Around here
Around Potomac River
- Williamsport Visitor CenterVisitor center6 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Williamsport Visitor Center - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical ParkVisitor center6 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Antietam National Battlefield Visitor CenterVisitor center13.9 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Antietam National BattlefieldRecreation area14.5 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 62.1 mile river near Cacapon River Outfitters in West Virginia. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Potomac River at Paw Paw, WV (site 01610000). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 8. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1939 to 2027
Potomac River typically runs highest in March, at a median 5,090 cfs, and lowest in September, at 609 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 125,000 cfs, in 1986.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 2,630 | 1,510 to 4,920 |
| February | 3,510 | 2,040 to 6,250 |
| March | 5,090 | 3,150 to 8,650 |
| April | 4,145 | 2,605 to 6,920 |
| May | 3,280 | 2,010 to 5,790 |
| June | 1,600 | 1,035 to 2,625 |
| July | 881 | 625 to 1,460 |
| August | 724 | 501 to 1,220 |
| September | 609 | 441 to 994 |
| October | 650 | 474 to 1,210 |
| November | 1,065 | 578 to 2,100 |
| December | 2,150 | 1,200 to 3,980 |
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 88 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Potomac River at Paw Paw, WV (site 01610000). Conditions on any given day can fall well outside the usual range. Check the current reading before you go.
Boat access nearby
5 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.
- Sleepy Creek LakeSleepy CreekPublic
- Sawmill CoveSleepy Creek LakePublic
- Paw PawPotomac RiverPublic
- Great CacaponCacapon RiverPublic
- Cherry RunPotomac 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.
