Floods of May-July 

1950 in Southeastern 

Nebraska

Prepared by WATER RESOURCES DIVISION

FLOODS OF 1950

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1137-D

A presentation of data on four floods: Little 

Nemaha River basin and Salt Creek on 

May 8-9, Union and Shell Creeks on June 

2, ff^est Fork Big Blue River and Beaver 

Creek on July 8-9, and Shell and Plum 

Creeks on July 18. Prepared in cooperation with the Nebraska Department of 

Roads and Irrigation.

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1953
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Douglas McKay, Secretory

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. E. Wrather, Director

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

Washington 25, D. C. - Price 25 cents (paper cover)
CONTENTS

	Page 

Abstract .................................................................... 351

Introduction ................................................................. 351

General description of the floods .............................................. 352

Flood damages .............................................................. 364

Meteorologic conditions ...................................................... 366

Storm of May 8-9 ......................................................... 366

Storm of June 2 .......................................................... 367

Storm of July 8-9 ......................................................... 368

Storm of July 18 .......................................................... 369

Measurement of flood discharges .............................................. 370

Stages and discharges at stream-gaging stations ................................ 371

Explanation of data ........................................................ 371

Missouri River main stem ................................................. 373

Missouri River at Omaha, Nebr. ......................................... 373

Missouri River at Nebraska City, Nebr. .................................. 373

Missouri River at Rulo, Nebr. .......................................... 374

Platte River basin ........................................................ 374

Platte River near Grand Island, Nebr. ................................... 374

Platte River near Duncan, Nebr. ........................................ 375

Platte River at North Bend, Nebr. ....................................... 376

Platte River near Ashland, Nebr. ........................................ 377

Wood River near Gibbon, Nebr. .......................................... 378

Prairie Creek near Silver Creek, Nebr. .................................. 379

Middle Loup River at St. Paul, Nebr. ..................................... 380

Loup River near Genoa, Nebr. ........................................... 381

Loup River at Columbus, Nebr. .......................................... 382

North Loup River near St. Paul, Nebr. ................................... 383

Spring Creek at Cushing, Nebr. ......................................... 384

Cedar River near Spalding, Nebr. ....................................... 385

Cedar River near Fullerton, Nebr. ...................................... 386

Loup River power canal near Genoa, Nebr. ............................... 387

Beaver Creek at Loretto. Nebr. ......................................... 388

Beaver Creek at Genoa, Nebr. .......................................... 389

Shell Creek at Newman Grove, Nebr. .................................... 390

Shell Creek near Columbus, Nebr. ....................................... 391

Elkhorn River at Norfolk, Nebr. ......................................... 392

Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Nebr. ....................................... 393

Logan Creek near Uehling, Nebr. ........................................ 394

Salt Creek at Lincoln, Nebr. ............................................ 394

Salt Creek near Ashland, Nebr. .......................................... 395

Wahoo Creek at Ithaca, Nebr............................................. 396

Silver Creek at Ithaca, Nebr. ........................................... 396

Weeping Water Creek basin ................................................ 397

Weeping Water Creek at Union, Nebr. .................................... 397

Little Nemaha River basin ................................................. 398

Little Nemaha River at Auburn, Nebr. .................................... 398

Nemaha River basin ....................................................... 399

Nemaha River at Falls City. Nebr. ...................................... 399

Kansas River basin ....................................................... 399

Republican River near Bloomington, Nebr. ................................ 399

Republican River near Hardy, Nebr....................................... 400

Center Creek at Franklin, Nebr. ......................................... 401

Thompson Creek at Riverton, Nebr. ..................................... 401

Elm Creek at Amboy, Nebr. ............................................ 402

Big Blue River near Crete, Nebr. ........................................ 403

Big Blue River at Barneston, Nebr. ...................................... 404

Little Blue River near Endicott, Nebr. ................................... 405

Summary of flood stages and discharges ....................................... 406

