Monitoring Reports

During periods of drought, the Cooperative Water Supply Operations on the Potomac (CO-OP) helps manage the Washington metropolitan area water supply system by coordinating withdrawals from the Potomac River and off-river reservoirs and recommending releases from upstream reservoirs when forecasted flow in the river is not sufficient to meet expected needs. These needs include water demands and an environmental flow-by of 100 million gallons per day (MGD) on the Potomac River at Little Falls dam near Washington, D.C.

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Monday 10/07/2013)

Submitted by admin1 on Mon, 10/07/2013 - 09:00

Flow at the Point of Rocks gage dropped approximately 400 cfs over the weekend. The western portion of the basin received between trace amounts and 0.5 inches of rain over the last 24 hours. The 72-hour forecast shows a chance of 0.5 to 1.25 inches of rain across the basin. The NOAA/MARFC briefing from Sunday, October 6, indicates that this rain is from a cold front crossing the region, not from Tropical Depression Karen. The heaviest rain is expected east of the I-95 corridor.

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Friday 10/04/2013)

Submitted by admin1 on Fri, 10/04/2013 - 09:00

Potomac River flows at Point of Rocks and Little Falls are still slightly higher due to last weekend's water quality releases from the North Branch reservoirs. The basin is expected to receive some precipitation - trace amounts up to a half inch - on Sunday. The Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center predicts that flow at Point of Rocks will fall to 1720 cfs over the next 72 hours.

Because flow conditions are expected to be relatively stable over the next 72 hours, CO-OP's daily drought monitoring and reporting will be suspended over the weekend, and will resume on Monday.

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Tuesday 10/01/2013)

Submitted by admin1 on Tue, 10/01/2013 - 09:00

According to the National Weather Service, there was no rain in the basin over the last 24 hours. No rain is predicted for the next 72 hours.

Daily Flows:
Little Falls gage flow 09/30: 1110 MGD (1710 cfs)
Little Falls gage flow 10/01: 1010 MGD (est., based on recently available real time data) (1560 cfs)
Note: Gage flow at Little Falls is measured after water supply withdrawals.
Point of Rocks flow 09/30: 1170 MGD (1810 cfs)
Point of Rocks flow 10/01: 1090 MGD (est., based on recently available real time data) (1680 cfs)

Daily Potomac flow and demand update (Wednesday 09/25/2013)

Submitted by admin1 on Wed, 09/25/2013 - 09:00

No precipitation fell in the basin yesterday and there is no rainfall predicted over the next three days.

Daily Flows:
Little Falls gage flow 09/24: 1290 MGD (1990 cfs)
Little Falls gage flow 09/25: 1250 MGD (est., based on recently available real time data) (1940 cfs)
Note: Gage flow at Little Falls is measured after water supply withdrawals.
Point of Rocks flow 09/24: 1220 MGD (1880 cfs)
Point of Rocks flow 09/25: 1200 MGD (est., based on recently available real time data) (1860 cfs)