DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR

WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334

THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD 

OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913

(INCLUDING COMPARISONS WITH SOME EARLIER FLOODS)

BY

A. H. HORTON AND H. J. JACKSON

WASHINGTON

GOVEBNMENT PBINTING OFFICE 

1913
CONTENTS.

Introduction.............................................................. 7

Scope of report........................................................... 8

Accuracy and reliability of data............................................ 9

Acknowledgments........................................................ 9

Division of work.......................................................... 9

Definition of terms......................................................... 10

Convenient equivalents.................................................... 11

Causes of floods in the Ohio Valley......................................... 13

History of the flood of March-April, 1913.................................... 19

General causes........................................................ 19

Precipitation and temperature.......................................... 20

Progress of the flood................................................... 23

Stage and discharge................................................... 24

Flood of March-April, 1907................................................. 31

Causes................................................................ 31

Precipitation and temperature.......................................... 31

General features....................................................... 33

Stage and discharge................................................... 34

Flood of 1884.............................................................. 39

Causes................................................................ 39

Precipitation and temperature.......................................... 39

General features....................................................... 40

Stage and discharge................................................... 42

Comparison of the floods in the Ohio Valley................................ 43

Causes................................................................ 43

Place of origin........................................................ 45

Progress............................................................... 45

Record stages......................................................... 45

Effects of tributaries................................................... 45

Future floods.......................................................... 46

Stage and discharge................................................... 47

Damage caused by flood of March-April, 1913................................ 84

Prevention of damage by floods............................................. 87

Conclusion................................................................ 91

Index.................................................................... 93

3
TABLES.

1. Stages, in feet, of floods above danger line at selected stations on Ohio River.

2. Gage heights, in feet, for floods of Ohio and tributary rivers from 1880 to 1913.

3. Precipitation, in inches, at selected stations in or near Ohio River basin, 

March 23-27, 1913...................................................

4. Gage height, in feet, at stations on Ohio River for flood of March-April, 1913.

5. Gage height, in feet, at stations on streams tributary to Ohio River for flood 

of March-April, 1913..................................................

6. Precipitation, in inches, at selected stations in or near Ohio River basin, 

March 4-14, 1907....................................................

7. Gage height, in feet, at stations on Ohio River during flood of March-April, 

1907........................................................................

8. Gage height, in feet, at stations on rivers tributary to Ohio River for flood of 

March-April, 1907...................................................

9. Precipitation, in inches, at selected stations in or near Ohio River basin, 

February 3-14, 1884..................................................

10. Gage height, in feet, at stations on Ohio River during flood of 1884........

11. Crest stages, in feet, for selected floods and miscellaneous data at stations on 

Ohio River..........................................................

12. Crest stages, in feet, for selected floods and miscellaneous data at stations on 

streams tributary to Ohio River......................................

13. Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line from 1859 to 1913..

14. Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-fe<

at selected stations for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and 

March-April, 1913..................................

15. Summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all 

floods above danger line from 1859 to 1913.............

16. Summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River at Wheeling, Parkersburg, Catlettsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Evansville, for flo<

uary, 1907, March-April, 1907, and March-April, 1913. 

17. Summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River for floods of 1884, January, 1907, 

March-April, 1907, and March-April, 1913, at Wheeling, Farkersburg, Catlettsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Evansville.

18. Ratios of total discharge during selected floods at various

River...............................................

19. Estimate of damages in Ohio Valley by flood of March-Apiil, 1913. 

4

t, of Ohio River

ds of 1884, Janpoints on Ohio

14

17

20

25

26

31

34

36

41

42

48

49

52

66

75

78

80

82

85
ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page.

PLATE I. A, Panoramic view of Parkersburg, W. Va., during flood of MarchApril, 1913; B, South Main Street, Dayton, Ohio, after flood of 

March-April, 1913............................................... 7

II. A, Second Street, Marietta, Ohio, during flood of March-April, 1913, 

after water had fallen; B, Market Street, Parkersburg, W. Va., duringflood of March-April, J.913..-....-......---....-.-..-......... 20

III. Map showing drainage area, principal streams, towns, and lines of

equal rainfall for flood of March-April, 1913...................... 20

IV. Flood hydrographs for 15 stations on Ohio River during the flood of

March-April, 1913............................................. 24

V. Flood hydrographs for stations on Ohio River and tributary streams

during the flood of March-April, 1913.............................. 24

VI. A, Miami Street canal bridge, Dayton, Ohio, after the flood of MarchApril, 1913; B, Post office, Dayton, Ohio, after the flood of MarchApril, 1913...................................................... 24

VII. A, High Street, Hamilton, Ohio, at daybreak March 26, 1913; B,

Same street after the flood..................................... 30

VIII. A, "The island," Wheeling, W. Va., during the flood of March-April, 

1913; B, View looking north on Market Street, Wheeling, W. Va., 

from Baltimore & Ohio Railroad viaduct, during the flood of MarchApril, 1913.................................................... 30

I.. Belpre, Ohio, during the flood of March-April, 1913................ 31

X. Flood hydrographs for 15 stations on Ohio River during the flood of

March-April, 1907............................................. 34

XI. Flood hydrographs for stations on Ohio River and tributary streams

during the flood of March-April, 1907............................ 34

XII. Map showing drainage area, principal streams, towns, and lines of

equal rainfall for flood of 1884................. ................... 40

XIII. Flood hydrographs for 7 stations on Ohio River during the flood of

1884. ......................................................... 40

XIV. Railroad bridge over Muskingum River at Marietta, Ohio, MarchApril, 1913: A, During the flood; B, After the flood............... 86

XV. A, Fourth Street and Baptist Church, Marietta, Ohio, March 30,1913;

B, Post office, Front Street, Marietta, Ohio, March 30,1913......... 86

XVI. A, B, C, High Street bridge over Miami River at Hamilton, Ohio,

March-April, 1913............................................. 86

XVII. A, Rileys Island, Miami River, below Hamilton, Ohio, March 26, 

1913; B, High Street, Hamilton, Ohio, during flood of March-April, 

1913.......................................................... 86

XVIII. A, South B Street, Hamilton, Ohio, after the flood of March-April, 

1913; B, Railroad crossing at South Hamilton, Ohio, after the flood 

of March-April, 1913............................................ 87

XIX. Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, April 4,1913........................ 88

5
ILLTJSTEATIONS.

XX. Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, April 4, 1913, looking downstream

from suspension bridge between Cincinnati and Newport, Ky....... 88

XXI. Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad bridge over Miami River at 

Hamilton, Ohio, March 25, 1913: A, Just before failure; B, During 

failure; C, Immediately after failure............................ 88

XXII. A, Remains of Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad bridge at 

Hamilton, Ohio; B, Secondhand Court streets, Hamilton, Ohio, on 

the morning of March 25, 19i3.................................. 89
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE I

A. PANORAMIC VIEW OF PARKERSBURG, W. VA., DURING FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

Looking upstream on Ohio River. Little Kanawha River in foreground and extending upstream to the right.

B. SOUTH MAIN STREET, DAYTON, OHIO, AFTER FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.
THE OHIO TALLET FLOOD OF MARCH-APRII, 1913.

By A. H. HORTON and H. J. JACKSON.

INTRODUCTION.

In no year since 1873 has Ohio River failed, at some point along its 

course, to overflow its banks and flood large areas of adjoining bottom 

lands, and in some years this flooding has been five times repeated. 

So relatively little precise information is available concerning the 

floods previous to 1873 that their intensity can not be fairly compared 

with that of later floods, but among the subsequent floods three are 

preeminent that of February, 1884, that of March-April, 1907, and, 

last and greatest, that of March-April, 1913.

Problems connected with the improvement, regulation, and use 

of the Ohio and its tributaries have been under consideration for more 

than a century, but none of the numerous philosophic and scientific 

reports that discuss these problems contain any consecutive records 

of discharge, and, largely because of this lack of base data, the 

problems seem little nearer solution now than.they were 50 years ago. 

The small amount of progress made is shown by comparing the 

numerous reports on floods published during the last 60 years. The 

discussion that followed the publication of Ellet's notable report 1 in 

1853 and that which followed Leighton's report 2 in 1908 on reservoir 

control afford a particularly striking example. Although more than 

50 years had elapsed between the two reports sufficient data upon 

which to base definite conclusions had not been collected.

The differences in opinion concerning the treatment of the problem 

of the improvement of the Ohio have been in the past and are now 

due chiefly to attempts to draw conclusions from insufficient data and 

to consider special phases of the subject without attention to other 

phases. Unless systematic studies of all the various factors which 

enter into the problem are made, the arguments that have been

 Ellet, Charles, jr., The Mississippi and Ohio rivers: containing ptens for the protection of the delta 

from inundation and investigation of the practicability and cost of improving the navigation of the Ohio 

and other rivers by means of reservoirs; Philadelphia, 1853. The discussion appeared in the Journal of the 

Franklin Institute of Philadelphia between 1853 and 1857.

2 Leighton, M. O., The relation of water conservation to flood prevention and navigation along Ohio 

Elver: Inland Waterways Comm., Prel. Kept., pp. 451-490,1908. Discussions appeared in Am. Soc. Civil 

Eng. Trans. (Chittenden, H. M.), vol. 62, pp. 245 et seq.; Eng. News; and other periodicals.

7
8 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAEOH-APBIL, 1913.

carried on during the last half century will continue indefinitely to 

occupy the time and attention of everyone interested. 

The data essential to such systematic studies comprise 

1. Records of stream flow at carefully selected points.

2. General topographic maps of the entire area.

3. Detailed maps of areas where possible improvement can be made.

4. A study of present works for the improvement of the river and 

its tributaries and their effects.

5. A study of the municipal and other developments along the 

rivers and their effects on regimen.

Of these the data of greatest immediate importance are records 

of stream flow. The others are of such character that they can be 

readily collected at any time, but the collection of stream-flow data 

should be started without further delay, for not only are they essential 

in studying past and present conditions and in planning improvements, but they are also indispensable to the efficient operation of any 

works that may be constructed, and their value will depend largely 

on the length of time over which they extend. Moreover, the 

opportunity for obtaining much valuable information concerning the 

flood of March-April, 1913, will soon be lost, and it is manifestly 

unwise to await the recurrence of disaster in order to collect the 

data necessary to the formulation, of plans for flood control.

Investigations of stream flow are now in progress by the United 

States Geological Survey in many parts of the Ohio River basin, 

and can readily be extended to cover the whole area.

SCOPE OF REPORT.

A review of the various published and manuscript reports relating 

to the Ohio and its tributaries shows that disconnected and incomplete records of stage, discharge, and other factors relative to flow 

have been kept at many points in the Ohio River basin. A report 

based on the careful study and analysis of these records supplemented 

by new data would give much information in regard to the flow of 

Ohio River during the last 70 years, including, for several points,

records of the flow continuous for 50 years.

report the Geological Survey has, for the last five years, as opportunity

presented, collected many of the records ne

In preparation for such a

:essary for the correlation

and interpretation of back records, but before the report can be 

completed, it will be necessary to analyze thoroughly all the available 

records and to collect some additional hydrometric data.

Meanwhile such flood data as can be prepared with the records and 

funds at present available are here published for the convenience of 

the public and particularly of the engineering profession, and to 

emphasize the necessity of immediately starting, on a comprehensive 

scale, the collection of stream-flow data in the Ohio Valley.
DIVISION OF WOEK. i)

The data given for the recent flood are as complete as it is possible 

to make them at this time, but much more similar information should 

be collected and published. The facts concerning other floods are 

presented primarily for comparison with those concerning the flood 

of 1913, for it is obvious that the problem of flood control can not be 

solved by studying any one flood.

The report shows, in a limited way, what can and should be done 

in collecting the hydrometric data necessary for a complete report 

upon the floods that continuously menace the Ohio Valley, to the end 

that a definite decision may be reached as to the best and most economical means of preventing damage by floods.

ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY OF DATA.

It has not been possible to expend on the preparation of this preliminary report the same amount of care and study that would be 

necessary in the preparation of a complete and final report, but all 

gage heights have been carefully checked against the records from 

which they were obtained, and any discrepancies that may be later 

revealed by close study and investigation of original records will 

probably be comparatively small. Discharge data, in so far as the 

rating curves used in their determination are concerned, are well 

within the required degree of accuracy. No detailed study of the 

records as published has been made, and no attempt has been made 

to adjust any of the data to even partly eliminate seeming inconsistencies.

ACKNO WLED GMENTS.

Special acknowledgment is due to the United States Weather 

Bureau for published and advance data on precipitation and floods, 

particularly for rainfall records and most of the gage heights and 

miscellaneous data relating to river stations given in this report, 

and to the Corps of Engineers, United States Army, for published and 

unpublished gage heights at numerous locks and dams and for some 

miscellaneous data derived from reports on river surveys. Data 

obtained from municipal and local authorities in many cities and 

towns, from county and State departments, and from railroad and 

traction companies throughout the Ohio Valley form so large a part 

of this report that it has not been deemed expedient to attempt to 

give individual acknowledgments throughout the text. All such 

courtesies are, however, here gratefully acknowledged.

DIVISION OF WORK.

The field records from which the discharge data were prepared were 

collected under the direction of A. H. Horton, district engineer, 

assisted by R. H. Bolster, W. G. Hoyt, H. J. Jackson, C. T. Bailey, 

Wm. N. O'Neill, J. C. Dort, and P. S. Monk.
10 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAKCH-APKIL, 1913.

The ratings were prepared by A. H. Horton, district engineer, K. H. 

Bolster, hydraulic engineer, and H. J. Jackson, assistant engineer.

The computations were made by A. H. Horton and H. J. Jackson, 

assisted by G. C. Stevens, H. D. Padgett, C. L. Batchelder, and M. I. 

Walters.

The rainfall maps for the floods of 1884 and 1913 were prepared by 

Henry Gannett, geographer.

The outline and general plan of the report was made by John C. 

Hoyt, under whose direction the studies were made and the completed 

data prepared for publication by A. H. Horton and H. J. Jackson.

The report was edited by Mrs. B. D. Wood.

DEFINITION OF TERMS.

The volume of water flowing in a stream the "run-off" or "discharge" is expressed in various terms, each of which has become 

associated with a certain class of work. These terms may be divided 

into two groups (1) those,which represent a rate of flow, as secondfeet, gallons per minute, miner's inches, and run-off in second-feet per 

square mile, and (2) those which represent the actual quantity of 

water, as run-off in depth in inches and in acre-feet. The units used 

are second-feet, second-feet per square mile, and run-off in millions 

of cubic feet, run-off in inches and in acre-feet. They may be defined 

as follows:

"Second-foot" is an abbreviation for cubic foot per second and is 

the unit for the rate of discharge of water flowing in a stream 1 foot 

wide, 1 foot deep, at a rate of 1 foot per second. It is generally used 

as a fundamental unit from which others are computed by the use of 

the factors given in the following table of equivalents.

"Second-feet per square mile" is the average number of cubic feet 

of water flowing per second from each square mile of area drained, on 

the assumption that the run-off is distributed uniformly both as 

regards time and area.

"Run-off in inches" is the depth to which the drainage area would 

be covered if all the water flowing from it in a given period were conserved and uniformly distributed on the surface. It is used for comparing run-off with rainfall, which is usually expressed in depth in 

inches.

"Acre-foot" is equivalent to 43,560 cubic feet, and is the quantity 

required to cover an acre to the depth of 1 foot. It is commonly used 

in connection with storage for irrigation work.
THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APEIL, 1913. 

CONVENIENT EQUIVALENTS.

11

The following is a lisit of convenient equivalents for use in hydraulic 

computations:

Table for converting discharge in second-feet per square mile into run-off in depth in

. inches over the area.

Discharge in 

second-feet per 

square mile.

1.................

2...--...-.....---

5.................

6.................

7.................

8.....----........

9.. .--......-.-..-

Run-off in inches.

1 day.

0.03719 

.07438 

. 11157 

.14876 

.18595 

.22314 

.26033 

.29752 

.33471

28 days.

1.041 

2.083 

3.124 

4.165 

5.207 

6.248 

7.289 

8.331 

9.372

29 days.

1.079 

2.157 

3.236 

4.314 

5.393 

6.471 

7.550 

8.628 

9.707

30 days.

1.116 

2.231 

3.347 

4.463 

5.578 

6.694 

7.810 

8.926 

10.041

31 days.

1.153 

2.306 

3.459 

4.612 

5.764 

6.917 

8.070 

9.223 

10.376

NOTE. For partial month multiply the values for one day by the number of days. 

Table for converting discharge in second-feet into run-off in acre-feet.

Tall

Discharge in

second-feet.

1.................

3.................

4.................

5..... .......... .-

6.................

7.................

8.................

9........ ....-..--

NOTE. For partial n 

e for converting di

Discharge in 

second-feet.

1.................

2.................

3.................

4.................

5.................

6.................

7.................

8.................

9.................

Run-off in acre-feet.

1 day.

1.983 

3.967 

5.950 

7.934 

9.917 

11.90 

13.88 

15.87 

17.85

28 days.

55.54 

111.1 

166.6 

222.1 

277.7 

333.2 

388.8 

444.3 

499.8

29 days.

57.52 

115.0 

172.6 

230.1 

287.6 

345.1 

402.6 

460.2 

517.7

30 days.

59.50 

119.0 

178.5 

238.0 

297.5 

357.0 

416.5 

476.0 

535.5

31 days.

61.49 

123.0 

184.5 

246.0 

307.4 

368.9 

430.4 

491.9 

553.4

lonth multiply the values for one day by the number of days. 

^charge in second-feet into run-off in millions of gallons.

Millions of gallons.

1 day.

0.6463 

1.293 

1.939 

2.585 

3.232 

3.878 

4.524 

5.170 

5.817

28 days.

18.10 

36.20 

54.30 

72.40 

90.50 

108.6 

126.7 

144.8 

162.9

29 days.

18.74 

37.448 

56.22 

74.96 

93.70 

112.4 

131.2 

149.9 

168.7

30 days.

19.39 

38.78 

58.17 

77.56 

96.95 

116.3 

135.7 

155.1 

174.5

31 days.

20.04 

40.08 

60.12 

80.16 

100.2 

120.2 

140.3 

160.3 

180.4

NOTE. For partial m9nth multiply the values for one day by the number of days.
12 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

Table for converting discharge in second-feet into run-off in millions of cubic feet.

Discharge in 

second-feet.

1.. ...............

2.................

3.................

4.................

5.................

6.................

7.................

8. ................

9.................

Millions of cubic feet.

1 day.

.0864 

.1728 

.2592 

.3456 

.4320 

.5184 

.6048 

.6912 

.7776

28 days.

2.419 

4.838 

7.257 

9.676 

12.10 

14.51 

16.93 

19.35 

21.77

29 days.

2.506 

5.012 

7.518 

10.02 

12.53 

15.04 

17.54 

20.05 

22.55

30 days.

2.592 

5.184 

7.776 

10.37 

12.96 

15.55 

18.14 

20.74 

23.33

31 days.

2.678 

5.356 

8.034 

10.71 

13.39 

16.07 

18.75 

21.42 

24.10

NOTE. For partial month multiply the values for one day by the number of days.

1 second-foot equals 40 California miner's inches (laW of Mar. 23, 1901). 

1 second-foot equals 38.4 Colorado miner's inches. 

1 second-foot equals 40 Arizona miner's inches.

1 second-foot equals 7.48 United States gallons per second; equals 448.8 gallons per 

minute; equals 646,317 gallons for one day. 

1 second-foot equals 6.23 British imperial gallons per second. 

1 second-foot for one year covers 1 square mile 1.131 feet or 13.572 inches deep. 

1 second-foot for one year equals 31,536,000 cubic feet. 

1 second-foot equals about 1 acre-inch per hour. 

1 second-foot for one day covers 1 square mile 0.03719 inch deep. 

1 second-foot for one 28-day month covers 1 square mile 1.041 inches deep. 

1 second-foot for one 29-day month covers 1 square mile 1.079 inches deep. 

1 second-foot for one 30-day month covers 1 square mile 1.116 inches deep. 

1 second-foot for one 31-day month covers 1 square mile 1.153 inches deep. 

1 second-foot for one day equals 1.983 acre-feet. 

1 second-foot for one 28-day month equals 55.54 acre-feet. 

1 second-foot for one 29-day month equals 57.52 acre-feet. 

1 second-foot for one 30-day month equals 59.50 acre-feet. 

1 second-foot for one 31-day month equals 61.49 acre-feet. 

100 California miner's inches equals 18.7 United States gallons per second. 

100 California miner's inches equals 96.0 Colorado miner's inches. 

100 California miner's inches for one day equals 4.96 acre-feet. 

100 Colorado miner's inches equals 2.60 second-feet. 

100 Colorado miner's inches equals 19.5 United States gallons per second. 

100 Colorado miner's inches equals 104 California miner's inches. 

100 Colorado miner's inches for one day equals 5.17 acre-feet. 

100 United States gallons per minute equals 0.223 second-foot. 

100 United States gallons per minute for one day equals 0.442 acre-foot. 

1.000,000 United States gallons per day equals 1.55 second-feet. 

1,000,000 United States gallons equals 3.07 acre-feet. 

1,000,000 cubic feet equals 22.95 acre-feet. 

1 acre-foot equals 325,850 gallons.

1 inch deep on 1 square mile equals 2,323,200 cubic feet. 

1 inch deep on 1 square mile equals 0.0737 second-foot per year. 

1 foot equals 0.3048 meter. 

1 mile equals 1.60935 kilometers. 

1 mile equals 5,280 feet. 

1 acre equals 0.4047 hectare. 

1 acre equals 43,560 square feet.
CAUSES OF FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 13

1 acre equals 209 feet square, nearly.

1 square mile equals 2.59 square kilometers.

1 cubic foot equals 0.0283 cubic meter.

1 cubic foot equals 7.48 gallons.

1 cubic foot of water weighs 62.5 pounds.

1 cubic meter per minute equals 0.5886 second-foot.

1 horsepower equals 550 foot-pounds per second.

1 horsepower equals 76 kilogram-meters per second.

1 horsepower equals 746 watts.

1 horsepower equals 1 second-foot falling 8.80 feet.

1J horsepower equals about 1 kilowatt.

mi,, . ,, Sec.-ft.Xfall in feet , , , To calculate water power quickly: -^r =net horsepower on water

wheel realizing 80 per cent of theoretical power.

CAUSES OP FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY.

Disastrous floods have resulted from the following causes, acting 

either alone or in conjunction:

1. Excessive rainfall.

2. The rapid melting of accumulated snow.

3. The failure of reservoirs.

4. The forming and breaking of ice jams.

5. The breaking of levees.

In the Ohio Valley floods have been caused mainly by early spring 

rains, often occurring in conjunction with the melting of accumulated 

snow and ice. The flood of 1884 affords a good example of this combination of the effects of rainfall and melting snow. Of the 46 floods 

above the danger line on record at Cincinnati, Ohio, only three 

occurred outside of the four months January, February, March, and 

April one in December, 1847, the second in May, 1865, and the third 

in August, 1875. Data concerning the principal floods in the Ohio 

Valley are presented in Tables 1 and 2.

Table 1 shows the date and crest stage of each rise recorded as above 

the danger line and the number of times the danger line was passed 

at six stations on the Ohio River. In general, values on the same 

horizontal line represent the same flood., but where values for different floods are on the same line the differences in dates are sufficiently obvious to avoid confusion. It should be noted that at 

Marietta 35 feet instead of 25 feet (danger line) was used as the 

limiting stage.
14 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MAKCH-APKIL, 1913.

TABLE I. Stages, in feet, offloads above danger line, at selected stations on Ohio River.

Year.

1773....

1806.... 

1810. . . .

1813.... 

1816.... 

1832.... 

1840.... 

1846.... 

1847.... 

1847....

1848. . . . 

1849....

1851.... 

1862. . . . 

1852.... 

1858.... 

1859.... 

I860.... 

1860. . . . 

1861....

1862.... 

1862....

1862.... 

1865.... 

1865.... 

1867.... 

1867.... 

1868. . . . 

1870....

1873.... 

1874....

1874....

1874 

1874....

1874....

1875 

1875....

1875....

1876.... 

1876....

1876 

1876....

1877. . . . 

1878.... 

1879.... 

1880.... 

1880 

1880. . . .

1880 

1881.... 

1881....

1882.... 

1882....

1882....

1882....

1883.... 

1883. . . . 

1883. . . .

1883....

Pittsburgh, 

Pa.o 

Danger line, 

22ft. 

Max. 35.5, 

Mar. 15, 1907. 

Min. -1.3. 

Sept. 28, 1881.

1 

fi

Apr. 10 

Nov. 9

Jan. 

Feb. 

Feb. 10 

Feb. 1 

Mar. 15 

Feb. 2 

Dec. 12

Dec. 22

Sept. 20 

Apr. 6 

Apr. 19 

May 27 

Apr. 28 

Apr. 12 

Nov. 4 

Sept. 29

Jan. 21

Apr. 22

Mar. 4 

Mar. 18 

Feb. 15 

Mar. 13 

Mar. 18

Dec. 14 

Jan. 8

Sept. 19

Jan. 17 

Dec. 11

Feb. 11 

June 10

Feb. 5 

Feb. 8

vi

33.9 

32.0

29.0 

33.0 

35.0 

26.8 

25.0 

26.9 

24.0

23.0

30.9 

25.0 

31.9 

26.0 

22.0 

29.7 

22.0 

31.0

30.0

27.9 

24.5 

31.4 

22.0 

23.5 

22.0

25.7 

22.2

25.0

24.6 

24.5

23.2 

27.1

24.8 

28.0

Wheeling. 

W. Va. 

Danger line, 

36ft. 

Max. 53.1, 

Feb. 7, 1884. 

Min. -0.3, 

Aug. 27-28,1893.

£

a 

fi

Feb. 11

Dec. 15

May 9

Jan. 21

Dec. 15 

Jan. 9

Feb. 12 

June 11

<C

I 

m

38

38.5

39.0

40.5

38.5 

36.5

38.8 

39.5

Marietta, 

Ohio. 

Stages above 

35 ft. » 

Max. 58.3, 

Mar. 29, 1913. 

Min. 1.6,

1 

Q

V

Dec. 16 

Jan. 9

Aug. 3

Feb. 14

Feb. 23

Feb. 9

o

I02

38.5 

37.7

35.3

39.3

35.0

43.7

Cincinnati, 

Ohio. 

Danger line, 

50ft. 

Max. 71.1, 

Feb. 14, 1884. 

Min. 1.9, 

Sept.17-19,1881.

o> "of

o

Feb. 18

Dec. 17

Feb. 23

Jan. 24 

Apr. IS 

Apr. 26 

Mar. 7 

May 14 

Feb. 22

Mar. 14

Jan. 19

..........

Aug. 6

Jan. 29

Jan. 20

Feb. 17

Feb. 16

Feb. 21

Feb. 15

02

c76

<*64.3

63.6

55.3

57.3 

51.4 

52.2 

(Z56.3 

51.2 

54.1

(Z55.8

55.3

55.3

51.8

<*53.8

<*53.2

50.6

(Z58.6

d66.3

Evansville, 

Ind. 

Danger line, 

35ft. 

Max. 48.8, 

Feb. 19, 1884. 

Min. -0.3, 

Nov. 7-8, 1895.

1 

P

Jan. 15

Feb. 28 

Apr. 16 

Apr. 23 

May 5 

Mar. 4-5 

Mar. 22 

Aug. 9-10 

Jan. 3 

Jan. 31 

Feb. 19 

Apr. 3

Jan. 23-24

Dec. 30-31 

Jan. 12 

Feb. , 21 

Mar. 14 

May 3 

Feb. 19

Jan. 18

Feb. 24 

Mar. 28 

May 20

Feb. 19 

Apr. 10-12 

Dec. -

0>

I

02

46. S

37.2

39.2 

37.2 

36.4 

38.6 

35.8 

36.6 

41.9 

37.9 

43.3 

37.8 

35.4

41.5

37.3 

37.0 

42.1 

39.0 

35.2 

38.9

40.9

44.9 

38.0 

36.0

47.8 

38.8 

(«)

Paducah, 

Ky. 

Danger line, 

43ft. 

Max. 54.3, 

Apr. 7, 1913. 

Min. -0.7, 

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 

1895.

1 

fi

Mar. 21

...........

Apr. 24

Mar. 21

Feb. 5

Mar. 22-23

/Jan. 31 

\Feb. 2

Feb. 26

Feb. 25

$,i 

02

52.0

.....

48.7

44.3

44.9

44.0

[48.8 

50.0

50.7

a From report Pittsburgh Flood Commission. 

6 Danger line, 25 feet, used 35 feet in this report. 

c From traditions.

<* Crest.

« December, 1883, no record. Gage height Jan. 1,1884, 

equals 39.0.
CAUSES OF FLOODS IF THE OHIO VALLEY. 15

TABLE 1. Stages, in feet, offloads above danger line, at selected stations on Ohio River 

Continued.

Year.

1884. . . . 

1884....

1885.... 

1886.... 

1887. . . .

1887....

1887. . . .

1888.... 

1888....

1889.... 

1890. . . .

1890. . . .

1890....

1890. . . . 

1890. . . . 

1891....

1891.... 

1891.... 

1891....

1892....

1893.... 

1893....

1894.... 

1895.... 

1896.... 

1897....

1897.... 

1898....

1898.... 

1899....

1899.... 

1899....

1900.... 

1901....

1901....

1901.... 

1902....

1902.... 

1902....

1903.... 

1903....

1903.... 

1903....

1904.... 

1904.... 

1904.... 

1905.... 

1905.... 

1906....

1907....

1907. . . . 

1907. . . . 

1907....

1908. . . . 

1908....

1908.... 

1908....

1909.... 

1909.... 

1910....

Pittsburgh, 

Pa. 

Danger line, 

22ft. 

Max. 35.5, 

Mar. 15, 1907. 

Min. -1.3, 

Sept. 28, 1881.

£

<3 

«

Feb. 6

Jan. 17 

Apr. 7 

Feb. 12

Feb. 27

July 11 

Aug. 22

June 1

Mar. 23 

May 24

Jan. 3 

Feb. 18

Jan. 15

Feb. 8 

Feb. 11

May 22 

Jan. 8 

July 26

Feb. 24

Mar. 24

Mar. 6

Nov. 27 

Apr. 7

Apr. 21 

Dec. 16

Mar. 1

Feb. 5

Mar. 1

Jan. 23 

Mar. 4 

Mar. 8 

Mar. 22 

Dec. 4

Jan. 20 

Mar. 15 

Mar. 20

Feb. 16

Mar. 20

Feb. 25 

May 1 

Jan. 19

05

I 

00

033.3

23.0 

22.8 

W, 0

M 0

22.0 

?6 0

24.0

24.3 

22.0

23.2 

31.3

23.0

24.0 

22.0

23.2 

25.8 

23.0

29.5

28.9

22.0

27.7 

fff, 1

27.5 

25.8

32.4

24.0

28.9

30.0 

26.9 

23.2 

29.0 

23.5

23.3 

35.5

99 d

30.7

27.3

22.3 

22.2

22,8

Wheeling, 

W. Va. 

Danger line, 

36ft. 

Max. 53.1, 

Feb. 7, 1884. 

Min. 0.3, 

Aug. 27-28,1893.

i «

Feb. 7

Feb. 19

Feb. 24

Mar. 24

Apr. 22

Mar. 2

Mar. 2

Jan. 24

Mar. 4

"Mar." "22

Jan. 20 

Mar. 15

Feb. 17

Mar. 21

..........

a

* 

&

5

053.1

44.9

36.8

44.2

40.8

42.6

40.0

43.9 

37.8

"42."3

36.1

o50.1

42.6

38.4

.....

Marietta. 

Ohio. 

Stages above 

35ft. 

Max. 58.3, 

Mar. 29, 1913. 

Min. 1.6,

i«

Feb. 9

Feb. 20

Feb. 11

Feb. 25

Mar. 25

..........

Apr. 23

Mar. 3

Mar. 3

Jan. 25 

Mar. 5

"Mar .""23

Mar. 16

Feb. 18 

Mar. 5 

Mar. 21

Feb. 26

&500

o52. 8

43.8

36.4

36.0

47.5

41.4

38.4

38.6

40.8 

37.8

"40."4

"48.7

o39.1 

36.4 

»36.4

35.0

Cincinnati, 

Ohio. 

Danger line, 

50ft. 

Max. 71.1, 

Feb. 14, 1884. 

Min. 1.9, 

Sept.17-19,1881.

i «

Feb. 14

Apr. 9 

Feb. 5 

Mar. 1

Mar. 1 

Mar. 26

Feb. 25

Feb. 20

Feb. 26 

Jan. 26 

Mar. 29

Mar. 8 

Apr. 1

Apr. 27

Mar. 5

Mar. 5

..........

Apr. 2

Jan. 21 

Mar. 19

Feb. 20 

Mar. 12 

Apr. 4

Feb. 28

©

I02

oTl.l

«55.8 

o56.3 

54.6

58.8 

o59.2

57.3

o54.9

....{

o61.2 

52.2 

61.4

o57.4 

51.6

59.7

50.9

o53.2

o50.4

o65.2 

62.1

oSl.3 

o53.4 

i55.9

54.6

Evansville, 

Ind. 

Danger line, 

35ft. 

Max. 48.8, 

Feb. 19, 1884. 

Min. 0.3, 

Nov. 7-8, 1895.

 S

03 

ft

Feb. 19 

Mar. 18-21 

Jan. 23 

Apr. 14 

Feb. 8-9 

Mar. 5 

Apr. 28-29 

Apr. 3-4

Jan. 24 

Feb. 14 

Mar. 5 

Mar. 30-31

Jan. 8-10 

Feb. 10 

Mar. 2 

Apr. 9-10 

Apr. 25-28

Feb. 24 

May 5, 

10-11

Jan 17-18 

Apr. 7-8 

Feb. 12-13 

Mar. 2-3 

Jan. 28 

Apr. 2-3 

Jan. 18

Mar. 12 

Apr. 5

/Apr. 30 

\May 1

Feb. 5 

Mar. 11 

Dec. 22 

Feb. 11

Feb. 23 

Mar. 11 

Apr. 22-23

Mar. 14 

Apr. 3-4 

Mar. 17 

May 19-20 

Apr. 6 

Jan. 7-8

Jan. 24-25 

Mar. 23

Feb. 24 

Mar. 15 

Apr. 8-9 

May 12-13 

Mar. 2 

May 10 

Jan. 27

®

Sf 5

o48.8 

39.7 

37.5 

43.4 

43.2 

43.1 

38.3 

35.2

38.9 

37.0 

43.9 

44.4

37.0 

39.1 

42.8 

37.2 

38.2

41.8 

J40.3

35.5 

38.8 

35.5 

43.6 

43.1 

44.8 

39.1

42.7 

40.4

J41.8

35.8 

40.0 

40.0 

39.8

40.7 

42.4 

36.0

36.2 

39.8 

37.4 

35.6 

41.1 

40.3

46.2 

43.8

40.9 

41.5 

42.2 

37.6 

43.2 

35.7 

38.6

Paducah, Ky. 

Danger line, 

43ft. 

Max. 54.3, 

Apr. 7, 1913. 

Min. -0.7, 

Oct. 30-Nov. 4, 

1895.