	III
ILLUSTRATIONS

Page 

Figure 50. Map of Nebraska showing area covered by this report and places

where peak discharges were determined ......................... 353

51. Hydrographs of Little Nemaha and Loup Rivers, showing flood activity

during May-July 1950 .......................................... 354

52. Isohyetal map of southeastern Nebraska and western Iowa showing

total precipitation, in inches. May 8-9, 1950 .................... 355

53. View along U. S. Highway 40 east of Unadilla, indicating height reached

flood of May 8-9 ............................................... 357

54. Railroad track near Talmage damaged by Little Nemaha River,

May 8-9 ...................................................... 357

55. U. S. Highway 73-75 north of Auburn inundated by Little Nemaha

River, May 8-9................................................ 359

56. Isohyetal map of Shell Creek basin in Nebraska, showing total

precipitation, in inches, June 1-2, 1950 ......................... 359

57. Isohyetal map of southeastern Nebraska and northeastern Kansas,

showing total precipitation, in inches, July 8-9, 1950 ............. 361

58. Graph showing cumulative precipitation, in inches, at York, Nebr.,

for July 8-9, 1950 ............................................. 362

59. Beaver Crossing flooded by Beaver Creek, July 9 ................... 363

60. State Highway 39 near Genoa damaged by Beaver Creek, July 19 ...... 363

61. Relation of unit discharge to size of drainage area................... 407

TABLES

Page 

Table 1. Estimates of flood damage to property ............................. 364

2. Agricultural and land damage caused by flood of May 8-9, 1950 ...... 366

3. Summary of flood stages and discharges in southeastern Nebraska,

May-July 1950. ................................................ 408
PREFACE

This report on the floods of May-July 1950 in 

southeast Nebraska was prepared by the Geological 

Survey, Water Resources Division, under the general 

direction of C. G. Paulsen, chief hydraulic engineer, 

and J. V. B. Wells, chief, Surface Water Branch.

The field work and the collection and tabulation of 

basic information relating to stage and discharge were 

done by the staff of the Lincoln district office of the 

Surface Water Branch under the s up er vis ion of 

Douglas D. Lewis, district engineer. Valuable assistance to the field and office work was given by R. E. 

Oltman and Hollister Johnson, hydraulic engineers.

The Nebraska Department of Roads and Irrigation, 

through the Bureau of Irrigation, Water Power, and 

Drainage, has cooperated financially with the Survey's 

regular streamflow measurement program in Nebraska, and the Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, has 

given financial assistance in the maintenance of gaging stations within the area described in this report. 

The U. S. Weather Bureau, the Corps of Engineers, 

and the U. S. Soil Conservation Service supplied 

certain data for this report.

FLOODS OF 1950

FLOODS OF MAY-JULY 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN 

NEBRASKA

Prepared by WATER RESOURCES DIVISION

ABSTRACT

Four floods occurred in southeast Nebraska during the period of May to July 

1950. Two of these were the greatest known in the State if the size of the drainage areas is considered, and the other two were not so spectacular but were o f 

notable size and of possible hydrologic significance in their relation to the two 

major floods. Although property loss and damage have been exceeded in p r e - 

vious floods in Nebraska, notably in the flood of May-June 1935 on the Republican River, they were extremely high in the period covered by this report. Loss 

of life, which resulted largely from the rapid cresting of the streams, was likewise high.

Each of the floods was caused by heavy precipitation, which at times reached 

intensities seldom recorded in the Missouri River basin. On May 8, 1950, more 

than 14 inches of rain fell over certain areas of the Little Nemaha River basin 

within a period of a few hours. One center of the storm of July 8, 195ftoccurred 

at York, Nebr., where 11 inches of rain was recorded within a 4-hour period, 

and the storm total exceeded 13 inches.

Notable high rates of discharge produced by the intense rainfall were 1, 030 

cfs per square mile from 218 square miles of drainage area in the Little 

Nemaha River basin on May 9, 1950; 1, 020 cfs per square mile from 2. 5 square 

miles drainage area in the Elkhorn River basin on June 2, 1950;and 3, 320 cfs 

per square mile from 6.93 square miles of drainage area in the Big Blue 

River basin on July 9, 1950.

This report presents records of stage and discharge for the flood.periods 

at 36 stream-gaging stations in southeast Nebraska, and a summary of peak 

discharges, with comparative data for previously known floods at 45 measurement points. The report also includes a discussion of t h e weather associated 

with the floods and other data pertinent to the floods.

INTRODUCTION

Heavy precipitation over the southeastern corner of Nebraska 

starting on the afternoon of May 8, 1950, caused the first of a 

series of floods that extended through June and July. The flood of 

May 8-9 caused the loss of 23 lives, it inundated more than 60, 000 

acres of land, and when estimates of damages to land and agriculture are included, it caused property damage in excess of 60 

million dollars. This first storm was centered over the headwaters of Little Nemaha River and Salt Creek, but heavy precipitation also caused floods of varying degrees of intensity along

. 238744 0-53-2 351
352 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Weeping Water Creek, Nemaha River, and tributaries of the Big 

Blue River.

On June 2, 1950, heavy rainfall in Madison, Boone, and Platte 

Counties in Nebraska caused severe flooding of Union and Shell 

Creeks which inundated sections of Newman Grove and Madison.

On July 8-9, 1950, further intense precipitation centered over 

York, Nebr., and caused unprecedented flooding of the West Fork 

Big Blue River and Beaver Creek. This storm also extended over 

the Loup River basin and caused flooding of some of the minor 

tributaries.

On July 18, other heavy rains fell in the Loup River basin. 

Beaver Creek at the Loretto and Genoa gaging stations and Cedar 

River near Spalding had record high stages and discharges.

