The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is measuring near record river flow in the Susquehanna River at Conowingo Dam, where the river enters the Chesapeake Bay.

As of Friday morning September 9, 2011, the flow at Susquehanna River at Conowingo dam was 775,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). The highest river flow previously recorded at this site was 1,130,000 cfs in June 1972. This flow was related to remnants of Tropical Storm Agnes. The river is expected to reach the third highest flow in history. The second highest peak flow was 909,000 cfs in January 1996.

2011 will most likely be one of the highest annual flow years on record from the Susquehanna River into the Chesapeake Bay. Record flow is a result of both the September tropical storms and a wet spring across the watershed.

In addition to the Susquehanna site, high river flows are being measured throughout other parts of the Chesapeake watershed. More information on the status of river flows can be found on the USGS real-time streamflow site: http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/new/index.php?r=02&m=real

The USGS is working with Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partners to collect water-quality samples to document the amount of nutrients and sediment at key sites throughout the Bay watershed as part of the CBP nontidal water-quality network. The CBP partners will also be sampling to document the impacts on the Bay.