1 

ft

Feb. 23 

Mar. 23

Apr. 17 

Feb". 12-13 

Mar. 8

Mar. 11 

Apr. 2-3

Mar. 1

Feb. 27 

May 13

Mar. 24-25 

Jan. 30-31 

Apr. 6

Apr. 4-5

Mar. 15-16

Apr. 4

Jan. 28

Mar. 5-6

+a i

OQ

n54.2 

45.9

50.4 

43.1 

46.8

48.5 

47.2

45.5

44.3 

44.2

50.9 

43.8 

47.3

43.8

47.6

44.7

45.7

44.5

a Crest.
16 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

TABLE 1. Stages, in feet, of floods above danger line, at selected stations on Ohio River 

Continued.

Year.

1910....

1911....

1911

1911....

1912....

1912. . . .

1912. . . .

1912....

1913....

1913....

1913....

Pittsburgh. 

Pa.

Danger line, 

22ft.

Max. 35.5, 

Mar. 15,1907.

Min. -1.3, 

Sept. 28, 1881.

£

a

O

May 1

Jan. 31

Jan. 13

Mar. 28

Number of times

above danger

a

*OQ

9S.O

?,3 8

&?,5 9!

&?£ 1

631 3

626.3

630. <

81.

Wheeling. 

W. Va.

Danger line, 

36ft.

Max. 53.1, 

Feb. 7, 1884.

Min. -0.3, 

Aug. 27-28,1893.

CD

CS

ft

Mar. 3

Jan. 16

Jan. 10

Jan. 13

Mar. 28

28

£

M

*!

OQ

37 3

036.1

c38 4

44.?

39.0

651.:

Marietta, 

Ohio.

Stages above 

35ft.

Max. 58.3, 

Mar. 29, 1913.

Min. 1.6,

S

03

o

Mar. 4

Jan. 13

Mar. 2<

«25

8>

fl

02

39 6

42.6

658.?

.....

Cincinnati, 

Ohio.

Danger line, 

50ft.

Max. 71.1, 

Feb. 14, 1884.

Min. '1.9, 

Sept.17-19,1881.

3

C«

ft

Mar. 7

Mar. 27

Apr. 5-6

Jan. 14

Apr. ]

46

s> 

so

fl OQ

51 8

653 4

51 7

662.2

690.8

.....

Evansville, 

Ind.

Danger line, 

35ft.

Max. 48.8, 

Feb. 19, 1884.

Min. -0.3, 

Nov. 7-8, 1895.

£

C«

ft

Mar. 10

Feb. 9

Mar: 3

Mar. 31

May 3

Jan. 20

Apr. 5

86

£

M

*!

02

39.7

38 8

38.4

3fi 3

4?, 6

(Z35.8

46.7

&48.4

.....

Padiicah. Ky. 

Danger line,

43ft. 

Max. 54.3.

Apr. 7, 1913. 

Min. -0.7,

Oct. 30-Nov. 4. 

1895.

-S

ft

Apr. 8-11

Jan. 25

Apr. 7

29

£

M

$

02

49.9

47.6

654.3

.....

a Falling. No reading Jan. 15. 

6 Crest.

c Rising. No reading Mar. 24. 

d Rising. No reading May 4.

« 5 crests subsequent to March, 1905, reported: " Gages under water." No readings available. Probably 

2 of these were above 35 feet.

Table 2 gives the highest stage shown by regular gage readings (or 

the crest stage if known) at certain stations for each of a number of 

floods from 1880 to 1913, selected by taking all floods whose crest 

stages at Cincinnati were above 58 feet. (See Table 1 for dates.) 

The flood of 1912 reached a crest stage of only 53.2 feet at Cincinnati, 

but is included in the table because of its recent occurrence and the 

importance of its effect on the lower Mississippi. The gage heights 

at other stations are for the crests corresponding to the crests at 

Cincinnati and therefore do not necessarily represent the maximum 

stages for the years considered at all the stations. In some years 

as, for example, 1897 and 1912 two crests were recorded on the 

tributaries about the tune of the rise on the main stream. In such 

event the crest believed to be the more nearly comparable with that 

on the Ohio was selected. A study of the floods prior to 1880 can 

be made from Table 1. The maximum stage given at each station 

is the highest of which there is authentic record.

These tables show clearly that danger from flood is ever present 

on the Ohio. In every year for more than 40 years the river passed 

the danger line at some of the six stations selected.
TABLE 2. Gage heights, in feet, for principal floods of Ohio and tributary 

No.

1 

2 

3 

4 

5

6 

7 

8 

9 

10

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16

1

2

3 

4 

5

6 

7 

8 

9

River and station.

Mam stream. 

Ohio: 

Pittsburgh, Pa..............................

Beaver Dain (No. 6), Pa. ...................

Wheeling, W.Va..... ......................

Marietta, Ohio..............................

Parkersburg, W. Va. .......................

Point Pleasant. W. Va......................

Huntington,W.Va. ....... .................

Catlettsburg, Ky...................... ......

Portsmouth, Ohio. .........................

Cincinnati, Ohio............................

Evansville, Ind .............................

Cairo, El....................................

Tributaries. 

Allegheny:

Monongahela:

Youghiogheny:

Little Kanawha. Dam No. 4. W. Va. (unoer eaee)

1882

21.8

31.1 

35.0

42.6 

47.0

c58.6 

63.0 

44.9

50.0 

51.9

18.3

10.5

1883

28.0

35.8 

43.7

c53.2

o 59 3

7o!i

47.8

50.7

30.5

13.8

1884

C33.3

«53. 1 

C52.8 

c53.9

"60 

064.8

c66.2

65.' 7

c71. 1 

072.0 

048.8 

51.7 

C54.2 

51.8

30.0

9.9

1890

24.3

3*2 

33.5 

35.0

"56.0

6L1 

44.4 

46.3 

47.2 

48.7

5.5 

15.7

27.0 

31.8

10.9

11.4

1897

29.5 

37.7 

36.8 

36.0 

c37.9

52.3

58.5 

c59.0

c61.2 

61.0 

43.6 

44.7 

50.9 

51.6

2.5 

14.7

33.0 

36.0

13.0 

c22.0

1898

28.9 

22.0 

44.2 

47.5

51.2

56.0 

057.4

61.4 

62.0 

44.8 

48.3 

47.3 

49.8

7.6 

25.3

21.2

24.7

8.1 

10.9 

35.9

1901

27.5 

37.7 

40.8 

41.4 

043.9

63.0 

57.4 

o59.1 

C58.4

59.7 

o58.8 

41.8 

41.7 

39.4 

43.2

10.0 

23.0

17.3 

25.5

8.5 

12.0 

24.3

1

(J

"V

o

"6

c6

05

c

c

c 

a The heights given represent the highest stages recorded, not invariably the crest height

6 Two crests at most stations (Mar.-Apr., 1912); used higher.

c Crest.

d Highest recorded (rising). No observation Mar. 24.

e Obtained from readings on lower lock No. 1 gage by subtracting 1.6 feet.
TABLE 2. Gage heights, in feet, for principal floods of Ohio and tributary river

No.

10

11 

12

13

14 

15

16 

17

18

19 

20

21 

22 

23

24 

25

26

27

28 

29 

30

31

Biver and station.

New:

TTavfttto W Va

Kanawha:

Big Sandy, Louisa (Lock No. 3), Ky. (upper gage) .

Miami:

Kentucky: 

Highbridge. Ky .............................

Wabash:

Cumberland:

flarksvillp Tefifi

Tennessee:

1882

9.2

ol6.4 

o26.5

38.3

30.3 

21.8

43.8

1883

7.5

ol6.0 

o26.0

42

27.7

41.6

8.5 

17.6 

12.0

29.0

1884

ol0.6

ol9.5 

o29.0

44.1

47.2

16.1 

36.8 

24.2

44.4

1890

o7.5

ol4.8 

31.0

38.0

24.7

31.0

22.0 

4.0

14.6 

27.2 

16.1

37.7

1897

o!4.8 

27.6

028.5 

41.1 

16.9

44.6

27.0 

5.9

18.4

26.4

48.7

22.5 

37.9 

32.5

48.0

1898

7.6 

17.8

13.9 

19.6 

8.0

24.6

17.6

18.3 

21.2

o27.1 

23.9

18.0 

11.6

21.7

1901

18.4

ol8.0

oSO.O 

o36.4 

9.1

34.5 

3.6 

o20.2

3.4

24.4 

25.1

13.5

37.8 

41.2

16.2 

26.5 

16.3

o24.7

1

(J

o

0

a Crest. 6 27.5, Jan. 8. c 33.7, Jan. 9.
THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MABOH-APRIL, 1913. 19

HISTORY OF THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

GENERAL CAUSES.

The flood of March-April, 1913, beginning on March 23 (Easter 

Sunday), was caused solely by excessive precipitation over a comparatively large area, as a result of which great volumes of water 

were literally dumped into the rivers of northern Indiana and Ohio, 

especially the Miami, Scioto, and Muskingum, which attained such 

overwhelming proportions and spread such sudden and far-reaching 

disaster and ruin. (See Table 3 and PL III, p. 20.) Only a small 

share of the damage can be ascribed to the failure of dams, for no 

large dams failed. These northern tributaries, hitherto comparatively impotent in creating extreme floods on the Ohio itself, were the 

chief and direct sources of the water which caused the destructively 

high stages during this flood on the main stream from Marietta, Ohio, 

to Maysville, Ky., and probably on down to Cairo, 111. It is probable 

that the stages on the lower Ohio were increased by the effects of the 

levees constructed on the Mississippi at and below Cairo. Plate I 

(frontispiece) shows typical conditions on the main Ohio during this 

flood and the destruction along the northern tributaries.

It should be kept in mind that, in conjunction with this unprecedented flow from the northern tributaries of the Ohio, the eastern 

and southern tributaries were discharging very large quantities of 

water. The stages reached on these other tributaries were much 

higher than in ordinary floods but much lower than previously 

recorded maxima.

On the Ohio the rise was extremely rapid from March 25 to 29 at 

all points above Louisville. Crest stages were reached from Pittsburgh to Wheeling on March 28, and followed very quickly at other 

pouits from Marietta to Louisville, the crest passing the latter city 

on April 1. From Evansville to Cairo the rise was much less rapid, 

the crest not passing into the Mississippi until April 8.

The almost inconceivable damage wrought by the flood was unquestionably increased in a very great measure by the works of man 

in the channels, along the banks, and across the river valleys. Although the presence of the enormous volume of water may be considered nothing more nor less than "an act of God," still a large share 

of the blame for the resulting damage must be laid to man, not only for 

the positive harm done, by the works of municipal and rural improvement, but also because of the entire absence of any comprehensive 

engineering works built for the prevention of such damage by floods.

In considering the cause of the flood the condition of the ground 

just prior to the flood and the amount of water already in the river 

channels should be noted. The ground was not frozen but was practically saturated by previous rains and so did not offer means of 

storing any considerable amount of the water and thereby tending
20 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

to prevent its rapid discharge into the streams. It is extremely 

doubtful, however, if ground storage, even under the most favorable 

conditions, would have had any material effect in reducing this flood 

because of the intensity of the precipitation. No time was available 

in which the ground, even if it had not been saturated, might absorb 

the rain. In addition to these conditions, so favorable to rapid runoff, the river channels were fairly well filled, none of the tributaries 

being low, the main Ohio being at ordinary stage above Parkersburg 

and at comparatively high stage below Parkersburg. Plate II shows 

typical street scenes at Parkersburg and Marietta during this flood.

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPER,ATTIRE.

The two storms of March 23 to 27, 1913, which caused the flood, 

were preceded by a storm of moderate intensity, which passed down 

the St. Lawrence Valley March 22 and which had been accompanied 

by sufficient precipitation over the Ohio basin to moisten the soil and 

to cause it to become quickly saturated by the heavier rains that 

followed.

The distribution of the rainfall in the five days from March 23 to 

27, as determined from rainfall records at a large number of stations, 

is shown on Plate III, which shows also principal streams, towns, 

and rainfall and gaging stations. The amount of precipitation, 

daily and total, for the same period at certain selected stations is 

shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3. Precipitation, in inches, at selected stations in or near Ohio River basin for

Mar. 23-27, 1913.

No.

1

?

3

4

S

6

7

8

9

10

11

1?,

13

14

15

16

17

1R

19

20

?1

??,

?3

24

Station.

Ohio. 

Toledo... .............................

Circleville .............................

Columbus. ............................

Cleveland .............................

Cincinnati. ............................

Bellefontaine. .........................

Indiana.

Terre Haute. ..........................

Fort Wayne. ..........................

Evansville. ...........................

Indianapolis. ..........................

Elliston ...............................

Madison. ..............................

Shoals. ................................

Illinois. 

La Salle.. .............................

Cairo..................................

Mar. 23.

0.00

0.20

0.00

0.00

o2.20

a 0.00

60.50

0.90

1.40

1.40

0.00

0.46

62.34

0.00

0.00

0.17

0.00

0.36

T.

«1.07

0.23

0.00

0.62

0.00

Mar. 24.

2.44

1.50

0.60

1.96

1.58

2.21

2.90

2.00

2.00

1.50

1.42

0.99

1.50

2.76

1.07

1.53

1.10

2.74

0.37

0.14

1.03

1.36

0 79

0.06

Mar. 25.

2.68

2.00

2.62

2.88

2.05

4.15

3.30

5.20

'4.40

5.60

0.84

2.67

2.51

1.92

1.48

3.41

6.10

3.67

6.66

0.17

0.06

0.08

2.22

1.56

Mar. 26.

0.34

2.30

2.72

1.26

0.95

1.11

1.50

1.60

1.90

2.10

0.00

0.15

0.50

0.07

2.71

0.48

1.20

2.27

1.80

T.

0.01

0.04

2.72

Mar. 27.

0.68

0.40

1.00

0.98

0.40

0.00

0.80

0.90

1.00

0.50

0.29

0.14

0.61

0.32

0.42

0.20

T.

0.45

T.

0.09

0.24

0.26

Total.

6.14

6.40

6.94

7.08

7.18

7.47

9.00

10.60

10.70

11.10

4.56

6.99

5.36

5.58

6.01

8.60

9.04

9.28

1.38

1.42

1.48

3.80

4.60

o Readings for 24 hours, midnight to midnight. 

& Readings for 24 hours, 7 p. m. to 7 p. m.

NOTE. All other stations, readings 8 a. m. to 8 a. m.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE II

A. SECOND STREET, MARIETTA, OHIO, DURING FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913, AFTER WATER

HAD FALLEN.

Mark on house shows crest height; note wrecked verandas.

B. MARKET STREET, PARKERSBURG, W. VA., DURING FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913. 

Detail view of street shown at center in Plate I, A.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

SEORGE OTIS SMITH. DIRECTOR WATER-SUPPLV PAPER 334 PLATE III

G I A \ SOUTH CAROL

84- 80°

25 O ___25 30 75 100 125 150 175 200 Mile S

Rainfall in inches Boundery of drainage basin

MAP SHOWING RAINFALL IN OHIO RIVER BASIN, MARCH 23-27, 1913
HISTOEY OP THE FLOOD. 21

TABLE 3. Precipitation, in inches, at selected stations in or near Ohio River basin for 

Mar. %3-m, 1913 Continued.

No.

?,5

9!fi

37

W

29

30

31

39!

38

34

M

3«

37

38

39

Station.

Kentucky.

BeattyviUe. ............................

Tennessee.

Nashville. .............................

Missouri. 

St. Louis..............................

Michigan. 

Detroit................................

-* cftifisy Iv&yi id *

Erie...................................

West Virginia.

Mar. 23.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

T.

0.00

0.00

0.00

0.00

« 1.06

0.00

0.00

T.

0.00

0.00

Mar. 24.

T.

0.21

0.00

0.00

0.15

0.00

0.00

0.00

T.

3.69

1.30

0.00

0.20

1.32

0.08

Mar. 25.

0.16

1.79

0.30

0.11

4.95

0.00

T.

0.00

T.

0.39

1.26

0.23

0.72

2.76

0.05

Mar. 26.

2.03

2.46

3.23

3.35

0.87

3.04

0.17

0.25

2.32

0.80

0.24

0.58

1.72

1.02

1.60

Mar. 27.

1.29

0.01

0.96

1.06

T.

3.28

1.54

2.17

0.65

0.01

0.60

2.04

0.86

1.04

1.28

Total.

3.48

4.47

4.49

4.52

5.97

6.32

1.71

2.42

2.97

5.85

3.40

2.85

3.50

6.14

3.01

a Readings for 24 hours, midnight to midnight.

The first of the two storms of March 23-27 developed on the morning of the 22d over the far West, with a'center over Nevada. During 

the succeeding 24 hours this disturbance moved slowly eastward, 

gathering energy, and at 8 a. m. on the 23d was central over Colorado. 

By this time it was well developed and was attended by rains over 

Indiana, Illinois, and portions of Iowa and Wisconsin.

During the day of the 23d the storm,moved east-northeastward, 

and at 8 p. m., seventy-fifth meridian time, was central slightly to the 

northeast of Omaha, Nebr. The rain area had advanced to the region 

of the lower Lakes, western New York, and western Pennsylvania, so 

that at this hour precipitation was taking place over practically the 

entire drainage basin of Ohio River.

Meanwhile, as the center of the storm was drifting slowly eastward 

from the neighborhood of Nebraska during the afternoon and early 

night of the 23d, a number of small tornadic storms formed in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Nebraska. Several towns and cities 

received more or less damage from these concentrated disturbances, 

including Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Terre Haute, Ind., but by far 

the most terrible infliction from any of these tornadoes, in that 

numerous lives were lost, occurred at Omaha, Nebr.

During the night of March 23-24 the precipitation area of the main 

storm extended eastward, and on the morning of Monday, the 24th, 

had reached the Atlantic Ocean. The rain was becoming excessive 

in many places, especially over the height of land separating the basins 

of Ohio River and southern Lake Erie.
22 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAKCH-APEIL, 1913.

The first storm was central at 8 a. m= on March 24 over and to the 

north of the upper Lakes. Thence it moved northeastward, and by 

8p.m. was far down in the St. Lawrence Valley, with an area of high 

pressure in its rear.

Early on March 24 another disturbance had formed over the southwest and was developing into an elongated trough of low pressure, 

which rapidly extended eastward, and at night of the 24th was 

attended by rain as far in advance of this second storm as the rear of 

the precipitation area of the first storm.

Here another factor must be taken into consideration. In advance 

of the first storm which caused the tornadoes of the 23d, a great bank 

of high pressure moved eastward across the Atlantic States and into 

the ocean. It settled over the Bermudas and there remained practically stationary until the 27th. Thus while the second storm from 

the West was pressing eastward during the 24th, an area of high 

pressure existed off the Atlantic coast and another area was spreading 

eastward from the region of the Great Lakes. At 8 p. m. on the 24th 

these two areas of high pressure were separated only by a lane of low 

pressure, which extended northeast-southwest over the Ohio basin 

and connected the approaching with the vanishing storm. The rain 

area of this new storm, while continuous with that of the preceding 

storm, was also attended by heaviest precipitation over the region 

already flooded or threatened with flood. Heavy rains continued 

throughout the night of Monday-Tuesday (24-25), and by 8 a. m. 

on the 25th the amount of rainfall at some river stations in northcentral Ohio exceeded 6 inches.

On the morning of the 25th a shallow trough of low pressure, with 

centers over Arkansas and the Ohio Valley, extended from New 

England to Texas. The temperature was at freezing or below in 

northern Indiana and Illinois and snows were taking the place of the 

rains to the north and west. Owing to the persistence of the area of 

high pressure along the Northern States, the storm was checked in its 

forward movement and continued to flood the Ohio Valley.

During Tuesday, the 25th, the rain area spread southward and precipitation became heavier toward the east. Reports to the United 

States Weather Bureau at 8 a. m. on Wednesday, March 26, showed 

little change in the storm area since the previous morning, but during 

the 26th the southern portion of the trough of low pressure moved 

eastward from the Mississippi Valley, so that by the morning of the 

27th (Thursday) it lay north and south from New York to North Carolina and the precipitation had turned to snow over the Ohio Valley. 

By this time the area of high pressure over Canada was proceeding 

into the ocean and the bank of high pressure over the Bermudas was 

slowly giving way. Consequently, the storm that had so long poured 

its waters upon the endangered region was able to advance more 

freely and by the morning of the 28th was passing rapidly northeastward from New England.
HISTORY OF THE FLOOD. 23

Thus it is seen that these two storms passed in succession, with the 

peculiar condition that one disturbance followed the other so closely 

that the rain areas of the two blended, concentrating over the same 

portion of the country and creating the most disastrous flood in the 

history of the Ohio Valley.

The best idea of the intensity and distribution of the^combined 

storms over the drainage basins in the Ohio Valley may be gained 

from a study of Plate III (p. 20).

It should be noted that no extremely low temperatures existed 

immediately before, during, or after this flood; that the ground in 

Indiana and Ohio, and in fact all of the Ohio Valley, was not frozen 

and, further, that there was no snow or ice stored in any part of the 

Ohio River drainage basin. A more complete meteorologic history 

of these storms, with charts, will be found in the publications of the 

United States Weather Bureau, from which much of the above 

information was taken.

PROGRESS OF THE FLOOD.

The progress of the flood is shown clearly by the graphic representation of gage heights on Plates IV and V and by Tables 4, 5, 

11, and 12 (pp. 25, 26, 48, 49).

The Miami, the most westerly of the tributaries from the State of 

Ohio, was the first large stream to reach alarming proportions. A 

large measure of the attention drawn to this river, and more particularly to Dayton, the principal city along its banks, is due to this fact. 

Plate VI gives typical views of Dayton immediately after the flood. 

At Dayton a crest stage of 29.0 feet about 8.0 feet higher than the 

crest of any other known flood at that place (21.3 feet in 1866) was 

reached about 1 a. m. March 26. The crest reached Hamilton about 

3 a. m. on the same day, the maximum stage being 34.6 feet, about 

13.5 feet higher than the previously recorded maximum (21.2 feet 

March 24, 1898). On Scioto River, whose headwaters adjoin those 

of Miami River, crest stages occurred practically simultaneously with 

those on the Miami. At Columbus (drainage area less than twothirds of that above Dayton) the crest of 22.9 feet, only 1.6 feet 

greater than the previous maximum (21.3 feet March 23, 1898), 

occurred at noon on March 25, and at Chillicothe the crest of 37.8 

feet, 9.5 feet higher than the previous maximum (28.3 feet March 24, 

1898), was reached at 11 a. m., March 26. The flood followed 

quickly on Muskingum River, the largest and most easterly of the 

three principal streams in the State of Ohio. At Zanesville a maximum of 51.8 feet occurred in the early morning of March 27, just 15 

feet higher than the highest stage previously on record (36.8 feet 

March 24, 1898). At Beverly, only 20 miles from the mouth of the 

Muskingum, the crest of 46.5 feet, about 11 feet above the maximum 

(35 feet March, 1898), was reached on March 27.
24 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MABCH-APKIL, 1913.

Thus it will be noted that although the progress of the storms was 

from the mouth toward the source of Ohio River, the crests from tlje 

northern tributaries in the State of Ohio reached the main stream 

within a period of about 24 hours of each other and within from 

three to four days of the very beginning of the precipitation. This 

accounts for the extreme rapidity of the rise on the Ohio from Marietta to Portsmouth, as shown on Plate IV. By the night of March

27 and the morning of the 28th crests from all tributaries of the 

Ohio above the Kanawha had reached the main stream. Flow from 

portions of the Monongahela system came in later than most of the 

others, which accounts for the lagging of the crest at Pittsburgh. 

Crest stages occurred at Pittsburgh, Beaver Dam, and Wheeling on 

March 28 but were below previously recorded maxima. Crests from 

the remaining tributaries reached the Ohio on March 28, with the 

exception of those from the Wabash, Cumberland, and Tennessee 

rivers. (The crest of April 5 on Green River was due to backwater.) 

Crest stages on Ohio River from Marietta to Louisville were reached 

successively March 29 to April 1, as shown by Table 11 (p. 48).

The effect of the northern tributaries in Ohio on the stages of the 

main stream is most marked from Marietta to Maysville, and throughout this portion of the Ohio new high-water records were established. 

Muskingum River was more instrumental than any other single tributary in causing the record-breaking stages on the Ohio, as shown by 

the fact that previously recorded maxima were surpassed at Marietta 

and Parkersburg by 5 to 5.5 feet, the greatest other increase being

2.8 feet at Point Pleasant. Previous maximum stages at Cincinnati, 

Louisville, and Evansville were not surpassed by the flood of MarchApril, 1913. Crests from Wabash, Cumberland, and Tennessee 

rivers reached the Ohio on March 29 and 30. The effect of the 

Wabash and its tributaries, which broke all previous high-water 

records, is shown at Mount Vernon, Paducah, and Cairo, at which 

places, particularly at Mount Vernon, all previously recorded maxima 

were exceeded. The Cumberland and Tennessee were not in extreme 

flood during the period of maximum stage at Cairo. Stages at Cairo 

and points on the Ohio within the influence of backwater from the 

Mississippi were no doubt increased by the levees at and below Cairo, 

all of which held during this flood.

STAGE AND DISCHARGE.

Records of stage, obtained from records of the United States 

Geological Survey, United States Weather Bureau, and United States 

Engineer Corps, for periods sufficiently long to cover the entire flood 

of March-April, 1913, are presented in Tables 4 and 5. The gage 

heights represent one reading each day taken about 7 or 8 a. m. 

Some of the data were taken from advance publications and records 

quickly prepared and may be subject to slight revision.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE VI

A. MIAMI STREET CANAL BRIDGE, DAYTON, OHIO, AFTER THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913. 

Note the dead horse on bridge rail.

B. POST OFFICE, DAYTON, OHIO, AFTER THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913. 

Dead horse in front of left radiator.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE IV

MARCH _ APRIL 

S3 24 25 26 Z7 38 29 30 31 I Z 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 II 13 t3 14 IS 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 a* ZS 26 27 28 £9

BEAVER DAM 

(29 atites from 

Pittsburgh)

CINCtNNATI

f*68mi/es)

EVANSWLLE 

f7Q7m//esj

MT.V&fNON 

(8£3 mitesj 

PADUCAH

FLOOD HYDROGRAPHS (GAGE HEIGHTS) FOR 15 STATIONS ON OHIO RIVER DURING THE FLOOD

OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

The distance of each station below Pittsburgh and the danger line (indicated by horizontal arrow*) are shown.

For gage heights see Table 4, page 25.
TABLE 4. Gage height, in feet, at stations on Ohio River for flood o

STo.

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15

No.

1 

2

3 

4 

5

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11

12 

13 

14 

15

Station.

Pittsburgh, Pa. .........

Beaver Dam (No. 6), Pa. 

Wheeling, W.Va.. ......

Parkersburg, W. Va ..... 

Point Pleasant. W. Va. . . 

Huntington, W. Va. . . . . 

Catlettsburg, Ky ........

Portsmouth, Ohio .......

Maysville, Ky. ..........

fiinnfriTiati, Ohin

Louisville, Ky. (Lower) . 

E vansville, Ind. .........

Mount Vernon, Ind ......

Station.

Pittsburgh, Pa......

Beaver Dam (No. 6), 

Pa. 

Wheeling, W.Va.... 

Parkersburg, W. Va. 

Point Pleasant, 

W. Va.

Louisville, Ky. 

(Lower).

Mount Vernon, Ind . . 

Paducah, Ky........

March.

2)

5.8 

11.1 

11.0 

13.0 

19.8 

25.2 

25.5 

27. 8 

29.2 

32.5 

32.7 

27.0 

26.2 

31.3 

35.2

21

5.3 

10.2 

9.8 

11.5 

16.6 

21.7 

22.1 

24.4 

26.0 

30.0 

31.2 

27.6 

27.0 

32.0 

36-8

22

5.3 

9.7 

8.8 

10.5 

14.1 

19.7 

19.5 

21.5 

23.1 

27.5 

29.7 

28.4 

27.7 

33.6 

39.0

23

4.8 

9.1 

8.3 

10.0 

12.3 

17.9 

17.3 

19.1 

20.3 

24.7 

27.3 

28.3 

27.9 

34.3 

39.9

24

4.5 

9.0 

7.5 

9.5 

11.1 

16.1 

15.8 

17.4 

18.4 

22.6 

24.6 

27.5 

27.2 

34.4 

40.3

25

7.8 

17.0 

11.5 

10.0 

10.1 

14.1 

15.5 

16.1 

17.1 

29.3 

28.6 

26.0 

26.3 

34.3 

40.9

26

20.1 

34.0 

30.5 

22.1 

13.2 

17.2 

17.2 

21.9 

28.8 

50.3 

48.1 

30.1 

29.0 

36.9 

43.5

27

28.1 

44.8 

45.5 

43.0 

34.1 

39.4 

41.1 

51.0 

44.3 

57.2 

59.3 

36.6 

34.3 

38.5 

45.5

23

30.4 

46.3 

50.8 

54.9 

50.6 

54.5 

57.5 

61.9 

57.5 

62.6 

64.2 

40.4 

38.2 

40.7 

47.4

29

24.8 

40.7 

50.0 

58.7 

60.2 

63.8 

65.1 

65.8 

62.8 

66.0 

66.7 

43.0 

41.2 

42.6 

49.1

30

17.8 

30.0 

43.0 

57.9 

62.8 

66.0 

66.3 

67.0 

65.2 

67.9 

68.3 

44.4 

43.9 

44.7 

50.7

31

13.7 

22.2 

32.1 

53.8 

62.2 

66.4 

67.7 

67.9 

66.0 

69.2 

69.3 

45.4 

47.4 

47.0 

52.0

1

11.4 

18.2 

28.3 

47.5 

60.1 

65.2 

066.5 

67.5 

66.3 

69.8 

70.2 

46.4 

50.1 

49.6 

53.2

1

1

3

5

6

«6

6

6

6

7

4

5

5

5

April.

12

4.1

9.1

7.8 

10.8 

11.6

16.0

15.6

19.0

19.5

27.3

36.4

42.7 

47.9 

51.5 

54.1

13

4.7

9.8

8.2 

10.9 

12.0

16.0

15.9

19.4

19.5

24.0

31.0

41.1 

46.1 

50.1 

53.6

14

5.4

10.5

9.2 

11.1 

13.9

16.7

17.0

20.0

19 7

24.1

26.0

39.3 

44.2 

49.0 

53.0

15

5.9

11.2

9.8 

12.0 

17.7

20.8

20.6

22.0

20.7

24.3

24.2

36.8 

42.1 

47.3 

52.3

16

24.0

34.3 

39.6 

45.6 

51.5

17

23.8

31.8 

37.2 

43.7 

50.7

18

26.0

29.8 

34.7 

41.8 

49.8

19

29.0

28.0 

32.2 

39.8 

48.8

20

29.4

27.1 

30.7 

37.7 

47.6

21

26.6 

29.4 

36.2 

46.4

22

25.9 

28.2 

34.7 

45.2

23

24.6 

27.0 

33.2 

43.7

24

22.8 

25.1 

31.5 

42.2

25

21.0 

22.8 

29.5 

40.3

Obtained by comparison with Huntington.
26 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MABCH-APRIL, 1913.

TABLE 5. Gage height, in feet, at stations on streams

No.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

River and station.

Allegheny:

Redhouse, N. Y...

Warren, Pa.......

Franklin, Pa......

Freeport, Pa......

Tygart:

Belington, W.Va.

Fetterman, W.Va.

Monongahela: 

Fainnont, W. Va .

Greensboro, Pa....

Lower Lock No. 4,

Pa.

Upper Lock No. 2, 

Pa.

West Fork, Enterprise, W. Va.

Cheat, Morgantown, 

W. Va.

Youghiogheny:

Confluence, Pa. . .

West Newton, Pa.

Beaver, Beaver Falls,

Pa.

Mahoning. Youngstown, Ohio.

Tuscarawas, Canal Dover, Ohio.

Muskingum:

Zanesville, Ohio...

Beverly, Ohio.....

Mohican, Pomerene,

Ohio.

Little Kanawha:

Creston.W. Va...

Upper Dam No.

4, W. Va.

New:

Radford, Va......

Hin ton, W.Va....

Fayette, W. Va...

Kanawha:

Kanawha Falls,

W.Va.

Charleston........

Greenbrier, Alderson . .

Gauley, Belva ........

Elk, Clendenin. . ......

Big Sandy (Upper

Lock No. 3), Louisa,

Ky.

Scioto:

Columbus, Ohio .

Chillicothe, Ohio..

Licking,Falmouth,Ky

Miami:

Dayton, Ohio .....

Hamilton, Ohio. . .

Kentucky:

Highbridge, Kv.--

Frankfort, Ky"....

Green, Upper Lock

No. 2, Ky. 

Wabash:

Terre Haute, Ind .

Mount Carmel, 111 .

March.

20

5.2

3.0

4.1

7.6

3.8

5.2

15.2

8.4

9.5

12.1

2.8

3.9

1 6

2.1

4.9

0.9

10.2

8.4

3.6

3.4

10.6

4.9

3.5

7.0

5.7

7.0

3.4

4.5

4.8

8.0

4.4

1.6

3.7

2.7

2.8

11.3

8.7

11.3

6.8

13.4

21

5.0

2.7

3.7

7.0

3.7

5.2

15.0

8.2

9.1

11.8

2.6

3.7

1.8

2.1

4.7

0.7

10.1

8.0

3.7

3.2

10.5

4.5

3.3

7.0

5.2

6.5

3.2

4.2

4.6

7.3

4 5

1.6

3.8

2.8

3.0

10.9

8.8

11.3

6.0

12.2

22

4.8

2/4

3.5

6.5

3.7

5.0

15.1

8.0

8.8

12.1

2.4

3.6

1.6

2.0

4.6

0.6

o 9

7.9

4.0

3.1

10.5

4.6

3.2

7.5

4.8

6.0

3.1

4.0

4.6

7.4

4 4

1.6

3.9

3.0

3.0

11.5

8.6

15.5

7.1

11.9

23

6.2

2.2

3.2

6.2

3.4

4.7

15.0

7.9

8.5

11.9

2.2

3.5

1.3

1.8

4.4

0.5

9. 7 t

7.6

3.9

3.1

10.4

4.6

3.1

7.4

4.5

5.9

3.0

3.S

4.2

7.0

4.8

1.6

4.2

3.0

3.0

11.4

8.7

13. S

7.0

13.4

24

8.8

3.8

6.1

5.9

3.3

4.6

14.9

7.8

8.2

11.8

2.1

3.5

1.3

1.5

6.6

4.7

2.3

9.9

7.7

4.0

2.9

10.3

4.4

3.0

5.2

4.1

5.*,

2.8

3.6

4.0

6.6

6,2

1.6

4.0

7.0

4.8

11.3

8.5

14.0

14.5

13.6

25

10.8

8.0

11.6

16.2

3.0

4.6

14.8

7.7

9.0

11.6

2.1

3.3

1.1

1.3

13.2

15.5

7.0

21.2

16.6

21.0

2.8

10.2

4.4

2.9

4.9

2. 7

5.5

2.8

3.4

3.9

6.1

21.9

11.9

3.6

a24.G

19.7

11.1

8.5

13.8

19.5

18.3

26

12.7

14.1

22.0

26.4

3.2

5.1

14.8

8.0

10.0

12.9

3.0

3.6

1.6

2.2

16: 7

13.0

4.2

10.7

4.3

2.8

4.7

3.4

5.5

2.8

3.4

5.0

12.8

20.9

c37.8

29.1

628.1

<34.6

21.0

15.8

19.5

27.0

21.4

27

12.6

14.8

21.1

31.9

6.9

9.0

20.2

14.6

16.2

19.5

14.5

7.0

4.9

7.4

17.4

15.0

51.8

«46 5

16.0

17.9

10.0

6.5

11.8

7.6

10.2

10.0

8.0

14.1

29.5

19 7

33.8

622.2

25.0

34. C

35.2

23.0

31.2

23.0

28

12.2

14.1

19.5

29.5

10.5

13.4

22.4

18.7

25.2

23.6

11.8

8.2

4.8

8.5

15.1

16.1

ol8.0

18.9

19.2

12.8

11.6

o35.0

26.3

33.2

16.3

11.8

17.2

42.0

17 4

32.2

615. 7

19.?

