3/19/2023 0 Comments Potomac riverThe name might be translated as "emporium." The tribes that resided in the valley were considered remarkable traders, and the name "Potomac" may have been employed by Captain John Smith, who pointed out the location of the "Potowmeck" to traders. Hunter-gatherers inhabited the watershed of the Potomac River as early as 10,000 B.C., and large villages peppered the lower Potomac watershed when Europeans arrived. Its principal tributaries in West Virginia, in addition to the Shenandoah and its north and south branches, Over six million people live in the Potomac River watershed.The 405-mile Potomac River courses eastward across the northeastern border of West Virginia, meandering over approximately 100 miles from the junction of its North Branch and South Branch near South Branch, WV, to its junction with the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry, WV. The river and its tributaries drain approximately 14,500 square miles, of which 3,480 square miles are in West Virginia. From west to east, the Potomac in West Virginia courses along the borders of northern Hampshire County, northern Morgan County, northern Berkeley County, and eastern Jefferson County. More than half of the Potomac River watershed is forested. The Potomac River watershed ‒ the area of land that drains to the river ‒ covers 14,670 square miles across four states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) and Washington, D.C. metro area gets its drinking water from the Potomac River. The Potomac River crosses several geologic regions on its journey from its headwaters to the Bay: the Appalachian Plateau, Ridge & Valley, Blue Ridge, Piedmont Plateau, and Coastal Plain. When you add up all of these major tributaries, the entire Potomac River system is 12,878 miles long. Many major tributaries flow to the Potomac River: the Anacostia River, Antietam Creek, the Cacapon River, Catoctin Creek, Conococheague Creek, the Monocacy River, the North Branch, the South Branch, the Occoquan River, the Savage River, Seneca Creek, and the Shenandoah River. The Potomac River stretches for 383 miles from its starting point in West Virginia to where it meets the Chesapeake Bay at Point Lookout, Maryland. When you explore the Potomac today, you’ll not only discover natural treasures, but also find a gateway to many of the most significant historical and cultural sites in the country. In 1983, Congress designated the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, which links communities throughout the river’s vast watershed in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. From its headwaters on the Allegheny Plateau to the tidewater Chesapeake, the Potomac connects people to nature all along its 383 miles. The river provides a critical link to the Bay before roads crisscrossed the landscape, the Potomac transported trade goods and travelers to the Chesapeake and the world beyond.Īlthough much has happened along the river since 1608, today’s explorer will find many of the same vistas that John Smith recorded more than 400 years. Dozens of small, vibrant rivers and streams flow through forests, farms, towns, and rural communities, coming together to form the Potomac. The Potomac River is the second-largest tributary to the Chesapeake Bay.
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