FLOOD OF APRIL 1977 IN THE APPALACHIAN REGION OF 

KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA

Report prepared jointly by the U.S. Geological Survey 

and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1098
FLOOD OF APRIL 1977 IN THE APPALACHIAN REGION 

OF KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, VIRGINIA, AND 

WEST VIRGINIA

By GERALD S. RUNNER, U.S. Geological Survey, and EDWIN H. CHIN,

National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1098

Report prepared jointly by the U.S. Geological Survey 

and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1980
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT 

OF THE INTERIOR

CECIL D. ANDRUS, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

H. William Menard, Director

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

JUANITA M. KREPS, Secretary

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC 

ADMINISTRATION

Richard A. Frank, Administrator

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Runner, G. S.

Flood of April 1977 in the Appalachian region of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

(Geological Survey professional paper ; 1098) 

Bibliography: p. 

Includes index.

1. Floods Southern States. I. Chin, Edwin H., joint author. II. United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. III. Title. IV. Series: United States. Geological Survey. Professional paper ; 1098.

GB1399.4.S68R86 551.4'8 78-10798

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, D.C. 20402

Stock Number 024-001-03297-0
FOREWORD

The U.S. Geological Survey and the National Weather Service have a long 

history of cooperation in monitoring and describing the Nation's water cycle 

the movement of water as atmospheric moisture, as precipitation, as runoff, as 

streamflow, and as ground water, and finally, through evaporation, its return to 

the atmosphere to begin the cycle over again. The cooperative effort has been 

a natural blending of technical talent and responsibility. The National Weather 

Service is the Federal agency responsible for monitoring and predicting atmospheric moisture and precipitation, for forecasting riverflow, and for issuing warnings of destructive weather events. The U.S. Geological Survey is the primary 

agency for monitoring the quantity and quality of the earthbound water resources, including both ground water and surface water.

This report represents another step in the growth of our cooperative efforts. The working arrangement has been accelerated by many major flood disasters that have struck the Nation in the last few years, including hurricane 

Agnes in 1972, which has been called the worst natural disaster in the United 

States. Hundreds of lives have been lost, thousands of people have been made 

homeless, millions of acres of land have been inundated, and several billions of 

dollars in property damage in urban and industrial areas have been caused by 

floods.

A tidal storm surge along the coast of Maine, February 2, 1976, caused by 

hurricane-force winds, resulted in a water-surface elevation more than 10 feet 

higher than the predicted astronomical tide at Bangor, Maine. The business 

section of Bangor was severely damaged. Roads, docks, and beaches along the 

coast between Eastport and Brunswick were also heavily damaged.

These disasters emphasize the need for increased knowledge and respect 

of the force and flow of floodwater. The documentation of the flood in Bangor, 

Maine, in February 1976 should aid the understanding of such flood disasters and 

will help improve human preparedness for coping with future floods of similar 

catastrophic magnitudes.

(P.

JOSEPH S. CRAGWALL, JR. GEORGE P. CRESSMAN

Chief Hydrologist Director

U.S. Geological Survey National Weather Service

Department of the Interior Department of Commerce

in
CONTENTS

Page

Foreword __________________________________________ III

Glossary _____________________________________________ VII

Conversion from inch-pound system to metric units ________________ VII

Abstract ______________

Introduction _____________

Acknowledgments ____________

Meteorological setting ________

Distribution of precipitation __

General description of the flood

Kentucky _____________

Tennessee ____________

Virginia _______________

West Virginia ___________

Summary ___________________

References _________________

1

1

1

2

11

16

16

21

25

31

39

39

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

FIGURES 1-2. Maps showing:

1. Area affected by the Appalachian flood, April 2-5, 1977 2

2. Gaging station locations ________________________ 3

3-5. Pressure patterns and fronts for Appalachian flood area:

3. 1900 e.s.t., April 2, 1977 ____________________ 4

4. 1900 e.s.t., April 3, 1977 _____________________ 6

5. 0700 e.s.t., April 4, 1977 __________________ 7

6. Charts showing upper air analysis for the United States at 0700

e.s.t., April 4, 1977. A, 850 mb. B, 700 mb. C, 500 mb _____ 8

7. Infrared photographs taken from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) infrared picture of eastern 

North America, April 4, 1977. A, 0300 e.s.t., B, 0500 e.s.t. __ 12

8. Chart showing mass rainfall curves for three selected stations in

the storm of April 2-5, 1977 _________________ 14

9. Map showing isohyets of average total storm rainfall, April 2-5,

1977 ________________________________ 15

10. Map showing isohyets of total storm rainfall on an enlarged

scale, showing in more detail Tug Fork headwater area _____ 16

11-13. Photographs showing:

11. Aerial view of Pikeville, Ky., April 5, 1977._______ 17

12. Aerial view of Pineville, Ky., April 5, 1977 _______ 18

13. Aerial view of Pineville, Ky., April 5, 1977 _______ 19

14. Hydrographs showing rates of discharge of the Cumberland 

River at Barbourville, Ky., and Levisa Fork at Pineville, 

Ky., April 1-10, 1977 _________________________ 20

15. Photograph showing flood conditions, Clinch River at Sneedville,

Tenn _____________________________________ 21

16. Hydrographs showing rates of discharge of Big Creek near 

Rogersville, Tenn., and Bullrun Creek near Halls Crossroads, 

Tenn., March 29 to April 9, 1977 __________________ 22

V
VI CONTENTS

Page

FIGURE 17. Hydrographs showing rates of discharge of Clinch River above 

Tazewell, Tenn., and Powell River near Arthur, Tenn., March 

29-April 9, 1977 _________________________- 23

18. Photograph showing aerial view of Clinchport, Va ____ ______ 25

19. Photograph showing aerial view of St. Paul, Va - 26

20. Hydrographs showing rates of discharge of Middle Fork Holston 

River near Meadowview, Va., and at Seven Mile Ford, Va., 

March 31-April 10, 1977 _______________________ 27

21. Hydrographs showing rates of discharge of North Fork Holston 

River near Gate City, Va., and South Fork Holston River at 

Vestal, Va., March 30-April 10, 1977 _______________ 28

22. Photograph showing flood, Tug Fork at Welch, W. Va _____ 31

23. Photograph showing flood, Tug Fork at Williamson, W. Va ___ 32

24. Hydrographs showing rates of discharge of Guyandotte River 

near Baileysville, W. Va., and Tug Fork at Glenhayes, W. 

Va., March 29-April 9, 1977 _____________________ 34

25. Chart showing flood mark elevations of Tug Fork, April 1977__ 37

26. Chart showing flood mark elevations of Guyandotte River,

April 1977 _________________________________ 38

27. Map showing location of gaging stations where recurrence intervals for April 1977 flood exceeded 100 years ____________ 43

TABLES

Page

TABLE 1. Counties declared Federal disaster areas __________________ 5

2. Supplementary precipitation data related to the Appalachian

flood of April 1977 ___________________________ 11 

3-14. Gage height, and discharge, flood of April 1977:

3. Cumberland River at Ba^bourville, Ky ____________ 17

4. Levisa Fork at Pikeville, Ky __________________ 18

5. Big Creek near Rogersville, Tenn ___________________ 24

6. Bullrun Creek near Halls Crossroads, Tenn ___________ 24

7. Clinch River above Tazewell, Tenn _________________ 24

8. Powell River near Arthur, Tenn ____________________ 24

9. Middle Fork Holston River near Meadowview, Va ____ 29

10. Middle Fork Holston River at Seven Mile Ford, Va _ 29

11. North Fork Holston River near Gate City, Va ____ 30

12. South Fork Holston River at Vestal, Va _______ 30

13. Guyandotte River near Baileysville, W. Va ______ 33

14. Tug Fork at Glenhayes, W. Va _______________ 33

15. Mean discharge and suspended-sediment data, Guyandotte River

near Baileysville, W. Va., and Tug Fork at Glenhayes, W. Va. 33

16. Flood-crest stages, Tug Fork basin, April 1977 _____________ 35

17. Flood-crest stages, Guyandotte River basin, April 1977, March

1963 _____________________________________ 36

18. Summary of flood stages and discharges _________________ 40
CONTENTS

CONVERSION FROM INCH-POUND SYSTEM TO METRIC UNITS

VII

Inch-pound to Metric Metric to Inch-pound

inch (in.,) 

foot (ft) 

mile (mi)

square mile (mr) 

acre

cubic foot (ft3 ) 

acre-foot (acre-ft)

mile per hour (mph) 

knot

cubic foot per second (ftVs) 

(fts/s)/mi2

Length

25.4 mm millimeter (mm) 

0.3048 m meter (m) 

1.6093km kilometer (km)

Area

2.5900 km" square kilometer (km-) 

4046.86 m2 square meter (m2

Volume

0.0283 nr cubic meter (nr) 

1233 m3 m3 

Velocity

1.6093 km/h kilometer per hour (km/h) 

1.8533 km/h km/h

Flow rate 

0.02832 nf/s cubic meter per second

(nr/s) 

0.01094 (nr/s)/km2 (nr/s)/knr

Pressure

inch of mercury at 

32°F (in. Hg)

[The National Weather Service uses millibar (mb) as customary unit for atmospheric pressure |

33.8639 mb mb

0.03937 in. 

3.2808 ft 

0.6214 mi

0.3861 mf 

0.000247 acre

35.3147 ft:J 

0.00081 acre-ft

0.6214 mph 

0.5396 knot

35.3147 ftVs 

91.40768 (ftVs)/mf

0.02953 in. Hg

GLOSSARY

Acre-foot (acre-ft). The volume of water required to cover 1 

acre to a depth of 1 ft. It equals 43,560 ft3 (cubic feet), 

325,851 gal (gallons), or 1,233 ms (cubic meters).

Contents. The volume of water in a reservoir or lake. Content 

is computed on the basis of a level pool or reservoir backwater profile and does not include bank storage.

Convection cloud. A cloud which owes its vertical development, and possibly its origin, to convection.

Cubic feet per second (ft3 /s). A rate of discharge. One cubic 

foot per second is equal to the discharge of a stream of 

rectangular cross section 1 ft wide and 1 ft deep, flowing at 

an average velocity of 1 ft/s. It equals 28.32 L/s (liters 

per second) or 0.02832 nr/s (cubic meters per second).

Cubic feet per second per square mile [(ft3 /s)/mi2]. The.average number of cubic feet per second flowing from each 

square mile of area drained by a stream, assuming that 

the runoff is distributed uniformly in time and area. One 

(ft3/s)/mi2 is equivalent to 0.0733 (m3 /s)/km2 (cubic 

meters per second per square kilometer).

Dew point (or dew point temperature). The temperature to 

which a given parcel of air must be cooled at constant 

pressure and constant water-vapor content in order for 

saturation to occur.

Drainage area of a stream at a specific location. The area, 

measured in a horizontal plane, bounded by topographic 

divides. Drainage area is given in square miles. One square 

mile is equivalent to 2.590 km2 (square kilometers).

Flash flood. A local and sudden flood which usually follows 

brief heavy precipitation within a few hours.

Flood. Any high streamflow that overtops natural or artificial banks of a stream and overflows onto land not usually

underwater or ponding caused by precipitation at or near

the point it fell. 

Flood peak. The highest value of the stage or discharge attained by a flood. 

Flood profile. A graph of the elevation of water surface of a

river in a flood plotted as ordinate, against distance 

plotted as abscissa.

Flood stage. The approximate elevation of the stream when 

overbank-flooding begins.

Front. The interface or transition zone between two airmasses 

of different density.

Gaging station. A particular site on a stream, canal, lake, or 

reservoir where systematic observations of gage height or 

discharge are made.