33.4

38.3

24.5

30.8

24.8

29

11.0

12.5

15.3

23.5

6.8

9.4

19.1

13.6

20.2

19.1

5.8

5.9

3.5

5.7

12.0

10.4

9.0

ol6.0

9.5

18.2

7.6

7.2

21.2

15.9

30.1

0.6

7.4

10.5

39.5

14,7

24.6

23.6

11. C

14.8

?3.5

37.5

25.8

29.2

27.8

30

9.6

10.2

12.2

19.0

5.3

7.2

16.9

10.8

14.8

14.8

4.4

5.0

2.9

4.3

8.9

3.0

7.0

34.0

014.0

5.5

17.4

6.1

5.7

12.1

10.5

21.0

4.9

6.4

7.3

35.0

1? 0

16.0

20.1

9.1

33.5

37.2

27.2

26.8

31. 0)

31

8.7

8.2

9.7

15.4

4.9

6.4

16.4

9.7

12.3

13.1

3.7

4.6

V 5

3.6

6.8

1.8

5.0

30.0

013.0

4.5

13.6

5.6

4.6

10.5

7.6

19.0

4.2

5.7

6.3

35.3

9 6

12.0

19.0

7.3

27.3

35.1

28.8

24.0

30.2

April.

1

7.2

6.9

8.2

13.2

4.4

6.0

15.8

9.2

11.1

12.5

3.1

4.3

2.4

3.1

5.2

1.6

3.0

24.5

26.0

4.1

11.0

5.1

4.0

9.1

6.5

17.0

3.8

5.0

5.5

34.5

8 3

11.4

17.0

6.6

14.5

26.8

30.0

22.0

29.2

2

6.5

5.7

6.9

11.4

4.0

5.6

15.3

8.6

10.2

11.9

2.8

4.0

2.0

2.7

5.7

1.4

3.0

20.2

19.6

CO

3.7

10.8

4.7

3.6

7.1

5.8

13.7

3.4

4.6

5.0

33.0

6,4

11.1

12.2

5.8

12.2

10.2

30.6

20.7

28.2

o Approximate. 6 Calculated from careful measurements. Crest stage, not regular reading.
HISTOBY OF THE FLOOD, 

tributary to Ohio River for flood of March-April, 1913.

3

6.1 

4.9 

5.9 

10.0

4.0

5.1

15.2

8.4 

11.0

12.3

2.7

4.0

3.3

4.8

5.5 

1.3

3.8

'17.5 

15.5

CO

3.4 

10.6

4.6 

3.4 

6.2

5.2

9.0 

3.2 

4.2 

4.7

29.5

6.0 

8.7 

4.7

5.4

«7.0

11.5 

9.0 

30.9

19.4 

27.2

4

6.0 

4.0 

5.3 

9.2

3.8

5.0

15.1

8.2 

9.8

12.2

2.6

3.8

2.8 

4.2

5.5 

1.6

3.7

16.2 

14.0

3.2 

10.5

4.6 

3.3 

5.1

4.6

6.0 

3.1

3.8 

4.5

22.6

11.2 

8.5 

4.7

9.5

al3.0

11.1

8.6 

31.1

18.6 

26.4

5

 6.6 

4.0 

5.1

8.4

3.8

4.8

14.9 

8.0 

9.3

11.7

2.4

3.6

2.5 

3.6

5.5 

1.8

3.4

17.5 

15.6

(<*)

3.2 

10.5

4.4 

3.1 

4.9

4.2

5.9 

3.0 

3.8 

4.3

14.4

11.2 

11.0 

4.0

10.2

11.0

10.8 

8.3 

31.2

17.6 

25.7

6

6.0 

4.0 

5.2 

8.3

3.7

4.7

14.9 

7.9 

8.9

11.4

2.1

3.6

2.0 

2.9

5.4 

1.9

3.0

17.6 

16.1

(d)

3.0 

10.4

4.3 

2.9 

4.9

4.0

5.5 

2.8 

3.6 

4.2

8.6

8.8 

12.9 

3.5

7.1

6.3

10.7 

8.3 

31.1

16.9 

24.9

7

5.9

4.0 

4.9 

8.2

3.6

4.6

14.8 

7.9 

8.8

11.4

2.0

3.4

1.8

2.4

5.1 

1.4

2.8

16.7 

14.3

(<*)

2.9 

10.3

4.2

2.8 

4.7

3.6

5.5

2.8 

3.5 

4.0

7.2

6.8 

10.9 

3.3

5.9

5.3

10.5 

8.0 

31.0

16.0 

24.2

8

5.6 

3.7 

4.6 

7.4

3.5

4.6

14.8 

7.8 

8.4

11.0

1.9

3.4

1.7 

2.2

4.8 

1.0

2.4

14.2 

12.6

(<*)

2.9 

10.2

4.2 

2.7

4.7

3.2

5.3 

2.6 

3.3

3.8

6.4

5.4 

8.2 

3.1

5.2

5.5

10.3 

7.9 

30.7

15.5 

23.6

April

9

5.4 

3.3 

4.2 

7.0

3.5

4.4

14.8 

7.8 

8.2

10.8

. 1-8

3.3

1.6 

2.0

4.6 

0.8

2.2

13.0 

11.4

(<*)

2.8 

10.2

4.2 

2.6 

4.5

3.1

7.0 

2.6 

3.2 

3.8

5.9

4.0 

7.1 

3.0

4.7

.....

10.2

7.8 

30.3

14.7 

23.0

10

5.6 

3.1 

3.9 

6.5

3.5

4.4

14.8 

7.7 

8.9

10.5

1.7

.....

1.4 

1.7

4.4 

0.7

2.0

12.3 

10.5

(<*)

2.8 

10.2

4.2 

2.6 

3.8

3.0

7.0 

2.6 

3.1

3.8

5.6

5.0 

6.0

5.5

10.1 

7.8 

29.9

14.9 

22.6

11

5.6 

3.0 

3.8 

6.3

3.4

4.3

14.7

7.7 

9.0

10.5

2.5

3.0

1.1 

1.6

4.5 

1.2

2.0

12.3 

10.3

2.8 

10.2

4.2 

2.6 

4.2

2.8

7.0 

2.5 

3.1

3.7

5.7

7.0 

6.6 

8.6

8.7

10.2 

8.9 

29.0

15.4 

22.3

12

5.6 

2.9 

4.5 

6.5

3.5

4.4

15.0 

7.8 

9.2

11.2

2.9

a. 5

1.7 

1.9

5.4 

2.1

2.5

13.0 

11.1

(<*)

3.8 

11.0

5.4 

2.9 

4.2

3.0

7.3 

2.9 

3.2 

4.2

5.9

6.7 

9.0 

4.0

8.0

10.4 

8.0 

28.3

15.8 

22.0

13

5.3 

3.3 

4.5

7.4

3.5

4.7

15.2

8.0 

9.8

11.4

2.7

3.5

1.8 

2.1

5.3 

1.6

2.5

12.8 

11.0

(<*)

4.3 

11.3

8.0 

5.2 

9.8

4.2

8.0 

8.6 

4.4 

4.1

5.9

5.8 

10.5 

4.5

8.6

.....

10.6 

8.2 

27.6

15.9 

21.7

14

5.2 

3.0 

4.2 

7.5

3.4

5.2

15.2

8.6 

10.0

11.7

2.6

4.9

2.8 

2.8

5.2 

1.7

2.0

14.8 

12.2

3.8 

11.0

7.7 

6.7 

17.9

11.7

12.0 

7.2 

4.4 

4.5

5.8

8.7 

11.9 

4.3

9.7

.....

10.6 

8.2 

27.0

16.0 

21.4

15

5.2 

2.7 

4.1

7.5

3.5

6.0

15.6 

8.2 

11.2

12.4

2.3

4.6

3.2

3.4

5.7 

1.7

2.0

14.7 

12.9

(<*)

3.8 

10.9

6.0 

6.0 

14.3

11.7

14.0 

7.8 

9.6 

6.1

10.7

7.6 

12.1 

4.0

7.8

.....

10.7 

8.2 

26.0

16.2 

21.1

Stage.

«12.7 

15.2 

«22.0 

31.9

10.5

«13.4

23.6 

«18.7 

«25.2

23.8

16.2

«8.2

5.6 

9.7

17.4

16.2

51.8

46.5

«26.0

20.4 

19.5

15.0 

14.5 

36.5

27.5

34.8 

19.4 

15.0 

21.3

42.8

22.9

37.8 

34.1

29.0

34.6

«34.6 

38.3 

«31.2

«31.2 

31.0

Crest

Date.

Mar. 26 

...do..... 

...do..... 

Mar. 27

Mar. 28

Mar. 27

...do..... 

Mar. 28 

...do.....

...do....

Mar. 27

Mar. 28

Mar. 27 

...do.....

...do.....

Mar. 28

Mar. 27 

...do.....

Mar. 25

Mar. 28 

...do.....

Mar. 27 

Mar. 28 

...do.....

...do.....

...do..... 

Mar. 27 

...do..... 

...do.....

Mar. 28

Mar. 25 

Mar. 26 

Mar. 27

Mar. 26

...do.....

Mar. 27 

Mar. 28 

Apr. 5

Mar. 27 

Mar. 30

Time.

12.00m.... 

5.00p.m.. 

8.00a.m... 

6.30a.m...

7.00a.m...

5.00p.m...

7.00p.m.. 

8.00a.m... 

8.00a.m...

11.00a.m..

3.00p.m..

8.00a.m...

2.00p.m... 

During

night. 

6.00a.m...

12.00m....

Early 

morning.

2.00p.m...

5.00a.m... 

6.00a.m...

8.00p.m... 

10.00p.m.. 

Early 

morning.

2.00 a. m. . .

4.00p.m... 

6.00p.m... 

3.00p.m... 

D uring 

night.

12.00m....

12.00m.... 

11.00a.m.. 

1.30p.m...

1.00a.m...

3.00a.m...

7.00a.m... 

5.00a.m... 

8.00a.m...

7.00a.m... 

7.00a.m...

No.

1 

2 

3 

4

5

6

7 

8 

9

10

11

12

13 

14

15 

16

17

18 

19

20

21 

22

23 

24 

25

26

27 

28 

29 

30

31

32 

33

34

35

36

37 

38 

39

40 

41

Highest recorded, may not be crest.
28 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

TABLE 5. Gage height, in feet, at stations on streams

No.

42 

43

44 

45

46

47

48 

49 

50 

51

Kiver and station.

White, West Branch 

E Hist on, Ind. 

White, East Branch

Cumberland: 

Celina, Term......

French Broad. Asheville, N. C. 

Tennessee: 

Knoxville, Term . .

Florence, Ala..... 

Johnson ville, Tenn

March.

20

6.2

13.7 

28.5

32.1 

1.8

4.8 

17.5 

17.5 

25.4

21

.6.0

9.9 

23.4

30.9 

1.2

4.2 

13.1

18.5 

26.3

22

7.4

10.5 

21.5

29.7 

2.4

4.5 

12.9 

18.0 

27.5

23

8.0

9.9 

17.4

24.4 

1.8

4.8 

12.9 

16.0 

28.0

24

11.8

8.8

11.2 

17.5

20.6 

1.5

4.2 

12.3 

13.7

28.5

25

23.8

21.6

10.7 

16.2

20.1 

1.6

3.5 

11.2 

12.0 

28.4

26

27.8

29.5

22.0 

25.0

31.6 

2.1

3.2 

10.1 

10.7 

29.4

27

31.3

37.0

38.8 

39.3

47.3 

5.2

7.3 

13.3 

13.7 

32.1

28

30.4

42.2

45.2 

42.7

50.5 

4.0

20.9 

25.4 

14.0 

33.0

29

28.6

41.7

46.2 

42.8

50.5 

4.3

20.1 

31.2 

15.7 

33.3

30

26.5

39.6

48.2 

43.5

49.6 

3.3

12.1 

33.1 

16.0

32.7

31

24.1

36.8

47.9 

44.4

49.3

2.5

7.8 

32.9 

16.5 

32.1

April.

1

23.0

33.8

44.7 

44.8

49.1 

2.0

5.7 

26.9 

17.2 

31.3

2

22.4

30.5

38.6 

44.9

49.1 

1.6

4.7 

17.1 

17.7 

30.5
HISTOEY OF THE FLOOD. 

tributary to Ohio River for flood of March-April, 1913 Continued.

29

April.

3

20.2

28.0

19.6 

44.8

49.1 

1.6

4.0 

12.5 

17.9 

30.6

4

19.8

26.8

10.2 

44.1

49.0 

1.4

3.4

10.9 

17.6 

30.9

5

20.0

25.2

8.7 

40.0

48.8 

1.4

3.2 

9.9

15.3 

31.4

6

19.6

22.5

7.8 

27.5

46.5 

1.2

3.0 

9.2 

11.5 

31.7

7

18.7

21.1

7.3 

15.3

38.2 

1.1

2.7 

8.5 

9.1 

31.4

8

17.0

20.9

6.9

12.5

29.3 

1.0

2.5 

8.0 

7.7 

30.0

9

16.0

19.7

6.3 

11.8

23.7 

1.0

2.4 

7.6 

7.0 

27.5

10

17.6

19.0

5.7 

11.4

20.6 

0.9

2.3

7.2 

6.3 

25.9

11

18.6

18.0

6.5 

13.8

19.1 

1.7

2.3 

6.9 

6.0 

25.4

12

21.7

17.4

7.0 

13.0

19.6 

3.7

2.4 

6.8 

5.9 

23.7

13

22.6

17.9

7.2 

12.0

17.5 

3.5

2.9 

6.7 

5.5 

21.8

14

22.9

19.3

7.4 

11.8

15.9 

2.7

4.2 

7.0 

5.2 

19.9

15

22.0

19.9

8.1 

11.6

14.7 

2.8

4.4 

7.8 

5.2 

18.0

Crest.

Stage.

031.3

42.2

48.6 

44.9

50.9 

o5.2

21.6 

33.3 

olS.5 

33.3

Date.

Mar. 27

Mar. 28

Mar. 30 

Apr. 2

Mar. 28 

Mar. 27

Mar. 28 

Mar. 30 

Mar. 21 

Mar. 29

Time.

7.00a.m...

7.00a.m...

2.30p.m... 

7.00a.m...

5.00p.m... 

8.00a.m...

3.00p.m... 

12.00 m... 

7.00a.m... 

7.00a.m...

No.

42

43

44 

45

46

47

48 

49 

50 

51

Highest recorded; may not be crest.
SO THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MABCH-APKIL, 1913.

It should be noted that at Cairo the flood of March-April, 1913, 

was 0.8 foot higher than the previous maximum (54.0 feet April 6-7, 

1912), and 3.0 feet higher than the 1884 flood, whereas at Paducah 

the 1913 flood surpassed the previous maximum, the 1884" flood, by 

only 0.1 foot. It is also interesting to note that at Cairo the flood of 

1912 was 2.2 feet higher than the flood of 1884, whereas at Paducah 

the flood of 1912 was 4.4 feet lower than that of 1884.

The distinguishing feature of the recent flood at and below Evansville is the long duration of the stage. (See PL IV, p. 24.) The maximum stage at Cairo occurred on April 4 and 8, 1913, and during these 

five days the stage was within 0.1 foot of the maximum.

The daily discharge during the recent flood at six stations on Ohio 

Eiver is given in Tables 13 and 14 (pp. 52, 66), and summaries of the 

flood-flow records are given in Tables 15, 16, and 17 (pp. 75, 78, 80). 

Unfortunately it is impossible to give discharge data for the tributaries 

because practically no discharge rating tables are available which 

cover the extremely high stages reached during this flood. The 

study of the distribution of the run-off over the drainage basin and 

the effect of the various tributaries on the main stream will have to 

be made from the rainfall map (Plate III, p. 20), the gage-height 

records on the tributaries, and the discharge data at the six stations 

on the main stream.

The maximum daily discharge during the 1913 flood at the six 

stations given in Table 17 (p. 80) ranged from 448,000 second-feet 

(18.1 second-feet per square mile) at Wheeling, W. Va., to 769,000 

second-feet (8.49 second-feet per square mile) at Louisville, Ky. The 

maximum daily rate of flow was greater at Catlettsburg, Ky., than 

at Cincinnati, Ohio, 151 miles farther downstream, and was greater 

at Louisville, Ky., than at Evansville, Ind., 183 miles below. These 

are not necessarily inconsistencies, however, and are due mainly to 

differences in channel capacity.

The total discharge for the flood ranged from 252,000 million cubic 

feet at Wheeling to 1,210,000 million cubic feet at Evansville. It 

will be noted (PL III) that the run-off from the area over which the precipitation was more than 10 inches enters the Ohio above Louisville.

The discharge is more fully discussed on pages 47-84 and a complete statement of the enormous damage caused by this flood is 

presented on pages 84-87.

Typical street scenes in Hamilton, Ohio, during and after the flood 

are shown in Plate VII. Plates VIII and IX show flood views of 

Wheeling, W. Va., and Belpre, Ohio.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE V

I

MARCH

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 I 2 3

APRIL 

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 17 16 19 20 21 2Z 23 24 25

MT.CAffM£L,/LL.

MT.IT/f/VOM.WD.

CLAP.KSV/LLE, T£AW.

JOHNSONVfLLE, TENN\

FLOOD HYDROGRAPHS (GAGE HEIGHTS) FOR STATIONS ON OHIO RIVER AND TRIBUTARY STREAMS DURING THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

The hydrographs are, as a rule, arranged in downstream order and those for tributaries are grouped above the Ohio River hydrograph for the station most affected by the flow from 

the tributaries. Note that Scioto River is tributary to the Ohio below Portsmouth, the Miami below Cincinnati, and the Wabash below Mount Vernon. The hydrographs 

of these tributaries were arranged out of their natural place to show the effect, if any, of the flow from these tributary streams upon Ohio River stages at the points mentioned, 

even though they enter below these points. Crests are indicated by vertical arrows, danger line stages by horizontal arrows. For gage heights see Tables 4 and 5, pages 25, 26.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE VII

A. HIGH STREET, HAMILTON, OHIO, AT DAYBREAK MARCH 26, 1913. 

Note the height of flood on posts of boulevard lights.

S. SAME STREET AFTER THE FLOOD. 

Looking toward Miami River.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE VIII

A. "THE ISLAND," WHEELING, W. VA., DURING THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913. 

"The Island" is the chief residential section of Wheeling.

B. VIEW LOOKING NORTH ON MARKET STREET, WHEELING, W. VA., FROM BALTIMORE & OHIO 

RAILROAD VIADUCT, DURING THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

Corner of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad station at extreme right.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE IX

BELPRE, OHIO, DURING THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.
THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MABCH-APBIL, 1913. 31

FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1907. 

CAUSES.

The flood of March-April, 1907, was caused by excessive rains and 

melting snow on the drainage areas above Pittsburgh, and by heavy 

rains on the tributaries that enter the Ohio from the north below 

Pittsburgh. These conditions produced the high stage at Pittsburgh and high stages on all the northern tributaries. This flood 

may be briefly described as an up-river rise which passed down the 

river on top- of bank-full or more than bank-full stages at all points, 

which were produced, primarily, by floods from the northern tributaries and, to a lesser extent, by medium floods on the southern 

tributaries. The soil had been saturated by a flood in January, and 

the high temperatures during the rain of March 4-14 had decidedly 

increased the run-off by melting the snow on the ground.

*

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE.

The daily and total precipitation for the period March 4-14, 1907, 

which caused the peak rise of the flood of March-April, 1907, are 

shown in Table 6, but not the entire amount of precipitation which 

caused the whole flood. The totals, therefore, are not comparable 

with the total discharge during the flood as given in Tables 15 and 

16 (pp. 75, 78). The stations are the same as those used for Table 3, 

where records were available, otherwise the nearest stations maintained during the period were used. The numbers show corresponding stations. This table is chiefly valuable for comparison with 

Tables 3 and 9, which show the rainfall for the floods of 1913 and 1884, 

respectively, at the same points. No rainfall map was made for this 

flood.

TABLE 6. Precipitation, in inches, at selected stations in or near Ohio River basin,

Mar. 4-14, 1907.

No.

1

3

S

6

7

8

9

in

11i?,

13

Ohio.

Toledo...............

Circleville............

Indiana.

South Bend ».. ......

Terre Haute. . .......

Anderson............

4

T.

0.25

5

T.

0.05

T.

T.

.04

.04

.60

T.

6

T.

0.02

T.

T.

T.

T.

7

0.20

.03

T.

.12

.04

.10

.12

.05

.05

T.

T.

8

0.01

.03

T.

.04

T.

March

9

0.05

.09

T.

.16

T.

10

0.23

.28

.18

.35

.25

.12

.29

.25

.38

.11

.26

11

0.05

.02

.03

.05

12

0.20

Fjrq

.95

.32

.41

2.60

.82

.61

.41

.15

1.02

1.22

13

0.21

3

JE

2.33

.31

.36

4.59

3.10

1.98

1.67

1.68

.10

.46

2.10

14

T.

ft QO

.01

.01

T.

.01

.18

.67

.41

.32

T.

Total.

0.84

5.63

3.58

1.16

1.06

7.82

4.46

2.96

2.72

2.70

.51

2.40

3.58

Near Notre Dame.
THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MABCH-APKIL, 1913.

TABLE 6. Precipitation, in inches, at selected stations in or near Ohio River basin, 

Mar. 4-14, 1907 -Continued.

No.

14

15 

16

17

18 

19

20

21 

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37 

38

39

Indiana Continued. 

Fort Wayne .........

Evansvifle.. . ........ 

Indianapolis.

Elliston.. ............

Madison .............

fWashington\ »,- \Paoli jMean«.

Illinois. 

La SaUe. ............

Peoria............... 

Chicago..............

Cairo................

Kentucky. 

Maysville. ...........

Falmouth...........

Frankfort............

Tennessee.

Missouri. 

St. Louis. ...........

Michigan. 

Detroit..............

Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh.... . ...... 

Erie.................

West Virginia. 

Parkersburg.........

4

"6." i2"

.05 

.10

.10

19

T.

.23

19

T.

.01 

.01

.01

5

0.54 

.03

.01

.02

.40

.14

.52

.49

.09

.26

.18

.06 

.01

.05

6

0.47

T.

.01 

T.

T.

.19

.04

08

.20

T.

T. 

T.

7

0.03

.03 

.01

.25 

.29

.02

T.

.06

T.

.03

.30

.18

.27

.23

.44

46

.71

.55

T.

T.

.03 

.12

.03

8

0.05

T.

.02

.06

fl4

.12

.11 

.12

.01

March

9

 0.26 

.13

.07 

(6)

.20

.60 

.05

cn

.54

.28

45

T.

.02

At)

.22

.01 

.02

10

0.37

.2 

.21

.31 

.34

.04

.11

.10

.01

.71

.33

.64

1.01

.48

.22

.49

.74

.18

.05

.66

.25 

T.

.45

11

T. 

0.30

1.55

.02

.25 

.05

.73

.05

.03

.06

.51

12

0.55

.43 

.96

2.35 

.58

.05

.13

.01

.81

T.

.16

.91

.70

.13

.78

.11

T.

.17

.25

.02

.57 

.11

1.16

13

0.62

1.73 

1.19

.75 

3.24

.01

.06 

.06

.08

1.58

1.68

1.08

1.42

.69

2.03

.35

.65

.12

.04

.80

1.53 

.33

.91

14

0.05

.32

1.50

.48

1.42

1.00

.04

1.48

.80

1.11

.70

.01

.32

.34 

.12

1.13

Total.

1.62

3.12 

2.92

5.87 

4.90

.34

1.27 

.23

2.43

2.35

4.85

3.67

4.97

3.60

4.58

2.98

1.75

2.50

1.27

.34

2.10

2.91

.82

3.77

a Near Shoals. 6 Amount Included In following day.

The areas of greatest rainfall are indicated indirectly by the hydrographs of the Ohio River and its more important tributaries presented 

in Plate XI (p. 34). These areas are at the headwaters above Pittsburgh, on the tributaries that enter the river from the north below 

Pittsburgh, and in the northern section of Kentucky. The temperature during and preceding the heavy rain was much above normal, so that the snow on the ground melted quickly and ran rapidly 

into the streams during the period of maximum rainfall. The rainfall over West Virginia and eastern Kentucky, drained by Kanawha, 

Guyandotte, and Big Sandy rivers, was not heavy.
FLOOD OP MAECH-APKIL, 1907. 33 

GENERAL FEATURES.

There were two floods on Ohio River during 1907, the first in January and the second in March. The January flood had hardly passed 

into the Mississippi before the rains that were to cause the second 

flood began over the headwaters of the Ohio. The two floods differed 

materially in character, in that the January flood was very moderate 

above the mouth of the Kanawha, while the March flood was very 

much the reverse. Stages beyond all previous records were reached 

at Pittsburgh and on Youghiogheny River. The conditions preceding 

the precipitation above Pittsburgh for the two floods did not differ 

greatly, except that immediately preceding the rains of March 13 

and 14 the ground was covered with from 4 to 8 inches of moist, heavy 

snow, while in January there was no snow immediately preceding the 

rains. The rainfall was somewhat greater during the January flood, 

but in March differences in distribution combined with the high 

temperatures and the rapid melting of the snow over the Allegheny, 

Kiskiminitas, and Youghiogheny basins produced a volume of water 

that more than compensated for the deficiency in precipitation. The 

greater part of the heavy rains fell on March 13 and 14, when the snow 

on the Allegheny and Monongahela, under the influence of abnormally 

high temperatures, was melting rapidly and running into the streams. 

From the mouth of the Kanawha to the Scioto the stages of the two 

floods were practically the same; below the mouth of the Scioto the 

March stages were 1 to 5 feet lower than those in January, on account 

of the small amount of water contributed by Kanawha, Guyandotte, 

and Big Sandy rivers, in whose basins in West "Virginia and eastern 

Kentucky the rainfall was comparatively light.

An examination of the rainfall and gage recoids shows that the 

March flood at Pittsburgh can be attributed to the enormous volume 

of water caused by the excessive rains and melting of snow on March 

12-14 over the Kiskiminitas and Youghiogheny basins. The Monongahela contributed largely, but no water of consequence came from 

the Allegheny above the Kiskiminitas. The crest stage at Pittsburgh was 35.5 feet, exceeding by half a foot all previous records and 

the 1913 crest stage by 5.1 feet. The flood of 1907 established the 

fact that a disastrous flood can occur at Pittsburgh without the aid 

of Allegheny River above the Kiskiminitas.

From the mouth of Beaver River to Parkersburg, W. Va., the flood 

was remarkable for the rapidity of the increase in stage. From 

Parkersburg to Cairo the conditions were similar to those which prevailed in the January flood except that the maximum stages below 

Portsmouth were from 1 to 5 feet lower than in January.

An examination of Plate XI shows that Muskingum, Scioto, Miami, 

and Wabash rivers, all tributaries from the noith, were at more than 

.3833° WSP 334 13 3
34 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

ordinary flood stages, and the southern tributaries were at comparatively low flood stages. Note the stages of the Kanawha at Charleston, Big Sandy at Louisa (probably affected by backwater after 

March 15), the Licking at Falmouth, the Kentucky at Fiankfort, 

the Green at Lock No. 2 (under backwater), and the Cumberland and 

Tennessee at Clarksville and Johnsonville, respectively. The low 

stages on the southern tributaiies had much to do with decieasing 

the flood stage below Portsmouth, as large volumes of water passed 

from the main Ohio into the lower reaches of the southern tributaries, 

thus decreasing the maximum stages along the Ohio.

The Pittsburgh Flood Commission, in its report, states that if the 

43 reservoirs investigated had been in operation above Pittsburgh the 

crest stage at Wheeling during the flood of March-April, 1907, would 

have been reduced 14.5 feet, which would have made the stage 35.6 

feet or 0.4 foot below the danger line.

Much of the discussion both for and against the use of reservoirs 

for flood prevention has been based largely on philosophic speculation, 

and many arguments have been advanced in substantiation of preconceived opinions, but as the conclusions of the Pittsburgh Flood 

Commission are based on careful studies they should be given full 

consideration in systematic investigations of flood control.

STAGE AND DISCHARGE.

Tables 7 and 8 give daily gage heights taken from records of the 

United States Geological Survey, the United States Weather Bureau, 

and the United States Engineer Corps, for periods sufficiently long 

to cover the entire flood of March-April, 1907. Graphic representations of these gage heights appear on Plates X and XI. The gage 

heights represent one reading each day taken about 7 or 8 a. m. So 

far as records were available the stations used are the same as those 

used for Tables 4 and 5.

TABLE 7. Gage height, in feet, at stations on Ohio River during flood of March-April,

1907.

Date.

Mar. 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10'

^.

 §

9

S

5.0

5.2

6.1

7.7

6.5

5.4

5.2

4.9

4.7

5.3

es

S

58 Q.

fS

1

PC

8.6

9.1

10.2

12.0

11.3

10.2

9.8

9.,3

8.8

9.2

03

£

bo

3

1

^

8.1

8.3

9.2

10.4

11.4

10.3

9.6

9.2

8.8

8.5

S3

£

t£

f!

E

1§P*

10.0

9.8

10.4

10.9

12.0

12.0

11.1

10.7

10.0'

9.6

03

^

.

^.

1

J

PH

.1

0

OH

12.4

13.7

14.7

14.9

16.5

16.8

15.7

14.5

13.4

13.3

h?

^

^

be

a

H

18.0

19.8

20.4

22.9

22.8

22.2

21.6

20.4

19.2

19.^

£

h?M

1

£

Is

0

19.0

20.6

23.0

24.0

23.8

23.0

22.5

21.4

20.0

J9.9

o

id

0

1e%S

19.5

21.2

24.0

25.4

25.2

24.4

24.0

23.0

21.7

21.0

w

S

^

f

S

19.3

20.2

23.2

24.9

25.3

25.0

24.4

23.7

22.5

21.8

.g

O

"s

c

1o

22.3

22.8

25.6

27.7

28.6

28.9

28.3

27.7

26.6

25.3

W

-.

= |

 'S

0?^>

O

^

22.4

23.2

24.5

26.6

28.9

29.8

29.4

28.4

27.4

26.6

 6

S

a

>

i

w

20.5

22.3

23.9

24.7

25.4

26.3

27.2

27.8

27.8

27.5

 6

aHH

cf

e

e«

io

19.0

20.8

22.1

23.6

24.7

25.5

26.0

26.6

27.2

26.5

w'

 S

y

s o

Pw

21.3

24.0

26.8

29.0

30.5

31.4

31.8

32.3

32. &

32.6

^

S

.§

03

O

29.1

30.8

32.7

34.5

35.8

36.5

37.0

37.4

37.7

37.8
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE X

8 9 10 II 12 13 14 IS 16 17 18 19 eo ai 23 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 I 234 5 6 7 8 9 10 II

PT.PLEASAN7

milts) 

HUNTtNSr

PORTSMOUTH 

(3S$mil*9>

MAYSVILLS. 

{407miles)

MT. VEKNON 

f923 miles) 

PADUCAH 

<(&4 mites)

FLOOD HYDROGRAPHS (GAGE HEIGHTS) FOR 15 STATIONS ON OHIO RIVER DURING THE

FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1907.

Shows the distance of each station below Pittsburgh and the danger line (indicated by horizontal arrows) 

at each station. For gage heights see Table 7, page 34.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 834 PLATE XI

HAMILTON, OHIO

FALMOUTH, KY.

\

/V£P/VA/A/,4TY /14///3

FRANKFORT, KY.

4.0VISWU.E, KY, 

LOCK No. 2, KY.

eVAAt$WU£,/NO.

M&VNTCAKMfL,ILL>

MOVNrVERNON,INO. 

CUMKSVtLLE,TENN.

JQHNSONVILLE.TENH.

PA&UCAH, KY. 

CHESTER, (U

MOUNT VCftNOfyfND 

CAIRO, /U.

MARCH 

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FLOOD HYDROGRAPHS (GAGE HEIGHTS) FOR STATIONS ON OHIO RIVER AND TRIBUTARY STREAMS DURING THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1907.

The hydrographs are, as a rule, arranged in downstream order and the tributaries are grouped above the Ohio River station on which the flow from the tributaries has the 

most effect. As far as possible the stations and tributaries are the same as those shown on Plate V, but the station at Columbus on the Scioto takes the place of the ChillJcothe station, and the Dayton station replaces the Hamilton station on the Miami, as there is no record at Chillicothe for 1907 and only three daily readings at Hamilton 

for 1907. Scioto River is tributary to the Ohio below Portsmouth, the Miami below Cincinnati, and the Wabash below Mount Vernon. The hydrographs of these tributaries are arranged out of their natural place to show the effect, if any, of the tributary streams upon Ohio River stages at the stations mentioned, even though the streams 

are tributary below these stations. Danger line stages indicated by horizontal arrows. For gage heights see Tables 7 and 8, pages 34, 36.
FLOOD OP MAECH-APRIL, 1907. 35

TABLE 7. Gage height, in feet, at stations on Ohio River during flood of March-April,

1907 Continued.

Date.

Mar. 11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Apr. 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Crest:

Stage.

Date.

Time.

03 

AH

ji%

AH

5.6

9.8

12.7

30.8

35.1

22.8

15.7

13.4

12.5

21.0

20.2

15.6

11.8

10.1

9.3

8.2

7.9

9.3

11.0

10.5

9.3

35.5

15

5

a.m.

03

AH

i0 i

iw

9.5

13.0

17.9

47.1

37.8

25.8

20.5

19.1

26.7

29.7

23.4

18.7

15.7

14.6

13.2

14.6

17.6

19.1

18.4

16.0

47.1

15

(a)

03

*

s

<B

^

9.3

9.5

17.5

37.9

47.8

48.9

38.0

27.9

22.8

25.1

31.8

29.3

23.0

17.9

15.8

13.9

13.0

16.5

18.9

19.7

18.0

50.1

15

0

p.m.

