News Release: Federal Funding to Protect and Preserve the Potomac River Watershed

ICPRB received $650,000 in the recent funding package passed by Congress.

Authorized by an Act of Congress in 1940, the mission of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (ICPRB) is to protect and enhance the waters and related resources of the Potomac River basin through science, regional cooperation, and education.

When the Interstate Compact was approved in 1940, Congress stipulated that ICPRB shall be provided annual appropriations from the United States. According to the executive director, other than in 2009, ICPRB has not received federal appropriations since 1996.

In making the announcement, ICPRB Executive Director Michael Nardolilli stated, “We are glad to see the federal government acknowledge the important work of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River. We are very appreciative of the work done by Congressman Raskin and Senators Cardin, Casey, and Van Hollen and their Staffs.”

According to Nardolilli, ICPRB plans to use the funds to improve water modeling capabilities and implement the 2018 Potomac River Basin Comprehensive Water Resources Plan. The 2023 updates to this plan are being considered by the ICPRB Commissioners later this week.

Work plans include:

• Enhance emergency spill modeling tools to help protect water supply intakes from spills into the river of oil and other chemical contaminants.
• Investigate feasibility, collect data, and construct?eelways?on the Potomac River.
• Collect bathymetric LiDAR data for the Potomac River North Branch to support 3D flow modeling.
• Develop better modeling capabilities for drinking water reservoir management.
• Host a series of webinars to promote sustainable water resources management.
• Advance the use of ICPRB’s impervious cover tool to assist decision-makers in understanding the relative effects of proposed impervious cover sites on local hydrology.