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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

FLOODS IN THE CANADIAN AND

PECOS RIVER BASINS OF

NEW MEXICO

MAY AND JUNE 1937

With Summary of Flood Discharges 

in New Mexico

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 842
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Harold L. Ickes, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. C. Mendenhall. Director

Water-Supply Paper 842

FLOODS IN THE

CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS 

OF NEW MEXICO

MAY AND JUNE 1937

With Summary of Flood Discharges 

in New Mexico

TATE DALRYMPLE AND OTHERS

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON: 1939

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. Price 20 cents (paper cover)
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract ><>. ..........................* 1

Introduction <,<>.. ................... >... 2

Definition of terms. ...................°o..o 3

Administration and personnel ...........o........ 3

Acknowledgments...... ....................o 4

Physical features of Canadian and Pecos River Basins ...*.... 4

Determination of flood discharges. ................. 5

Extension of rating curves ........ ......*.... 6

Flow over dams ...........<>.. .» <> ». . 7

Plow through contracted openings ..............*. -7

Slope-area determinations. ................... 8

Weather conditions and precipitation .<>....».... . ** 9

Weather of the New Mexico flood. ..........*..... 9

Rainfall ............................ H

Hail .............................. 11

Flood discharges .......................... 20

Canadian River Basin ...................... 20

Pecos River Basin. ....................... 21

Stages and discharges. ..................... 2t>

Canadian River near Roy. .................. 28

Canadian River at Garmes Bridge. .............. 29

Canadian River near Bell Ranch ............... 30

Canadian River at Conchas Dam. ............... 31

Canadian River at Logan. ..............o... -32

Vermejo River near Dawson. ...............o. 33

Clmarron River near Springer ................ 34

Mora River near Shoemaker. .................. 35

Conchas River at Varladero ................. 36

Pecos River at Irvln ranch, near Pecos ........... 37

Pecos River near Anton Chlco ................ 38

Pecos River at Santa Rosa. ................. 39

Alamogordo Reservoir near Guadalupe. ............. 40

Pecos River near Guadalupe ................. 41

Pecos River near Artesla. .................. 42

Lake McMlllan near Lakewood. ................ 43

Pecos River at Carlsbad. .................. 44

Pecos River near Malaga. .......... ........ 45

Pecos River near Angeles .................. 46

Galllnas River at Montezuma. ................ 47

Rio Bonlto at Hondo. .................... 48

Rio Felix near Hagerman. ...<>.............. 49

Cottonwood Creek near Lake Arthur. ............. 50

Previous floods. .......................... 55

Summary of flood discharges in New Mexico. ............. $7

Index. ............................... 67

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

Plate 1. Map of New Mexico showing streams and towns mentioned

in text and major drainage basins...................... 4

2. Isohyetal map of New Mexico showing total rainfall,

in inches, May 23 to June 4............................ 8

3. Hail at Trinidad, Colo., June 14, 1937.................... 20

4. A, Flooded highway between Logan and Mosquero;

B, State Highway 18 near Clayton....................... 21

5o A, ""Pecbs River near Diliaj B, Jackson Draw near

Fort Sumner............................................ 24

6. A, United States Highway 66 near Santa Rosa, June 2,

1937; B, Pecos River near Acme........................ 24

7o Roswell flooded by Rio Hondo, June 1, 1937................ 24

80 A, Roswell flooded by Rio Hondo, June 1, 1937; B, Flood

of June 1, 1937, near Roswell........................... 25

9o Map of New Mexico showing locations of stations at which

data presented in table 4 were obtained................ 66

Figure 1. Upper-air wind and pressure chart of the United States

and adjacent territory 5 a.m. E.S.T., May 28, 1937..... 10

III
IV ILLUSTRATIONS

TABLES

Figure 2. Map of Canadian River Basin in New Mexico showing

isohyetals for total rainfall, in inches, May 23 

to June 4, and location of discharge measuring

3. Map of Pecos River Basin in New Mexico showing isohyetals for total rainfall, in inches, May 23 to 

June 4, and location of discharge measuring places..... 24

4« Hydrographs of discharge at river-measurement stations

on the Canadian River, May 26 to June 5, 1937.......... 51

5. Hydrographs of discharge at river-measurement stations 

on tributaries to the Canadian River, May 25 to 

June 4, 1937....o.o...............o.o....,............. 52

6. Hydrographs of discharge at river-measurement stations

on the Pecos River, May 24 to June 12, 1937............ 53

7 0 Hydrographs of discharge at river-measurement stations 

on tributaries to the Pecos River, May 24 to 

June 3, 1937 o .......................................... 54

Table 1. Precipitation records for New Mexico, May 23 to June 4,

1937................................................... 12

2. Peak discharge at localities in the Canadian and Pecos

River Basins, May and June 1937....................... 27

3. Maximum annual discharges for certain years, Canadian

River at Logan......................................... 56

4. Records of floods in New Mexico........................... 58
FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PEGOS RIVER BASINS

OP NEW MEXICO 

MAY AND JUNE 1937

WITH SUMMARY OP FLOOD DISCHARGES IN 

NEW MEXICO

By Tate Dalrymple and others

ABSTRACT

In May and June floods occurred in the Canadian and Pecos River 

Basins of New Mexico that were unusually high and in many places were 

record breaking.

The floods were caused by heavy rains that occurred over the eastern part of the State from May 23 to June 4 in a series of intense and 

intermittent storms. During these storms of the cloudtburst type as 

much as 12 inches of rain fell in the 13-day period, and a fall of 7 

inches in 2 hours and 40 minutes was reported from the vicinity of 

Clayton. Heavy rains also fell in the mountainous region west of Roswell, 

amounting to as much as 10 inches at some places.

Much of the region that had excessive rainfall is relatively flat 

and has no well-defined drainage system. Prom these areas there was very 

little run-off and practically no water was contributed to the major 

streams.

Hail fell at many places in eastern New Mexico, causing damage to 

crops, livestock, and other property. Hail fell somewhere in the Canadian and Pecos River Basins almost every day during the storm period, 

but the duration of the fall was generally short. The largest hailstones 

were reported from Clayton, where one stone measured 8 inches in circumference and weighed 9 ounces; at Centerville, where reports state that 

some stones were 9 to 10 inches in circumferencej and near Roswell, where 

it was reported that six stones would fill a gallon bucket.

The Canadian River flood reached a peak at Logan of 110,000 secondfeet, which has been exceeded in this century only by the floods of 1904, 

1909, and 1914. The total run-off at Logan for the flood period has been 

computed as 633,600 acre-feet.

At Santa Rosa the Pecos River reached a maximum discharge of 55,200 

second-feet, which is greater than any previously recorded. This flood 

was partly stored in the Alamogordo Reservoir; the peak below the reservoir was only 23,200 second-feet.

The Pecos River flood at Roswell reached a maximum discharge of more 

than 50,000 second-feet. This water came mostly from tributaries that 

have .their sources in the mountainous area west of Roswell. The Cienaga 

del Macho, ordinarily a small dry creek, discharged about 49,500 secondfeet at its peak« The Rio Hondo experienced several flood peaks, the 

largest at Roswell probably being near 20,000 second-feet. Berrendo 

Creek, which enters the Rio Hondo near Roswell, had a computed peak discharge of 37,700 second-feet.

Roswell was subjected to several floods that inundated large areas 

of the town. Considerable damage was done by the water, which covered 

nearly all the area occupied by the town.

Lake McMillan, an artificial reservoir on the Pecos River about 12 

miles above Oarlsbad, was put to a severe strain by the large quantity of 

water passing through it, but no serious damage resulted. The capacity 

of the lake at spillway level is about 39,000 acre-feet, but at the peak 

of the flood the lake held about 86,000 acre-feet. The total quantity of 

water passing through the lake during the flood period was more than 

440,000 acre-feet.

This report presents data pertinent to the floods of May and June 

1937, including results of peak discharge determinations made at about 14 

miscellaneous places, records of peak stages and discharges and of mean 

daily discharges during the flood period at 23 regular river-measurement 

stations, records of rainfall at about 190 places, an isohyetal map showing rainfall over the entire State and two isohyetal maps showing rainfall 

over the Canadian and Pecos River Basins, and a discussion of the weather 

conditions during the flood period, including an upper-air wind and pressure chart of the United States for May 28, 1937. In addition to the information listed above the report includes a summary of records of past 

floods at all places in New Mexico at which authentic records were available.
2 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

INTRODUCTION

Heavy rains in the later part of May and the early part of June 

1937 caused floods of unusual, and in many places record-breaking, magnitudes in the Canadian and Pecos River Basins. Most large floods in 

New Mexico, including those of May and June 1937, are caused by rainfall of the cloudburst type. These intense rains fall in a comparatively short time over a small area and may or may not be a part of larger 

meteorologic disturbances. In this region a cloudburst flood comes and 

is gone within a few hours at most, and thus, owing to the difficulties 

of transportation in flood time and other obstacles, little opportunity 

is afforded for measuring discharges at the time of the flood by current 

meter or other means. Discharges must generally be determined by some 

indirect means, most commonly the slope-area method.

Reliable information about cloudburst floods, inadequate though it 

may be, is of great value in devising means of flood protection on the 

creeks and small rivers on which such floods are likely to occur.

This report deals with the storms of May and June 1937 and the resultant floods in the Canadian and Pecos River Basins. In these floods 

many streams in New Mexico experienced record-breaking stages, but rain 

that fell after the flood peaks had receded obliterated highwater marks 

from which discharge determinations could be made. On the upper portions of some streams a cloudburst caused an unusually high flood, whereas a few miles below that place the flood peak flattened to an ordinary 

stage. Floods in many tributaries did not reach the main streams; although many of the flood peaks were high the total volume of water involved was comparatively small. The effect of cloudburst storms is so 

localized that frequently a substantial flood occurred in one stream 

while the flow in an adjacent stream was not increased.

The flood on the Canadian River was unusually high but did not approach that of 1904 in magnitude. The heaviest rain was in the lower 

part of the basin, where the topography is relatively flat and the runoff not so rapid as in the upper and mountainous part.

The Pecos River experienced stages greater than any previously 

known in the upper part of the river, but below Roswell the stages did 

not exceed those of 1904. Many tributaries to the Pecos River experienced the highest stage known. Maximum discharges of a number of tributaries were determined by the slope-area or contracted-opening methods.

In the Rio Grande Basin a number of small streams experienced floods
ADMINISTRATION AND PEBSONNEL 3

caused by cloudburst storms. Several towns in the valley along the river 

were partly flooded, but there was not a great amount of damage.

The total damage caused by the floods of May and June in New Mexico, 

as listed by the United States Weather Bureau in "Cliiaatological Data for 

May and June 1937" was approximately $2,000,000. Nine lives were reported to have been lost.

This report presents discharge records for the flood period, a discussion of the storm that produced the floods, a summary of past floods 

for most of the streams of New Mexico, and other pertinent information.

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 that represent a rate of flow, as second-feet, gallons a minute, miner's inches, and discharge in second-feet per square 

mile; and (2) those that represent the actual quantity of water, as runoff in inches of depth on the drainage basin, acre-feat, and millions of 

cubic feet. The principal terms used in this report are "second-feefc" 

and "acre-feet". They may be defined as follows:

"Second-feet" is an abbreviation for "cubic feet per second". A 

second-foot is a rate of flow of 1 cubic foot per second or the rate of 

discharge of water flowing in a channel when the cross-sectional area is 

1 square foot and the average velocity is 1 foot per second. It is a 

fundamental unit from which other units are generally computed.

An "acre-foot", equivalent to 43,560 cubic feet, is the quantity required to cover an acre to the depth of 1 foot. The terra is commonly 

used in connection with storage for irrigation.

"Stage-discharge relation" ia an abbreviation for the term "relation 

of stage or gage height to discharge".

"Control" is a term used to designate the natural section, reach of 

the channel or artificial structure below the gage, which determines the 

stage-discharge relation at the gage.

ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL

The field and office work incident to the preparation of this report was done by the Water Resources Branch of the Geological Survey under 

the general direction of N. C. Orover, chief hydraulic engineer, and G. 0. 

Paulsen, chief of the division of surface water. The field work and
4 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PEGOS RIVER BASINS OF NEW MEXICO, 1937

collection of the basic information with respect to stages and discharges were done under the immediate direction of Berkeley Johnson, 

district engineero The special technical studies, the work of assembling and tabulating the material of the report and the preparation of 

the text were done by Tate Dalrymple and others under the direction of 

R. W. Davenport, chief of the division of water utilization.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The river-measurement work of the Geological Survey, United States 

Department of the Interior, in New Mexico is carried on in cooperation 

with the State Engineer, Thomas M. McClure.

Acknowledgments are due the United States Weather Bureau for the 

data on precipitation and the discussion of weather conditions during 

the storm period; to the Corps of Engineers, United States Army, for information on the Canadian River flood, to the Soil Conservation Service, 

United States Department of Agriculture, for data on the storm and floods 

in the Canadian River Basin near Clayton, and to the Bureau of Reclamation, United States Department of the Interior, for records of the floods 

on the Pecos River.

The information that appears in this report has been obtained from 

many sources, including individuals, corporations, city officials, and 

published reports of the United States Weather Bureau and the Geological 

Survey.

Insofar as practicable, acknowledgments for individual contributions of information are given at appropriate places in the report.

PHYSICAL FEATURES OF CANADIAN AND PECOS 

RIVER BASINS IN NEW MEXICO

New Mexico ranges in altitude from about 2,800 to 13,000 feet and 

contains mountain, plateau, and plains regions. In the plateau and 

plains regions there are wide areas of comparatively level country and 

numerous more or less extensive upland valleys and mesas that contain 

thousands of acres of fertile land. Considerable timber grows upon the 

mountain slopes and most of the high plateau country is covered to a variable extent with dwarf pine, pinon and cedar; the low plateau country and 

the plains are largely barren. Over the lowlands of the southwestern 

portion of the State desert conditions prevail, and stock grazing is about 

the only agricultural pursuit, except in a few areas with ground water 

at shallow depths where irrigation by pumping is done 0 The mountain
GEOLOGICAL STJRVEir >, *ATSR SfflPPDT PAPER 842

HIDALGO?. TLLEY

OF NEW MEXICO SHOWING STREAMS MID TOWNS MEMTIONED IN TEXT *KD iffi»Hm EEAINA.GE BASINS.

U.S. SOVSRNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1939 O-108828
DETERMINATION OP FLOOD DISCHARGES 5

valleys are generally steep and narrow with the slopes covered with native vegetation. There are many closed basins within the State from which 

no surface run-off is passed to larger streams.

The map of New Mexico in plate 1 shows the principal streams, drainage basins and towns mentioned in the text and the location of the Canadian and Pecos River Basins with respect to the rest of the State.

The part of the Canadian River Basin in New Mexico comprises an area 

of about 12,500 square miles, of which 3,900 square miles is classified as 

mountainous, 4,600 as plateau, and 4,000 as plains. The mountainous part 

ranges in altitude from 8,000 to 12,000 feet. The high plateaus are deeply cut by canyons of varying width with numerous side canyons from which 

small streams emerge. These canyons become deeper and wider with the descent until plains and scattered high mesas become dominant topography. 

The Canadian River cuts through the plains in a canyon about 100 feet deep 

and from 600 to 800 feet wide. Vegetation Is sparse throughout the basin, 

with the exception of the high mountains of the Sangre de Cris1;o Range. 

Grass covers the plains and the tops of the mesas. The canyons are generally barren. Farming is practiced only in the plains areas adjacent to 

the foot of the mountains and in areas contiguous to the streams. The remainder of the basin Is used only for grazing stock.

The Pecos River joins the Rio Grande after it leaves New Mexico. The 

drainage area in the State is about 23,000 square miles. The upper Pecos 

flows as a typical mountain stream through narrow valleys and deeply cut 

gorges, but below Port Sumner the canyonlike walls change to low rolling 

hills and preirie. The mountain tributaries of the upper Pecos rise at 

altitudes of about 11,000 feet; at the New Mexico-Texas line the river has 

an altitude of about 2,800 feet. It Is a notable feature that the lower 

half of the Pecos River receives practically no tributaries from the east, 

probably because of the pervious character of the soil of the Staked 

Plains, upon which there is generally no surface drainage system. Irrigation has reached a high stage of development in the lower Pecos Valley, 

the irrigated district beginning a short distance above Roswell and continuing almost to the State line.

DETERMINATION OP FLOOD DISCHARGES

The general method employed In the determination of discharge at 

river-measurement stations consists of the determination of a stage-discharge rating by means of current-meter measurements of discharge at various stages from low water to high water and the application of this rating
6 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

to the records of stage. Determinations of flood discharges in most situations are very difficult, and their accuracy usually depends upon surveys, analyses, and computations by various more or less indirect methods 

for extending the curve of stage-discharge relation beyond the range covered by current-meter measurements.

At places other than regular river-measurement stations peak discharges are nearly always determined by some indirect method. It is usually impossible at such places to obtain sufficient basic information from 

which the total quantity of water discharged during the flood may be computed.

In determining maximum discharge close attention must be paid to the 

possible influence of the movement of debris# and of the scour and fill 

of channels during floods. In New Mexico cloudburst floods coming from 

the narrow, steep canyons at times carry large amounts of debris, and many 

of the streams have very unstable channels. A scour of a depth of more 

than 20 feet was determined at one place by soundings. At another place 

the discharge as measured by a current meter on two visits a few weeks 

apart varied from 1,100 to 11,000 second-feet with an increase in stage 

of only 0.01 foot. Channels scour on the rising stage and fill on the 

falling stage, and usually end with about the same cross section as at the 

start of the flood. In some channels, as noted above, scour takes place 

on an increase in discharge with cross section increasing but the stage 

remaining practically constant.

The methods employed in determining the maximum discharge of a. .flood 

are (l) extension of rating curves for river-measurement stations, (2) 

computations of flow over dams, (3) computations of flow through contracted openings, and (4) computation of flow by slope-area determinations. 

These methods are described in engineering text books and manuals. General 

information in reference to their use in studies of the flood of May and 

June in New Mexico is given below.

Extension of rating curves

The use of this method requires a. thorough analysis of fundamental 

flow factors, a knowledge of the channel conditions at the river-measurement station, and an understanding of the peculiar characteristics of 

streams of the region. Pertinent conditions, such as backwater, deposition of debris on control, and shifting of channel, must be visualized

*Por a discussion of movement of debris, see Troxell, H. C., and 

Peterson, J. Q., Floods in La Canada Valley California, January 1, 1934i 

U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 796-C, 1937.
DETERMINATION OP FLOOD DISCHARGES 7

and their effects appraised as accurately as possible from available information.

Logarithmic plotting of stage and discharge with appropriate adjustment has been found helpful and is generally used in defining and extending the rating curve. The graph representing the stage-discharge relation, when drawn to logarithmic scales, usually tends to be a straight 

line or a much flatter curve than when drawn to rectangular coordinates, 

and therefore may be extended with less danger of great error.

The results obtained by extension of the rating curve may be subject 

to considerable error if the extension is carried considerably beyond the 

range defined by discharge measurements.

Flow over dams

The basic formula for the computation of flow over dams is commonly

n

expressed as Q = CLH , where Q = discharge in second-feet, C = coefficient for the dam, L = effective length of crest in feet, H = head in 

feet on the crest measured far enough above the daai to avoid surface 

draw-down, and n = the exponent of H. The exponent n may be assumed 

as 1.5, in which case the coefficient C will ordinarily vary with the 

head and with differences in the shapes of crest. The velocity of approach in the channel above the dam affects the discharge over the dam 

and practically increases the head on the crest by an amount equivalent 

to the corresponding velocity head.

For the 1937 floods, discharge over dams was computed at several 

places on the Pecos River by engineers of the Bureau of Reclamation.

Flow through contracted openings

The discharge of Berrendo Creek at Roswell was computed by the contracted-opening method at a section where the flow passed through a piletrestle railroad bridge. At this section the area of cross section of 

the opening was much less than that of the channel above, resulting in 

an increase in velocity through the contracted section. This increase 

in velocity could be produced only by converting head into velocity, and 

the head so used caused a sharp drop in the water surface through the 

opening. The flow through the opening is the product of the area of the 

contracted cross section and the velocity at that section. The net area 

of the most contracted section was used, the area of all piles and bracing being deducted. The velocity was computed by the formula V = CVSgh 

where V = velocity in feet per second, C = pile-trestle coefficient,
8 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PSCOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

g = acceleration of gravity (32.15), and h = head at most contracted section (drop through opening plus velocity of approach). The value of C, 

the pile trestle coefficient, was based on experiments of Yarnell.

Slope-area determinations

In determining discharges by the slope-area method the velocity was

computed by the Manning formula, V = 1.486 r /5 s^/2, in which V = average

n 

velocity in feet per second, n = coefficient of roughness, r = hydraulic

radius in feet, and s = slope.

The selection of values of n has been guided by the Geological Survey's background of experience in the use of the slope-area method, and 

the values chosen were checked by comparisons with available data.

Cross sections were divided Into parts whose relative conveyance capacities varied, owing to different depths and different roughness. At 

many places, because of difference in the area of upstream and downstream 

cross sections, it was necessary to consider the velocity head and to correct the surface slope to a value representing the energy grade line.**

Detailed examples of slope-area and other indirect discharge computations, showing all pertinent data, have been presented in previous watersupply papers. See*

The New York State flood of July 1935; U.S. Geol. 

Survey Water-Supply Paper 773-E.

Major Texas floods of 1935: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Water-Supply Paper 796-G.