£

*

"§

 g

AH

11.9

12.2

18.0

37.0

48.1

51.4

50.9

43.6

40.0

35.0

34.2

34.7

32.0

26.0

20.4

16.6

14.5

13.4

16.1

19.1

19.4

51.6

16

2.30

p.m.

i!I

s

.a

AH

15.8

18.4

22.7

34.3

46.4

52.4

54.7

54.8

52.7

48.7

44.9

42.7

40.5

36.8

31.3

25.1

20.0

16.9

16.5

19.0

20.7

54.8

18

(0)

03

a"

1W

21.7

23.1

28.0

36.6

48.4

55.2

57.9

58.4

57.2

54.5

50.6

47.7

45.5

43.0

37.7

31.6

26.0

21.0

20.4

22.0

23.0

58.4

18

/g\

M

I

0

22.5

23.8

28.6

37.2

49.0

57.2

59.8

60.4

59.6

56.4

52.3

49.0

47.0

44.0

39.6

33.5

27.2

23.8

20.5

21.9

24.0

60.4

18

1

O

tffl

*AH

23.6

24.9

31.5

39.5

52.2

58.6

60.5

60.8

59.8

58.1

55.6

52.4

51.0

46.8

40.0

36.6

31.3

25.8

22.3

22.2

24.0

60.8

18

£

fi

1

3

22.8

24.4

31.0

39.7

48.2

55.1

58.3

59.2

59.0

57.8

55.1

52.9

50.5

47.6

44.8

40.3

34.8

29.1

24.6

22.2

23.0

59.2

18

/0\

o

|

0

26.3

27.3

41.0

50.3

54.1

57.6

60.2

61.6

62.1

61.3

59.8

57.5

54.8

52.3

49.4

45.7

41.0

35.3

30.1

26.3

24.7

62.1

18

11

p.m.

M

= 1

«£

sj

o

^

27.3

27.4

36.9

48.5

54.4

57.0

58.7

60.1

61.2

61.5

61.2

60.4

58.9

56.8

54.4

51.4

47.7

42.9

37.0

31.0

26.1

61.6

20

10.30

a. m.

 9

?

1

H

27.3

27.2

27.4

31.3

36.3

39.0

40.9

42.0

42.7

43.2

43.5

43.7

43.8

43.6

43.2

42.7

41.9

41.0

39.6

37.8

34.9

31 1

26.7

23.1

21.0

20.1

19.9

19.7

21.2

18.5

17.7

17.6

18.5

19.6

20.1

19.8

43.8

23

(a)

1

a

§kg

|

3

25.7

25.0

26.3

28.8

33.5

36.3

38.8

40.4

41.7

42.7

43.5

44.2

44.8

45.0

45.0

44.6

43.8

43.3

41.8

40.1

37.6

34.5

30.2

25.8

22.3

19.6

18.9

18.7

19.0

18.2

17.5

17.1

17.6

18.5

19.4

19.1

45.0

24-25

(a)

6

1

1

AH

32.0

31.0

30.1

30.8

31.7

33.9

36.0

37.6

38.8

39.8

40.7

41.4

41.9

42.2

42.3

42.2

42.0

41.5

40.7

39.7

38.3

36.5

31.4

27.9

24.7

22.4

21.2

20.9

20.3

19.7

19.6

20.0

20.6

21.0

21.2

42.3

25

(a)

M

$

0

37.5

36.9

36.3

37.1

38.2

39.9

41.5

42.7

43.6

44.3

44.9

45.5

45.9

46.1

46.1

46.0

45.8

45.5

45.1

44.5

43.8

42.8

41.5

OQ Q

37.6

35.0

32.5

31.0

30 4

29.6

29.0

OQ 0

OQ ft

29.3

29.9

30.5

46.2

24

4

p.m.

Highest recorded may not be crest.
TABLE 8. Gage height, in feet, at stations on rivers tributary to Ohio River for f

No.

1

1,

3

4

5

6

7 

8 

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16 

17

18 

19

20

21m,

23

94

w>

26

27 

28

29

Allegheny:

Franklin, Pa. ...........

Monongahela: 

Fairmont, W. Va ........

Lower Lock No. 4, Pa .... 

Upper Lock No. 2, Pa. ... 

Cheat, Rowlesburg, W. Va. .. 

Youghiogheny: 

Confluence, Pa. ..........

Tuscarawas, Canal Dover, 

Ohio.......................

Muskingum: 

Zanesville. Ohio .........

Little Kanawha:

Upper Dam No. 4, W. Va.

Kanawha: 

Kanawha Falls, W. Va . .

Big Sandy, Louisa (Upper 

Lock No.3),Ky. ..........

Miami: 

Dayton, Ohio.. ..........

Kentucky: 

Highbridge.Ky. .........

Green, Upper Lock No. 2, Kyl 

Wabash:

Mount Carmel, 111. .......

1

(«)

M

(«)

4.2

16.9

10.2

11.8 

12.5 

3.1

2.0

3.1

9.5

7.6

5.0

11.7 

4.6

7.7

8.7

00

8.0

2.5

18.4

11.3

15.1

2.8

5.6

2

3.5

1.4

5.8

4.5

16.5

10.0

11.3 

12.5 

3.2

3.3

3.1

9.8

8.1

4.5

11.5 

4.9

7.6

8.5

3.6

9.0

2.5

18.5

12.1

16.1 

2.8

5.5

3

(»)

1.4

6.6

5.4

16.3

11.3

12.7 

13.0

5.4

3.6

4.7

12.1

9.7

'4 9

11.5

6.0

10.0 

11.8

3.6

11.8

4.2

18.4

12.1

16.5 

3.0

5.4

4

(»)

1.4

6.8

6.6

16.9

10.7

13.0 

13.0

4.8

3.2

4.0

12.9

10.9

3.9

11.5 

5.2

9.2 

11.0

3.6

10.0

3.5

17.6

13.1

17.0 

3.2

5.4

5

(»)

1.4

6.8

6.6

16.5

9.7

11.6 

12.6 

4.2

3.1

3.2

11.7

10.2

3.7

11.4

4.4

7.4 

8.4

3.4

8.0

3.1

16.4

12.8

17.6 

3.8

5.3

6

(a)n

6.5

6.2

16.5

9.4

10.6 

12.2 

4.0

3.1

2.9

11.0

9.2

3.5

11.2

4.2

9.2

7.8

3.4

7.0

3.0

14.3

11.6

18.1 

3.8

5.8

7

(a)

1.4

6.3

5.7

16.4

9.1

10.4 

12.0 

3.8

3.0

2.6

10.4

8.6

3.9

11.2 

4.2

6.2 

7.4

3.2

7.0

2.9

13.2

9.3

19.1

3.8

6.2

8

(a)

1.4

5.9

5.1

16.3

8.9

9.9 

11.7 

3.9

2.8

2.5

10.1

8.3

3.9

11.1

4.2

6.0 

7.3

3.0

9.0

2.8

13.2

9.0

19.4 

3.6

7.9

March.

9

3.2

1.4

5.6

5.0

16.9

9.7

10.2 

11.8 

4.0

3.0

3.1

10.0

8.0

3.8

11.1

4.8

7.2 

7.6

3.0

11.0

2.8

13.3

9.0

19.3 

3.4

8.4

10

3.2

1.4

5.2

4.9

16.8

10.0

11.4 

12.4 

3.9

2.6

2.9

9.8

7.9

4.3

11.1 

4.6

7.5 

8.3

14.5

3.0

13.0

2.8

13.5

9.0

18.7 

3.2

8.4
30 

31 

32 

33

34 

35 

36 

37

No.

1 

2 

3 

4

5 

6

7 

8 

9

10 

11 

12

13 

14

15 

16 

17

18 

19 

20

21 

22

Cumberland:

French Broad, Asheville, N. C. 

Tennessee:

River and station.

Allegheny:

Warren,!^.............

Franklin, Pa.. ..........

Monongahela: 

Fairmont, W. Va. ......

Lower Lock No. 4, Pa. .. 

Upper Lock No. 2, Pa. . . 

Cheat, Kowlesburg, W . Va . . 

Youghiogheny :

Tuscarawas, Canal Dover. 

Ohio......................

Muskingum:

Little Kanawha: 

Creston. W. Va.........

Upper Dam No. 4, W. Va . 

New, Hlnton, W. Va .......

Kanawha: 

Kanawha Falls, W. Va. . 

Charleston, W. Va ......

Big Sandy, Louisa (Upper 

LockNo.3),Ky..........

Scioto, Columbus, Ohio ..... 

Licking, Falmouth, Ky..:..

30.9 

33.2 

40.0 

.0

4.3 

10.4

7.7 

10.0

30.0 

37.3

42.7 

.4

6.5 

12.3 

12.5 

15.6

30.9 

38.9 

45.0 

1.0

8.0 

17.2 

14.0 

21.6

31.5 

38.5 

45.3 

.5

7.8 

18.4 

14.4 

24.4

31.1 

38.4 

44.9 

.2

6.0 

16.9 

14.5 

25.4

26.2

37.7 

44.3 

.1

4.6 

14.5 

14.5 

25.1

19.0 

36.0 

45.0 

.1

4.0 

11.2 

13.6 

24.6

14.7 

33.8 

42.8 

.2

4.0 

9.6 

12.0 

24.0

13.1 

28.9 

41.2 

.1

4.2 

9.5 

9.8 

22.8

1

2

3

2

March.

18

7.8 

6.5 

8.3 

14.2

16.5 

10.1 

12.6 

14.0 

3.8

3.6 

6.6

3.3

25.6 

27.0

4.6 

11.5 

4.0

6.6 

12.8

29.1 

6.5 

9.0

19

7.6 

6.0 

7.5 

14.1

16.4 

9.7 

11.8 

14.2 

3.4

3.6 

6.4

3.0

22.0 

22.6

4.3 

11.2

3.7

5.8 

10.7

28.0 

5.6 

6.5

20

7.9 

6.8 

8.2 

18.4

18.6 

17.3 

22.6 

20.7 

7.8

12.0 

19.4

5.2

24.0 

21.9

11.0 

14.0 

3.5

6.1 

9.1

.25.3 

11.6 

6.0

21

7.5 

6.4 

7.9 

16.0

20.1 

15.2 

21.2 

19.2 

5.8

6.6 

11.5

5.0

23.1 

22.1

12.0 

15.1 

5.2

8.2 

10.8

21.5 

9.0

5.7

22

7.1 

5.5 

7.0 

13.4

17.8 

12.4 

17.1 

16.1 

4.6

4.6

7.4

3.2

21.4 

20.3

6.4 

12.8

4.2

7.5 

9.8

18.4 

7.5 

5.5

23

7.7

5.9 

7.8 

11.5

16.7 

10.4 

13.1 

14.0 

4.0

3.7 

5.7

2.2

20.1 

18.6

5.9 

12.0 

3.5

5.9

7.2

16.1 

5.6 

5.3

24

5.9 

6.5 

11.0

16.1 

9.4 

11.7 

13.3 

3.6

3.4

4.7

1.7

17.3 

16.3

5.0 

11.3 

3.2

5.0 

6.6

13.2 

4.8 

5.0

25

5.7 

6.5 

10.9

15.6 

8.9 

10.0 

12.2 

3.3

3.0 

3.9

14.3 

13.3

4.5 

10.9 

3.0

4.4 

6.0

9.4 

4.3

4.5

26

7.1

5.1 

5.5 

10.0

15.5 

8.5 

9.2 

11.7 

3.0

2.6 

3.3

12.5 

10.9

4.2 

10.7 

2.8

3.9

5.7

6.1 

3.8 

4.0

27

5

5

10

15

8

8

1

2

2

3

1

9

3

10

2

3

5

5

3

3

Frozen. 6 Note time of crest at Pittsburgh, Pa. 
TABLE 8. Gage height, in feet, at stations on rivers tributary to Ohio River for floo

No.

23 

24

25 

26

27

28 

29

30 

31 

32 

33

34 

35 

36 

37

Kiver and station.

Miami:

Kentucky: 

Highbridge.Ky.........

Green, Upper Lock No. 2,Ky. 

Wabash:

Cumberland: 

Celina, Term.. ..........

Clarksville, Tenn .......

FrenchBroad,Asheville,N.C. 

Tennessee:

March.

18

5.0

16.0 

14.9 

31.0

17.2 

21.3

25.2 

31.7 

35.8 

.1

5.0 

11.5 

10.0 

21.8

19

4.6

14.5 

9.8 

31.9

17.3 

22.0

18.9 

31.3 

36.2 

.1

4.5 

10.6 

9.9 

20.7

20

4.6

12.4 

8.6 

32.5

16.8 

22.4

14.1 

28.9 

35.5 

.1

4.0 

9.3 

9.0 

19.4

21

4.5

11.1

32.9

15.8 

22.9

11.6 

24.4 

32.3 

.0

3.7 

8.4 

8.2 

18.2

22

4.1

10.9

33.2

13.8 

23.0

10.0 

19.7 

31.7 

.0

3.4

7.7 

7.5 

17.1

23

3.5

10.8

33.1

11.8 

22.9

8.8 

16.1 

31.4 

.0

3.0 

7.1 

6.5 

15.9

24

3.1

10.7

7.2 

32.8

9.7 

22.2

7.9 

14.0 

24.1 

- .1

2.9 

6.6 

6.0 

14.8

25

2.8

10.7 

7.0 

32.4

8.2 

21.6

7.1 

12.6 

18.0 

- .1

2.7 

6.1 

5.5 

13.9

26

2.8

10.6 

6.9 

31.5

7.2 

19.8

6.5 

11.8 

16.9 

- .2

2.7 

5.9 

5.0 

13.0

27

2

10

6

30

6

17

5

11

13

.

2

5

4

12

a. Maximum recorded may not be crest. 6 Note ti
FLOOD OF 1884. 39

The discharge during the flood of March-April, 1907, at six different points along the river and the volume of water above the 

danger line and above other stages are shown in Tables 16 and 17 

(pp. 78, 80). The maximum daily discharge for the flood of 1907 

ranged from 424,000 second-feet at Wheeling to 633,000 second-feet 

at Louisville; the maximum run-off per square mile ranged from 17.1 

at Wheeling to 5.46 at Evansville. The total volume of water for the 

entire flood varied from 337,000 million cubic feet at Wheeling to 

1,030,000 million cubic feet at Evansville. The number of days the 

flood was above the danger line varied from 4 days at Wheeling to 

16 at Evansville.

FLOOD OF 1884.

CAUSES.

The flood of February, 1884, reached stages at all points on Ohio 

River which have been exceeded at Pittsburgh only by the flood of 

1907, at Cairo by the flood of 1912, and at all points on the Ohio from 

Marietta to Maysville, and at Mount Vernon, Paducah, and Cairo by 

the flood of 1913.

The causes of this flood were precipitation above the normal over 

the southern part of the Ohio basin during the month of January, 

the large amount of snow on the ground at the headwaters and over 

the basin as a whole the latter part of the same month, the impervious condition of the ground due to the unusually low temperatures 

that occurred during January in all sections of the basin, the warm 

weather that occurred the first part of February, and the heavy, 

warm rains that fell from February 3 to 14 throughout the drainage 

basin.

The warm rains melted the snow, and as the ground was frozen 

practically all the water reached the watercourses quickly and thus 

produced the high stages that occurred throughout the length of the 

river.

PBECIPITATION AND TEMPEBATTJBE.

The daily and total precipitation from February 3 to 14, 1884, the 

period of rainfall that caused the peak rise, are shown in Table 9 

(p. 41), but not the entire amount of precipitation that caused the 

whole flood. The total precipitation given is not comparable with 

the total discharge during the flood given in Tables 15, 16, and 17 

(pp. 75, 78, 80). The stations used are the same as those used for 

Tables 3 and 6 where records are available. No records were substituted for those at the stations in Table 3 for which no records for 

1884 were available.

The scarcity of rainfall records for the period February 3 to 14 

has made the preparation of a rainfall map extremely difficult, but 

the distribution of the 12 days' rain is shown on Plate XII, which
40 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

represents the drainage area of Ohio River, including the principal 

streams, towns, rainfall and gaging stations, and lines of equal rainfall for the period.

The temperature during January was very low. In Ohio the 

mean for the month was about 10° below normal; in Kentucky the 

mean broke all previous low records; and in Tennessee the mean was 

the lowest in 20 years. The lowest temperature recorded in Tennessee was 16° below zero; in Ohio the minimum recorded was 

34° below zero; and in Indiana 28° was recorded. The rainfall 

map for January, 1884, in the publications of the United States 

Weather Bureau shows that there was a total precipitation of 2 to 4 

inches over practically the entire Ohio basin, 4 to 6 inches on the 

basin of the Allegheny and south of Ohio River, 6 to 8 inches over 

the basins of Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, and more than 8 

inches on a wide belt extending northeastward across central Tennessee. Much of this precipitation was in the form of snow, which? 

owing to the unusually low temperatures during January, was on the 

ground at the end of the month, especially at the higher altitudes at 

the sources of the streams. Near the end of January a warm wave 

extended over that part of the basin adjacent to the river and was 

followed by colder weather. The ground was frozen throughout the 

basin, thus making the soil impervious; there was a large amount of 

snow on the ground; the warm weather and rains the latter part of 

January had melted some of the snow and the water was running 

into the streams. The cold weather the first of February checked 

the run-off considerably in the upper part of the basin, but the warm 

weather and rain began a few days after the 1st and continued to the 

14th. During the period February 3 to 14, as shown by Plate XII, 

the rainfall was more than 4 inches over practically the entire basin, 

while over large parts of the basin in Kentucky and Tennessee 

there were over 6 inches, with records of 8, 8.1, and 8.2 inches at 

three widely separated stations in those States.

GENERAL FEATURES.

An examination of Table 9 (p. 41) shows that there were two 

storms in the period from February 3 to 14, one February 3 to 9 

and the other February 10 to 14. Plate XIII shows the effects of 

these two storms and the thaw and rain the latter part of January. 

Tho effect of the January rain and thaw is shown by the crests that 

occurred at Pittsburgh on February 1, and the effect apparently 

shows as far down as Louisville, where the volume of water from the 

southern tributaries (the Big Sandy, Licking, and Kentucky), and the 

Muskingum and Scioto on the north, had raised the Ohio to flood 

stage. The rains from the 3d to the 9th caused the river at Pittsburgh to rise rapidly, from 11 feet on the 4th to 33 feet on the 6th;
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR WATER-SU(W PAPER 384 PUTE X 11

SOUTH CAROL

80°

25 Q 25 $0 75 1OO 125 ISO 175 ZOO Miles

Rainfall 4n inches Boundary of drainage basin

MAP SHOWING RAINFALL IN OHIO RIVER BASIN, FEB. 3-14, 1884
U. S. OEOUOQICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 384

JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH

27 28 39 30 31 I t 3 4 & 6 7 8 9 10 II 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 30 21 2E 23 24 25 «* 2? « 29 I 234 5 67 6 9 tO II 18

FLOOD HYDROGRAPH8 (GAQE HEIGHTS) FOR 7 STATIONS ON OHIO

Shows the distance of each station balow Pittsburgh and the danger line (indicated

heights see Table 10, page 42. 

RIVER DURING THE FLOOD OF 1884.

by horizontal arrows) at each station. For gage
FLOOD OP 1884. 41

the rise was also very rapid at Wheeling, the stage increasing from 

20 feet on the 4th to 53 feet on the 7th. The hydrographs on Plate 

XIII indicate that the rise caused by the rain of February 3-9 was 

general all along the river and that the run-off from the rain of the 

period from the 10th to the 14th reached the main river before the 

up-river water had entirely passed.

TABLE 9. Precipitation, in inches, at selected stations in or near Ohio River basin,

February 3-14, 1884.

No.

1

2

3

4 

5 

6

7

in

11i?

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20?i

n

23 

24

25

26

37

?£

29

30

31 

32

33

34

35

36

37

38 

39

Station.

Ohio.

T^rtlAfln

Cleveland...... 

Sandusky. .....

Dayton........

Indiana.

Evansville o . .

Illinois.

Springfield..... 

Cairo...........

Kentucky,

Tennessee.

Chattanooga. .. 

Knoxville......

Missouri.

Michigan.

Pennsylvania.

Erie............ 

West Virginia. 

Parkersburg « . .

3

O.C1

QC

 "rp- *

.01 

.13

T

.05

T.

4

0.04

.58

.31 

.20 

1.35

.55

2.13

1.00

.43

.60

.57 

.07

1.23

.89

"."22" 

.04

1.32

.09

.45

.01

5

0.90

55

1.22 

1.04 

1.56

.56

.83

.81

.32

.37 

1.17

.40

2.38

.40

.12

.76

1.05

6

0.28

1.40

.63 

.65 

1.65

1.42

.25

.63

.03

.03 

1.24

1.91

1.73

.04 

.01 

1.73

.37

.21

80

.60

7

0.07

.01 

.05 

.23

.04

.01

T.

.03

.18

.70

.63

3.19 

1.53 

.68

.02

.09

.34

.01

8

0.07

.04 

.06 

T.

.12

id

.09

.10

.01

.16 

.25

T.

1.21 

.78 

.74

.24

.11

.01

.02

9

0.08

.07

.51 

.30 

.06

.17

.31

.12 

.03

.10

.14

.52 

1.97 

.44

.03

.23

.04

.40

10

0.02

"."ii"

.02

.17

.18

.04

.22

.10

.51

.61

.12 

.33

.25

.08

.02

.13

11

0.10

.26

.45 

.83 

.59

.36

.12

.08

1.08

.10

.40 

.11

.97

.60

.01 

.02 

.01

9%

.15

CO

.37

12

0.37

.06

.15 

.32 

.06

.33

.77

1.13

1.14 

.13

.03

.27

"."53"

1.35

.36

.06

.25

13

0.19

.55

.57 

.42 

1.18

.90

1.25

.is

.40 

.43

1.25

.77

1.23 

.61 

1.08

.16

.19

.14

.59

14

0.02

.02 

.04

.02

T.

T.

.05 

.38 

.01

.06

.18

.28

Total.

2.03

3.58

3.92 

3.91 

6.82

4.25

3.84

2.68

3.37

9 d.fi

3.32 

4.12

6.59

6.38 

5.98 

5.51

1.68

3 -11

3.48

a No record.
THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

The part each tributary played in producing the flood of 1884 on 

the Ohio can not be definitely stated, as there are few records of gage 

readings on the main tributaries in that year, but Table 9 and Plates 

XII and XIII indicate general floods throughout the basin. As a 

rule, the tributaries were not so high as during the flood of the previous year, and only the Big Sandy and the Muskingum reached 

record stages. It seems probable that more water came from the 

southern tributaries than from the northern.

It has been concluded without going into a detailed study of the 

subject, which is not warranted in this paper, that the floods on 

practically all the tributaries in 1884 occurred about the same time 

and this caused the channel of the Ohio to be quickly filled to the 

danger line at all points. At the same time the lower reaches of all 

the tributaries were filled so that the water from the upper Ohio had 

no opportunity of flowing into the storage basins sometimes provided 

by the lower stretches of the large tributaries. This also must have 

had a decided effect in producing the extraordinary stages of this 

flood. A brief discussion of these natural reservoirs is presented on 

pages 45-46.

The Pittsburgh Flood Commission states in its report upon flood 

control that if the 43 reservoirs investigated in its studies had been in 

operation at the time of the flood of 1884 the crest stage at Wheeling 

would have been reduced by 13.1 feet, to a stage of 40 feet, or only 4 

feet above the danger line.

STAGE AND DISCHARGE.

The daily gage heights from January 25 to March 12, 1884, at 

stations on Ohio River used in Table 4, so far as available are presented in Table 10. Gage heights at Marietta replace the record at 

Parkersburg. For comparing the stages on tributaries for which 

few records are available, 'Table 9 and Plate XII (p. 40) will be found 

useful.

TABLE 10. Gage height, in feet, at stations on Ohio River during flood of 1884.

Date.

26.............

27.............

28.............

29.............

30.............

31.............

Feb. 1. ............

2.............

4.............

6.............

7.............

8.............

9.............

10.............

Pittsburgh, 

Pa.

3.7

3.4

3.3

3.3

3.1

3.3

0.0

21.0

19.5

11.3

13.0

29.0

31.5

27.0

22.2

18.8

.Wheeling, 

W. Va.

6.8

6.6

7.0

11.0

10.8

8.8

11.9

16.2

29.2

26.0

20.0

21.5

35.0

46.0

47.0

41.2

38.0

Marietta, 

Ohio.

6.5

6.5

6.5

12.2

16.1

18.6

21.0

19.2

24.1

on n,

26.5

28.3

36.2

44.1

47.2

52.8

51.2

Cincinnati. 

Ohio.

18.3

17.5

16.6

16.1

15.8

18.8

30.6

38.4

45.6

49.3

50.1

52.5

58.8

61.6

62.5

63.7

64.8

Louisville, 

Ky. 

(lower).

19.3

18.0

17.8

17.5

15.0

15.8

23.5

34.0

40. C

45.5

48.3

51.6

57.6

62.8

64.1

65.6

65.7

Evansville, 

Tnd.

18.6

17.7

16.8

15.7

14.7

15.7

18.0

24.0

29.0

32.8

36.3

38.3

41.2

42.5

44.2

44.8

45.2

Paducah, 

Ky.

26.7

24.7

24.3

23.3

22.9

22.0

21.8

22.8

24.7

28.1

31.0

33.2

36.3

39.0

41.2

43.1

44.7

Cairo, 111.

27.4

26.8

26.6

26.3

25.7

25.0

25.6

25.6

26.0

28.7

31.8

34.2

37.0

40.3

43.3

43.8

44.9
COMPARISON OF THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY.

TABLE 10. Gage height, in feet, at stations on Ohio River during flood of 1884

Continued.

Date.

Feb. 11.............

12.............

13.............

14.............

15.............

16.............

17.............

18.............

19.............

20.............

21.............

22.............

23.............

24.............

25.............

26..............

27.............

28.............

29.............

Mar. 1... ..........

2.............

3.............

4.............

5.............

6.............

7.............

8.............

9.............

10.............

11.............

12.............

Crest: 

Stage..........

Date...........

Pittsburgh, 

Pa.

17.0

17.4

18.4

17.2

20.6

18.9

14.8

12.8 too

12.8

12.4

12.0

11.5

9

n

8.2

7.5

7.3

6.8

6.3

5.2

4.8

43

4.3

4 1

3.8

3.2

3.9

10.5

15.8

12.9

13. 8

33.3

Feb. 6

Wheeling, 

wTVa.

33.0

29.5

29.0

26.5

30.0

32.5

28.0

22.5

20.8

20.8

20.0

19.3

17.8

15.1

13.5

12.2

11.2

11.2

10.5

9.8

8.4

7.8

7.3

7 S

7.2

7.2

7.0

7.8

16.0

21.0

21.2

53.1

Feb. 7

Marietta. 

Ohio.

48.0

41.2

35.0

34.2

33.5

32.0

29.0

24.0

23.0

22.8

21.7

19.2

18.5

16.0

14.0

13.0

12.0

11.2

10.5

Q 8

8.6

8.0

7.6

7.4

7.2

7.3

8.6

10.0

18.0

23 2

52.8

Feb. 9

Cincinnati, 

Ohio.

66.3

68.2

69.7

71.0

70.2

68.4

66.1

63.5

60.5

58.9

55.9

52.1

48.8

45 4

41.2

37.0

33.0

29.3

26.6

24.5

22.9

21.2

20.6

19.5

18.2

18.0

24.0

31.0

36.5

40.0

46.6

71.1

Feb. 14

Louisville, 

Ky. 

(lower).

66.0

67.1

68.8

70.5

71.7

72.0

71.3

70.1

68.5

67.1

65.2

62.5

59.2

55.7

51.0

46.4

42.6

36.2

31.5

27.1

23.9

22.6

20.5

19.0

18.0

18.0

19.0

24.0

31.5

36.5

42.5

72.0

Feb. 16

Evansville, 

Ind.

45.6

46.1

46.3

46.8

47.2

47.5

47.8

48.0

48.0

47.7

47.5

46.5

46.2

46.0

45.3

43.6

42.5

41.0

38.7

37.6

36.5

32.4

31.7

29.0

26.0

24.0

22.0

21.4

22.2

23.8

30.2

48.8

Feb. 19

Paducah,

Ky.

46.3

47.4

48.6

49.5

50.4

51.2

52.0

52.6

53.6

54.0

54.2

54.2

54.2

53.8

53.5

52.8

52.0

50.9

49.9

48.1

46.2

44.2

41.8

39.3

36.8

35.0

33.6

33.0

33.0

34.4

54.2

Feb. 23

Cairo, 111.

45.8

46.6

47.4

48.2

49.0

49.7

50.3

50.8

51.2

51.5

51.7

51.8

51.8

51.8

51.7

51.5

51.2

50. '7

50.2

49.5

48.6

47.7

46.6

45.2

43.5

41.6

39.8

38.1

36.8

36.1

36.4

51.8

Feb. 22-24

The discharge during the flood at four different points on the Ohio 

is shown in Tables 16 and 17. The maximum daily discharge of the 

flood of 1884 varied from 401,000 second-feet at Wheeling to 792,000 

second-feet at Louisville; the maximum run-off per square mile varied 

from 16.2 second-feet at Wheeling to 6.29 second-feet at Evansville. 

The total discharge for the entire flood period varied from 474,000 

million cubic feet at Wheeling to 1,690,000 million cubic feet at 

Evansville. The stage was above the danger line 4 days at Wheeling, 

19 days at Cincinnati and Louisville, and 28 days at Evansville. The 

discharge in excess of that at danger line and at other stages is discussed on pages 74, 83-84.

COMPARISON OF THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY.

CAUSES.

The direct cause of the floods of March-April, 1913, March-April, 

1907, and February, 1884, was heavy rainfall.

The rain that caused the flood of 1913 was exceptionally heavy 

through the northern part of the basin, amounting to 10 inches or 

more on the divide in northern Ohio. The winter had been mild and
44 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

open, the ground was without snow, was not frozen, and was already 

saturated with water by the heavy rains of January and the rains of 

the first part of March, so that practically the entire rainfall rapidly 

reached the streams. When the rains that caused the flood began 

the river channels were fairly well filled, none of the tributaries being 

low; the main Ohio above Parkersburg was at ordinary stages and 

below Parkersburg at comparatively high stages.

The flood of March-April, 1907, was also caused by heavy rains in 

the northern part of the basin and over the headwaters above Pittsburgh. A flood in January had reached higher stages below Portsmouth than the March flood, so that the soil was saturated and in a 

condition favorable to rapid run-off. The month of February was 

warm and open. There was a heavy snowfa1 ! over the headwaters 

above Pittsburgh, which was melting rapidly, because of the high 

temperature at the time of the greatest rainfall. The main Ohio 

above Huntington was at ordinary stages when the rains began, while 

below Huntington the stage was above ordinary, with stages increasing toward Cairo. The tributaries were, as a rule, at ordinary or low 

stages, with the exception of Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, which 

were above ordinary stages.

The cause of the flood of 1884 was a warm rain throughout the 

main basin, but conditions previous to this flood were different from 

those prior to either of the other two floods. The month of January 

was very cold, with a heavy snowfall throughout the basin, so that at 

the beginning of the rains which produced the flood there were large 

quantities of snow at the headwaters and the ground was frozen solid 

so that no appreciable amount of the rainfall could be absorbed a 

condition as favorable for rapid run-off as that afforded by a saturated 

soil. The Ohio at Pittsburgh was at ordinary stage at the beginning 

of the rain; at Wheeling it was above the ordinary, and thence on 

down the river was at or near flood stages, probably caused by the 

rains and thaw in the later part of January. Below Marietta the high 

stages were probably due to the second period of rain which was 

general throughout the basin. The run-off from this second period 

of rain reached the river before the water from Pittsburgh had entirely 

passed, and produced the maximum stages which occurred all along 

the river during this flood.

The flood of 1913 stands out from its predecessors especially because 

of the exceptional magnitude and intensity of the storms which were 

its- direct cause and because the greatest damage was done along 

tributaries which in the past had not been particularly effective in the 

creation of the floods on Ohio River. The area of maximum rainfall 

represents that part of the basin 'in which the topography and other 

conditions are generally believed to be least favorable to flood control 

by impounding reservoirs alone. Whether or not this is true in proportion to the size of the rivers in this area in Illinois, Indiana, and 

Ohio can be determined only from detailed surveys.
COMPARISON OF THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 45 

PLACE OF ORIGIN.

The flood of 1913 originated in the northern part of the basin, especially in the comparatively small area at the headwaters of Muskingum, Scioto, Miami, and Wabash rivers. The southern tributaries 

contributed a fair proportion of the water in the main stream, but the 

four tributaries above mentioned are responsible for the great damage 

and loss of life and for the high stages reached on the Ohio at and 

below Marietta.

The flood of March-April, 1907, had its origin principally in the area 

above Pittsburgh and in the northern tributaries.

The flood of 1884 was general throughout the basin. (See hydrographs, PI. XIII.) The flood crest occurred at Pittsburgh on February 6, and as it proceeded downstream it apparently rode on top of 

the high stages resulting from the general rain that produced the 

flood at Pittsburgh and was aided and increased by the second period 

of general rain of February 10-14.

PROGRESS.

The difference in the rates of progression of the flood waves during 

the three floods is marked. The crest of the flood of 1913 reached 

Pittsburgh March 28 at 6 a. m. and Cincinnati April 1 at 12 noon, 4 

days and 6 hours later. The crest from Pittsburgh reached Cairo 

April 8 at about 7 p. m., about 11J days later than at Pittsburgh. 

The crest of the flood of March-April, 1907, reached Pittsburgh March 

15 at 5 a. m., Cincinnati on the 18th at 11 p. m., 3 days and 18 hours 

later, and Cairo on the 24th at 4 p. m., 9 days and 11 hours later than 

at Pittsburgh. The flood of 1884 reached its crest at Pittsburgh on 

February 6; at Cincinnati February 14, 8 days later; at Cairo February 

22-24, 17 days later.

RECORD STAGES.

Record stages during the flood of 1913 occurred at Marietta, Parkersburg, Huntington, Catlettsburg, Portsmouth, Maysville, Mount 

Vernon, Paducah, and Cairo. The flood of 1907 produced record 

stages at Pittsburgh and at Beaver Dam. The flood of 1884 still 

holds the record for stages at Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, and 

Evansville. (See Table 11, p. 48.)

The duration of each flood and the number of days each was above 

the danger line and other stages at different points are shown in Table 

16 (p. 78). The duration of each flood is more or less an arbitrary 

value. Effort was made to begin and end each flood period in a welldefined trough at low or medium stages.

EFFECTS OF TRIBUTARIES.

Tributaries either increase the stage of the main river, keep it at a 

high stage, or reduce the stage, the effect depending on the amount 

of water flowing in them. A maximum flood stage on a tributary
46 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APBIL, 1913.

increases the stage on the main stream. Under some conditions the 

stage on the main stream is simply maintained at the same relative 

stage by the flow from a tributary. When a large tributary is at a 

low or relatively low stage, the stage on the main river near the 

mouth of the tributary is reduced very materially for two reasons 

first, a large amount of water passes from the main stream into 

the lower reaches of the tributary, where it is temporarily stored, 

and, second, the tributary is not yielding sufficient water to fill to 

the increased stage the main channel below. The large capacity of 

the channels on the lower reaches of tributaries becomes apparent on 

considering the distances that the flood waters of 1884 would have 

extended, if the tributaries had been empty approximately 33 

miles up the Muskingum and 73 miles up the Kanawha. At 

Louisa, 26 miles up the Big Sandy, there would have been 

a depth of 18 feet on top of the upper pool; the flood would 

have reached about 25 miles up the Licking, 65 miles up the Kentucky, 108 miles up the Green, and at Clarksville, on the Cumberland, 126 miles above its mouth, the stage would have been 12 feet 

on the gage. At Johnsonville, on the Tennessee, 95 miles from its 

mouth, the gage would have read 24 feet. The lower reaches of many 

of the large tributaries at flood stages are of considerable width, 

perhaps 2 or 3 miles.

