Situational Awareness (Saturday, 2024-11-09)
Dry conditions persist throughout the Potomac basin. Yesterday’s Potomac River flow at the US Geological Survey’s Point of Rocks gage was 1790 cfs (cubic feet per second), just above the 20th percentile flow of 1740 cfs for that day of the year. According to Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center predictions, a modest amount of rainfall is expected in the coming days: 0.3 inches over the next 3 days and 0.6 inches over the coming 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 (inches)
Past 3-day cumulative area-weighted average basin precipitation: 0.02 (inches)
Past 7-day cumulative area-weighted average basin precipitation: 0.02 (inches)
Daily flows:
Little Falls gage flow 2024-11-08: 1144 MGD (1770 cfs)
Little Falls gage flow 2024-11-09: 1170 MGD (est., based on recently available real-time data) (1810 cfs)
Note: Gage flow at Little Falls is measured after water supply withdrawals.
Point of Rocks flow 2024-11-08: 1157 MGD (1790 cfs)
Point of Rocks flow 2024-11-09: 1138 MGD (est., based on recently available real-time data) (1760 cfs)
Yesterday's estimated daily flows:
Great Falls estimated flow 2024-11-08: 1197 MGD (1851 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 (2024-11-08):
Fairfax Water Corbalis withdrawal - Potomac: 98 MGD
WSSC Water Potomac withdrawal: 126 MGD
Washington Aqueduct withdrawal - Great Falls: 75 MGD
Washington Aqueduct withdrawal - Little Falls: 53 MGD
Loudoun Water withdrawal: 9 MGD
Loudoun Water Broad Run discharge: 7 MGD
Total Potomac withdrawal: 361 MGD
Total net Potomac withdrawal: 354 MGD
Loudoun Water Potomac River (PR) flow values for drought operations protocol (based on yesterday's flows):
QPR: 1790 cfs
QPR, obs: 1790 cfs
QPR, WS: 0 cfs
Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin