Much-needed rain on the way for DMV after Fire Weather Watch issued over weekend

WASHINGTON - Wildfires are burning. Water levels are low. The rain just isn’t falling. And the experts in charge of monitoring the DMV’s safety and water supply are paying attention.

The National Weather Service issued a Fire Weather Watch this weekend due to low humidity, dry conditions, and the forecasted wind.

The Arlington County Fire Department instituted an outdoor burn ban for the weekend to help mitigate any risk of additional fires.

The watch went into effect as the Matts Creek fire continued burning just north of Lynchburg, Virginia.

The impact on water consumed by the DMV is something on the mind of Mike Nardolilli, Executive Director of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, or ICPRB.

An estimated 5 million people in the DMV rely on the Potomac River as their primary water supply.

"The level of the Potomac River is very low. But it’s been stable," Nardolilli says.

Nardolilli says the ICPRB has found three historical years when there were comparable amounts of rainfall and during similar times of the year, that preceded drought years: 1965, 1998 and 2001.

"We are finishing this year looking at those three years of record and what gives us some concern are those three years of harbingers of the next year's drought," Nardolilli said.

The ICPRB says if there is a drought, there are redundancies within the water system to minimize their impact. But Nardolilli says he’s hopeful for precipitation soon. Adding he’d still encourage people to conserve where they can.

The ICPRB’s modeling anticipates a warmer, wetter climate, but also one where the rainfalls could be heavier, and the periods between rain could be longer.

Nardolilli added the time of year matters.  In the fall, trees absorb less water, and customers use less; no pools to fill or gardens to water.

"If we had these levels in the spring it would be alarm bells going off, but because it’s in the fall, it’s ok. We’ll really be looking at what happens in the spring and early summer of next year," Nardolilli said.