Morning Potomac flow and demand update (Sunday, 2023-09-03)

Submitted by admin1 on Sun, 09/03/2023 - 08:01

No rain fell in the basin in the past 24 hours. According to Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center predictions, no rain is expected in the next 72 hours. The week-long outlook points to an approximate total of 0.1 inches across the basin.

The proactive voluntary load shift from Great Falls to Little Falls by Washington Aqueduct is still ongoing.  

 

Recent basin-wide average precipitation (above Little Falls):

(based on CO-OP's Low Flow Forecast System analysis of Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center (MARFC) gridded multisensor precipitation estimates)

Yesterday's area-weighted average basin precipitation: 0 (inches)

Past 3-day cumulative area-weighted average basin precipitation: 0 (inches)

Past 7-day cumulative area-weighted average basin precipitation: 0.33 (inches)

 

Daily flows:

Little Falls gage flow 2023-09-02: 524 MGD (811 cfs)

Little Falls gage flow 2023-09-03: 503 MGD (est., based on recently available real-time data) (778 cfs)

Note: Gage flow at Little Falls is measured after water supply withdrawals.

Point of Rocks flow 2023-09-02: 711 MGD (1100 cfs)

Point of Rocks flow 2023-09-03: 724 MGD (est., based on recently available real-time data) (1120 cfs)

 

Yesterday's Washington metropolitan area Potomac River withdrawals and discharges (2023-09-02):

Fairfax Water Corbalis withdrawal - Potomac: 119 MGD

WSSC Water Potomac withdrawal: 143 MGD

Washington Aqueduct withdrawal - Great Falls: 74 MGD

Washington Aqueduct withdrawal - Little Falls: 57 MGD

Loudoun Water withdrawal: 4 MGD

Loudoun Water Broad Run discharge: 5 MGD

Total Potomac withdrawal: 398 MGD

Total net Potomac withdrawal: 392 MGD

 

Yesterday's Patuxent, Occoquan, and Net Total System Withdrawal (2023-09-02):

FW Occoquan withdrawal: 72 MGD

WSSC Patuxent withdrawal: 48 MGD

 

Yesterday's total system withdrawal (2023-09-02): 514 MGD

 

Loudoun Water Potomac River (PR) flow values for drought operations protocol (based on yesterday's flows):

QPR: 1100 cfs

QPR, obs: 1100 cfs

QPR, WS: 0 cfs

 

Note to Loudoun Water: See NWS ensemble flow forecasts (HEFS, GEFS, NAEFS) for Point of Rocks flow for the next 7 days – see https://www.weather.gov/erh/mmefs_marfc?id=PORM2&model=NAEFS.

 

Recommended operations for today (2023-09-03 A.M.):

Fairfax Water:

Per operational preference.

 

WSSC:

Per operational preference.

 

Seneca (release date, time, amount in MGD):

There are no releases at this time.

 

Aqueduct:

Per operational preference.

 

Reservoirs - Usable storage for yesterday (2023-09-02, BG):

Facility, %Full, Current, Usable Capacity*

WSSC’s Patuxent reservoirs, 49%, 5.12, 10.53

Fairfax Water’s Occoquan reservoir, 96%, 7.82, 8.17

Little Seneca Reservoir, 97%, 3.77, 3.87

Jennings Randolph Total Reservoir, 78%, 22.87, 29.4

Jennings Randolph water supply**, 100%, 13.1, 13.1

Jennings Randolph water quality**, 60%, 9.77, 16.3

Savage Reservoir, 58%, 3.68, 6.33

*Storage and capacities for Occoquan, Patuxent and Little Seneca reservoirs are provided by Washington metropolitan area water utilities, and based on best available information. Storage and capacities for Jennings Randolph and Savage reservoirs are based on observed water levels and available US ACE water level/storage tables from 1998. ICPRB estimates that sedimentation has resulted in a loss of total available storage in Jennings Randolph Reservoir of 1.6 BG in recent years, and this loss is not reflected in the numbers above.

** ICPRB's initial estimate. Final accounting of Jennings Randolph water supply versus water quality storage will be provided at a later date by the US ACE.

 

Note: Flow levels have dropped to a level that has triggered enhanced monitoring, per the drought operations manual of the Water Supply Coordination Agreement. When adjusted flow at Little Falls (adjusted flow is gage flow plus upstream withdrawals) less the environmental flow is less than twice the Washington metropolitan area withdrawals, the water suppliers will begin reporting yesterday's and today's withdrawals and this morning's reservoir storage volumes. ICPRB asks that communications be sent by 7:30 am and updates sent by 1:00 pm. Reporting can be submitted through www.icprbcoop.org, by email to coop@icprb.org, or by telephone by leaving a message with the CO-OP operations number at 301-274-8132. Monitoring emails can be viewed at http://icprbcoop.org/products/monitoring-reports. Thank you for your contribution to the monitoring efforts.

 

Tags
AM Report
Enhanced Operations