Flood Tracking for the Potomac River Basin
By Edward J. Doheny, Timothy W. Auer and Andrew LaMotte
Abstract
The "Flood Tracking Chart for the Potomac River Basin" can be used by local citizens and emergency-response personnel to track and record the latest river stage and predicted flood-crest information during a flood event. By comparing the most current river stage (water-surface elevation above mean sea level) and predicted flood crest to the recorded peak stages of previous floods, emergency-response personnel and residents can make informed decisions concerning the threat to life and property. The flood-tracking chart shows a map of the Potomac River Basin, the location of major streamflow-gaging stations in the basin, and graphs of historical recorded peak stages at the gaging stations. Each graph represents a gaging station and has a scaled axis on which to record the most recently reported river stage from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The predicted flood-crest information from the National Weather Service (NWS) can also be recorded on each graph.
