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Real-time River Stages from the USGS,
The United States Geological Survey
PATUXENT RIVER BASIN
SUSQUEHANNA RIVER BASIN
NORTH BRANCH POTOMAC RIVER BASIN
SOUTH BRANCH POTOMAC RIVER BASIN
POTOMAC RIVER BASIN (Paw Paw to Harpers Ferry)
POTOMAC RIVER BASIN (downstream of Harpers Ferry)
YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER BASIN
CHESAPEAKE BAY DRAINAGE - WESTERN SHORE
CHESAPEAKE BAY DRAINAGE - EASTERN SHORE
Some USGS Stream Gauges nearby could go away if something is not done.
Did you know it costs $12,500 per year to operate a USGS streamgage in Maryland,
Delaware, and Washington, D.C? In recent years, the local funding
contribution for the Little Falls streamgage has come through the
Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments from its member
organizations, including local water utilities, but is not available this
year.
Although this streamgage is
scheduled to be discontinued in a few months because of a lack of funding,
the USGS is continuing to seek potential partners at the Federal, State, and
local government levels to obtain adequate funding to continue operation.
In many cases, the USGS can contribute some funds through the USGS
Cooperative Water Program to match contributions from State and local
agencies. However, at this time they have not obtained partner funding
adequate to cover costs at this streamgage, and are alerting users of the
information that the streamgage will be discontinued if additional funding
is not found.
Most streamgages in the United States are funded by a partnership between
the USGS and other public agencies, as they have been almost since the
USGS streamgaging program began in 1889. Although this funding partnership
helps the streamgaging program stay relevant to local needs for streamflow
information, it has been shown to add instability to the network,
especially for critical long-record streamgages. In response to this
instability, and other issues facing the streamgaging network, the USGS
developed the National Streamflow Information Program (NSIP). One of the
five goals of NSIP is to provide stability to a backbone network of
streamgages designed to provide streamflow information to meet national
needs. Under a fully funded NSIP, the Potomac River at Little Falls near
Washington, D.C., would receive full funding as part of NSIP for the
purposes of streamflow and flood prediction. However, NSIP is a new
program started in 2003 and is currently only funded at about 15 percent
of the funding required for full implementation. Current funding of NSIP
is inadequate to cover the costs of this streamgage.
Several individual data users have requested information on the funding
shortfall at the Little Falls streamgage, and have asked about ways to
contribute funds to its continued operation. While offers of direct
support are appreciated, it is necessary to develop sources of funding
through public agencies. Long term, the most effective way to keep this
streamgage, and other critical USGS streamgages, in operation is to
contact State and local water-resource agencies and Federal
representatives and ask them to support the USGS streamgaging program. In
the near term, USGS Cooperative Water Program funds are available to match
contributions from State and Local agencies.
Communicating your support and needs to
appropriate decision makers is the most effective action that you could
take to ensure long-term availability of streamflow information from
Little Falls and other USGS streamgaging stations.
The streamgage at Little Falls is used by many people and by many
organizations for many different purposes, so it is difficult to say who
should be responsible for contributing funds to its operation. Anyone in
the public or private sector with interests in water in the Potomac River
would be an appropriate contact. In recent years, about one-half of the
funding has come through the Washington Metropolitan Council of
Governments, with a matching contribution from the USGS. A State or local
funding partner is required to be able to use any of the matching funds
from the USGS Cooperative Water Program. However, WashCOG receives its
funding from its member organizations, including local governments and the
water utilities, and did not have sufficient water-resource funds
available this year. The regional water utilities--Washington Aqueduct,
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, and Fairfax County Water
Authority--are the principal users of water in the Potomac River and are
logical funding partners, but did not contribute funding to support the
Little Falls streamgage.
In the long term, the best scenario for stable operation of the Little
Falls and other streamgages is full implementation of the USGS National
Streamflow Information Program (NSIP). NSIP would fully fund operation of streamgages of National
interest, including the Little Falls streamgage, and would also free up
state and local contributions to be used at other streamgages. NSIP is a
program funded through Congressional appropriation, and is currently at
only about 15 percent of the funding required for full implementation. If
you are interested in supporting NSIP, you are encouraged to contact your
Federal representatives. If you would like more information on NSIP, you
can contact the Coordinator, Mike Norris, at mnorris@usgs.gov.
Definitions:
"Long-term median flow" defined as the median of the daily-mean flows
on this date for the period of record (in cubic feet per second)
Units:
Stage (gage height) in feet
Streamflow in cubic feet per second
Water temperature in degrees Celsius
Time:
Maryland, Delaware, D.C., and West Virginia stations use Eastern Standard Time
year round; add 1 hour for Eastern Daylight Time.
Symbols:
(R) Regulated by reservoir and/or affected by diversions
-- Parameter unavailable
*** Data temporarily unavailable
Eqp Shutdown due to equipment malfunction
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Copyright© 2005 The Maryland Angler's Network. All rights reserved.
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