Remnants of Hurricane Helene — which caused catastrophic damage, injuries and deaths across the Southeast — are affecting rivers closer to the nation’s capital.
Wednesday morning, the Shenandoah River swelled slightly out of its banks at daybreak in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, near where the Shenandoah meets the Potomac River — the main source of drinking water in nearby Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Although over its banks, the river is well-contained within a sloped wooded area topped by walking paths and a hundred yards from Shenandoah Street, which runs parallel to the river.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the river is expected to crest Wednesday afternoon, but no flood damage is expected in historic Harpers Ferry, which last flooded in December 2018.
At the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, the turbulent and muddy Shenandoah was joined by a less-active Potomac, resulting in a distinct line between the two rivers.
River levels are expected to continue to drop after Wednesday afternoon.
While flooding from the Shenandoah isn’t expected to cause any damage, debris is flowing into the Potomac, which, until recently, was experiencing drought conditions.
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