The United States Geological Survey, through the district 

office of its Surface Water Branch in Lincoln, Nebr., operates 

36 gaging stations in the area affected by these floods, as a par4? 

of the regular Nalion-wide stream gaging program for the investigation of the water resources of the Nation. These stations have 

been maintained by the Geological Survey largely in cooperation 

with the State and with other Federal agencies. Some of them have 

been operated continuously for periods of such length that systematic records of stage, discharge, and volume of flow covering the 

range from drought to extraordinary flood are available (fig. 50).

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOODS

The floods of May-July 1950 in southeas t Nebraska were 

the result of severe summer thunderstorms that reached 

cloudburst intensities in some localities. Figure 51 is a hydrograph of Little Nemaha and Loup Rivers, showing the discharger 

during the period May-July.

Late in the afternoon of May 8, heavy rain began falling over 

the southeastern part of Nebraska, and extremely heavy rain fell 

over ati area that included the headwaters of Little Nemaha River, 

Salt Creek, and Weeping Water Creek, and over parts of the basinr 

of the Big Blue River and Nemaha River (see fig. 52). The center 

of precipitation was a little east of the divide between Salt Creel 

and Little Nemaha River.

Salt Creek crested at the gaging station at Lincoln, Nebr., at 

9 a. m. on May 9. It inundated large areas of the low-lying bridger, 

highways, and railways. Upstream from Lincoln agricultural lands 

were damaged considerably. Eleven thousand acres and three 

towns were flooded, and six lives were lost in the Salt Creek flood.
Flood records' 

gaging station

A42

Miscellaneous determination , 

of peak discharge

Numbers referred to 

in table 3 25 200 Miles

FIGURE 50. Map of Nebraska showing area covered by thi s report and places where peak discharges were determined. CO 

Oi 

CO
354 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

50,000 

40,000 

30pOO

20,000

Little Nemaha River 

at Auburn, Nebr.

Loup River I 

at Columbus, Nebr. »-j

MAY JUNE JULY

FIGUBE 51. Hydrographs of Little Nemaha and Loup Rivers, showing flood 

activity during May-July 1950.
ROCKPORT/""^

s s 

I'NJ 

o 

/ 

LI Ri

FIGURE 52. Isohyetal map of southeastern Nebraska and wes tern Iowa showing total precipitation, in inches, May 8-8,1950.
356 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

The crest discharge of Salt Creek at the Lincoln gaging 

station was 27, 800 cfs. It is well established that the 1950 flood 

is the great es t since Julys, 1908. Because of many channel 

changes during the interim, largely man-made for flood protection, there is no direct means of comparing t h e 1908 and 1950 

floods. On July 5, 1908, Adna Dobson, then Lincoln city engineer, 

made a current-meter measurement of 18, 000 cfs "near the 

crest. " Many years later a firm of consulting engineers computed 

the maximum discharge of the 1908 flood as 30,600 cfs. These 

computations were based on valley slopes and cross sections by 

the U. S. Department of Agriculture in 1909 and upon coefficients 

of roughness that are not subject to verification. It seems quite 

possible that the flood of May 9, 1950, may have exceeded that of 

July 5, 1908, which would make it the largest since the valley 

was first inhabited.

It is worthy of note that Haines Branch, Middle Creek, and 

Oak Creek contributed very little to the peak discharge of Salt 

Creek on May 9, 1950, and that most of the runoff came from a 

relatively small area above Roca. Below Lincoln the crest discharge was reduced by valley storage, and at Ashland, near the 

mouth of Salt Creek, the flood was not unusual.

The most intense flows from the storm of May 8-9 developed 

in the Little Nemaha River basin. The river crested at Unadilla 

about midnight of May 8, covering the flood plain to depths of 

nearly 10 ft. (see fig. 53). Several farm homes and bridges were 

destroyed in this vicinity. About a mile east of Unadilla a bus was 

trapped by the rapidly rising waters. The 17, 500-pound vehicle 

was swept from the highway and carried two miles to be deposited 

in the river channel near Syracuse. The lives of 7 persons were 

claimed by this misfortune. Between Unadilla and Syracuse, the 

Chicago, Burlington &Quincyrailroad line was torn up, bridges 

were washed out, and sheds and machinery were swept away from 

low-lying farms. Figure 54 shows da mage to tracks ofthe 

Missouri Pacific Railroad near Talmage.

The flood crest of the Little Nemaha River reached Syracuse 

about 1 a. m. , May 9. In the low areas of town, residences were 

moved from their foundations and broken against other buildings 

and trees. The flood plain here is more than a mile wide, and 

after the flood it was littered with stock tanks, grain bins, windmills, household furnishings, fragments of buildings, bridges, 

and other destroyed property. A computation of discharge by 

contracted-opening and flow-over-embankment methods indicated 

a discharge at Syracuse of 225, 000 cfs from a drainage area c^ 

218 square miles.

