The river’s flow is low and there is little rain in the forecast. 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.
The backup water supply reservoirs are full, and currently, there are no mandatory water restrictions in the DC Metro area.
Regional Drought Resources:
- ICPRB’s Drought Monitoring website
- ICPRB’s Water Supply Outlook
- MWCOG’s Current Drought Conditions
- Maryland Drought Status
- Virginia Drought Status
- West Virginia Drought Monitor
- Pennsylvania Drought Status
- Forecasted U.S. Conditions Summary