FUTURE FLOODS.

It has been pointed out that the flood of 1913 was caused by 

storms that progressed from the lower to the upper end of the drainage basin, permitting the water from the lower tributaries to run 

off and get out of the way in the. main stream before the water from 

the upper end of the basin entered the Ohio and reached the part 

affected by the tributaries nearer the mouth. This, fortunately, is 

the general trend of storms in the Ohio Valley, but it must be borne 

in mind that a severe storm whose path would be the reverse that 

is, from the source toward the mouth though not probable, is 

entirely possible. In such a storm the direction of progress would 

be the same as the direction of flow and the magnitude of the resulting disaster can not be predicted. It is also possible that a larger 

area of maximum precipitation than that of the storms of March 

23-27, 1913, may* occur over the Ohio basin and its location could 

be much less fortunate than that of these storms. For example, 

the results if the area of 10-inch precipitation of the storms of March, 

1913, had been central over Portsmouth, instead of being on the 

northern rim of the basin, can be estimated only by extending the 

damage and loss in the congested and comparatively small area of 

the present flood to the lowlands of the entire basin, and probably 

to the lower Mississippi. The condition is not pleasant to contemplate, but it is possible.
COMPARISON OP THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 47

A flood on the Ohio in conjunction with floods on the upper Mississippi and the Missouri, which of course is also possible, as excessive 

rains in this locality are not peculiar to any season, would probably 

produce a calamity on the lower Mississippi unprecedented in the 

history of this or any other country. With this possibility in view 

all who have studied the situation agree that there should be no further 

delay in establishing a complete system of river control that will 

insure systematic cooperation between the National Government,- 

the States, and local interests.

STAGE AND DISCHARGE.

Data for comparing the stage and discharge of the floods in the 

Ohio River valley are presented in Tables 11 to 18, inclusive.

Tables 11 and 12 give the crest stages as determined from the 

available data for the floods of 1884, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1913. The daily gage heights for each of these floods are 

given in Tables 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10 (pp. 25, 26, 34, 36, 42).

Maximum stages prior to March, 1913, and the differences in gage 

heights of the March-April, 1913,"crests from previous maxima are 

also given in Tables 11 and 12.

The fact that the column of crest stages prior to March, 1913, in 

Table 12, shows no general flood indicates that the highest stages 

on the tributaries are usually due to local storms covering relatively small areas. The storms of March, 1913, were exceptional in 

this respect, maximum stages during the flood of 1913 occurring at 

stations on tributaries over a comparatively large area.

The column of " Records available" gives the year in which 

published records, or records readily obtainable, began. Records 

prior to these years may possibly exist but they were not discovered 

by brief search.

The column of " Distance of station above mouth" gives the distance in miles of any given station above the mouth of the stream 

on which it is located. For example, the distance of Shoals is 

measured from the junction of the East and West .branches of White 

River and the Wabash, since the West Branch is considered the 

headwater stream of White River.

In genera], the drainage areas were taken directly from the publications of the United States Weather Bureau, reducing the values 

to three significant figures. Elevation of zero of gage above mean 

sea level, unless otherwise noted, and stage of danger line were 

also taken from the publications of the Weather Bureau. These 

stages of danger line were used in computations at all points except 

Marietta, Ohio. At Marietta (danger line 25 feet) a gage height 

of 35 feet was used in the computations because it is more nearly 

comparable with the danger line stages at other points on the upper 

Ohio, especially Parkersburg.
TABLE 11. Crest stages, in feet, for selected floods and miscellaneous data 

Station.

Pittsburgh, Pa ................

Beaver Dam (No. 6), Pa. (lower gage). 

Wheeling, W. Va. .............

Marietta, Ohio... ..............

Point Pleasant, W. Va. .......

Huntington, W. Va. ..........

Cincinnati, Ohio.. .............

Louisville, Ky. (lower gage) . . . 

Evansville, Ind... ... ..........

Mount Vemon, Ind............

Paducah. Ky. .................

Cairo, 111.......................

Miscellaneous data.

Records 

available 

since 

about 

year 

1854 

1885

1838 

1873 

1888 

1873 

1879 

1887 

1887 

1892 

1858 

1871 

1873 

1888

1873 

1858

Distance 

below 

Pittsourgh 

(miles).

0 

29

90 

172 

184 

264 

308 

317 

355 

407 

468 

604 

787 

823

924 

967

Drainage 

area 

(square 

miles).

19,000 

22,800

24,800 

34,700 

637,700 

c 52, 500 

55,200 

d 60,300 

« 68,300 

69,500 

75,800 

90,600 

106,000 

106, 700

202,000 

203,000

Elevation, 

zero of 

gage 

above 

mean 

sea 

level 

(feet).

697.2 

655.9

610.6 

0568.8 

561.6 

509.4 

491.0 

487.3 

470.9 

446.7 

429.8 

ft 376.0 

329.2 

315.1

286.3 

270.9

Danger 

line 

(feet).

22.0 

27.0

36.0 

/25.0 

36.0 

39.0 

50.0 

50.0 

50.0 

50.0 

50.0 

54.0 

35.0 

35.0

43.0 

45.0

Cr

1884.

Stage.

33.3

53.1 

52.8 

53.9 

60.0 

64.8 

66.2 

66.3 

65.7 

71.1 

72.0 

48.8 

51.7

54.2 

51.8

Date.

Feb. 6

Feb. 7 

Feb. 9 

Feb. 9 

Feb. 

Feb. 9 

Feb. 12 

Feb. 12 

Feb. 14 

Feb. 14 

Feb. 16 

Feb. 19 

Feb. 22

Feb. 23 

Feb. 22-

24.

March-April, 

1907.

Stage.

35.5 

47.1

50.1

51.' 6 

a 54. 8 

o58.4 

060.4 

o60.8 

«59.2 

62.1 

61.6 

«43.8 

"45.0

o42.3 

46.2

Date.

Mar. 15 

Mar.. 15

Mar. 15 

Mar. 16 

Mar. 16 

Mar. 18 

Mar. 18 

Mar. 18 

Mar. 18 

Mar. 18 

Mar. 18 

Mar. 20 

Mar. 23 

Mar. 24- 

25. 

Mar. 25 

Mar. 24

Stag

30

46

51

i58

58

62

66

67

67

66

69

70

48

52

54

54

a Highest recorded stage, may not be crest.

& Includes Little Kanawha River.

c Includes Kanawha River.

d Includes Big Sandy River.

«Includes Scioto River.

/35.0 feet used in this report (see Tables 11,16, and 17) because more nearly comparable with danger lines 

Q Old Weather Bureau gage; elevation zero of lower lock No. 1 gage is 567.2 feet.

ft U. S. Engineer Corps levels; others from U. S. Weather Bureau.

* From readings on lower lock No. 1 gage by subtracting 1.6 feet.
TABLE 12. Crest stages, in feet, for selected floods and miscellaneous data at stations 

I '

I

River and station.

Allegheny: 

Redhouse, N. Y....

Tygart: 

Belington, W. Va. . .

Fetterman, W. Va. . 

Monongahela: 

Fairmont,W.Va... 

Greensboro, Pa. .... 

Lock No. 4 (lower), 

Pa. 

Lock No. 2 (upper) 

Pa. 

West Fork: Enterprise, 

W.Va. 

Cheat: 

Rowlesburg, W. Va. 

Morgan town, W. Va . 

Youghiogheny:

West Newton, Pa. . .

Beaver: Beaver Falls, 

Pa.

. Miscellaneous data.

Records available since about(year) 

1903

1884 

1905 

1873

1907

1907

1892 

1888 

1885

(?) 

1907

1884 

1899

1883 

1890

1908

Distance ofstation above mouth (miles).

212

177 

114 

29

62

18

119 

81 

40

12 

12

36 

4

59 

15

3

Tributary to 

(river) 

Headwaters of 

Ohio.

Headwaters of 

Mono ngahela.

Ohio..........

.....do........

Monongahela..

Ohio..........

Distance ofmouth below Pittsburgh 

(miies).

,0

0-

25

Drainage area abovestation (square

miles). -

1,640

3,060 

5,800 

9,220

390 

1,340

2,320 

4,570 

5,430

7,130

750

890 

1,380

782 

1,650

3,030

Elevation ofzerogage above mean

sea level(feet).

1, 170. 5 

957.3 

741.0

c 1,679.9

c 057 Q

840.4 

768,0 

719.0

< 707.0

£869.9 

1,375.3

1,324.0 

746.5

731.2

Danger line (feet).

14 

15 

20

25 

18 

28

14

" 10 

23

11

1884.

02

30.0

9.9

I

..........

Feb. 6

Feb. 5

March- April, 1907

9

1 

CO

8.4

67.2 

10.8 

28.0

25.6 

627.2

637.4 

34.1

9.2

18.6 

28.2

1 

ft

Mar. 28

...do.....

Mar. 14 

Mar. 15

Mar. 14 

...do.....

...do.....

Mar. 15

Mar. 14

Mar. 14 

...do.....

a Highest available; probably maximum.

6 Maximum recorded stage; may not be crest.

c U. 9. Q. S. levels; others from u. 8. Weather Bureau.

d Highe

« U. 8. 

/ Appr
TABLE 12. Crest stages, in feet, for selected floods and miscellaneous data at stations on str

River and station.

Mahoning: Youngstown, Ohio. 

Tuscarawas: Canal 

Dover, Ohio. 

Muskingum: 

Zanesville. Ohio .... 

Beverly, Ohio......

Mohican: Pomerene, 

Ohio. 

Little Kanawha: 

Creston, W. Va. .... 

Dam No. 4 (upper). 

W.Va. 

New:

Hinton, W.Va..... 

Fayette,W.Va.... 

Kanawha: 

Kanawha Falls, 

W.Va. 

Charleston. W.Va.. 

Greenbrier: Alderson. 

W.Va. 

Gauley: Belva, W.Va.. 

Elk: Clendenin, 

W.Va. 

Big Sandy: Louisa, 

Ky. (Upper Lock 

No. 3). 

Scioto: 

Columbus. Ohio. . . . 

Chillicothe, Ohio... 

Licking: Falmouth. Kv.

Miscellaneous data.

Records available since about (year) 

1908 

1905

1887 

1887 

1910

1900

(?)

1898

1877 

1895

1877

1873 

1895

1908 

1908

1896

1897 

1907

1887

Distance ofstation above mouth (miles).

16 

47

70 

20 

16

48 

32

139

61 

12

95

58 

19

6 

21

26

110 

58 

30

Tributary to 

(river) 

Headwaters of 

Muskingum.

Ohio..........

Muskingum. . .

Ohio..........

Headwaters of 

Kanawha.

Ohio..........

.....do........

.....do........

Ohio..........

Distance ofmouth below Pittsburgh 

(miles).

171

184

266

317 

356

468

Drainage area above station ((squ are 

miles).

958 

1,120

6,470 

7,200 

i 4on

1,300 

1,580

2,720

6,220 

6,800

,8,300

8,790 

1,340

1,420 

1,240

3,780

1,570 

4,370 

2.900

Elevation ofzero 

gage above mean

sea level(feet).

821.3 

6880.0

665.9 

602.6

«603.2

1,712.7

1.348.2 

7S3&4

/618.7 

554.4

7663.5

7588.7

« 518. 8

693.3 

595.5 

512.2

 1

1 

1

ft

5

8

25 25'

20

17

14

25 

30

......

17 

14 

25

1884.

OJ

......

10.6

19.5 

29.0

......

44.1

1

0

..........

..........

Feb. 9

Feb. 10 

Feb. 11

..........

Feb. 11

March- April, 1907

ai

If 

OJ

10.2

£30.4 

c33.0

18.6 

cl8. 6

c6.5

13.5 

21.0

29.6 

c!9.0

<28.1

1ft

Mar. 15

Mar. 14 

...do.....

Mar. 14 

...do.....

Mar. 15

Mar. 15 

...do.....

Mar. 16 

Mar. 14

Mar. 14
Miami: 

Dayton, Ohio......

Hamilton, Ohio....

Kentucky:

Green: Lock No. 2 (upper), Ky. 

Wabash: 

Terre Haute, Ind. . .

Elliston, Ind.

Shoals, Ind. 

Cumberland:

ville, N. C 

Tennessee:

1892

1904

1901

1898

1899

1904

1884

ions

1903

1903

1873

1900

iona

1883

1874

1871

1875

77

33

117

65

63

171

75

93

42

383

193

126

144

635

452

255

95

.....do........

Ohio..........

Ohio..........

.....do........

White. 

White.........

Tennessee. 

Ohio..........

489

543

779

840

911

924

2,490

3,580

5,030

5,510

7,420

12,200

26,300

4,070

4,900

8,230

U finn

13,400

987

8,990

21,400

30,000

36,700

724.1

561.5

505.4

464. 8

355.6

447.3

373.0

473.9

444.0

& 494.0

366.0

328.0

1,950.5

793.8

617.8

400.8

315.9

18

12

17

31

16

19

21

25

45

40

43

12

33

18

31

47.2

16.1

36.8

24.2

44.4

Feb. 15

Feb. 10

Feb. 11

Feb. 15

Feb. 28

c!5.2

20.3

c20.0

e20.6

c33.2

c!7.3

C23.0

C29.2

c31.7

C36.2

c.3

c6.2

«12.6

ell.O

C22.5

...do....

...do....

Mar. 1

...do....

Mar. 2

Mar. 1

Mar. 2

Mar. 17

Mar. 1

Mar. 1

Mar. 15-1

Mar. 1

...do....

Mar. 15-17

Mar. 17

o Highest available; probably maximum.

& Approximate.

c Maximum recorded stage; may not be crest.

<t Highest since estab

e U. S. Engineer Cor

/ U. S. G. S. levels; o
52 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MARCH-APBIL,. 1913.

The dates covered by the gage heights in Table 13 include the day 

previous and the day following the low point in the trough at the 

beginning and end of each rise. The periods in the table are intended 

to cover the entire rise and, in general, the stage at the end is practically the same as the stage at the beginning of the period selected. 

Effort was made to select well-defined troughs. The dates covered 

by the daily discharge begin and end on the day of lowest gage height 

in the trough at the beginning and end of the flood. : . ,

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, infect, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913.

Day.

1859. 

1...........

2...........

3...........

4...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

8...........

9...........

10...........

11...........

12...........

13 ...........

14...........

15 ...........

16 ...........

17 ...........

18...........

19...........

20...........

21...........

22...........

23...........

24...........

25...........

26...........

27...........

28...........

29...........

30...........

31...........

February.

Gage 

height.

20.8

19.2 

19.4

19.8 

20.8 

22.1 

22.1 

20.8

24.8 

28.2 

36.2 

43.9 

51.2

54.0 

55.2 

55.3 

54.2 

52.4

51.1 

49.1 

48.1

Discharge.

95,500 

97,000

100,000 

108,000 

119,000 

119,000 

108,000

142,000 

173,000 

249,000 

331,000 

419,000

454,000 

470,000 

471,000 

457,000 

434,000

417,000 

393,000 

381,000

March.

Gage 

height.

46.9 

44.2 

40.2 

36.8 

32.7

29.8 

27.1 

26.8 

26.0 

25.4

25.0 

25.0 

25.9

Discharge.

367,000 

335,000 

290,000 

255,000 

214,000

187,000 

162,000 

160,000 

153,000 

147,000

144,000 

144,000

Day.

1862. 

1... ........

2...........

3...........

4...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

8...........

9...........

10...........

11...........

12...........

13...........

14...........

15...........

16...........

17...........

18 ...........

19...........

20...........

21 ...........

22...........

23 ...........

24 ...........

25...........

26 ...........

27 ...........

28 ...........

29...........

30...........

31 ...........

January.

Gage 

height.

n o

11.7 

12.1 

13.8 

15.0 

15.7

17.2 

17.9 

20.8 

22.0 

24.2

28.3 

33.2 

36.4 

41.7 

48.1

52.3 

55.2 

56.1 

57.3 

56. 5

53.9 

48.8 

41.6 

34.2 

29.5 

27.0

Discharge.

44,700 

47,000 

57,200 

65,000 

69,700

80,400 

85,600 

108,000 

118,000 

137,000

173,000 

219,000 

251,000 

307,000 

381,000

432,000 

470,000 

482,000 

497,000 

487,000

453,000 

389,000 

306,000 

229,000 

184,000 

162,000

TTebruary.

Gage 

height.

si: 8'

Discharge.

; '
COMPARISON OF THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 53

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 Contd.

Day.

1865. 

1............... '..............................-.

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

9...............................................

10...............................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13...............................................

14...............................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20...............................................

21...............................................

22...............................................

23...............................................

24...............................................

25...............................................

26...............................................

27...............................................

28...............................................

29...............................................

30...............................................

31...............................................

Day.

1867. 

1..... ..........................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

10...............................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13...............................................

14...............................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20...............................................

21...............................................

22...............................................

23...............................................

24............ ................................... 

26...............................................

26

27...............................................

28...............................................

29..............................................

30..............................................

31...............................................

February.

Gage 

height.

25.3

24.4

24.7

25.3

36.0 

40.2 

40.7

Discharge.

138,000

141,000

146,000

247,000 

290,000 

296,000

February.

Gage 

height.

29.1

28.2

OQ 7

40 0

45.0

49.3

50.6 

51.0

51.8

53.3

54.1 

53.3 

52.2

49.8

47.5

46.8 

46.3

Discharge.

173,000

186,000

288,000

344,000

395,000

411,000 

416,000 

426,000

445,000

456,000 

445,000 

431,000 

401,000

374,000

365,000 

359,000

March.

Gage 

height.

41.5

41.6 

40.9 

44.8 

49.5

53.4 

55.8 

56.2 

54.8 

52.2

47.7^ 

42.4 

38.2 

35.8 

34.5

33.1 

33.9

Discharge.

304,000

306,000 

298,000 

342,000 

398,000

446,000 

478,000 

483,000 

465,000 

431,000

376,000 

314,000 

269,000 

245,000 

232,000

218,000

May.

Gage* 

height.

16.2 

16.0 

16.4

21.5 

25.4 

27.3 

31.2 

34.8

41.5 

46.5 

49.1 

51.2

50.8

49.1 

45.5 

40.8 

36.0 

35.3

30.5 

25.8 

23.8 

23.6 

23.0

29.1

Discharge.

71,800 

74,600

114,000 

147,000 

164,000 

200,000 

235,000

304,000 

362,000 

393,000 

419,000 

414,000

393,000 

350,000 

297,000 

247,000 

240,000

194,000 

151,000 

133,000 

132,000 

126,000

.

March.

Gage 

height.

44.8 

42.8 

42.8 

44.8

........

Discharge.

342,000 

319,000 

319,000

..........

Gage 

height.

44.8 

42.8 

42.8 

44.8 

48.2

50.5 

51.8 

52.2 

52.8 

53.6

53.6 

52.7 

54.5 

55.4 

55.7

55.1 

53.3 

49.8 

44.0 

37.4

31.5 

27.8 

26.8 

29.2

Discharge.

319,000 

319,000 

342,000 

382,000

410,000 

426,000 

431,000 

439,000 

449,000

449,000 

437,000 

461,000 

472,000 

476,000

468,000 

445,000 

401,000 

333,000 

261,000

203,000 

169,000 

160,000
54 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 Contd.

Day.

1870. 

1. ..........

2...........

3...........

4...........

5 ...........

6...........

7...........

8...........

9...........

10 ...........

11........... 

12 ...........

13...........

14 ...........

15...........

16...........

17...........

18 ...........

19........... 

20...........

21 ...........

22 ...........

23 ...........

24 ........... 

25 ...........

26 ...........

27 ........... 

28 ........... 

29 ........... 

30...........

31...........

January.

height.

24.3 

22.4 

25.8 

26.3 

29.9

39.2 

42.2

54.4

55.2 

54.8

54.4

53.8 

51.5

48.2 

46.5

43.8 

39.9 

31 4 

35.7 

33.8

31.7

Discharge.

"i2i,~666"

151,000 

155,000 

188,000

280,000 

312,000 

459,000

470,000 

465,000

459,000

452,000 

422,000

382,000 

362,000

330,000 

287,000 

261,000 

244,000 

225,000

205,000

February.

Gage 

height.

29.2 

26.5 

24.1 

22.1 

20.4

19.0 

17.8 

16.8 15.9- 

15.2

14.5 

14.2 

14.4

........

........

........

Discharge.

182,000 

157.000 

136,000 

119,000 

105,000

93,900 

84,900 

77,500 

71,100 

66,300

61,600 

59,700 

61,000

..........

..........

Day.

1875. 

1.... .......

2. ..........

4...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

10 ...........

11...........

19

1 ^

14 ...........

16 ...........

17...........

18...........

19........... 

20...........

21 ...........

22...........

23...........

24 ........... 

25...........

26...........

27........... 

28........... 

29........... 

30...........

31...........

July.

Gage 

height.

13.3

12.4

14.6 

14.9 

16.7 

23.8 

34.2

35.8 

36.6 

34.9 

31.0

26.5

24.8 

25.2 

32.8 

36.2 

37.8

37.5 

36.2 

35.4 

36.4 

35.9

34.8

Discharge.

48,700

62,300 

64,300 

76,800 

133,000 

229,000

245,000 

253,000 

236,000 

198,000 

157,000

142,000 

145,000 

215,000 

249,000 

265,000

262,000 

249,000 

241,000 

251,000 

246,000

235,000

August.

Gage 

height.

37.0 

43.0 

47.9 

51.0 

53.6

55.3 

55.1 

52.9 

48.8 

42.2

35.4 

28.9 

23.6 

20.3 

18.3

16.7 

15.9 

15.2 

14.2 

14.2

14.2 

14.0 

13.8 

13.7 

13.5

12.7 

12.1

Discharge.

257,000 

321,000 

379,000 

416,000 

449,000

471,000 

468,000 

440,000 

389,000 

312,000

241,000 

179,000 

132,000 

104,000 

88,600

76,800 

71,100 

66,300 

59,700 

59,700

59,700 

58,400 

57,200 

56,500 

55,300

50,500
COMPARISON OP THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY.

13.^ Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

<M, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 C<

Day,

1876.

2

3...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

8. ..........

10...........

11...........

12........... 

13........... 

14........... 

15...........

16...........

17...........

18...........

19...........

20...........

21...........

22...........

23...........

24...........

25...........

26........... 

27 ...........

28........... 

29 ...........

30...........

31...........

January,

Ga^e Disheight. ' charge.

17.2

16.0 

16.7 

18.2 

20.1

21.1 

20.3 

19.9 

28.1

27.0

29.7 

30.4

OK O

41.0

43.2

44.8 

44.8

48.2 

51.8 

49.8 

46.8

71,800 

76,800 

87,900 

102,000

110,000 

104,000 

101,000

162,000

186,000 

193,000

OOQ fUV\

299,000

323,000

342,000 

342,000

382,000 

426,000 

401,000 

365,000

Day.

1880. 

1......... .....................

2..............................

3.. ............................

5..............................

6..............................

7..............................

8..............................

9..............................

10..............................

11..............................

12..............................

13..............................

15..............................

16..............................

17..............................

18..............................

19..............................

20..............................

21..............................

23..............................

24..............................

25..............................

26. ....................... ......

27..............................

28..............................

29..............................

February.

Gage 

height.

45.3 

45.8 

43.8 

40.9 

37.5

33.4 

29.8 

27.8 

27.2 

32.2

::::::::

........

........

Digcharge.

348,000 

353,000 

330,000 

298,000 

262,000

221,000 

187,000 

169,000 

163,000

---------

...........

...........

February.

Gage 

height.

14.7

14.1

14.2

15.7 

26.0 

40.0 

48.6

52.3 

53.1 

52.0 

49.8 

45.7

40.3 

35.5 

30.8

27.8 

25.8

24.8 

24.5 

24.4 

25.0

Discharge.

59,000

59,700 

69,700 

153,000 

288,000 

387,000

432,000 

443,000 

429,000 

401,000 

352,000

291,000 

242,000 

197,000 

169,000 

151,000

142,000 

139,000 

138,000

Day.

1877.

2.. .........

3. ..........

4...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

8...........

9...........

10...........

11...........

12........... 

13 ........... 

14...........

16 ...........

17...........

18...........

19 ...........

20...........

21 ...........

22...........

23...........

24...........

25...........

26........... 

27...........

28........... 

29 ...........

30 ...........

31...........

Day.

1881. 

1 ...........

2...........

3...........

4...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

8...........

9...........

10. ....... ...

11...........

12........... 

13...........

14...........

15...........

16...........

17...........

18...........

19...........

20...........

21...........

22...........

23........... 

24...........

25........... 

26...........

27...........

28...........

January.

Gage 

height.

10.7

10.2

10.8 

11.2

13.3

16.0 

20.2

32.4 

30.8

38.5

46.5 

52.1 

52.9

53.2

53.2 

50.8

47.7

44.8 

41.1

37.1 

32.8

28.0 

24.5

21.3

19.8

Discharge.

36,600

39,800 

41,900

54,100

71,800 

103,000 

212,000 

197,000

272,000

362,000 

430,000 

440,000

444,000

444,000 

414,000 

376,000

342,000 

300,000

258,000 

215,000

171,000 

139,000

112,000 

100,000

February.

Gage 

height.

18.0 

16.2 

18.1 

26.3 

33.2

33.2 

35.3 

41.8 

46.6 

49.4

50.6 

50.1 

47.5 

44.3 

41.5

41.0

41.6 

40.2 

37.2 

35.2

30.8

27.3 

24.8

Discharge.

73,200 

87,100 

155,000 

219,000

219,000 

240,000 

308,000 

363,000 

397,000

411,000 

405,000 

374,000 

336,000 

304,000

299,000

306,000 

290,000 

259,000 

239,000

197,000

164,000 

142,000

February.

Gage 

height.

18.2

17.3 

13,7

Dtecharge.

87,900 

81,200

..........

..........

March.

Gage

23.0 

21.2 

20.7 

21.2

........

Discharge.

126,000 

111,000 

107,000

..........

..........
56 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APEIL, 1913,

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913^-Contd.

Day.

1882. 

1.............

2.............

3.............

4.............

5 .............

6.............

7.............

8.............

9.............

10.............

11.............

12.............

13.............

14.............

15.............

February.

Gage Disheight. charge.

29.2 ..........

27.0 162,000 

27.5 166,000 

28.5 175,000 

33.2 219,000

37.0 257,000 

39.3 281,000 

'41. 3 302, 000 

46.2 358,000 

45.5 350,000

Day.

1882. 

16............

17... ........ .

13............

19............

20............

21............

22............

23...... ......

24 ............

25............

26............

27............

28............

Day.

1883. 

1.. .............................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

9...............................................

10...............................................

11..........*....................................

12...............................................

13...............................................

14...............................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20........... ................................

21.......... .................................

22. ..............................................

23...............................................

24...............................................

25

26...............................................

27............................................... 

28...............................................

29. ..............................................

in

February.

Gage 

height..

44.7 

47.8 

50.3 

52.6 

54.4

58.1 

57.8 

55.6 

53.9 

52.9

51.7 

48.8 

44.2

Discharge.

341,000 

377,000 

408,000 

436,000 

459,000

508,000 

504,000 

475,000 

453,000 

440,000

425,000 

389,000 

335,000

January.

Gage 

height.

25.7 

24.9 

25.5

27.1

28.8

Discharge.

i43,"666"

148,000

162,000

178,000

Day.

] 

I

ooo

2.... ........

3............

4............

5............

6............

7............

8............

9............

10............

11............

12............

13............

14. ...........

15............

February.

Gage 

height.

29.1

28.2 

26.8 

29.7 

31.2

29.6 

42.8 

52.3 

57.1 

59.0

60.7

63.4

64.9

65.4 

66.1

64.3

62.3 

60.4 

59.0

57.6

55.9 

53.5

49.5 

45.0

41.9

39.5

34.3 

31.4

Discharge.

181,000 

173,000 

160,000 

186,000 

200,000

185,000 

319,000 

432,000 

495,000 

520,000

543,000

579,000

600,000

606,000 

616,000

591,000

564,000 

539,000 

520,000

501,000

479,000 

448,000

398,000 

344,000

309,000

283,000

230,000 

202,000

March.

height.

39 1

33*7 28.7 

25.3 

 24.2

- 26. P

r

Discharge.

279,000 

224,000 

177,000 

146,000 

137,000

March.

Gage 

height.

28.4 

26.2 

24.4 

23.2 

21.4

20.0 

19.0 

18.9 

20.0

Discharge.

174,000 

154,000

138,000 

128,000 

113,000

102,000 

93,900 

93,200

..........
COMPABISON OP THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY.

57'

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cm-, 

cinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (SO feet) from 1859 to 1918 Gontd.

Day.

1884. 

1. ............... ..............................

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

9

'

10....... ........................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13...............................................

14...............................................

15...............................................

le!....... .......................................

17... ............................................

18...............................................

10

20...............................................

91

22...............................................

«¥>

24...............................................

OE

26... ............ ...:... .........................

97

28:......:....,..................................

on - - ....

30....:.................:........................

31.........................::....................

Day.

1886. 

1.............. .................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

9

'

10...............................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13...............................................

14...............................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

21...............................................

22...............................................

23...............................................

24

26...............................................

26...............................................

27...............................................

28 .....

29...............................................

30...............................................

81...............................................

January.

Gage 

height.

16.1

15.8 

18.8 

30.6

Discharge.

70,400 

92,400 

195,000

March.

Gage 

height.

12.4

12.3

12.4

12.7 

13.0 

13.4 

13.8 

14.2

14.8 

16.4 

21.9 

27.2 

29.7 

30.5 

30.5 

29.5 

30.8 

36.5 

40.0

Discharge.

48,100 

48,700

50,500 

52,300 

54,700 

57,200 

59,700

63,600 

74,600 

117,000 

163,000 

186,000

194,000 

194,000 

184,000 

197,000 

252,000 

288.000

February.

Gage 

height.

 38:4 

45.6 

49.3 

50.1 

52.5

58.8 

61.6 

62.5 

63.7 

64.8

66.3

68.2 

69.7 

71.0 

70.2

68.4 

66.1 

63.5

60.5

58.9

55.9 

52.1

48.8 

45.4 

41.2

37.0 

33.0 

29.3 

26.6

Discharge.

271,000 

351,000 

395,000 

405,000 

435,000

517,000 

555,000 

567,000 

583,000 

598,000

618,000

644,000 

664,000 

682,000 

671,000

647,000 

616,000 

581,000

540,000

519,000

479,000 

430,000

389,000 

349,000 

301,000

257,000 

217,000 

183,000 

158,000

April.

Gage 

height.

45.1 

49.5

52.4

53.5

53.7 

54.2

54.3

55.2 

55.7 

55.5

54.6 

53.2

52.7

49.9 

45.8

41.7 

37.3 

32.9 

28.9 

25.9

23.2 

21.2 

19.6 

17.9 

16.4

15.6 

14.7 

14.0 

13.5 

13.0

Discharge.

345,000 

398,000

434,000

448,000

450,000 

457,000

458,000

470,000 

476,000 

474,000

462,000 

444,000

437,000

403,000 

353,000

307,000 

260,000 

216,000 

179,000 

152,000

128,000 

111,000 

98,500 

85,600 

74,600

69,000 

63,000 

58,400 

55,300 

52,300

March.

Gage 

height.

24.5 

22.9 

21.2 

20.6 

19.5

18.2 

18.0 

24.0

Discharge.

139,000 

125,000 

111,000 

106,000 

97,700

87,900 

86,400

May.

height.

13.3

Discharge.
58 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MABCH-APBIL, 1913.

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Gin-' 

einnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 Contd.

Day.

1887. 

I......................................... ....

2..............................................

3. .............................................

4..............................................

5..............................................

6..............................................

7..............................................

8..............................................

9..............................................

10..............................................

11..............................................

12..............................................

13..............................................

15 ..............................................

16..............................................

17..............................................

18..............................................

19..............................................

20..............................................

21..............................................

22..............................................

23..............................................

24..............................................

25..............................................

26..............................................

27..............................................

28 ..............................................

29..............................................

30..............................................

31..............................................

Day.

1890. 

1 ..............................................

2..............................................

3..............................................

4 ..............................................

5 ..............................................

6..............................................

7.. ............................................

8..............................................

9..............................................

10..............................................

11..............................................

12..............................................

13..............................................

14........................................ ....

15. ........ ......... ............................

16....................................

17..............................................

18..............................................

19..............................................

20...................................... .......

21..............................................

22..............................................

23..............................................

24..............................................

25..............................................

26..............................................

27..............................................

28........................................ . ...

29..............................................

30. .............................................

31..............................................

January.

Gage 

height.

19 9

11.4 

12.2 

12.7 

12.8 

13.1

13.0 

13.4 

15.1 

21.7 

23.7

25.5 

31.7 

36.0 

39.7 

42.8 

42.8

Discharge.

43,000 

47,600 

50,500 

51,100 

52,900

52,300 

54,700 

65,600 

115,000 

132,000

148,000 

205,000 

247,000 

285,000 

319,000 

319,000

February.

height.

32.8

30.9 

30.9 

33.3 

35.4 

40.8

43.0 

43.2 

43.0 

41.7 

42.0

49.4 

53.2 

55.7

Discharge.

197,000 

397,000 

220,000 

241,000 

297,000

321,000 

323,000 

321,000 

307,000 

310,000

397,000 

444,000 

476,000

February.

Gage 

height.

41.7

39.5 

' 47.2 

, 54.1 

56.0

56.2 

55.3 

53.1 

49.8 

46.0

44.2 

44.6 

45.3 

45.6 

46.6

48.1 

48.5 

49.2 

50.0 

48.7

47.5 

46.0 

43.8 

«41.7 

42.5

46.0 

52.9 

54.2

Discharge.

307,000 

283,000 

370,000 

456,000 

480,000

483,000 

471,000 

443,000 

401,000 

356,000

335,000 

340,000 

348,000 

351,000 

363,000

381,000 

386,000 

394,000 

404,000 

388,000

374,000 

356,000 

330,000 

307,000 

315,000

356,000 

440,000 

457,000

March.

Gage 

height.

56.8 

56.7 

55-3 

52.2 

47.8

42.6 

36.5 

31.3 

27.0 

24.0

o23.3 

30.5 

34.6 

41.6 

43.2

45.1 

47.9 

48.8 

48.0 

46.5

45.5 

47.0 

52.0 

56.3

58.7

59.1 

58.0 

57.3 

55.0 

51.2 

46.6

Discharge.