Jet stream. High-velocity strong winds concentrated within a 

narrow stream high in the atmosphere.

K Index. A measure of the airmass moisture content and 

static stability given by:

where T and T,i are temperature and dewpoint, respectively, in degrees Celsius; and the subscripts denote pressure 

level in millibars. The larger the K index of the airmass, 

the more unstable it is.

Mean sea level. The annual mean sea level is the average of 

hourly heights of the tide from a calendar year of tidal 

record. This is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical 

Datum of 1929.

Millibar (mb). A unit of pressure equal to 1,000 dynes per 

square centimeter.
VIII CONTENTS

National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD). Formerly called 

Sea Level Datum of 1929. A geodetic datum derived from a 

general adjustment of the first order level nets of both the 

United States and Canada. In the adjustment, sea levels 

from selected Tide stations in both countries were held as 

fixed. The year indicates the time of the last general adjustment. This datum should not be confused with mean 

sea level.

N-year precipitation (rain). A precipitation amount which 

can be exepected to occur, on the average, once every N 

years.

Precipitable water. The total atmospheric water vapor contained in a vertical column of unit cross-sectional area extending from the surface up to a specified pressure level, 

usually 500 mb.

Recurrence interval. As applied to flood events, recurrence interval is the average number of years within which a given 

flood peak will be exceeded once.

Ridge. An elongated area of high atmospheric pressure.

Suspended sediment. The sediment that at any given time is 

maintained in suspension by the upward components of 

turbulent currents or that exists in suspension as a colloid.

Suspended sediment discharge (tons/day). The rate at which 

dry weight of sediment passes a section of a stream, or 

the quantity of sediment, as measured by dry weight or by 

volume, that passes a section in a given time.

Time of day is expressed in 24-hour time. For example, 12:30 

a.m. is 0030 hours, 1:00 p.m. is 1300 hours.

Total-total index. A measure of air mass static stability, TT, 

given by:

jT'=r Tsr,n-\- T,i,fffn) 2 7\-,oo

where T and Ta are temperature and dewpoint, respectively, in degrees Celsius; and the subscripts denote pressure level in millibars. A total-total index exceeding 50 

favors the occurrence of severe thunderstorms.
FLOOD OF APRIL 1977 IN THE APPALACHIAN REGION OF KENTUCKY, 

TENNESSEE, VIRGINIA, AND WEST VIRGINIA

By GERALD S. RUNNER,, U.S. Geological Survey, and EDWIN H. CHIN, 

National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ABSTRACT

Heavy rains fell over the Appalachian region of Kentucky, 

Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia during the period of 

April 2-i5, 1977, causing record flooding. Rainfall amounts 

of 4 to 115.5 in. were observed. The maximum amount of 15.5 

in. occurred at Jolo, W. Va., in about 30 hours. This was 

more than twice the amount which would be expected for a 

100-year recurrance-interval storm.

Flood discharges along the upper Guyandotte River, Tug 

Fork and Levisa Fork in the Big Sandy River basin, Cumberland River, and Clinch River and Powell River in the Tennessee River basin exceeded those previously known. Severe 

flooding also occurred along the Holston River and along the 

North Fork Kentucky River. Recurrence intervals of observed 

flood discharges were greater than those for 100 years at 29 

streamflow-measurement sites.

Substantial reductions in peak stages and discharges on 

Levisa Fork, North Pound River, and Guyandotte River, 

attained as a result of reservoir storage, were reported by 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Maximum daily suspendedsediment discharges on April 5, 1977, on Guyandotte River 

near Baileysville, W. Va., and Tug Fork at Glenhayes, W. 

Va., were 54,800 tons/day and 290,000 tons/day, respectively. 

Twenty-two lives were lost and total property damages reportedly exceed $400 million in the four-State area.

INTRODUCTION

Widespread rains fell in the period April 2-5, 

1977, over the Appalachian region of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Heaviest rain 

fell on April 4 over the headwater areas of many 

tributaries of the Ohio River. Record floods occurred 

along the upper Guyandotte River, Tug Fork, and 

Levisa Fork, which are headwater tributaries of the 

Big Sandy River, the upper Cumberland River, 

Clinch and the Powell Rivers. Severe flooding occurred along the Holston River and along the upper 

North Fork Kentucky River.

The maximum observed rainfall of 15.5 in. in 

about 30 h occurred at Jolo, W. Va., in the headwater 

region of Tug Fork. Communities along the Tug 

Fork were under more than 20 ft of water from 

Welch to Fort Gay. Several small towns, including

Matewan, Tacker, and Lobata, in West Virginia, 

were completely inundated. Twenty-two people were 

killed by the flood and property damages were estimated to be more than $400 million. The affected 

region in the four-State area is shown by county in 

figure 1. Figure 2 shows the gaging stations locations for the study area. A total of 47 counties (table 

1) were declared disaster areas by the Federal 

Government.

The objective of this report is to present the meteorological setting, the precipitation distribution, 

and hydrologic data associated with the flood. Supplementary precipitation data collected in field surveys are presented. The hydrologic data includes 

maximum flood stages and discharges at 92 sites, discharge hydrographs for selected sites, and watersurface profiles. Factors for converting from the 

inch-pound system of measurement to metric units 

are given in the Contents section.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Surface air and upper air analyses were made by 

the National Weather Service, National Meteorological Center. Supplementary precipitation data were 

furnished by Donald G. Close, Assistant Regional 

Hydrologist, National Weather Service, Eastern Region headquarters. Satellite pictures were provided 

by National Environmental Satellite Service of 

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Flood data in this report were collected as part of 

cooperative programs between the U.S. Geological 

Survey and the States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, county and municipal 

agencies within these States, and agencies of the 

Federal Government. Other Federal and State agencies, municipalities, universities, corporations and 

individuals assisted in the data-collection effort. 

Credit for this assistance is given in appropriate
APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

WEST VIRGINIA

Russell r^^s \ Wythe 

iHonker Smyth

Middlesboro.** Lee

NORTH CAROLINA

1 INCH EQUALS APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES

100 150 KILOMETERS

50 100 MILES

FIGURE 1. Area affected by the Appalachian flood, April 2-5, 1977. Counties outlined were declared Federal

disaster areas (see table 1).

places in the text. Photographs for the report were 

obtained from Federal and State agencies, newspapers, and individuals; where appropriate, photograph sources are listed.

The following hydrologists in the following district offices of the U.S. Geological Survey prepared 

data tables of the flood and provided general textual 

material: Curtis H. Hannum, Kentucky; Bernard J. 

Frederick, Tennessee; Earley M. Miller, Virginia.

METEOROLOGICAL SETTING

A Low with central pressure 992 mb was initially 

located over Iowa at 0700 e.s.t., April 2, 1977.

Steered by strong upper airflow, it progressed northeastward rapidly. By 1900 e.s.t. the Low was over 

the Great Lakes with pressure of 989 mb (fig. 3). 

The associated cold front extended from eastern 

Ohio, through central Tennessee, to northern Louisiana. The continued movement of the cold front 

through the Appalachians brought moderate rainfall. Showers were first triggered over northeastern 

Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky around 2000 

e.s.t. April 2, and then spread quickly into neighboring Virginia and West Virginia. These showers did 

not persist long. By early morning of April 3, most 

rain had stopped. There was no significant amount
EXPLANATION

" Gaging station 

Numbers correspond to 

those listed in table 18

25 50 75 100 MILES

i i i r

25 50 75 100 KILOMETERS 

FIGURE 2.—Flood area showing gaging-station locations.
Only those pressure patterns and fronts over the 

eastern United States relevant to the description of 

the Appalachian flood event are shown.

EXPLANATION

Cold front

Warm front 

Stationary front

Number represents the last two 

digits of pressure in millibars, 

08-> 1008 mb,96^996 mb

FIGURE 3.—Pressure patterns and fronts for Appalachian flood area at 1900 e.s.t., April 2, 1977.
METEOROLOGICAL SETTING

TABLE 1.—Counties declared Federal disaster areas, in Appalachian flood, April 2-5, 1977 (see fig. 1)

Kentucky

Bell

Breathitt

Floyd

Harlan

Johnson

Anderson 

Campbell

Bland

Buchanan

Carroll

Dickenson

Giles

Cabell

Greenbrier

Lincoln

Knott

Knox

Lawrence

Leslie

Letcher

Tennessee

Claiborne 

Hancock

Virginia

Grayson

Lee

Pulaski

Russell 

Scott

West Virginia

Logan 

McDowell 

Mercer 

Mingo

Magoffin

Martin

Perry

Pike

Whitely

Roane 

Scott

Smyth

Tazewell

Washington

Wise

Wythe

Raleigh 

Summers 

Wayne 

Wyoming

observed. For example, Huntington, W. Va., had 0.82 

in. However, the rain premoistened the soil and facilitated the subsequent direct runoff from the main 

storm on April 4. For approximately an 18-h period 

beginning early morning April 3, little or no rain fell 

over the region even though the sky was overcast. By 

1900 e.s.t., April 3, the Low had moved to eastern 

Quebec with an associated cold front extending 

through the Carolinas becoming a stationary front 

extending from Georgia to eastern Texas (fig. 4). 

This front separated the polar continental airmass 

to the north from the tropical maritime airmass to 

the south. The average temperature was 15°F higher 

and dew point was 10°F higher in the maritime airmass compared with those in the continental airmass. By early morning of April 4, the southwesterly 

flow throughout the lower troposphere increased in 

strength, and this stationary front started to move 

northward and became a warm front. The warm 

moist airmass which originated in the Gulf of Mexico began to move into the Appalachian region. The 

mean relative humidity from surface to 500 mb 

over this region had increased from less than 40 

percent 24 h earlier to more than 80 percent by 0700 

e.s.t. on April 4, and it exceeded 90 percent over 

large areas of West Virginia. The precipitable 

water over the region also more than doubled in 

the same 24 h to values exceeding 1.00 in., compared to a climatological April monthly mean of 

0.59 in. (Lott, 1976).

There was also large scale rising motion over the 

Appalachian region. At 0700 e.s.t. on April 4, the

rising exceeded 2.2 cm/s over the region. It exceeded 

4.5 cm/s over eastern Kentucky and eastern Tennessee. The cumulative net vertical displacement in the 

12-h period ending 0700 e.s.t. as forecasted by the 

trajectory model for air parcels terminating at 700 

mb over the region exceeded 120 mb. This corresponds to a total lift of 1.34 km. This extreme lift was 

by far the highest for April 1977 and exceeded the 

next highest by more than 50 percent.

As a measure of the airmass moisture content and 

static stability, analysis indicated that the K index, 

as described in the glossary of this report, exceeded 

30 throughout the region at 0700 e.s.t. on April 4. 

The computed K index for Huntington, W. Va., on 

April 4 was 32, indicating the high instability of the 

airmass. In general, a K index greater than 35 is 

associated with numerous thunderstorms. Another 

useful stability index is the total-total index (TT) 

the equation for which is given in the glossary. A TT 

exceeding 50 is favorable to the occurrence of severe 

thunderstorms. The analyzed TT over the region was 

about 47 at 0700 e.s.t. April 4.

The 0700 e.s.t. April 4 surface analysis is shown 

in figure 5, and the upper air analyses at 850, 700, 

and 500 mb are shown in figure 6. The Appalachian 

region was under a trough-to-ridge upper flow pattern while strong warm advection existed from surface up to 700 mb.

The conditions essential to the production of considerable rainfall over a region can be summarized

as follows: /

1. The atmosphere is very moist through a deep 

layer.

