Regional Drought Watch declaration, algae blooms, putting blue catfish on the menu, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – August 1, 2024 >>>

River Report – Drought Watch declared for DC Metro Area

On Monday, the Drought Coordination Committee of the Metropolitan Council of Governments (COG) declared a Drought Watch for the DC Metro area which calls for voluntary water conservation measures by the region’s residents and businesses. This is the second level in COG’s four-stage regional drought response plan.

Read ICPRB’s News Release about the Drought Watch >>>

The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor map shows almost 90% of the watershed is experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions. The extreme drought conditions are concentrated in the western part of the watershed.

Governor Justice of West Virginia declared a state-wide State of Emergency due to impacts from drought.

At least 92 counties and cities in Virginia are in either Drought Watch or Drought Warning status.

The Maryland Department of the Environment declared a Drought Watch for the western part of the state.

Most smaller jurisdictions across the Potomac watershed are a asking folks to voluntarily minimize their water use to reduce the stress on local streams and groundwater. Some cities are imposing mandatory water restrictions.

A Comprehensive Look at Water Use in the Potomac Basin

When the Potomac Basin Comprehensive Water Resources Plan identified a possible inadequacy in the understanding of water-use on a watershed-wide level, ICPRB staff looked into it. The resulting paper, recently published in the Journal of the American Water Resources Association, investigated if the full spectrum of water uses is known —  and needed — in order for sustainable management of water resources.

Read the report: Evaluation of reported and unreported water uses in various sectors of the Potomac basin for the year 2017 >>>

Flash drought in the watershed, algal blooms in the news, heat island effect especially hot in DC, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – July 18, 2024 >>>

River Report – New historic minimum flows

There is now a lot of red on the U.S. Drought Monitor map, with 43% of the watershed in Extreme Drought (red) and 28% in Severe Drought (dark orange).

River flows in some areas of the watershed are reaching new record lows. The river flow at the USGS gages at Shenandoah River at Millville, WV, and South Branch Potomac River near Springfield, WV, both hit a century-old recorded historical low this week.

Adjusted flow at Little Falls as of July 17, 2024

Closer to the DC Metro area, the adjusted flow at Little Falls is hovering around the 10th percentile (see the graph).

Some jurisdictions across the western part of the Potomac River watershed are asking residents to conserve water, while some communities are making cutbacks mandatory.

Low river flows, lack of scouring pulses from rain, and record-breaking temperatures are leading to a series of algal blooms throughout the basin. Health officials recommend you (and your dog!) avoid contact with algal mats, especially if the water is discolored, murky, or smelly.

ICPRB continues daily drought monitoring. Check out #droughtmonitoring on social media to see our daily report on river flow, water demands, and weather forecasts.

U.S. Drought Monitor map in the Potomac River watershed (gray outline) as of July 16, 2024

Drought Monitoring suspended (for now), Splash postponed, where you CAN get in the water, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – July 3, 2024 >>>

River Report – Drought Monitoring suspended, for now

After less than a week of daily Drought Monitoring, we are back to normal operations after suspending the daily reporting on July 1.

However, as of this morning, the flow at the USGS Point of Rocks gage is hovering at the Drought Monitoring threshold of 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). The adjusted flow at Little Falls was below the 10th percentile on July 1.

ICPRB CO-OP staff will be monitoring the flows and forecast to determine whether we will be going back into Drought Monitoring. It is not unusual to have Drought Monitoring in fits and starts throughout the dry season.

Follow #droughtmonitoring on social media to get up-to-date Drought Monitoring information from ICPRB.

Drought is still in the news, from lawn care tips to increased fire danger. June was the fourth driest on record for the DC area. The excessive heat could lead to harmful algal blooms which can be dangerous to humans and pets in the water. Shenandoah National Park has closed fishing due to low flows. Some municipalities, like Strasburg, Virginia, are grappling with an equitable approach to drought restrictions while other Virginia counties are asking folks to voluntarily conserve water.

The best way to beat the heat is by getting in the water. Even with the low river flows, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the plethora of outdoor adventures this region has to offer. Join ICPRB and the Potomac Riverkeepers next Friday for a kayak and snorkel adventure in the Shenandoah, Seneca Rocks Discovery Center is offering snorkel programs through the summer, and there is a new outdoor outfitter to check out.

Bringing our Partners Together

Last week, ICPRB gathered our Federal partners for a day of collaboration and inspiration at the Reservoir Center for Water Solutions. The day focused on identifying areas of common interest and opportunities to collaborate with our Federal partnerships to implement the Potomac River Basin Comprehensive Water Resources Plan.