491,000 

490,000 

471,000 

431,000 

377,000

317,000 

252,000 

201,000 

162,000 

135,000

129,000 

194,000 

233,000 

306,000 

323,000

345,000 

379,000 

389,000 

380,000 

362,000

350,000 

368,000 

429,000 

484,000 

516,000

521,000 

507,000 

497,000 

467,000 

419,000 

363,000

March.

Gage 

height.

54.6 

54.3 

52.9 

49.8 

45.2

40.2 

39.5 

35.2 

33.8 

37.1

Discharge.

462,000 

458,000 

440,000 

401,000 

346,000

290,000 

283,000 

239,000 

225,000

April.

Ga?e 

height.

42.0 

39.9 

39.6 

38.4 

37.8

37.6 

37.8 

37.7 

37.0 

36.6

35.3 

34.1 

34.4 

35.7 

35.9

347 

32.0 

29.2 

28.4 

28.3

27.2 

25.2 

23.7 

21.3 

19.7

18.9 

25.0

Discharge.

310,000 

287,000 

284,000 

271,000 

265,000

263,000 

265,000 

264,000 

257,000 

253,000

240,000 

228,000 

231,000 

244,000 

246.000

234,000 

208,000 

182,000 

174,000 

173,000

163,000 

145,000 

132,000 

112,000 

99,300

93,200

o This day common to first and second floods.
COMPARISON OF THE FLOODS THE OHIO VALLEY. 59

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 Contd.

Day.

1891. 

1...............................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

10..............;................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13. ..............................................

14. ..............................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20...............................................

21...............................................

22. ........................................... . .

23...............................................

24...............................................

25...............................................

26...............................................

27...............................................

28...............................................

29...............................................

30...............................................

31...............................................

Day.

1893. 

1...............................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

9...............................................

10...............................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13...............................................

14...............................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20...............................................

21...............................................

22...............................................

23...............................................

24...............................................

25...............................................

26...............................................

07

28...............................................

29...............................................

30...............................................

31...............................................

January.

Gage 

height.

25.9

25.0

Discharge.

144,000

January.

Gage 

height.

10.3 

23.5 

26.5

Discharge.

127,000 

154,000

February.

Gage 

height.

33.6 

38.9 

43.2 

45.6

47.5

47.9 

46.9 

44.6

41.5 

40.8

41.3 

43.9 

46.3 

46.3 

45.1

44.6 

45.5 

41.8 

41.5

44.4

49.7 

53.4 

55.2 

56.7

57.3

57.2 

55.8 

53.8

Discharge.

223,000 

277,000 

323,000 

351,000 

374,000

379,000 

367,000 

340,000 

304,000 

297,000

302,000 

331,000 

359,000 

359,000 

345,000

340,000 

350,000 

308,000 

304,000 

337,000

400,000 

446,000 

470,000 

490,000 

497,000

496,000 

478,000 

452,000

February.

Gage 

height.

29.3 

32.0 

33.5 

34.2 

33.8

33.7 

36.0 

36.4 

35.3 

39.9

45.3 

47.3 

48.5 

49.5 

52.7

53.0 

51.7 

51.3 

52.5 

54.6

54.6 

' 51.8 

46.8 

40.2 

33.5

28.1 

24.2 

22.2

Discharge.

179,000 

204,000 

218,000 

225,000 

221,000

220,000 

243,000 

247,000 

236,000 

283,000

343,000 

367,000 

381,000 

393,000 

432,000

436,000 

420,000 

415,000 

430,000 

457,000

457,000 

421,000 

361,000 

286,000 

218,000

168,000 

133,000 

116,000

March.

Gage 

height.

50.3 

46.6 

40.5 

35.4

32.7

33.6 

33.8 

32.8 

35.4

Discharge.

408,000 

363,000 

294,000 

241,000 

214,000

223,000 

223,000 

215,000

March.

Gage 

height.

21.5 

20.7 

20.6 

21.8

Discharge.

110,000 

104,000 

103,000
60 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, '

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 Contd.

Day.

1897. 

1. ...........

2............

3............

4............

6............

7............

8...........

9............

10............

11............

12.... ........

13............

14............

15............

16.....'.......

17............

18............

19............

20............

21............ 

22............

23............

24............ 25.....;..;.-..

26......:..... 

27............ 28. .......;..:

29.....;::.... 

30............ 

31............

February.

Gage 

height.

30.6

29.1

29.5 

41.0 

50.4 

56.0 

59.4

61.1 

60.9 

59.2

Discharge.

177,000

181,000 

295,000 

404,000 

475,000 

520,000

542,000 

540,000 

517,000

March.

Gage 

height.

55.6 

49.9 

43.2 

37.8 

35.5

43.1 

39.2 

32.5

40 0

........

Discharge.

470,000 

398,000 

319,000 

261,000 

238,000

318,000 

276,000 

209,000

..........

Day.

1898.

4...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

8...........

9...........

10...........

11.. ........

12...........

13...........

14...........

15...........

 16...........

17...........

18.....:-.:..

19.........:.

on

21.... ....... 

22...........

OQ

25. ..........

26. .......... 

27.... ::.....

28...........

29........... 

30. .......... 

31...........

March.

Gage 

height.

15.0 

15.2 

17.8 

18.3 

17.0

18:0 

20.0 

23:5 

27.1 

31.8

38.5. 

41.9 

44.1 

49.2 

51.8

54.6 

57.9 

59.8 61. 4' 

60.2 

58.6

Discharge.

62,300 

63,600 

81,900 

85,600 

76,100

83,400 

'98,500 

127,000 

159,000 

202,000

268,000 

304,000 

329,000 

389,000 

421,000

457,000 

500,000 

525/000 

547,-OOtt 

531,000 

509,000

April.

Gage 

height.

56.5 

54.1 

51.2 

47.6 

42.9

37.6 

32.3 

27.3 

25.6 

23.7

22.0 

20.5 

19.4 

19.3 

20.0

20.6 

20.4 

20.3 

21.1 

21.3

20.9 

20.8 

20.1 

19.9 

18.8

17.0 

16.5 

20.8

Discharge.

482,000 

450,000 

414,000 

370,000 

315,000

259,000 

207,000 

161,000 

145,000 

129,000

114,000 

102,000 

93,900 

93,200 

98,500

103,000 

102,000 

101,000 

107,000 

109,000

106,000 

105,000 

99,300 

97,700 

89,400

76,100 

72,500

..........
COMPABlSOJSr OF THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALfcEY. 61

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River af.Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 Contd.

 ' Day.

1899. 

1 ...........................

2...........................

3...........................

5...........................

6...........................

7...........................

8...........................

9...........................

10...........................

11...........................

12...........................

13...........................

14...........................

15...........................

16...........................

17...........................

18...........................

19...........................

20...........................

21...........................

22.......-....:.-............

23...........................

24................:..........

25...........................

26...........................

27...........................

28...........................

29...........................

30...........................

31...........................

February.

Gage 

height.

19 q

11.5 

12.6 

14.9

25.8 

32.1 

34.6 

35.6 

35.9

36.2 

39.0 

38.6

Day.

1901. 

16..............................

17..............................

18..............................

!».... ..........................

20........L........ ............

21..............................

22.............:................

23..............................

M....... .......................

M.. ............................

2? ..............................

29.. ............................

30....... ,..<..-.,...........-....

31.. ......L. ........ ............

Discharge.

41,000 

47,600

fil «¥>

147,000 

205,000 

229,000 

239,000 

242,000

245,000 

274,000 

269,000

March.

Gage 

height.

37.2 

38.9 

39.3

38.4 

44.0

50.3 

55.1

57.2 

56.9 

54.9

51.4 

46.6 

41.0 

35.6 

33.2

28.4 

25.9 

o24.2 

24.8 

29.0

32.3 

36.1 

40.0 

40.5 

39.4

37.8 

35.6 

35.2 

39.0

45.2 

50.0

April.

Gage 

height.

25.8

23.9 

24.8 

26.3 

31.1

40.7 

47.9 

53.2 

56.4

55.4

59.5 

59.7 

59.2 

57.7 

55.0

Discharge.

131,000 

138,000 

152,000 

196,000

291,000 

374,000 

439,000 

480,000 

467, OuO

521,000 

524,000 

517, OoO 

497,000 

462,000

Discharge.

255,000 

272,000 

277,000 

267,000 

328,000

403,000 

463,000 

491,000 

487,000 

461,000

416,000 

358,000 

295,000 

239,000 

215,000

171,000 

148,000 

133,000 

138,000 

176,000

207,000 

241,000 

284,000 

289,000 

278,000

261,000 

239,000 

235,000 

274,000 

-3*2,000 

 399, 000

April. '

Gage 

height.

51.6 

51.1 

47.9 

44.0 

39.4

34.5

29.7 

26.9 

26.5 

27.9

29.3 

30.3 

30.6 

29.8 

28.3

26. f 

24.2 

22.8 

21.5 

20.7

19.7 

18.5 

17.3 

15.8 

15.0

14.9 

14.6 

14.5 

14.4 

14.2

Discharge.

419,000 

412,000 

374,000 

328,000 

278,000

228,000 

183,000 

157,000 

154,000 

166,000

179,000 

188,000 

191,000 

184,000 

170,000

153,000 

133,000 

121,000 

110,000 

104,000

96,200 

87,100 

78,200 

67,600 

62,300

61,600 

59,700 

59,000 

58,400 

57,200

Day.

1901. 

I..............................

2..............................

3..............................

5..............................

6..............................

7..............................

8..............................

9..............................

10 ..............................

11..............................

12 ..............................

13..............................

14

15..............................

May.

height.

15.4 

15.6 

15.2 

14.-5 

13.8-

13.2 

12.-9 12.- 7 - 

13.- 0- 

13.9

Discharge.

65,000 

-66,300 

6»,600 

59,000

- 64,700

 -61,100 

- -49,300 

 --48,100 

- - 49,900

May.

Gage 

height.

51.2 

46.0 

40.0 

33.3 

27.4

23.0 

20.0 

17.5 

16.7 

16.4

16.3 

16.7

Discharge.

414,000 

351,000 

284,000 

216,000 

162,000

123,000 

98,500 

79,700 

73,900 

71,800

71,100

Common to first and second floods.
62 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAKCH-APEIL, 1913.

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50feet) from 1859tol91S Contd.

Day.

1902. 

1..........

2...........

3...........

4...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

8...........

9...........

10 ...........

11 ...........

12...........

13...........

14...........

15...........

16...........

17...........

18...........

dQ

20...........

21...........

22...........

23...........

24...........

25...........

26...........

27...........

00

29...........

30...........

31 ...........

Day.

1906. 

16.. ......... -

17............

18............

19............

20. ...........

21............

22............

23............

24. ...........

25. ...........

26. ...........

27............

28. ...........

29............

30............

31............

February.

«.

8.6 

8.4 

8.6 

11.0

14.1 

22.5 

33.8

Discharge.

25,900 

26,800 

38,700

56,500 

119,000 

221,000

March.

Gage 

height

29.2

27.9 

31.6 

33.5 

32.3 

35.2 

44.8

Discharge.

166,000 

200,000 

218,000 

207,000 

235,000 

337,000

March.

Gage 

height.

39.6 

44.8 

48.6 

50.4 

50.9

50.7 

50.0 

48.5 

47.2 

48.8

45.5 

44.7 

43.0 

41.8 

41.0

40.0 

39.5 

39.2 

39.1 

38.4

36.5 

33.3 

30.3 

27.2 

24.4

21.8 

19.8 

18.2 

16.4 

16.6

Discharge.

280,000 

337,000 

382,000 

404,000 

410,000

408,000 

399,000 

381,000 

365,000 

385,000

345,000 

336,000 

317,000 

303,000 

295,000

284,000 

279,000 

276,000 

275,000 

267,000

248,000 

216,000 

188,000 

160,000 

135,000

113,000 

97,000 

84,900 

71,800

Day.

1906. 

I...........

2...........

3...........

4...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

8...........

9...........

10...........

11...........

12...........

13...........

14...........

15...........

16. ...........

Day.

1903. 

1 ..

2..

3..

4..

5..

6

7..

8..

9..

10

11..

13

14..

15..

16

17..

18

19.. 20

21..

22..

23

24

25

26

27

29

30.

31

February.

Gage 

height.

26.5 

25.2 

31.4

April.

height.

48.8 

50.2 

49.8 

47.6 

46.5

42.8 

38.3 

33.7 

30.3

28.5

27.9 

27.4 

27.2 

27.3 

28.5 

29.9

Discharge.

385.000 

401,000 

397,000 

370,000 

357,000

314,000 

266,000 

220,000 

188,000 

172,000

166,000 

162,000 

160,000 

161,000 

172,000 

184,000

Discharge.

154,000 

142,000 

198,000

Day.

1906. 

17............

18. ...........

19............

20. ...........

21............

22............

23............

24. ...........

25............

Ofi

27............

28............

29. ...........

30. ...........

31............

March.

Gage 

height.

38.0 

44.4 

49.0 

51.6 

53.1

52.9 

51.0 

50.4 

50.0 

47.6

49.2 

49.5 

49.8 

50.2 

50.1

48.6 

46.3 

43.3 

39.1 

35.7

30.9 

27.9 

26.2 

26.4

Discharge.

263,000 

333,000 

387,000 

419,000 

437,000

435,000 

411,000 

404,000 

399,000 

370,000

389,000 

393,000 

397,000 

401,000 

400,000

382,000 

355,000 

320,000 

275,000 

240,000

194,000 

166,000 

151,000

April.

Gage 

height.

28.9 

29.6 

29.7 

29.0

28.0 

26.4 

24.0 

21.7 

19.9

19.0 

17.9 

17.3 

16.1 

16.5

Discharge.

175,000 

182,000 

183,000 

176,000

167,000 

153,000 

132,000 

112,000 

97,700

90,900 

82,700 

78,200 

69,700
COMPABISON OF THE FLOODS IF THE OHIO VALLEY. 63

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line(50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 Contd.

Day.

1906-7. 

1.........

2.........

3.........

4.........

5.........

6.........

7.........

8.........

9.........

10. ........

11.........

12......... 

13.........

14.........

15...'......

16.........

17.........

18.........

19. ........

20.........

21.........

22. ........

23.........

24.........

25.........

26.........

27.........

28.........

29.........

30. ........

31.........

December, 1906.

Gage 

height.

20.0

18.0 

18.5 

24.6

Discharge.

83,400 

87,100 

137,000

Day.

1908. 

1............................

2............................

3............................

5............................

6............................

7............................

8............................

g

10............................

11............................

12............................

13............................

14............................

15............................

16............................

17............................

18............................

19............................

20............................

21............................

22. ...........................

23............................

24............................

25............................

26............................

27............................

28............................

29............................

30............................

31............................

January, 1907.

Gage 

height.

29.2 

31.0 

36.0

41.7

43.2

41.2 

38.8 

38.1 

39.0 

38.7

38.3 

39.4 

42.3

44.0 

47.2

51.1 

55.7

59.4 

61.9

64.1

65.1 

64.6

63.2

61.2 

58.1

54.0 

48.0

40.9

32.8 

27.0 

22.0

Discharge.

178,000 

195,000 

243,000

302,000

319,000

297,000 

271,000 

264,000 

274,000 

270,000

266,000 

278,000 

309,000

328,000 

365,000

412,000 

471,000

520,000 

554,000

583,000

597,000 

590,000

571,000

544,000 

503,000

449,000 

375,000

294,000

212,000 

158,000 

114,000

February.

Gage 

height.

22.4

21.0 

34.5

42.2 

45.0 

46.8 

49.2 

51.1

50.9 

49.0 

45.0 

40.0 

33.8

30.8 

27.6 

24.0 

22.?

Discharge.

106,000 

228,000

308,000 

340,000 

361,000 

389,000 

412,000

410,000 

387,000 

340,000 

284,000 

221,000

193,000 

163,000 

132,000 

117,000

February.

Gage 

height.

20.5 

22.5

........

Discharge.

102,000

March.

Gage 

height.

»2l.7 

29.0 

34.8 

37.7 

41,0

44.4 

48.4 

50.5 

51.6 

52.4

53.2 

53.2 

51.9 

49.5 

45.0

41.8 

37.5 

34.8 

34.8 

38.0

41.0 

44.5 

47.5 

48.9 

48.2

44.8 

41.7 

36.9 

32.5 

31.4 

631.0

Discharge.

112,000 

176,000 

231,000 

260,000 

295,000

333,000 

380,000 

405,000 

119,000 

429,000

439,000 

439,000 

422,000 

393,000 

340,000

303,000 

258,000 

231,000 

231,000 

263,000

295,000 

334,000 

369,000 

386,000 

377,000

337,000 

302,000 

252,000 

209,000 

198,000 

195.000

March.

Gage 

height.

26.6

25.3

26.3

27.3 

41.0 

50.3 

54.1

57.6

60.2

61.6

62.1 

61.3

59.8

57.5

54.8 

52.3

49.4

45.7 

41.0

35.3

30.1

26.3

24.7

Discharge.

143,000

152,000

161,000 

295,000 

403,000 

450,000

496,000

531,000

550,000

556,000 

546,000

525,000

495,000

459,000 

427,000

392,000

348,000 

295,000

236,000

186,000

152,000 

138,000

April.

Gage 

height.

37.2 

46.5 

53.1 

55.7 

54.9

51.8 

46.7 

40.4 

36.5 

34.6

33.0 

35.8 

39.0 

40.5 

40.0

39.4 

36.5 

35.1 

32.0 

30.0

28.6 

27.4 

27.0 

26.5 

26.1

25.1 

25.3

24.7 

23.1 

21.5

Discharge.

255,000 

357,000 

437,000 

471,000 

461,000

421,000 

359,000 

288,000 

248,000 

229,000

213,000 

241,000 

274,000 

289,000 

284,000

278,000 

248,000 

234,000 

204,000 

185,000

173,000 

162,000 

158,000 

154,000 

150,000

141,000 

143,000 

138,000 

124,000 

110,000

April.

Gage 

height.

25.4 

26.3 

26.4 

25.6 

24.3

22.8 

21.0 

20.5 

23.0

........

Discharge.

144,000 

152,000 

153,000 

145,000 

134,000

121,000 

106,000 

102,000

May.

Gage 

height.

22.'7

Discharge.

a Common to first and second floods. b Common to second and third floods.
64 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

. TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River a£* Cin- 

.dnnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 Contd.

Day.

1909. 

1...........

1... ........

3...........

4...........

5...........

6...........

7............

 8............

9...........

10...........

11...........

12...........

13...........

14...............

15..,,,......

16............

17...........

18...........

19...........

20V..........

'21........... -22.....:.....

.23-,, .......

-24...........

.26 ,

26...........

97

28 ...........

29...........

m

31...........

February.

Gage 

height.

14.0 

13.6 

13.5 

14.5 

16.3

19.5 

23.8 

26.6 

27.7 

30.0

30.8 

31.8 

34.9 

38.2 

39.9

39.9

38.4 

- 36.6 

48.1 

52.2

53.9 

54.3 

54.6

Discharge.

""53," 566" 

52,900 

S9.000 

71,100

94,700 

130,000 

154,000 

164,000 

185,000

193,000 

202,000 

232,000 

265,000 

283,000

283,000 

267,000 

249,000 

376,000 

426,000

448,000 

453,000 

457,000

March.

Gage 

height.

54.1 

51.8 

48.5 

44.0 

39.1

34.9 

33.5 

33.4 

34.6 

42.1

42.3' 

42.1 

40.7 

39.3 

37.0

34.7- 

32.1 

29.3 

26.6 

24.0

22.0 

20.2 

18.6 

17.6 

17.2

17.6

Discharge.

450,000 

421,000 

381,000 

328,000 

275,000

232,000 

.218,000 

217,000 

229,000 

307,000

309,000 

307,000 

'291,000 

277,000 

253,000

230,000 

205,000 

179,000 

154,000 

132,000

114,000 

100,000 

87,900 

80,400 

77,500

Day.

1910. 

1 ...........

2...........

3...........

4...........

5...........

6...........

7...........

8...........

10 ...........

11...........

12...........

11

14 ...........

15...........

16 ...........

17...........

18........... 

19 ...........

20 ...........

21 ...........

23...........

24 ...........

25 ...........

26 ...........

97

28...........

29...........

30...........

31...........

February.

Gage 

height.

14.7

14.4

l6.fr 

20.4 

22.8 

27.5 

31.0

33.1 

35.6 

37.2 

38.0 

36.8

34.8 

34.5 

43.5

Discharge.

58,400

 - -69, (W 

 102,000- 

 121^000 

162,000. 

195,000

214,000 

239,000 

-255,000 

 263,000 

251,000

231.000 

228,000 

322,000

March.

Gage 

height.

43.2 

41.2 

43.4 

46.8 

49.3

51.0 

51.8 

51.0 

49.5 

47.3

44.8 

41.8 

38.5 

34.4 

 30; 6

 27.2- 

 24.-4 

. 22.2 

20.5 

'19.3

18.1 

16.9 

16.0 

15.4 

14.8

14.9

Discharge.

319,000 

297,000 

321,000 

361,000 

391,600

411,000 

421,000 

411,000 

393,000 

367,000

337,000 

303,000 

268,000 

227,000 

191,000

160,000 

-135, 000 

116,000 

102,000 

93,200

84,100 

75,300 

69,000 

65,000 

61,000

Day.

1912. 

1.......

2.......

3.......

4.......

5.......

" 6. ......

7.......

8........

9......... 

10.......

11.......

12. ......

13.......

 14.......

.15.......

March.

Gage 

height.

20.2 

19.2

20.4 

22.4 

25.4 

28.6 

37.2

Discharge.

""92," 400"

102,000 

118,000 

144,000 

173,000 

255,000

Day.

1912. 

16.....

17.....

18.....

19.....

20.....

91

22.....

O9

24..... 

25.....

26.. 

27.. 

28.. 

29- 

30.. 

31..

\ 

March.

Gage 

height.

42.6 

44.0 

45. 4 « 

' 46.6 

47.0

46.5 

47.0 

45.2 

45.8 

50.2

52.2 

53.2 

52.8 

51.6 

50.6 

48.1

Discharge.

312,000 

328,000 

 344,000 

358,000 

363,000

357,000 

363,000 

342,000 

349,000 

401,000

426,000 

439,000 

434,000 

419,000 

406,000 

376,000

Day.

1912. 

1..... 

2..... 

3..... 

4..... 

5.....

6.....

7..... 

8..... 

9..... 

10. . . . .

11..... 

12..... 

13..... 

14..... 

15.....

April.

Gage 

height.

46.8 

46.8 

49.0 

50.5 

51.7

51.7 

50.7 

48.6 

45.5 

41.4

37.3 

33.9 

31.5 

29.8 

27.6

Discharge.

361,000 

361,000 

387,000 

405,000 

 420,000'

420, ooa 408, ooa

382,000 

345,000 

299,000

256,000 

222,000 

199,000 

184,000 

163,000

Day.

1912. 

16..... 

17..... 

18..... 

19..... 

20.....

21.....

22.....

23.....

24.....

25.....

26.....

O7

28.....

29.....

30.....

April.

height.

25.9 

24.0 

24.8 

24.2 

25.4'

.Discharge.

148,000 

132,000 

138.000 

133,000
COMPARISON OF THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 65

TABLE 13. Daily gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above the danger line (50 feet) from 1859 to 1913 Contd.

Day.

1912-13. 

1. ........

2.........

3.........

4.........

5.........

6.........

7.........

8.........

9.........

10.........

11.........

12.........

13.........

14.........

15.........

16.........

17.........

18.........

19. ........

20.........

21.........

22.........

23.........

24.........

25.........

26.........

27.........

28.........

29.........

30.........

31.........

December, 1912.

Gage 

height.

8.8 

8.7 

9.5 

10.3 

10.8

Discharge.

27,300 

31,100 

35, 100 

37,600

January, 1913.

Gage 

height.

11.0 

12.9 

17.9 

20.6 

22.2

23.0 

27.3 

37.0 

44.3 

48.4

' 51.8 

58.6 

61.1 

61.9 

61.5

61.1 

60.9 

60.6 

56.0 

51.6

49.0 

47.1

45,5 

48.4 

47.5

46.6 

46.0 

45.6 

44.2 

42.2 

39.4

Discharge.

38,700 

49,300 

82,700 

103,000 

116,000

123,000 

161,000 

253,000 

331,000 

380,000

421,000 

509,000 

543,000 

554,000 

548,000

543,000 

540,000 

536,000 

475,000 

419,000

387,000 

364,000 

345,000 

380,000 

369,000

358,000 

351,000 

346,000 

330,000 

308,000 

278,000

February.

Gage 

height.

36.1 

32.4 

28.9 

26.8 

26.5

27.9

Discharge.

244,000 

208,000 

175,000 

156,000 

154,000

March.

Gage 

height.

,

24.7

22.6 

29.3

50.3 

57.2 

62.6 

66.0 

67.9 

69.2

Discharge.

120,000 

179,000

403,000 

491,000 

563,000 

609,000 

635,000 

652,000

April.

Gage 

height.

69.8 

69.5 

68.0 

66.0 

63.3

57.8 

50.5 

42.8 

34.9 

31.3

30.5 

27.3 

24.0 

24.1

Discharge.

660,000 

656,000 

636,000 

609,000 

573,000

499,000 

405,000 

314,000 

232,000 

197,000

190,000 

161,000 

132,000

Records in which two consecutive rises went above the danger 

line overlap one day, as, for example, March 31, 1908.

The daily discharge was determined by using the gage height at 

the time of the regular reading as the mean gage height for the day, 

and therefore differs during periods of large diurnal fluctuation \from 

the daily discharge that would be obtained by using a mean gage 

height computed from a number of observations taken during each 

day, as, for example, from the record of an automatic gage. In general 

the only days on which more than one reading was available were 

those during the crest periods. It has been thought best, therefore, to 

use the regular reading as the mean for the day, and it is probable 

that no material error in the total discharge for the flood has been 

thereby introduced.

The rating tables used in the computations of daily discharge in 

all tables are provisional and subject to revision on a more complete 

study of the data than was possible in the preparation of this preliminary report. It is thought, however, that the tables are essentially correct and that changes resulting from any future revisions 

3833° WSP 334 13 5
66 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APRIL, 1913.

will be comparatively small, especially at the high stages covered 

by these tables. (See Table 18, p. 82.)

Table 14 contains data similar to those in Table 13 for floods of 

1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and March-April, 1913, at 

"Wheeling, W. Va., Parkersburg, W. Va., Catlettsburg, Ky., Louisville, Ky., and Evansville, Ind.

TABLE 14. Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

at selected stations for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1913.

Wheeling, W. Va.

Day.

1884. 

1. ..............................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6.. ............................................ .

7............ .................................. .

8...............................................

9...............................................

10...............................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13...... ........................................ .

14...... .........................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17....... ........................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20...............................................

21...............................................

22...............................................

23...............................................

24...............................................

25...............................................

26...............................................

27...............................................

28...............................................

29...............................................

30...............................................

31...............................................

January.

Gage 

height.

6.8

6.6 

7.0 

11.0 

10.8 

8.8 

11.9

Discharge.

22,300 

25,000 

53,300 

51,900 

37,500 

60, 100

February.

Gage 

height.

16.2 

29.2 

26.0 

20.0 

21.5

35.0 

46.0 

47.0 

41.2 

38.0

33.0 

29.5 

29.0 

26.5 

30.0

32.5 

28.0 

22.5 

20.8 

20.8

20.0 

19.3

17.8 

15.1 

13.5

12.2 

11.2 

11.2 

10.5

Discharge.

94,000 

208,000 

178,000 

126,000 

138,000

265,000 

388,000 

401,000 

332,000 

297,000

245,000 

211,000 

206,000 

183,000 

216,000

240,000 

197,000 

147,000 

132,000 

132,000

126,000 

120,000 

107.000 

85,000 

72,500

62,500 

55,000 

55,000 

49,600

March.

Gage 

height.

9.8 

8.4 

7.8 

7.3 

7.3

7.2 

7.2 

7.0

7.8

Discharge.

44,700 

34,700 

30,300 

26,900 

26,900

26,200 

26,200 

25,000
COMPARISON OF THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 67

TABLE 14. Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

at selected stations for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1913 Continued.

Wheeling, w. Va. Continued.

Day.

1906-7. 

1............................

2............................

3............................

4............................

5............................

6............................

7............................

8............................

9............................

10............................

11............................

12............................

13............................

14. ...........................

15............................

16............................

17............................

18............................

19............................

20............................

21....................'........

22. ...........................

23............................

24............................

25............................

26............................

27............................

28............................

29............................

30............................

31............................

December, 1906.

Gage 

height.

7.0

6.9 

7.2 

10.8 

15.6

Day.

1913. 

16..............................

17..............................

18..............................

19..............................

20..............................

21..............................

22..............................

23..............................

24..............................

25..............................

26..............................

27..............................

28..............................

29..............................

30..............................

31..............................

Discharge.

24,300 

26,200 

51,900 

89,100

January, 1907.

Gage 

height.

17.0 

19.8 

18.9 

16.3

18.2 

18.8 

16.7 

16.6 

20.2

24.0 

21.0 

19.9 

26.3 

28.0

31.4 

28.9 

27.2 

31.6 

36.1

35.9 

29.3 

21.9 

16.9 

13.1

10.9 

9.9 

9.7 

8.3 

7.9 

o7.6

March.

Gage Disheight. charge.

8.3 ..........

7.5 28,300 

11.5 57,000

30.5 220,000 

45.5 383,000 

50.8 448,000 

50.0 439,000 

43.0 353,000 

32.1 236,000

Discharge.

101,000 

124,000 

116,000 

94,800 

97,300

110,000 

116,000 

98,000 

97,300 

127,000

160,000 

134,000 

125,000 

181,000 

197,000

230,000 

205,000 

189,000 

231,000 

277,000

275,000 

209,000 

142,000 

100,000 

69,500

52,500 

45,400 

44,000 

34,000 

31,000 

29,000

March.

height.

8.8 

8.5

9.3 

9.5 

17.5 

37.9

47.8

48.9 

38.0 

27.9 

22.8 

25.1

31.8 

29.3 

23.0 

17.9 

15.8

13.9 

13.0 

16.5 

18.9 

19.7 

18.0

Discharge.

35,300

41,000 

42,500 

.105,000 

296,000 

411,000

424,000 

297,000 

196,000 

150,000 

170,000

233,000 

209,000 

151,000 

108,000 

90,800

75,800 

68,600 

96, 400 

116,000 

123,000 

109,000

Day.

1913. 

1... ...........................

2..............................

3..............................

5..............................

6..............................

7..............................

8..............................

10..............................

11..............................

12..............................

13..............................

14..............................

15..............................

April.

Gage 

height.

14.9 

12.3 

10.9 

9.8 

9.0

8.6 

8.0 

8.0

8.1

Discharge.

83,500 

63,200 

52,500 

44,700 

39,000

36,000 

31,900

April.

Gage 

height.

28.3 

18.3 

15.5 

13.9 

12.8

11.5 

10.5 

9.5 

9.3 

7.0

7.8

Discharge.

200,000 

111,000 

88,200 

75,800 

67, 100

57,000 

49,600 

42,400 

41,000 

25,000

a Gage height 7.9 on Feb. 1.
68 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APRIL, 1913.

TABLE 14. Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

at selected stations for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1918 Continued.

Parkersburg, W. Va.

Day.

1906-7. 

1.........

2.........

3.........

4. ........

5.........

6.........

7.........

8.........

9. ........

10.........

11.........

12.........

13.........

14.........

15.........

16.........

17.........

18.........

19.........

20.........

21.........

22. ........

23.........

24.........

25.........

26.........

27.........

28.........

29.........

30.........

31.........

December, 1906.

Gage 

height.

8.4

7.8 

11.0 

10.6 

13.8

Discharge.

27,000 

54,000 

50,500 

80,000

January

Gage 

height.

17.4 

19.3

20.4

19.9 

19.8

20.7

21.2 

23.9 

23.9

24.5 

25.0 

29.3 

27.8 

32.0

34.4 

36.3 

38.4 

38.0 

39.3

39.9 

39.1 

34.8 

28.0 

23.0

19.2 

16.1 

14.0 

12.0 

10.4 

8.5

Day.

1913. 

16..............................

17..............................

18..............................

19..............................

20..............................

21..............................

22..............................

23..............................

24..............................

25..............................

26..............................

27..............................

28..............................

29..............................

30..............................

31..............................

C

,1907.

Disharge.

114,000 

132,000

142,000

138,000 

136,000

145,000

154 000

150,000 

177,000 

mftftft

184,000 

189,000 

233,000 

217,000 

262,000

289,000 

311,000 

335,000 

330,000 

346,000

352,000 

342,000 

293,000 

219,000 

168,000

130,000 

101,000 

81,000 

63,000 

49,500 

33,000

February.

Gage 

height.

10.0

March.

Gage 

height.

10.0

9.5 

10,0

22.1 

43.0 

54.9 

58.7 

57.9 

53.8

Discharge.

41,000 

46,000

160,000 

390,000 

540,000 

589,000 

579,000 

526,000

Discharge.

..........

March.

Gage 

height.

10.0

9.6

U Q

12.2 

18.0 

37.0 

48.1

51.4 

50.9 

43.6 

40.0 

35.0

34.2 

34.7 

32.0 

26.0

20.4

16.6 

14.5 

13.4

16.1 

19.1 

19.4

Discharge.

42,000

64,500 

120,000 

318,000 

453,000

495,000 

488,000 

397,000 

353,000 

295,000

286,000 

292,000 

262,000 

199,000

142,000

106,000 

86,000 

75,000

101,000 

129,000 

132,000

Day.

1913.

2..............................

3..............................

5..............................

6..............................

7..............................

8..............................

10..............................

11..............................

19

10

14..............................

15..............................

April.

Gage 

height.

17.6 

14.9 

12.7 

11.4 

10.0

9.4 

9.2 

o o

0 S

........

Discharge.

116,000 

89,000 

69,500 

57,500 

46,000

40,000 

38,500

..........

..........

April.

Gage 

height.

47.5 

38.1 

27.2 

19.5 

16.5

15.8 

14.2 

12 9

nis

10.9

10.5 

10.8

Discharge.

445,000 

331,000 

210,000 

134,000 

105,000

98,000 

83,000 

71,000 

61,000 

53,000

50,000
COMPARISON OP THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 69

TABLE I4.~Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

at selected stations for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1913 Continued.

Catlettsburg, Ky.

» Day.

1906-7. 

1............................

2............................

3............................

4............................

5............................

6............................

7............................

8............................

9............................

10............................

11............................

12............................

13............................

14............................

15............................

16............................

17............................

18............................

19............................

20. ...........................

21............................

22............................

23............................

24............................

25............................

26............................

27............................

28............................

29............................

30............................

31............................

December, 1906.

Gage 

height.

1 K (\

13.5 

15.0 

22.0 

24.0

Discharge.

59,500 

69,000 

120,000 

138,000

January, 1907.

height.

25.7 

27.7 

29.6 

30.4 

31.6

30.0 

29.4 

29.6 

30.7

32.8

33.9 

33.7 

38.0 

41.0 

42.7

47.8 

52.4 

55.4 

59.0 

59.9

58.4 

56.4 

53.0 

50.6 

45.0

37.0 

28.0 

21.8 

17.5 

15.0 

a 14.0

Discharge.

