Situational Awareness (Tuesday, 2024-07-30)
Potomac River flows are slowly falling, but the weather forecast is looking promising. According to Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center predictions, 0.3 inches of rain is expected over the next day and an inch or more is expected over the next week.
Special Conditions
None
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: 0.09 (inches)
Past 3-day cumulative area-weighted average basin precipitation: 0.09 (inches)
Past 7-day cumulative area-weighted average basin precipitation: 0.54 (inches)
Daily flows:
Little Falls gage flow 2024-07-29: 873 MGD (1350 cfs)
Little Falls gage flow 2024-07-30: 911 MGD (est., based on recently available real-time data) (1410 cfs)
Note: Gage flow at Little Falls is measured after water supply withdrawals.
Point of Rocks flow 2024-07-29: 1060 MGD (1640 cfs)
Point of Rocks flow 2024-07-30: 1034 MGD (est., based on recently available real-time data) (1600 cfs)
Yesterday's estimated daily flows:
Great Falls estimated flow 2024-07-29: 940 MGD (1454 cfs)
Note: Estimated flow below Great Falls intake is flow at Little Falls plus Little Falls water supply withdrawal.
Yesterday's Washington metropolitan area Potomac River withdrawals and discharges (2024-07-29):
Fairfax Water Corbalis withdrawal - Potomac: 136 MGD
WSSC Water Potomac withdrawal: 151 MGD
Washington Aqueduct withdrawal - Great Falls: 95 MGD
Washington Aqueduct withdrawal - Little Falls: 67 MGD
Loudoun Water withdrawal: 14 MGD
Loudoun Water Broad Run discharge: 5 MGD
Total Potomac withdrawal: 463 MGD
Total net Potomac withdrawal: 458 MGD
Loudoun Water Potomac River (PR) flow values for drought operations protocol (based on yesterday's flows):
QPR: 1640 cfs
QPR, obs: 1640 cfs
QPR, WS: 0 cfs