The floods of March 1936! U. S. Geol. Survey WaterSupply Papers 798, 799, and 800.

Major Texas floods of 1936s U. S. Geol. Survey 

Water-Supply Paper 816.

*Yarnell, D. L., Pile trestles as channel obstructions* U. S. Dept. 

Agr. Tech. Bull. 429, July 1934.

JtJf.See O'Brien, M. P., and Johnson, J. W., Velocity head corrections for 

hydraulic flows Eng. News-Record, vol. 113, p. 214, Aug. 16, 1934.
OKOLOQICAL SURVEY S0PPLY PAPER 84S PLAIB 2

ISOHYETAL MAP OF NEW MEXICO SHOWING TOTAL RAINFALL, IN INCHE3, IttJ 23 TO JUNE 4.

U.S. SOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1939 0-108838
FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PEGOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937 9 

WEATHER CONDITIONS AND PRECIPITATION 

Weather of the New Mexico flood*

The synoptic situation accompanying the New Mexico floods was one 

devoid of significant frontal activity. A persistent anticyclonic circulation aloft, over the middle Gulf States, brought In a continuous stream 

of moist, unstable tropical air over Texas and New Mexico. Another anticyclone was maintained aloft, over the southern Pacific coast, and the 

trough between these two highs remained relatively stationary over New 

Mexico. The circulation pattern shown In figure 1 for 5 a.m. E.S.T., May 

28, 1937, at 6,000 feet above sea level, Is typical for the entire period.

The crowding of isobars and Increased wind velocities over western 

Texas and eastern New Mexico suggest the possibility of very active horizontal convergence In that region. An attempt was made to identify convergence by means of isentropic charts^ for, several elevations in this 

area. The distance between potential temperature surfaces seems to be 

greater over the flood area than over adjoining areas, which definitely 

would Indicate convergence, but the vertical temperature lapse rates were 

so steep during the period that computations of this nature could not be 

made exactly. However, the steep lapse rates and high relative humidities 

shown at El Paso definitely indicate convergence to have taken place In 

the tropical current.

The airplane flights at San Antonio and El Paso, Tex., during the 

period, all showed layers of air that were either conditionally or convectively unstable.t Most of the rain occurred at elevations near the 

5,000 foot plane, which indicates that orographic effects were significant.

The precipitation during the flood period therefore seems to have 

been caused by the combination of several factors. Moist tropical air 

with convectively or conditionally unstable layers was lifted orographically by a strong converging current and probably gained heat by insolation during the process. The above combination of causes led to scattered 

areas of instability and showers and thunderstorms of varying intensity.

*Prepared by A. K. Showalter, of the U. S. Weather Bureau.

tOsmun, J. W. W., An introductory discussion of the Isentropic chart: 

U. S. Weather Bureau, October, 1937. Rossby, C 0 G., Isentropic analysis: Am. Meteorol. Soc. Bull., vol. 18, June-July 1937.

$Byers, H. R., Synoptic and aeronautical meteorology, McGraw-Hill, 

1937.
FLOODS IN CANADIAH AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND PRECIPITATION 11

This condition persisted over New Mexico until an active disturbance developed over the Middle West and caused the moist tropical current to be 

deflected farther to the east and brought a current of modified polar 

maritime air over New Mexico. The primary causes behind the development 

and persistence of such a circulation pattern cannot definitely be explained until more is known regarding the general circulation of the atmosphere as a whole and the cause of large-scale abnormalities in that 

circulation.

Rainfall

Table 1 lists tne precipitation at all Weather Bureau gages in the 

State as published in "Climatological data, Hew Mexico section" for May 

and June 1937; it also lists several supplementary precipitation records 

obtained from other sources. The map of Hew Mexico given in plate 2 

shows isohyetals for the total rainfall May 23 to June 4, prepared from 

data presented in table 1.

Hail

Considerable hail accompanied the storms, causing damage to crops, 

automobiles, roofs of buildings, window glass, and livestock. The following reports of hail were obtained from E. L. Hardy, meteorologist, 

United States Weather Bureau, Albuquerque.

Albuquerque; May 23, stones from 0.8 to 1.2 inches in diameter fell; 

$75,000 damage done.

Dona Ana County: May 24, stones the size of marbles fell; $75,000 

damage to crops.

Near Arabelai May 26, some cattle killed by hail.

Tohatchi area: May 27, stones as large as 1 inch in diameter fell 

over an area 25 miles wide.

San Marcial; May 27-28, stones from the size of marbles to others 

It? inches in diameter fell; windows and roofs damaged, some loss of sheep 

and calves.

Artesiat May 28, maximum size of stones, l£ inches in diameter.

Capitan Mountains! May 30, some sheep killed by hail stones.

Hear Lincoln; May 31, very heavy haii over area 2 miles wide and 

11 miles long; stones fell the size of pigeon eggs. Entire fruit crop 

gone, gardens ruined, and grain had to be replanted. Composition and 

shingle roofs damaged and much window glass broken. Automobiles had fabric tops ruined and hoods and steel tops badly dented. Worst hailstorm 

in history of this section.
12 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

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an 9

P P G? CP O

Pasamonte 

(near) Pennington It (nearPorter 

Quay 

(near) Eaton 
Hoy

San Jon

Solano

Springert

Therioa

Tuouzacari TTo. It

Valmora

Vanoe (near)

Yates (near)

Pecos and Southeast

Alamogordo No. 1

Anoho

Arabela (near)

Artesiaf

Bellviewf

Boazf

Oapitanf

Carlsbad

Carlsbad Cavern

Carrizozo

Carson Seep (near)

Cloudcroft

Olovist

Corona

Crossroads

Doretta

Elida

Elk (near)

Felix

Floyd

Fort Stantonf

Fort Sumner

Gallinas Banger Station

Grady (near)

Hagemianl

Hard ing

Quay

Harding

Oolfax

Oolfax

Quay

Mora

Union

Harding

Otero

Lincoln

Lincoln

Eddy

Curry

Chaves

Lincoln

Eddy

Eddy

Lincoln

Eddy

Otero

Curry

Lincoln

Lea

San Miguel

Boosevelt

Chaves

Ohaves

Boosevelt

Linooln

DeBaoa

Linooln

Curry

Ohaves

5,984

4,300

5,622

5,857

8,219

4,200

6,200

4,825

5,000

4,250

6,112

5,800

3,350

4,200

4,154

6,343

3,120

4,250

5,438

6,500

8,650

4,262

6,666

4,260

6,381

4,345

5,350

-

4,100

6,231

4,028

6,636

-

3.414

35 57

35 06

35 52

36 23

36 29

35 11

35 48

36 14

36 06

32 56

35 59

33 38

32 48

34 50

34 45

33 34

32 24

32 12

33 40

32 06

32 57

34 24

34 16

33 31

35 25

33 56

32 55

33 01

34 13

33 39

34 28

34 08

34 43

32 37

104 10

103 20

104 03

104 36

105 16

103 46

104 55

103 10

103 51

105 58

105 48

105 12

104 25

103 08

103 55

105 32

104 10

104 28

105 52

104 50

105 43

103 11

105 38

103 21

105 23

103 41

105 19

105 13

103 36

105 31

104 15

105 41

103 18

104 24

1.60

.19

-

_

.09

_

.82

_

-

.30

.05

.48

.90

1.40

2.20

_

**

.05

.24

.48

_

1.70

.01

1.90

.25

.78

.59

.48

.41

.46

.47

.07

-

1.10

_

.85

1.16

.35

-

.64

T

.30

1.35

.26

_

1.70

1.00

.57

.93

.88

.99

.78

.20

_

1.30

,58

1.31

.67

.75

1.83

.52

.42

2.48

.27

.15

.50

1.67

1.35

_

-

.03

_

.02

.11

-

-

-

-

_

_

_

.55

_

.18

.72

.07

-

.56

_

-

_

1.46

.60

_

-

_

.13

_

-

-

.33

2.00

.10

-

_

-

-

T

.02

.25

5

-

_

_

-

.25

_

_

.90

.06

-

_

.02

.15

_

-

1.47

-

T

.10

-

.26

.34

.02

-

1.05

1.73

.26

-

-

.10

.51

_

-

-

.50

2.83

_

3.93

_

.31

-

-

.15

2.63

.06

.07

.25

-

.23

-

T

.80

-

1.97

.35

-

.70

T Trace, or less than 0.01 inch. 

* Measured at midnight.

f Measu

** Inclu
Table 1. Precipitation, in laches, for days shown, 19

Station

0. S. TTeataer Bureau Oontd.

Peooa and Southeast Continued

Hassell

Hope

Irvin's Banoh

Lake Avalonf

Las Vegasf

Loving

Lovingtont

Mayhill Banger Station

Mesoalerof

Mountain Park)

Onava

Orogranda 

Palaa

Pastura 

Pearl (near ) f

Peoos Banger Station

Port ales

Portal es 2»ap. Station

Ragland

Riohland (near)

Boawell*

St. Train (near)

Santa Bosa

Tatum

Tularosa

Valley Yiew 

Vaughn

White Tail

Winsors

County

Quay

Eddy

San Miguel

Eddy

San Miguel

Eddy

Lea

Otero

Otero

Otero

San Miguel

Otero

Torrance

(ruadalupe 

Lea

San Miguel

Roosevelt

Roosevelt

Quay

Boosevelt

C haves

Curry

Guadalupe

Lea 

Otero

Roosevelt

Guadalupe

Otero

San Miguel

Elev. 

(feet )

5,000

4,000

9,200

3,200

6,403

3,045

3,900

6,400

6,627

6,720

6,700

4 1 71 ,X I JL

7,000

5,285

3

rff\f\

f i V/V/

6,900

4,004

4,070

4,921

4,000

3,564

4,250

4,624

3,950

4,436

4,400 

5,930

7,000

8,000

Lat.

340411

32 45

32 50

32 28

35 36

32 18

33 56

32 53

33 10

*rp cry

O& u I

35 42

*ZP pp o& < & 

34 56

34 47

»Tp **P

O& Ofc

35 36

34 12

34 13

34 47

33 48

33 25

34 27

34 55

33 18

Vrr f\rf

UO VI 

rXfl AQ

OO TfcO

34 46

33 14

35 47

Long.

104°01«

103 10

104 46

104 11

105 14

104 05

103 31

105 35

105 48

104 47

105 04

106 04

105 26

104 56 

T n*^ c*T iUO &J.

105 46

103 22

103 25

103 46

103 24

104 26

103 26

104 40

103 20 

106 03

103 41

105 20

105 34

105 40

Hay

23

-

.40

.34

1.22

-

.31

.23

.10

.28

.29

2n

_

.20

.53

.53

2.30

.34

1.40

1.38

.64

T

.21 

.94

1.20

.35

24

.15

.47

.61

.86

.46

.18

.75

.14

.35

.58

.40

.60

.50

1.20

1

f\f\

.69

2.37

.65

1.03

2.22

.66

1.09

.83

2.03

.94

1.57

-

25

1.21

.25

T

T

.13

_

.35

-

-

.05

.25

.17

.25

.40

_

-

.22

_

.27

T

.80

_

.57

.23

26

.58

-

T

.58

.01

.10

-

.14

-

1.20

-

.01

-

-

1.78

-

_

-

T

-

.40

2.03

-

27

.79

-

.23

T

.37

_

-

.94

I

«Tf\

.16

.10

.55

-

.08

2.02

-

T

.21

.52

PP f*Gt

1.10

1.80

.47
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND PRECIPITATION 15

cxz m to oo O

m w to to o

tO rH « rH rH

w in o oo rH

O r-l C\J 0> tO

r-l r-l <# W fj

S

w r- to o p- o> * c\j r-i o ** to 

O M * KJ «0 r-l CO P- 0> IO C\J (T> I p- <# tO O r-l p-

 1 1

in to co 

p- o to

o» * o

rH W rH

O CO O 

r-l O Pt I I

1 1 1

c\j co o <# c\j to

m * ir>

O rH 1O

r-l

o»^ , I

1 1 1

w to

0 0

to o o

tO N rH

<# in

1 1

1 1

s 1

1 1

1 1

P- in

M *

r-l

in

r-l

1 1

1 1

O 

1 

O 

C\J

p. 

o

 EH

1 1 EH 1 1

1 1 ' 1 1

(M 00 O 

r-l £M * 

 1 1 

0* r-l 

O O * 

 1 1 *

1 1 1 1 1

w o o

(M <# r-l 

r-l

rH P- ID 00 OD

O3 00 CO ^ O 

^ to Cft 10 O>

rH r-l

1 1 

1 1 1 1 1

g 

 1 1 1 1

,,*,,

O O C\J r-l

1 1 1 1 EH 1 1 1 1 1

to w co

O tO to

rH rH

in o> to o

0 

rH

o»

C\J

<tt O 

O If)

rH

rH 

P1 EH

I ^

1 EH

rHto

1 1 EH 1 EH 1 I

ITS tO tO 

00 tO ^" 

1 1 EH 1 1

III 1 1 1 1 1

0! in III 1 1 1 1

tOOcD OrHP-OtO 

P-rHOO O»OP-1O1O

rH rH rH

p- tO GF> O O P- ^ 

tO <D GF> W O O f~l

rH

tO OJ tO

... I J I I I

C\J

III 1 "t 1 1 1

1 1 EH 1 1 1 1 ^

? to to to o

1 | . | . .

rH

00 tO ^* tO Ot 

tO tO ^ O rH

* 1 1

00 rH 

rH rH 

 1 

1 1 1

o» to

O C\J

1 1 1

po

1*1

tO O 

I- rH

00 P00 rH

O rH

to

1 1 EH

1O O rH

rH r-l

1 EH 1 1 1 EH 1 1 1

s 1 EH 1 1 1 EH 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 EH I 1 I 1 EH 1 1 I

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

lOrHO*^ tOtOrHO<?

p-Oir>to «#totooio p^cx2P*m ooojcQOift

rH

to to to to mo o cvi *

1 1 1 1 1 1 I i i 1

1 EH 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

rH W to rH p- 

'"i '"J 1 1 1 1 "i EH

tOtOrH rHtO^Win 

OP-O (T>OOOrH

to o P- to in

O O O O O

K w to

w 10 in fa to 

w to to to to
Table 1. Precipitation, in inches, for days shown, 193

Station

U. S. Weather Bureau Contd

Southern Rio Grande Continued 

Laguna 

Lake Valley 

Los Lunas (near) 

'Magdalena 

Mo Into sh (near)

Monte Prieto 

Mount ainair 

San Fidel 

San Marcial 

Socorrof

Tajique (near)

Gila and Southwest 

Animasf 

Augustine 

Cliff 

Columbus 

Datil

Deraing 

Eick's Ranch 

Port Bayard 

Gagel 

Haehita

Hermanes (near) 

Jewett Ranger Station 

Lordsburg 

Luna Ranger Station 

Mimbres (near )

Mogollin 

Pinos Altos (near)f 

Quemado (near) 

Redrock 

Rodeo

County

Valencia 

Sierra 

Valencia 

Socorro 

Torrance

Socorro 

Torrance 

Valencia 

Socorro 

Socorro

Torrance

Hidalgo 

Catron 

Grant 

Luna 

Catron

Luna 

Hidalgo 

Grant 

Luna 

Grant

Luna 

Catron 

Hidalgo 

Catron 

Grant

Catron 

Grant 

Catron 

Grant 

Hidalgo

Elev. 

(feet )

5,840 

5,412 

4,900 

6,556 

6,300

6,475 

6,100 

4,447 

4,600

7,100

4,405 

6,700 

4,470 

4,054 

7,500

4,331 

5,400 

6,152 

4,480 

4,504

4,460 

7,400 

4,245 

7,300 

6,250

6,566 

7,000 

6,600 

4,150 

4,118

Lat.

35 02' 

32 41 

34 42 

34 08 

34 56

34 03 

34 31 

35 01 

33 42 

34 04

34 47

31 57 

34 15 

32 57 

31 47 

34 09

32 16 

31 23 

32 48 

32 13 

31 55

31 51 

33 59 

32 22 

33 48 

32 50

33 24 

32 51 

34 15 

32 43 

31 51

Long.

10? 24' 

107 34 

106 48 

107 17 

106 06

106 08 

106 15 

107 41 

106 59 

106 54

106 15

108 48 

108 00 

108 37 

107 37 

107 49

107 45 

108 56 

108 10 

108 05 

108 19

107 58 

108 39 

108 42 

108 57 

108 00

108 47 

108 15 

108 35 

108 44 

139 02

May

23

.03 

.14 

.42 

.17 

.10

.10 

.14 

.28 

.03 

.22

.12

.21

.09

-

-

.20

-

24

.12 

T 

.16 

T 

.80

.30 

.14 

.03 

.19

.20

AQ

.28

.12

-

25

-

.42 

T

-

-

-

-

-

26

-

-

T

-

-

-

-

27

**

Q(-»

1.02

.15 

.05

.38

.35

T

T
Silver City

San Joan and Northwest 

Atarque (near )

Aztec

Blackrock

Bloomfield

Ohaoo Canyon 

Crownpoint

Dulee 

Farraington

G>ameroo t

Gavilan (near)

Governador

McGaffey Hanger Sta.tionf

Havajo Experimental Stationf

Ramah 

Ship Book

lohatchi

Supplementary

Canadian Hirer Basin

Conchas Dam (a)

A. W. Tanner farm (b)

J. K. Heat on farm (b)

Grant

Valencia

San Juan

MoKinlay

San Juan

San Juan 

McKinley

Bio Arriba 

San Juan

MoKinley

Hio Arriba

Hio Arriba

McKinley

McKinley

McKinley 

San Juan

McKinley

San Miguel

Union

Union

5 Q17 , y& i 

7 pi o 9 61O

5,590

6,455

5,500

6,000 

6,300

6,767

6,785

7,000

6,300

8,000

6,300

7,200

4,950 

6,800

_

-

-

 TO AJ> 

Wft SbO

34 37

36 48

35 04

36 43

36 05 

35 40

36 55 

36 43

35 36

36 26

36 41

35 23

35 50

35 09 

36 46

35 49

35 23

36 18

36 12

108 15

108 43

108 04

108 46

108 00

107 58 

i flft i T. XUO JLv

107 01 

108 12

108 43

106 48

107 24

108 28

108 51

108 30 

108 44

108 49

104 12

103 21

103 20

I

-

I

.10 

.08

.32

.04

.03

.03

1

.05

.06

_

-

-

-

.03 

.03

.05

.05

.03

.04

I

-

.81

-

_

-

-

.10 

.01

.30

-

.11

.06

_

-

.04

-

Date Began

May 24 6 a.m.

25

26 5 p.m.

27 8 p.m.

28 10 a.m.

29

_

I

-

-

-

-

_

_

-

_

1.02

-

Ended

.04

I

-

-

I 

I

.45

-

I

.51

**

.55

.42

8 a.m.

-

6:30 p.m.

10 p.m.

_

6 a.m.

Am

1 Trace, or less than 0.01 inch. 

t Measured in the morning. 

** Included in next measurement.

a Record furnished by U. S. Enginee

b Record furnished by Soil Conserva

c Measured 6 inches and estimated o

7 inches fell in 2 hours and 40 minute

d Not used in drawing isohyetals.
Table 1. Precipitation, in inches, for days shown, 193

Station

Pecos Elver Basin 

McReed Ranch , near Fort 

Sumner

Butts ranch, near Fort 

Sumner

Fred Weaver, near Fort 

Sumner

Lysle ranch, near Fort 

Sumner

County

DeBaca

DeBaca

DeBaca

DeBaca

Elev. 

(feet )

-

-

-

-

Lat.

34°37«

34 39

34 45

34 39

Long.

104°20 f

104 18

104 14

104 22

May 

23 24 25 26 27 

12 inches of rain in 5 days. 

morning of June 3. (A few 

ported as falling in 2 hour

10 inches of rain in 3 days. 

morning of June 3, just aft

miles farther north it rain

9 inches of rain during perio

9^ inches of rain fell in 3 da

about daybreak June 3.
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND PRECIPITATION 19

Clayton: May 31, heavy hail over path 5 miles wide; one atone measured 8 Inches in circumference and weighed 9 ounces; stones averaged about 

the size of golf balls.

Hear Roy: May 31, stones from the size of marbles to the size of hen 

eggs fell.

Hear Roswell; June 3, considerable damage to crops; reported that 6 

stones would fill a gallon bucket.

Centervillei June 7, scattered hail over area 25 miles wide; some 

stones 9 to 10 inches in circumference. Sheep and lambs killed.

Levy* June 12, some stones larger than hen eggs.

Plate 3 shows hail that fell at Trinidad, Colorado, between 3:57 and 

4s23 p.m., June 14, 1937. Trinidad is about 25 miles north of Raton, 

N. Mex., and is subject to the same kind of storms as occur in New Mexico.
20 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

FLOOD DISCHARGES 

Canadian River Basin

Flood-producing rains, amounting to over 10 inches in some places, 

fell from May 25 to June 4 over the Canadian River Basin in New Mexico. 

The heaviest precipitation was over a relatively small area near Clayton. 

At the A. W. Tanner farm, about 15 miles southwest of Clayton, 10.23 

inches of rain was reported to have fallen from May 27 to June 3, with 2 

inches falling in 15 minutes and 7 inches falling in 2 hours and 40 minutes on May 31.

Several small streams in the area of heaviest rainfall were unusually 

high, but the Canadian River did not closely approach past flood stages. 

