![]() Major cities in the Potomac basin include: Bethesda, Cumberland, Hagerstown, Frederick, Rockville, Waldorf, and St. The Washington metropolitan area has approximately 5.1 million residents, or 84 percent, of the basin’s population (2010 census data). Those living in rural areas make up 18.6 percent of the population, while those living on farms account for 0.7 percent. People living in urban areas account for the lion’s share of the basin’s residents at almost 81 percent of the population. In the late 1500s, the average population density was 2.2 people per square mile. The national average population density is 94 people per square mile. People (source: 2020 census) Jurisdiction The following information is based on 2020 estimated census data. The population has increased by about thirteen percent since 2010. The population of the basin is approximately 6.89 million (2020 estimated census). Visit our maps section to see these watersheds in detail. ![]() The Potomac’s major tributaries include: the Anacostia River, Antietam Creek, the Cacapon River, Catoctin Creek, Conococheague Creek, the Monocacy River, the North Branch, the South Branch, the Occoquan River, the Savage River, the Seneca Creek, and the Shenandoah River. The remaining 0.9 percent is barren or herbaceous landscapes. Water and wetlands make up 6 percent of the basin’s land area. Developed land makes up 14.7 percent of the basin’s land area, which is an increase of 20.2 percent since the 2001. This is a decrease of 3.7 percent since the 2001 NLCD data. Land use in the Potomac basin (NLCD 2019).īased on information from the 2019 National Land Cover Database (NLCD), the majority of the basin’s land area is PFAS Roadmap Slides no TPs Schafer covered by forests at 53.2 percent of the land area. middle of the river, Maryland shoreline, Virginia shoreline). The river’s distance will vary with map projection and location of measuring tool in the river (ie. The Potomac meanders over 383 miles from Fairfax Stone, West Virginia to Point Lookout, Maryland. The basin lies in five geological provinces: the Appalachian Plateau, the Ridge and Valley, Blue Ridge, Piedmont Plateau, and Coastal Plain. The basin’s total area varies depending on map projection used. mi.), and the District of Columbia (69 sq. The drainage area of the Potomac includes 14,670 square miles in four states: Virginia (5,723 sq. With that in mind, here is a current snapshot of the basin’s land, its people, and its water. It is difficult to fully describe the Potomac and its people because of their variety and because they are both constantly changing. ![]() The land of the Potomac Basin varies a great deal from its sources to its mouth, and so do its people. The Potomac basin is the 2nd largest watershed in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. It includes all of the land area where water drains towards the mouth of the Potomac – the point where the river spills into the Chesapeake Bay. This area is also called the Potomac watershed. The Potomac basin stretches across parts of four states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia) as well as the District of Columbia. Potomac Basin within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed ![]()
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