2. The atmosphere is unstable or conditionally unstable.

3. Warm advection, low level convergence, and consequent time-integrated large scale rising motion exist for a long time. All these conditions 

were met.

About the same time the warm front moved into 

the region, an upper air shortwave disturbance also 

moved through the area. Heavy rain started to fall 

shortly after 1800 e.s.t. on April 3 and continued 

through April 4 with only short respite in the late 

morning or early afternoon, depending on the 

location.

The 0300 and 0500 e.s.t. April 4 Geostationary 

Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) infrared images of the Eastern United States and Canada 

are shown in figure 7. At 0300 e.s.t. (fig. 7A), two 

lines of thundershowers were oriented southwest to 

northeast. One line extended from central Kentucky
APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

2

PH

-*'

Ed
Only those pressure patterns and fronts over the 

eastern United States relevant to the description of 

the Appalachian flood events are shown.

EXPLANATION

Warm front

Number represents the last two 

digits of pressure in millibars, 

08-> 1008 mb,96 -* 996 mb

FIGURE 5.—Pressure patterns and fronts for Appalachian flood area 0700 e.s.t., April 4, 1977.
APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

n 

E

IT) 

00

o 

c

£o

Tf

°S 

a.
METEOROLOGICAL SETTING
10 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.
DISTRIBUTION OF PRECIPITATION 11

to southern Ohio. A second line extended from southeastern Kentucky to West Virginia. At 0500 e.s.t. 

(fig. IB} only the second line had persisting high 

cloud tops. Southeastern Kentucky, extreme western 

Virginia, and southwestern West Virginia were 

covered with cumulonimbus clouds with cloud-top 

temperatures of less than -53°C. This corresponded 

to cloud-top heights much greater than 6 mi. Heavy 

showers were falling over this region by that time.

Comparisons of meteorological conditions were 

made with those of the Black Hills-Rapid City storm 

of June 9-10, 1972, and the Big Thompson River 

storm of July 31, 1976. Extremely weak upper air 

flow was a marked feature of both the Black HillsRapid City and Big Thompson River storms. Wind 

speed at 500 mb in those storms over the affected 

areas were only 10 to 20 knots prior to or during the 

early part of both storms. This phenomena of very 

light wind in the cloud layer coupled with strong 

winds in the subcloud layer created a condition of 

inverse wind shear. Such wind structures hold the 

cumulonimbus towers over the high terrains, permitting them to release torrential rains for long durations over limited areas. The situation with the Appalachian storm was very different. The region was 

under strong southwesterly flow, and 500 mb winds 

were typically 80 to 90 knots on April 3-4, 1977. The 

jet stream was directly to the northwest of the region. The precipitation was associated with warm 

front passage and warm-sector convection. The precipitation maximum near Jolo, W. Va., was near the 

Stateline Ridge which divides West Virginia and Virginia. The prevailing southwesterly winds carrying 

warm moist air upslope maximized the rainfall 

there. But the Appalachians storm itself was a large 

scale event encompassing areas in five States (including North Carolina), while the Black HillsRapid City and Big Thompson River storms were

much more limited in terms of geographical areas 

covered (Schwarz and others, 1975, Maddox and 

others, 1977).

DISTRIBUTION OF PRECIPITATION

The storm of April 2-April 5 consisted of two 

stages. The antecedent storm brought rainfalls 

typically less than 1 in. over the region. This was due 

to the rapid cold frontal passage in the late afternoon 

of April 2. The time of rain was restricted to the late 

evening of April 2 and the very early morning of 

April 3. The second stage, the main storm, began in 

the evening of April 3 and extended to the morning 

of April 5. Rainfall was heavy and almost continuous 

over large areas of the Appalachian region.

Mass rainfall curves for three stations are shown 

in figure 8. The total storm rainfall distribution is 

shown in figure 9. The 4-inch isohyetal enclosed an 

elongated area extending in a direction of east-northeast to west-southwest. This enclosed area contains 

the headwaters of many tributaries of the Ohio 

River. An enlarged isohyetal map covering the headwaters of several severely flooded tributaries is presented as figure 10. Supplementary rainfall data 

from a survey conducted by the National Weather 

Service in McDowell County, W. Va., and Buchanan 

County, Va., is shown in table 2.

The rainfall beginning in the evening of April 3 

was caused by the invasion of a warm moist unstable 

maritime airmass into the region. In this environment of widespread rainfall, intense convective 

thunderstorms were triggered in locations where 

orography further enhanced development. The precipitation maximum on the dividing ridge between 

McDowell County, W. Va., and Buchanan County, 

Va., could be partially accounted for since the prevailing low level winds were southwesterly during

TABLE 2.—Supplementary precipitation data, Appalachian flood April 2-5, 1977

[Latitudes and longitudes and elevations were estimated and are only approximations. Data collected by Donald Willson, National Weather Service

Forecast Office, Pittsburgh, Pa.]

County and State

McDowell, W. Va „ _. .

McDowell, W. Va

McDowell, W. Va

McDowell, W. Va

McDowell, W. Va

Buchanan, Va

Buchanan, Va

McDowell, W. Va

McDowell, W. Va __ _ .

McDowell, W. Va

McDowell, W. Va

McDowell, W. Va __

McDowell, W. Va

McDowell, W. Va

Location No. '

_ .Jolo (0.2 mi N.E. of PO)

.Jolo (1.2 mi S.SW. of PO)

. .Braclshaw (1.4 mi S.SW. of PO)

.Panther

. .Panther State Park, W. Va

.Near Jolo, W. Va. (3.9 mi SE. of PO)

. .Near Jolo, W. Va. (3.8 mi SW. of PO)

. .Jolo (3.1 mi SW. of PO)

._ .Jolo (2.5 mi W.NW. of PO)

. .Jolo (2.8 mi SW. of PO) __ _ ... ...

. .Bradshaw (1.0 mi N. of PO)

.Caretta (1.6 mi NE. of PO)

.Coalwood (1.3 mi E.SE. of PO) . _

._ .Jewel Ridge

Lat

37°21'

37°18'

37°20'

37°27'

37°26'

37°17'

37°17'

37°20'

37 D 18'

37°22'

37°21'

37°23'

37°17'

Long

81°48'

81°50'

81°49'

81°55'

81°53'

81°47'

81°52'

81°50'

81°52'

81°51'

81°50'

81°40'

81°38'

81°50'

Elev. (ft)

1320

1920

1280

1300

2000

2840

2560

2610

2080

2300

1100

1500

1550

2600

Rainfall (in.

6.00 +

5.50 +

5.35

5.25

3.50 +

8.00

6.50 +

10.00

10.00

15.50 +

7.00

13.00

7.00

6.80 +

) Type container or gage

Can, 5-in. diam.

Barrel, 14-in diam.

Tube

Wedge-shaped gage

Do.

Tin can, 5-in. diam.

Tub, 19-in. diam. 13-in

depth

Swimming pool, 41 x 21 ft

Washing machine

Wedge-shaped gage

Plastic bucket, 11-in. diam.,

13-in. depth

Aluminum cooking pot,

18-in. diam., 19-in. depth

Bucket

1 PO, U.S. Post Office at locality.
12 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

FIGURE 7.—Infrared photographs taken from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) of eastern North

America, April 4, 1977. A, 0300 e.s.t.

the main storm. The maximum observed rainfall of 

15.5 in. in about 30 h occurred at Jolo, McDowell 

County, W. Va., in the headwater region of Tug 

Fork. This was more than twice the amount which 

would be expected for a 100-year recurrence interval 

storm.

The last major flood over the Appalachian region 

occurred January 29-February 6, 1957. The isohyetal pattern had a similar orientation, but was distributed further to the southwest (U.S. Geological 

Survey, 1963), most 1957 flood damage occurring in

southeastern Kentucky. One of the precipitation 

maxima of this flood was very near the 1977 flood 

maximum and was also over the headwaters of Tug 

and Levisa Forks.

Due to the mountainous terrain, the headwater 

streams of Guyandotte River, Tug and Levisa Forks 

rose and crested rapidly in response to the heavy 

rain. The flood had the characteristics of a flash 

flood. Timely warnings prevented casualties from 

becoming much higher.
DISTRIBUTION OF PRECIPITATION 13

FIGURE 7.—Continued. B, 0500 e.s.t.
14 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

8.0

7.0

c/)

LLJ

g 6.0

O

<

LU

o: 

o_

5.0

3.0

O 2.0

O

1.0

EXPLANATION

———— Middlesboro, Ky.

— • —— Honker, Va.

— — — Gary, W. Va.

(Locations are shown in fig. 1)

6 a.m. 6 p.m. 6 a.m. 6 p.m. 6 a.m. 6 p.m. 6 a.m. 6 p.m. 

APRIL 2 APRILS APRIL4 APRIL5

FIGURE 8.—Mass rainfall curves for three selected stations in the storm of April 2-5, 1977.
DISTRIBUTION OF PRECIPITATION 15

EXPLANATION

6.0

Isohyet showing precipitation, in inches

2.0

NORTH CAROLINA

5.0

3.0

6.0 7.0 7.0 6.0 5.0

50 100 MILES

FIGURE 9.—Isohyets of total storm rainfall, April 2-5, 1977.
16 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W, VA.

5.0

4.0

TENNESSEE / 

36o30.N _j_ 3.0 •————*— EXPLANATION

10 50 MILES Isohyet showing precipitation, in inches

FIGURE 10.—Isohyets showing in more detail total storm rainfall in the Tug Fork headwater area.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOOD

KENTUCKY

The flood of April 2-5, 1977, in southeastern Kentucky caused record damages in the upper Cumberland River basin and along the Tug Fork, a tributary 

to the Big Sandy River. Major damages occurred 

along Levisa Fork, the headwater tributary to the 

Big Sandy River, along Russell Fork, a major tributary to Levisa Fork, and along the North Fork 

Kentucky River. Officials of the Small Business Administration estimated the damage to be in excess of 

$100 million.

In the Big Sandy River basin, the April 1977 flood 

was the greatest known on Levisa Fork upstream 

from Pikeville, Ky., and on Tug Fork upstream from 

Glenhayes, W. Va. At Pikeville the peak discharge 

of 81,600 ft3 /s and stage of 51.46 ft was 1.26 ft 

lower than the maximum stage of 52.72 ft recorded 

in 1957. Figure 11 is a photograph of flood damage 

in Pikeville, Ky.

Downstream on Levisa Fork, peak stages at Prestonburg and Paintsville were 45.71 and 42.19 ft respectively, about 3 ft below the 1957 flood stages, 

the highest known since 1928. The Big Sandy River 

at Louisa, below the confluence of Levisa and Tug 

Forks, crested at 45.00 ft, 1.4 ft lower than the 1957 

peak, which was the greatest since 1938 when the 

records began. In 1977, although most tributaries to 

Levisa Fork did not exceed peaks of record, the discharge of 54,200 ft:i/s (stage 24.80 ft) recorded on 

Russell Fork at Elkhorn City, Ky., was the greatest 

since at least 1957. Unit discharges (ft3 /s/mi2 ) decreased considerably as the drainage area increased 

in the downstream part of the basin. In addition, the 

U.S. Army Corp of Engineers reported substantial 

reductions in peak stages as a result of reservoir 

storage in Fishtrap Lake near Millard, Ky., North 

Fork Pound Lake at Pound, Va., and John W. Flannigan Reservoir near Haysi, Va. Peak stages on 

Russell Fork at Elkhorn City, Ky., and on Levisa 

Fork at Pikeville, Ky., reportedly were reduced 1.2 

ft and 13 ft, respectivley, as a result of flood control 

operations.

