Click here to see the full Potomac News Reservoir – May 25, 2023

Creek Critter Meet & Greet

Festival season for some ICPRB staff means getting out the nets and catching a variety of creek critters for a meet and greet with the public.

Kids of all ages enjoy exploring our plastic tub “creek” to see what interesting creatures they can find while learning about what the creatures can tell us about the health of a creek.

Children looking into a plastic bin with leaves and benthic macroinvertebrates. An adult helps them find the bugs.

Aquatic biologists can learn a lot about the health of a creek based on what lives there. Some species, such as the hellgrammite (shown below), need cool waters, lots of oxygen, and are sensitive to pollution. If you find them in a creek, it’s a good sign of a healthy stream.

See more fun pictures of the recent Anacostia River Festival and the MAEOE Green Schools Youth Summit on our Facebook page. To join the next Creek Critter Meet & Greet, join us at the Frederick Co. Master Gardener’s Earth Awareness Day on June 17 in Frederick, MD.

Drought Preparation in the Basin

Each year the ICPRB staff of the Section for the Cooperative Water Supply Operations on the Potomac (CO-OP) spend a lot of time thinking about what they will do during a drought.

During times of drought, this important section of ICPRB works closely with a collaborative of water suppliers to coordinate water supply operations. In years when there is no drought, like in 2022, CO-OP conducts a drought exercise to maintain readiness and improve operations and communication processes.

The activities, detailed in the recently released 2022 Washington Metropolitan Area Drought Exercise Report, included a call to discuss potential water use restrictions associated with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments “Warning” stage, communication with Washington Aqueduct on the Low Flow Allocation Agreement thresholds, and data collection and operational forecasts through CO-OP’s Data Portal and daily flow forecast tool, which are important communication outlets deployed during a drought.

Currently, the rain in the Potomac River basin above Little Falls is 26-50% below average for the past 90 days. If drought does occur this year, it is practices like these drought exercises that ensure the Washington Metro area is well protected from water supply shortages.

ICPRB’s recent lunchtime webinar on innovations in sustainable agriculture discussed everything from cutting edge technology to good ol’ fashioned boots-on-the-ground community building.

Highlights include:

• Swift Aeroseed discussed the creation of their drone cover crop seeding technology.
• Pennsylvania’s Franklin County Conservation District told the story of the successful farming and outreach practices of Lesher’s Poultry Farm.
• Penn State University shared water-saving sensor-based irrigation technology.
• Rosetree Consulting recounted how farmers reaped the benefits from their project exploring strategic implementation of Soil Nutrient Management Plans.

We would like to thank Adam McClain of Pennsylvania’s Adams County Conservation District for moderating the discussion.

Check out the webinar below >>>

The low groundwater levels and the recent lack of spring rain have increased the likelihood of water being released from backup reservoirs in the Washington metropolitan area during this summer and fall seasons. Despite receiving some rainfall at the end of April, the cumulative precipitation in the basin over the last 12 months remains below normal.

Currently, the Potomac River flow is sufficient to meet water demands without upstream reservoir releases. However, a prolonged dry spell could lead to hydrological drought. In the case of a drought, the region has contingency plans in place to manage water supply shortages.

Learn more in the May Water Supply Outlook >>>

Click here to see the full Potomac News Reservoir – April 27, 2023

Thank you to all the volunteers at the recent cleanups!

People of all ages showed up to help clean trash out of a small creek in Frederick, MD at ICPRB’s recent stream cleanup event. Over 25 volunteers picked up around 500 pounds of trash, including a coat rack, several shopping carts, and a large stuffed teddy bear. A nice chair and a shovel even found a new home. One item, a (possibly stolen?) backpack, was handed to a passing police officer who promptly found it’s rightful owner.

We are grateful to the volunteers who showed up in Frederick and at events throughout the Potomac River watershed to work towards cleaner, healthier streams and rivers for all.

ICPRB in the Community

Walk in the Woods: Frederick Municipal Forest (April 29 near Frederick, MD)

WEBINAR: Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture (May 12, Virtual)

Anacostia River Festival (May 20, Washington, D.C.)

Find these and other events around the Potomac watershed on our Events Calendar.

