Around here
Around Potomac River
- Antietam National Battlefield Visitor CenterVisitor center5.2 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Antietam National BattlefieldRecreation area5.8 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Williamsport Visitor CenterVisitor center5.9 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Williamsport Visitor Center - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical ParkVisitor center5.9 mi (opens in a new tab)
Data Source: Recreation.gov Ā· Source: USGS GNIS Ā· Public land: USGS PAD-US
About this river
Potomac River is a 34.7 mile river near Harpers Ferry Adventure Center in Virginia. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Potomac River at Shepherdstown, WV (site 01618000). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 8. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1928 to 2026
Potomac River typically runs highest in March, at a median 8,780 cfs, and lowest in September, at 1,205 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 287,000 cfs, in 1936.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 4,530 | 2,600 to 8,330 |
| February | 5,830 | 3,330 to 11,000 |
| March | 8,780 | 5,480 to 15,000 |
| April | 8,130 | 4,945 to 13,400 |
| May | 5,980 | 3,560 to 10,400 |
| June | 2,940 | 2,085 to 4,530 |
| July | 1,810 | 1,310 to 2,970 |
| August | 1,510 | 980 to 2,400 |
| September | 1,205 | 842 to 2,050 |
| October | 1,240 | 838 to 2,290 |
| November | 1,965 | 1,100 to 4,005 |
| December | 3,810 | 1,720 to 6,560 |
Typical is the median of each monthās daily median values, and the usual range runs from the median 25th to the median 75th percentile, across about 80 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Potomac River at Shepherdstown, WV (site 01618000). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
8 mapped launches sit in the mapped area of Potomac River, all of them public access. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Castleman's FerryShenandoah RiverPublic
- MeyerstownShenandoah RiverPublic
- Shannondale Springs Water Management Area AccessShenandoah RiverPublic
- MillvilleShenandoah RiverPublic
- Moulton ParkShenandoah RiverPublic
- Millville Dam (above dam)Shenandoah RiverPublic
- Millville DamShenandoah RiverPublic
- McKimmey (Point of Rocks)Potomac RiverPublic
Made to print
Put Potomac River on your wall
This river section as an art print, drawn over the real terrain with its miles, plus the trails, roads and peaks around it. Pick the colors and the size, and see the finished print before you buy. From $39, shipping included.
Embed this gauge on your site
Paste this snippet anywhere, an outfitter page, a club site, a trip report, to show Potomac River's live streamflow, water level and 7-day trend. It reads the USGS gauge directly, updates itself, and links back here.
See every free widget you can put on your site, including live conditions and a 7 day forecast.