In the Cumberland River basin, the flood exceeded 

previously known discharges at eight gaging stations
KENTUCKY 17

FIGURE 11. — Aerial view, looking westward, of Pikeville, Ky., on Levisa Fork on April 5, 1977

and Louisville Times).

(Copyright Courier- Journal

TABLE 3.—Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, for the flood of April 1977 at gaging station

03403500, Cumberland River at Barbourville, Ky.

Date 

in Time 

April

1 2400

2 1200

2400 

3 0200

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

4 0300

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

5 0300

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800

Gage 

height

3.75 

3.69 

3.65 

3.67 

3.85 

4.29 

4.53 

4.75 

5.50 

9.40 

16.00 

22.53 

26.90 

30.36 

33.13 

35.57 

37.12 

39.47 

42.20 

42.80 

43.97 

44.82

Discharge

1,480 

1,420 

1,380 

1,400 

1,570 

1,960 

2,170 

2,370 

3,100 

6,390 

11,300 

17,000 

22,500 

27,300 

31,400 

35,200 

37,700 

41,600 

46,700 

47,900 

50,200 

51,900

Date 

in Time 

April

5 2000

2200 

2300 

2400 

6 _ 0100

0200 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

7 0300

0600 

0900 

1200

8

9 __

10

b**t Dischar*e

45.22 52,700 

45.56 53,400 

__ 54,700 

__ 56,000 

56,100

__ 55,700 

__ 54,100 

__ 49,500 

__ 43,600 

__ 38,500 

__ 34,100 

__ 30,500 

__ 28,200 

__ 25,300 

__ 23,200 

__ 21,300 

__ 19,800 

__ 18,500 

__ 10,000 

4,500

__ 2,900
18 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

FIGURE 12.—Aerial view, looking northward, of Pineville, Ky., Cumberland River on April 5, 1977 (Copyright Courier-Journal

and Louisville Times).

TABLE 4.—Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, for the flood of April 1977 at gaging station

03209500 Levisa Fork at Pikeville, Ky.

Date 

in Time 

April

2 2000

2400 

3 _ _ 1200

1800 

2400 

4 0300

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

5 0300

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

6 0300

0600 

0900 

1200

Gage 

height

3.45 

3.56 

3.97 

4.87 

5.63 

6.58 

9.18 

14.39 

20.08 

26.77 

34.22 

41.94 

47.45 

50.71 

51.46 

50.46 

49.02 

46.83 

44.01 

40.96 

37.87 

34.89 

31.96 

29.04 

26.22

Discharge

622 

673 

819 

1,270 

1,680 

2,220 

4,040 

8,370 

13,700 

23,000 

37,100 

55,100 

69,900 

79,400 

81,600 

79,100 

74,300 

68,100 

60,400 

52,500 

45,100 

38,500 

32,400 

26,900 

22,000

Date 

in Time 

April

6 _ 1500

1800

2100 

2400 

7 0300

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2000 

2200 

2400 

8 0300

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

9 0600

2100 

2400 

10 _ 1200

2400

Gage 

height

23.43 

20.64 

17.97 

15.36 

12.84 

10.69 

9.16 

8.25 

7.76 

7.44 

7.31 

8.16 

11.21 

14.22 

15.60 

16.23 

17.09 

18.38 

19.88 

20.91 

21.41 

21.97 

22.01 

21.86 

21.55 

21.30

Discharge

17,600 

14,300 

11,500 

9,160 

7,070 

5,240 

4,000 

3,320 

2,970 

2,750 

2,660 

3,250 

5,690 

8,200 

9,370 

9,920 

10,700 

11,900 

13,500 

14,600 

15,200 

15,800 

15,900 

15,700 

15,300 

15,000
KENTUCKY 19

and was second greatest at two others. Flows in all 

tributaries entering the Cumberland River above 

Cumberland Falls were high, particularly Yellow 

Creek at Middlesboro, Ky., and Clear Fork at Saxton, Ky.

Poor Fork, the main headwater tributary of the 

Cumberland River (discharge, 10,700 ft3 /s) crested 

at 15.88 ft, 0.6 ft lower than in 1957 becoming the 

second highest flood since at least 1927. Peak discharges on Martins Fork near Smith, Ky., 9,000 ft3 /s 

(stage 24.24 ft), and on Clover Fork at Evarts, Ky., 

18,100 ft3 /s (stage 14.87 ft), were the highest, since 

records began, in 1968 and 1959, respectively.

Below the confluence of Poor and Clover Forks, 

peak discharges in April 1977 on the main stem of 

the Cumberland River in Kentucky were the greatest recorded at Harlan, Pineville, and Barbourville. 

On April 4, the levees and floodwall at Pineville were 

overtopped and the city was inundated with about

15 ft of water (figs. 12 and 13).

The city of Barbourville was evacuated as a precautionary measure even though the area was protected by a levee reinforced with sandbags. At Williamsburg, the discharge of 46,600 ft3 /s was less 

than that in 1957 but the peak stage on April 7 was 

1.2 ft and 0.5 ft, higher than the peak stages in 1957 

and 1975, respectively. Downstream at Cumberland 

Falls, peak flow 48,500 fts/s, April 5, the peak stage 

of 13.26 ft was 2.2 ft, lower than that of the 1918 

flood. The river remained above the 12-ft stage there 

for 96 h, from 1800 h April 4 to 1800 h April 8. The 

peak flow decreased as the flood wave moved downstream and did not approach the magnitude of previous maximum floods below Cumberland Falls, Ky. 

Discharge hydrographs of Cumberland River at Barbourville, Ky., and Levisa Fork at Pikeville, Ky., are 

shown in figure 14 and data are presented in tables 

3 and 4.

FIGURE 13.—Aerial view, looking westward, of Pineville, Ky., on April 5, 1977 (Copyright Courier-Journal and Louisville

Times ).
20 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

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TENNESSEE 21

TENNESSEE

Rainfall occurred over most of the State on March 

29-31 and April 2-5, 1977, resulting in record flooding in the Clinch and Powell River basins, in the 

north-central part of the State. Total damages were 

estimated at $15 million by the State Highway Department of Tennessee, divided about equally between public damage (roads, bridges, utilities) and 

private damage (homes, businesses).

The March 29-31 storm saturated the soil, enabling a high percentage of the April rainfall to 

reach the streams as surface runoff, causing recordbreaking floods on some large drainage areas. At the 

gaging station on Clinch River above Tazewell Tenn., 

the peak discharge of 98,100 ft3 /s was the greatest 

since at least 1862. At the gaging station on Powell 

River near Arthur, Tenn., the peak discharge of 

59,500 ft3 /s was the highest experienced since 1826. 

The peak stage of 38.96 ft exceeded that in 1826 by 

9.4 ft.

The flood on Clinch River at Sneedville, Tenn., is 

shown in the photograph in figure 15. Discharge hydrographs for selected streams in Tennessee are 

shown in figures 16 and 17 and data are listed in 

tables 5-8.

•4

FIGURE 15.—Flood conditions on April 5, 1977, looking southeast toward Hancock County high school

Sneedville, Tenn.

at Clinch River,
w

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24 APEIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN EEGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

TABLE 5.—Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

per second, for the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

03491000, Big Creek near Rogersville, Tenn.

Date 

in 

April

2

3

4

5 _ _

6

7

8 _ _

9

10 _

Time

2400

0600

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600

1200 

1800 

2400 

0215

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600

1200 

1800 

2400

Gage 

height

2.68

2.83

3.24 

3.37 

3.35 

3.71

5.65 

5.20 

7.71 

9.25

7.29 

4.97 

4.29 

3.94 

3.73

3.62 

3.44 

3.34 

3.27

3.21 

3.15 

3.10 

3.01

2.84

2.70

Discharge

120

152

278 

332 

324 

513

2,080 

1,670 

4,060 

5,600

3,630 

1,470 

920 

660 

526

460 

365 

319 

290

267 

246 

228 

198

154

124

TABLE 6.—Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

per second, for the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

03535000 Bullrun Creek near Halls Crossroads, Tenn.

Date

in 

April

Time Gage 

height Discharge

8

9

10

2400

0600

1200

1800

2400

0600

1200

1800

2130

2400

0600

1200

1800

2400

0600

1200

1800

2400

0600

1200

1800

2400

5.73

7.51

7.61

6.33

6.71

8.63

9.64

11.96

13.28

12.41

10.19

8.93

8.32

7.89

7.48

7.01

6.43

5.86

5.47

5.20

4.99

4.82

4.55

4.15

3.90

532

1,230

1,310

682

802

2,470

4,350

12,100

18,300

14,100

5,770

2,760

1,870

1,440

1,120

854

639

485

389

335

293

263

217

159

130

TABLE 7. — Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

per second, for the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

03528000 Clinch River above Tazewell, Tenn.

Date 

in 

April

2 ____

3

4

5 __ _

6 __ __

7

8 _ __

9 __ _ _

10 ____

Time

2400

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400

Gage 

height

3.59

4.47 

4.76 

4.80 

5.01 

6.85 

10.03 

15.32 

20.34

2~9.32

__ __

11~64 

9.60 

7.72 

5.90 

4.98

Discharge

2,760 

3,980 

4,420 

4,480 

4,810 

7,990 

14,700 

29,800 

48,300 71,500" 

93,200" 

98,100" 

92,500" 

76,400" 

64,300" 

52,500" 

42,600" 

33,500" 

25,600" 

18,800 

13,700 

9,680 

6,280 

4,770

" Approximately.

TABLE 8. — Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

per second, for the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

03532000 Powell River near Arthur, Tenn.

Date 

in 

April

2

3

4

5

6

7 _ _.

8 _

9

10 _ _ _

Time

2400 

0600

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

0400 

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400

Gage 

height

4.78 

5.37 

5.97 

5.90 

6.04 

9.07 

14.45 

23.27 

28.18 

29.65 

30.35 

33.45 

37.63 

38.96

14~38 

11.47 

9.60 

7.54 

6.41

Discharge

1,580 

1,940 

2,330 

2,290 

2,380 

4,800 

10,000 

22,000 

30,900 

33,900 

35,400 

43,200 

55,300 59,500" 

59,100" 

53,000" 

42,800" 

33,400" 

20,300 » 13,100 ll 

8,800 

7,040 

5,180 

3,360 

2,500

:1 Approximately.
VIRGINIA 25

VIRGINIA

Record-breaking floods occurred in southwestern 

Virginia as a result of rainfall which fell on April 

2-5. In Virginia, the most severe flooding occurred 

in the Big Sandy, Clinch, Holston, and Powell River 

basins, with less flooding in the New River basin. 

Eighteen gaging1 stations experienced floods with 

recurrence intervals equal to or greater than 100 

years. Flooding on Clinch River at Clinchport, Va., 

and St. Paul, Va., is shown in the photographs in 

figures 18 and 19.

At the gag-ing station Levisa Fork near Grundy 

having continuous records since 1942, the peak discharge of 52,000 ft3 /s had a recurrence interval 

greater than 100 years. The peak stag-e of 24.77 ft

was 5.71 ft higher than the previously recorded 

maximum in 1957. Levisa Fork at Big Rock, Va., 

crested at 27.38 ft, which was about 11 ft higher 

than any peak recorded since records began in 1967. 

The peak discharg-e of 56,000 ft3 /s on April 4 also 

had a recurrence interval greater than 100 years.

