Water Resources Review – May 2003

Updated: June 2, 2003

See definitions.

Maryland And Delaware. –  Streamflow increased throughout most of the bi-state area.  In Western Maryland and on the upper Potomac River, streamflow increased, remaining in the above normal range for the third consecutive month. In Central Maryland, flows increased, remaining in the normal range. Flows on the lower Potomac River increased, and remain in the above normal range for the third straight month. In northeast Maryland, flows increased slightly, and remain in the  normal range. On the Eastern Shore, streamflow decreased, although remaining in the above normal range for the fourth consecutive month.

Contents of the Baltimore reservoir system increased slightly, and near month's end were 100 percent of capacity. End of month contents = 75,980 million gallons.  Contents of the Triadelphia  and Duckett reservoirs, near month’s end, were 11.4 billion gallons, 107 percent of capacity.

Surface Water Data ---May 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.

*10200

     209

3.76

19.72

144

+6.02

38100
(11)

  3270

   (1)

Seneca C at
Dawsonville, Md.

   204

153

2.33

17.01

122

+3.01

343
(11)

   113
   (30)

Potomac R near
Washington, D.C. 1

*34100

232

3.40

18.40

146

+5.80

80000
(17)

12300

(2)

Deer C near 
Rocks, Md.

  167

96

2.05

15.49

112

+1.69

     472
     (26)

111
(15)

Choptank R near
Greensboro, Md.

 *245

191

2.50

24.84

167

+9.94

    994
    (27)

     79
    (15)

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 – May 2003

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

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

Last day: 22,700 cubic feet per second (estimated).
Reference period: 1971 to 2000.

Chesapeake Bay – May 2003

Total flow into the Chesapeake Bay was about 87.0 billion gallons per day, (BGD) 136 percent of average. May average: 64.1 BGD.

The three largest rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay contributed about 83 percent of total inflow in May, with individual contributions of:

River

Percentage of total inflow
to Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna River

33

Potomac River

30    

James River

                 20

Total

83

Other rivers

17

.

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.