Water Resources Review – April 2003

Updated: May 1, 2003

See definitions.

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

Contents of the Baltimore reservoir system increased, and near month's end were 99 percent of capacity. End of month contents = 75,510 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 ---April 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.

*8910

     177

3.18

15.96

128

+3.46

24700
(12)

  3500

   (30)

Seneca C at
Dawsonville, Md.

  179

115

1.98

14.68

144

+4.48

343
(11)

   113
   (30)

Potomac R near
Washington, D.C. 1

*29300

176

2.82

15.00

135

+3.90

75600
(13)

13600

(30)

Deer C near 
Rocks, Md.

  166

101

1.85

13.44

117

+1.94

    221
     (9)

132
(25)

Choptank R near
Greensboro, Md.

 *312

162

2.98

22.34

172

+9.34

    948
    (12)

    140
    (30)

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 2003

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

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

Last day: 13,600 cubic feet per second (estimated).
Reference period: 1971 to 2000.

Chesapeake Bay – April 2003

Total flow into the Chesapeake Bay was about 104 billion gallons per day, (BGD) 111 percent of average. April average: 94.1 BGD.

 

The three largest rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay contributed about 84 percent of total inflow in April, with individual contributions of:

River

Percentage of total inflow
to Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna River

48

Potomac River

22    

James River

                 14

Total

84

Other rivers

16

.

 

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.