The flood crest reached Auburn at about 7 a.m. May 9. Between Syracuse and Auburn it swept over valuable farmlands and 

inundated the village of Brock. Damage to bridges, highways
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF FLOODS 357

FIGURE 53. View along U. S. Highway 40 east of Unadilla, indicating height 

reached by flood of May 8-9. Photo by Pitstick Studio of Photography.

PIGUBE 54. Railroad track near Talmage demaged by Little Nemaha Kiver, 

May 8-9. Photo by Nebraska City News Press.
358 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

(fig. 55), railroads, and farm property was particularly heavy.

In the Little Nemaha River basin, a total of 35, 000 acres 

and 8 towns were flooded, and 14 lives were lost including the 

7 previously mentioned as lost near Unadilla.

Weeping Water Creek crested early on May 9. The villages 

of Weeping Water and Nehawka were badly flooded, highways and 

railroads were damaged, and crops on the lowlands were destroyed. 

At Union, several residences were completely destroyed, the 

yards of the Missouri Pacific Railroad were damaged and several 

trestles washed out. One life was lost at Union. The crest discharge at Weeping Water was 30, 300 cfs, and at Union it was 

60,300 cfs, which is mo re than twice as large as the highest 

previously known flood of June 1947.

In the Big Blue River basin principal damage occurred when 

Turkey Creek inundated the village of DeWitt. Every house i n 

the community of 500 people was flooded, the only dry area being 

a spot on the main street big enough to park the fire truck. The 

crest discharge of Turkey Creek on May 9 was determined by the 

slope-area method to be 21, 400 cfs. Flooding was not severe on 

the main stem of the Big Blue River. About 8 miles of railroad 

track was washed out on the Lincoln-Beatrice line of the Union 

Pacific, and the basements of 17 homes in Beatrice were flooded. 

Two lives were lost when an automobile was swept from a highway 

between Beatrice and Wilber.

The Nemaha River basin was largely outside the area of 

intense precipitation and flooding was not great. A crest discharge 

of 26, 300 cfs occurred at Falls City at 10:30 p. m., May 9. A 

total of 20, 000 acres was flooded, 5 towns were moderately 

flooded, but no lives were lost in the basin.

Early on the morning of June 2, thunderstorms broke out in 

Madison, Boone, and Platte Counties. Heaviest precipitation 

was centered on the headwaters of Shell Creek and another center 

only slightly less intense occurred on the headwaters of Union 

Creek. Figure 56 is anisohyetal map of Shell Creek basin, showing 

total precipitation, in inches, June 1-2, 1950. Flash floods developed quickly on these two streams and resulted in considerable 

damage to agricultural lands and small towns.

Shell Creek at Newman Grove reached a crest discharge of 

11, 600 cfs at 5:30 a. m., June 2. By the time the crest reached 

the gaging station near Columbus at 12:30 p. m., June 3, valley 

storage had reduced the peak discharge to 5, 970 cfs.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF FLOODS 359

FIGURE 55. U. S. Highway 73-75 north of Auburn inundated by Little Nemaha 

River, May 8-9. Photo by State Journal Printing Co.

EXPLANATION

 -zPrecipitation, in inches

a Miles

FIGURE 56. Isohyetal map of Shell Creek basin in Nebraska, showing total 

! precipitation, in Inches, June 1-2, 1850.

238744 O - 53 - 3
360 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Union Creek at Madison inundated much of the town on June 

2 and had apeak discharge of 15, 700 cfs from a drainage area of 

167 square miles. A 'normally dry tributary to Union Creek just 

south of Madison had a discharge of 2, 560 cfs from 2. 5 square 

miles.

Heavy runoff also developed on Beaver Creek. A peak discharge of 4, 570"cfs occurred at 11 a. m. , June 2, at theLoretto 

gaging station. It is greatly in excess of any previous discharges 

observed during the 6 years of record at this station. The crest 

arrived at the Genoa gaging station at 10 p. m. the same day. The 

peak discharge at this point was 8, 470 cfs, or more than twice as 

great as the maximum previously recorded in 10 years of station 

operation.

On the afternoon of July 8, scattered showers and thunderstorms developed in eastern Nebraska. By midnight torrential 

rains had fallen, with the greatest amounts centered in the area 

near York on the headwaters of West Fork Big Blue River. 

Figure 57 is an isohyetal map of southeastern Nebraska and northeastern Kansas, and,figure 58 is a graph showing cumulative precipitation at Yorkforthe storm of July 8-9. Another storm center 

associated with the same disturbance was south and west near 

Jewell, Kans.; it resulted in heavy precipitation falling on certain 

tributaries to the Republican River between Bloomington and Hardy.

