Water Resources Review – August 2002

Updated: August 31, 2002

See definitions.

Maryland And Delaware. -- Streamflow decreased throughout most of the bi-state area. In Western Maryland and on the upper Potomac River,  streamflow decreased, and remained in the normal range. In Central Maryland, flows increased, and moved from the below-normal into the normal range (***increase due to releases from Little Seneca Reservoir to augment Potomac flows downstream). Flows on the lower Potomac River decreased,  remaining in the below-normal range. In northeast Maryland, at the index station on Deer Creek, flows decreased, and continue to remain in the below-normal range (15 of the last 16 months below normal flows). On the Eastern Shore, at the index station on the Choptank River,  streamflow decreased, also remaining in the below-normal range. Lowest monthly August flow for the period of record at the index station on Deer Creek (also record low single days on Deer Creek and Choptank River). 

Contents of the Baltimore reservoir system decreased, and near month's end were 48 percent of capacity. End of month contents = 36,150 million gallons.  Contents of the Triadelphia  and Duckett reservoirs, near month’s end, were 5.39 billion gallons, 51 percent of capacity.

Surface Water Data -- August 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.

 795

76

0.29

8.42

53

-7.48

1280
(6)

540
(12)

Seneca C at
Dawsonville, Md.

 52.8

94

0.60

8.46

50

-8.34

165
(29)

19
(26)

Potomac R near
Washington, D.C. 1

#1960

48

0.20

5.32

37

-9.18

5040
(1)

1120

(19)

Deer C near 
Rocks, Md.

#14.9

21

0.18

4.72

25

-14.28

57
(3)

4.1
(22)

Choptank R near
Greensboro, Md.

 #6.13

15

0.06

5.08

31

-11.22

     35
    (30)

.35
(19)

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 – August  2002

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

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

Last day: 2,290 cubic feet per second (estimated).
Reference period: 1971 to 2000.

Chesapeake Bay – August 2002

Total flow into the Chesapeake Bay was about 7.75 billion gallons per day, (BGD) 36 percent of average. August average: 21.8 BGD.

August 2002 flow equals second lowest august flow to bay (7.75 BGD) 1964.

Lowest August flow for period of record 6.34 BGD (1966).

The three largest rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay contributed about 74 percent of total inflow in August, with individual contributions of:

River

Percentage of total inflow
to Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna River

38

Potomac River

24    

James River

                 12

Total

74

Other rivers

26

.

 

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.