Water Resources Review – August 2003

Updated: September 2, 2003

See definitions.

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

Contents of the Baltimore reservoir system increased slightly, and near month's end were 100 percent of capacity. End of month contents = 75,960 million gallons.  Contents of the Triadelphia  and Duckett reservoirs, near month’s end, were 10.5 billion gallons, 99 percent of capacity.

Surface Water Data ---August 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.

*2170

     207

0.80

25.26

159

+9.36

5360
(12)

  1030

   (26)

Seneca C at
Dawsonville, Md.

 *118

210

1.35

25.31

151

+8.51

     315
     (17)

    78
   (16)

Potomac R near
Washington, D.C. 1

*7790

189

0.77

24.30

168

+9.80

14600
(14)

5090

(25)

Deer C near 
Rocks, Md.

 *152

211

1.85

23.18

122

+4.18

     396
     (16)

97
(31)

Choptank R near
Greensboro, Md.

 *139

332

1.49

33.85

208

+17.55

     372
     (18)

     60
    (31)

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. 

Groundwater Data – August 2003

Detailed Groundwater information for Maryland and Delaware is available at https://md.water.usgs.gov/groundwater/.

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

Last day: 5,360 cubic feet per second (estimated).
Reference period: 1971 to 2000.

Chesapeake Bay – August 2003

Total flow into the Chesapeake Bay was about 49.1 billion gallons per day, (BGD) 225 percent of average. August average: 21.8 BGD.

 

****Fourth highest August  flow to the bay for the period of record;  Highest August flow 62.0 BGD (1955).

 

The three largest rivers flowing into the Chesapeake Bay contributed about 85 percent of total inflow in August, with individual contributions of:

River

Percentage of total inflow
to Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna River

58

Potomac River

14   

James River

                 13

Total

85

Other rivers

15

.

 

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.