News

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ICPRB is Hiring!

The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) is seeking applicants for two positions. ICPRB’s mission is to enhance, protect, and conserve the waters and associated land resources of the Potomac River basin and its tributaries through regional and interstate cooperation. Applications are due January 10, 2025.

Ecological Technician

The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) seeks an enthusiastic, entry-level ecological technician for its aquatic habitats program.  This is a full-time, 2-year position with potential for long-term employment. The individual will support ICPRB staff in conducting field work, geospatial and desktop analyses, interpretation of bio-statistics, biological dataset management, producing data, information, and reports about the condition of non-tidal streams and rivers in the Potomac River basin and the larger Chesapeake Bay watershed. Examples of specific activities include working with project teams to assemble and analyze water quality and biological monitoring data sets collected from non-tidal streams and rivers; assisting in field work to collect water quality, biological, and physical habitat data; and participating in regional efforts to improve monitoring program coordination.

Learn more >>>

Water Resources Internships

Up to three paid internships are available for the spring/summer of 2025.

ICPRB has openings for up to three interns for the spring and summer semesters. The primary tasks of these internships are to support the water resources program, assist with updating the water quality data inventory, and archive ICPRB photographs and reports. The start and end dates are negotiable, approximately March to August, 2025. All internships will be completed no later than August 29, 2025. These are paid, temporary positions with flexible working hours. Pay is $17/hr. ICPRB is located in Rockville, Maryland.

Learn more >>>

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Webinar: Integrating Climate and Resilience with Equity

Event Date: December 6, 2024
Host: Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB)
Moderator: Dr. Lisa Wainger, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science


Introduction

The ICPRB hosted the eighth webinar in its ongoing series to explore sustainable land use practices, focusing on integrating climate resilience and equity. This event highlighted tools, data, and strategies that address climate change impacts while prioritizing social equity in resource management and funding allocation.


Key Themes and Objectives

  1. Understanding Climate Resilience:
    • Participants explored climate resilience in the context of water resource management, with a focus on equitable outcomes.
    • The webinar aimed to share tools and insights for effectively deploying resources in vulnerable communities.
  2. Equity Integration:
    • Addressing the disproportionate burden of climate impacts on underserved populations.
    • Ensuring that resilience planning includes social vulnerability metrics.

Presentations

  1. Dr. Ned Gardiner (NOAA): Climate Resilience Toolkit
    • Overview:
      • Gardiner introduced NOAA’s Climate Resilience Toolkit, emphasizing a structured, five-step approach to resilience.
      • The toolkit supports understanding climate risks and implementing equity-focused actions.
    • Key Example:
      • A case study from Southeast Michigan showcased a data-driven method to assess and address social vulnerabilities related to flooding and access to essential services (e.g., hospitals and grocery stores).
    • Additional Resources:
  2. Dr. Benjamin Gurrentz (U.S. Census Bureau): Community Resilience Estimates (CRE)
    • Overview:
      • Gurrentz highlighted the CRE tool, which provides detailed, census-tract-level insights into social vulnerability.
      • The tool uses ten indicators, including poverty, disability, and broadband access, to identify high-risk populations.
    • Key Features:
      • Incorporates small-area modeling for precise and reliable estimates.
      • Provides statistical flags to compare local vulnerabilities against national averages.
    • Equity Component:
      • Introduced the CRE for Equity tool, which contextualizes vulnerabilities with additional socioeconomic data.
  3. Terrell Tiendrebeogo (EPA): Funding Integration Tool for Source Water (FITS)
    • Overview:
      • Tiendrebeogo discussed FITS, a comprehensive resource consolidating federal funding sources for source water protection.
    • Utility:
      • FITS connects users to funding opportunities for watershed protection, emphasizing resilience planning for vulnerable communities.
    • Case Studies:
      • Real-world examples of successful multi-funding strategies were shared, illustrating practical applications.

Q&A Highlights

  1. Comparison of Vulnerability Tools:
    • The CRE was compared to tools like EJSCREEN, with emphasis on its use of microdata and small-area estimation for household-level precision.
  2. Tool Longevity Amid Political Change:
    • Panelists addressed concerns about the sustainability of federally supported tools, emphasizing bipartisan support for safe drinking water and disaster readiness.
  3. Resource Allocation:
    • Panelists highlighted the importance of prioritizing vulnerable communities in funding and resilience planning.

