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 >>>