The most intense flood flows developed on tributaries to West 

Fork Big Blue River in the vicinity of York (fig. 57). Residential 

and business sections of York were badly flooded by Beaver Creek, 

and rural homes in the low-lying areas were damaged. At Beaver 

Crossing almost the entire business district and a large part of 

the residential area were inundated (fig. 59). An unnamed tributary to West Fork Big Blue River about 6 miles south of York 

produced 23, 000 cfs from a drainage area of 6. 93 square miles, 

computed by the slope-area method. Another tributary a little 

farther south produced 15, 200 cfs from an area of 17.2 square 

miles.

The West Fork Big Blue River crested at Dorchester on July 

10 at a peak discharge of 49, 400 cfs. At Crete on the main stem 

of the Big Blue River the peak discharge was reduced by valley 

storage to 27, 600 cfs, the crest occurring at 1 p. m., July 10. 

The lower parts of Crete were flooded and serious damage extended 

downstream below Beatrice. At the Barneston gaging station the 

flow was confined to the banks of the stream. The floods at York, 

Beaver Crossing, and Crete were greater than any others known 

there. At Beatrice and points downstream greater floods have 

been known in the past.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF FLOODS 361

FIGURE 57. Isohyetal map of southeastern Nebraska and northeastern Kansas, 

showing total precipitation, in inches, July 8-9, 1950.

The stortn of July 8 also produced heavy runoff in the lower 

Loup River basin. Beaver Creek (fig. 56) at the Genoa gaging 

station had a peak discharge of 9,100 cfs on July 9, thus breaking 

the newly established record of June 2. Loup River at Columbus 

crested at 2 a. m., July 10, at a discharge of 42, 100 cfs.

On July 18, disturbances again moved into central Nebraska. 

These, with antecedent conditions resulting from lesser storms 

on July 12, 15-16, again produced heavy runoff in the lower Loup 

River and Shell Creek basins. Shell Creek at Newman Grove 

reached a crest discharge of 12,000 cfs at 1 p. m., July 18. This 

was slightly greater than that of the flood of June 2. Cedar River
362 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

I

r 7

7p.m

1

Storm total 13.15 in.

8 9 

MAY 8

10 II 12 lam 

TIME, IN HOURS

2 3 

MAY 9

FIGURE 58. Graph showing cumulative precipitation, In inches, at York, Nebr.,

for July 8-9, 1950.

at the Fuller-ton gaging station reached a crest discharge o f 

10, 100 cfs at 1:30 a. m., July 19, thereby exceeding the previous 

maximum of 9, 760 cfs for the period of record covering 1931-32, 

1940-50. Beaver Creek, having already set two new record discharges during these summer floods at the Genoa gaging station, 

reached a crest discharge of 21,200 cfs at 2:30 a. m., July 19, 

which was far in excess of the previous record-breaking 9,100 cfs 

established only 10 days earlier. Figure 60 shows damage to 

State Highway 39 near Genoa.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF FLOODS 363

tr.

FIGUBE 59. Beaver Crossing flooded by Beaver Creek, July 9. Photo by Corps

of Engineers.

FIGURE 60. State Highway 39 near Genoa damaged by Beaver Creek, July 19. 

Photo by Genoa Times-Leader.
364 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

FLOOD DAMAGES

At least 24 lives were lost as a result of the flood? of MayJuly 1950. Twenty-three known deaths resulted from the flood of 

May8-9, and one was caused by the flood of July 8-10. Muchofthis 

loss of life occurred when automobiles were trapped by the rapidly 

rising waters and swept from the highways.

Immediately after the floods, surveys of flood damage were 

begun by the Corps of Engineers and the Soil Conservation 

Service. The intensity of field work done in these surveys was 

proportional to the magnitude of individual storms.

The tabulation of flood damage by basins, shown in table 1, 

,was abstracted from material furnished by the Missouri River 

Division, Corps of Engineers.

Table 1. --Estimates of flood damage to property

Location

Flood of May 8-9, 1950

Little Nemaha River

North Fork Little Nemaha River

Spring Creek

South Fork Little Nemaha River

Muddy Creek

Hooper Creek

Nemaha River (main stem)

South Fork Nemaha River

Turkey Creek

Yankee Creek

Baker Creek

Weeping Water Creek

Salt Creek

Flood of June 2-3, 1950

Union. Creek

Beaver Creek (of Loup River)

Shell Creek

Acreage 

inundated

32,000

5,000

500

8,000

900

400

7,300

1,600

3,800

600

600

a/

I/

60, 700

a/

a/

a/

Flood 

damage

$5,006, 000

913, 500

84, 400

988, 700

80, 500

75, 500

1,068,400

86, 600

203, 700

34, 900

82,300

806, 100

2, 880, 300

$12,310,900

$42, 000

22, 300

450, 600

$ 514, 900
FLOOD DAMAGES 365

Table 1. --Estimates of flood damage to property--Continued.