The peak discharg-e of 89,000 ft3 /s on Clinch River 

at Speers Ferry, Va., was the greatest since 1862 

and exceeded the previous record discharge by more 

than 40,000 ft3 /s. The Guest River at Coeburn, Va., 

crested at a peak flow of 18,000 ft3 /s and stag-e of 

20.95 ft. That stage is about 5 ft higher than the 

previously recorded maximum in 1957 and 4 ft higher than the flood of 1918. The peak discharge of 

57,000 ft3 /s on Powell River near Jonesville, Va.,

FIGURE 18.—Aerial view, looking southwestward, of Clinch River at Clinchport, Va., on April 15, 1977 (Courtesy Kingsport

Times News ).
26 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

FIGURE 19.—Aerial view, looking northward, of Clinch River at St. Paul, Va., on April 5, 1977 (Courtesy Bristol Herald

Courier ).

was almost twice that of the previously known maximum. The peak stage of 44.32 ft was about 11 ft 

higher than the flood of 1963 which was the maximum known since 1918. The recurrence intervals of 

peak flows at Speers Ferry, Coeburn, and Jonesville 

were greater than 100 years.

Discharge hydrographs at selected gaging stations 

where recurrence intervals were greater than 100 

years are shown in figures 20 and 21 and the data 

are listed in tables 9-12. Damages estimated by the 

Virginia Office of Emergency Services were about 

$243 million.
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VIRGINIA 29

TABLE 9. — Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

per second, for the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

03475000 Middle Fork Holston River near Meadowview, Va.

Date

March 31

April 1

2

3

4

5

6 _ —

7

8 __

9 _ __

10

Time

1200 

2400

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1700 

1800 

1900 

2000 

2100 

2300 

2400 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1000 

1030 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400

Gage 

height

3.20 

3.05 

2.94 

2.86 

2.81 

2.81 

3.13 

3.41 

3.75 

4.77 

6.74 

8.85 

11.10 

12.25 

12.40 

12.40 

12.40 

12.35 

11.85 

11.56 

11.02 

11.73 

12.45 

12.50 

12.55 

12.35 

11.20 

9,69 

8.38 

7.56 

5.81 

5.07 

4.60 

4.30 

4.07 

3.85 

3.70 

3.57 

3.46 

3.39

Discharge

472 

410 

368 

333 

314 

314 

441 

557 

725 

1,310 

2,790 

5,090 

8,720 

10,900 

11,200 

11,200 

11,200 

11,100 

10,100 

9,540 

8,580 

9,860 

11,300 

11,400 

11,500 

11,100 

8,900 

6,300 

4,450 

3,560 

2,050 

1,500 

1,210 

1,500 

895 

776 

700 

634 

580 

547

TABLE 10. — Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

per second, for the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

03474000 Middle Fork Holston River at Seven Mile Ford, 

Va.

Date Time

March 31 _ 1200

2400 

April 1 - - 1200

2400 

2 _______ 1200

2400 

3 __ 0500

1200 

2400 

4 ._ 0100

0300 

0600 

1100 

1200 

1300 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2200 

2400 

5 _ _ 0100

0300 

0400 

0500 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1800 

2400 

6 1200

2400

2400

8

1 O(\f\

2400

9

1 Of\f\

2400 

10 _ __ _ 1200

2400

Gage 

height

1.91 

1.84 

1.79 

1.75 

1.71 

1.72 

1.94 

2.08 

2.11 

2.10 

2.52 

3.99 

8.14 

8.23 

8.18 

7.69 

6.16 

5.27 

5.77 

7.21 

7.83 

8.45 

8.55 

8.45 

8.23 

6.54 

5.13 

3.88 

3.35 

2.82 

2.55 

2.39 

2.29 

2.19 

2.10 

2.04 

1.98 

1.94 

1.90

Discharge

292 

252 

227 

208 

190 

194 

311 

407 

429 

419 

797 

2,840 

10,100 

10,300 

10,200 

9,180 

6,480 

5,060 

5,830 

8,280 

9,470 

10,800 

11,000 

10,800 

10,300 

7,110 

4,850 

2,610 

1,690 

1,100 

826 

671 

579 

493 

422 

378 

337 

311 

286
30 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

TABLE 11.— Gage

per second, for 

03490000 North

Date

March 30

31

April 1

9

3 __ __

4

5 _ _ _

6

7 

8

9

height, in feet, and discharge in cubic feet 

the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

Fork Holston River near Gate City, Va.

Time

1200 

2400 

0300 

0400 

0600 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2100 

2400 

1200 

2400 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1430 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

0600 

1200 

1800 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400

Gage 

height

3.27 

4.85 

5.05 

5.08 

5.03 

4.14 

3.81 

3.59 

3.44 

3.35 

3.44 

3.99 

4.41 

5.08 

6.97 

9.07 

10.24 

11.50 

12.90 

14.60 

16.85 

18.13 

18.81 

19.12 

19.47 

19.65 

19.51 

18.86 

17.77 

16.72 

15.73 

14.76 

13.46 

11.72 

10.24 

9.26 

8.58 

8.04 

7.24 

6.72 

6.29 

5.95 

5.42 

5.01 

4.66 

4.40

Discharge

1,190

2,770 

3,010 

3,040 

2,980 

1,980 

1,660 

1,460 

1,330 

1,260 

1,330 

1,830 

2,260 

3,040 

5,750 

9,890 

12,400 

15,500 

19,300 

24,100 

31,000 

35,200 

35,200 

38,600 

39,800 

40,500 

40,000 

37,700 

34,000 

30,600 

27,500 

24,600 

20,800 

16,100 

12,400 

10,300 

8,840 

7,730 

6,210 

5,320 

4,640 

4,160 

3,480 

2,960 

2,540 

2,250

TABLE 12. — Gage

per second, for 

03473000 South

Date

March 30

31 _

April 1

2 __

3 __ _

4

5 __

6 __

7

8

9

height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

Fork Holston River at Vestal, Va.

Time

0300

0900 

1200 

1500 

1600 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400

Gage 

height

3.51 

3.85 

4.59 

5.40 

5.46 

5.34 

5.13 

4.84 

4.63 

4.43 

4.31 

4.22 

5.35 

5.46 

6.01 

7.05 

7.98 

8.71 

9.08 

9.22 

10.54 

15.23 

17.01 

16.06 

15.10 

13.56 

11.91 

10.73 

9.74 

9.07 

7.52 

6.71 

6.15 

5.77 

5.50 

5.24 

5.07 

4.88

Discharge

434 

582 

985 

1,500 

1,540 

1,450 

1,310 

1,140 

1,010 

893 

823 

771 

1,460 

1,540 

1,970 

2,900 

3,820 

4,650 

5,100 

5,270 

7,050 

16,300 

21,700 

18,700 

16,000 

12,300 

9,180 

7,320 

5,950 

5,080 

3,340 

2,590 

2,090 

1,780 

1,570 

1,380 

1,270 

1,160
WEST VIRGINIA 31

WEST VIRGINIA

The storm of April 2-5, 1977, which precipitated 

from 4 to 10 in. of rainfall on the Tug Fork basin 

and upper Guyandotte River basin, caused severe 

flooding1 throughout southern West Virginia. Towns 

along Tug Fork were under 20 to-25 ft of water from 

Welch to Fort Gay. Some small communities were almost completely inundated. The U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers estimated the flood damage at more than 

$50 million in the Tug Fork basin. Estimated flood 

damages in the Guyandotte River basin were in excess of $10 million, and damages in the Kanawaha 

River basin were estimated at about $2 million.

Peak flows on Tug Fork at Litwar, Williamson, 

and Kermit, W. Va., were the greatest of record. 

Estimated recurrence intervals were greater than

100 years. Flood photographs along Tug Fork are 

shown in figures 22 and 23. At Litwar, the discharge 

of 54,500 ft3 /s was the greatest since records began 

in 1930 and the peak stage, 27.37 ft, was 5.7 ft 

higher than previous maximum recorded in 1957. In 

April 1977, a maximum discharge of 94,000 ft3 /s occurred at Williamson. The peak stage of 52.56 ft was 

the highest recorded since 1926 and about 8 ft higher 

than that in 1963. The Williamson main business 

district is protected by floodwalls to about an elevation of 44 ft. At Kermit, the peak discharge on Tug 

Fork increased to 104,000 ft3 /s, the greatest since 

at least 1934. The peak stage there exceeded the 1963 

maximum by more than 7 ft.

The rainfall distribution, shown in figures 9 and 

10, resulted in high unit discharges over the middle

FIGURE 22.—View looking southwest, Tug Fork at Welch, W. Va., on April 4, 1977. (Courtesy Welch Daily News).
32 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

FIGURE 23.—Aerial view of flood looking northwestward, Tug Fork at Williamson, W. Va., on April 5, 1977 (Courtesy Charleston Daily Mail).

and upper reaches of the Tug Fork basin. Unit discharges at Tug Fork at Williamson, W. Va., and at 

Litwar, W. Va., were 101 and 109 ft! /s/mi2 , respectively. The smaller unit discharge, 33.3 ft:i/s/rcu2 at 

the station farthest downstream (Tug Fork at Glenhayes) reflects the reduction in precipitation over 

the lower portion of the basin, plus the effects of 

channel and overbank storage in the lowermost 40 

mi of river valley.

Record flooding also occurred in the upper Guyandotte River basin where the National Weather Service gage at Pineville, W. Va., read 17.76 ft, about 2.5 

ft higher than the previous maximum recorded in 

1963. At the U.S. Geological Survey gage near

Baileysville, the recurrence interval of the peak discharge of 36,600 ft ! /s is estimated to be greater than 

100 years. Lesser flooding occurred downstream due 

to the impoundment of flood water in the reservoir 

behind the almost completed R. D. Bailey Dam at 

Justice, W. Va. Along the Guyandotte River in West 

Virginia, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimated that peak stages downstream from R. D. 

Bailey Dam would have been 4 to 10 ft higher without reservoir storage regulation. Flood damages 

were reduced by as much as 60 percent owing to the 

presence of the dam. The peak flow of Guyandotte 

River at Logan was 43,900 ft:i/s at a stage of 30.55 

ft, about 4.4 ft lower than the record flood of March
WEST VIRGINIA 33

TABLE 13. — Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

per second, for the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

03202400, Guyandotte River near Baileysville, W. Va.

Date

TVTaTvVi 9Q

30 _ _ .

31 __ _.

2

3 _

4 _ _.

5 __ _

6

7 _

8 _ __

9

TABLE 14. — Gage 

per second, for 

03214900, Tug

Date

March 29

30 _ __

31 __ _

2

3 __

4 __

5 __ ___

Time

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

0100 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

0600 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400

Gage 

height

4.01 

3.99 

3.96 

3.97 

3.93 

3.86 

3.81 

3.78 

3.77 

3.81 

4.06 

4.32 

4.52 

5.11 

6.54 

9.69 

14.63 

19.33 

24.23 

26.76 

26.88 

26.58 

24.86 

22.14 

18.47 

14.96 

12.76 

11.38 

10.36 

8.89 

7.99 

6.94 

6.40 

6.09 

5.82 

5.53 

5.34 

5.19

Discharge

374 

366 

354 

358 

342 

314 

294 

282 

278 

294 

394 

498 

590 

885 

1,780 

4,390 

10,000 

17,800 

29,100 

36,300 

36,600 

35,700 

30,600 

23,800 

16,200 

10,400 

7,710 

6,120 

5,060 

3,600 

2,840 

2,060 

1,680 

1,460 

1,290 

1,120 

1,000 

925

height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

the flood of April 1977 at gaging station 

Fork near Glenhayes, W. Va.

