prioritized land parcels in the watershed that were particularly important to protecting drinking water quality. While land conservation organizations and government agencies found the tool useful, many gave us important feedback: the map would be more useful if it included all the states in the region since land conservation isn’t typically viewed from a watershed-sized perspective.
The recently updated map now ranks land parcels in the entirety of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Washington, DC. Specifically, it identifies agricultural and forested lands that remain unprotected and evaluates their importance for source water protection.
While the updated map was released in 2025, it’s companion online piece, the Land Prioritization StoryMap and interactive Map Explorer, was published in the past few weeks. In the Map Explorer, you can view conservation priorities across the region, zoom in to examine local areas, and see how opportunities vary across counties and landscapes.
The updated data are already helping partners identify local conservation opportunities, inform agricultural conservation program targeting, and evaluate proposed forest protection projects. Looking for data on a specific region, watershed, or county? Let us know!
What would a day without water look like?
You jump in the shower, but no water comes out to wash your hair. You turn your coffee pot on, but never hear that life-giving drip-drip-drip sound. You turn on the faucet, but your dog’s water bowl remains empty. Think of all the times you mindlessly rely on these simple actions to fuel your day. Water makes the magic happen.
Today is Imagine a Day Without Water. The one day a year we ask everyone to be mindful of the importance of water in fueling our lives. After all, water is life.
The Potomac River provides drinking water to 5 million people (and their dogs!) in the metropolitan Washington region. Investing in water is investing in our future, which is why ICPRB is working with WSSC Water and other partners to evaluate a potential secondary water supply in the Secure the Source Study so that the region never sees a day without water.
ICPRB in the Community
Join us at one of these upcoming events:
- Walk in the Woods: Mussel Power (VA) – Oct. 17
- Walk in the Woods: Let’s be Smart About Winter Salt – NW Branch Anacostia (MD) – Nov. 7
- Winter Salt Week Kickoff at 7 Locks Brewing (MD) – Jan. 23