"This past fall, ICPRB and its partners at the USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center in West Virginia and the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in South Dakota completed Phase 3 of a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) remote sensing project to map the bottom of the Potomac River. LiDAR creates a highly detailed model of the river, which helps scientists better understand the depth, width, and flow of water through the channel.

During this recent phase of the project, the section of river between Cumberland and Jennings Randolph Reservoir was mapped using specialized equipment attached to an airplane. Data from the maps allow construction of 2D and 3D computer models of the river, which will improve ICPRB’s spill modeling capabilities as well as inform operations for the Jennings Randolph Reservoir.

This is a national pilot project by USGS. They will take what they have learned during this project and apply it to rivers across the country.

The final piece of the puzzle for the Potomac River, Phase 4, will be completed once funding is identified. When final, the project will have completed a map of the entire reach of the Potomac River, giving us a much better idea of how the river flows."