Complex sentence: Potomac hurricane, peaking at an estimated 9 feet (2.7 m) in Richmond along the James River; the surge caused significant damage to homes along river ways, especially along the middle reaches of the James River basin.
Split into simpler sentences: Potomac hurricane, peaking at an estimated 9 feet (2.7 m) in Richmond along the James River. The surge caused significant damage to homes along river ways, especially along the middle reaches of the James River basin.