Location

Flood of July 8-10, 1950

Big Blue River

Lincoln Creek

West Fork Big Blue River (main

stem)

West Fork Big Blue River

(Beaver Creek)

Big Indian Creek

Little Blue River

Rose Creek

Flood of July 18, 1950

Shell Creek

Plum Creek

Grand total

Acreage 

inundated

30, 100

4,300

16,300

5, 300

3,800

8,900

3, 300

72,000

a/

11

132, 700

Flood 

damage

$468, 400

21, 300

734, 200

484, 200

39, 200

79, 400

62, 700

$1,889,400

68, 800

304, 800

$15,088, 800

a/ Not available as this was written.

Agricultural and land damages caused by the flood of M ay 

8-9 presented in table 2 were extracted from the Department of 

Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service Report "Floodwater and 

sediment damages in southeast Nebraska resulting from storm of 

May 8-9, 1950. " In its report the Soil Conservation Service defines agricultural damage as damage to crops and pasture, stored 

grain and hay, farm improvements, livestock, and general cleanup costs; and land damage as erosion, harmful deposit ion of sediments, and swamping on bottomlands.

The tabulations for agricultural damage may duplicate to 

some extent certain items included in table 1. Similar information 

relating to agricultural and land damage is not available for subsequent floods in June and July.
366 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Table 2. --Agricultural and land damage caused by flood of 

May 8-9, 1950

Location

Salt Creek

Little Nemaha River

Nemaha River

Weeping Water Creek

Big Blue River

Platte River tributaries

Missouri River tributaries.

Total

Agricultural 

damage

$230, 384

944, 306

189,033

120, 156

175,639

7, 749

5, 171

$1, 672,438

Land 

damage

$9,028, 561

12, 218,679

3, 094,011

6, 113, 548

14, 227,078

1,891,963

1, 575, 644

$48, 149,484

Total

$9, 258, 945

13, 162, 985

3, 283, 044

6, 233, 704

14,402, 717

1,899, 11?.

1, 580,815

$49,821, 92r

METEOROLOGIC CONDITIONS 

Prepared by the staff of the United States Weather Bureau

Storm of May 8-9, 1950, in the basins of the Nemaha and Little 

Nemaha Rivers and Salt Creek

The rains over southeastern Nebraska on May 8, 1950, resulted in part from the lifting of warm moist air over polar air, 

and in part from instability showers in the cold air, intensified by 

the approach and passage of a developing cyclone.

Early on the afternoon of May 7 an intense low-pressure area 

on the eastern coast of Canada dominated the circulation westward 

to Hudson Bay. The polar front extended southwestward, from the 

low,skirting the New England coast, then across southern Pennsylvania to southern Kansas where it became a warm front that extended into another low in eastern Utah. A huge area of rain, snow, 

drizzle, and showers stretched northward from the warm front, 

covering parts of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota , 

western Nebraska, and the northwest corner of Kansas. The 

north-central part of the United States was under the influence of 

a well-developed polar high centered in Canada north-northeast of 

Minnesota. In the southeast, a nose of the warm Bermuda high 

projected over the States from Florida to Texas. Byl2: 30 a. m., 

local time, May 8, the warm front had advanced northward to the 

southern border of Nebraska. Surface winds north of the front 

were from the east; south of the front the winds were from the 

southwest. Aloft, the flow of air from the southwest over southern 

Nebraska indicated that the warm air was being lifted over the 

polar air. Showers fell over the Nemaha and Little Nemaha Rivers 

and Salt Creek in the early morning hours, but the amounts of rain
METEOROLOGIC CONDITIONS 367

were moderate. During the next 6 hours a wave formed in the 

northwest corner of Kansas. An inverted V-trough developed 

northward from the peak of the wave through the central part of 

the Great Plains. The precipitation area spread rapidly eastward 

with this development, and showers and thunderstorms broke out 

over most of eastern Nebraska.

The trough inched eastward and became more pronounced 

during the following 6 hours. The cold front of the wave moved 

slowly southeastward, and the precipitation over southeastern 

Nebraska, just ahead of the warm front, took the form of drizzle. 

In the evening, however, thunderstorms began again as the peak 

of the wave advanced directly across the Nemaha River and Salt 

Creek region. The thunderstorm activity was intensified by the 

development of a cyclonic circulation near the tip of the wave. 

At several recorder stations, these were the heaviest rains of the 

storm period and occurred between 5 p. m. and midnight of the 

8th. Dawson, for example, reported 2.23 inches in the 3 hours 

from 9 to 12 p.m. Of the 4. 17 inches recordedat Pawnee City, 

1.68 inches fell in a single hour, from 10 to 11 p.m. Syracuse 

showed a total of 5. 59 inches for the 5-hour period from 5 to 10 

p.m. More than 2 inches fell in the second hour of this period, 

and 1.85 inches fell in the last hour.

As the cold front crossed the southeastern corner of Nebraska, 

l.he rains at many stations continued beyond midnight into the early 

morning of the 9th.