Key Takeaways

  1. Data-Driven Decision-Making:
    • Tools like NOAA’s Climate Resilience Toolkit, the Census Bureau’s CRE, and the EPA’s FITS enable stakeholders to make informed decisions tailored to community needs.
  2. Equity as a Central Component:
    • Addressing social vulnerability requires a nuanced understanding of risk factors and targeted resource allocation.
  3. Collaboration Across Agencies:
    • Interagency tools and frameworks provide integrated solutions for climate resilience and equity challenges.

Conclusion

The webinar highlighted the importance of integrating climate resilience with equity. It underscored the value of using advanced tools and interagency collaboration to address climate-related challenges while prioritizing the needs of underserved communities. During the webinar, ICPRB and its partners provided actionable insights and resources for practitioners, laying the groundwork for effective and equitable resource management in the Potomac River basin and beyond.


Additional resources and links: Tools & Resources for Integrating Climate and Resilience with Equity

For more information, contact ICPRB or the individual agencies represented in the webinar. Previous webinars can be found on ICPRB’s YouTube page.

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News From Around the Basin – Dec 5, 2024

ICPRB has a new address, holiday boat parades, an update on drought conditions, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Dec 5, 2024 >>>

River Report: Remaining steady, but dry

While areas north of us are getting slammed with multiple feet of snow, our region is forecasted to receive roughly 1 inch of precipitation in the coming week.

According to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor, with the exception of a tiny portion in Pennsylvania that is abnormally dry (yellow), almost the entirety of the Potomac River watershed remains in moderate to severe drought conditions. There is not much of a shift in percentages from last week.

The river flow at Point of Rocks continues to fall following last week’s rainstorms but remains above the ICPRB CO-OP Drought Monitoring threshold of 2,000 cubic feet per second.-

As a reminder, the D.C. Metro area remains in the drought watch declared by MWCOG back in July. Much of the Potomac region of both Virginia and Maryland also remains in a drought watch status. Authorities are asking folks to use water wisely by following simple action items like taking shorter showers, only running the laundry and dishwasher when full, and turning off the faucet when not actively using it.

The Past, Present, and Future of the Potomac River

ICPRB Executive Director Michael Nardolilli recently spoke on a webinar with the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia and Arlington Regional Master Naturalists about the Potomac River and ICPRB’s work.

He took them on a journey through the past, present, and future of our nation’s river, covering the struggles and triumphs of the river that provides drinking water for more than 5 million people in the Metro DC region. Nardolilli revealed the river’s incredible history and dove into drought, contaminants, policies, emergency response, and more.

Watch the video >>>

ICPRB’s First Quarter Business Meeting on December 17

The ICPRB First Quarter Business Meeting is coming up on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. The meeting will be held virtually on Teams. Commissioners will discuss progress made on the Low Flow Allocation Agreement, consider the adoption of a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Land Acknowledgment statement, and hear about ICPRB’s recent work on creating an American eel passage in the Potomac mainstem. Find the draft agenda on the Business Meetings site.

The public is invited to view the virtual meeting or provide public comment. Please contact us by Friday, December 13, for more information on how to attend.

We’ve Moved!

We are excited to announce that we have moved ICPRB offices! The new offices have a smaller footprint and are closer to public transportation to better reflect our mission.

The offices have a lab for field staff and beautiful conference rooms to collaborate with our partners. We still maintain our in-office library with almost a century of Potomac River materials, including original ICPRB reports.

Our new address is 401 N. Washington St., Ste 300, Rockville, MD, 20850.

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Announcing ICPRB’s First Quarter Business Meeting on December 17

The ICPRB First Quarter Business Meeting is coming up on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. The meeting will be held virtually on Teams. Commissioners will discuss progress made on the Low Flow Allocation Agreement, consider the adoption of a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) Land Acknowledgment statement, and hear about ICPRB’s recent work on creating an American eel passage in the Potomac mainstem. Find the draft agenda on the Business Meetings site.

The public is invited to view the virtual meeting or provide public comment. Please contact us by Friday, December 13, for more information on how to attend.

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News From Around the Basin – November 14, 2024

New records set, burn bans across the region, drought watch still in effect, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Nov. 14, 2024 >>>

River Report: October was one of the warmest and driest on record

Our record-breaking streak of 38 days without rain was broken on Sunday. We’ve been dry ever since. A small chance of rain is in the forecast for the coming days. Experts say that we will need an extended period of soaking rain to ease us out of the dry conditions that have caused authorities to enact burn bans as wildfires are popping up throughout the region.