The following notes, taken mostly from newspapers, may aid in giving a 

clearer understanding of the floods:

May 25; General rains over eastern part of the basin in Mexico.

May 27t General rains, very heavy in some places, over area near 

Tucumcari.

May 28; Torrential rains reported over northern and eastern part of 

State. 3.23 inches of rain in 24 hours reported at Tucumcari. Canadian 

River reached peak of 9.2 feet in night at Conchas Dam.

May 29i Tucumcari isolated, highways blocked, and trains stopped. 

Some communities reported 5 to 6 inches of rain in 2 days.

May 50t Skies clearing after eastern New Mexico's heaviest rainstorm in 23 years.

May 51; Heavy hail at Clayton; one stone measured 8 inches in circumference and weighed 9 ounces.

June 2; Cofferdam at Conchas Dam intentionally flooded, to lessen 

damage from the rapidly rising Canadian and Conchas Rivers after heavy 

rains in night; stream reached peak of 11 feet about 7 a.m.

June 5: Peak stage of Canadian River"at Conchas Dam 12.80 feet 

about 5 p.m.

June 4; Clear at Clovis; precipitation 10 inches in past 10 days. 

United States Weather Bureau reported statewide fair weather.

The flooding of the highway between Logan and Mosquero is shown in 

plate 4, A. Plate 4,B, shows damage to State Highway 18 at a creek near 

Clayton, due to inadequate capacity of a culvert.

The peak discharge and the run-off for the flood period were computed at all river-measurement stations on the Canadian River and at the
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 842 PLATE 3

HAIL AT TRINIDAD, COLO., JUNE 14, 1937. 

Courtesy of E. L. Hardy.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 842 PLATE 4

A. FLOODED HIGHWAY BETWEEN LOGAN AND MOSQUERO. 

Flood caused by rain of May 28, 1937.

B. STATE HIGHWAY 18 NEAR CLAYTON. 

Damage caused by rains of May 1937. Courtesy of A. M. Easterday.
STAGES AND DISCHARGES 21

lowest station on tributaries to the Canadian River. At certain other 

places only the peak discharge was determined. Peak discharges are given 

in table 2. The map of the Canadian River Basin in New Mexico (fig. 2) 

shows isohyetals for total rainfall May 23 to June 4 and places at which 

flood records were obtained.

Hydrographs of discharge at river-measurement stations on the Canadian River near Roy, at Games Bridge, at Conchas Dam, and at Logan are 

shown in figure 4 and at stations on the Cimarron River near Springer, 

Mora River near Shoemaker, and Conchas River at Variadero in figure 5.

Stage and discharge records of the flood at river-measurement stations in the Canadian River Basin, including data from which figures 4 and 

5 were plotted, are presented in a succeeding section of this report entitled "Stages and discharges".

Peooa River Basin

Heavy rains fell over the Pecos River Basin the last week of May and 

the first few days of June. For a period of more than ten days heavy rains 

fell successively over one small area and then another. Record-breaking 

floods were produced in the Pecos River at Santa Rosa: and above, and in a 

number of the tributaries to the river; at Guadalupe and below, the Pecos 

River did not exceed maximum known stages.

The Pecos River flood at Santa Rosa on May 27 was almost entirely 

held by the Alamogordo Dam near Guadalupe. The larger flood of June 2 

filled the reservoir and flowed over the spillway of the partly completed 

dam.

The maximum stage of the Pecos River near Roswell occurred May 28 and 

was caused mostly by the flood in the Cienaga del Macho, which enters the 

Pecos through Salt Creek, about 15 miles above Roswell.

The flow at Carlsbad and below was affected by storage in Lake 

McMillan and Lake Avalon, 12 and 6 miles, respectively, above Carlsbad.

The following accounts of the flood in the Pecos River Basin have been 

taken mostly from newspapers.

May 23 i 1.79 inches of rain reported at Roswell.

May 24t General rains as much as 3 inches in places reported in areas 

around Portales.

May 27: Very heavy rain in area between Las Vegas and Santa Rosa.

May 28i Rains continued over Las Vegas-Santa Rosa area. 3-1/2 inches 

of rain unofficially reported at Port Sumner for 24-hour period.
22 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

103°

 River-measurement stations

It Places at which peak discharges 

only were determined

Figure 2. Map of Canadian River Basin in New Mexico showing isohyetals

for total rainfall, in inches, May 23 to June 4, and location of

discharge measuring places.
STAGES AND DISCHARGES 23

New Alamogordo Dam near Fort Stunner threatened; dam credited with having 

averted a flood in lower valley. West part of Roawell flooded from 2 to 

5 feet by waters of the Rio Hondo.

May 50: Skies clearing. Pecos River dropping rapidly between Roswell 

and Artesia.

May 3H Torrential rains during night reported in upper Rio Hondo 

Basin.

June It Heavy rains fell at Las Vegas and surrounding area. Santa 

Rosa reported 1.57 Inches of rain. Roswell flooded by unusually dry Rio 

Hondo for second time in four days. Berrendo Creek flood struck Roswell 

without warning 14 hours before Rio Hondo flood. Flood greater than on 

May 29. The Rio Hondo flood was caused by a storm on the upper part of 

the stream' in general between the Rio Bonito and Rio Ruidoso. The storm 

was accompanied by rain, hail, and winds of tornado proportions; precipitation estimated at 7 inches in less than 2 hours.

June 2* A 31-foot flood crest reported at Santa Rosa in early morning. At 4:20 p.m. water was flowing over the spillway of the three-fourths 

completed Alamogordo Dam. Roswell digging out of debris.

June 5i Second flood fed by torrential rains during night, sweeping 

down river toward the Alamogordo Dam. All streams feeding into the Pecos 

River above the dam were reported bank full, and engineers were prepared 

to remove a temporary dike if spillway proved inadequate. A sudden rain 

and hailstorm forced the Rio Hondo out of its banks, flooding the lower 

part of Roswell as much as 15 inches. Heavy hail 5 miles southeast of 

Roswell; reports that 6 stones would fill a gallon bucket.

June 4: Fair weather over basin. River dropping above Alamogordo 

Dam. Leaks stopped in HcHlllan Dam above Carlsbad.

Plate 5, A, shows remains of bridge over the Pecos River near Dilia, 

on the Santa Rosa-Las Vegas highway, and plate 5, B, shows traffic delayed 

by high water on Jackson Draw near Fort Sumner.

Plate 6,A, shows Highway 66 about 1-1/2 miles north of Santa Rosa 

flooded by the Pecos River June 2j plate 6, B, shows damage to bridge 

across the Pecos River near Acme, about 15 miles northeast of Roswell, 

caused by the flood of May 28. Plates 7 and 8 show parts of Roswell and 

vicinity flooded by the Rio Hondo on June 1.

Figure 3 is a map of the Fecos River Basin in New Mexico showing isohyetals for the total rainfall May 23 to June 4 and showing places at 

which flood records were obtained. The peak discharge and the run-off for
FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP HEW MEXICO, 1937

River-measurement stations

Places at which peak discharge 

only were determined

ip ^ 9 10 20 30 40 50 Mile* *

Figure 3. Map of Pecos River Basin in New Mexico showing isohyetals for total rainfall, 

in inches, May 23 to June 4, and location of discharge measuring places.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 842 PLATE 5

A. PECOS RIVER NEAR DELIA. 

Remains of highway bridge after flood of June 1, 1937.

B. JACKSON DRAW NEAR FORT SUMNER. 

Traffic delayed by flooded crossing.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 842 PLATE 6

A. UNITED STATES HIGHWAY 66 NEAR SANTA ROSA, JUNE 2, 1937 

Highway flooded by the Pecos River.

B. PECOS RIVER NEAR ACME.

Showing damage to highway bridge done by flood of May 28, 1937
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 842 PLATE 7

A. MAIN STREET IN BUSINESS SECTION.

B. FLOOD ON WEST SECOND STREET.

ROSWELL FLOODED BY RIO HONDO, JUNE 1, 1937.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 842 PLATE 8

A ROSWELL FLOODED BY RIO HONDO, JUNE 1, 1937 

Lea Street at about peak of flood.

B. FLOOD OF JUNE 1, 1937, NEAR ROSWELL. 

Farms flooded by Rio Hondo and Pecos River.
STAGES AND DISCHARGES 25

the period of the flood were computed at river-measurement stations at 

which sufficient data for such computations were obtained. At certain 

other places only the peak discharges were determined; these discharges 

are given in table 2.

Figure 6 shows hydrographs of discharge at river-measurement stations on the Pecos River near Pecos, at Santa Rosa, near Guadalupe, near 

Artesia, at Carlsbad, near Malaga, and near Angeles. Figure 7 shows 

hydrographs of discharge at river-measurement stations on the Rio Bonito 

at Hondo and the Rio Felix near Hagerman.

Stage and discharge records of the flood at river-measurement stations in the Pecos River Basin, including data from which figures 6 and 

7 were plotted, are presented under "Stages and discharges". There are 

also included records of storage in Alamogordo and McMillan reservoirs.

Stages and discharges

Stage and discharge records are presented on the following pages 

for the river-measurement stations in the general flood area, including 

some stations which did not experience unusually high stages. These records consist essentially of a station description, a table of mean daily 

discharges and the total run-off for the flood period, and a table of 

stages and the corresponding discharges at indicated times during the 

flood in sufficient detail for reasonably reliable reproduction of the 

hydrograph. The latter table is not presented for river-measurement stations not experiencing unusual floods and for some stations at which a 

complete record of stage was not obtained.

The station description gives the location of gage, kind of gageheight record obtained, and the refinement to which gage heights were 

used in their application to the rating table for ascertaining discharges. 

Drainage areas are shown for stations where available} at other stations 

no figure has been determined because of inadequate maps, poorly defined 

watersheds, and the wide range of contribution of different parts of the 

basin. A statement is added regarding the stage-discharge relation, which 

shows the definition of the rating curve over the range in stage occurring in the floods. The maximum stage and discharge at the gaging station 

are given for the floods of 1937 and for the period of continuous record 

prior to 1937, or, at some stations, for a period in which it is known no 

flood occurred greater than that given.
26 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

Tlxe table of daily discharges gives the mean daily rate of flow, the 

total daily discharge for each day, and the total discharge for the flood 

period.

The table of stages and discharges at indicated times shows the rise 

and recession- of the flood in detail.

Peak discharges as determined at all places are presented in table 2.
STAGES AND DISCHARGES 27

Table 2.- Maximum discharge at localities in the Canadian 

and Pecos River Basins, May and June 1937

Ho. on 

figs. 

2 or 3

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

Stream

Canadian River Baa in

Canadian River near Roy (a)

Canadian River at Qarmes

Bridge (a)

Canadian River near Bell

Ranch

Canadian River at Conchas

Dam (a)

Canadian River at Logan

Vermejo River near Dawaon

Cimarron River near Springer

Conchas River at Variadero (a)

Tanner Draw near Clapham (b)

Draw Mo. 1 near Thomas (b)

Draw Mo. 2 near Thomas (b)

Draw near Clayton (b)

Pec os River Basin

Pecoa River at Irvin ranch

near Pecos

Pecos River near Anton Chico

Fecos River at Santa Rosa

Pecos River near Guadalupe

Pecos River near Acme

Pecoa River near Lake

Arthur (d)

Pecos River near Artesia (e)

Pecos River at Carlsbad (e)

Pecos River near Malaga (e)

Pecos River near Angeles

Tecolote Creek near Chapelle

Gallinas River near Chaperito

Alamogordo Creek near

Guadalupe

Jackson Draw near Port Sumner

Yeao Creek near Port Stunner

Cienaga del Macho near

Roawell

Rio Bonito at Hondo

Rio Hondo at Riveraide

Berrendo Creek at Roswell

Rio Felix near Hagerman

Cottonwood Creek near

Lake Arthur

Latitude

35°58«

35 38

35 32

35 23

35 21

36 42

36 22

35 23

36 12

36 16

36 16

36 23

35 42

35 11

34 56

34 36

33 34

32 59

32 50

32 25

32 12

32 02

35 22

35 13

34 40

34 32

34 15

33 38

33 23

33 19

33 25

33 07

32 57

Longitude

104°21«

104 23

104 15

104 09

103 26

104 47

104 37

104 27

103 20

103 22

103 22

103 10

105 41

105 08

104 42

104 24

104 23

104 18

104 20

104 13

104 02

104 00

105 19

104 55

104 22

104 17

104 18

104 34

105 16

105 04

104 30

104 20

104 22

Drainage 

area 

(sq. ml.)

4,005

6,005

6,400

7,350

11,200

250

985

690

20.3

.044

.266

2.66

175

1,080

2,880

4,470

-

-

_

_

_

-

233

_

_

Maximum discharge

Date

June 3

June 3

June 3

June 3

June 3

June 3

June 3

June 3

1°

(c

Co

(c

June 3

June 1

June 2

June 3

May 28

May 30

May 30

May 31

June 1

June 1

(c

(c

June 3

June 3

June 3

May 28

May 31

May 31

June 1

May 29

May 29

Sec. -ft.

49,800

48,200

47,800

94,000

110,000

128

3,690

51,800

11,200

48.4

41.0

2,550

738

40,300

55,200

23,200

53,300

51,500

51,500

41,000

38,200

38,900

20,500

21,400

24,800

12,000

8,720

49,500

9,270

24,900

37,700

26,500

635

Method*

A

A

B

A

C

C

A

C

B

B

B

B

A

B

C

A

B

B

_

A

A

A

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

B

D

B

C

* Methoda of determining the diacharge are deaignated by letters, as follows:

A Prom rating curve defined by current-meter measurements.

B By a lope-area.

C Prom extension of rating curve.

D By contracted-opening.

a Data furnished by Corps of Engineera, U. S. Army.

b Data furniahed by Soil Conservation Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

c Date of maximum not known.

d Measurements uaed for peak discharge near Arteaia.

e Part of data furnished by Bureau of Reclamation, U. S. Department of the 

Interior.
28 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AM) PECOS HIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937 

Canadian River near Roy, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 35°58', long. 104°21', In sec. 26, T. 20 N., R. 24 E., In Mora County,

11.7 miles west of Roy via State Highway 120. 

Drainage area.- 4,005 square miles.

page-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to hundredths. 

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements. 

Maximum.- 1957: Discharge,, 49,800 second-feet 8s30 a.m. June 3 (gage height, 12.20

 PA A 4- 1

Remarks.- Flood discharge not affected by storage or diversions. Records furnished 

by Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army.

Mean discharge, In second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1957

Day

May

25

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

51

Sec. -ft.

29

188

SS26

150

116

383

383

101

515

Acre-feet

58

575

448

258

250

760

760

200

1,020

Day

June

1

2

5

4

5

6

7

8

9

Sec. -ft.

2,030

4,500

18,700

5,420

718

598

402

564

556

Acre -feet

4,050

8,930

37,090

6,780

1,420

1,190

797

722

666

Day

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Sec. -ft.

196

150

165

265

125

97

77

63

44

36

Acre-feet

589

298

527

526

248

192

155

125

87

71

Gage height, In feet, and discharge, In second-feet, at Indicated time, 1937

Time

May 25 

I2M

May 24

Sam 

5

7

8 

12N

4pm

5

10

12M

May 25

6am

12 N

6pm

12M

May 26

6am

2pm

4

6

12M

May 27 'M

12K

May 28

6am

12H

6pm

8

10

12H

May 29

3am

6

Feet

1.60

1.64 

1.78

1.80

2.03 

2.08

2.04

1.90

1.90

2.16

2.10

1.97

1.90

1.88

1.90

1.90

2.08

1.92

1.84

1.80

1.73

1.70

1.84

2.10

2.53

3.07

2.77

2.32

2.08

Sec. -ft.

31

46 

112

124

284 

329

293

187

187

405

293

204

148

135

118

118

238

129

84

135

95

58

129

320

832

1,800

1,220

678

395

Time

12N 

6pm

12M

May T2N 50 

12M

May 51 I2N 

6pm

6125

6:50

8

8:15

9:50

10

12M

June 1

12 t 50am

1

2

5

6

9:50

10

10:50

12H

5pm

6

11:25

11:35

12M

June 2

12 :15am

2

4

6

Feet

2.00 

1.84

1.75

1.75

1.71

1.70

1.70

1.80

3.65

2.70

5.52

2.80

5.25

2.65

2.60

2.42

2.25

2.16

2.04

2.02

5.90

4.10

5.97

5.53

5.16

5.00

5.00

6.40

6.65

6.18

5.10

4.45

Sec. -ft.

520 

194

155

101

84

74

74

129

5,180

1,160

2,880

1,540

2,290

1,080

1,100

817

561

477

556

538

5,900

4,580

4,070

5,040

2,220

1,870

6,670

10,900

11,700

10,100

6,870

5,160

Time

Sam 

9s50

12N

l:30pm 

2

6

12M 

June 5

lam

1:15

1:30

2J20

3:25

4»50

5

6

7

8

8150

9

10

12H

3pm

6

8:50

.9:30

10:20

12M

June 4

figfn

12H

6pm

12M

June 5

12S

12M

Feet

4.00 

5.97

5.62

5.64 

5.48

3.40

5.57

3.55

4.00

6.00

7.58

7.00

6.55

6.70

8.50

11.10

12.00

12.20

11.95

11.50

10.15

8.04

6.24

5.25

5.65

6.07

5.60

4.40

5.26

2.90

2.70

2.43

2.30

Sec. -ft.

4,090 

4,020

3,200

3,590 

2,880

2,710

2,640

2,600

5,780

8,750

15,800

12,200

9,860

11,000

19,200

58,200

47,600

49,800

47,100

42,100

29,700

16,900

9,700

6,670

7,740

9,060

7,600

5,010

2,530

1,550

1,180

625 '

465

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting control method.
STAGES ADD DISCHARGES 

Canadian River at Games Bridge, N. Mex.

29

Location.- Lat. 35°38' long. 104°23', at bridge on State Highway 65, in San Miguel

County, about 35 miles by road southwest of Roy. 

Drainage area.- 6,005 square miles.

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to hundredths. 

Stage-dlaeharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements. 

Maximum.- 19578 Discharge. 48,200 second-feet 1:30 p.m. June 3 (gage height, 13.32

Remarks.- Flood discharge not affected by storage or diversions, 

by Corps of Engineers, tf. S. Army.

Records furnished

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1957

Day

May

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Sec. -ft.

52

732

385

234

250

1,110

1,920

925

362

Ac re -feet

103

1,450

764

464

496

2,200

3,810

1,830

718

Day

June

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Sec. -ft.

2,610

6,910

21,100

8,000

1,890

1,410

1,300

1,100

1,080

814

Acre-feet

5,180

13,710

41,850

15,870

3,750

2,800

2,580

2,180

2,140

1,610

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

Sec. -ft.

615

475

466

421

250

209

104

57

33

20

21

Acre -feet

1,220

942

924

835

496

415

206

113

65

40

42

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 25 

12M

May 24

4am 

6

8

9

10

11:40

12K

12:35pm

2

3:50

5

6

9

12M

May 25

6am

12N

3pm

6

1211

May 26 

6am

12N

6pm

12M

May 27

6am

8

11

1pm

6

1211

May 28

3am

6

8

10

12N

12:20pm

1J45

2:30

3:35

5

6

7

8

8:30

Feet

1.20

1.22 

1.43

1 0 60

1.70

1.70

2.00

2.60

3.08

2.98

2.70

2.83

2.68

2.30

2.03

1.67

1.64

1.80

1.78

1.60

1.60

1.50

1.50

1.48

1.42

1.50

1.78

1.70

1.60

1.53

1.65

1.70

1.70

2.00

2.12

2.14

2.02

2.20

2.72

2.60

2.62

3.10

3.42

3.38

Sec. -ft.

55

55 

137

176

349

349

624

1,210

1,780

1,660

1,320

1,480

1,300

910

653

313

286

439

439

295

295

209

209

193

153

201

430

349

250

193

340

385

385

662

776

796

682

852

1,390

1,260

1,280

1,830

2,250

2,200

Time

9pm 

11

12M

May 29 

2:20am

6

9

12N

2pm

3

4

6

9

11

12M

May 30

2am

3:20

5:20

6:30

12K

6pm

12M

TSS May  

51 

12M

June 1

2am

3

3:20

6

9

1pm

4:40

5

5:30

6

7

8s 10

9

10

10:15

10:50

1211

Juno 2

lam

2

3

3:30

4

Feet

3.55 

4.09

5.95

4.32

3.65

3.08

2.75

2.65

2.90

2.65

2.40

2.46

2.35

2.70

2.55

2.64

2.46

2.57

2.25

2.00

1.80

1.60

1.60

1.60

3.00

3.15

3.00

2.60

2.12

2.02

3.00

4.00

4.10

4.68

4.20

4.60

5.00

7.00

7.70

7.10

7.20

6.70

6.00

5.70

6.30

Sec. -ft.

2,460 

3,340

3,060

3,820

2,640

1,820

1,420

1,300

1,600

1,300

1,040

1,100

986

1,360

1,210

1,310

1,120

1,230

910

672

484

322

322

322

1,730

1,920

1,730

1,260

776

682

1,730

3,240

3,420

4,590

3,600

4,420

5,320

11,400

14,300

11,800

12,400

10,400

8,160

7,300

9,080

Time

4: 2 Sam 

6

9

12N 

12: 50pm

1

3

3:50

6

12M

June 3

1:30

2:30

5

5:10

5»30

6

6:15

7

8

9

10

11

12N 

l:25pm

2

4

6

9

12M

June 4

' 1 130am

3

6

9

12N

3pm

6

9

12M

June 5

3am

6

9

12K

3pm

6

9

12M

Feet

7.25 

6.93

5.90

5.03 

4.90

5.10

4.75

5.00

4.64

3.70

4.03

3.80

4.00

4.00

5.00

7.50

8.87

8.70

8.63

9.00

10.20

11.35

12.50 

13.32

13.00

11.90

10.85

9.50

8.20

7.90

7.82

7.00

6.00

5.20

4.65

4.40

4.20

3.92

3.70

3.54

3.40

3.34

3.20

3.08

3.02

2.90

Sec. -ft.