153,000 

172,000 

191,000 

200,000 

212,000

196,000 

189,000 

191,000 

203,000 

226,000

239,000 

236,000 

287,000 

324,000 

345,000

410,000 

470,000 

509,000 

555,000 

568,000

548,000 

522,000 

477,000 

446,000 

374,000

274,000 

175,000 

119,000 

85,500 

69,000 

62,500

March.

Gage 

height.

21.4 

20.0 

19.9

22.5 

23.8 

28.6 

37.2 

49.0

57.2 

59.8 

60.4 

59.6 

56.4

52.3 

49.0 

47.0 

44.0 

39.6

33.5

27.2 

23.8 

20.5 

21.9 

24.0

Discharge.

163,666

124,000 

136,000 

181,000 

277,000 

426,000

532,000 

566,000 

574,000 

564,000 

522,000

469,000 

426,000 

400,000 

362,000 

306,000

233,000 

167,000 

136,000 

108,000 

120,000 

138,000

April.

Gage 

height.

24.6 

23.8 

22.4 

20.4 

18.4

17.0 

18.3

Discharge.

143,000 

136,000 

124,000 

107,000 

92,000

82,000

Day.

1913. 

16...............................

17...............................

18...............................

19...............................

20...............................

21...............................

22...............................

23...............................

24...............................

25...............................

26...............................

2?. ..............................

28...............................

29...............................

30...............................

31...............................

March.

Gage 

height.

15.8

15.5

17.2 

41.1 

57.5 

65.1 

66.3 

67.7

Discharge.

72,000

83,000 

325,000 

536,000 

636,000 

652,000 

669,000

Day.

1913. 

1.. ............................

2.................... ..........

3..............................

4..............................

5..............................

6..............................

7..............................

8..............................

9..............................

10..............................

11..............................

12..............................

13..............................

14..............................

15..............................

April.

Gage 

height.

&66.5 

665.3 

& 60. 7 

53.2 

43.5

33.5 

27.0 

22.6 

19.7 

17.5

16.1 

15.6 

15.9

Discharge.

654,000 

638,000 

578,000 

480,000 

356,000

234,000 

165,000 

126,000 

101,000 

85,500

75,500 

72,500

» Gage height on Feb. 1 is 14.5.

& Gage heights Apr. 1, 2, and 3 obtained by comparison with Huntmgton.
70 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAKCH-APRIL, 1913.

TABLE 14. 'Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

at selected stations for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1913 Continued.

Louisville, Ky. (Lower gage.)

Day.

1884. 

1.. .............................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

9...............................................

10...............................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13...............................................

14...............................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20...............................................

21...............................................

22...............................................

23. ..............................................

24...............................................

25...............................................

26...............................................

27...............................................

28...............................................

29...............................................

30...............................................

si

Day.

1906-7. 

1.......:.......................................

2...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

9............................................... 10...............................................

11...............................................

iq

14...............................................

15..............................................

16...............................................

17. ..............................................

18...............................................

1Q

20...............................................

99

OQ

24...............................................

OK

26...............................................

27...............................................

28...............................................

9Q

30........................... ....................

31.................................. .............

January.

Gage 

height.

17.5

15.0

15.8 

23.5

Discharge.

85,400 

92,000 

162,000

December, 1906.

Gage 

height.

20.6

19.0 

19.4 

22.0

Discharge.

119,000 

123,000 

147,000

February.

Gage 

height.

34.0 

40.6 

45.5 

48.3 

51.6

57.6 

62.8 

64.1 

65.6 

65.7

66.0 

67.1

68.8 

70.5 

71.7

72.0 

71.3

70.1

68.5 

67.1

65.2 

62.5

59.2

55.7 

51.0

46.4

42.6 

36.2

31.5

Discharge.

272,000 

350,000 

412,000 

449,000 

493,000

577,000 

652,000 

671,000 

694,000 

695,000

700,000 

716,000

742,000 

769,000 

787,000

792,000 

781,000

762,000 

738,000 

716,000

688,000 

648,000

600,000

550,000 

485,000

424,000

375,000 

297,000

244,000

January, 1907.

Gage 

height.

27.8 

32.4 

39.8 

45.4 

48.1

47.0 

44.2 

41.0 

40.8

40.5

39.7 

40.0 

43.2 

44.4

47.3

51.6

55.7

58.9

61.7 

64.2

66.1

66.9

66.8 

65.8 

64.2

61.4

57.7 

52.4 

44.8 

36.2 

27.9

Discharge.

205,000 

254,000 

340,000 

411,000 

446,000

432,000 

395,000 

355,000 

353,000

349,000

339,000 

343,000 

383,000 

398,000

436,000

493,000

550,000

595,000

636,000 

673,000

701,000

713,000

712,000 

697,000 

673,000

632,000

578,000 

504,000 

403,000 

297,000 

206,000

March.

Gage 

height.

27.1 

23.9 

22.6 

20.5 

19.0

18.0 

18.0 

19.0

Dis-* 

charge.

198,000 

165,000 

153,000 

133,000 

119,000

111,000 

111,000

February.

Gage 

height.

23.0 

22. t) 

23.0

Discharge.

157,000 

147,000
COMPARISON OF THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 71

TABLE 14. Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

at selected stations for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1913 Continued.

Louisville, Ky. Continued.

Day.

1907. 

1.... ...........................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

4...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

9...............................................

10...............................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13...............................................

14.....:.........................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20...............................................

21...............................................

22...............................................

23...............................................

24...............................................

25...............................................

26...............................................

27...............................................

28...............................................

29...............................................

30

31...............................................

Day.

1913. 

16. -.........-

17.....-....--

18............

19. .......... .

20....--.-....

21............

23. ...........

94.

25. ...........

26. ...........

27............

28............

30............

31.....-..---.

March.

Gage 

height.

27.3

24.6 

28.6

48.1 

59.3 

64.2 

66.7 

68.3 

69.3

Discharge.

172,666 

213,000

446,000 

601.000 

673,000 

710. 000 

735,000 

750,000

February.

Gage 

height.

15.8

15.6 

15.8

17.4 

19.4 

21.6

Day.

1913. 

1. ...........

2............

3............

4............

5............

6. ...........

7............

8. ...........

g

10. ...........

11............

19

13............

14............

15............

Discharge.

90,300 

92,000

105,000 

123,000 

143,000

March.

Gage 

height.

22.6 

23.5 

24.3 

26.8 

28.6

29.8 

29.2 

28.2 

27.4 

26.7

27.4 

27.4 

39.2 

49.8 

55.0

57.8 

59.0 

60.3

61.2

61.5

61.0 

60.1 

57.8 

56.4 

53.9

50.8 

47.0 

41.4 

35.6 

29.8 

24.6

April.

Gage 

height.

70.2 

70.5 

70.1 

69.2 

68.3

66.4 

63.2 

58.3 

51.5 

44.5

39.5 

36.4 

31.0 

26.0 

24.2

Discharge.

764, 000 

769,000 

762,000 

748,000 

735, 000

706, 000 

658.000 

587,000 

492,000 

399,000

337,000 

300,000 

239,000 

186,000 

168,000

Discharge.

153,000 

162,000 

169,000 

-195,000 

213,000

226,000 

220,000 

209,000 

201,000 

193,000

201,000 

201,000 

333,000 

469,000 

540,000

580,000 

597,000 

616,000

629,000

633,000

626,000 

613,000 

580,000 

 560,000 

525,000

483,000 

432,000 

360,000 

290,000 

226,000 

mnfin

Day.

1913. 

16............

17. ...........

18............

19

20............

21............

23. ...........

24............

OK

9fi

27............

28............

9Q

April.

Gage 

height.

23.0 

22.4 

22.6 

23.4 

23.0

21.8 

20.2 

19.2 

19.2 

21.2

Discharge.

157,000 

151,000 

153,000 

161,000 

157,000

145,000 

130,000 

121,000 

121,000

April.

Gage 

height.

24.0 

28.8 

26.0

Discharge.

166,000 

164,000
72 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

TABLE 14. Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

at selected stations for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1913 Continued.

Evansville, Ind.

Day.

1884. 

1. ..............................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7. ..............................................

8...............................................

9...............................................

10...............................................

U.... ...........................................

19

iq

14...............................................

it

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20...............................................

91

22...............................................

24.... ...........................................

25...............................................

26...............................................

27.................................:.........

28...............................................

29...............................................

30...........................................

31...............................................

Day.

1906-7. 

1.......................................

2........................................... . .

3..................................... .

4....................................... .

5...............................................

6............................. ..

7..................................... . .

8......................... .

9............................. ....

10...............................................

11.............................. ......

12......................................... ...

1 ...........................

14............................. ..... .

15...............................................

16...............................................

17............................. .......

18.......................

19........................... . ......

20...............................................

21.......................

22...........................

23.............................. .... .....

24............................................. .

25............................. .....

26..............................................

27...........................................

28...............................................

29............................... ........... 

30...............................................

31..........................

January.

Gage 

height.

15.7

14.7

15.7 

18.0

Discharge.

110,000 

120,000 

146,000

December, 1906.

Gage 

height.

23.4 

20.4 

21.0

Discharge.

"i75,~666~

183,000

February.

Gage 

height.

24.0 

29.0 

32.8 

36.3 

38.3

41.2

42.5 

44.2 

44.8 

45.2

45.6 

46.1 

46.3 

46.8 

47.2

47.5 

47.8 

48.0 

48.0 

47.7

47.5 

46.5 

46.2 

46.0 

45.3

43.6 

42.5 

41.0 

38.7

Discharge.

224,000 

300,000 

365,000 

430,000 

468,000

526,000 

552,000 

587,000 

600,000 

608,000

616,000 

627,000 

631,000 

642,000 

650,000

657,000 

663,000 

667,000 

667,000 

661,000

657,000 

635,000 

629,000 

625,000 

610,000

575,000 

552,000 

522,000 

476,000

January, 1907.

Gage 

height.

21.7 

24.0 

30.0 

35.1 

37.9

39.6 

40.3 

40.3 

39.9 

39.5

38.8 

38.4 

38.3 

38.5 

39.0

39.8 

40.7 

42.0 

43.4 

44.2

44.9 

45.4 

45.9 

46.2 

46.2

46.1

45.9

45.5 

44.8 

43.5 

41.7

Discharge.

192,000 

224,000 

317,000 

407,000 

461,000

494,000 

508,000 

508,000 

500,000 

492,000

478,000 

470,000 

468,000 

472, OuO 

482,000

498,000 

516,000 

542,000 

571,000 

587,000

602,000 

612,000 

623,000 

629,000 

629,000

627,000 

623,000

614,000 

600,000 

573,000 

536,000

March.

Gage Disheight. charge.

37.6 

36.5 

32.4 

31.7 

29.0

26.0 

24.0 

22.0 

21.4 

22.2

455,000 

434,000 

358,000 

346,000 

300,000

253,000 

224,000 

196,000 

188,000

*

February.

Gage 

height.

39.0 

36.6 

33.8 

30.6 

29.5

28.3 

27.7 

27.1 

26.2 

25.4

23.6 

22.0 

20.2 

18.9 

18.0

17.4 

17.1 

16.7 

16.1 

15.6

15.2 

14.7 

14.6 

14.4

14.7

Discharge.

482,000 

436,000 

383,000

..........
COMPARISON OP THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 73

TABLE 14. Daily gage height, in feet, and daily discharge, in second-feet, of Ohio River 

at selected stations for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1913 Continued.

Evansville, Ind. Continued.

Day.

1907. 

1. ..............................................

2...............................................

3...............................................

5...............................................

6...............................................

7...............................................

8...............................................

9...............................................

10...............................................

11...............................................

12...............................................

13...............................................

14...............................................

15...............................................

16...............................................

17...............................................

18...............................................

19...............................................

20...............................................

21...............................................

22...............................................

23...............................................

24...............................................

25...............................................

26...............................................

27...............................................

28...............................................

29...............................................

30...............................................

31...............................................

Day.

1913. 

16............

17............

18............

19............

20............

21............

22. ...........

23............

24............

25............

26............

27............

38............

2£U30............

31............

March.

Gage 

height.

27.5

26.0

30.1 

36.6 

40.4 

43.0 

44.4 

45.4

Discharge.

253,000

318,000 

436.000 

510,000 

562,000 

591,000 

612,000

February.

Gage 

height.

14.6

14.4

14.7

16 0 

17.5

19.0

Day.

1913. 

1. ...........

2. .......... .

3............

4............

5............

6............

7. ...........

8............

9............

10............

11............

12............

13............

14............

15............

Discharge.

March.

Gage 

height.

20.5

22.3

23.9

24.7

25.4

26.3

27.2

27.8

27.8

27.5

27.3

27.2 

27.4 

31.3 

36.3

39.0 

40.9 

42.0 

42.7 

43.2

43.5 

43.7 

43.8 

43.6 

43.2

42.7 

41.9 

41.0 

39.6 

37.8 

34.9

April.

Gage 

height

46.4 

47.2 

47.8 

48.2 

48.3

48.1 

47.9 

47.5 

46.7 

45.8

44.4 

42.7 

41.1 

39.3 

36.8

Discharge.

633,000 

650,000 

663,000 

671,000 

674,000

669,000 

665,000 

657,000 

640,000 

621,000

591,000 

556,000 

524,000 

488,000 

439,000

Discharge.

271,000 

275,000 

339,000 

430,000

482,000 

520,000 

542,000 

556,000 

567,000

573,000 

577,000 

579,000 

575,000 

567,000

556,000 

540,000 

522,000 

494,000 

459,000 

404,000

Day.

\ 

1913. 

16. ...........

17............

18............

19............

20............

21............

22............

23............

24............

25............

26. ...........

27............

28............

on

30............

April.

height.

31.1

26.7 

23.1 

21.0 

20.1

19.9 

19.7 

21.2 

18.5 

17.7

17.6 

18.5

Discharge.

336,000 

264,000 

211,000 

183,000 

172,000

169,000 

167,000 

186,000 

152,000 

143,000

141,000

April.

Gage 

height.

34.3 

31.8 

29.8 

28.0 

27.1

26.6

25.9

24.6

22.8

21.0

Discharge.

393,000 

348,000 

313,000 

284,000 

270,000

..

Table 15 contains a summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River 

at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above danger line (50 feet) from 

1859 to 1913 given in Table 13. The total discharge of the entire 

flood represents the entire volume of the run-off for the period from
74 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

trough to trough. The maximum daily discharge is the discharge 

obtained from the maximum daily gage height and is therefore not 

the maximum rate of discharge that occurred during the flood unless 

the maximum daily gage height happens to represent the crest stage. 

The total discharge for the period when the stage was above 50 feet 

is the total discharge for the number of whole days during which the 

regular daily gage-height reading was above 50 feet. For most 

periods this total will not be identical with that which would have been 

obtained by constructing a hydrograph of discharge and taking from it 

the total discharge above the stage of 50 feet. The values in this 

table, however, are as close as the number of observations warrant, 

and the errors thus introduced are more or less compensating.

The excess discharge during the period when the stage was above 

50 feet is the difference obtained by subtracting from the total discharge for the period the total discharge that would result if the stage 

remained at 50 feet for the number of days in the period. This excess 

represents the volume by which the flow at Cincinnati would have had 

to be reduced during these periods in order to keep the stage from 

going above 50 feet. The explanation of the discharge data during 

periods when the stage was above 54 and 57 feet is identical with 

the above, 54 or 57 being substituted for 50 feet. The stages selected 

are those at danger line, 4 feet above danger line, and 7 feet above 

danger line.
TABLE 15. Summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all flood

[Drainage area, 75,800 square miles.]

fefl

I

fc 

1

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27

Dates of floods.

1865 Feb. 23-Mar. 16. ..........

1865 May 4-25... ...............

1870 Jan. 12-Feb. 12. ...........

1875 July 10- Aug. 26. ..........

1877 Jan. 8-Feb. 2. .............

1880 Feb. 10-28. ................

1881 Feb . 7-Mar. 3 .............

1882 Feb. 7-Mar. 6....... ......

1886 Mar. 14- Apr. 30 ...........

1 887 TToH 94 \fnr Q

1890 Mar. 11-Apr. 26. ..........

1893 Jan. 30-Mar.3.... .........

1897 Feb. 20-Mar. 8. ...........

1898 Mar. 11-Apr. 27. ..........

1899 Feb. 18-Mar. 18. ..........

1899 Mar. 18-May 9. ............

1901 At»r. 17-Mav 11.... . .......

Entire flood.

Num- 

'berof 

days.

32 

26 

22 

22 

19 

22 

32 

48 

29 

26 

19 

25 

27 

40 

39 

48 

40 

14 

24 

47 

37 

33 

17 

48 

29 

53 

25

Total discharge.

Million 

cubic feet.

699,000 

539,000 

593, 000 

446,000 

596,000 

713,000 

643,000 

823,000 

589,000 

496,000 

392,000 

530,000 

759,000 

1,110,000 

1,270,000 

925,000 

976,000 

434,000 

649,000 

1,170,000 

1,090,000 

787,000 

531,000 

900,000 

664,000 

771,000 

616.000

Average in 

secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

 3.34 

3.17 

4.11 

3.09 

4.79 

4.95 

3.07 

2.62 

3.10 

2.91 

3.15 

3.24 

4.29 

4.23 

4.97 

2.94 

3.72 

4.73 

4.13 

3.80 

4.50 

3.64 

4.77 

2.86 

3.49 

2.22 

3.76

Maximum daily discharge.

Date.

Feb. 23.... 

Jan. 24.... 

Mar. 8..... 

May 14. ... 

Feb. 22.... 

Mar. 15.... 

Jan. 19.... 

Aug. 6..... 

Jan. 29.... 

Jan. 20-21. 

Feb. 17.... 

Feb. 16.... 

Feb. 21.... 

Feb. 15.... 

Feb. 14.... 

April 9. ... 

Feb. 6..... 

Mar. 1..... 

Mar. 1..... 

Mar. 26.... 

Feb. 25.... 

Feb. 20-21 

Feb. 26.... 

Mar. 29.... 

Mar. 8..... 

Apr. 1..... 

Apr. 27....

Secondfeet.

471,000 

497,000 

483,000 

419,000 

456,000 

476,000 

470,000 

471,000 

426,000 

444,000 

443,000 

411,000 

508,000 

616,000 

682,000 

476,000 

483,000 

462,000 

491,000 

521,000 

497,000 

457,000 

543,000 

547,000 

491,000 

419,000 

524.000

Secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

6.21 

6.56 

6.37 

5.53 

6.02 

6.28 

6.20 

6.21 

5.62 

5.86 

5.84 

5.42 

6.70 

8.13 

9.00 

6.28 

6.37 

6.09 

6.48 

6.87 

6.56 

6.03 

7.10 

7.22 

6.48 

5.53 

6.91

50 feet (399,000 sec

feet ).«

Number of 

days.

7 

6 

5 

2 

7 

12 

6 

4 

1 

5 

3 

2 

9 

15 

19 

11 

5 

5 

6 

8 

8 

8 

7 

10 

6 

2 

9

Discharge in 

lion cubic 

Total.

270,000 

244,000 

199,000 

72, 000 

262, 000 

463,000 

236,000 

194,000 

36,800 

188,000 

113,000 

70, 500 

355, 000 

694, 000 

929,000 

433,000 

202,000 

195,000 

242,000 

332,000 

323,000 

300,000 

300,000 

418,000 

235,000 

71,800 

372.000

Ex

4

2

1

2

4

2

2

4

2

7

a Discharge values used prior to September, 1891, are as follows: 50 feet, 404,000 second-feet, 54 feet, 454,000 second-f

6 Excess discharge is difference between total discharge for period and total discharge for same number of days at 

danger line, respectively.
TABLE 15. Summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River at Cincinnati, Ohio, for all floods above 

s4

!&

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41

Dates of floods.

1902 Feb. 23-Mar. 29. ..........

1903 Feb. 26-Mar. 23. ..........

1906 Mar. 26- Apr. 29. ..........

1906 7 Dec. 29-Feb. 1 .........

1907 Mar. 10-Apr. 8............

1908 Feb. 14-Mar. 1 ............

1908 Mar. 1-31..................

1908 Mar. 31-Apr. 30 ...........

1909 Feb. 7-Mar. 25 ............

1910 Feb. 15-Mar. 25. ..........

1912 Mar. 10-Apr. 1 ............

1912 Apr. 2-19..................

1912-13 Dec. 28-Feb. 5 .........

1913 Mar. 24-Apr. 13 ...........

Entire flood.

Number of 

days.

35 

26 

35 

35 

30 

17 

31 

31 

47 

39

}41

40 

21

Total discharge.

Million 

cubic feet.

737,000 

727,000 

617,000 

995,000 

777,000 

389,000 

831,000 

659,000 

946,000 

751,000

1,060,000

1,000,000 

770,000

Average in 

secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

3.22 

4.27 

2.69 

4.34 

3.96 

3.49 

4.10 

3.25 

3.07 

2.94

3.95

3.82 

5.60

Maximum daily discharge.

Date.

Mar. 5..... 

.....do.....

Apr. 2... . 

Jan. 21.. . 

Mar. 19.. . 

Feb. 20.. . 

Mar. 11-12 

Apr. 4... . 

Feb. 28.. . 

Mar. 7... . 

/Mar. 27.. . 

\Apr.5-6. . 

Jan. 14.. . 

Apr. 1... .

Secondfeet.

410,000 

437,000 

401,000 

597,000 

556,000 

412,000 

439,000 

471,000 

457,000 

421,000 

439,000 

420,000 

554, 000 

660,000

Secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

5.41 

5.77 

5.29 

7.88 

7.34 

5.44 

5.79 

6.21 

6.03 

5.55 

5.79 

5.54 

7.31 

8.71

50 feet (399,000 sec

feet).

Number of 

days.

3 

5 

1 

11 

11 

2 

6 

4 

6 

3 

6 

4 

10 

13

Discharge in 

lion cubic 

Total.

106,000 

182,000 

34,600 

501,000 

470,000 

71,000 

221,000 

155,000 

229,000 

107,000 

218,000 

143,000 

440,000 

639,000

E

1

1
COMPARISON OP THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 77

Table 16 contains a summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River 

at Wheeling, Parkersburg, Catlettsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville, and 

Evansville, for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, 

and March-April, 1913, given in Table 14. Data in Table 16 are 

arranged so as to bring out a comparison of the flow of the different 

floods at each station. The data in this table are similar to the data 

in Table 15 and the explanation is identical, with the proper changes 

in the values for danger line, 4 feet above danger line, and 7 feet 

above danger line at the different stations.

Table 17 contains a summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River 

for floods of 1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and MarchApril, 1913, at Wheeling, Parkersburg, Catlettsburg, Cincinnati, 

Louisville, and Evansville, identical with that in Table 16, but 

arranged so as to bring out a comparison of the flow at the different 

stations for the given floods.
TABLE 16. Summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River at Wheeling, Parkersburg, Catlettsburg, 

1884, January, 1907, March-April, 1907, and March-Ap

Wheeling, W. Va.

[Danger line, 36 feet. Drainage area, 24,800 square miles

1 

lOates of floods.

1884, Jan. 26-Mar. 5. ..............

1906-7, Dec. 28-Jan. 31............

1907,Mar. 10-Apr. 7 .............

1913, Mar. 24-Apr. 10. ............

Entire flood.

No. 

of 

days.

40 

35 

29 

18

Total discharge.

Million 

cubic feet.

474,000 

366,000 

337,000 

252,000

Average in 

secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

5.53 

4.88 

5.42 

6.53

Maximum daily discharge.

Date.

Peb.8..... 

Jan. 20.... 

Mar. 16. ... 

Mar. 28. . .

Secondfeet.

401,000 

277,000 

424,000 

448,000

Secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

16.2 

11.2 

17.1 

18.1

Parkersburg, 

[Danger line, 36 feet. Drainage

1906-7, Dec. 28-Jan. 31. ...........

1907, Mar. 10-Apr. 7. .............

1913, Mar. 24-Apr. 11.............

35 

29 

19

536,000 

463,000 

390,000

4.70 

4.90 

6.30

Jan. 21 .... 

Mar. 16.... 

Mar. 29....

352, 000 

495, 000 

589,000

9.34 

13.1 

15.6

Catlettsburf 

[Danger line, 50 feet. Drainage

1906-7, Dec. 28-Jan. 31 ............

1907, Mar. 10-Apr. 6 ..............

1913, Mar. 25-Apr. 12. ............

35 

28 

19

813,000 

653,000 

565,000

4.46 

4.48 

5.71

Jan. 20.... 

Mar. 18.... 

Mar. 31 ...

568,000 

574,000 

669,000

9.42 

9.52 

11.1

36 feet (276,000 sec.-ft

No. 

of 

days.

4 

1 

4 

4

Discharge in m

lion cubic feet

Total.

123,000 

23,900 

123,000 

140,000

Exce

27

28

44

W.Va.

area, 37,700 square miles.

36 feet (306,000 sec.-ft

6 

6

7

174,000 

216, 000 

294,000

15

57

109

* *? 

area, 60,300 square miles.

50 feet (438,000 sec.-ft

8 

6 

8

354.000 

279,000 

418,000

51

51

116
COMPARISON OF THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 79

t-* 00 W CD 

r- CO CO "5

rH C^

CDK51OCD

188 5O O

rH l-( i

(N<N

8

5eor~

585o

^irCOIN

111 § i $

a iS D

111 .as* «B
TABLE 17. Summary of flood-flow records of Ohio River for floods of 1884, January, 1907, Marc

Parkersburg, Catlettsburg, Cincinnati, Louisville, and E

1884.

Station.

Wheeling, W.Va......

Catlettsburg, Ky. .....

Louisville, Ky ........

Entire flood.

Date.

Jan. 26-Mar. 5.....

Jan. 29-Mar. 7.....

Number of 

days.

40

39 

39

41

Total discharge.

Million 

cubic feet.

474,000

1,270,000 

1,590,000 

1,690,000

Average in 

secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

5.53

4.97 

5.21 

4.50

Maximum daily discharge.

Date.

Feb. 8

Feb. 14 

Feb. 16 

Feb.lS-19

Secondfeet.

401,000

682,000 

792,000 

667,000

Secondfeet per 

square 

mile.

16.2

9.00

8.74 

6.29

Danger lin

Number of 

days.

4

19 

19

28

Dischar

million cu

Total.

123,000

929,000 

1,150,000 

1,420,000

January, 1907.

Wheeling, W.Va......

Parkersburg, W. Va...

Catlettsburg, Ky. .....

Louisville, Ky........

Evansville, Ind .......

Dec. 28-Jan. 31....

Dec. 28-Jan. 31. ...

Dec. 28-Jan. 31....

Dec. 30-Feb. 3.....

35

35

35 

35

36

36

366,000

536.000

813,000 

995 QOQ

1,310'000

1,510,000

4.88

4.70

4.46 

4.34

4 fi<;

4.58

Jan. 20 

Jan. 21

Jan. 24-25

277,000

352,000

568,000

KQ7 Ann

710 f\()f\

629,000

11.2

9.34

9.42

7 ftft

7.87

5.93

1

6

8 

11

11

30

23,900

174,000

354,000

Kni nnn

619 000

1,390*000
March-April, 1907.

Wheeling, W.Va......

g Parkersburg, W.Va...

jo Catlettsburg. Ky. .....

 £ Cincinnati, Onto ......

Louisville, Ky........

d Evansville, Ind .......

a

Mar. 10-Apr. 7....

Mar. 10-Apr. 7....

Mar. 10-Apr. 6....

Mar. 10-Apr. 8....

Mar. 10-Apr. 9....

Mar. 12-Apr. 11 ...

29

29

28

30

31

31

337,000

463,000

653,000

777,000

964,000

1,030,000

5.42

4.90

4.48

3.96

3.97

3. 63

Mar. 16

Mar. 16

Mar. 18

Mar. 19

Mar. 20

Mar. 23

424,000

495,000

574,000

556.000

633,000

579,000

17.1

13.1

9.52

7.34

6.99

5.46

4

6

6

11

10

16

123,000

216,000

279,000

470,000

516,000

738,000

March-April, 1913.

_, Wheeling, W.Va......

a Parkersburg, W.Va...

Catlettsburg, Ky. .....

Cincinnati, Ohio ......

Louisville, Ky ........

Evansville, Ind.......

Mar. 24- Apr. 10...

Mar. 24- Apr. 11...

Mar. 25- Apr. 12...

Mar. 24- Apr. 13...

Mar. 24-Apr. 17...

Mar. 25- Apr. 20...

18

19

19

21

25

27

252,000

390,000

565,000

770,000

1,080,000

1,210,000

6.53

6.30

' 5.71

5.60

5.52

4.89

Mar. 28

Mar. 29

Mar. 31

Apr. 1

Apr. 2

Apr. 5

448,000

589,000

669,000

660,000

769,000

674,000

18.1

15.6

11.1

8.71

8,49

6.36

4

7

8

13

13

20

140,000

294,000

418.000

639, 000

795,000

1,020,000

NOTE. See Table 16 for stage and discharge at danger line, 4 feet above danger line, and 7 feet above danger line.

a. Excess discharge is difference between total discharge for period and total discharge for same number of days at s

danger line, respectively.
82 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APRIL, 1913.

Table 18 gives ratios of the drainage area and of total discharge 

during selected floods for each station as compared with each of the 

other stations in the table. The drainage area ratio is always less 

than unity because the value for the station having the smaller 

drainage area is always placed in the numerator. The ratios of 

total discharge are the fractional parts that the total flow at each 

station is of the total flow at each of the other stations. In general, 

these discharge ratios are always less than unity because the discharge for the station with the smaller drainage area is always placed 

in the numerator. The values of total flow used in computing 

these ratios are given in Tables 15 and 16. The .ratios afford a 

rough check on the applicability and accuracy of the rating curves 

for the periods and the range of stage for which they were used. A 

very close agreement among such ratios can not be expected because 

of the variable factors involved, such as, for example, the intensity 

and distribution of rainfall.

TABLE 18. Ratios of total discharge during selected floods at various points on Ohio River.

Wheeling.

[Drainage area, 24,800 square miles.]

Station.

Wheeling...........................................

Drainage 

area 

ratio.

0.66

.41

.33 

.27 

.23

Flood of 

1884

0.37 

.30 

.28

1906-7

0.68 

.45 

.37 

.28 

.24

1907

0.73 

.52 

.43 

.35 

.33

1913

0.65 

.45 

.33 

.23 

.21

Parkersburg.

[Drainage area, 37,700 square miles.]

0.66

.63

.50

.42

.36

0.68

.66

.54

.41

.35

0.73

.71

.60

.48

.45

0.65

.69

.51

.36

.32

Catlettsburg.'

[Drainage area, 60,300 square miles.]

0.41

.63

.80

.67

.57

0.45

.66

.82

.62

.54

0.52

.71

.84

.68

.63

0.45

.69

.73

.52

.47
COMPARISON OP THE FLOODS IN THE OHIO VALLEY. 83

TABLE 18. Ratios of total discharge during selected floods at various points on Ohio

River Continued.

Cincinnati.

 [Drainage area, 75,800 square miles.]

Station.

Drainage 

area 

ratio.

0.33 

.50

.80

.84

.72

Flood of 

1884

0.37

.80 

.75

1906-7

0 37

54

82

76 

66

1907

0.43 

.60

.84

.81 

.75

1913

0.33

.51 

.73

.71 

.64

Louisville.

[Drainage area, 90,600 square miles.]

0.27

.42

.67

.84

.85

0.30

.80

.94

0.28

.41

.62

.76

.87

0.35

.48

.68

.81

.94

0.23.

.36

.52

.71

.89

Evansville. 

[Drainage area, 106,000 square miles.]

0.23

.36

.57

.72

.85

0.28

.75

.94

0.24

.35

.54

.66

.87

0.33

.45

.63

.75

.94

0.21

.32

.47

.64

.89

The maximum daily discharges shown by these tables indicate the 

extremely large amounts of water that would have to be carried by the 

channels between proposed levees along the Ohio. For designing 

such levees flood-flow data should be collected in much greater 

detail. The number of days the water would have stood against 

the levees at various stages is also indicated by the tables.

The figures in the columns headed "Excess" show the quantities of 

water to be held back above the stations during the periods indicated 

to have kept the river below danger line, at 4 feet above the danger 

line, and at 7 feet above danger line. For example (Table 15), 

to have kept the highest flood on record at Cincinnati (1884) below 

the danger line it would have been necessary to hold back, at the 

proper time, above Cincinnati 226,000 million cubic feet of water 

the accumulated excess during the 19 days that the stage was 

above the danger line. This, however, is the maximum, and it 

should be noted that from 1859 to 1913 the excess was greater than 

140,000 million cubic feet on only two occasions. It should be further 

noted that no excess above 57 feet is as much as 140,000 million cubic 

feet, and that only two are greater than 100,000 million cubic feet.
84 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

The total capacity of the 43 reservoir sites above Pittsburgh, investigated in 1912 by the Pittsburgh Flood Commission, is 80,500 million 

cubic feet, and the total capacity of 17 selected projects of the 43 

above Pittsburgh is 59,500 million cubic feet. Preliminary investigations during- 1908 by the United States Geological Survey in the 

Kanawha River drainage area discovered 17 reservoir sites with a total 

storage capacity of about 280,000 million cubic feet. In addition to 

these there are many other available reservoir sites on the tributaries 

of Ohio River above Cincinnati. It is probable, however, that greater 

storage capacity than that indicated will be required to control fully 

the floods on the Ohio, for all the floods do not originate on the same 

tributaries, and sufficient reservoir capacity should therefore be 

provided to control floods on two or more combinations of tributaries. The data now at hand, however, are too meager to warrant 

conclusions. They simply show the necessity for complete investigations to determine how much storage is available on the various 

tributaries, what effect storage on certain tributaries and sets of 

tributaries would have on the flow in the main stream as well as on 

the tributaries, and whether or not, on the whole, such storage reservoirs are feasible as a means of flood control ia the Ohio Valley.

The differences in the values of excess at the different stations for 

stages of danger line, 4 feet above danger line, and 7 feet above 

danger line, show the advantages to be gained by raising the danger 

line at different cities, either by building levees or by moving out of 

the sections subject to overflow.

The hydrographs of gage heights (Pis. IV, V, X, XI, XIII) indicate 

to some extent the effect of the tributaries on the main stream and vice 

versa but are not to be compared in value for studies of the problems of 

flood control with similar hydrographs and data based upon discharge 

instead of upon gage heights. Thus at every turn the absolute necessity for data relative to stream flow becomes apparent.

DAMAGE CAUSED BY FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.

