1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Potomac

POTOMAC, a river in the east central part of the United States, having its source in the Alleghany Mountains and flowing S.E. into Chesapeake Bay. It is formed by the union of its north and south branches, about 15 m. S.E. of Cumberland, Maryland. The main stream has a length of about 450 m. and is navigable for large vessels for 113 m. above its mouth. The north branch, about 110 m. long, rises in the north-eastern part of West Virginia, pursues a north-easterly course, and forms part of the boundary between Maryland and West Virginia. The south branch has its sources in Highland county, Va., and in Pendleton county, W.Va., and flows north-east for about 140 m. until it joins the north branch. From the junction of these two streams until it reaches Harper's Ferry the Potomac river separates Maryland from West Virginia. At Harper's Ferry it receives the waters of the Shenandoah river and cuts through the Blue Ridge Mountains in a gorge noted for its scenic beauty. From this point to its mouth it forms the boundary between Virginia and Maryland. The stream crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains at an elevation of about 245 ft., and at Georgetown (Washington), 62 m. distant, it meets tidewater. Of this descent about 90 ft. occurs about 15 m. above Washington, at the Great Falls, a series of rapids about a mile long and including a cataract about 35 ft. high. Three and a half miles above Washington are the Little Falls, which mark the head of navigation. Large vessels, however, are prevented by a bridge from proceeding above Georgetown. At Washington there are two channels, with respective depths at mean low water of 18 and 21 ft. Large sums have been spent since 1870 on improving these channels. A few miles below the city the river broadens into a deep tidal estuary from 2½ to 7 m. wide; and channels 24 ft. deep and 200 ft. wide through all the shoals were secured by the project of 1899. The Anacostia river, or “ East Branch,” which flows into the Potomac just south of Washington, is navigable for large vessels for about 2 m. and for small scows and lighters as far as Bladensburg, Md., 8¾ m. above its mouth; its natural channel was narrow and tortuous and about 18 ft. deep; in 1909 improvements (begun in 1902) had procured a channel 20 ft. deep at mean low water and 380 ft. wide. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, from Georgetown to Cumberland, Md., follows the Potomac closely on the Maryland side. The shipments over the Potomac above Washington in 1907 were valued at $7,596,494, and those below Washington at $21,093,800, the principal commodities being sand and gravel, ice, oils, naval ordnance and supplies, and building and paving materials. The shipments on the Anacostia river were of much the same character, and in 1907 were valued at $4,312,687.