12,600 

11,300

7,870

5,520 

5,200

5,690

4,860

5,320

4,500

2,740

2,820

2,500

2,820

2,820

4,310

11,200

17,400

16,400

16,000

17,900

24,500

31,900

41,300 

48,200

45,000

35,600

28,300

21,900

15,900

15,800

15,400

11,800

8,370

6,120

4,790

4,250

3,840

3,300

2,820

2,350

2,060

1,920

1,670

1,430

1,310

1,200

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method. 

108828 O 39 3
30 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PKCOS RIVER BASINS OP NEWT MEXICO, 1^7 

Canadian River near Bell Ranch., N. Mex.

"Location.- Lat. 35°32', long. 104°15', in lAontoya Grant, 1 mile above mouth of Pena

Creek and about 9 miles southwest of Bell Ranch. 

Drainage area.- 6,400 square miles. 

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph except May 30 to June 6, when discharge

was estimated on basis of a slope-area determination of peak discharge, observer's

notes, precipitation records, and comparison with record of Concho River at Conchas

Dam. Gage heights used to half tenths between 4.5 and 6.5 feet; hundredths below

and tenths above these limits. 

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 7,500 secondfeet; extended logarithmically to peak stage on basis of a slope-area measurement

of the peak discharge. 

Maxima.- 1937: Discharge, 47,800 second-feet June 3 (gage height, 15.8 feet, from

floodmarks).

1915-17, 1927-36: Discharge, 26,100 second-feet (revised). June 27, 1935 (gage

height, 11.7 feet). 

Remarks.- Flood flow not affected by storage or diversions.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

Hay

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

June

1

Sec. -ft.

75

528

512

332

181

1,280

3,360

1,100

500

2,000

Acre -feet

149

1,050

1,020

659

359

2,540

6,660

2,180

992

3,970

Day

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Sec. -ft.

5,000

14,000

20,000

4,000

1,250

875

831

675

567

549

476

390

Acre-feet

9,920

27,770

39,670

7,930

2,480

1,740

1,650

1,340

1,120

1,090

944

774

Day

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Sec. -ft.

500

390

358

- 319

245

202

165

'139

154

157

120

99

Acre-feet

992

774

710

633

486

401

327

276

305

311

238

196
STAGES AND DISCHARGES 

Canadian River at Conchas Dam, N. Mex.

31

Location.- Lat. 35°25', long. 104°09', in sec. 34, T. 14 N., R. 26 E., in Pablo Montoya 

Grant, San Miguel County, about 3.5 miles downstream from mouth of Conchas River and 

Conchas Dam.

Drainage area.- 7,350 square miles.

Qage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to hundredths.

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements.

Maximum.- 1957: Discharge. 94,000 second-feet 5:40 p.m. June 3 (gage height, 12.80 feet).

Remarks.- Flood discharges not materially affected by storage or diversions. Records 

furnished by Corps of Engineers, 0. S. Army,

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

May

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Sec. -ft.

63

1,440

2,300

3,620

3,270

17,700

12,600

3,000

576

Acre-feet

125

2,860

4,560

6,390

6,490

35,110

24,990

5,950

1,140

Day

June

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Sec. -ft.

1,130

23,300

36,300

8,940

1,800

820

1,660

732

503

431

Acre-feet

2,240

46,210

72,000

17,730

3,570

1,630

3,290

1,450

998

855

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

Sec. -ft.

377

269

232

250

220

180

144

113

88

68

49

Ac re -feet

748

534

460

496

436

357

286

224

175

135

97

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at Indicated time, 1957

Time

May 25

12M

May 24

4am

5

7

9

10

10s 30

11

12N

5pm

6

11

11:10

12 M

May 25 

l:30am

4

8

2pm 

6

12M

May 26

6am

12N

2pm

4

5

6

6:50

7

8

8:15

9

11:45

1211

May 27 

12: 30am

1:20

3

5

6

7

10

2pm

5

5:45

7

12M

May 28

5am

4

4:40

6

8

10

12N

Feet

5.15

5.15

5.20

3.. 68

5.75

4.67

4.86

4.74

4.40

4.05

5.77

5.75

4.50

4.62

4.78

4.60

4.25

4.15 

4.10

5.96

5,81

5.75

5.86

5.95

4.48

5.00

5.80

5.70

6.40

6.60

6.57

5.73

5.83

6.10

6.26

5.70

5.10

5.00

4.93

4.25

4.1£

4.00

4.08

4.02

5.86

3.80

6.00

7.20

7.40

7.40

7.55

7.84

Sec. -ft.

552

552

596

1,140

1,240

2,950

3,420

3,120

2,340

1,650

1,260

1,240

2,130

2,840

5,570

5,050

2,290

2,090 

1,940

1,640

1,400

1,380

1,480

1,590

2,650

3,950

6,830

6,410

9,710

10,800

9,550

6,540

6,960

8,310

9,120

6,540

4,320

4,030

3,840

2,210

2,010

1,750

1,890

1,780

1,520

1,420

7,390

14,300

15,800

15,800

16,900

19,100

Time

2pm

3

5

6

8

9:25

12M

May 29

5am

6

9

12N

5pm

3:50

4:10

5

6:50 

8:20

11

12M

May 30 

12:25am

2

5

5

7

10

2pm

6

9

12 M

May 51

3am

6

9

12N

6pm

12M 

June 1

6am

ls50pm

2:10

3

3:45

5

9

9:40

10

10:30

11

11:10

11:40

1211

June 2

12 :55am

1:55

5

5:50

Feet

8.20

7.95

7.70

7.95

8.83

9.20

8.80

8.50

7.72

6.70

6.56

5.88

6.12

5.93

6.11

5.50 

5.94

5.57

6.57

6.65

6.11

5.80

5.00

4.60

4.50

4.05

5.70

5.55

5.42

5.24

3.11

5.08

5.10

3.06

3.04

3.00

3.00

5.50

5.86

3.96

3.82

3.60

5.65

5.95

5.80

4.60

5.20

5.87

5.74

5.55

6.00

6.75

8.00

Sec. -ft.

22,000

20,0,00

18,100

19,900

28,100

52,100

27,800

25,100

18,400

11,200

9,220

6,960

8,020

7,170

7,980

5,410 

7,220

4,930

9,280

11,000

8,210

6,830

3,950

2,930

2,250

1,750

1,250

1,040

884

690

569

544

560

528

512

480

480

1,020

1,600

1,770

1,540

1,220

1,260

1,750

1,510

3,170

4,860

7,570

7,000

6,200

7,840

11,900

21,500

Time

4am

5

6

6:30

7

9

12N

Ipni

2

3

4

6

9

10

12M

June 5

Sam 

4

6:20

7

8 

9

10:15

11:05

11:30

12N

1pm

2

5

4

5:10

6

6:45

7:20

8

9

10

11 

12M

June 4

2am

4

6

7

10

11

1pm

3

5

8

12M

June 5

4am

8

12N

6pm

12M

Feet

9.10

10.05

10.80

11.00

10.87

10.36

9.40

8.80

7.80

7.05

6.70

6.00

5.32

5.18

5.10

4.62 

4.65

4.40

4.25

4.96 

6.00

7.15

7.12

8.00

9.00

10.75

11.40

11.90

12.40

12.80

12.47

12.70

12.30

11.75

11.20

10.25

9.25 

8.70

7.72

7.03

6.25

5.94

5.66

5.30

4.87

4.47

3.95

5.55

3.10

2,84

2^60

2r40

2.16

1.95

Sec. -ft.

32,300

44,10C

55,600

59,000

56,800

48,100

35,500

28,600

19,400

13,800

11,400

7,700

4,930

4,470

4,230

2,980 

5,050

2,470

2,150

3,840 

7,700

14,500

14,200

21,000

30,800

54,200

65,800

75,300

85,400

94,000

86,900

91,800

83,300

72,400

62,100

46,500

35,700 

27,600

19,700

15,400

11,600

10,100

8,970

7,730

6,450

5,580

4,120

3,290

2,540

2,360

2,000

1,720

1,430

1,200

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting control method May 23-25, 27-29, June 1 to 7 

.m. 2, 5.
32 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PEC OS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937 

Canadian River at Logan, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 35°21', long. 103°26', in sec. 15, T. 13 H., R. 33 E., half a mile 

south of Logan, Quay County, three-quarters of a mile above Chicago, Rock Island 4 

Pacific Railway bridge, 5 miles below Ute Creek and 5 miles above Tucumcari Creek.

Drainage area.- 11,200 square miles.

Sage-height "record.- Water-stage recorder graph to June 2; June 3 and after graph 

based on one daily reading of staff gage and record at Conchas Dam. Gage heights 

used to half tenths between 4.5 and 6.5 feet; hundredths below and tenths above 

these limits.

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements.

Maxima.- 1957; Discharge, 110,000 second-feet 4:30 a.m. June 3 (gage height, 18.91 

feet).

1885-1936: Discharge, 278,000 second-feet Sept. 30, 1904 (gage height, 36.55 

feet, Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway gage).

Remarks.- Flood flow not affected by storage or diversions.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1957

Day

May

25

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Sec. -ft.

45

102

861

1,430

16,500

36,400

57,500

9,590

2,500

Acre-feet

89

202

1,710

2,840

32,730

72,200

114,000

19,020

4,960

Day

June

1

2

5

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Sec. -ft.

15,800

56,400

51,100

45,900

9,500

2,470

4,040

1,590

2,080

830

Acre-feet

31,340

111,900

101,400

91,040

18,840

4,900

8,010

3,150

4,130

1,650

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

Sec. -ft.

920

560

380

500

340

1,360

300

160

100

110

60

Acre-feet

1,820

1,110

754

992

674

2,700

595

317

198

218

119

Run-off, in acre-feet, for period May 23 to June 21 ........... 633,600

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 25

12M

May 24

fiam

11

12N

1pm

3

4

11

12M

May 25

2am

3

6

7

8pm

9

12M

May 26

lam

6

8pm

9

10

10:30

May 27 

l:50am

3

7

11

1pm

7

9

11

May 28

lam

3

5

7

9

3pm

7

Peet

2.31

2.31

2.65

2.85

2.84

2.63

2.71

2.67

2.89

3.14

4.06

3.60

4.22

3.38

4.39

4.27

4.33

3.88

3.43

3.73

3.98

6.38

6.64

12.64

10.04

7.70

7.70

5.64

5.74

9.64

7.95

8.85

8.85

9.95

9.15

15.25

13.18

Sec, -ft.

55

55

128

195

191

125

148

146

209

330

1,190

658

1,440

483

1,710

1,510

1,610

952

525

790

1,090

8,910

10,300

43,800

25,300

13,800

13,800

6,260

6,580

23,000

14,700

18,900

18,900

25,300

20,800

49,000

49,000

Tine

9pm

12M

May 29

3am

5

8

12H

2pm

4

6

11

12M

May 50

Sam

3:50

12 150pm

8

10

12M

May 51

Sain

12H

2pm

5

10

12M

June 1 

5am

4

7:50

8.10

8:15

10

12s50pm

3:30

6

7

10

11

June 2

1:30 am

2

5

Peet

14.28

14.90

16.50

16.70

18.00

16.35

13.75

11.25

9.65

7.86

7.83

7.63

6.60

7.06

5.35

5.28

5.15

4.11

4.06

4.06

5.91

5.96

3.68

3.54

14.70

10.50

10.25

9.80

6.82

5.10

4.90

4.70

5.60

5.40

6.20

5.40

7.00

11.00

Sec. -ft.

59,000

64,700

80,600

82,600

95,900

79,600

54,400

35,000

23,000

14,700

14,300

15,400

9,500

11,400

5,350

5,180

4,740

2,210

2,110

2,110

1,840

950

1,460

1,260

67,600

51,600

29,600

27,100

12,200

5,940

5,550

4,740

7,570

6,900

9,870

6,900

15,000

35,200

Tine

3: 45 am

6

6:30

8

10

11:50

2pm

4

6

8

10

12M

June 5

2am

4S50

6

8

10

12: 40pm

2

6

9

10

12M

June 4

2am

4 

6

8

10

12N

5pm

6

9

12M

June 5

4nm

8

12N

6pm

12M

June 6

8s50am

Peet

15.90

10.80

9.50

10.00

11.70

14.00

14.6

14.9

15.2

15.6

16.5

17.5

18.1

18.91

17.5

14.8

12.1

9.5

9.5

10.2

11.2

12.0

15.8

15.2

16.4 

17.05

16.2

15.0

15.8

11.7

10.2

9.1

8.2

7.5

6.45

5.8

5.0

4.4

3.85

Sec. -ft.

59,900

33,700

25,300

28,300

40,500

60,900

66,700

69,600

72,600

76,600

83,600

93 , 900

102,000

110,000

92,800

65,700

39,700

20,300

20,800

24,100

29,000

53,000

45,500

58,000

74,600 

90,800

73,600

56,200

42,100

27,100

20,800

16,500

14,300

12,600

10,200

9,500

7,400

4,510

2,470

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method May 25 to 1:50 a.m. 27, 

June 1-6.
STAGES AHD DISCHARGES 33 

Vermejo River near Dawson, N. Vex.

Location.- Lat. 36°42', long. 104°47', about T. 28 K., R. 20 E. , in Maxwell Grant, 2j 

miles north of Dawson, Colfax County.

Drainage area.- 250 square miles.

Gage-height record.- (Hater-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to half tenths between 5.5 and 7.5 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 70 second-feet; 

extended logarithmically to cover range in stage.

Maxima.- May and June 1937: Discharge, 128 second-feet 7 a.m. June 3 (gage height, 

3.09 feet).

1915-36: Discharge, 17,900 second-feet Aug. 2, 1921 (discharge estimated, subject 

to very large error).

Remarks.- Diversions for irrigation above station.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

May

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

Sec. -ft.

48

48

48

47

45

55

60

Acre -feet

95

95

95

93

89

109

119

Day

30

31

June

1

2

3

4

5

6

Sec. -ft.

68

69

71

68

102

79

69

63

Acre -feet

135

137

141

135

202

157

137

125

Day

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Sec. -ft.

58

56

52

51

47

46

45

44

44

Acre-feet

115

111

103

101

93

91

89

87

87

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 22 12M 

May 25 ]5F 

1211

May 24 1ST 

12M

May 25 12JT 

1211

May 26 ]5F 

1211

1ST May  

27 

1211

May 28

4am

12N

4pm

1211

May 89 

12lJ

1211

May 50 3STT 

1211

May 51 ]5F 

5pm

6

7

Feet

2.65

2.64

2.65

2.64

2.64

2.64

2.64

2.64

2.65

2.62

2.61

2.61

2.72

2.75

2.75

2.71

2.75

2.79

2.79

2.76

2.75

2.89

2.85

Sec. -ft.

50

48

50

48

48

48

48

48

47

46

45

45

59

60

60

59

62

71

71

66

65

87

80

Time

9pm

11

1211 

June 1

2am

4 

12H

4pm

8 

1211

June 2

1211

June 5

lam 

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 

10

11

12H 

2pm

5

7 

1211

June 4 125 

1211

Feet

2.77

2.89

2,90

2.83

2.79 

2.76

2.77

2.80 

2.78

2.76 

2.78

2.95 

5.07

5.01

2.84

2.91

2.99

5.09

5.04

2.98 

5.02

5.05

5.02 

2.96

2.94

2.94 

2.88

2.83

2.78

Sec. -ft.

68

87

89

77

71 

66

68

72 

69

68 

71

100 

124

112

80

93

108

128

118

106 

114

120

114 

102

98

98 

87

79

71

Time

June 5 iSS

1211 

June 6 15S 

1211 

June 7 1SH 

1211 

June 8 iSB

12M 

June 9 1SH 

1211 

June 10 iSH

1211

June 11

12T5

1211

June 12

1211

June 15

1211

June 14

1211

June 15

iSS

1211

Feet

2.77

2.76

2.75

2.72

2.70

2.70

2.68

2.68

2.66

2.66

2.65

2.64

2.64

2.65

2.62 

2.62

2.61 

2.60

2.60 

2.61

2.60

2.60

Sec. -ft.

69

68

63

62

58

58

55

55

52

52

51

50

48

47

46 

46

45 

44

44 

45

44

44

Hote.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method.
34 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OF NEW MEXICO, 1937

Cimarron River at Springer, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 36°22', long. 104°37', in sec. 33, T. 25 N., R. 22 E., 300 feet below 

 highway bridge, one-eighth mile west of Springer, Coifax County, 6 miles below

mouth of Rayado River and 6 miles above confluence with Canadian River. 

Drainage area.- 985 square miles. 

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to half tenths between 4.5 and 7.5 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits. 

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 381 seeondfeet; extended logarithmically to 3,700 second-feet. 

Maxima.- 1937: Discharge, about 3,690 second-feet about 1 a.m. June 3 (gage height,

9715 feet) .

1907-9, 1921-36: Discharge, about 15,000 second-feet June 11, 1913. 

Remarks.- Flood flow probably not affected by diversions for irrigation.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1957

Day

May

27

28

29

30

31

June

1

Sec. -ft.

4.5

5.3

8.2

14

38

429

Acre -feet

9

11

16

28

75

851

Day

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Sec. -ft.

331

1,610

315

209

157

90

56

Acre -feet

657

3,190

625

415

311

179

111

Day

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Sec. -ft.

45

31

32

27

22

20

16

Acre-feet

89

61

63

54

44

40

32

Page height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 27 

ISM

T5N May  

28 

12M

May 29

6am

12N

6pm

12M

May 30

8am

9

10

12N

6pm

12M

May TSN 31

7pm

8

9

10

11

12M

June 1

' 2am

4

6

8

11

1pm

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12M

Feet

1.50

1.53

1.57

1.64

1.68

1.60

1.65

1.75

1.97

1.96

1.89

1.75

1.68

1.66

1.62

1.82

2.40

2.10

3.80

3.62

3.00

2.45

2.14

1.99

1.89

2.04

2.40

5.80

7.70

6.60

6.00

5.54

4.95

4.35

3.82

3.43

3.15

Sec. -ft.

4.2

5.0

6.2

8.5

10

7.2

8.9

13

26

26

21

13

10

9.3

7.8

16

65

36

363

309

159

68

38

27

20

31

65

1,240

2,410

1,650

1,290

1,040

780

526

360

258

188

Time

June 2 

2am

4 

6

10

12N

4pm

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12M

June 3

lam

2 

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12N

2pm

3

4

6

8

10

12M

June 4

2am

4

6

12N

12M

Feet

2.74

2.48 

2.30

2.10

2.16

2.23

3.30

4.48

4.30

4.60

4.90

5.85

7.00

8.10

9.15

8.80 

8.20

7.38

7.51

7.76

7.67

7.22

6.75

6.30

6.05

5.99

5.97

6.00

5.82

5.20

4.69

4.41

4.24

4.10

4.06

3.92

3.67

3.44

Sec. -ft.

Ill

73 

53

36

41

47

229

590

516

630

758

1,240

1,910

2,730

3,690

3,330 

2,810

2,190

2,260

2,490

2,410

2,050

1,770

1,470

1,320

1,290

1,260

1,290

1,180

870

650

534

474

428

414

369

294

232

Time

June 5 TSI 

12M 

T5U June  

6

2pm

7

8

12M

June 7

1ST!

4pm

12M

June 8 TSTI 

12M

T§H June  

9

12M

June 10 isif 

12M

June 11

7pm

8

9

10

12M

June 12

12N

12M

June 13

TSU

12M

June 14

TEST!

12 M

June 15

T5IT

12M

Feet

3.32

3.27

3.22

3.01

2.94

2.88

2.86

2.82

2.55

2.44

2.43

2.36

2.30 

2.19

2.13

2.10

2.10

2.76

2.25

2.15

2.14

2.07

2.03

2.01

1.98

1.97

1.97

1.94

1.80

Sec. -ft.

205

193

184

140

127

116

112

109

69

56

58

51

45 3"6

31

28

28

104

41

32

32

27

24

22

21

20

20

19

12

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method.
STAGES AND DISCHARGES

Mora River near Shoemaker, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 35°48', long. 104°48', in sec. 10, T. 18 N., R. 20 E., 5.5 miles east 

of Shofemaker, Mora County, and about 23 miles above confluence with Canadian River.

Drainage area.- 1,160 square miles.

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to half tenths between 4.0 and 6.5 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 2,800 secondfeet; extended logarithmically to 5,000 second-feet.

Maxima.- 1937: Stage, 10.41 feet 7:10 a.m. June 3 (discharge not determined). 

1914-36: Stage, 10.6 feet June 4, 1921 (discharge not determined).

Remarks.- Flood flow not affected by storage or diversions.

Mean discharge, In second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

May

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Sec. -ft.

27

47

80

84

76

77

171

185

228

Acre-feet

54

93

159

167

151

153

339

367

452

Day

June

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Sec, -ft.

312

966

4,140

743

452

358

312

264

218

180

Acre-feet

619

1,720

8,210

1,470

897

710

619

524

432

357

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Sec. -ft.