Estimates of damage caused by the flood of March-April, 1913, 

in the Ohio Valley are given in Table 19. These estimates were prepared by the United States Geological Survey from information 

received in response to circular letters sent to the officials of about 200 

cities and towns of about 5,000 population or over, from which about 

120 replies were received. These replies gave estimates of losses 

sustained by the municipalities and some of the smaller towns in 

their immediate vicinity. The two largest single items received were 

from Dayton, Ohio, and Hamilton, Ohio, the total amounts being 

1100,000,000 and $15,000,000, respectively. Some of the most serious 

losses were only vaguely expressed. For example, it was reported 

that at Hamilton, Ohio, two-thirds of the town was covered by
DAMAGE CAUSED BY FLOOD. 85

water and about 300 houses were swept away; and that at Portsmouth, Ohio, four-fifths of the city was inundated. Such estimates were not included in the tables from which the totals given 

in Table 19 were obtained. It will be readily appreciated that 

accurate estimates of flood losses are, at best, difficult to obtain and 

can hardly be expected to result from the method that the Survey 

was forced to follow because of the lack of means to make a study at 

closer range. However, the estimates given are believed to be reliable so far as they go, and they should be of considerable value in 

showing the vast amount of money lost because of a single flood, 

thus giving some idea of the amount of funds that it is wise and proper 

to expend in order to prevent the recurrence of such losses.

TABLE 19. Estimate of damages in Ohio Valley by flood of March-April, 1913. 

[Total population, 14,400,000; drainage area, 203,000 square miles.]

State.

Ohio................................

Total.........................

Total damage to railroads

Towns 

which reported.a

11 

47 

24 

1 

94 

7 

1 

21

206

Lives 

lost.

2 

39 

1 

0 

367 

2 

0 

4

415

Buildings 

flooded.

380 

15,450 

6.721 

200 

33,833 

690 

100 

2,669

60,043

Bridges destroyed.

ISO 

6 

8 

220 

4 

1.

419

Total damage to traction lines . . - - - - -

Total (including railroads and traction lin

Damages.

Total.

$1,003,750 

15,480,143 

1,881,500 

150,000 

143,197,492 

2,935,000 

50,000 

3,477,500

168,175,385 

12,221,671

476,041

180,873,097

Municipal 

and county 

improvements. 6

$7,250 

3,113,900 

130,000 

10,000 

7,296,083 

22,000

82,950

10,662,183

a Includes smaller towns reported by officials to whom requests for estimates were sent. 

6 Waterworks, sewers, roads, county bridges, street railways, etc. 

c Includes $150,000 for State canals in Ohio.

The damage caused by the flood of March-April, 1913, was probably the largest that has resulted from any one flood in the history 

of the Ohio Valley. The damage as depicted in the public press at 

the time of the flood was not overdrawn, nor could it be, for the 

conditions at Dayton, Middletown, Hamilton, Piqua, Zanesville, and 

other interior towns and in cities along Ohio River were beyond 

description. While this was due primarily to the record-breaking 

stages reached by the rivers at so many places, the fact that the 

flood was most severe on streams that had hitherto been comparatively free from extreme floods explains a considerable amount of the 

damage. In other words, the localities flooded the most were those 

that least expected, and were therefore least prepared to cope with 

the unprecedented stages. In its relief work in connection with this 

flood the Red Cross Society expended $2,343,601, and the expenditures 

from local relief funds amounted to about $600,000. These items are 

not included in Table 19.
86 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

The estimate of railroad losses represents nine systems and the 

traction losses were compiled from information from 65 companies. 

The estimates given are for actual damage only and do not include 

even all of such losses. No estimates of economic losses are given, 

although some were received. The losses of revenue by the railroad 

and traction companies probably amounted to at least one-half or 

two-thirds of the actual losses and possibly more. A discussion of 

flood losses in general follows. That the actual losses resulting from 

the flood of March-April, 1913, will greatly exceed $200,000,000 

there seems to be little doubt. However, any estimate of the total 

amount of damage considering all phases would, especially at this 

time, be simply a guess.

The damage caused by floods may be divided into two classes 

actual and economic. Under "actual damage" are classed direct 

physical losses that are tangible and apparent, a portion of which 

may be measured in terms of the expenditure required to restore the 

thing damaged to approximately its condition before the flood; the 

rest may be measured in terms of the monetary value of the thing 

lost or destroyed. Plates XIV, XV, and XVI illustrate effects that 

may be classified under "actual damage." Under the classification 

"economic damage" are placed those indirect losses that are, in a 

sense, presumptive. These include losses due to suspension of business and social relations in the flooded area and in places having such 

relations with that area; losses due to decreased confidence in the 

security of the localities flooded especially the towns and cities, 

which may be termed lost prestige; losses due to general depression 

and decreased initiative throughout the flooded districts; and losses 

due to a materially decreased property valuation.

In addition to thes.e losses, there is a loss of wild animal life of which 

it is- practically impossible to get any idea.

Finally, the pitiful loss of human life is the most serious of all. 

Although a valuation is sometimes placed upon human life, it seems 

that any attempt to judge this loss in terms of money is entirely out 

of place here. In addition to the direct loss of life, there is the 

indirect loss due to ill health, sickness, and death resulting from the 

unsanitary and unhealthful conditions which follow all floods. 

Plate XVII gives two views at Hamilton, Ohio, showing localities 

where actual loss of life, animal and human, was narrowly averted.

The damage by flood results directly from two things, simple 

inundation and the effects of the current. It is questionable which 

of the two causes the more damage. In simple inundation probably 

the most damage is caused by the yellow, slimy, fine, penetrating 

mud that is deposited everywhere. The effect of this mud in cities 

is almost inconceivable. There may be some gain in fertilization 

when it is deposited on farm land, but it is open to question whether
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 834 PLATE XIV

te.

A. DURING THE FLOOD. 

Note the large amount of drift piled against the remaining span.

B. AFTER THE FLOOD.

The mass of iron work atthe right is part of the Putnam Street bridge and was carried at least 500 feet by the

current.

RAILROAD BRIDGE OVER MUSKINGUM RIVER AT MARIETTA. OHIO.

MARCH-APRIL, 1913.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 33+ PLATE XV

A. FOURTH STREET AND BAPTIST CHURCH, MARIETTA, OHIO, MARCH 30, 1913.

.B. POST OFFICE, FRONT STREET, MARIETTA, OHIO, MARCH 30, 1913.

This post office was supposed to have been built out of reach of any flood, but there was 8 feet of water in it

March 30.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

HIGH STREET BRIDGE OVER MIAMI RIVER AT HAMILTON, OHIO, MARCH-APRIL, 1913

A, S, Before failure; 6* View from right bank below bridge, showing part of the remains of the bridge. The 

United States Geological Survey ease was located near this ridee. easureme ts of discharge were made
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

A. RILEY'S ISLAND, MIAMI RIVER, BELOW HAMILTON, OHIO, MARCH 26, 1913.

This view shows the crest of the flood. The arrow indicates a point from which four persons were rescued

after 32 hours.

B. HIGH STREET, HAMILTON, OHIO, DURING FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913. 

The horse in this picture was blind but was rescued.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 834 PLATE XVIII

A. SOUTH B STREET, HAMILTON, OHIO, AFTER THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913. 

This view shows the effects of the current upon a paved side street.

B. RAILROAD CROSSING AT SOUTH HAMILTON, OHIO, AFTER THE FLOOD OF MARCH-APRIL, 1913.
PKEVENTION OP DAMAGE BY FLOODS. 87

or not its value as a fertilizer outweighs even the damage it does on 

the farm, to say nothing of its effect in cities and towns. Any consideration of this benefit to farm land appears simply an attempt to 

discover some small benefit in connection with the enormous loss.

The effects of the current are noted principally in the sweeping 

away of bridges, houses, and other structures, in the tearing up of 

city streets, and the erosion of agricultural land the top soil in 

many places being entirely washed away and nothing but a barren 

gravel bed left in the place of fertile land. Plate XVIII illustrates 

some of the effects of current in Hamilton, Ohio. (See also PI. XIV, 

B, and PI. XXII, B, p. 89.)

In considering damage by flood, it should be borne in mind that 

damage resulting from floods of a given and constant magnitude (for 

example) are ever increasing because of increases in the value of the 

areas flooded and of their contents.

Thus, with the added possibility of floods of greater magnitude than 

have ever occurred in the past, it would seem wise and proper that a 

generous interpretation should be placed upon the amount of money 

to be expended for purposes of flood control in the Ohio Valley.

PREVENTION OF DAMAGE BY FLOODS.

It is not the purpose of this report to attempt to make specific 

recommendations as to the means of flo*od prevention or to present 

arguments in favor of any one scheme as opposed to others, but the 

report would be incomplete without some reference to methods of 

preventing damage by floods and to the means that may be devised 

for flood control. A distinction is made between the prevention of 

floods and the prevention of damage by floods in. order to bring out 

more forcibly the obvious idea that excessive precipitation' that is, 

the presence of excessively large volumes of surface waters in river 

basins can not be prevented by any means now known to man; 

the thing to strive for is to prevent the great damage done by flood 

water all along its course.

The two means of preventing damage by floods that have received 

the most attention and that are unquestionably the best and most 

reliable are levees and reservoirs. For full discussion and rational 

and conclusive consideration of either of these proposed means as 

applied to the Ohio Valley, data more complete than those at present available are necessary. It seems desirable, however, to point 

out some features concerning which there is much misunderstanding.

Great weight has been given, for example, to the supposed comparatively low cost of building earthen embankment levees. A more 

complete estimate of the cost of levees for the Ohio Valley, including 

damages, should be made before positive statements showing low cost 

of earthen embankments are published, and careful consideration
88 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OP MAKCH-APRIL, 1913.

should be given to the cost of levees of the type necessary around the 

many large cities along the Ohio and to costs of reconstruction. One 

item at one city will serve as an illustration. (See Pis. XIX and XX.) 

At Cincinnati, Ohio, about 53 trunk-line sewers enter the river. It 

is understood that in designing the improved and expensive sewer 

system now being built for that city no provision has been made to 

keep out the flood waters of Ohio River, the design having been 

based on past and present conditions of flood flow from the area 

drained by the sewers, and many of the outlets to the Ohio will 

be below the present high water stage of the river. The construction of adequate levees would increase the flood stage and if water 

is to be kept from the city would involve either the rebuilding of the 

whole system below the increased flood stage or the construction of 

gates to prevent the entrance of river water into the sewers. The 

cost of such changes can be determined only by complete and unbiased investigation. It is conceivable that such an investigation 

would not show the levee scheme in the favorable light pictured by 

its advocates. A similarly complete and unbiased investigation of 

the cost of reservoirs should be made before they are either approved 

or condemned on the score of cost.

It has been said that the failure of some of the levees on the lower 

Mississippi during the flood of 1912 is no valid argument against the 

building of a properly constructed levee line. This is true, but the 

statement applies with equal force to properly constructed reservoirs 

for flood control. The fact that some defective or inadequate dams 

have failed should not be used as a bogey to scare everyone away from 

any consideration of control by reservoirs, any more than the failure 

of inadequate levees should be used for the same purpose with reference to levees. Such an attitude, generally adopted, would stop 

most of the engineering work of the country nothing would be built 

up because of the fear that it might topple down with disastrous 

consequences.

In considering control by reservoirs the fact should be kept clearly 

in mind that their purpose is not to withhold all the flow during floods. 

The main purpose of river channels is to carry off.the water. The 

idea in reservoir control, however, is to store enough water at the 

proper times to keep the floods below certain stages, that is, to take 

the top off the floods to hold back that part of the natural flow that 

does the damage. If this fact be not kept clearly in mind a consideration of the enormous quantities involved is likely to be very misleading.

The proper method of handling reservoirs in restraining floods in 

order that they may have the desired effect is a most important factor 

in the problem of control by reservoirs. This may readily be determined by computation if the necessary data are available. Records
U. S. GEOLOGICAL. SURVEY WATER'-SUPPLY PAPER 334 PLATE XIX

OHIO RIVER AT CINCINNATI, OHIO, APRIL 4, 1913.

Shows height of water on pier of suspension bridge (on left) between Cincinnati and Covington. The crest of the flood was about 4 feet higher than this. Photograph taken from Newport, Ky.,

just above the mouth of Licking River.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334- PLATE XX

m. m

OHIO RIVER AT CINCINNATI, OHIO, APRIL 4, 1913, 

Looking downstream from suspension bridge between Cincinnati and Newport, Ky. The crest of the flood was about 4 feet higher than is shown in the photograph.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

A. JUST BEFORE FAILURE.

B. DURING FAILURE.

C. IMMEDIATELY AFTER FAILURE.

CINCINNATI, HAMILTON & DAYTON RAILROAD BRIDGE OVER MIAMI 

RIVER AT HAMILTON, OHIO, MARCH 25, 1913.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

A. REMAINS OF CINCINNATI, HAMILTON & DAYTON 

RAILROAD BRIDGE AT HAMILTON, OHIO.

Note that there was much'less left of "the bridge when this 

view was taken than when that shown in Plate XXI, C, 

was taken.

WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 334- PLATE XXII

B. SECOND AND COURT STREETS, HAMILTON, OHIO, ON 

THE MORNING OF MARCH 25, 1913.

This illustration is especially good in showing the velocity of the current through the streets. The strong current was one of the most 

destructive features of the flood in Hamilton,
PBEVENTION OF DAMAGE BY FLOODS. 89

of discharge are of utmost importance in this connection. The much 

discussed question as to whether or not the sources of the water that 

causes the floods on the Ohio River are susceptible to control by reservoirs can be definitely answered only by a systematic determination 

of the discharge at numerous points on the tributary streams as well 

as on the Ohio. In like manner, computations of such features as the 

height of the proposed levees and the proper distance between them 

that is, the necessary channel capacity to carry off the water! can be 

made only after a large amount of data have been collected, data 

concerning river discharge forming a most necessary part.

Many of the conditions incident to the advance of civilization have 

been pointed out as the causes of damage by floods, and the conclusion 

has been drawn that a reversion to the original state of affairs would 

solve the problem of flood control. Deforestation has been most fully 

discussed in this respect. Whatever the real effects of the forests on 

floods and the possibilities of favorably altering such effects may be, 

the benefits of reforestation, apart from the specific purpose of flood 

control, are so obvious that arguments against it would seem to have 

scarcely more than academic interest. Agricultural and municipal 

developments have come in for a large share of the blame for 

damage by floods. Such of these developments as are legitimate 

have come to stay, and it is idle to be concerned with their effects 

except to provide means of taking care of them. To encroachment 

on natural channels much of the damage by floods is ascribed, 

and here is undoubtedly one of the most fruitful sources of damage. 

For this condition the greed of man is largely to blame. This is 

evidenced by the procedure usually followed in building bridges, 

the effort being made to build them at the least possible cost of construction and maintenance, to this end the length of spans being 

reduced to a minimum. This results in putting abutments farther 

and farther out into the stream, placing numerous piers in the channel itself, and reducing the total opening for the stream beyond all 

reasonable limits by constructing, as approaches, earthen embankments that act'simply as dams in times of flood. The same greed or, 

perhaps, false economy is shown by building factories, manufacturing 

plants, and even residences out to the limit of ordinary low stage and 

thus forming the most effective barriers to the free flow of the streams 

when in flood. This greed is heavily punished by the first disastrous 

flood. Plates XXI and XXII, A, show the destruction of a railroad 

bridge at Hamilton. This is simply typical of many other bridges, 

municipal as well as railroad. All stream channels should be cleared 

of obstructions and made ample as carriers of flood waters, and rigid 

laws, strictly enforced, should prohibit any further encroachment on 

waterways.
90 THE OHIO VALLEY FLOOD OF MAECH-APKIL, 1&13.

A noteworthy suggestion in connection with the reduction of damage by floods advocates the removal of places of business or residence 

from areas subject to repeated inundation, so as to restore to the 

river channel that which belongs to it. To accomplish this it has been 

further suggested that the cities take over the abandoned properties, 

paying an equitable price and making arrangements that will enable 

the occupants, especially the poor, to relocate out of harm's way. 

In this way the danger line at many cities could be raised and the 

volume of flood waters that would have to be taken care of materially 

reduced. In addition it has been suggested that such areas be converted by the cities into river-front parks, so that they will serve a 

useful purpose and still offer no obstruction to the flood flow of the 

river. This may seem a Utopian dream, but the idea contains much 

that is worthy of consideration.

The United States Weather Bureau has done and is doing a most 

valuable work in issuing timely and accurate warnings of floods and 

forecasts of flood heights and their rate of progression. This service 

has saved almost inestimable loss in areas about to be flooded, not 

only of live stock and goods but also of human life. An extension 

of this service to cover the entire country would unquestionably 

result in a still greater saving of life and property. Those people 

who insist upon remaining or are forced by their circumstances to 

remain in areas subject to repeated floods should be more fully educated to a proper appreciation of the value of flood warnings in order 

that they may more generally heed such warnings in time.

Probably no system of river control will prove a panacea for all 

the ills incident to disastrous floods, and no combination of systems 

can be expected to prevent all damage by extreme floods. In fact, 

one of the most important points to be decided is just how large a 

flood it is economical to provide against. The best solution may 

prove to be a combination of reservoirs and levees, the function of the 

reservoirs in extreme floods being, as pointed out above, to hold back 

the last straw that breaks the levee's back.

That much can be done to aid in flood protection is recognized by 

all, but the extent to which levees and reservoirs would have been 

effective in the present flood can not be estimated with the information now available.

Emphasis is laid on the importance of thoroughly considering the 

combined effect of all the factors on the floods which have taken 

place in the past. That any one of the proposed remedial works 

would not have been absolutely effective for a particular flood does 

not imply that its consideration should be eliminated. Furthermore, the possibility that protective works would have afforded 

comparatively little assistance on the northern tributaries in Ohio 

during the present unprecedented flood need not necessarily con-
CONCLUSION: 01

demn all such works, as the saving from numerous ordinary floods 

may warrant the necessary expenditure to construct the desired 

improvements.

Whatever may be the merits of the respective schemes there can 

be no doubt of the absolute necessity for a comprehensive plan of 

action. To be effective any system of control must treat Ohio 

River and its tributaries as a unit, with due regard to the effect of 

such control of the Ohio on the Mississippi below Cairo. To make 

such a comprehensive system of control practicable, efficient, and 

successful, a central organization for the control of rivers is needed. 

Such a central organization would necessarily have to be Federal, 

but it could not be successful, in so far as the problem under immediate consideration is concerned, without broad-minded, hearty, 

and unselfish cooperation on the part of the States, counties, municipalities, and private interests throughout the Ohio Valley.

The value of the prevention of damage by floods can hardly be 

overestimated. It is not to be measured by considering only the 

value of actual damage by floods in the past. Not only must the 

loss of human life and animal life be considered, but also the increase 

in the value of property and the enormously valuable increased confidence that would result from the assurance that flood protection up 

to a certain limit could be absolutely relied upon. This phase of 

the situation was illustrated in a timely manner by the campaign 

of advertising followed by a certain city in the Ohio Valley during 

the recent flood, which guaranteed immunity from floods to industries that could be prevailed upon to move to that city. The ability 

to make such a guaranty would be a most valuable asset to every 

city or community in the Ohio Valley now subject to damage by

floods.

CONCLUSION.

Before any comprehensive study can be made of the various 

problems connected with floods in the Ohio River drainage basin, it 

will be necessary to have full information in regard to the quantity 

of water carried, not only by the Ohio itself, but also by the larger 

tributaries. The data must give complete information in regard to 

the distribution of this water, both as to drainage area and as to time. 

Therefore a long-time record is especially essential, as the variations 

in flow from year to year are large.

The fact that studies of the flood of 1913 will always be limited >in 

scope, because of lack of sufficient data in regard to stream flow, not 

only during this flood but also during earlier floods that must be 

compared with the present, shows the importance of maintaining 

gaging stations on the principal streams in areas where important 

problems are to be solved, in order that the data may be available 

when needed. Stream-flow data, unlike data collected by surveys
92 THE OHIO VALLEY. FLOOD OP MAECH-APEIL, 1913.

and other kinds of engineering work, can not be collected in a short 

time. Periods of floods and low water pass rapidly, and years may 

elapse before there is another opportunity to collect records in regard 

to such periods. It is to be sincerely hoped that the earnest recommendations made by all who have investigated and studied the present 

flood and the question of flood control will not meet the fate of previous similar recommendations, such as those made after the flood 

of 1884, but that proper steps will at once be taken to obtain the data 

so much needed for the study and solution of the important problem 

of flood control.
INDEX.

A. Page.

Accuracy of data, degree of.................. 9

Acknowledgments to those aiding........... 9

Acre-foot, definition of....................... 10

Alderson, W. Va., flood heights at..... 18,26-27,30

Allegheny River, flood heights on........... 17,

26-27,36,37,49

flood heights on, hydrographs showing_ 24,34 

Anderson, Ind., flood rainfall at.......... 20,31,41

Asheville, N. C., flood heights at.... 28-29,37,38,51

B. 

Bailey, C. T., work of....................... 9

Bangorville, Ohio, flood rainfall at........ 20,31,41

Batchelder, C. L., work of................... 10

Beattyville, Ky., flood rainfall at......... 21,32,41

Beaver Dam, Pa., flood heights at..... 17,24,25,48

flood heights at, hydrographs showing.. 24,34 

Beaver Falls, Pa., flood heights at........ 26-27,49

flood heights at, hydrograph showing.... 24 

Beaver River, flood heights on..... 26-27,33-34,49

flood heights on, hydrographs showing... 24,34 

Belington, W. Va., flood heights at....... 26-27,49

Bellefontaine, Ohio, flood rainfall at...... 20,31,41

Belpre, Ohio, flood at, view of............... 31

Belva, W. Va., flood heights at........... 26-27,50

Beverly, Ohio, flood heights on.. 23,26-27,36,37,50

flood heights on, hydrograph showing.... 24

Big Sandy River, flood heights on.......... 18,

26-27,34,36,37,50

flood heights on, hydrographs showing.. 24,34 

Bolster, R. H., work of............... ....... 9-10

C.

Cairo, 111., flood heights at .................. 17,

24,25,30,34-35,42-43

flood heights at, hydrographs showing. 24,34,40 

flood rainfall at....................... 20,32,41

Canal Dover, Ohio, flood heights at. 26-27,36,37,50 

Catlettsburg, Ky., fiood discharge at........ 30,

69,78,80-82 

flood discharge at, ratios of.............. 82

flood heights at.............. 17,25,34-35,48,69

hydrographs showing.--............. 24,34

Celina, Tenn., flood heights at...... 28-29,37,38,51

Channels, constriction of, by works of man,

damage increased by............ 19,89

constriction of, views of................. 86

Charleston, W. Va., flood heights at.......... 18,

26-27,34,36,37,50 

flood heights at, hydrograph showing.... 24

Chattanooga, Tenn., flood heights at........ 18,

28-29,37,38,51 

flood rainfall at....................... 21,32,41

Cheat River, flood heights on.... 17,26-27,30,37,49

Chester, 111., flood heights at, hydrograph

showing......................... 21

Page. 

Chicago, 111., flood rainfall at.............. 20,32,41

Chillicothe, Ohio, flood heights on..... 23,26-27,50

flood heights on, hydrograph showing... 24 

Cincinnati, Ohio, flood at, views of.......... 88

flood discharge at...... 30,52-66,73-76,79-81,83

 ratiosof........................... 83

flood rainfall at....................... 20,31,41

flood heights at..... 14-17,24,25,34-35,48,52-65

hydrographs showing............. 24,34,40

Circleville, Ohio, flood rainfall at......... 20,31,41

Clarksville, Tenn., flood heights at.......... 18,

28-29,34,37,38,51

flood heights at, hydrograph showing.... 24

Clendenin, W. Va., flood heights at....... 26-27,50

Cleveland, Ohio, flood rainfall at.......... 20,31,41

Columbus, Ohio, flood heights at.............. 18,

23,26-27,36,37,50

flood rainfall at....................... 20,31,41

Confluence, Pa., flood heights at. 17,26-27,36,37,49 

Creston, W. Va., flood heights at... 26-27,36,37,5.0 

Crest stages, records of....................... 14-16

See also Gage heights; particular rivers and

Culture, works of, effect of, on floods......... 19,89

Cumberland River, flood heights on......... 18,

28-29,34,37,38,51 

flood heights on, hydrographs showing... 24,34

D. 

Damage, character of........................ 86-87

prevention of............................ 87-91

See also particular floods. 

Data, accuracy of............................ 9

Dayton, Ohio, damage at.................... 84,85

damage at, view of...................... 24

flood at, view of......................... 7

flood heights at........... 18,23,26-27,36,38,51

flsod rainfall at....................... 20,31,41

D eflnition of terms.......................... 10

D eforestation, effects of, on floods............ 87

Detroit, Mich., flood rainfall at........... 21,32,41

Developments, cultural, effect of, on floods... 19,89 

Dort, J. C., work of.......................... 9

E.

Elk River, flood heights on.......... -..... 26-27,50

Ellet, Charles, on control of Ohio............ 7

Elliston, Ind., flood heights at............ 28-29,50

flpod rainfall at...................... 20,32,41

Enterprise, W. Va., flood heights at...... 26-27,49

Equivalents, convenient, list of.............. 11-13

Erie, Pa., flood rain fall at................ 21,32,41

Evansville, Ind., flood discharge at.......... 30,

38,72-73,79-81,83 

flood discharge at, ratios of.............. 83

flood rainfall at....................... 20,32,41

93
94 INDEX.

Evansville, Ind., flood heights at........... 14-17,

24,25,30,34-35,42-43,48,72-73 

hydrographs showing............. 24,34,40

Excess water, amounts of.............. 75-82,83-84

F.

Fairmont, W. Va., flood heights at. .26-27,36,37,49 

Falmouth, Ky., flood heights at............. 18,

26-27,34,36,37,50

flood heights at, hydrograph showing.... 24

flood rainfall at....................... 21,32,41

Fayette, W. Va., flood heights at...... 18,26-27,50

Fetterman, W. V., flood heights at........ 26-27,49

Flood areas, evacuation of................... 90

Flood data, collection of..................... 7-8

Flood of 1859, discharge of................... 52-75

stages of................................. 52

Flood of 1862, discharge of................... 52,75

stages of................................. 52

Flood of 1865, discharge of................... 53,75

stages of................................. 53

Flood of 1867, discharge of................... 53,75

stages of................................. 53

Flood of 1870, discharge of................... 54,75

stages of................................. 54

Flood of 1875, discharge of.................... 54,75

stages of................................. 54

Flood of 1876, discharge of................... 55,75

stages of................................. 55

Flood of 1877, discharge of................... 55,75

stages of................................. 55

Flood of 1880, discharge of................... 55,75

stages of................................. 55

Flood of 1881, discharge of................... 55,75

stages of................................. 55

Flood of 1882, discharge of.......:........... 56,75

stages of................................. 56

Flood of 1883, discharge of................... 56,75

Flood of 1884, causes of......................

discharge of.............................

48-51,57,66,70,74,75,78-80,

history of................................

hydrographs showing....................

precipitation during.....................

map showing............................

stages in............... 42-43,48-51,57,0.6,

temperature during......................

Flood of 1886, discharge of...................

stagesin.....................i...........

Flood of 1887, discharge of...................

Flood of 1890, discharge of.

Flood of 1891, discharge of. 

stages in...............

Flood of 1893, discharge of.

Flood of 1897, discharge of.

stages of ...............

Flood of 1898, discharge of.

stages of...............

Flood of 1899, discharge of.

stages of...............

Flood of 1901, discharge of.

39,44

43,

82-83

40-41

40

39-42 

36

70,72 

3*9,40 

57,75

57

58,75

58

58,75

58

59,75

59

59,75

59

60,75

60

60,75

60

61,75

61

61,75

61

Page. 

Flood of 1902, discharge of................... 62,76

stages of ................................ 62

Flood of 1903, discharge of*....-.....--..-.-. 62,76

stages of................................. 62

Flood of 1906, discharge of................... 62,76

Flood of 1906-7, discharge of................. 63,

67-70,72,76,78-80,82-83 

stages of................................. 63

Flood of 1907, causes of................... 31,33,44

discharge during......................... 39,

48-51,63,67-69,71,73,76,78-79,81,82-83 

history of................................ 33-34

hydrographs showing.................... 34

precipitation and temperature before and

during........................... 31-32

stagesin.................. 34-38,48-51,63,67-73

Flood of 1908, dischargeof................... 63,76

stages of................................. 63

Flood of 1909, dischargeof................... 64,76

stages of....... T ......................... 64

Flood of 1910, discharge of................... 64,76

stages of................................. 64

Flood of 1912, dischargeof................... 64,76

stages of................................. 64

Flood of 1913, causes of................... 19,43-44

damage by.............................. 84-87

views of.............. 20,24,30,86,87,88,89

discharge during..................... 30,48-51,

65,67,68,69,71,73,76,78-79,81,82-83 

history of.......................... 19-20,44-45

hydrographs showing.................... 24

origin of, place of........................ 45

precipitation during..................... 20-23

map showing........................ 22

progress of............................ 23-24,45

stages in...... 23-30,45,48-51,65,67,68,69,71,73

temperature during..................... 19,20

views of..................... 20,30,31,86,88,89

Floods in Ohio River basin, causes of....... 13,

19,31,33,39,43-44 

damage by, character of................. 86-87

prevention of........................ 87-91

See also particular floods. 

discharge during..................... 30,39,43

heights of..... 14-18,23-30,34-38,42-43,45,48-74

prevalence of............................ 7

seasons for............................... 13

warning of.............................. 90

Florence, Ala., flood heights at-- 18,28-29,37,38,51

Flow. See Stream flow.

Fort Wayne, Ind., flood rainfall at........ 20,32,41

Frankfort, Ky., flood heights at............. 18,

26-27,34,36,38,51 

flood heights at, hydrograph showing.... 24

flood rainfall at....................... 21,32,41

Franklin, Pa., flood heights at...... 26-27,36,37,49

Freeport, Pa., flood heights at... 17,26-27,36,37,49 

flood heights at, hydrograph showing.... 24

French Broad River, flood heights on....... 28-29,

33,38,51 

G.

3, during floods, records of....... 17

See also particular rivers and places. 

Gaging stations, importance of............... 91-92

Gannett, Henry, work of. , .................. 10
INDEX. 95

Page. 

Gauley River, flood heights on........... 26-27,50

Greenbrier River, flood heights on..... 18,26-27,50

Green River, flood heights on. 18,26-27,34,36,38,51

flood heights on, hydrographs showing... 24,34

Greensboro, Pa., flood heights at. 17,26-27,36,37,49

H.

Hamilton, Ohio, bridge at, destruction of,

view of.......................... 88,89

flood at and near, views of... 30,86,87,88,89 

flood damage at......................... 84-85

view Of..................... 30,86,87,88,89

flood heights at........... 18,23,26-27,36,58,51

hydrographs showing............... 24

Harrisburg, Pa., flood rainfall at.......... 21,32,47

Highbridge, Ky., flood heights at............ 18,

26-27,36,38,51 

Hinton, W. Va., flood heights at...... 18,26-27,50

Horton, A. H., work of...................... 9-10

Hoyt, J. C., work of......................... 10

Hoyt, W. G., work of....................... 9

Huntington, W. Va., flood heights at........ 17,

25,34-35,48 

flood heights at, hydrograph showing.... 24

I.

Illinois, flood damage in..................... 85

Indiana, flood damage in.................... 85

Indianapolis, Ind., flood rainfall at....... 20,32,41

J. 

Jackson, H. J., work of...................... 9-10

Johnsonvflle, Term., flood heights at......... 18,

28-29,34,37,38,51 

flood heights at, hydrograph showing.... 24

K.

Kanawha Falls, W. Va., flood heights at..... 18,

26-27,36,37,50, 

Kanawha River, flood heights on............ 18;

26-27,34,36,37,50

flood heights on, hydrographs showing.. 24,34 

Kentucky, flood damage in.................. 85

Kentucky River, flood heights on........... 18,

26-27,34,36,38,51

flood heights on, hydrographs showing.. 24,34 

Kiskiruinitas River, flood on................ 33

 Knoxvflle,Tenn.,floodheightsat. 18,28-29,37,38,51 

flood rainfall at....................... 21,32,41

L.

La Salle, HI., flood rainfall at............. 20,32,41

Leighton, M. O., on control of Ohio..........'. 7

Levees, efficacy of.................. 33,87-88,90-91

Lexington, Ky., flood rainfall at.......... 21,32,41

Licking River, flood heights on.............. 18,

26-27,34,36,37,50

flood heights on, hydrographs showing... 24 

Life,loss of.................................. 86

Little Kanawha River, flood heights on...... 17,

26-27,36,37,50

flood heights on, hydrographs showing.. 24,34 

Louisa, Ky., flood heights at................ 18,

26-27,34,36,37,50 

flood heights at, hydrograph showing.... 24

Louisville, Ky., flood discharge at. .......... 30,

38,70-71,79-81,83 

flood discharge at, ratios of .............. 83

flood heights at ..... 17, 24, 25, 40, 42-43, 48, 70-71

hydrographs showing. ............ 24, 34, 40

flood rainfall at....................... 21,32,41

M.

Madison, Ind. , flood rainfall at. ........... 20, 32, 41

Mahoning River, flood heights on. ........ 26-27, 50

Maps showing rainfall ....................... 22,36

Marietta, Ohio, flood at, views of ............ 20, 86

flood heights at.. ............... 14-17,42-43,48

hydrograph showing.. ............... 40

Marion, Ohio, flood rainfall at ............ 20, 31, 41

Maysvflle, Ky., flood heights at ..... 17, 25, 34-35, 48

flood heights at, hydrographs showing. . . 24, 34 

flood rainfall at..... .................. 21,32,41

Miami River, flood heights on. . . 18, 26-27, 36, 38, 51 

flood heights on, hydrographs showing. . . 24, 34 

flood on.. ......................... 19,^3,33-34

Middletown, Ohio, flood damage at .......... 8§

Mississippi River, flood on, in conjunction

with Ohio River flood, effect of. . 47 

flood heights on, hy drograph showing .... 24

Mohican River, flood heights on. ......... 26-27, 50

Monk, P. S., work of.. ...................... 9

Monongahela River, flood heights on. ....... 17,

26-27,36,37,49 

flood heights on, hydrograph showing .... 24

Monongahela River, West Fork, flood heights

on........................... 26-27,49

Morgantown, W. Va., flood heights at ........ 17, 49

Mount Carmel, HI., flood heights at .......... 18,

26-27,36,38,51 

flood heights at, hydrograph showing. . . . 24

Mount Vernon, Ind., flood heights at ........ 17,

24, 25, 34-35, 4S

flood heights at, hydrographs showing. . . 24, 34 

Muskingum River, flood heights on.......... 17,

26-27,36,37,50

flood heights on, hydrographs showing. . . 24, 34 

flood on.......................... 23,24,33-34

views of ............................ 86

N. 

Nashville, Term., flood heights at. ........... 18,

28-29, 37, 38, 51 

flood rainfall at....................... 21,32,41

New Hinton, W. Va., flood heights at. ....... 36, 37

New River, flooci heights on. ............. 18, 26-27

New York, flood damage in................. 85

Notre Dame, Ind., flood rainfall at .......... 20, 41

O. 

Ohio, flood damage in....................... 85

Ohio River, control of ..................... 7, 87-91

flood heights on ......................... 14-17

hydrographs showing. ............... 24, 34

floods on. See Floods; particular floods. 

tributaries of, effects of..... .......... 45-46,84

See also particular tributaries. 

O'Nefll,W.N., work of.. .................... 9

Padgett, H. D., work of.......... ........... 10

Paducah, Ky., flood heights at. ............ 14-17,

24, 25, 30, 34-35, 42-43, 48