Media from around the Basin

Drought expands across D.C. area after helping fuel several recent fires

Washington Post

Flow rates on the Potomac River have been decreasing. The rate is down to 4,280 cubic feet per second as measured by a gauge at Point of Rocks in Frederick County, Md., according to Michael Nardolilli, executive director of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, which monitors the river for water supply and pollution issues. That’s less than half the flow rate of 11,600 cubic feet per second at this time last year, which was near the long-term average.

Deadline extended for presentations/abstracts for 2023 Potomac Conference on Climate Change

ICPRB

The Call for Presentations/Abstracts for the 2023 Potomac River Conference: One River’s Perspective on a Changing Climate has been extended to Friday, May 5.

EPA agrees to step up enforcement of Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts in Pennsylvania

Richmond Times-Dispatch

The EPA has promised to step up enforcement in Pennsylvania of Chesapeake Bay cleanup rules that the state has been flouting and that the agency let slip during the Trump administration.

New mapping tool reveals community green space disparities in Chesapeake Bay watershed

WHRO

Not everyone has the same access to green space, which provides mental and physical health benefits. People who live in communities of color or lower-income neighborhoods often have to travel farther to get to them.

Climate change is affecting NH’s streams and rivers. Dartmouth researchers are tracking how.

NHPR

The study looked at the Dead Diamond river in northern New Hampshire, as well as the Mattawamkeag River in Maine, the White River in Vermont and the Shenandoah River in West Virginia. The three northern rivers are affected strongly by snowmelt, while the Shenandoah river is more affected by rainfall. The researchers are relatively confident we can expect higher streamflows and more flooding, particularly during heavy rainfall events in the warm seasons.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Maryland Agencies to Treat Potomac River for Black Fly Control on April 27

MDA

The Maryland Department of Agriculture—in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources—will treat a targeted area of the Potomac River near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, as part of a pilot program to control black fly populations in the area.

Dominion seeks permit for new coal ash landfill in Virginia

Bay Journal

Dominion Energy is moving forward with plans to build a new coal ash landfill near the Potomac River in Northern Virginia, entering the last chapter of a long debate over how to safely dispose of the lingering contaminant.

Maryland Fishing Report – April 26

MDDNR

The trout management waters in western Maryland will often provide good water quality for trout throughout the summer months and provide excellent fishing opportunities for fly casters.

WVDNR stocks 86 waters

WDTV

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources announced on Monday that the following waters were stocked during the week of April 18–22.

Fishing for Giant Blue Catfish in the Shadow of Capitol Hill

OutdoorLife

What a winter kamikaze run for trophy catfish outside Washington D.C. can teach you about global warming, the YouTube generation, and the importance of a good bridge net.

A New Smithsonian Guide for How You Can Make Your Daily Routine More Sustainable

Smithsonian Magazine

Launched on Earth Day 2023, the Anacostia Community Museum’s Center for Environmental Justice is a new research hub at the Smithsonian that will leverage history and current research to develop solution-based models by and for the people most affected by environmental injustice.

Letter: Time to think about protecting the Potomac

InsideNova

One major way [to Protect the Potomac] is through green infrastructure, including the use of permeable pavers and sidewalks and green swales. As building projects are under consideration, an essential element of weighing their environmental impact should include what they can contribute back to the environment.

Inside the Taylor Run restoration: Passionate residents collaborate with willing city staff to chart a path forward

Alexandria Times

Three million dollars slipped through the city’s fingers last week after City Council announced it would rescind two grants backing the Taylor Run and Strawberry Run stream restoration projects.

After-school program and city officials celebrate Arbor Day

Cumberland Times-News

Roughly 100 students in the program in first through fifth grades from John Humbird and South Penn elementary schools participated in Monday’s activity.

Many cleanups took place over the past few weeks in celebration of Earth Day. Thank you to all the volunteers who showed up to make a difference! Here are a few highlights in local media:

Friends of the Occoquan fill 185 trash bags

To honor the upcoming Earth Day, April 22, 2023, Friends of the Occoquan organized a river cleanup across seven parks and marinas along the Occoquan River on Saturday, April 15.

Preserving the Anacostia River

Yahoo!News

In Cheverly, several volunteers came out to the Anacostia watershed to pick up trash, serve their community and enjoy the river.

Volunteers clean up the Anacostia Watershed on Earth Day

Fox5

Many environmentally friendly events took place around the DMV in honor of Earth Day including a volunteer event at the Anacostia watershed to clean up trash so they and others can enjoy the river.