154

132

112

97

93

74

54

44

40

33

Acre-feet

305

262

222

192

184

147

107

87

79

65

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 22 I5H 

May 23 

12N

12M

May 24

4am

8

12N

4pm

8

12M

May 25

12N

12M

TSfl May  

26 

12M

TSfl May 27  

12M

May 28 

128

12M

May 29

8am

12N

1pm

2

3

4

5

6

8

12M

May 30

Sam

4pm

12M

May 31

Bam

4pm

12M

June 1

5am

6

7

8

Feet

1.22

1.18

1.15

1.13

1.41

1.37

1.52

1.57

1.64

1.67

1.72

1.71

1.70

1.66

1.60

1.64

1.71

1.78

1.76

1.80

2.10

2.70

3.34

2.95

2.70

2.29

2.08

2.12

2.31

2.35

2.33

2.43

2.44

2.38

2.98

3.16

3.11

Sec. -ft.

29

26

23

22

47

43

59

65

73

79

86

84

83

77

69

74

84

95

92

98

158

321

585

408

321

205

154

163

210

220

215

240

243

228

420

495

472

Time

10am 

12N

4pm 

8

12M

June 2

1»m

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

12N 

4pm

8

12M 

June 5

2am

3 

4

5

6

7

7:10

8

9

10

11

12N

1pm

2

3

4

6

8

10

12M

June 4

6am

8

10

12N

6pm

12M

Feet

2.89 

2.69

2.61 

2.60

2.65

2.68

4.62

5.10

5.35

5.14

4.48

4.10

3.99

3.72

3.54 

3.33

3.12

3.03

3.00

3.70 

4.58

5.20

8.50

10.26

10.41

9.95

9.62

8.80

8.28

8.50

8.22

7.54

6.86

6.42

6.18

5.50

4.65

4.28

3.80

3.83

3.70

3.49

3.27

3.17

Sec1 . -ft.

386 

318

294 

291

306

315

297

1,920

2,190

1,970

1,360

1,040

975

804

696 

580

476

440

.428

792 

1,440

2,020

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

..

4,300

3,570

3,220

2,410

1,540

1,200

864

884

804

678

560

510

Time

June 5 TSS 

12M 

T5B June  

6

12M

June 7

ISF

12M

T5F June 8 

12M

T5B June  

9

12M

TM June  

10 

12M

June 11

12M

June 12 

T3U

12M

TS5 June  

13

12M

June 14 131 

12M

June 15 T2S 

12M

June 16 TSH 

12M

T2IT June  

17

12M

T2TT June  

18

12M

TSB June  

19

12M

TSI June  

20

12M

Feet

3.04

2.91

2.80

2.72

2.65

2.57

2.50

2.42

2.33

2.23

2.18

2.10

2.06

2.02

1.96

1.90

1.87

1.81

1.75

1.75

1.77

1.68

1.65

1.53

1;46

1.37

1.34

1.34

1.31

1.25

1.23

1.20

Sec. -ft.

452

400

362

334

312

288

267

243

220

195

182

163

154

144

132

119

114

103

93

93

97

83

79

63

56

46

43

43

40

35

33

30

Note.- Discharge determined lay shifting-control method.
36 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PSCOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937 

Conchas River at Variadero, N. Hex.

Location.- Lat. 35°23', long. 104°27', at bridge on State Highway 67, about 14 miles

east of Conchas Dam, San Miguel County. 

Drainage area.- 690 square miles.

gage-height "record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to hundredths. 

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 600 second-feet;

extended above by application of Manning's formula.

Maximum.- 1937: Discharge, 51,800 second-feet 8 a.m. June 3 (gage height, 21.20 feet). 

Remarks.- Flood discharge not affected by storage or diversions. Records furnished by

Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1957

Day

May

24

25

26

27

28

29

Sec. -ft.

221

96

199

247

2,050

2,030

Acre-feet

458

190

395

490

4,030

4,030

Day

May

50

31

June

1

2

3

Sec. -ft.

654

55

2,550

8,000

9,040

Acre-feet

1,300

105

4,660

15,870

17,930

Day

4

5

6

7

8

9

Sec. -ft.

175

29

15

6

5

4

Acre-feet

547

58

26

12

10

8

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 25 im 

May 24 

ll'^Oam

11:30

12N

1pm

1:15

2

4

4:30

5:20

6«30

9

12M

May 25

4- a 

8

12N

6pm

12M

May 26

12N

6pm

7:40

8

8:30

9

10

11

12M

May 27

2am

5

9

1pm

6

12 M

May 28

9am

9:35

10

11

11 {15

12H

1pm

2

5

5:40

5

Feet

1.00

1.22

2.15

2.22

2.54

2.45

2.50

2.16

5.15

5.55

5.19

2.80

2.48

2.17

2.04

2.00

1.98

1.90

1.82

1.75

1.69

1.68

2.70

3.70

4.10

5.86

5.65

5.26

2.93

2.60

2.25

2.10

2.00

2.00

2.00

2.02

2.28

3.50

3.90

4.12

5.30

6.60

7.42

7.65

7.20

Sec. -ft.

0

0

130

161

227

290

205

154

714

850

740

500

508

126

78

66

60

59

27

12

7

6

428

1,100

1,450

1,250

1,060

774

504

520

201

172

158

158

158

164

258

960

1,320

1,540

2,730

4,510

5,550

5,610

5,020

Time

7pm

9

12M 

May 29 "Sam

5

6:20

7

9

10:20

12:50pm

2

5

4

5

5S30

6

7

8

10

12M

May 50 

12: 30am

Is20

2

4

7'

11

5pm

7

12M

May 51

^am

8

12N

4pm

8

12M

June 1

6am

12N

6pm

9

9S30

10

11

12M

June 2

12 S 40am

1

Feet

6.42 

5.65

4.72

3.96

5.72

5.48

5.58

5.70

5.88

5.55

5.90

5.74

5.88

5.80

5.60

6.75

8.20

7.73

5.97

4.60

4.60

4.70

4.60

4.00

3.20

2.50

2.09

1.85

1.64

1.50

1.41

1.29

1.15

1.06

1.03

.90

.88

.79

.77

3.60

9.00

17.00

20.00

20.20

20.00

Sec. -ft.

3,990 

5,010

2,020

1,550

1,150

945

1,020

1,110

1,260

998

1,280

1,150

1,260

1,190

2,960

4,580

6,280

5,650

5,590

1,910

1,910

2,020

1,950

1,400

781

382

229

158

107

78

65

51

38

51

29

21

20

16

15

1,040

7,400

27,800

44,500

45,500

44,500

Time

2am 

5

4 

5

6

7

8

9

10

12N

3pm

6

9

11

12M

June 5

lam

4

4:20

4s40

5!35

6 

6:50

7

7s50

8

9

10

11

12 N

1pm

2

3

4

6

9

12M

June 4

4am

8

12N

6pm

121S

June 5

6am

12N

6pm

12M

Feet

18.65 

16.40

13.00 

11.40

8.80

7.10

6.45

5.55

4.80

4.00

3.20

2.73

2.31

2.04

2.03

1.98

1.78

2.00

2.92

2.80

5.40 

9.50

15.00

20.20

21.20

20.00

18.80

15.50

12.00

9.20

7.60

6.56

5.55

4.50

3.49

2.83

2.32

2.00

1.65

1.42

1.30

1.15

1.06

.95

.88

Sec. -ft.

36,600 

26,600

15,600 

12,000

7,700

5,350

4,440

3,070

2,410

1,630

923

590

560

248

252

210

146

192

560

478

815 

8,000

19,900

45,200

51,800

45,800

55,600

21,200

12,000

7,550

5,550

3,750

2,780

1,720

886

504

302

195

108

71

56

35

28

22

18

Hote.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method May 25-28, 30, 12M 

June 1 to 5.
STAGES AND DISCHARGES 37

Pecos River at Irvin ranch, near Pecos, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 35°42', long. 105°41«, in HE^HEi sec. 17, T. 17 N., R. 12 E., at private 

road bridge on Irvin ranch, 600 feet above mouth of Indian Creek, 2 miles below 

Canon Espiritu Santo, and 11 miles north of Pecos, San Miguel County.

Drainage area.- 175 square miles.

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to hundredths.

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements.

Maxima.- 1937: Discharge, 738 second-feet 4 to 6 p.m. June 3 (gage height, 3.40 feet). 

1910-36: Discharge, greater than 2,000 second-feet, Sept. 22, 1929.

Remarks.- Diversions for irrigation above station.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

May

27

28

29

30

31

June

1

2

Sec. -ft.

362

394

450

613

580

602

674

Acre-feet

718

781

8S5

1,820

1,150

1,190

1,340

Day

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Sec. -ft.

708

657

586

515

460

412

376

335

315

Acre -feet

1,400

1,300

1,160

1,020

912

817

746

664

625

Day

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Sec.. -ft.

291

267

251

230

212

196

183

174

163

Acre -feet

577

530

498

456

420

389

363

345

323

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 26

12M

May 27 

T2N

9pm

12M

May 28

6am

2pm

6

9

May 29 "Sam

3pm

9

May 30

3am

2pm

6

12M

May TSS 31 

12M

15! June 1 

6pm

12M

June 2

6am

12M

Feet

2.67

2.65

2.75

2.70

8.67

2.84

2.77

2.34

2 . 85

2.79

3.04

3.16

3.16

?.29

3.21

3.3.1

3.08

3.05

3.32

3.36

3.30

3.25

Sec. -ft.

358

348

394

371

358

435

402

435

430

412

536

602

602

674

630

574

558

542

690

714

679

652

Time

June 3

2am

5 

9

4pm

6

12M

June 4 I2"H 

12M

June 5 121 

12M

June 6 IS! 

12M

June 7 T2B 

12M

June 8

T£H 

12M

June 9

121

12M

June 10

T5T?

12M

Feet

3.38

3.37 

3,32

3.40

3.40

3.35

3.25

3.21

3.14 

3.07

3.02

2.96

2.90

2.85

2.81 

2.76

2. 73

2.67

2.64

2.60

Sec. -ft.

690

720 

690

738

738

708

652

630

591 

552

520

490

460

435

416 

394

376

353

340

323

Time

June 11

12 N

12M 

June 12

12N

12M

TM June  

13

12M

June 14

12u

12M 

TS5 June  

15

12M

June 16 TSfi 

12M

TSN June 17 

12M 

June 18 iss 

12M

June 19

TSif

12M

June 20

12U

12M

Feet

2.58

2.55

2.53

8.48

2.48

2.43

2.42

2.40

2.38

2.33

2.33

2.28

2.29

2.24

2.26

2.20

2.22

2.17

2.17

2.13

Sec. -ft.

315

303

295

275

275

255

251

244

233

216

216

199

202

186

193

174

180

166

166

154

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method.
38 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937 

Pecos River near Anton Chico, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 35°11', long. 105°08' in Anton Chico Grant, 3i miles southeast of Anton 

Chico, Guadalupe County, and 4 miles below mouth of Tecolote Creek.

Drainage area.- 1,080 square miles.

Discharge record.- Based on a slope-area determination of peak discharge, two currentmeter measurements, and weather records, and on a comparison with flow at rivermeasurement stations near Pecos and at Santa Rosa.

Maxima.- 1937: Discharge, 40,300 second-feet about 6 p.m. June 1 (gage height, 20.34

1930-36: Discharge, 12,900 second-feet July 16, 1933 (gage height, 8.0 feet). 

1910-1937: Discharge, that of June 1, 1937. 

Remarks.- Records poor.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

May

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Sec. -ft.

600

700

1,500

2,200

3,500

1,500

1,000

800

Acre -feet

1,190

1,390

2,980

4,360

6,940

2,980

1,980

1,590

Day

June

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Sec. -ft.

7,300

10,000

2,000

1,200

1,300

1,400

800

500

450

400

Acre-feet

14,480

19,830

3,970

2,380

2,580

2,780

1,590

992

893

793

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Sec . -ft .

350

350

300

300

300

250

250

250

200

200

Acre -feet

694

694

595

595

595

496

496

496

397

397
STASES AKD DISCHARGES 39 

Pecos River at Santa Rosa, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 34°56', long. 104°42', in sec. 3, T. 8 N., R. 21 E.. at Santa Rosa, 

Suadalupe County, a quarter of a mile above highway bridge and li miles above mouth 

of Rio Agua Negro Ohiquita.

Drainage area.- 2,880 square miles.

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph to 9:15 p.m. June Ij graph drawn on 

basis of numerous observations of stage 9:15 p.m. June 1 to June 5. Sage heights 

used to half tenths between 4.0 and 6.0 feet prior to June 1 and between 3.5 and 

5.0 feet June 2 and after; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 32,000 secondreetj extended logarithmically to 55,200 second-feet.

Maxima.- 1937s Discharge, 55,200 second-feet 4 a.m. June 2 (gage height, 25.7 feet).

1903-36! Discharge, 46,500 second-feet by slope-area Sept. 30, 1904 (gage height, 

about 23 feet).

Remarks.- Flood flow not affected by storage or diversions. Discharge estimated June 

2-11 and 13-22 on basis of partial gage-height record and by comparison with other 

stations.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Da-y

May

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Sec. -ft.

1,080

1,020

1,050

4,000

5,750

4,790

1,860

1,040

Acre -feet

2,140

2,020

2,080

7,930

11,400

9,500

3,690

2,060

Day

June

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Sec. -ft.

700

18, 600

9,970

2,710

1,520

1,700

3,200

1,500

1,000

Ac re -feet

1,390

36,890

19,780

5,380

3,010

3,370

6,350

2,980

1,980

Day

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Sec. -ft.

900

700

570

500

400

350

300

250

200

180

160

Acre-feet

1,790

1,390

1,130

992

793

694

595

496

397

357

317

Sage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at Indicated time, 1937

Time

May 25

TSE

May 24

3am

5

8

11

3pm

4

5

7

9

1211

May 25

8

10

11

2pm

3

6

1211

May 26

6am

12H

8pm

9

10

11 

1211

May 27

lam

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

11

Feet

2.15

2.15

2.31

2.20

2.25

2.22

6.35

5.38

4.64

4.30

3.78

3.45

3.16

3.20

3.50

3.28

3.58

3.28

2.98

2.83

2.81

2.76

2.91

4.50

6.80 

6.90

6.20

5.75

7.50

9.50

10.17

9.40

7.60

6.00

5.10

Sec. -ft.

267

267

346

290

315

300

5,060

3,420

2,400

1,980

1,440

1,130

896

928

1,180

992

1,250

992

763

658

644

610

719

2,220

5,800 

5,990

4,710

3,960

7,200

12,000

13,900

11,700

7,410

4,370

2,990

Time

2pm

6

10

12M

May 28

lam

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9 

10

11

12N

2pm

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

1211

Hay 29 

lam

2

4

5

6

10

12 N

2pm

4

5

6

Feet

4.28

3.90

3.65

3.85

3.85

5.00

5.50

6.50

7.57

7,73

7.35

6.65

6.88 

6.75

6.05

5.85

6.45

7.08

6.67

7.00

7.30

8.47

8.20

7.60

6.90

7.04

7.15

7.05

5.90

5.70

5.80

5.60

5.00

6.35

7.00

7.38

7.17

7.78

Sec. -ft.

1,980

1,550

1,310

1,510

1,510

2,850

3,570

5,240

7,410

7,630

6,990

5,610

5,990 

5,800

4,540

4,120

5,240

6,380

5,610

6,180

6,780

9,450

8,750

7,410

5,990

6,380

6,580

6,380

4,200

3,880

4,040

3,720

2,850

5,060

6,180

6,990

6,580

7,850

Time

7pm

8

9

10

12M

%Z_30

lam

2

4

8

12N

6pm

1211

May 51 

lam

2

3

4

7

12H

6pm

12M

June 1

6am

12N

9pm

1211

June 2

lam 

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

12N

2pm

4

Feet

7.45

6.85

7.10

5.64

5.22

5.60

5.50

4.90

4.37

3.82

3.60

5.23

3.24

3.61

5.67

5.57

5.54

3.37

3.18

3.05

3.00

2.86

2.72

2.70

7.7 

11.5

25.0

25.7

24.9

22.9

20.6

18.1

13.5

10.0

7.6

6.3

Sec. -ft.

7,200

5,990

6,380

3,800

3,200

3,720

3,570

2,720

2,100

1,480

1,260

952

960

1,280

1,330

1,240

1,220

1,060

912

812

777

672

584

572

9,510 

17,600

47,300

55,200

52,800

47,000

40,600

33,800

22,300

14,200

9,510

6,870

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method May 23 to June 1.
40 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASKS OP HEW MEXICO, 1937 

Alamogordo Reservoir near Guadalupe, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 54°37', long. 104°24', at Alamogordo Dam on Pecos River, 4 mile's north

of Ouadalupe, De Baca County. 

Drainage area.- 4,470 square miles.

Gage-height record.- Gage read to tenths at frequent intervals during flood period. 

Remarks.- Total capacity at spillway level, about 70,000 acre-feet. Records furnished

by Bureau of Reclamation.

Gage height, in feet, and contents, in acre-feet, 1937

Time

May 27

6am

May 28

6am

10

2pm

6

10

12M

May 29

4.flm

8

12N

4pm.

8

12M

May 50

4am

8

12N

4pm

8

12M

May 51

4-flm

8

12N

4pm

8

12M

Feet

4,160.0

4,218.0

4,225.2

4,230.7

4,235.9

4,256.1

4,257.5

4,259.8

4,241.0

4,241.5

4,242.0

4,245.0

4,245.9

4,244.1

4,245.8

4,245.5

4,245.0

4,242.4

4,241.8

4,241.0

4,240.5

4,239.5

4,258.9

4,258.1

4,257.5

Acre-feet

250

19,450

27,275

55,800

38,600

41,900

43,700

47,450

49,850

50,900

51,950

54,050

55,940

56,560

55,750

55,100

54,050

52,790

51,550

49,850

48,580

47,000

46,100

44,900

45,700

Time

June 1

4-gm

8

12N

4pm

8

12M

June 2

4am

6

7

8

9

10

11

12N

1pm

2

5

4

5

6

9

12M

June 5

5am

6

8

10

12 N

Feet

4,256.1

4,255.6

4,254.3

4,254.0

4,255.0

4,255.5

4,255.1

4,255.4

4,256.3

4,258.0

4,240.5

4,241.0

4,245.8

4,246.1

4,248.0

4,249.2

4,250.1

4,250.7

4,251.1

4,251.4

4,251.8

4,251.8

4,251.5

4,252.1

4,255.5

4,254.5

4,255.2

Acre-feet

41,900

40,600

59,500

58,000

56,800

57,200

59,600

40,500

41,400

44,000

48,500

49,000

55,800

56,800

62,700

65,500

67,800

69,500

70,400

71,500

72,200

72,200

71,500

75,100

77,500

79,800

82,500

Tims

2pm

4

6

8

9

10

12M

June 4

4-gm

8

12N

4pm

8

12M

June 5 12"H 

TS5 June  

6

June 7 ISB 

TSH June 8 

TM June 9 

June 10

12M

Feet

4,256.7

4,258.6

4,260.0

4,260.8

4,260.9

4,260.8

4,260.5

4,259.2

4,257.9

4,256.7

4,255.7

4,254.8

4,254.0

4,250.20

4,246.76

4,242.73

4,257.83

4,252.15

4,266.40

Acre -feet

86,600

92,600

97,000

99,500

99,800

99,500

97,800

94,200

90,200

87,000

84,200

80,900

79,000

67,800

60,000

55,000

44,000

56,000

28,000
STAGES AMD DISCHARGES

Pecos River near Guadalupe, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 34°36', long. 104°24', in sec. 2, T. 4 N. , R. 24 E., half a mile below

Alamogordo Dam and 3fj miles north of Guadalupe, De Baoa County. 

Drainage area.- 4,470 square miles. 

Gage-height "record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to half tenths between 3.0 and 6.0 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits. 

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements.

Maxima.- 1957; Discharge, 23,200 second-feet 9 rj.m. June 3 (gage height, 11,86 feet), 

1912-37: Discharge, 42,000 second-feet Way 1, 1914 (gage height, 15.5 feet),

from extension of rating curve. 

Remarks.- Flood flow affected by storage in Alamogordo Reservoir, half a mile upstream;

capacity of lake at spillway level, about 70,000 acre-feet.

Mean discharge, in aeoond-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

May

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Sec. -ft.

338

390

606

1,420

4,020

4,320

4,220

4,120

Acre -feet

670

774

1,200

2,880

7,970

8,570

8,370

8,170

Day

June

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

«

Sec. -ft.

3,940

14,220

12,100

13,300

6,420

5,040

4,850

4,760

Acre-feet

7,810

8,370

24,000

26,380

12,730

10,000

9,620

9,440

Day

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Sec. -ft.

4,670

4,400

4,060

3,260

2,680

2.220

1,590

523

Acre-feet

9,260

8,730

8,050

6,470

5,320

4,400

3,150

1,040

Run-off, in acre-feet, for period May 24 to June 16 ............ 193,300

Gage height, In feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 25 

T2M

May 24

10pm

12M

May 25

2am

4

12 N

6pm

12H

May 26

6am

12N

6pm

12M

May 27

5am

6

11

8pm

12M

May 28

8am

4pm

12M

TSN May 29  

12H

155 May  

50

12M

May 51 isfi 

12M

June 1

T55

12M

Feet

2.17

2.52

5.16

5.42

5.50

5.47

5.52

5.30

5.15

2.31

2.55

2.32

2.28

5.15

3.94

4.70

5.00

5.83

5.99

6.00

5.97

5.95

5.93

5.88

5.85

5.88

5.76

5.70

Sec. -ft.

