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.