Mid-October 2007 USGS Maryland-Delaware-DC Water Conditions Summary
Compiled by Wendy S. McPherson, Hydrologist
Map showing Mid-October 2007 record lows
As of October 16, less than a quarter of an inch of rain has fallen at the National Weather Service stations in Maryland. At Reagan National Airport, there has been nothing but a trace of rain. The lack of rainfall is definitely affecting streams and ground-water levels. The mid-October measurements show that 5 wells and 6 wells are already breaking the historic record lows for October.
Water levels are expected to be low at this time of year, but the extreme lack of rain is reflected in the record-setting low streamflow and groundwater levels. The table below is a summary of the 6 streams and 5 wells setting new record low water levels in mid-October 2007. Further details and location are in the streamflow and ground-water sections that follow.
| USGS Streamflow Gaging Station | County | Monthly Mean in Cubic Feet Per Second (cfs) Mid-October 2007 |
Previous Record Low | Year | Normal for October |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choptank River near Greensboro, MD | Caroline | 9.2 | 9.9 | 1965 | 29.1 |
| Monocacy River near Bridgeport, MD | Frederick | 2.4 | 3.2 | 1963 | 32.0 |
| Nassawango Creek near Snow Hill, MD | Worcester | 1.1 | 1.6 | 1986 | 9.4 |
| Patuxent River near Unity, MD | Montgomery | 2.6 | 4.2 | 1986 | 14.8 |
| Piscataway at Piscataway, MD | St. Marys | 0 | 1.3 | 1986 | 13.28 |
| Winters Run near Benson, MD | Harford | 10.5 | 13.4 | 1969 | 28.1 |
| USGS Water Table Monitoring Wells | County | Depth in Feet Below Land Surface Mid-October 2007 |
Previous Record Low | Year | Normal for October |
| CH De 45 near La Plata | Charles | 11.63 | 11.31 | 1998 | 8.04 |
| CL Ad 47 Union Mills, MD | Carroll | 4.51 | 3.80 | 1986 | 3.13 |
| MO Eh 20 near Fairlane, MD | Montgomery | 16.72 | 16.36 | 1986 | 13.73 |
| WA Ci 82 near Lappans, MD | Washington | 55.37 | 54.55 | 1988 | 52.01 |
| WI Cg 20 near Parsonburg, MD | Wicomico | 9.12 | 8.61 | 1980 | 6.48 |
Streamflow
By October 16, 2007, 6 of the 19 USGS streamflow gaging stations used to characterize streamflow conditions were at the lowest mid-October mean streamflow since record-keeping began at these stations. Another 8 streams are approaching record low flows.
For mid-October, the monthly mean streamflow at the Patuxent River near Unity is the lowest it has been during this time period since 1986. Streamflow data has been collected at this site for 63 years.
Ground Water
Lack or rainfall also affected ground-water levels across Maryland and Delaware. Of the 22 wells used to monitor hydrologic conditions by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 16 of the ground-water levels were below normal and three set new record lows for September.
The record-setting wells are located in Carroll, Charles, Montgomery, Washington, and Wicomico Counties. Wells in Baltimore, Charles, Frederick, Harford, and Somerset Counties were extremely low. Without normal rainfall, many of the wells will be below normal or record by the end of October.
The water level in the well in Charles County has been breaking records for low levels in July, September, and mid-October
More Information
- Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia
- USGS Drought Watch
- USGS Water Summary
- Streamflow
- Ground Water
- Chesapeake Bay
- National
- USGS Streamflow and ground-water levels
- U.S. Drought Monitor from the National Drought Mitigation Center
Contact
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Geological Survey
Wendy S. McPherson (wsmcpher@usgs.gov)
Maryland-Delaware-D.C.
Water Science Center
5522 Research Park Drive
Baltimore MD, 21228
Phone:443-498-5555
Fax:(443-498-5510