Time

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

2400 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400 

0300 

0600 

0900 

1200 

1500 

1800 

2100 

2400

Gage 

height

5.46 

5.39 

5.28 

5.18 

5.14 

5.06 

4.96 

4.82 

4.70 

4.64 

4.70 

4.84 

5.27 

6.34 

9.11 

15.69 

20.73 

24.02 

27.05 

30.01 

32.74 

35.13 

37.02 

38.44 

39.71

Discharge

1,600 

1,560 

1,500 

1,450 

1,430 

1,380 

1,330 

1,250 

1,190 

1,150 

1,190 

1,260 

1,500 

2,090 

3,450 

6,080 

8,170 

9,920 

12,600 

22,500 

29,100 

32,700 

36,000 : 38.900 

41,400

TABLE 14. — Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet 

per second, for the flood 'of April 1977 at gaging station 

03214900, Tug Fork near Glenhayes, W. Va. — Continued

Date Time bright Discharge

April 6 _ ____ 0300 40.91 43,800

0600 41.92 45,800 

0900 42.72 47,400 

1200 43.42 48,800 

1500 43.90 49,800 

1700 44.00 50,000 

1800 43.99 50,000 

2100 43.89 49,800 

2400 43.54 49,100 

7 0300 42.96 47,900

0600 42.13 46,300 

0900 41.09 44,200 

1200 39.86 41,700 

1500 38.48 39,000 

1800 36.81 35,600 

2100 35.04 32,600 

2400 33.00 29,500 

8 _ 0300 31.00 25,500

0600 28.87 18,400 

0900 26.71 12,200 

1200 24.67 10,400 

1500 22.70 9,150 

1800 20.80 8,200 

2100 18.98 7,390 

2400 17.41 6,760 

9 0300 16.02 6,210

0600 14.90 5,760 

0900 13.98 5,390 

1200 13.30 5,120 

1500 12.78 4,920 

1800 12.35 4,770 

2100 11.97 4,640 

2400 11.62 4,500

TABLE 15. — Mean discharge and suspended-sediment discharge 

data in April 1977 for gaging station 03202400 at Guyandotte River near Baileysville, W. Va., and gaging station 

03214900 at Tug Fork, Glenhayes, W. Va.

Gaging station 03202400 Gaging station 03214900

i^ Mean Suspended Mean Suspended A-,,, ,||?f -as jss.. -as

Ut/sj (tons/day) ut /s> (tons/day)

1 298 2.4 1,330 194 

2 286 7.7 1,190 183 

3 406 41 1,200 191 

4 11,100 29,900 2,700 7,170 

5 17.900 54,800 25,800 290,000 

6 3,480 5,370 47,600 271,000 

7 1,840 1,210 40,800 91,400 

8 1,380 510 13,600 41,500 

9 1,090 227 5,250 15,20tT 

10 904 112 4,160 7,950 

11 760 57 3,650 5,370 

12 655 41 3,250 3,820 

13 580 25 2,930 3,120 

14 520 15 2,660 2,440 

15 475 9.0 2,430 1,510

1963. On Guyandotte River at Branchland, the crest 

of 39.09 ft was about 5 ft lower than previous maximum in 1963, and peak flow was 36,500 fts/s. 

Discharge hydrographs for Guyandotte River at 

Baileysville and Tug Fork at Glenhayes, W. Va., are 

shown in figure 24 and data are presented in tables 

13 and 14. Mean daily discharge and suspended sediment discharge data are given in table 15.
34 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

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WEST VIRGINIA 35

Floodmarks along the Tug Fork and Guyandotte 

River identified in the field during and immediately 

after the flood were referenced to National Geodetic 

Vertical datum. The elevations are listed in tables

16 and 17 and presented in figures 25 and 26. Selected water-surface elevations for the 1963 flood on 

the Guyandotte River are also listed in table 17.

TABLE 16.—Flood-crest stages, Tug Fork basin, April 1977

Location in West Virginia

Miles 

above 

mouth

April 1977

water surface

elevation in

feet, above

mean sea level

Mouth of Tug Fork __________________________________—————————————————— 0.0 559.3

0.5 mi above State Route 37 highway bridge at Fort Gay _—————————————————————————— 0.7 565.4

3.7 mi above State Route 37 highway bridge at Fort Gay _________————————————————— 3.9 573.7

1.3 mi below mouth of Rockcastle Creek on Tug Fork ______——____————————————————— 9.1 578.5

Geological Survey gaging station at Glenhayes _____-________-___-_-_---------_-----_--------_ 10.0 580.6

0.6 mi below mouth of Horse Creek on Tug Fork__________________ ———— ———————————— 13.4 586.0

Mouth of Camp Creek on Tug Fork ________ __________ — ____——————————————— 17.9 595.2

0.1 mi below mouth of Bull Creek on Tug Fork _________________—— — ——————————— 22.6 605.1

0.4 mi above mouth of Big Elk Creek on Tug Fork ___________————————————————— 25.6 611.5

0.2 mi below mouth of Silver Creek on Tug Fork ________________ ———— ——————————— 28.2 615.3

1.7 mi below toll bridge at Kermit __________ _______________ — ———— -—————————— 33.3 625.7

Toll bridge at Kermit ___________________________________———————————————— 35.0 628.4

Geological Survey gaging station near Kermit _________________--_--_---------_--- — __________ 38.1 634.7

Mouth of Pigeon Creek on Tug Fork _____________________ ————— _—————————— 41.4 640.9

1.9 mi above mouth of Pigeon Creek on Tug Fork _______-___-____-___-___--------— — _________ 43.3 643.1

5.4 mi above mouth of Pigeon Creek on Tug Fork ____________________________— — __ — _________ 46.8 652.4

0.5 mi above Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge at Nolan __________ — ______________________ 48.9 657.0

2.1 mi above Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge at Nolan ____________-_-__-_--- — _ — _ — _— 50.5 659.3

Mouth of Buffalo Creek on Tug Fork ________________________________________ 52.3 663.8

1.9 mi below U.S. Route 119 highway bridge at Williamson ______________ ——————— _ 54.9 669.7

Geological Survey gaging station at Williamson ____________________-----_---__ ———— __ — — 56.5 673.5

2.0 mi above U.S. Route 119 highway bridge at Williamson _____________________ — __ 58.8 676.4

2.1 mi above U.S. Route 119 highway bridge at Williamson ______________________ ——— __ 58.9 677.3

1.4 mi above Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge near Matewan ________________ — ____ — ___— 70.2 708.0

1.7 mi below State Route 49 highway bridge at Edgarton _________ ————— ————————— 75.6 723.1

0.3 mi below State Route 49 highway bridge at Edgarton _________________________ 77.0 729.0

2.2 mi above State Route 49 highway bridge at Edgarton ___________________________ 79.5 738.5

0.1 mi below mouth of Ben Creek on Tug Fork ____________-___-_________________ 93.4 827.5

0.3 mi below State Secondary Route 2 highway bridge at Mohawk _____________ ———— ___ 99.2 921.3

1.2 mi above State Secondary Route 2 highway bridge at Mohawk ________________________ 100.7 933.2

State Secondary Route 1 highway bridge at Panther ____________________________ 102.2 943.8

3.8 mi above State Secondary Route 1 highway bridge at Panther ___________________ —— __ 106.0 963.0

Geological Survey gaging station at Litwar _____________________________________ 106.1 963.7

1.2 mi above State Secondary Route 1 highway brdge at Litwar ________________________ 108.2 973.3

0.4 mi below U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at laeger _________________________ 109.1 980.5

U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at laeger __________________________________ 109.5 981.1

2.4 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at laeger _____________________________ 111.9 988.3

4.3 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at laeger ____________________________ 113.8 1,020.3

6.2 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at laeger ___________________________ 115.7 1,053.0

7.1 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at laeger __________________________ 116.6 1,058.3

1.4 mi below Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge at Roderfield ____________________ 117.6 1,073.1

Norfolk and Western Railroad Bridge at Roderfield _____________________________ 119.0 1,095.4

1.2 mi below State Secondary Route 7 highway bridge at Davy ______________________ 124.3 1,166.4

0.4 mi above State Secondary Route 7 highway bridge at Davy ______________________ 125.8 1,184.4

1.3 mi above State Secondary Route 7 highway bridge at Davy _________________________ 126.7 1,201.7

2.1 mi above State Secondary Route 7 highway bridge at Davy _____________________ 127.5 1,216.3

2.7 mi above State Secondary Route 7 highway bridge at Davy ______________________ 128.1 1,229.2

3.2 mi above State Secondary Route 7 highway bridge at Davy _____________________ 128.6 1,236.5

Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge near Capels ____________________________ 129.3 1,250.1

1.1 mi above Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge near Capels ____________________ 130.4 1,266.0

Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge at Hempill __________________________________ 131.5 1,282.2

Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge at Hempill _______________________________ 132.2 1,288.7

U.S. Route 52 highway bridge near Welch _____________________________________ 134.1 1,309.8

0.9 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge near Welch __________________________ 135.0 1,318.4

2.9 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge near Welch _________________________ 137.0 1,354.0

3.6 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge near Welch __________________________ 137.7 1,367.2

5.6 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge near Welch __________________________ 139.7 1,400.8

0.1 mi below Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge at Thorpe _______________________ 141.9 1,430.4

Norfolk and Western Railroad bridge near Thorpe__________________________________ 143.3 1,466.4
36 APRIL 1977 FLOOD, APPALACHIAN REGION, KY., TENN., VA., AND W. VA.

TABLE 17.—Comparison of flood-crest stages, Guyandotte River basin, April 1977 and March 1963

Location in West Virginia

Miles 

above 

mouth

April 1977

water surface

elevation in

feet, above

mean sea level

March 1963

water surface

elevation in,

feet, above

mean sea level

Geological Survey gaging station at Branchland __________------ — --

Geological Survey gaging station at Midkiff -----------------------

State Route 10 highway bridge at Pecks Mill ________ — ____-_-___-_

1.0 mi above State Route 10 highway bridge at Pecks Mill _______ —

0.2 mi below U.S. Route 119 highway bridge at Logan ———— ———— - 

Geological Survey gaging station at Logan _________-___--- — __ — --

2.0 mi above U.S. Route 119 highway bridge at Logan _______--__--_-

Mouth of Rum Creek on Guyandotte River _________ — ___ — __ — -

1.6 mi above State Secondary Route 4 highway bridge at Earling ____

Geological Survey gaging station at Man _________ — ____— _ — ____-

Mouth of Huff Creek on Guyandotte River __________-____-------— -

2.0 mi below State Route 80 highway bridge at Verner _____________

0.1 mi below State Route 80 highway bridge, at Verner ______________

1.1 mi above State Route 80 highway bridge at Verner ______________

2.1 mi above State Route 80 highway bridge at Verner ______-_-_----

State Route 80 highway bridge at Tomcliff _____________________

1.0 mi above State Route 80 highway bridge at Tomcliff _________

0.1 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at Gilbert ____________

1.0 mi above U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at Gilbert ______ ------

2,1 mi below U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at Justice _________

1.1 mi below U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at Justice _____________

U.S. Route 52 highway bridge at Justice _________________________

0.3 mi above mouth of Clear Fork on Guyandotte River ___________

2.3 mi above mouth of Clear Fork on Guyandotte River __________

3.7 mi above mouth of Clear Fork on Guyandotte River ________

0.7 mi below State Secondary Route 9 highway bridge at Baileysyille 

0.9 mi above State Secondary Route 9 highway bridge at Baileysville . 

1.6 mi above State Secondary Route 9 highway bridge at Baileysville . 