According to NOAA, October was the second-warmest and second-driest on record. Recent USGS research indicates warmer temperatures may have more severe impacts on drought than previously known due to the heat-induced moisture loss. According to the authors, “droughts will last longer, cover wider areas, and become more severe as the climate warms.”

Due to the persistent dry conditions, staff in ICPRB’s Section for Cooperative Water Supply Operations (CO-OP) released a November Water Supply Outlook earlier this week.

Highlights from the report:

  • CO-OP commenced its fourth “Drought Monitoring” period of the year on November 1.
  • The Potomac basin upstream of Washington, D.C., received 0.8 inches of rain in October, which is 2.2 inches below normal.
  • Streamflow is currently below normal.
  • Groundwater levels are below normal in many observation wells in the basin.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor Map released today (see below), the amount of the Potomac watershed in Moderate Drought jumped by 22% in the past week.

ICPRB’s Webinar: Integrating Climate and Resilience with Equity

Join ICPRB at noon on December 6 for the next installment of our webinar series. Integrating Climate and Resilience with Equity will highlight data and tools to better understand and characterize climate and flooding threats, focusing on vulnerable and underserved communities. We will also explore funding opportunities to support resilient communities.

This webinar will be helpful to policymakers, government agencies, community Green Teams, HOAs, and anyone interested in creating a more resilient community. Click here to register >>>

This webinar series for land use decision-makers is produced by ICPRB as part of the implementation of the Potomac basin-wide comprehensive plan. Find previous webinars on our YouTube page.

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November Water Supply Outlook is Published

Due to the persistent dry conditions, the publication period for the Water Supply Outlook has been extended into November.
The ICPRB Section for Cooperative Water Supply Operations (CO-OP) commenced its fourth “Drought Monitoring” period of the year on November 1. CO-OP initiates drought monitoring when the flow at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gage in Point of Rocks, Maryland, falls below 2,000 cubic feet per second.
The Potomac basin upstream of Washington, D.C., received 0.8 inches of rain in October, which is 2.2 inches below normal. Streamflow is currently below normal. Groundwater levels are below normal in many observation wells in the basin.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reports that 19% of the Potomac basin is experiencing severe drought conditions, while 52% is facing moderate drought conditions.
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News From Around the Basin – November 7, 2024

Regional Drought Watch continues, fires banned throughout the watershed, and more, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Nov. 7, 2024 >>>

River Report: New Record for Dry-streak

lot happened this past week (that wasn’t election-related). Last Friday, ICPRB initiated daily drought monitoring and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Drought Coordination Technical Committee recommended to keep the region under the Drought Watch that was declared back in July. On Wednesday, the DC area beat the longest dry streak on record at 35 days with no rain. A small spritz is in the forecast for today, but it may not be substantial enough to end the dry streak.

We continue to encourage wise water use by taking actions such as reducing your shower time, only running full loads of dishes and laundry, and turning the faucet off when not in use.

The colorful map below shows the entirety of the Potomac River watershed ranges from abnormally dry to extremely dry. Over 50% of the area is in Moderate Drought (D1).

River levels continue to drop well below the 50th percentile, as seen in the graph of the adjusted flow at Little Falls.

The dry conditions have spurred the states of Maryland and West Virginia as well as the regions of Shenandoah Valley to declare a burn ban to prevent fires.

We will be publishing a November Water Supply Outlook in the next week. Typically, the reports are only published April through October, but due to the current conditions, we are continuing to publish through the fall.

Protecting our drinking water is a group effort

Yesterday, members of the Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership (DWSPP) met for their annual meeting at the offices of Loudoun Water in Ashburn, VA. DWSPP is a coalition of water suppliers and government agencies working together on source water protection issues. ICPRB coordinates the partnership.

During the meeting, the group heard a series of presentations about the importance of communicating their good work on protecting our sources of drinking water. We are grateful to Loudoun Water for hosting the event and for providing the tours of their Broad Run Water Reclamation Facility and the Beaverdam Reservoir Park.

We would like to thank Kishia Powell of WSSC Water for her leadership as chair over the past year. During the meeting, she “passed the gavel” to Jayne Brown of DC Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), who will serve as the 2025 chair of DWSPP.

See more photos on our Facebook post >>>

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News From Around the Basin – October 31, 2024

Bone-dry and bone-chilling: The Halloween River Report

Due to current conditions, we are reviving the weekly River Report. Each week we’ll provide a summary of drought conditions across the region.

