Water Resources Review – April 2002

Updated: April 30, 2002

See definitions.

Maryland And Delaware. -- Streamflow continues to remain below normal throughout much of the bi-state area. In Western Maryland and on the upper Potomac River, streamflow increased, and moved from the below-normal into the normal range, after 6 months of below-normal flow. In Central Maryland, flows decreased, and remain in the below normal range for the sixth straight month. Flows on the lower Potomac River increased, and moved from the below-normal into the normal range, after 6 months of below-normal flow. In northeast Maryland, at the index station on Deer Creek, flows decreased, and continue to remain in the below-normal range (11 of the last 12 months below normal flows). On the Eastern Shore, streamflow increased, and remains in the below normal range for the sixth month straight. Lowest monthly April flows for the period of record at the index station on Deer Creek (also record low single day). 

Contents of the Baltimore reservoir system increased, and near month's end were 62 percent of capacity. End of month contents = 47,030 million gallons.  Contents of the Triadeplphia  and Duckett reservoirs, near month’s end, were 6.55 billion gallons, 62 percent of capacity.

Ground-water levels increased throughout most of the bi-state area. In Western Maryland, ground-water levels rose, and remain in the above-normal range. In west-central Maryland, ground-water levels increased, although remaining in the below-normal range. In central Maryland, water levels increased slightly, and remained in the below-normal range, recording a record low reading for the fourth month in a row. On the Eastern Shore, water levels rose, but continue to remain in the below-normal range.

Surface Water Data -- April 2002

[% = 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.

 6820

136

2.43

4.59

37

-7.91

26000
(23)

1870
(13)

Seneca C at
Dawsonville, Md.

#78.3

50

0.86

4.97

49

-5.23

398
(28)

47
(21,27)

Potomac R near
Washington, D.C. 1

12800

77

1.24

2.93

26

-8.17

49100
(24)

4790

(14-15)

Deer C near 
Rocks, Md.

#46.0

28

0.54

3.38

29

-8.12

129
(28)

35
(27)

Choptank R near
Greensboro, Md.

#93.5

49

0.93

2.86

22

-10.14

210
(29)

59
(25)

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 – April  2002

Detailed ground-water information for Maryland and Delaware is available at http://md.water.usgs.gov/groundwater/.

Potomac River near Washington, D.C.  -  April 2002

Last day: 30,600 cubic feet per second (estimated).
Reference period: 1971 to 2000.

Chesapeake Bay – April 2002

Total flow into the Chesapeake Bay was about 54.0 billion gallons per day, (BGD) 57 percent of average. April average: 94.1 BGD.

The three largest rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay contributed about 86 percent of total inflow in April, with individual contributions of:

River

Percentage of total inflow
to Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna River

55

Potomac River

20     

James River

                 11

Total

86

Other rivers

14

 

 

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.