Geological Survey gaging station near Baileysville __-_____---_____

7.8 mi above State Secondary Route 9 highway bridge at Baileysville - 

6.1 mi below State Route 16 highway bridge at Pineville ____________

4.1 mi below State Route 16 highway bridge at Pineville ____________

3.0 mi below State Route 16 highway bridge at Pineville _________

2.6 mi below State Route 16 highway bridge at Pineville __________

1.0 mi below State Route 16 highway bridge at Pineville __________

State Route 16 highway bridge at Pineville __________________

34.9

39.0

72.6

73.6

79.1

80.5

81.3

85.0

90.9

92.8

93.6

97.3

99.2

100.4

101.4

103.4

104.4

105.8

106.7

108.0

109.0

110.1

122.2

124.2

125.6

126.7

128.3

129.0

130.5

135.2

136.2

138.2

139.3

139.7

141.3

142.3

587.0

592.1

650.3

651.5

667.0

670.6

673.0

686.7

717.6

730.6

736.5

748.0

759.0

766.9

771.9

789.5

803.6

821.4

833.5

849.4

860.7

880.3

1,119.4

1,136.3

1,139.4

1,149.8

1,158.2

1,161.1

1,166.9

1,199.8

1,214.2

1,227.6

1,239.0

1,243.8

1,269.3

1,286.8

591.7

599.9

657.3

675.0

677.3

690.9

721.6

735.7

768.3

776.4

780.9

796.8

809.7

828.5

841.0

857.5

867.9

887.3

1,285.5
05 

CM 

O)

o

htr 

LU

o

LU 

Q

1500

1400

< 1300

1200

1100

1000

LU 900

O 

m

LU 

LU

z 

o

800

700

600

CO

_0> 

£

Approximate streambed profile

500

I I _L

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

DISTANCE UPSTREAM FROM MOUTH, IN MILES

110 120 130 

FIGURE 25.—Chart showing floodmark elevations of Tug Fork during the Appalachian flood of Aprill 1977.
o>

CM 

O)

1500

O 1400

5

D 

I-

^ 1300

LJLJ

CJ

Q 

O

LJU 

O

1200

1100

1000

O)

g

< 900

o

m 800

LJLJ

700

600

Approximate streambed profile

500

I I I I I

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

DISTANCE UPSTREAM FROM MOUTH, IN MILES

110 120 130 

FIGURE 26.—Chart showing floodmark elevations for the Guyandotte River during the Appalachian flood of April 1977.
SUMMARY 39

SUMMARY

Heavy rains on April 2-5, 1977, associated with 

warm front passage and warm sector convection, 

over the Appalachian region of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, resulted in severe 

flooding along upstream tributaries in the Ohio 

River basin. Maximum observed rainfall of 15.5 in. 

in about 30 h occurred at Jolo, W. Va. This is more 

than twice the amount expected for a storm with 

100-year recurrence interval. Floods were the greatest of record along the upper Guyandotte River, Tug 

Fork and Levisa Fork in the Big Sandy River basin, 

Cumberland River, and Clinch River and Powell 

River in the Tennessee River basin. Table 18 gives 

a summary of flood stages and discharges in the 1977 

Appalachian flood area. Recurrence intervals of peak 

discharges exceeded 100 years at 29 streamflow gaging stations shown in figure 27.

Flood control operations in reservoirs located on 

Levisa Creek and North Fork Pound River reportedly reduced the peak stage on Russell Fork at Elkhorn, Ky., 1.2 ft, and on Levisa Creek at Pikeville, 

Ky., 13 ft. Along the Guyandotte River in West Virginia, peak stages downstream from R. D. Bailey 

Dam reportedly would have been 4 to 10 ft higher 

without reservoir storage.

Maximum daily suspended-sediment discharges on 

Guyandotte River near Baileysville, W. Va., and on 

Tug Fork at Glenhayes, W. Va., were 54,800 tons/ 

day and 290,000 tons/day respectively.

Flood damage was widespread and severe. Twenty-two lives were lost. Communities along Tug Fork 

between Welch and Fort Gay, W. Va., were inundated to depths of more than 20 ft. The towns of 

Matewan, Tacker, and Lobata, W. Va., were practically destroyed. Estimated property damages in 

the four States totaled more than $400 million.

REFERENCES

Barnes, H. H., Jr., 1964, Floods of March 1963 Alabama to 

West Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Open-file report, 

44 p.

Lott, George A., 1976, Precipitable water over the United 

States, v. 1, Monthly means: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Silver Spring, Md., U.S. 

Weather Bur. Tech. Paper 20.

Maddox, R. A., Caracena, Fernado, Hoxit, L. R., and 

Chappell, C. F., 1977, Meteorological aspects of the Big 

Thompson flash flood of 31 July, 1976: Boulder, Colo., 

U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Admin., Environmental Research Laboratories, NOAA Technical Report ERL 388, APOL41, 

83 p.

Schwarz, F. K., Hughes, L. A., Hansen, E. M., Pe-terson, M. 

S., and Kelly, D. B., 1975, The Black Hills-Rapid City 

flood of June 9-10, 1972—A description of the storm 

and flood: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 

877, 47 p.

U.S. Geological Survey, 1963, Summary of floods in the 

United States during 1957: U.S. Geological Survey 

Water Supply Paper 1652-C, p. C1-C98.

U.S. Water Resources Council, 1976, Guidelines for determining flood flow frequency: U.S. Water Resources Council 

Bulletin 17, 25 p.
TABLE 18.—Summary of flood stages and discharges

Site 

No.

Permanent 

station 

No.

Stream and place of determination

Drainage 

area

(mi2 )

Maximum

gage above of 

NGVD flood D , 

(ft) record Uate

previously known

Gage 

height 

(ft)

Discharge

(ftVs)

Date 

in 

April

Maximum during flood 

Gage 

height 

(ft)

Disch

(ftVs) 

Guyandotte River basin

l

2 

3

4 

5 

6

7

8 

9

03202400

03202480 

03202490 

03202750 

03203000 

03203600 

03203670

03204000 

03204500

Guyandotte River near Baileysville,

Brier Creek at Fanrock, W. Va ___ 

Indian Creek at Fanrock, W. Va ._ 

Clear Fork at Clear Fork, W. Va__ 

Guyandotte River at Man, W. Va__ 

Guyandotte River at Logan, W. Va__ 

Whitman Creek at Whitman,

Guyandotte River at Branchland,

Do. ____-_---------------- ——

Mud River near Milton, W. Va ----

308.0 

7.2 

40.7 

123 

762 

836

10.9 

1,226 

256

1,140.00 1968 77 1 11 74

"1,220 1969-77 8-18-72

»1,160 1974-77 ______ 

710.88 1929-74 3-12-63 

640 1960-77 3-12-63

"760 1969 77 10 21 70

547.91 1915-22 n907

109077 Q 1 Q fiQ

572.64 1938-77 2-27-62

17.31 

6.62

24.78 

34.98

4.66

f44 

43.83 

28.60

18,600 

806

49,000 

55,000

583

43,500 

44,500 

15,100

5 

4 

4 

5 

4 

5

4

6 

5

26.89 

"7.29 

H8.67 

18.64 

19.70 

30.55

4.69

39.09 

23.18

36,600 

980 

6,300 

9,900 

d 33,000 

a43,900

592

d 36,500 

7,940

Big Sandy River basin

10

11

12 

13 

14

15

16 

17 

18 

19

20 

21 

22 

23

24 

25 

26

27

03207400 

03207500 

03207800 

03208500 

03208950

03209200 

03209300 

03209440 

03209500 

03209800

03210000 

03212500 

03213000 

03213500

03213500 

03214000 

03214900 

03215000

P • t • C • k t Vansant Va

Levisa Fork near Grundy, Va _____

Cranes Nest River near ClintRussell Fork at Elkhorn City, Ky ..

Levisa Fork at Pikeville, Ky ______ 

Levisa Fork at Prestonburg, Ky___ 

Do. -. __ .......... __ ---. ...

Levisa Fork at Paintsville, Ky ____ 

Tug Fork at Litwar, W. Va ....

Panther Creek near Panther, 

W. Va ______ —___._

Tug Fork at Williamson, W. Va ._ 

Tug Fork at Kermit, W. Va ....

Tug Fork at Glenhayes, W. Va ___ 

Big Sandy River at Louisa, Ky ____

19.8 

235 

297 

286

66.5 

526 

554 

12.6 

1,238 

1,702

56.3 

2,144

502 

30.8 

932 

1,185 

1,500 

3,893

"1,180 1951-77 1-29-57 

988.50 1942-77 1-29-57 

866.37 1967-77 1-11-74 

1,237.61 1926-77 1-29-57

1,440.30 1963 77 3 07 67

1,165 1962-77 3-12-63 

773 1957-77 1-29-57 

1,000.69 1971-77 5-17-75 

632.88 1937-77 1-30-57 

588.12 1957 1-30-57 

1963-77 3-08-67 

715.66 1941-77 3-12-63 

566.84 1928-77 1-31-57

936.36 1930-77 1-29-57 

H.050 1946-77 3-07-67

620.90 1967-77 1-12-74 

581.82 1934-77 3-13-63

512.81 1938-76 3-02-55

9.45 

19.06 

15.90 

23.17

19.86 

24.83 

24.21 

'•9.00 

52.72 

48.78 

40.02 

k !7.38 

45.92

21.60 

10.71 

37.37 

45.65

4,550 

33,200 

19,200 

46,600

7,120 

47,000 

51,200 

3,000 

85,500 

69,700 

44,000 

7,380 

69,700

35,700 

4,600 

29,200 

69,600

89,400

4 

4 

4 

4

4 

4 

4 

4 

5

5 

4 

6

4 

4 

5 

6 

6 

7

13.49 

24.77 

27.38 

28.24

26.09 

27.55 

24.80 

7.63 

51.46

U5.71 

18.52 

42.19

h27.37 

b !2.10 

h 52.56 

"52.91 

43.95 

45.00

'8,000 

52,000 

56,000 

59,000

18,000 

S 50,000 

fc'54,200 

1,060 

'81,700

'45,500 

5,050 

'43,700

54,500 

6,600 

94,000 

104,000 

49,900 

'84,200

Licking River basin

28 03248500 Licking River near Salyersville, Ky. 140 823.80 1938-77 2-03-39 25.4 14,300 5 20.90 4,860 

Kentucky River basin

29 03277300 North Fork Kentucky River at

66.4 1,128.92 1957-77 1-29-57 14.7 7,730 4 11.01 4,610 

Cumberland River basin

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35

36

37 

38

39

03400500 

03400700 

03400800 

03400990 

03401000 

03401500

03402000

03403000 

03403500

03403910

Poor Fork at Cumberland, Ky ..__

Martins Fork near Smith, Ky _....

Cumberland near Harlan, Ky ______ 

Yellow Creek Bypass at MiddlesYellow Creek near Middlesboro, 

Ky _____________________________

Cumberland River near Pineville, 

Ky .._____.____.____._-____.__-

Cumberland River at Barbourville, Ky .. __ __ ... .. ..

Do. __ _. ...^ __ __ __ _

Do. __ .- --.- _ __ __ .- -

82.3 

82.4 

55.8 

222 

374

35.3 

60.6

809 

960 

331

1,410.15 1940-77 1-29-57 

1,280.93 1959-77 3-12-63 

1,259.00 1968-77 12-30-69

1,140.10 1940-77 12-31-69 

1,136.76 1941-77 7-24-65

1- 8-46 

955.10 1938-75 12-31-69

942.97 1922-31 

1948-77 11-29-73 

921.83 1929 1929 

1968-77 5-28-73

16.50 

12.37 

"17.04

24.90 

6.16

20.24 

49.31

49.77

42.65 

41.7 

40.92

11,800 

14,100 

8,390

43,200 

10,900

9,980 

57,900

56,200

49,500 

22,200

4 

4 

4 

4 

5

4

4

5

6

5

15.88 

14.87 

24.24 

29.4 

30.26

4.64 

23.35

54.86

45.91 

41.51

10,700 

18,100 

9,000 

44,000 

64,500

6,240 

11,700

80,500

56,100 

22,800
TABLE 18.—Summary of flood stages and discharges—Continued

PermaSite nent 

No. station 

No.

