Around here
Around Potomac River
- Antietam National Battlefield Visitor CenterVisitor center2 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Antietam National BattlefieldRecreation area2.2 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Williamsport Visitor CenterVisitor center9.7 mi (opens in a new tab)
- Williamsport Visitor Center - Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical ParkVisitor center9.7 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 Harpers Ferry Adventure Center in Virginia. Streamflow is measured at the USGS gauge Potomac River at Point of Rocks, MD (site 01638500). The National Hydrography Dataset places it at stream order 8. Reach geometry comes from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
Typical flow by month
1895 to 2026
Potomac River typically runs highest in March, at a median 13,700 cfs, and lowest in September, at 2,180 cfs. The highest flow on record for any single day is 434,000 cfs, in 1936.
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical (cfs) | Usual range (cfs) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 7,710 | 4,600 to 13,500 |
| February | 9,250 | 5,880 to 16,500 |
| March | 13,700 | 8,690 to 22,100 |
| April | 11,850 | 7,630 to 18,700 |
| May | 8,690 | 5,550 to 14,900 |
| June | 5,075 | 3,515 to 8,215 |
| July | 3,210 | 2,460 to 5,030 |
| August | 2,740 | 1,850 to 4,050 |
| September | 2,180 | 1,530 to 3,605 |
| October | 2,260 | 1,560 to 4,200 |
| November | 3,030 | 1,990 to 6,060 |
| December | 5,850 | 3,090 to 10,300 |
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 132 years of record. Statistics published by the US Geological Survey for Potomac River at Point of Rocks, MD (site 01638500). 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. Ramp data comes from the USGS national boat-ramp inventory.
- Lake of the WoodsLake of the WoodsRestricted
- Elys FordRapidan RiverPublic
- Lake CurtisLake CurtisPublic
- Friendship Farm LandingNanjemoy CreekPublic
- Lake PelhamLake PelhamPublic
- Mallows BayPotomac RiverPublic
- Kelly's FordRappahannock RiverPublic
- Mountain Run LakeMt. Run LakePublic
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.