The DC metro region has not had rain in 29 days. The region’s record dry streak (from 2007) is 34 days.  At this time, no appreciable rainfall is expected over the next 7 days. The extended dry conditions have increased the area of Moderate Drought Conditions (D1) in the Potomac River watershed by almost 30% since last week.

ICPRB staff is monitoring the river’s flow and keeping in contact with the region’s stakeholders. Due to low flow conditions, it is expected that ICPRB will begin Drought Monitoring any day now. During active Drought Monitoring, staff in ICPRB’s CO-OP Section provide daily emails with river flow, weather forecasts, and water withdrawal information to downstream water utilities and government agencies. This information helps water utilities in their daily operations planning. If we do initiative Drought Monitoring, you can follow the conversation on social media using #droughtmonitoring.

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Drought Coordination Technical Committee will be meeting tomorrow (Nov. 1) to review current water supply and drought conditions and discuss the possibility of lifting the current Drought Watch declared this summer.

On a positive note, the upstream drinking water reservoirs are nearly full. These reservoirs would be used to supplement downstream flow in the case of a severe drought. The region is well protected from water supply shortages due to years of planning and preparation.

National influence with a local perspective

Congratulations to Dr. Heidi Moltz, ICPRB’s director of program operations, on wrapping up her tenure as 2024 chair of the Interstate Council on Water Policy (ICWP). This is a national organization that provides a voice for regional, state, and local water resources agencies and entities regarding diverse water policy issues that affect real-world decisions. Dr. Moltz used her time on the board bolstering the next generation of water resource professionals through the ICWP internship program, elevating the discussions on water resources at a DC Roundtable and the Annual Meeting, updating ICWP’s principle statements on drought planning and resilience, and more.

Learn more about ICWP’s 2024 accomplishments >>>

Through involvement with ICWP and similar organizations, ICPRB staff are leading discussions on water resources and policy in the Potomac basin and beyond.

MDE asking for public input on North Branch Use Class

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) is holding a hearing on December 2, 2024, for public input on the proposed changes to the Existing Use determinations for roughly 11 miles of the the mainstem North Branch Potomac River between Westernport, MD to Rawlings, MD. The proposed changes, if approved, will provide regulatory protections by changing the reach from a Warm Water use (Class I) to a Cold Water Use Class III or IV.

Review the MDE notice for more information on use class details, how to attend the meeting, and how to provide comment >>>

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News From Around the Basin – October 24, 2024

River flow fluctuations, invasive species in the Potomac, and thinking outside the (salt) box, in this week’s Potomac News Reservoir – Oct. 24, 2024 >>>

What’s happening on the river

Daily Fluctuations

You might not be obsessively watching the river levels like we are, but if you took a peak recently you might have seen something interesting… big daily fluctuations in flow.

From September to December, upstream hydroelectric dams turn off operations at night during the annual American eel migration downstream. This keeps the slippery little fish from getting caught up in dam machinery as they make their way to sea to spawn. As a result, the flows downstream fluctuate in this predictable daily pattern.

Learn about ICPRB’s work to help get American eels back upstream >>>

River Report

The flow at the USGS Point of Rocks gage (one of the gages from which ICPRB bases its drought coordination activities), is steadily declining but currently on par for the median this time of year.

However, as the Washington Post has reported, drought concerns may return as we are quickly approaching one of the longest streaks without rain on record without any appreciable rain in the forecast. According to NWS MARFC, the region is 1.3 inches below normal for the month of October.

Much of the basin remains in drought, according to the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor. Almost 60% of the basin is abnormally dry, 28% is moderate-severe dry, while a small fraction remains extremely dry.

What about the rest of the winter? Models are showing an even split between a wetter-than-normal or dryer-than-normal winter.

An invasive by any other name would taste as good

Last Thursday, ICPRB held the 3rd annual Potomac River Conference focused on invasive species in the Potomac River basin and beyond.

The event focused on the complex issue of invasive species in the Potomac River basin, with particular attention to the blue catfish and other aquatic invaders like Chesapeake Channa (aka snakehead) and invasive plants.

Broader discussions explored the socio-economic-historical perspective from as far back as 23,000 years ago.

Through presentations by experts from NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office, USGS, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Anacostia Watershed Society, George Mason University, and others, the conference addressed the scientific, management, and economic challenges posed by these species, emphasizing strategies for control, including population monitoring and promoting their consumption as a mitigation tactic, as well as the marketing strategies and supply chain logistics of getting the invasive species from boat to plate.