294

555

799

986

1,050

1,050

910

895

780

586

444

555

537

792

1,450

2,500

2,710

4,120

4,410

4,410

4,520

4,520

4,520

4,220

4,120

4,050

5,940

3,850

Time

June' 2 

7am

12N

4pm

9

12M

June 5

5am

10

1pm

5

5

7

9

12M

June 4

4am

6

9

12N

6pm

12M

June 5

7am

12N

6pm

12M 

June 6

6am

12N

6pm

12M

June 7

6am

6pm

June 8

6am

6pm

Feet

5.75

5.93

6.00

6.19

6.20

6.16

7.50

8.26

9.58

10.71

11.62

11.86

11.20

10.59

10.00

9.56

8.64

7.68

6.92

6.40

6.05

5.78

5.58

5.47

5.45

5.43

5.41

5.59

5.36

5.32

5.50

Sec. -ft.

5,940

4,520

4,410

4,810

4,810

4,710

7,420

10,300

14,600

18,600

22,000

23,200

20,700

17,900

16,600

14,700

12,400

9,980

8,050

6,950

6,100

5,700

5,520

5,040

5,040

5,040

4,940

4,940

4,850

4,760

4,760

Time

June 9 

6am

6pm

June 10

6am

6pm

June 11

6am

2pm

6

12M

June 12

6am

12N

4pm

8

12M

June 15

6am

12N

6pm

12M

June 14

6am

12 N

6pm

12M 

June 15

6am

12N

6pm

12M

June 16

4am

6

8

10

12N

6pm

12M

Feet

5.24

5.19

5.12

5.09

5.01

4.95

4.77

4.64

4.49

4.43

4.38

4.20

4.20

4.15

4.05

5.90

5.81

5.74

5.64

5.56

5.42

5.50

5.14

2.90

2.54

2.33

2.16

1.85

1.65

1.58

1.47

1.48

Sec . -ft .

4,670

4,580

4,400

4,400

4,250

4,140

5,810

5,650

5,410

3,540

5,260

2,960

2,960

2,890

2,750

2,540

2,410

2,540

2,220

2,100

1,920

1,810

1,640

1,390

1,150

884

752

545

428

590

335

340
42 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

Pecos River near Artesia, N. Ilex.

Location.- Lat. 32°50'00", long. 104°19'35n , in Wi sec. 18, T. 17 S., R. 27 E., at

Artesia-Lovington highway bridge 4.2 miles east of Artesia, Eddy County, 6.5 miles

above Penasco River, and 16-g miles above McMillan Dam. 

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to half tenths between 3.0 and 4.5 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits. 

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 5,400 secondfeet; extended logarithmically to peak discharge on basis of slope-area measurement

at the peak. 

Maxima.- 1937: Discharge, 51,500 second-feet May 30 (gage height, 14.7 feet).

1906-36: Stage, 15.9 feet Sept. 18, 1919 (at former location near Dayton, 6

miles downstream: discharge probably greater than in 1937). 

Remarks.- Flood flows partly regulated by storage in Alamogordo Reservoir. Sageheight record furnished by Bureau of Reclamation.

Mean discharge, In second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

May

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

June

1

Sec. -ft.

485

842

2,670

1,920

1,970

2,520

10,000

29,400

33,400

15,700

Acre-feet

962

1,670

5,300

3,810

3,910

5,000

19,830

58,310

66,250

31,140

Day

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Sec. -ft.

8,660

6,560

6,560

7,010

7,510

5,800

5,200

4,750

4,750

4,420

4,570

4,180

Acre-feet

17,180

13,010

13,010

13,900

14,900

11,500

10,310

9,420

9,420

8,770

9,060

8,290

Day

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Sec. -ft.

3,330

3,210

2,970

2,020

1,390

825

685

615

545

485

455

410

Acre-feet

6,600

6,370

5,890

4,010

2,760

1,640

1,360

1,220

1,080

962

902

813

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 25 

I5M 

May 24

4-flm

8

3pm

7

11

12M

May 25

3am

5

7

9

12N

3pm

5

8

12M

May 26

4flm

10

4pm

12M

May 27 

lam

3

8

11

3pm

5

11

12M

May 28

4am

7

9

12N

8pm 

9

10

12M

Feet

3.70

4.57

4.40

4.20

4.35

4.93

4.91

4.82

6.00

8.00

9.50

10.90

11.10

11.00

10.30

9.20

7.94

6.90

6.26

5.71

5.66

6.00

7.00

7.23

7.18

7.48

8.38

8.36

7.80

7.50

7.55

7.44

7.06 

9.00

11.50

12.03

Sec. -ft.

580

895

842

772

825

1,040

1,040

1,000

1,400

2,020

2,790

3,670

3,820

3,740

3,270

2,620

2,420

1,920

1,650

1,390

1,310

1,430

1,880

2,020

1,970

2,120

2,570

2,570

2,220

2,100

2,140

2,070

1,800 

2,750

5,440

7,490

Time

May 29 

3am

12N

8

12JJ

May 50

5am

9

12N

4pm

7

12M

T5S May  

31

1211

June 1 TM 

12M

June 2

9am

8pm

1211

June 3

4am

12N 

12M

June 4

T2TT

12 M

June 5

2pm ,

12M

June 6 T3H 

12M

June 7 T3H 

12M

June 8 151 

June 9

TSSL

Feet

12.22

12.36

12.45

12.70

12.85

13.00

13.57

14.32

14.71

14.50

13.98

13.46

12.94

12.40

12.02

12.07

12.12

12.00

11.56 

11.57

11.68

11.75

11.80

11.74

11.99

11.60

11.50

11.40

11.25

11.12

Sec. -ft.

9,320

10,000

10,800

13,500

14,600

16,900

25,700

40,400

51,560--

45,700

33,400

22,400

15,700

10,000

8,060

8,260

8,460

7,510

5,800 

5,800

6,560

7,010

7,010

6,560

8,060

6,560

5,800

5,480

4,960^

4,750

Time

June 10 

10am

4pm

12M

June 11

§am

12M

June 12

Cam

12H

~TSS June  

13

12H

TSS June  

14

12 M

June 15 ~T2U 

12M

June 16 "TSTt 

12M

June 17 "TSH 

12M 

June 18 ~T5S 

12M

June 19 ~TSB 

12M

June 20

6am

12M

June 21 ISi 

June 22 ~T£SL 

June 25

Feet

11.09

11.14

11.00

10.90

10.95

10.96

10.84

10.64

10.34

10.00

9.64

9.20

8.73

8.25

7.75

7,22

6.62

5.78

5.00

4.48

4.15

4.03

3.81

3.55

3.35

3.16

Sec. -ft.

4,750

4,750

4,570

4,280

4,300

4,570

4,290

4,080

3,820

3,330

3,190

3,040

2,980

2,900

2,690

1,970

1,700

1,390

1,070

790

685

702

615

598

515

455

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method.
STAGES AND DISCHARGES ' 43 

Lake McMillan near Lakewood, N. Max.

Location.- Lat. 32°35', long. 104°20', at McMillan Dam, on Pecoa River, 3f miles southeast of Lakewood and 12 miles above Carlsbad, Eddy County.

Remarks.- Total capacity at spillway level, about 39,000 acre-feet. Records furnished 

by Bureau of Reclamation.

Contents, in acre-feet, 1957

Time

May 27

I2M

May 28

6am

6pm

1211

May 29

6am

6pm

12M

May 50

6am

5pm

6

1211

May 51 

lam

2

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12H

2pm

4

8

1211

June 1

5am

8

10

11

2pm

9

1211

June 2

5am

6

Aore-feet

21,500

22,500

22,500

19,000

15,300

15,300

18,900

22,500

25,000

27,700

41,000

44,000

53,000

67,700

70,800

73,800

76,000

78,000

79,400

80,700

81,700

83,800

86,000

86,000

83,700

80,900

79,500

77,900

76,600

74,900

71,000

67,900

65,200

63,200

Time

9am

12N

4pm

8

12M

June 5

4am

8

12H

7pm

10

1211

June 4

6am

12H

5pm 

7

12M

June 5

Sam

8pm

1211

June 6

6am

12H

5pm

10

1211

June 7

6am

12H

6pm

1211

June 8

2am

8

2pm

1211

June 9

5am

5

Aore-feet

61,300

59,500

57,800

56,900

56,400

56,500

57,400

58,400

60,700

62,500

60,600

59,600

59,000

57,900 

57,300

56,700

55,000

55,000

55,200

56,000

57,700

60,000

61,600

61,600

61,600

59,300

57,100

55,100

54,700

52,500

51,000

49,600

49,000

48,600

Time

7am

3pm

7

1211

June 10

igw

12M

June 11

12B "~

6pm

1211

June 12 TSH 

June 13

6am

3pm 

1211

June 14

6am ~~

6pm

12M

June 15

Sam

4pm

1211

June 16

6am

12W

6pm

12M

June 17

6am

12N

6pm

1211

June 18

6am

12N

6pm

Aore-feet

48,000

48,000

46,000

46,000

45,800

45,400

45,000

44,600

44,600

44,600

44,600

44,000 

43,700

43,500

42,800

42,200

41,600

40,900

40,200

39,600

39,000

38,300

37,500

36,700

36,100

35,500

35,600

35,700

36,500

37,300

Note.- Data taken from graph drawn by engineers of the Bureau 

of Reclamation.
44 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

Pecos River at Carlsbad, N. Hex.

Location.- Lat. 32°24'50", long. 104°13'25", in SEiSEi sec. 6, T. 22 S., R. 27 E., at 

Green Street Bridge (TJ. S. Highway 62), in Carlsbad, Eddy County.

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to half tenths between 2.3 and 4.1 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements.

Maxima.- 1937; Discharge. 41,000 second-feet 11:30 p.m. May 31 (gage height, 16.84

1893-1936: Discharge, about 85,700 second-feet Aug. 7, 1916 (gage height, about 

21.0 feet).

Remarks.- Flood flow affected by storage in McMillan Reservoir, 12 miles upstream 

(capacity of lake at spillway level 39,000 acre-feet), and by Avalon Reservoir 6 

miles upstream (capacity of reservoir at spillway level 6,500 acre-feet). Gageheight record furnished by Bureau of Reclamation.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

May

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

June

1

2

Sec, -ft.

107

82

118

79

1,400

9,800

2,370

20,600

36,000

20,400

Acre-feet

212

163

234

157

2,780

19,440

4,700

40,860

71,400

40,460

Day

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Sec. -ft.

14,600

16,600

12,900

13,700

16,600

11,200

8,090

6,730

6,110

5,810

4,980

4,980

Acre-feet

28,960

32 , 930

25,590

27,170

32,930

22,210

16,050

13,350

12,120

11,520

9,880

9,880

Day

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

Sec. -ft.

4,330

541

335

910

513

395

803

1,150

699

351

372

143

Acre -feet

8,590

1,070

664

1,800

1,020

783

1,590

2,280

1,390

696

738

284

Run-off, in acre-feet, for period May 24 to June 26 ............ 443,900

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 27

12M

May 28

6am

8

4pm

6

8

10

12M

May 29

2am

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

12N

2pm

4

6

8

10

12M

May 30

2am

4

6

8

10

12N

4pm

8

10

12H

May 31

2am

6

8

10

12N

2pm

4

6

8

10

11*30

32M

Peet

0.58

.59

.64

.65

.95

4.31

7.22

8.00

8.50

9.92

10.30

9.98

10.27

9.87

9.50

9.25

8.50

8.00

7.60

7.30

6.90

6.60

6.27

5.90

5.56

5.30

4.80

3.00

1.85

1.21

1.00

1.50

4.30

4.54

4.78

5.50

8.20

11.40

14.40

15.40

16.20

16.60

16.80

16.84

16.83

Sec. -ft.

65

68

82

86

209

3,350

7,390

8,830

9,830

13,100

14,200

13,400

14,200

13,100

12,100

11,400

9,830

8,830

8,090

7,560

6,890

6,410

5,960

5,390

4,980

4,590

3,950

1,930

835

346

220

5SO

3,350

3,590

3,950

4,850

9,220

17,600

29,200

33,800

37,800

39,900

41,000

41,000

41,000

Time

June 1

2am

6

12N

6pm

12M

June 2

6am

12H

6pm

12M

June 3

7am

12N

6pm

1211

June 4

2am

4

6

9

12M

6pm

1211

June 5

6am

12N

6pm

9

1211

June 6

6am

12N

6pm

12M

June 7

4am

8

12K

6pm

1211

June 8

6am

12N

6pm

1211

June 9

Sam

4pm

6

8

Peet

16.75

16.53

16.00

15.20

14.25

13.15

12.10

11.00

10.35

9.97

10.19

10.78

11.24

11.33

11.36

11.34

11.24

11.11

10.86

10.54

10.12

9.80

9.52

9.40

9.46

9.62

10.00

10.56

11.14

11.40

11.60

11.30

10.90

10.20

9.60

9.06

8.57

8.13

7.81

7.50

7.35

6.69

Sec. -ft.

41,000

39,400

36,800

32,800

28,300

24,100

20,000

16,300

14,500

13,400

14,000

15,700

16,900

17,200

17,600

17,200

16,900

16,600

16,000

14,800

13,700

12,900

12,100

11,900

12,100

12,400

13,400

15,100

16,600

17,600

18,200

17,200

16,000

14,000

12,400

11,200

10,000

9,020

8,450

7,910

7,730

6,570

Time

10pm

12M

June 10

6am

12N

4pm

6

8

10

1211

June 11

2am

32N

1211

June 32

6am

8

9

11

4pm

6

1211

June 13

1555

2pm

4

6

8

10

1211

June 14

7am

4pm

1211

June 15

2pm

4

8

1211

June 16

6am

12N

3pm

1211

June 17

Sam

10

12M

4pm

8

1211

Peet

6.85

7.27

7.11

7.00

6.90

5.64

6.30

6.47

6.48

6.49

6.46

6.40

6.36

6.30

6.13

6^08

6.12

6.10

5.80

5.26

5.40

5.86

5.88

5.65

5.46

5.45

5.47

5.45

5.42

5.34

4.92

4.12

3.20

2.10

1.38

.58

.78

.91

1.65

1.82

1.72

1.23

1.17

Sec. -ft.

6,730

7,560

7,220

7,050

6,890

4,980

5,960

6,260

6,260

6,260

6,260

6,110

6,110

5,960

5,670

5,670

5,670

5,670

5,250

4,590

4,720

5,390

5,390

4,980

4,850

4,720

4,850

4,720

4,720

4,590

4,070

3,110

2,130

1,060

461

49

112

171

665

808

722

360

322
STAGES AND DISCHARGES

Peoos River near Malaga, H. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 32°12'3011 , long. 1040 01 1 30", in NWiNWi see. 19, T. 24 S., R. 29 E., 3

miles southeast of Malaga, Eddy County, and 3 miles below moth of Black River. 

Gage-height record..- Water-stage recorder graph except June 5-10. Sage heights used to

half tenths between 2.0 and 5.0 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits. 

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements. 

Maxima.- 19378 Discharge, 38,200' second-feet 6 a.m. June 1 (gage height, 25.7 feet).

1919-36: Discharge, 40,400 second-feet September 1919 (gage height, 26.4 feet). 

Remarks . - Discharge estimated June 5-10 by comparison with other stations. Flood flow

affected by storage in reservoirs upstream. Sage-height record furnished by Bureau

of Reclamation.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre feet, 1937

Day

May

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

June

1

Sec. -ft.

105

135

284

252

238

161

6,900

6,290

5,400

34,100

Acre-feet

208

268

563

500

472

319

13,690

12,480

10,710

67,640

Day

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Sec. -ft.

22,400

15,300

16,200

13,500

13,500

16,000

12,100

8,700

7,000

5,740

5,410

4,670

Acre-feet

44,430

30,350

32,130

26,780

26,780

31,740

24,000

17,260

13,880

11,390

10,730

9,260

Day

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Sec. -ft.

5,080

5,410

3,950

3,050

1,870

810

830

850

661

730

252

287

Acre-feet

10,080

10,730

7,830

6,050

3,710

1,610

1,650

1,690

1,310

1,450

500

569

Run-off, in acre-feet, for period May 23 to June 25 ............ 432,800

Qage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 23 

12M

May 24

lOanT"

4pm

10

12M

May 25

' 4am

8

12N

2pm

4

7

12 M

May 26

6am

12N

5pm

8

12M

May 27

6am

8

10

12N

5pm

7

12M

May 28

6am

11

4pm

10

12M

Hay 29

4-flTO

6

10

12N

2pm

4

6

9

12M

May 30

6am

32N

Peet

1.83

1.69

1.91

2.14

2.10

1.90

1.78

2.00

2.10

3.00

3.52

3.10

2.63

2.28

2.09

2.15

2.09

1.97

2.53

2.74

2.59

2.32

2.39

2.14

1.88

2.12

1.96

1.95

2.00

2.00

5.25

11.80

13.60

14.70

15.00

14.00

12.80

11.87

9.80

11.00

Sec. -ft.

129

103

145

194

185

143

120

163

185

420

582

450

312

226

183

196

183

157

288

340

302

235

252

194

139

189

155

153

163

178

1,460

7,940

10,600

12,400

13,000

11,400

9,580

8,330

5,740

7,160

Time

1pm 

2

6

9

12M

May 51

6am

9

12N

4pm

8

12M

June 1

6am

June 2

6am

12N

6pm

12M

June 3

6am

10

12N

6pm

12M

June 4

8am

12N

June 5

_

June 6

_

June 7

-

June 8

_

June 9

_

June 10

12N

6pm

12M

June 11

" 4-flTO

10

6pm

9

1211

Peet

12.00 

11.80

9.60

7.95

7.00

6,35

5.41

7.60

9.10

13.00

17.30

25.7

19.2

17.7

16.1

14.9

13.90

13.38

13.29

13.49

13.71

14.00

15.50

_

_

_

_

_

10.70

10.54

10.30

9.56

9.75

9.72

9.74

9.69

Sec. -ft.

8,460 

8,200

5,520

3,900

3,050

2,590

1,910

3,540

4,970

9,870

17,200

38,200

25,600

22,000

18,100

16,200

14,500

13,600

13,400

13,800

14,100

15,200

18,300

_

_

_

_

_

6,800

6,560

6,320

5,520

5,740

5,630

5,630

5,630

Time

June 12

12H

8pm

12M

June 15

' 6am

12N

8pm

12M

June 14

lam

6

4pm

1211

June 15

Sam

4pm

8

12M

June 16

lam

6

10

12N

6pm

11

12 tt

June 17

6am

12N

4pm

7

9

12 tt

June 18

6am

10

2pm

12M

June 19

4 am

6

8

12N

12M

Feet

9.66

9.60

9.19

9.22

8.49

8.68

8.84

9.49

9.53

9.10

9.00

9.40

9.90

9.83

9.60

6.10

5.85

8.00

9.82

9.54

8.00

6.38

6.39

6.54

6.64

7.50

7.76

7.70

7.28

7.00

5.90

3.46

5.44

3.44

3.49

3.45

3.44

3.12

Sec. -ft.

5,630

5,520

5,080

5,080

4,370

4,570

4,670

5,410

5,410

4,970

4,870

5,300

5,850

5,740

5,520

2,380

2,170

3,900

5,740

5,410

3,900

2,590

2,590

2,660

2,730

3,450

3,720

3,630

3,250

3,050

2,310

910

900

870

880

850

870

700

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method May 23-29, June 2-4, 18, 19. 

108828 O 39 4
46 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP HEW MEXICO, 1937 

Pecos River near Angeles, Tex.

Location.- Lat. 32°02', long. 104°00', In T. 26 S., R. 29 E., half a mile below mouth 

of Delaware Creek, in Eddy County, 2 miles north of Texas-Hew Mexico State line and 

8-3- miles northwest of Angeles. Zero of gage is 2,831.2 feet above mean sea level.

Sage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph; due to backwater from dam below gage, 

after June 13 discharge estimated on basis of temporary staff gage located 6 miles 

upstream. Gage heights used to half tenths between 2.4 and 4.5 feet; hundredths 

below and tenths above these limits.

Stage discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 30,000 secondfeet; extended above to cover range in stage experienced.

Maxima.- 1937: Discharge, 38,900 second-feet 5 p.m. June 1 (gage height, 22.3 feet).

1914-36: Stage, 22.5 feet (present datum) Aug. 8, 1916 (discharge not determined; 

capacity of channel has been reduced since 1916 by heavy growth of salt cedars).

Remarks.- Flood flow affected by storage in reservoirs upstream.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1957

Day

May

28

29

30

31

June

1

2

3

4

5

Sec. -ft.

296

1,810

8,210

2,070

28,400

29,200

16,800

15,600

15,700

Acre-feet

587

3,590

16,280

4,110

56,330

57,920

33,320

30,940

31,140

Day

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Sec. -ft.

12,800

15,200

15,500

10,900

8,030

6,680

5,280

4,600

4,800

5,000

Ac re -feet

25,390

30,150

30,740

21,620

15,930

13,250

10,470

9,120

9,520

9,920

Day

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

Sec. -ft.

