The Potomac Basin- Is the Water Adequate?
Elizabeth Ward
The Potomac River is 383-miles long and contains 14,670 square miles
that makes up the Potomac Basin. The largest portion of the Potomac
basin is in Virginia -5,723 square miles; while Maryland contains 3,818
square miles, West Virginia-3,490 miles, Pennsylvania -1,570 square
miles, and 69 square miles that constitute the District of Columbia. The
Potomac basin is made up of wetlands, streams, rivers, reservoirs,
lakes, and the Potomac estuary.
The Potomac River, its tributaries, and the associated groundwater resources are vital to the region, it is the source of drinking water for the over 6,000,000 people in the Washington Metropolitan area. The Potomac River is the main supply of water for WSSC and the Washington Aqueduct and the major source of water for Loudoun Water and Fairfax Water. The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) manages the allocation of the Potomac River waters in time of drought or low flow, but also conducts studies on pollution, emerging contaminants and other water problems; from water supply adequacy, population growth patterns, to climate change impact on
The Potomac River, its tributaries, and the associated groundwater resources are vital to the region, it is the source of drinking water for the over 6,000,000 people in the Washington Metropolitan area. The Potomac River is the main supply of water for WSSC and the Washington Aqueduct and the major source of water for Loudoun Water and Fairfax Water. The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) manages the allocation of the Potomac River waters in time of drought or low flow, but also conducts studies on pollution, emerging contaminants and other water problems; from water supply adequacy, population growth patterns, to climate change impact on
