Water Resources Review – March 2003

Updated: April 1, 2003

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 moved from the normal into the above normal range. In Central Maryland, flows increased, and remains in the above normal range. Flows on the lower Potomac River increased, and moved from the normal into the above normal range. In northeast Maryland, flows increased, also moving from the normal into the above normal range. On the Eastern Shore, streamflow increased, remaining in the above normal range.

Contents of the Baltimore reservoir system increased, and near month's end were 96 percent of capacity. End of month contents = 73,080 million gallons.  Contents of the Triadelphia  and Duckett reservoirs, near month’s end, were 11.4 billion gallons, 100 percent of capacity.

Surface Water Data ---March 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.

*13400

     188

4.93

12.78

124

+2.48

28000
(7)

  4620

   (30)

Seneca C at
Dawsonville, Md.

  *337

197

3.85

12.70

155

+4.50

853
(21)

   159
   (19)

Potomac R near
Washington, D.C. 1

*47100

196

4.69

12.18

132

+2.98

112600
(22)

21300

(30)

Deer C near 
Rocks, Md.

 *305

171

3.72

11.59

122

+2.09

   1030
     (6)

125
(1)

Choptank R near
Greensboro, Md.

 *522

228

5.32

19.36

190

+9.16

    1430
     (7)

    245
    (29)

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 – March 2003

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

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

Last day: 23,100 cubic feet per second (estimated).
Reference period: 1971 to 2000.

Chesapeake Bay – March 2003

Total flow into the Chesapeake Bay was about 144 billion gallons per day, (BGD) 149 percent of average. March average: 96.2 BGD.

 

The three largest rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay contributed about 87 percent of total inflow in March, with individual contributions of:

River

Percentage of total inflow
to Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna River

51

Potomac River

25    

James River

                 11

Total

87

Other rivers

13

.

 

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.