4,600

3,800

2,800

1,600

1,000

910

720

690

560

400

Acre -feet

9,120

7,540

5,550

3,170

1,980

1,800

1,430

1,370

1,110

793

Sage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 28

lam

3

12N

5pm

6830

8

11

May 29

1 gm

3

4

5:30

6

9

12H

1pm

3

4

5

6

8

12M

May 50

2am

4

7

12H

6pm

12M

May 5 1

6am

12H

8pm

Feet

1.50

1.55

1.45

1.35

1.85

1.60

1.30

1.85

1.76

2.68

2.26

2.77

1.95

1.82

2.30

2.00

3.10

4.20

4.75

5.75

8.15

9.20

9.80

10.10

9.40

8.10

6.60

4.50

2.90

2.50

Sec. -ft.

305

329

282

240

484

353

220

484

436

1,000

726

1,040

541

468

750

570

1,280

2,250

2,840

4,000

7,280

8,780

9,680

10,100

9,080

7,130

5,020

2,540

1,140

870

Time

9pm

10

12M

June 1

Sam

4

5

6

8

10

12H

2pm

5

8

12M

June 2

6am

12H

6pm

12H

June 5

6am

12H

6pm

12M

June 4

3am

6

12H

6pm

10

June 5

6am '

12H

Feet

3.90

4.20

5.10

6.80

9.80

12.00

14.50

18.10

20.40

21.60

22.15

22.30

22.10

21.70

20.70

19.40

17.90

16.50

15.10

13.90

13.00

12.70

12.60

12.90

13.60

14.15

14.20

14.00

13.50

Sec. -ft.

1,980

2,250

3,170

5,280

9,680

13,100

17,400

25,600

32,500

36,500

38,600

38,900

38,200

26,900

33,500

29,400

25,000

21,600

18,600

16,200

14,800

14,300

14,100

14*600

15,800

16,800

16,800

16,400

15,600

Time

6pm

12M

June 6

6am

12H

4pm

12M

June 7

6am

12H

6pm

12M

June 8

6am

12N

6pm

12M

June 9

6am

12H

6pm

1211

June 10

gam

12H

6pm

12M

June 11

6am

12H

6pm

12H

June 12 iss 

Feet

13.10

12.60

12.20

11.90

11.80

12.10

12.60

12.50

14.50

14.90

14.70

14.20

13.60

13.00

12.50

11.90

11.65

11.45

11.30

11.10

10.95

11.10

11.20

11.10

11.00

11.10

11.00

Sec. -ft.

14,900

14,100

13,100

12,600

12,500

13,000

13,800

15,100

16,600

17,200

16,600

15,600

14,400

13,000

11,700

10,400

9,680

9,080

8,630

8,030

7,580

7, -430

7,280

6,830

6,400

6,120

5,420

Note.- Gage heights affected by backwater from Red Bluff Dam after June 6.
STAGES AND DISCHARGES 47

Gallinas River at Montezuma, N. Jfex.

Location.- Lat. 35°39', long. 105°18', in Las Vegas Grant, at highway bridge, half a

mile below Montezuma, San Miguel County. 

Drainage area.- 89 square miles.

^age-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to hundredths. 

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements. 

Maxima.- 19371Discharge not determined (less than in 1904). 

1903-36: Discharge, 11,600 second-feet Sept. 30, 1904. 

Remarks.- Flood flow affected by a number of small ice ponds Just above station which

aet as detention reservoirs, reducing peak flow.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, In acre-feet, 1957

Bay

May

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

See. -ft.

24

44

40

30

26

28

41

62

61

Acre-feet

47.6

87.3

79.3

59.5

51.6

55.5

81.3

123

121

Day

June

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Sec. -ft.

58

93

131

127

100

75

55

48

Acre -feet

115

184

260

252

198

149

109

95.2

Day

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Sec. -ft.

40

35

30

30

30

25

25

20

Acre-feet

79.3

69.4

59.5

59.5

59.5

49.6

49.6

39.7
48 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PBCOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937 

Rio Bonlto at Hondo, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 33°23', long. 105°16', in NE^NWi sec. 4, T. 11 S., R. 17 E., at Hondo,

Lincoln County, half a mile above confluence with Rio Ruidoso. 

Drainage area.- 233 square miles. 

Gage-height record.- Graph based on staff-gage readings and peak stage determined by

observer. Gage heights used to half tenths between 2.5 and 4.5 feet; hundredths

below and tenths above these limits. 

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 15 second-feet;

extended logarithmically to peak discharge on basis of slope-area measurement at

the peak.

Maxima.- 1937: Discharge, 9,270 second-feet 2 p.m. May 31 (gage height, 19 feet). 

 1930-36: Discharge, 5,640 second-feet Aug. 28, 1934 (gage height, 14.12 feet).

1868-1937: Discharge, that of May 31, 1937. 

Remarks.- Flood flows not affected by diversions.

Mean discharge, In second-feet, and run-off, In aore>-feet,1937

Day

May 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31

Sec. -ft.

800 

130 

50 

50 

1,630

Acre -feet

1,590 

258 

99 

99 

3,230

Day

June 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5

Sec. -ft.

300 

50 

40 

30 

20

Acre-feet

595 

99 

79 

60 

40

Run-off, In acre-feet, for period May 27 to June 5, 6,150

Gage-height, In feet, and discharge, In second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May TSfi 26 

May 27 

7am

8

9«30 

10

11

12N 

2pm

4

8

12M

May 28

5am

6

8

12N

Feet

0.95

.95

5.50

14.0 

12.0

8.0

5.9 

4.00

3.00

2.10

1.50

1.00

2.60

2.15

1.65

Sec. -ft.

25

25

1,340

5,830 

4,620

2,480

1,540 

820

500

255

125

49

380

268

155

Time

6pm 

12M

May 29 

TSN

12M

May 30 TSN 

12M

May 31 

TSN

1pm

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Feet

1.25 

1.07

1.02

.98

.95

.90

.95,

10.0

19.0

17.5

15.7

14.0

8.0

4.40

3.40

Sec. -ft.

82 

57

51

47

44

38

38

3,500

9,270

8,180

6,940

5,830

2,480

960

620

Time

10pm 

12M

June 1 

4am

5

7

9

12N

6ptf 

12M

June 2

6am

12N

12K

June 3 3J5IT 

12M

Feet

2.60 

2.10

1.40

4.40

3.50 

2.90

2.30

1.70 

1.45

1.23

1.12

1.05

1.00

1.00

Sec. -ft.

380 

255

106

960

650 

470

305

165 

82

55

42

35

30

30

Mote.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method 12 M to 8 a.m. May 27 and 

12M June 1 to June 3.
STAGES ADD DISCHARGES 49

Rio Felix near Hagerman, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 33°07', long. 104°20', in sec. 3, T. 14 S., R. 26 E., a quarter of a 

mile below State Highway 2, 1.5 miles north of Hagerman, Chaves County, and 1.6 

miles above mouth.

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph except from May 24 to 10 a.m. May 25, 

when recorder clock was stopped; 2 p.m. May 26 to 9:30 p.m. May 27, when intakes 

were stopped; and 2 p.mi May 29 to 10 a.m. June 2, when there was backwater from 

the Pecos River. Gage height graph estimated for these periods on basis of range 

in stage from recorder, staff-gage readings by engineer, and discharge measurements made during period of backwater. Gage heights used to half tenths between 

4.8 and 9.0 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 227 secondfeet; extended logarithmically to peak discharge on basis of slope-area measurement at the peak.

Maxima.- 1937: Discharge, 26,500 second-feet 5 a.m. May 29 (gage height, 20.25 feet).

1932-36: Discharge, 23,600 second-feet (revised) Sept. 24, 1932 (gage height, 

19.5 feet).

Remarks.- Flood flow not affected by diversions.

Mean discharge, in seoond-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1957

Day

May

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

June

1

2

Sec. -ft.

9

60

1,800

70

60

486

15,800

1,400

70

25

100

Acre -feet

17.9

119

5,570

139

119

964

27,370

2,780

139

49.6

198

Day

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

15

14

Sec. -ft.

50

25

25

20

21

20

20

17

15

14

1414'

Acre -feet

99.2

49.6

49.6

39.7

41.7

39.7

39,7

55.7

29.8

27.8

27.8

37.8

Day

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

25

24

25

Sec. -ft.

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

15

15

13

Acre-feet

27.8

27.8

27.8

27.8

27.8

27.8

27.8

27.8

25.8

25.8

25.8

Run-off, in acre-feet, for period May 25 to June 25 ............ 56,270

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 25 T§M 

May 24 

llpm

12M

May 25

Inm

2

4

6

8

10

12 N

6pm

9

12M

May 26

6am

12N

12M

May 27 I2H 

9pm

10

11

12M

May 28

6am

Feet

2.14

2.14

10.00

10.45

10.00

7.80

6.80

6.00

5.25

4.75

3.88

5,78

5.60

5.04

2,86

2.60

2.40

2.25

5.70

4.30

4.10

5.55

Sec. -ft.

9

9

6,180

6,710

6,180

5,630

2,640

1,920

1,500

912

355

286

210

75

52

29

18

12

250

590

460

186

Time

12N 

3pm

4 

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12M

May 29

2am

5

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 

11

12N

2pm

4

6

9

12M

Peet

5.18 

5.04

5.55 

4,55

4.65

5.25

5.60

5.08

5.50

5.55

5.55

4.92

14.00

19.07

20.25

19.92

19.60

19.80

19.40

19.00 

17.80

16.70

14.80

14.16

12.00

10.50

8.95

Sec. -ft.

98 

75

128 

625

838

1,500

1,580

1,180

1,540

1,540

1,580

1,040

12,400

25,500

26,500

25,600

24,800

25,300

24,500

25,500 

20,400

17,900

14,000

12 , 800

9,020

6,430

4,670

Time

May 50 

4am

8 

12N

4pm

8

12M

May 51

6am

12 H

6pm

12M

June 1

TSF 

12M

June 2

10am

10

12N

4pm

8 

1211

June 5

6am

12N

6pm

12M

Peet

7.50

6.45 

5.60

5.00

4.57

4.24

3.90

3.64

3.49

5.40

5.50

5.24

3.20

4.68

4.49

4.16

3.98 

3.84

5.67

5.54

3.44

3.37

Sec. -ft.

2,880

1,790 

1,040

590

325

18S

100

59

42

54

26

22

20

588

285

159

116 

89

63

47

38

32

Note.- Qage-height graph partly estimated May 24-27, 29 to June 2, owing 

to poor record and backwater from Pecos River.
FLOODS IN CANADIAN AHD PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

Cottonwood Creek near Lake Arthur, N. Mex.

Location.- Lat. 32°57', long. 104°22' , in NEfciWiNEi sec. 22, T. 16 S-, R. 26 E. , in

 Eddy County, 1.8 miles above mouth and 3.5 miles south of Lake Arthur.

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights used to half tenths be-

 tw&en 5.0 and 9.0 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits. Gage datum 

lowered 0.74 foot Aug. 6, 1936. - *. .

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 15 second- feet, 

extended logarithmically to 1,100 second-feet.

Maxima.- 1937: Discharge, 635 second-feet 6-7 a.m. May 29 (gage height, 8.99 feet).

 Stage, 14.1 feet May 30 (backwater from Pecos River).

1932-36: Discharge, about 1,100 second-feet June 13, 1935 (gage height, 9.86

Remarks.- Flood flow not affected by diversions above station. Mean daily discharge

 iiTTmated May 29 to June 9 owing to backwater from Pecos River and poor gageheight record; estimates based on partial gage-height record, rainfall record, and 

knowledge of local conditions.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, and run-off, in acre-feet, 1937

Day

Hay

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Sec. -ft.

5.9

7.2

13

6.3

5.8

44

490

150

Acre-feet

11.7

14.3

25.8

12.5

11.5

87.3

972

298

Day

31

June

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Sec. -ft.

50

40

30

50

40

30

30

20

Ac re -feet

99.2

79.3

59.5

99.2

79.3

59.5

59.5

39.7

Day

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Sec. -ft.

20

20

17

16

16

13

13

11

10

Acre-feet

39.7

39.7

33.7

31.7

31.7

25.8

25.8

21.8

19.8

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1937

Time

May 20 

T5B

May 21

6am

12N

4pm

12M

May 22 

7am

4pm

May 23 

lam

4

5

8

4pm

12M

May 24 

9am

5pm

12H

May 25

4pm

8

10

12N

3pm

5

10

12H

May TSN 26 

12M

May 27

TSB

May 28

4 am

3pm

Feet

1.56

1.52

1.51

1.55

1.53

1.54

1.61

1.54

1.56

1.82

1.75

1.84

1.91

2.00

1.91

1.93

1.94

1.97

2.17

2.53

2.75

2.70

1.94

1.88

1.83

1.79

1.72

1.72

1.74

Sec. -ft.

4.5

4.3

4.2

4.5

4.3

4.4

4.8

4.4

4.5

6.2

5.7

6.4

6.8

7.5

6.8

7.0

7.0

7.3

8.9

13

16

16

7.0

6.6

6.3

6.0

5.5

5.5

5.7

Time

4pm 

5

6

7

8

10

12M

May 29

1am

2

5 

7

9

12N

4pm

6

12M

May 30

lam

3

4

May 31

June 1

June 2

2pm

2:30

8

June 3

~T3m 

3

12N

6pm

12M

June 4

6am

Feet

2.55 

3.25

3.65

4.05

5.10

6.60

7.55

8.10

8.50

8.95 

8.99

8.90

8.54

8.11

8.04

8.36

9.90

11.91

_

_

_

_

7.08

7.04

7.39 

7.31

6.31

5.50

4.88

4.82

Sec. -ft.

13 

27

35

46

91

210

328

430

510

610 

635

610

520

440

420

_

_

_

_

M

_

_

_

-

_

-

_

_

Time

1pm 

12M

June 5

6am

12N

6pm

12M

June 6 

4am

6

8 

12N

6pm

12M

June 7

6am

12N

12M

TSS June  

8

12M

June 9 I2B 

12M

~6am June 10

12M

June 11

5pm

8

June 18 

4am

3pm

1211

June 13 ISF 

1211

Feet

4.80 

5.56

6.20

6.57

6.85

7.06

6.95

6.81

6.47 

5.21

4.29

3.76

3.53

3.35

3.09

3.00

2.83

2.61

2.41

2.40

2.37

2.37

2.46

2.36

2.36

2.26

2.14

2.11

Sec. -ft.

-

_

_

_

_

_

_

-

_

_

_

_

-

_

_

_

_

17

16

16

18

16

16

15

13

12

Note.- Discharge determined by shifting-control method. Ho gage-height 

record 4 a.m. May 30 to 2 p.m. June 2. Gage heights affected by backwater 

from Pecos River May 29 to June 9.
STAGES AND DISCHARGES

*^99J-PUOO9B JO BpUBBtlOHq. Uf
<£ 40

 5 24

lias River at Variadero, 

16

Cimarron River at Spring

Mora River near 

Shoemaker, N. Mex.

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 

May 1937 

Figure 5. Hydrographs of discharge at river-measurement stations on tributaries 
STAGES AND DISCHARGES

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

May 1937 June 1937

9 10 11 12

Figure 6. Hydrographs of discharge at river-measurement stations on the 

Pecos River, May 24 to June 12. 1937.
FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OF NEW MEXICO, 1937

v P a -n

 q.eej-puooee jo spUBeno^ Uf
FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937 55 

PREVIOUS FLOODS

Several record-breaking floods, produced by rains over large areas of 

the State, are briefly described below. Little Information Is available 

concerning floods prior to 1900 and those that occurred In years other 

than those listed.

1904 - During the last part of September and the first part of October exceptionally large floods occurred In the Canadian, Pecos, and Rio 

Grande Basins. The flood In the Canadian River was the greatest ever known, 

reaching a maximum discharge at Logan of 278,000 second-feet. In the Pecos 

River the 1904 flood was almost as large above Roswell as the 1937 flood 

and was greater than that flood below Roswell. The maximum discharge of the 

Pecos River at McMlllan Dam was estimated as 82,000 second-feet. The flood 

in the Rio Grande was the greatest of r&cord at several river-measurement 

stations. At San Marclal the peak discharge of 50,000 second-feet was the 

greatest that has occurred since 1828 at least; an unusual flood was experienced In 1828, but its magnitude Is unknown.

The 1904 floods are described more fully In Water-Supply Paper 147, 

"Destructive floods in the United States In 1904."

1905 - In the later part of July a flood occurred In the Pecos River 

that approached closely in magnitude the high flood of 1904 In that part 

of the river below Roswell. Above Roswell the stream was not unusually 

high.. Although In the lower part of the river the flood approached in magnitude that of 1904, it was of shorter duration and the total quantity of 

water In the stream was much less.

From May 15 to June 20 the Rio Grande below Albuquerque was In flood 

due to the rapid melting of an exceptionally large winter accumulation of 

snow on the mountains. The maximum rate of flow In October 1904 was much 

greater than occurred In 1905.

The 1905 floods are discussed In Water-Supply Paper 162, "Destructive 

Floods In the United States In 1905."

1911 - From September 25 to October 6 a general rain fell over the 

headwaters of the San Juan and adjacent river basins. On October 5 at 

Gladstone, Colo., the United States Weather Bureau reports a rainfall of 

8.05 Inches. Severe floods occurred on the San Juan River and Its tributaries. It has been estimated that the maximum discharge of the San Juan 

River at Shiprock was 150,000 second-feet. A report concerning these 

floods is given in Water-Supply Paper 309, "Surface Water Supply of Colorado River Basin, 1911."
56 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASlNS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

1915 - General rains fell over the Canadian River Basin the first 

half of June with rains of cloudburst proportions falling in the later 

part of the periodo Unusually large floods occurred on tributaries to the 

Canadian River, principally on the Cimarron, Rayado, and Mora Rivers and 

on the Chicorica, Uracca, and Sapello Creeks.

In the Mlmbres River Basin precipitation from August 10 to 14 produced record-breaking stages in the Rio Arena and Cameron Creek drainages.

These floods are discusssed in the State Engineer's "Report on the 

Surface Water Supply of New Mexico, 1913."

1929 - In August and again in September unusual floods occurred on 

the Rio Grande and its tributaries. The Rio Puerco, the Rio Salado, and 

other smaller streams experienced the highest stages of record. An account of these floods is published in the "Ninth Biennial Report, State 

Engineer of New Mexico, 1928-30."

Table 3 shows the maximum annual discharges for certain years of the 

Canadian River at Logan. These data prior to 1928 are taken from the 

"Ninth Biennial Report, State Engineer of New Mexico, 1928-1930"(p. 205).

Table 3.- Maximum annual discharges for certain 

years, Canadian River at Logan, N. Mex.

Date

Sept. 30, 1904

Sept. 6, 1909

May 30, 1911

Aug. 21, 1912

June 12, 1913

May 1, 1914

Apr. 17, 1915

June 19, 1926

Secondfeet

278,000

141,000

37,000

19,800

97,000

207,000

89,200

40,000

Date

July 30, 1927

Oct. 14, 1928

Oct. 11, 1930

June , 1932

Sept. 1, 1934

Aug. 4, 1935

July 13, 1936

June 3, 1937

Secondfeet

18,500

60,000

102,000

23,100

32,400

52,200

65,700

110,000
FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PEGOS RIVER BASINS OF NEW MEXICO, 1937 57 

SUMMARY OF FLOOD DISCHARGES IN NEW MEXICO

Table 4, entitled "Records of floods in New Mexico", shows the peak 

stages and discharges that have occurred at gaging stations and other 

places on streams over the entire State.

Except as otherwise noted, figures for discharge are taken from published reports of the Geological Survey or have been computed from unpublished data in the file of the Geological Survey or of the State Engineer 

of New Mexico at Santa Fe. From about 1915 to 1930 all stream-flow records in New Mexico were obtained by the State Engineer, and records and 

reports of that office have been reviewed with a view to make the floodflow information complete.

The drainage area is given for some river-measurement stations. In 

many parts of New Mexico topographic maps are not available for an accurate determination of the drainage areas. Because of inadequate maps, 

large areas that probably never contribute to the run-off of streams, as 

well as indeterminate watersheds, no drainage areas are given for many stations . For these reasons and because of the wide areal variation of the 

rainfall the drainage areas that are given should be used with caution in 

making rainfall and run-off studies.

The period of record shows the period for which information regarding floods is available and does not always indicate the period for which 

continuous and systematic records of flo'w have been kept. Some of the 

earlier records are based on information obtained from local residents and 

are believed to be reliable.

The gage heights given refer to the particular gage in use at the 

time the maximum discharge occurred. These gage heights may not be the 

highest that have occurred in reference to a uniform datum, as channels 

are often unstable, and gage and gage datums have at times been changed 

without obtaining the relation to the previous datum.

The peak discharge is given for the period of record, and the remarks 

column shows the method by which it was determined.

The reference number assigned to each peak discharge item may be used 

to locate the place of determination on the map shown in plate 9.

The latitude and longitude of each place are given to define the location more closely; because of the limitations of available maps these 

data are for many places only approximate.
Table 4.- Beoords of floods In Hew Mexico

No. 

on 

Pi. 9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Stream and place of determination

Canadian Elver Basin

Canadian River a,t French

Canadian River at Taylor Springs

Canadian River near Roy

Canadian River near Sanohez

Canadian River at Games Bridge

Canadian River near Bell Ranch

Canadian River at Conchas Dam

Canadian Biver at Logan

Chicorioa Creek near Baton

Una del Qato Creek near Baton

Vermejo River near Dawson

Cieneguilla Creek near Eagle Nest (Therms)

Oiraarron Biver at Ute Park

Oimarron Biver above Bayado RiTer, 

near Springer

Cimarron River at Springer

Ponil Creek near Cimarron

Latitude

36°28«

36 20

35 58

35 41

35 38

35 32

35 23

35 21

36 49

36 49

36 42

36 30

36 34

36 24

36 22

36 34

Longitude

104°34»

104 30

104 21

104 23

104 23

104 15

104 09

103 26

104 23

104 14

104 47

105 14

105 04

104 42

104 37

104 56

Drainage 

area 

(sq> mi.)