Storm of June 2, 1950, in the basins of Shell Creek and 

tributaries of Elkhorn River.

The precipitation that occurred over northeastern Nebraska 

'n the early hours of June 2 was in the form of showers and thunder- 

 'torms, preceding and accompanying the passage of a cold front.

At 12:30 a. m., local time, June l,a high-pressure area centered over southwestern Missouri was bringing a deep layer of 

varm moist air up from the Gulf of Mexico. Several thunderstorms occurring in the southern part of that State attested to the 

: nstability of the incoming air. The circulation over northeastern 

Nebraska, however, under the influence of a strong low in southcentral Canada, was from the west.

Twelve hours later, as the Missouri high-pressure area moved 

eastward, the circulation over Nebraska shifted so that it came 

"rom the south, and dewpoints started to rise. Showers were be- 

?inning in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. At 6:30 p.m. on 

the 1st, a cold front began developing about 250 miles northwest of 

Norfolk (Madison County), Nebr. Clouds were building up to considerable heights in advance of the front.

238744 O - 53 - 4
368 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

In another 6 hours the cold front had moved within 100 miles 

of Norfolk. Thunderstorms broke out in northeastern Nebraska 

where the flow of air was now from the southwest. Showers anc1 

thunderstorms were also reported behind the front. As the front 

continued its slow advance, thunderstorms persisted in the northeastern corner of Nebraska. By 6:30 a. m. June 2, the cold front 

was just past Norfolk, and the flow of air at the surface was frone 

the northwest. During the 6-hour period from 12:30 a. m. to 6:3C 

a. m. 1. 95 inches of rain fell at Norfolk. More than half of this 

amount fell between 3 and 4 a. m., e. s. t.

Meadow Grove and Madison, also in Madison County, received 

1.47 inches and 3.29 inches of rainfall, respectively. In Platte 

County, Columbus received 1. 14 inches, and Humphrey received 

3. 95 inches. Albion in Boone County received 2. 94 inches.

It should be noted that in a thunderstorm like this, only by 

chance would the heaviest rainfall occur at an official measuring 

station.

Showers and thunderstorms continued in some parts of northeastern Nebraska for another 3 hours. The winds to greater 

depths became northwesterly and all precipitation ended in northeastern Nebraska.

Storm of July 8-9, 1950, centered around York, Nebr.

One of the prime factors causing the heavy rains in eastern 

Nebraska was the flow of warm moist air in great depth from the 

Gulf of Mexico throughout the storm period and for a full day preceding it. Another important contributing factor was the cyclonic 

circulation that developed near the storm area.

During the entire storm period and the day before, a large 

high-pressure area dominated the easternhalf of the United States. 

The air that flowed over eastern Nebraska had a long trajectory over 

the Gulf of Mexico from July 7 through the 9th. From early morning 

on the 8th to morning of the 9th, the flow of air to levels as high 

as 10, 000 feet was from a southerly or southwesterly direction, 

also bringing in moist air. A lee-of-the mountain trough, which 

had developed in eastern Montana early on the afternoon of the 6th, 

remained stationary until late on the 7th, when it started moving 

eastward very slowly.

On the morning of July 8 the trough extended southward from 

the western border of North Dakota to eastern Colorado. Blocked 

by the high over the East, the trough continued to make exceedingly 

slow progress eastward for the next 24hours. At 12:30 p.m., local
METEOROLOGIC CONDITIONS 369

time, a center of low pressure appeared to be forming in that 

part of the trough lying in western South Dakota. Scattered 

showers and thunderstorms had developed in eastern Nebraska 

by this time.

By 6 p.m. Grand Island, about 40 miles west of York, had 

received 2. 91 inches of rain. The low that first appeared in 

western South Dakota had moved southward and now lay in western 

Nebraska. In the 2 hours from 7 to 9 p. m., 2. 60 inches of rain 

fell at York, 2. 30 inches of it having fallen in a single hour. In 

the next hour, from 9 to 10 p. m., an additional 4. 99 inches was 

reported at York. These large amounts occurred as the trough 

neared York, having arrived just west of Grand Island at 8: 30 

p.m. By this time the low, with its cyclonic circulation more 

pronounced, was in northwestern Kansas.

By midnight, York had accumulated a total of 11.59 inches of 

rainfall, Albion 4.21, Grand Island 4. 65. Showers and thunderstorms continued through eastern Nebraska during the early morning hours of the 9th. The circulation both at upper levels and the 

surface shifted on the 9th, however, so that the air came from a 

more southeasterly direction with a trajectory over land, rather 

than from the Gulf, and was therefore drier.

By 6 a. m. on the 9th the heavy rains had stopped at most 

stations, although the trough continued its slow eastward movement. About no on the trough lay almost directly over York. 

During the next 12 hours the trough slowly retreated to its original 

position on the western border of Nebraska. Although drizzle was 

reported at a number of stations in eastern Nebraska during this 

time, the torrential rains were over.

