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ICPRB Welcomes New Commissioner

March 6, 2024

Dr. Birthe V. Kjellerup is the newest commissioner representing the state of Maryland for the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB). She is an associate professor at the University of Maryland at College Park at the A. James Clark School of Engineering where she also serves as the Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,

“We welcome Dr. Kjellerup to ICPRB and are happy to have her as a commissioner. I look forward to working with her to address pollution and water supply challenges of the Potomac River,” stated Michael Nardolilii, Executive Director of ICPRB. The ICPRB Commission is composed of three commissioners and three alternate commissioners from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and the Federal Government.

Media from around the basin – February 29, 2024

February 29, 2024

Where to find ICPRB this year, VA out of drought, the stories of the first all-Black rowing team and the first Black yacht club, and more in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Feb. 29, 2024 >>>

ICPRB in the Community

Our dance card is getting full for 2024! Check out several upcoming events where you’ll find ICPRB staff:

March 2 – Sierra Club Catoctin Group Presents Renee Bourassa: “Flowing Through Time: Our Nation’s River” (Virtual and in-person in Urbana, MD) – Renee Bourassa will present the struggles and successes of the Potomac River.
March 5 – Why so salty? Freshwater Salinization – Trends and Regional Impacts (Virtual) – Michael Nardolilli will take a regional perspective on the impacts of winter salt use.
March 28 – Walk in the Woods: Potomac Marble (Dickerson, MD) – Join the first guided hike of 2024 to hear author Paul Kreingold and historian Jon Wolz talk about geology, history, and the search for the stone that was used to rebuild D.C. after the 1814 British invasion.
April 28 – Walk in the Woods: Frederick Municipal Forest (Frederick, MD) – A spring guided hike with Jenny Willoughby, Sustainably Manager for the City of Frederick. We will discuss protecting and managing the Frederick Municipal Forest (w/ some plant ID in the mix).
May 18 – Walk in the Woods: Flexing Mussels with Anacostia Watershed Society (DC) – Registration coming soon!
October 12 – Walk in the Woods: Let’s be Smart About Winter Salt (Gaithersburg, MD) – A beautiful fall walk & talk to discover the hidden impact of winter salt use and what we all can do to protect our waterways.
October 19 – Walk in the Woods: Strawberry Hill Preserve (Fairfield, PA) – Explore the streams meandering through the Strawberry Hill property and gain insights into their critical role in maintaining the health of the waters

We’ll be adding more fun and informative events throughout the year. We also plan to bring our creek critter meet and greet to the Earth Day Celebration (April 20, Frederick, MD), Anacostia River Festival (May 4, DC), Festival del Rio Anacostia (September 21, DC), and many more! Stay tuned by checking out ICPRB Events on our website.

ICPRB Q2 Business Meeting will be on March 12, 2024

ICPRB will hold the second quarter business meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Commissioners will learn about computer models used to predict water quality endpoints and discuss the adoption of the 2023 updates to the Potomac Basin Comprehensive Water Resources Plan. The public is invited to view the virtual meeting. Please respond to this email for more information on how to attend.

Correction Notice

Editor’s Note: Last week’s newsletter included the news article Virginia Introduces Amended Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit to Protect Chesapeake Bay. We were subsequently informed that information found in the article is not accurate. We regret the error.

ICPRB Q2 Business Meeting will be on March 12, 2024

February 29, 2024

The ICPRB will hold its second quarter business meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. The meeting will be held virtually on Teams. Commissioners will learn about computer models used to predict water quality endpoints and have a chance to adopt the 2023 Updates to the Potomac Basin Comprehensive Water Resources Plan. Find the draft agenda on our Business Meetings site.

The public is invited to view the virtual meeting. Please contact us for more information on how to attend.

Media From Around the Basin – February 22, 2024

February 22, 2024

ICPRB on the Hill, #PotomacLove, a riverkeeper’s review, and more in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Feb. 22, 2024 >>>

ICPRB on the Hill

Last Thursday, ICPRB staff briefed lawmakers and their staff on Capitol Hill about the issues facing the Potomac basin and the work we do to protect and preserve its waters. They joined the experts from our two sister Mid-Atlantic river basin commissions, the Delaware River Basin Commission and the Susquehanna River Basin Commission. ICPRB’s aquatic biologist, Mike Selckmann, presented on his team’s research on harmful algal blooms.

ICPRB staff also met with elected leaders and their representatives to discuss federal funding for a study to make the DC Metro area water supply more resilient. In addition, ICPRB staff requested that the federal government carry out it’s statutory commitment to the organization.

ICPRB staff and commissioners shared their #PotomacLove

Last week, ICPRB staff, commissioners and our partners shared photos and sentiments about why they love the Potomac River. Check out the video of ICPRB posts or click on your preferred social media platform below to see all the #PotomacLove posts. We would love to hear why you love the Potomac River!

