Water Resources Review – February 2003

Updated: March 3, 2003

See definitions.

Maryland And Delaware. –  Streamflow remained in the normal to above normal range throughout the bi-state area.  In Western Maryland and on the upper Potomac River, streamflow decreased, and remains in the normal range. In Central Maryland, flows increased, and remains in the above normal range. Flows on the lower Potomac River decreased, and remain in the normal range. In northeast Maryland, flows increased, and remain in the normal range. On the Eastern Shore, streamflow increased, and moved from normal into the above normal range.

Contents of the Baltimore reservoir system increased, and near month's end were 77 percent of capacity. End of month contents = 58,620 million gallons.  Contents of the Triadelphia  and Duckett reservoirs, near month’s end, were 11.1 billion gallons, 105 percent of capacity.

Surface Water Data ---February 2003

[% = 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.

 4730

91

1.57

7.85

110

+0.75

23800
(24)

  1250

   (16)

Seneca C at
Dawsonville, Md.

*245

181

2.52

8.85

134

+2.25

1660
(23)

53
(16)

Potomac R near
Washington, D.C. 1

17600

109

1.58

7.49

105

+0.39

96900
(25)

2800

(18)

Deer C near 
Rocks, Md.

 205

138

2.26

7.87

106

+0.47

   1000
    (23)

78
(13)

Choptank R near
Greensboro, Md.

*426

196

3.93

14.04

2.10

+7.34

    2900
     (24)

     86
    (17)

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 – February 2003

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

Potomac River near Washington, D.C.  -  February 2003

Last day: 33,600 cubic feet per second (estimated).
Reference period: 1971 to 2000.

Chesapeake Bay – February 2003

Total flow into the Chesapeake Bay was about 60.9 billion gallons per day, (BGD) 89 percent of average. February average: 68.5 BGD.

 

The three largest rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay contributed about 79 percent of total inflow in february, with individual contributions of:

River

Percentage of total inflow
to Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna River

30

Potomac River

23    

James River

                 26

Total

79

Other rivers

21

.

 

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.