Where does the Potomac River begin and end?
The Potomac River begins at the Fairfax Stone in West Virginia and ends by emptying into Chesapeake Bay at Point Lookout, Maryland. The river flows 400 miles from its source to this mouth.
Questions about Potomac River
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the origin of the name Potomac River?
The modern name Potomac derives from a European spelling of Patawomeck, which was the Algonquian name of a village on the southern bank. The Board on Geographic Names officially settled on the current name Potomac in 1931 after centuries of spelling variations.
How did the Potomac River function during the American Civil War?
During the American Civil War, the Potomac River served as the physical boundary between Union forces and Confederate armies. It also gave its name to the largest army of the North, known as the Army of the Potomac.
When did Washington D.C. start using the Potomac River for drinking water?
Washington, D.C. began using the Potomac River as its principal source of drinking water when the Washington Aqueduct opened in 1864. Approximately 300 million gallons of water are withdrawn daily from the river to serve the region's population.
What happened to the water quality of the Potomac River in the 20th century?
Severe eutrophication created dense green algal blooms covering the river's surface during the 1960s before pollution control efforts improved conditions. By 2018, the Potomac Conservancy issued a grade of B due to reduced nutrient runoff and returning fish populations.