The Rising Potomac River

I went for a walk in January at Riverbend Park and snapped a few photos of the flooding taking place. Below are a series of “before and after” photos that show the condition of trails under normal circumstances and after the river level rose.

The Potomac River is prone to flood in several spots around the park, and the flooding sometimes washes over the walking paths close to the river. Unless they have set out for a swim in January, hikers are forced to trek into the woods to navigate around impassible trails. After the water level drops, it looks like an incredible natural force rolled through the area.

The Blizzard of 2010 is still fresh on everyone’s mind, but I’m anxious to get back and see what impact all of the melting snow is going to have on the river level. Temperatures have been hovering in the 30′s, but once it gets a little warmer, we will see a lot of melting snow adding to the river’s level.

Before the February blizzard, it was just another day of going for a walk and swim for Hank and Otto. They loved it. Once the water level drops, they’ll be forced to cope with muddy, slippery paths. Hopefully, they do the smart thing and head for higher ground. These trails further removed from the river are some of the nicest and less traveled trails in the park.