Potomac River

The Potomac River

The Potomac River is a big river in the United States. It flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. The river is 405 miles long and has many towns and cities nearby.

The river helps make a border between different places. On one side are Maryland and Washington, D.C., and on the other side are West Virginia and Virginia. Special parts of the river were named a National Recreation Trail in 2006. In Charles County, Maryland, there is a place called the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary.

The Potomac River is very important in history. The nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., is on its banks. Nearby is Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington. The river has been used for transportation and as a water source for the city.

The river starts at the Fairfax Stone Historical Monument State Park in West Virginia and ends at Point Lookout in Maryland. It has two main parts called the North Branch and the South Branch. These two branches meet near Shepherdstown, West Virginia to form the Potomac River. The river goes through five natural areas on its way to the Chesapeake Bay. Below Little Falls, tides affect the river as it passes through Washington, D.C..

The Potomac River is home to many kinds of fish, such as bass, muskellunge, pike, and walleye. You can also find sunfish in the river. The river is also a home for Atlantic bottle-nosed dolphins that visit for part of the year.

The Potomac River has changed over time. Leaders worked hard to clean the river, and today it is much cleaner. People can enjoy fishing and boating on the river. It is a special place for many people living nearby.