Projects and partnerships were discussed while attendees learned about ICPRB’s scientific research, regional collaboration, and educational programs. There was inspired conversations, creative thinking, and camaraderie as we worked together towards our parallel goal of protecting our shared natural resources. Future project ideas that were discussed will address better spill response, expand data management, collaborate on educational opportunities, include more diverse communities, and much more. See more pictures on our Facebook page >>>

We’re Growing new Mussels

Thanks to everyone that joined us for last Saturday’s Walk in the Woods: Mussel Power! We had such a blast learning all there is to know about freshwater mussels with our friends at Anacostia Watershed Society (AWS) and our esteemed expert, Jorge Bogantes.

Did you know that some mussel species can live up to 100 years? The average alewife floater or eastern lampmussel that one would encounter in the Anacostia Watershed has a lifespan of 30-40 years. Of course, that’s if a muskrat or blue catfish doesn’t get to them first.

We even got to welcome a fifth species to the Anacostia (eastern elliptio)!

This wraps up our spring/summer Walk in the Woods series of free, fun, and informative hikes. We start the series again this fall with a couple events on the calendar already.

See more pictures of Walk in the Woods: Mussel Power on our Facebook post >>>

Sad News at ICPRB

It is with heavy hearts we report the passing of an MDE colleague and friend, Sajan Pokharel. Staff has fond memories of the many hours Sajan spent at office collaborating on water modeling projects.

ICPRB starts Drought Monitoring, swimming in the Anacostia, getting blue catfish on the menu, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – June 27, 2024 >>>

River Report – ICPRB Initiates Drought Monitoring

It’s dry. While the low humidity might feel pretty good, our river and groundwater levels are suffering. ICPRB has initiated daily Drought Monitoring. A Drought Warning has been declared for much of Northern Virginia. The flow at Little Falls (see the graph) is between the minimum in recorded history and the 10th percentile.

We had a good winter as far as rain was concerned. Things were looking up after a dry 2023. However, we are now 58% below average for the past 30 days. The lack of rain combined with the high temperatures has created a flash drought situation.

ICPRB and our partners across the watershed are monitoring the situation. When flow of the Potomac River at the Point of Rocks USGS gage dips below 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), the staff at ICPRB’s Section for Cooperative Water Supply Operations on the Potomac (CO-OP) initiates daily drought monitoring. This means that CO-OP staff prepare a daily report with flow, water demand, and weather forecasts on behalf of the CO-OP water suppliers: Fairfax Water, Washington Aqueduct, and WSSC Water. This is a requirement of the Water Supply Coordination Agreement of 1982, which is a pivotal planning document that helps ensure the DC Metro area is well prepared during a drought.

Follow the conversation across social media platforms using #droughtmonitoring.

There is a little rain in the forecast, but even if we get some rain, grass and other vegetation will still be dry. Firefighters are encouraging everyone to be safe and smart when it comes to their 4th of July celebrations. The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to leave it to the professionals, but if you are going to have your own rocket show, celebrate responsibly:

🌾 Avoid setting off fireworks in areas with dry vegetation

🌊 Have a hose on hand in case of sparks

🧨 Place spent fireworks in a bucket of water

🎆 Happy 4th of July! 🎆

What to celebrate this week: National Catfish Day (June 25)

A national holiday since 1987, this day commemorates the whiskery fish that is found on every continent except Antarctica. Although there are native species of catfish that deserve honoring, the blue catfish does not warrant celebration. It is increasingly becoming a problem as an invasive species in the Potomac and other Chesapeake Bay tributaries.

One way to address invasive species is to put them on the menu. Departments of natural resources are working to make them more appetizing to help fight this invasive species that eats everything from rockfish eggs to crabs.

Put blue catfish on your menu with these creative recipes!

On October 17, ICPRB will be hosting a conference on addressing invasive species—2024 Potomac River Conference: Reeling in the Challenge of Aquatic Invasive Species. Sign up to get notified once registration opens >>>

ICPRB in the Community

We have a few spots left for Saturday’s Walk in the Woods: Mussel Power with Anacostia Watershed Society! Join ICPRB and Anacostia Watershed Society to learn about their work restoring this important species.

• June 29 – Walk in the Woods: Mussel Power with Anacostia Watershed Society (DC)
• July 12 – Riverpalooza: Shenandoah Snorkel, Mussel, & Paddle Trip (Bentonville, VA)
• August 24 – Oxon Run Day (DC)

Find even more fun activities on our Events Calendar > > >