Water Resources Review – October 2002

Updated: November 1, 2002

See definitions.

Maryland And Delaware. –  Streamflow increased throughout the entire bi-state area.  In Western Maryland and on the upper Potomac River,  streamflow increased, and remained in the normal range. In Central Maryland, flows increased, and remained in the normal range. Flows on the lower Potomac River increased,  moving from the below-normal into the normal range. In northeast Maryland, at the index station on Deer Creek, flows increased, also moving from the below-normal (after 13 months) into the normal range. On the Eastern Shore, streamflow increased, and remained in the normal range.  Lowest single day ((17 CFS) October flow for the period of record at the index station on Deer Creek (previous low 21CFS, 1931).

Contents of the Baltimore reservoir system increased, and near month's end were 46 percent of capacity. End of month contents = 34,670 million gallons.  Contents of the Triadelphia  and Duckett reservoirs, near month’s end, were 4.60 billion gallons, 43 percent of capacity.

Surface Water Data -- October 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.

 1810

211

0.67

0.67

209

+0.35

9040
(31)

510
(10)

Seneca C at
Dawsonville, Md.

 70.0

133

0.80

0.80

133

+0.20

304
(16)

22
(6-9)

Potomac R near
Washington, D.C. 1

 5220

167

0.52

0.52

168

+0.21

11800
(19)

1970

(10)

Deer C near 
Rocks, Md.

 65.7

90

0.80

0.80

90

-0.09

276
(16)

17
(7-9)

Choptank R near
Greensboro, Md.

 80.3

251

0.82

0.82

248

+0.49

     223
      (31)

13
(9)

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  2002

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

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

Last day: 8,940 cubic feet per second (estimated).
Reference period: 1971 to 2000.

Chesapeake Bay – October 2002

Total flow into the Chesapeake Bay was about 27.4 billion gallons per day, (BGD) 98 percent of average. October average: 27.8 BGD.

 

The three largest rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay contributed about 85 percent of total inflow in September, with individual contributions of:

River

Percentage of total inflow
to Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna River

62

Potomac River

17    

James River

                  6

Total

85

Other rivers

15

.

 

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.