The event highlighted the importance of a collective, multi-faceted approach to managing the ecological and economic effects of invasive species in the region.

To keep with the theme, folks enjoyed wild caught Chesapeake blue catfish and Chesapeake Channa (aka snakehead) for lunch.

See more photos on our Facebook post >>>

Find more speaker information and PDFs of the presentations on ICPRB’s website >>>

Thinking Outside the (Salt) Box

ICPRB’s communications director, Renee Bourassa, spoke at last week’s Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Forum about our regional collaborations and communications regarding the negative impacts of winter salt use on our drinking water, aquatic species, and infrastructure. She partnered with Abby Hileman of Izaak Walton League of America and Camryn Arnstein of Maryland Dept. Of The Environment on a fun, interactive, and informative presentation.

As part of the presentation, attendees broke into groups to design their own Baltimore salt box. One lucky design will be turned into a Baltimore salt box by artist, Juliet Ames. Stay tuned to see the final product!

Winter salt is important for public safety but it has a permanent impact on our waterways. Be #saltwise in 3 easy steps:

❄️ Shovel

🧂 Use less salt

🧹 Sweep it up to use for the next storm!

See more photos on our Facebook post >>>

Learn more about the issue on ICPRB’s Winter Salt Wise website >>>

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2024 Potomac River Conference: Reeling in the challenge of aquatic invasive species

On October 17, 2024, ICPRB held the 3rd annual Potomac River Conference focused on invasive species in the Potomac River basin and beyond. Held at the picturesque The River View at Occoquan Regional Park, attendees were welcomed by Delegate Katy K.L. Tran and Supervisor Dan Storck. Peter Tango of the Chesapeake Bay Program set the stage with a current socio-economic-political perspective on how we collectively view “alien species.” Doug Wood went back further, starting with the original human invaders 23,000 years ago. To keep with the theme, folks enjoyed wild caught Chesapeake blue catfish and Chesapeake Channa (aka snakehead) for lunch.

The first session, “Invasive Poster Child: The Case of the Blue Catfish,” focused on the issue of invasive blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Led by Bruce Vogt of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Invasive Catfish Workgroup, the presentation highlighted efforts to control this species. Heather Walsh of USGS discussed the reproductive status of blue catfish, comparing populations in different tributaries. To round out the session, Ellen Robertson presented on population monitoring and modeling strategies to help Maryland assess and manage the blue catfish problem effectively. Overall, this session emphasized the scientific and management challenges posed by blue catfish in the region.

In the second and third sessions, the focus broadened to include the economic impact of invasive species and other aquatic invaders. Benjamin Simon explored the economics of managing invasive species, while Mike Hutt and Matthew Scales presented marketing strategies (and recipes!) to get the fish on your plate. Stephanie Pazzaglia discussed supply chain logistics from harvest to market. The final session, “The Rest of the Story,” delved into other aquatic invaders in the Potomac and Anacostia rivers, including the spread of northern snakehead fish, mussels, Two-horned Trapa, and other invasive plants. Researchers like Dann Sklarew and Scott Baron provided insights into how these species are affecting local ecosystems and efforts to mitigate their impact. A poster session offered additional information on current research being done across the region.

Presentation abstracts and speaker bios are available in the Conference Booklet. PDFs of the presentations can be found below.

Opening

Moderator: Michael Nardolilli, ICPRB

Session 1 – Invasive Poster Child: The Case of the Blue Catfish

Moderator: Renee Thompson, ICPRB

Session 2 – It’s the Economy… 

Moderator: Stephanie Pazzaglia, J.J. McDonnell & Co, Inc.

18th Century American Indian Historical Perspectives on Introduced SpeciesDoug Wood, Storyteller

Session 3 – The Rest of the Story

Moderator: Nancy Rybicki, USGS

Poster Session

  • Short-term risk assessment for a newly introduced water chestnut, Trapa bispinosa Roxb., entering the Potomac River, U.S. – Ian Pfingsten and Nancy Rybicki of USGS
  • Field demonstrations for water chestnut (Trapa spp.) management – Year 1 – Ryan McIntyre of US Army Corps of Engineers and Nancy Rybicki of USGS
  • An age and growth study of blue catfish populations in MD tributaries – Evangeline Sawyers of MD DNR
  • Invasive flathead catfish population dynamics, movement patterns and dietary preferences – Daniel Ryan of DOEE