Between Saturday July 2, 2018 and Thursday July 26, 2018 the Washington, D.C. area saw a total of approximately eleven inches of rain. This large amount of rain caused a great deal of flash flooding particularly in Rock Creek Park. Rock Creek Park is a national park that is located in Northwest Washington, D.C. and due to its terrain sees flood like the ones resulting from this rain several times a year. Rock Creek Park ranges in elevation from 410 feet to approximately sea level where it meets the Potomac River. This low elevation explains the repeat issues with flooding.
Rock Creek which runs through the park rose approximately 5 feet in one hour on July 25 due to the amount of rain and by 8:30 P.M. had reached what is considered flood stage. Overnight and into July 26 is when the flooding became dangerous and forced officials to close roads that travel through the park. Due to the parks location in the city roads that travel through it are central to travel between Washington, D.C. and parts of Maryland. The Flooding also affected parts of Virginia along the Potomac River where many had to be rescued from their cars as the water rose extremely quickly on the afternoon of the 25th. The rain also began to flood the capitol south metro station with water pouring into the station from the ceiling disrupting metro service.
Sources:
“Rainfall Gives Way to Flooded Roads, Bloated Waterways around DC Area.” WTOP, WTOP, 26 July 2018, https://wtop.com/local/2018/07/watery-wednesday-flooding-concerns-continue-for-soaked-dc-area/slide/7/.
Sharp, John M.Jr. "The Physical Effects of Urbanization on Shallow Surface Waters and Groundwater Systems." Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, vol. 44, no. 7, 2012, pp. 356.
Photos:
WTOP
Washington Post
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