Situational Awareness (Saturday, 2026-09-19)
According to forecasts provided by the Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center, accumulated rainfall in the Potomac watershed will be approximately 0.5 inches over the next 3 days and 1 to 2 inches over the next 5 days.
Special Conditions
Julie Fritz of the US Army Corps of Engineer’s Baltimore District Office informed us that the last whitewater release from Savage River Dam for 2026 is scheduled for next Saturday, September 26th, 2026. You can find the 2026 water quality release schedule for Jennings Randolph and Savage reservoirs on the public website, https://water.usace.army.mil/office/nab/releases/north-branch.
Daily flows:
Little Falls gage flow 2026-09-18: 866 MGD (1340 cfs)
Little Falls gage flow 2026-09-19: 860 MGD (est., based on recently available real-time data) (1330 cfs)
Note: Gage flow at Little Falls is measured after water supply withdrawals.
Point of Rocks flow 2026-09-18: 1015 MGD (1570 cfs)
Point of Rocks flow 2026-09-19: 1163 MGD (est., based on recently available real-time data) (1800 cfs)
Yesterday's estimated daily flows:
Great Falls estimated flow 2026-09-18: 866 MGD (1340 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 (2026-09-18):
Fairfax Water Corbalis withdrawal - Potomac: 111 MGD
WSSC Water Potomac withdrawal: 140 MGD
Washington Aqueduct withdrawal - Great Falls: 117 MGD
Washington Aqueduct withdrawal - Little Falls: 0 MGD
Loudoun Water withdrawal: 12 MGD
Loudoun Water Broad Run discharge: 7 MGD
Total Potomac withdrawal: 380 MGD
Total net Potomac withdrawal: 373 MGD
Loudoun Water Potomac River (PR) flow values for drought operations protocol (based on yesterday's flows):
QPR: 1570 cfs
QPR, obs: 1570 cfs
QPR, WS: 0 cfs