| The River
The Potomac River flows for approximately 383 miles from its first spring on the North
Branch in West Virginia, to the mouth of the River in the Chesapeake Bay.' The River marks the
common boundary between Maryland, on the north shore, and West Virginia and Virginia, on
the south shore. From its source, the River flows for 99 miles to the confluence of the North and
South Branches near Green Spring, West Virginia,' and another 114 miles to the intersection of
the Maryland State line and the West Virginia and Virginia State lines.' Another 54 miles takes
it to Little Falls, just above the point where the River enters the District of Columbia opposite the
Commonwealth of Virginia.' From that point it travels another 117 miles before emptying into
the Chesapeake Bay.'
The tidal portion of the River extends from the Chesapeake Bay to the foot of Little Falls,
just above the District of Columbia.' Thus, more than two-thirds of the length of the River lies
above the tidal reach at Little Falls.
The Potomac River drains the eastern slopes of the Appalachian Highland and the Coastal
Plain in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States." The drainage basin covers 14,670 square
' Declaration of Roland C. Steiner !1 2, attached at Tab 3. A summary map is attached at
Tab 2 for reference.
5 Id. 3.
6 Id.[ 4.
'' Id. ~[ 5.
$ Id. 6.
9 Id. ~[ 5.
`° Potomac River Basin Report, H.R. Doc. 343, 915` Cong., 2d Sess. 33 (1970) (Report of
the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors dated 12/16/1963).
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