1,480

2,830

4,005

-

6,005

6,400

7,350

11,200

84

80

250

-

235

-

985

130

Period 

of 

record

-

-

-

1912-1915

-

1915-1917 

1927-1937

-

1885-1937

1910-1927

1910-1913

1915-1937

1930-1937

1928-1937

1907-1929

1930-1937

_

1907-1913 

1930-1937

1915-1929

Peak staae and disoh

Date

Sept. 1904

Sept. 1904

June 3, 1937

June 12, 1913

June 3, 1937

June 3, 1937

June 3, 1937

Sept. 30, 1904

June 12, 1913

July 20, 1911

Aug. 2, 1921

Aug. 7, 1936

Aug. 23, 1935

May 11, 1916

July 4, 1934

June 11, 1913

June 11, 1913

Aug. 1929

Stage 

(feet)

-

-

12.20

25.0

13.32

15.8

12.80

36.55

11.2

6.50

-

7.99

4.65

-

2.92

_

-

-

a
Sixmile Greek near Eagle Nest (Thermal

lioreno Creak at Eagle Nest (Thermal

Bayado River at Sauble ranch, near 

Cimarron

Hayado River above Uraoea Oreek, near 

Springer

Rayado Elver at mouth, near Springer

Uraooa Creek near Cimarron

Uraooa Creek at mouth, near Springer

East Fork of Ooate River at Ooate

Ooate Elver at Ooate

West Fork of Ooate River at Ooate

Sweetwater Creek near Colmor 

Mora River at La Cueva

Mora River near Solondrinas (Weber)

Mora Elver at Loma Parda

Mora Hiver near Watrous

Mora Elver near Shoemaker

Cebolla Creek at mouth, near La Cueva

Coyote Creek near Golondrinas

36 32

38 34

36 22

36 24

36 24

36 26

36 24

36 11

36 10

36 11

36 14 

35 56

35 53

35 50

35 47

35 43

35 53

35 54

105 16

105 15

104 68

104 47

104 42

105 00

104 47

105 01

105 00

105 01

104 48 

105 14

105 07

105 05

104 58

104 48

105 13

105 07

-

-

30

151

197

6.3

37

35

121

86

210

320

585

-

1,160

-

250

1»28-1937

1928-1937

1911-1937

_

-

1912- ins

-

1914-1928

-

1914-1928

1914-1918 

1903-1911

1931-1937

1904

1981-1937

-

-

1914-1937

-

1928-1937

Ayr. 11.19ST

Apr. 15JMT

June 10, 1913

Jtme 11, 1913

June 11, 1913

June 10, 1913

June 11, 1913

Hay 23, 1919

May 22, 1914,.

Apr. 26, 1922

May 88*1914 

July 2, 1914 

Sept. 29, 1904

Sept. 19, 1936

Septt 29, 1904

June 1, 1937

June 11, 1913

Oct. 2, 1904

June 4, 1921

Oct. 1904

Sept. 22, 1929

-

-

-

_

-

5.1

-

-

3.2

-

3.70

6.31

-

8.10

-

-

10.6

-

9.25
FLOODS IN CAHADIAH AKD PECOS RIVER BASINS OF MEW MEXICO, 1937

!js

i1( o

IS S>

 Eft

r. ^»« 3

B

o o i

rH iH Oi

M rH

S. 8

I I sis!

' lO O>

i C\J C\J

CT> CO

^ ^ O

^ co 3> § § 8

10 at i -a

n «

o o o

S5 3

o o o

lO If) O

8 S

9 3

& 5

ri ri ri

e> e> c e> e> e>

00 o o i

3 3 9 9
53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

Bio Qrande below Elephant Butte Dam

Costilla Creek near Cost ilia

Bio Colorado near Questa

Bio Colorado below ftuesta

Bio Hondo near Valdez

Bio Hondo at Arroyo Hondo

Bio Pueblo de Taos at Taos

Bio Taos at Los Cardovas

Bio Lucero near Arroyo Seco

Bio Banohos de Taos near Ranches of Taos

anbudo Creek at Dixon

Pueblo Creek near Fenasco

Rio Chama near Chama

Bio Chama at Park View

Bio Chama near Tierra Amarilla (£1 Vado)

Rio Chama near Chaaita

Brazos River near Brazos

33 09

36 58

36 42

36 41

36 32

36 32

36 25

36 23

36 30

36 21

36 12

36 11

36 53

36 43

36 35

36 06

36 43

107 11

105 32

105 33

105 36

105 34

105 42

105 34

105 39

105 32

105 37

105 55

105 40

106 35

106 34

106 44

106 08

106 31

-

-

112

190

38

-

-

359

-

-

305

-

-

405

-

3,320

-

1916-1937

1936-1937

1912-1937

1910-1928

1934-1937

1910-1928 

1932.1997

1910-1914 

1936-1937

1910-1937

1910-1916 

1933-1937

1920-1926

1923-1937

1936-1937

1912-1917

1912-1916 

1925-1937

1913-1924 

1935-1937

1912-1937

1913-1917

July 29 to 

Aug. 3, 1917

Apr. 13, 1937

June 15, 1921

June 8, 1920

toy 17, 1997

Aug. 23, 1936

May 22, 1912

May 15, 1915

May 17, 1997

May 22, 1920

July 8, 1936

Aug. 20, 1936

Jtty 9, 1916

Apr. 16, 1937

May 10, 1916

Aug. 12, 1929

May 14, 1915

-

3.9

-

_

-

-

4.5

3.5

2.

-

6.9

2.5

-

7.

9.1

8.2

4.3

a Includes 2,940 square miles in closed basin.b Includes 4,200 square 
Table 4.- Records of floods in New Mexico Continued

Ho. 

on 

pi. 9

70

71

73

73

74 

78

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

86

86

87

88

89

90

Stream and place of determination

Eio Srande Bas5,n Continued

Little Brazos Elver near Brazos

Hutritus Creek near Sierra Amarilla

Willow Creek near ParK Tiew

Hutrias Creek near Cebolla

SI Bito Creek near El Bito 

Bio Ojo Caliente at La Hadera

Xio Talleoitos at Tallcoitoi

Bie Santa Crna at Oundiyo

Santa Olara Creek aaar Etpanola

Karate Creek near Nambe

Hambe Creek at Pojoaque Bridge, near Nambe

Bio fesuque above diversions, near Santa Fe

Bio Tesuque at Tesuque Bridge, near Santa Fe

Bito Tesuque near Sante Pe

Santa Fe Oreek near Santa Pe

Santa Fe Creek at mouth, near Pena Blanca

Arroyo 'Hondo near Santa Fa

Qalisteo Creek at mouth, near Domingo

Jerasz Creek near James

Jemez Creek at mouth, near Bemalillo

Tuerto Arroyo at mouth, near San Felipe

Latitude

36°44'

36 41

36 40

36 37

36 23 

36 a

36 SO

35 58

35 58

35 52

35 54

35 44

* 35 45

35 44

35 41

35 35

35 37

35 31

35 39

35 23

35 28

Longitude

106°29«

106 33

106 41

106 23

-106 13 

106 OS

106 07

105 55

106 11

105 57

106 01

105 54

105 56

105 53

105 50

106 30

105 53

106 21

106 44

106 30

106 25

Drainage 

area 

(sq. mi.)

-

-

-

-

12

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

32

-

13.5

-

-

-

-

Period 

of 

 record

1914-1915

-

1996

1914

1931-1937 

1932-1937

1911-1914

1916-1937

1936-1937

1933-1937

1936-1937

1936-1937

1936-1937

1936-1937

1913-1937

-

1913-1922

, -

1936-1937

-

-

Peak stage and disc

Bate

May 23, 1914

May 24, 1914

At<g. 3, 1936

May 13, 1914

Apr.16-20,1937 

Apr. 16, 1937

Hay 21. 1912

Sept. 24, 1931

July 28, 1936

Aug. 23, 1935

Aug. 20, 1936

Sept. 7, 1936

Sept. 7, 1936

Aug. 4, 1937

Aug. 15, 1921

Sept. 1929

JUne 16, 1914

Sept. 1929

Sept. 26, 1936

Sept. 1929

Sept. 1929

Stage 

(feet)

1.9

5.2

3.7

1.9

-

4.6

8.2

2.3

6.4

5.1

4.0

1.6

-

5.1

-

5.4

-

9.3

-

-
91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

 onque Arroyo at mouth, near San Pelipe

Embudo Arroyo, 6 miles east of Menaul School

Qntado Arroyo, 1/2 mile east of Menaul School

Rio Pueroo at Bio Pueroo

Bluewater Creek near Bluewater

San Jose Elver (Bluewaller Creek) near 

Brant a

San Jose River near San Fidel

San Jose Biver near Casa Blanca

Bio Salado at mouth, near San Acacia

Alamosa River near Honticello

 " 

Peoos River at Irvin ranch, near Peoos

Pecos Biver near Anton Chioo

Peoos River at Santa Rosa

Pecos Elver near Guadalupe

Pecos Biver near Fort Sumner

Peoos River near Acme'

Peoos Biver near Eo swell

Pecos River near Lake Arthur

Paces Biver near Artesia

Peoos Biver near Dayton

35 27

35 06

35 06

34 47

35 18

35 04

35 04

35 02

34 15

33 35

35 42

35 11

34 56 

34 36

34 30

33 34

33 21

32 59

32 50

32 45

106 26

106 34

106 40

107 00

108 01

107 44

107 40

107 27

106 54

107 36

105 41

J.05 08

104 42 

104 24

104 16

104 23

104 24

104 18

104 20

104 19

-

18

31

-

235

-

-

-

-

470

175

1,080

2,880 

4,470

-

-

-

-

-

~

-

-

-

1910-1937

1912-1932

1913-1926

1936-1937

1936-1937

1936-1937

-

1931-1937

1910-1937

1910-1937

1903-1937 

1912-1937

1904-1913 

1921-1923

1904 

1921-1937

1903-1906

-

1936-1937

1905-1936

Sept. 1929

Sept. 21, 1929

Sept. 31, 1929

Sept. 23, 1929

liar. £8, 1926

Aug. 31, 1928

Sept. 29, 1937

June 27, 1937

July 26, 1937

Aug. 1929

Aug. 21, 1936

Sept. 22, 1929

June 1, 1937

June 2, 1937 

Hay 1, 1914

Sept. 30, 1904

May 28, 1937

Got. 1, 1904

May 30, 1937

May SO, 1937

July 25, 1905 

Sept. IS, 1919

-

-

-

-

8.2

-

2.4

3.5

5.6

-

13.6

-

20.3

25.7 

15.5

17.9

14.8

17.4

-

14.7

15.
64 FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

a S fc

8 SS i 81 H «ri «rt «ri «H

t li

J* 

s8Ai

88S D- *S> 8883 to <o 31 <n 8288 «oo»-* > »«.! » »»»«

S

Q'rf QiHi-j * M CO M

9lO«lHN « l-l iH

I! °. t tS , , I I I ,

S3 S 38

S 2 & ** £r fe fc on u* r-f va n n

iH iH iH Q* O» O» <J»

I I JUHiit lili^

a «

I i?

I I I I I till

3 8838

K 33

g § S iH HlH

3 3 38333

8 8

13 8

i i

! I M m

DO B 

I AM i m § IS

si i

g * & 5

I « I 1

« S S v

I s i ;

III*

I . I

i * " 1

!i

I

1 §

iS

n i m -H 

« o

' I 

a *!*

353 5 S « « 2

3 -a a a

IQ « « CO O> 3 a a a 3 I S 3 3 3 S S B
129

ISO

131

132 

4 

133

134

136

136

137 

138

ISt

140 

141

142 

143

144

146

146

147

Rio Felix near Hagernan

Gottonwood Oreek near Lake Arthur

Black River near Malaga

Delaware River near Malaga 

Ite Mimbres ^iver Basin

Mimbres River near Himbres

Mimbres River near Baywood

Lampbright Draw near 3anta Bit*

Whitewater Oreek at Hurley

Bio de Arenas near Hurley 

Oamaron Oreek at Fort Bayard

Oaaeron Oreek near Hurley

Stevens Oreek near Fort Bayard 

Tularosa 7allev Basin

Rio Tularosa near Tularosa

Rio La Luz at La Luz 

Rip Iresnal near Mountain Park

Alamo Oreek at Wood ranch, near llamogordo

Sfffi fWff Siver Basin

San Joan River at Rosa (Irboles)

San Juan River near Bianoo

San Joan River at Bloomfield

33 07

32 57

32 13

32 00 

32 52

32 36

32 44

32 43

32 43 

32 47

32 43

32 50 

33 07

32 59 

32 57

32 51

37 01

36 44

36 41

104 20

104 22

104 03

104 06 

107 59

107 53

108 00

108 07

108 12 

108 09

108 09

108 09 

105 57

105 55 

105 53

105 50

107 24

107 49

108 01

 

~

 

183

485

 

36

16

46

74 

44

 

1,990

3,320

4,830

1932-1937

1932-1937

1914-1915

1912-1915 

1921-1937

1908-1937

1912-1922

1913-1914

1913-1914 

1907-1914

1913-1914

1912-1914 

1913-1917

1931-1937

1910-1913 

1931-1932

1911-1912

1931-1937

1895-1899 

1910-1937

1908-1910 

1987-1987

1909-1937

May 29, 1937

June 13, 1936

Apr. 17, 1915

June 11, 1912 

July 17, 1933

Aug. 10, 1931

July 20, 1914

Aug. 24, 1914

July 16, 1914 

Jtfty 18, 1914 

log. 14, 1913

Aug. 14, 1913

Aug. 14, 1913 

July 2, 1914

Aug. 27, 1935

lug. 29, 1982 

Sept. 28, 1911

July 17, 1933

Oot. 5, 1911

Aug. 1J, 1929

Oot. 6, 1911

20.

9.

11.

11.

4.

6.

6.

5.

10.

11.

8.

5.

2.

8

7.

6

3.

1.

-

8.

12.
FLOODS IN CANADIAN AND PECOS RIVER BASINS OP NEW MEXICO, 1937

I* g

«S 8

i i S i I

I a I s g

 H 

si 

-rl 

s 

.rl 

s 

-H 

is.rt

a an on

5fe

S 8 r- o

33 S

r- to CD

S S3 O> Ok Ot

1 II

S K 83" rT 8

i i

Period 

of record

31 

S "V *7

Ssa

r- o to

W rH OJ 

fj* O* 2'

r-l ft! M

8 2

8 p «

3 i

> h s i & &

S 5

M M

5 S

 H ri

I I

S S

rl 5

1 1 h «

i o

3 S

& o

Oila San

i-l Vt

3 3 a a
GEOLOGICAL 3TRW WATER SUPPLY PAPER 842 PLAIB 9

EXPLANATION 

Numbers are reference nxsnbers given in tab3*'4

OF NSV MEXICO SHOWING U)CATIONS OF STATIONS AT 1HICH DATA PRSBfflO-EB JMTAMJB 4 1HIE OBTAINED

-' ». S, *««Wf«ie*tT PBIKTIMS OFFICE: 1989 O-108828
INDEX

Abstract................. ........................................ 1

Acknowledgments for aid........ o ....................... ........ 4

Acre-foot, definition of............................ °... ° ..... 3

Administration of the work................. ................. ..«. 3-4

Alamogordo Reservoir near Guadalupe, N. Mex.....?. ............. 40

Angeles, Tex., Pecos River near....................... .......... 46

Anton Chico, H. Mex.,. Pecos River near............... ........... 38

Artesia, N. Mex», Pecos River near*, o......... °. <>>............. 42

Bell Ranch, N. Mex., Canadian River near..................... .. 30

Canadian River, at Conchas Dam, N. Mex....°..................... ( 31

at Cannes Bridge, N. Mex............. ....................... 29

{it Logon, N. Hex........................................ - .. <, 32, 56

near Bell Ranch, N. Mex...................................... 30

near Roy, No Hex............................................. 28

Canadian River Basin, discharge records in...................... 28-36

hydrographs of discharge at gaging stations in............... 51-52

Isohyetal map of........................°.................... 22

May and June floods in....................................... 20-21

physical features of......................................... 5

previous floods In........................................... 55, 56

summary of maximum discharges, May and June 1937 in.......... 27

summary of flood records in.................................. 58-60

Carlsbad, N. Mex., Pecos River at,.............................. 44-

Cimarron River at Springer, N. Mex.............................. 34

Conchas Dam, N. Mex., Canadian River at......................... 31

Conchas River at Varladero, N. Mex.............................. 36

Contracted-opening method, determination of discharge by........ 7-8

Control, definition of.......................................... 3

Cottonwood Creek near Lake Arthur, N. Mex....................... 50

Dams, determination of discharge over........................... 7

Dawson, N. Mex., Vermejo River near............................. 33

Definition of terms............................................. 3'

Discharges, determination of, during flood...................... 5-8

determination of, by extension of rating curve............... 6-7

by slope-area o............................................ 8

over dams................................................. 7

through contracted-openings............................... 7-8

flood hydrographs of, in Canadian River Basin................ 51-52

In Pecos River Basin...................................... 53-54

maximum, May and June, 1937.................................. 27

summary of................................................ 57-66

See also Floods, Canadian River, Pecos River.

Drainage,features of............................................ 4-5

Floods, discharge hydrographs of................................ 51-54

discharge of, In Canadian River Basin.................. 20-21, 27-36

In Pecos River Basin......................... 21, 23, 25, 27, 37-50

previous records of.......................................... 55-56

summary of................................................... 58-66

See also particular river basins.

Qalllnas River at Montezuma, N. Mex............................. 47

Cannes Bridge, N. Mex., Canadian River at....................... 29

Glla River Basin, summary of flood records in................... 66

Guadalupe, N. Mex., Alamogordo Reservoir near................... 40

Pecos River near............................................. 41

Eager-man, N. Mex., Rio Felix near............................... 49

Hail. See Precipitation.

Hondo, N. Mex., Rio Bonlto at................................... 48

Hydrographs of discharge, Canadian River Basin.................. 51-52

Pecos River Basin............................................ 53-54

Introduction.................................................... 2-3

Isohyetal maps, of Canadian River Basin......................... 22

of Hew Mexico................................................ pi. 2

of Fecos River Basin......................................... 24

Lake Arthur, No Mex., Cottonwood Creek near..................... 50

Lake McMillan near Lakewood, N. Mex............................. 43

Lakewood, N. Mex., Lake McMillan near........................... 43

Logan, N. Mex., Canadian River at............................... 32, 56

Malaga, N. Mex., Pecos River near............................... 45

Mimbres River Basin, previous floods in......................... 56

sunmary of flood records in.................................. 65

Montezuma, N. Mex., Gallinas River at............................ 47

Mora River near Shoemaker, N. Mex............................... 35

Pecos, N. Mex., Pecos River near................................ 37

67
68 INDEX

Fecos River at Carlsbad, N. Mex.................................. 44

at Irvin ranch, near Pecos, N. Mex............................ 37

at Santa Rosa, N. Mex......................................... 39

near Angeles, Tex............................................. 46

near Anton Chico, N. Mex...................................... 38

near Artesia, N. Mex.......................................... 42

near Chiadalupe, N. Mex........................................ 41

near Malaga, N. Mex........................................... 45

Pecos River Basin, discharge records in.......................... 37-50

hydrographs of discharge at gaging stations in................ 53-54

isohyetal map of.............................................. 24

May and June floods in..................................... 21, 23, 25

physical features of.......................................... " 5

previous floods in............................................ 55, 56

summary of flood records in................................... 63-65

summary of maximum discharges, May and June 1937 in........... 27

Personnel........................................................ 3-4

Precipitation, discussion of cause of............................ 9, 11

hail, records of.............................................. 11, 19

isohyetal map of.............................................. pi. 2

Canadian River Basin....................................... 22

Pecos River Basin.........................................'. 24

rainfall, discussion of................................ 11, 20-21, 23

records of.................................................... 12-18

Rainfall. See Precipitation.

Rating curves, determination of discharge by extension of........ 6-7

Rio Bonito at Hondo, N. Mex...................................... 48

Rio Felix near Hagerman, N. Mex.................................. 49

Rio Grande Basin, previous floods in............................. 55, 56

summary of flood records in................................... 60-65

Roy, N. Mex., Canadian River near................................ 28

San Juan River Basin, previous floods in......................... 55

summary of flood records in................................... 65-66

Santa Rosa, N. Mex., Pecos River at.............................. 39

Second-feet, definition of....................................... 3

Shoemaker, N. Mex., Mora River near.............................. 35

Slope-area method, determination of discharge by................. 8

Springer, N. Mex., Clmarron River at............................. 34

Stage-discharge relation, definition of.......................... 3

Terms, definition of............................................. 3

Topography, features of.......................................... 4-5

Tularosa Valley Basin, summary of flood records in............... 65

Variadero, N. Mex., Conchas River at............................. 36

Vermejo River near Dawson, N. Mex................................ 33

Weather, discussion of........................................... 9-11, 19

See also Precipitation.

Work, administration of.......................................... 3-4