Celebrating a Year of Protecting and Preserving the Potomac River

February 12, 2024

When entrusted with protecting and preserving the Potomac River and its resources, it is important to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. In our 2023 Annual Report, we do just that. We explore our mission, vision, values, and goals. We pay tribute to our colleague and friend, Curtis Dalpra, who unexpectedly passed early in the year. We celebrate the highlights and staff successes over the year. And finally, we set our sights on the goals and possibilities of 2024.

2023 Annual Report

ICPRBAnnualReport.2023 by Renee Bourassa

News from around the basin – Feb. 8, 2024

February 8, 2024

Protecting our drinking water, the history of a Potomac island, funding for tree planting in underserved communities, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Feb. 8, 2024 >>>

Protecting our Drinking Water

In water-sector jargon, source water protection means protecting or improving the quality of water before it reaches the water treatment plant. Better water quality going into the plant means better water quality at your tap.

One organization addressing source water protection in the region is the Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership (DWSPP). Coordinated by ICPRB, this voluntary coalition of government agencies and water suppliers work together to address source water protection in the Potomac River watershed. Learn about their work addressing PFAS, conducting spill exercises, tracking permits, and addressing the winter salt issue in DWSPP’s recently published 2023 Annual Report.

Click here to read DWSPP’s 2023 Annual Report >>>

News from Around the Basin – February 1, 2024

February 1, 2024

How road salt affects waterways, local history, drought advisories lifted, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Feb. 1, 2024 > > >

River Report

Impacts from the recent winter weather have been reflected in the river’s flow, reaching as high as 8 times the median for this time of year (as seen in the graph from the USGS Point of Rocks gage).

Temperatures dipped, creating icy conditions and interfering with gage functionality (the vertical blue line).

The temperature swings turned the weather from snowstorms to rainstorms. What happened to the winter salt during all that rain? If it wasn’t swept up, it was swept away into our rivers and streams.

The salty stormwater is dangerous for the critters that live in the creek, is destructive to infrastructure, and pollutes our drinking water. We were glad to see this important water quality issue widely covered in the news (WUSA9, WTOP, FOX5).

Wisconsin celebrated Winter Salt Awareness Week last week with a series of short webinars on the different aspects of winter salt impacts, including an environmental justice component, ecological consequences, and how to reduce our winter salt use.

News from Around the Basin – January 25, 2024

January 25, 2024

A report from the Chesapeake Bay Program moves the needle on the Bay Barometer, winter salt runoff, where we are on drought, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Jan. 25, 2024 >>>

Moving the Needle on the Bay Barometer

ICPRB is just one of many organizations working together to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Chesapeake Bay Program recently released the Bay Barometer, which takes a look at the progress we have made towards the 18 outcomes set forth in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

There is some good news. Oyster habitat, public access points, and protected lands are on-course for their restoration targets.

ICPRB’s stream health index, Chessie BIBI, also provides positive news, with the report noting that between 2012 and 2017, 67.8% of stream miles in the watershed were considered healthy, marking a 6% increase since the previous assessment period.

Learn about Chessie BIBI and explore the interactive map on ICPRB’s website >>>

Recording of ICPRB’s Webinar on Agriculture

On January 19, 2024, ICPRP hosted a webinar with speakers from Devereux Consulting and the National Association of Conservation Districts to cover the impacts that agricultural land use has on water quality in the Potomac basin and funding opportunities available to mitigate these effects.

The recording and presentations can be found on ICPRB’s website >>>

ICPRB Holds Webinar on Agriculture and Water Quality

January 22, 2024

On January 19, 2024, ICPRP hosted speakers from Devereux Consulting and the National Association of Conservation Districts to cover the impacts that agricultural land use has on water quality in the Potomac basin and funding opportunities available to mitigate these effects. Check out the webinar recording below…

This webinar is held as part of the implementation of the Potomac Basin Comprehensive Water Resources Plan. Previous webinars can be found on ICPRB’s YouTube page.

Presentations:

Water Quality Impacts of Agriculture in the Potomac River Basin (Devereux Consulting)
Funding for Water Quality Protection (National Association of Conservation Districts)

News from around the Basin – January 18, 2024

January 18, 2024

From droughts to floods and dry to salty… lots of highs and lows for the river in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Jan. 18, 2024 >>>

Join tomorrow’s webinar

We will talk about water quality impacts from agricultural land use in the Potomac basin and what funding is available to mitigate them. Olivia Devereux from Devereux Consulting who will share about the impacts that agriculture in the Potomac basin have on water quality. Mark Masters and Annica McGuirk from the National Association of Conservation Districts will share funding sources for agricultural related practices in the region.

Click here to register >>>