Water Resources Review – October 2001

Updated: October 31, 2001

See definitions.

Maryland And Delaware. -- Streamflow decreased throughout the entire bi-state area. In Western Maryland and on the upper Potomac River, streamflow decreased, and moved from the normal  into the below-normal range. In Central Maryland, flows decreased, and remained in the normal range. Flows on the lower Potomac River decreased, and moved from the normal into the below-normal range. In northeast Maryland, flows decreased, and remain in the below-normal range (5 of the last 6 months below normal flows). On the Eastern Shore, streamflow decreased, and remained in the normal range.

Contents of the Baltimore reservoir system decreased, and near month's end were 73 percent of capacity. End of month contents = 55,660 million gallons.

Ground-water levels decreased throughout most of the bi-state area. In western Maryland, ground-water levels fell, and remained in the below-normal range. In west-central Maryland, ground-water levels decreased, also remaining in the below-normal range. In central Maryland, water levels decreased, and remained in the below-normal range. On the Eastern Shore, water levels fell, and moved from the above-normal into the below-normal range.

Surface Water Data -- October 2001

[% = percent; ft³/s = cubic feet per second; in. = inches; Date = day of month;
1 = Includes diversions for water supply; * = Above normal range; # = Below normal range]

Station name

Discharge

Runoff
(in.)

Cumulative runoff

Maximum
(ft3/s)
---
(Date)

Minimum
(ft3/s)
---
(Date)

Mean
(ft3/s)

Percent of
normal

Total
(in.)

Percent of
normal

Departure
(in.)

Potomac R at
Paw Paw, W.Va.

#522

61

0.20

0.20

62

-0.12

968
(09)

443
(27-30)

Seneca C at
Dawsonville, Md.

46.6

88

0.53

0.53

88

-0.07

121
(15)

37
(08)

Potomac R near
Washington, D.C. 1

#1730

55

0.17

0.17

55

-0.14

2170
(01)

1420
(11)

Deer C near 
Rocks, Md.

#29.4

40

0.36

0.36

40

-0.53

44
(15)

26
(7-10)

Choptank R near
Greensboro, Md.

20.7

65

0.21

0.21

64

-0.12

28
(02)

18
(27,31)

Normal is defined as the median (50th percentile) of long-term monthly-mean discharge or monthly total runoff. The normal range is defined as discharge or runoff falling between the 75th and 25th percentiles of long-term records. 

Ground Water Data – October  2001

Well number

Well name

Previous month

Reporting month

Date measured

Level
(feet below
land surface)

Date measured

Level
(feet below
land surface)

GA-Bc 1

Accident

09-28

14.89

10-30

16.03

WA-Be 2

Fort Frederick

09-28

34.13

10-30

34.80

MO-Eh 20

Fairland

09-28

14.21

10-30

15.06

Jd 42-03

Camden

09-27

7.24

10-29

8.05

 

Name

Date measured

Water level
(feet below
land surface)

Departure from average
(feet)

Change since previous month
(feet)

Change since previous year
(feet)

Last reversal

Change
(feet)

Date
(month, year)

Accident

10-30

16.03

-0.55

-1.14

-0.33

-3.46

June 2001

Fort Frederick

10-30

34.80

-1.03

-0.67

-1.44

-9.04

Apr 2001

Fairland

10-30

15.05

-1.46

-0.85

-0.72

-0.85

Oct 2001

Camden

10-29

8.05

-0.58

-0.81

-1.80

-3.21

July 2001

Potomac River near Washington, D.C.  -  October 2001

Last day: 1470 cubic feet per second (estimated).
Reference period: 1971 to 2000.

Chesapeake Bay – October 2001

Total flow into the Chesapeake Bay was about 10.1 billion gallons per day, (BGD) 38 percent of average. October average: 26.9 BGD.

The three largest rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay contributed about 75 percent of total inflow in October, with individual contributions of:

River

Percentage of total inflow
to Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna River

50

Potomac River

16

James River

                  9

Total

75

Other rivers

25

Period of record: 1937 to Present. 

Related Information

Reports for previous months

Monthly Water Conditions in the Chesapeake Bay Region

National Water Conditions

Definitions of terms

Northeast Regional Climate Center (from Cornell University)

Monthly Climate Summary

For additional information, contact:

info@md.water.usgs.gov or call 410-238-4200.