Stream and place of determination

Drainage 

area 

(mi*)

Datum of 

gage above 

NGVD 

(ft)

Period 

of 

flood 

record

Cumberland River

40 03404000

41 03404500 

42 03404820

43 03406000 

44 03408500

45 03409000 

46 03409500

47 03410500

48 03412500 

49 03413200 

50 03414000

51 03414500

52 03415700 

53 C3416000

Cumberland River at WilliamsDo. _- -. __ -- -- -- --

Cumberland River at Cumberland

Falls, Ky. __ _- — _- -- --

Laurel River at Municipal Dam

Wood Creek near London, Ky __._ 

New River at New River, Tenn ___ 

Do. -_ --- _- -- -- -- --

White Oak Creek at Sunbright,

T">r>

Clear Fork near Robbins, Tenn __._ 

Do. -- — -. -- -- -- —— —

Do. __ -._ _- -_ -- -- --

South Fork Cumberland River

Pitman Creek at Somerset, Ky ____ 

Beaver Creek near Monticello, Ky __ 

Cumberland River near Rowena, 

Kv

East Fork Obey River near

Big Eagle Creek near Livingston,

Wolf River near Byrdstown, Tenn.

1,607

1,977.00

140 

3.89 

382

13.5

272

954

31.3

43.4

5,700 

196

4.77 

106

891.52

825.49

1,000.00 

1,123.50 

1,092.43

1,294.05 

1,081.46

764.81

867.34 

804.72

540.81 

680.30

770 

707.54

1950-77 

1963-77

1914-77

1973-77 

1953-77 

1929 

1935-77

1929 

1955-57 

1929 

1931-71 

1973 

1976 77

1929

1942-77 

1953-77 

1968-77

1826 

1939-77

1929

1943-77

1955-77 

1929

1943-77

Maximum

Date

previously

Gage 

height 

(ft)

known

Dis- Date 

charge in 

(ftVs) April

Maximum

Gage 

height 

(ft)

during flood 

Dii

(ftVs)

sc

basin — Continued

1 *51 57

3-15-75 

1 28 18

4-28-70 

3-23-29

c 97 70

3-23-29

5 97 7Q

3-23-29 

2 03 39

c 97 70

11-12-75

1929 

5-28-73 

2-27-62 

3-13-75

3 26 1826

1-09-46

Mar. 1929 

5-27-73

2 27 62

Mar. 1929 

1-29-57

33.78 

34.54

15.5

26.12 

6.32 

"41.2 

37.91

17.45 

17.24 

*22.1 

*18.5 

18.92 

14.44

52.9 

45.31 

9.95 

7.60

69.5 

64.82

"30.7 

6.23

10.8 

10.84

49,700 

45,600 7

59,600 5

12,400 5 

524 4 

74,700 

63,700 5

4,900 4 

5,560

34,000 

35,700 

19,700 4

93,200 5 

3,460 4 

6,850 4

62,000 9

44,800 4 

1,170 4

22,600 4

35.03 

13.26

24.75 

5.19

32.25

10.88

16.82

40.52 

6.11 

8.04

22.77 

23.06

5.84 

10.08

46,600 

48,500

7,740 

338

47,100 

1,830

27,800

75,900 

1,670 

8,160

m 29,900 

24,700

1,110 

18,100

Tennessee River basin

54 03471500

55 03473000 

56 03473500

57 03473800 

58 03474000

59 03475000 

60 03488000

61 03488500 

62 03489900 

63 03490000 

64 03490500 

65 03491000 

66 03491200

67 03491300 

68 03521500 

69 03523000

South Fork Holston River near

South Fork Holston River at 

Vestal Va

Middle Fork Holston River at

Staley Creek near Marion, Va __-- 

Middle Fork Holston River at

Middle Fork Holston River near

North Fork Holston River near 

Saltville, Va .. — —— — - - —

North Fork Holston River at

Big Moccasin Creek near Gate 

City, Va -_ -- — — -- ---

North Fork Holston River near 

Cate City Va

Holston River at Surgoinsville,

Big Creek near Rogersville, Tenn __ 

Big Creek tributary near

Clinch River at Richlands, Va ---- 

Cedar Creek near Lebanon, Va .__-

76.1

301

7.39 

8.33

132 

211.0 

222

402 

79.6 

672

2,874 

47.3

2.0

47.0 

139 

51.3

2,106.77

1,792.30

2,442.86 

a2,330

1,960.00 

1,820.22 

1,703.53

1,437.11 

1,267.64 

1,197.56

1,088.46 

1,128.90

"1,130

1,107.83 

1,924.08 

1,928.96

1920-31 

1942-77

1931-77

1948-77 

1951-77

1942-77 

1931-77

1907-08 

1920-77

1952-77 

1953-77 

1931-77

1941-77 

1942-49 

1955-77

1955-57

1963-77 

1945-77 

1953-77

6-12-23 

1-29-57 

7-06-53

12-07-50 

1-29-57 

1-29-57

1-29-57 

1-29-57 

3-12-63 

3-12-63 

2-18-44 

3-12-63

4-27-70 

3-12-63 

3-30-75 

1-29-57 

3-12-63

9.0 

15.35

7.42 

4.3

10.75 

11.8

13.20 

16.50 

10.15 

16.42 

17.48 

9.40

7.78 

14.6 

13.38 

19.3 

5.26

6,000 5 

15,100 5

813 4 

460 4

7,680 5 

10,000 5

16,500 5 

24,300 5 

4,900 5 

30,000 5 

59,600 5 

5,760 5 

810 4

3,480 5 

9,640 5 

3,320 5

8.91 

17.11

5.03 

4.52

8.54 

12.56

12.98 

18.60 

9.88 

19.79 

15.98 

9.25 

6.45

12.43 

16.06 

5.83

4,330 

22,000

314 

515

11,000 

11,500

14,900 

27,000 

4,580 

41,000 

''53,500 

5,600 

265

2,860 

7,340 

f4,000

See footnotes at end of table (p. 42).
TABLE 18.—Summary of flood stages and discharges—Continued

No. 

Site

Permanent 

station 

No.

Stream and place of determination

Drainage 

area 

(mi-)

Datum of 

gage above 

NGVD 

(ft)

Period 

of 

flood 

record

Maximum previously known

Date

Gage 

height 

(ft)

Discharge

(ftVs)

Date 

in 

April

Maximum during fl

Gage 

height 

(ft)

Dis

(ft3 /s) 

" Tennessee River basin1 — Continued

70 

71 

72 

73

74 

75

76

77

78

79 

80

81

82 

83

84 

85 

86 

87

88 

89

90

91 

92

03524000 

03524500 

03525000 

03526000 

03527000 

03528000

03529500 

03530000

03530500

03531500 

03532000

03534000

03534500 

03535000

03535140 

03535180 

03538225 

03538250

03538275 

03538500

03539800

03540500 

03541100

Clinch River at Cleveland, Va ____

Stony Creek at Fort Blaekmore, Va. 

Copper Creek near Gate City, Va __ 

Clinch River at Speers Ferry, Va __ 

Clinch River above Tazewell, Tenn.

Powell River at Big Stone Gap, Va. 

South Fork Powell River at Big

North Fork Powell River at

Powell River near Jonesville, Va __ 

Powell River near Arthur, Tenn ._

Coal Creek at Lake City, Tenn __._

Buffalo Creek at Norris, Tenn .___ 

Bullrun Creek near Halls CrossSouth Fork Beaver Creek at

Willow Fork near Halls CrossPoplar Creek near Oak Ridge,

East Fork Poplar Creek near 

Oak Ridge, Tenn _

Bear Creek near Oak Ridge, Tenn. 

Emory River near Wartburg, Tenn_

Obed River near Lancing, Tenn ___

Emory River at Oakdale, Tenn ___

Bitter Creek near Camp Austin, 

Tenn ._ .

528 

87.3 

41.1 

106 

1,126 

1,474

112 

40

70 

319

685

24.5

9.92 

68.5 

1.23 

3.23

82.5

19.5 

7.15 

83.2

518 

764 

5.53

1,500.24 

1,925.80 

1,270.17 

1,301.95 

1,196.52 

1,060.70

1,459.07

"1,470

"1,365 

1,259.08 

1,043.84

842.91

901.71 

854.91 

1,076.35 

1,027.82 

743.50

754.16 

753.92 

1,003.06

891.91 

761.38 

•••870

1920-77 

1950-77 

1950-77 

1948-77 

1920-77 

1862 

1919-77 

1945-77

1945-77 

1945-77

1931-77 

1826 

1918-77 

1929 

1933 

1955-77

1955-77

1967 77

1967-77

1961-77

1961-77 

1960-77 

1929 

1935-77 

1929 

1957-68 

1973-77 

1857 

1928-77

1967-77

1-30-57 

3-12-63 

3-12-63 

3-30-75 

3-12-63 

Feb. 1862 

3-13-63 

3-12-63

3 12 63

3 12 63

3-12-63 

Mar. 1826 

1- 9-46 

3-23-29 

12-30-69 

11-27-73

2-16-64

4-12-72

3-16-73 

11 28 73

11 28 73

11-28-73 

3-23-29 

3-03-39

3-23-29 

5-27-73

3-23-29 

11-26-73

24.40 

15.87 

8.46 

13.17 

29.93 

24 

22.27 

13.72

9.94

13.65 

33.36 

<i29.5 

29.2

17.5

8.70 

10.07 

11.78 

5.26 

8.08 

27.1

16.0 

8.15 

1.32 

25.62

133.9 

30.5

41.2 

8.76

31,000 

7,720 

10,100 

7,040 

46,800 

66,000 

56,700 

16,800

4,800

13,100 

31,100 

34,000 

33,000

18,400 

6,120

1,460 

12,500 

514 

860 

9,780 

4,100

30,000 

18,700

105,000 

195,000 

3,710

5 

5 

5 

5 

5

5 

5

5

5 

5

6

5 

5 

4 

4 

4 

5

5 

5

4

4 

4 

4

26.40 

20.95 

8.29 

13.57 

36.69

29.32 

16.50

12.43

16.14 

44.32

38.96

10.57 

10.07 

13.28 

2.39 

7.19 

27.93

16.0 

7.25

22.05

23.5 

34.05

7.82

34,500 

18,000 

9,520 

7,660 

89,000

98,100 

24,000

8,000

17,000 

57,000

59,500

8,100 

1,460 

18,300 

81 

560 

11,400

'4,000 

760

13,200

60,600 

107,000 

2,700

> Greater than

11 Altitude from topographic map 

b From floodmark

<-' Defined by regional flood-frequency relation 

'* Flow regulated by R. D. Bailey Lake 

e Maximum flood known 

f Approximately

« Flow regulated by North Fork Pound River Lake and John W. Flannagan Reservoir

h At different datum

1 Flow regulated by Fishtrap Lake, North Fork Pound River L

W. Flannagan Reservoir, and Dewey Lake 

J Occurred April 6. 

k Sits and datum then in use 

111 Flow regulated by Lake Cumberland

11 From information furnished by U.S. Army Corps of Engine

]' Flow regulated by reservoirs upstream 

'i From information furnished by Tennessee Valley Authority
Location of gaging station

25 50 75 100 MILES

25 50 75 100 KILOMETERS

FIGURE 27.—Location of gaging stations where recurrence intervals of peak discharges during April 1977 flood equaled or exceeded