from the Chesapeake Bay News
In the fall of 2024, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (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.
Phase 4 of the project is expected to be completed once funding is identified. When the project is completed, map data will be available for the entire reach of the Potomac River. The work is part of a national pilot project by USGS.
