River Report – ICPRB Initiates Drought Monitoring, Again
As of yesterday morning, ICPRB has started Drought Monitoring due to low flows in the Potomac River and no rain expected in the next week. The Potomac River supplies drinking water to 78% of people in the greater Washington metro region and 100% of residents in the District of Columbia and Arlington County, Virginia.
It has been about a month since Tropical Storm Debby blew through and increased the rivers flow enough to give us respite from the daily drought emails, but the river’s flow is now below the 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) at the Potomac Rocks USGS gage, which is the threshold for drought monitoring.
During Drought Monitoring, staff at ICPRB’s Section for Cooperative Water Supply Operations on the Potomac (CO-OP) prepare a daily email for water suppliers and government agencies with flow, weather, and demand conditions. This important information can be used to inform water supply operations.
During periods of drought, the CO-OP helps manage the Washington metropolitan area water supply system by coordinating withdrawals from the Potomac River and off-river reservoirs and recommending releases from upstream reservoirs when forecasted flow in the river is not sufficient to meet expected needs.
Follow the conversation and see the daily emails using #droughtmonitoring on Facebook and Twitter/X.
The Washington metropolitan area remains in a Drought Watch declared by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments on July 29. Authorities are asking folks to use water wisely.
Data from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows very little changes in the Potomac River watershed (gray line) from last week.
ICPRB Welcomes New Chair and Commissioners
Earlier this week, ICPRB commissioners and staff met in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for the annual Commission meeting which was graciously hosted by the Adams County Conservation District.
Pennsylvania State Representative (and ICPRB Commissioner) Dan Moul offered welcoming remarks and Conservation District Manager Adam McClain highlighted the activities of the Adams County Conservation District. Ten percent of the Potomac River basin is in Pennsylvania, including Gettysburg.
Recently appointed commissioners were welcomed with an ICPRB pin. We would like to officially welcome Jessica Shirley (PA), Chris Ann Kemple (PA), Birthe Kjellerup (MD), Del. Kathy K.L. Tran (VA), Del. Joshua Cole (VA), and Steve Saari (DC) to the Commission.
The commissioners confirmed Scott Morris (VA) as ICPRB’s chair and Robert Sussman (Fed) as CO-OP chair for 2025. Mindy Neil (WV) and Scott Morris (VA) will be vice chairs, respectively. ICPRB Executive Director Michael Nardolilli thanked outgoing chair, Susan Weaver (PA), for her leadership in shepherding the adoption of a new three-year Strategic Plan for ICPRB as well as completing the first five-year review of the long-term ICPRB Comprehensive Plan.
The meeting was followed by a tour of Knouse Foods applesauce and juice processing facility in Orrtanna, PA. Commissioners and staff donned hair nets and ear plugs while they learned about the water conservation measures implemented by the facility, including equipment replacement, use monitoring, as well as adjusting processes to conserve water during a drought.
See more pictures on our Facebook post >>>