Storm of July 18, 1950, over the Loup River basin

The rains that fell over the Loup River basin on July 18 resulted from instability in the warm air over that region. A cyclonic development to the southwest of the area was a contributing 

factor.

Early on the afternoon of the 17th a high that was centered off 

the Georgia coast dominated the southeastern United States as far 

west as Arkansas. A cold front extended from alow north of Lake 

Michigan southwestward through the northwest corner of Missouri, 

thence across central Kansas and the Texas Panhandle into a small 

low in southeastern New Mexico. Behind the front a high, which 

had moved down from Montana, was centered over western Nebraska. Winds over the Loup River basin were light and skies 

were clear.
370 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

By midnight (local time) on the 17th, the low in New Mexico had 

deepened somewhat and the high had moved east of Nebraska. The 

northward flow of air on the east side of the low became stronger, with 

the result that the front began retreating as a warm front. Thunderstorms and showers broke out in the Texas Panhandle, in New 

Mexico and Kansas; lightning was reported in Nebraska at Burwell. 

In the early morning hours of the 18th, thunderstorms arose in 

southern and central Nebraska as the warm front moved northward into the southern part of the State. A small new low appeared in western Nebraska at this time. By 6:30 a. m. on the 

18th, rain was reported throughout the State north of the front that 

lay just south of the Loup River basin.

As the day progressed, the low in New Mexico extended itself 

northward until it finally merged with the low in western Nebraska. 

The increased cyclonic turning of the winds over the Loup River 

basin added to the instability of the air, and intensified the thunderstorm and shower activity. By noon Albion reported 2. 14 inches 

of rain, and Spalding reported 2. 13 inches.

Early in the afternoon the merged low started moving slowly 

eastward, and thunderstorms continued until the low arrived east 

of the Loup River basin about 9 p.m. By thistime Ericson. 

Greeley, and Loup City had rainfalls of more than 2 inches. 

Arcadia, Comstock, Genoa, Loup City, and Ordhad each received 

more than 1^ inches.

The high-pressure area again moved into central Nebraska 

from the northwest during the night, and by morning of the 19th 

winds had become light, and the skies cleared.

MEASUREMENT OF FLOOD DISCHARGES

Operations at gaging stations consist principally in determining 

a stage-discharge relation from which, under the conditions of a 

stable channel and a known stage, the discharge can be calculated. 

Many gaging stations in Nebraska are on streams with sandy beds, 

and because of almost continuous scour and fill the relation between stage and discharge is unstable. In order to determine the 

discharge for any known stage it therefore becomes necessary to 

make adjustments to the stage by an amount equal to the average 

scour or fill indicated by frequent current-meter discharge measurements.

Owing to widespread overflow or other adverse conditions related to the floods it was not possible to obtain current -meter 

measurements at all gaging stations or at all points at which 

measurement of peak discharge was desired. Determinations of 

maximum flow at such places have been based chiefly on
STAGES AND DISCHARGES AT STREAM GAGING STATIONS 371

computation of flow from slope-area observations, computation 

of flow through contracted openings, computation of flow over 

highway or railway embankments, and, at gaging stations, by 

extension of the rating curve. Examples of and general information about the use of these methods, with special references 

to the conditions experienced by the Geological Survey in applying them to various severe floods, are given in Water -Supply 

Papers 773-E, 796-G, 798, 799, 800, 816, 843, and 888.

STAGES AND DISCHARGES AT STREAM-GAGING STATIONS 

Explanation of data

The basic data systematically collected at s t r eam-gaging 

stations consist of records of stage, measurements of discharge, 

and general information useful in determining the daily flow from 

the records of gage heights and discharge measurements. The 

records of stage are obtained either by periodic direct readings 

on a nonrecording gage or by a water-stage recorder that provides a continuous graph of stage. Measurements of discharge 

are generally made by a current meter. Occasionally, determination of extraordinary peak flows must be made by auxiliary methods referred to in the preceding section of this report.

The data tabulated on the following pages for each streamgaging station are as follows: a description of the station; a table 

showing the daily discharges throughout the 3-month period May 

to July 1950; and a table showing the stage and discharge at the 

indicated time during the periods of major flood flow, in sufficient 

detail to permit reliable definition of the flood hydrograph. The 

data are intended to include all essential information, although 

they are presented in concise form.

The description of the station gives information concerning the 

type, location, and datum of the gage, the area of the drainage 

basin, information concerning the gage-height and discharge records, information on maxima, and pertinent miscellaneous remarks. A statement regarding the stage-discharge relation explains briefly the method used in defining the rating curve throughout the range of stage occurring in the floods of May-July 1950, 

as well as in the previous maximum flood of record, and gives 

information on conditions that affected the stage-discharge relation. The description also includes information about other 

auxiliary methods used in obtaining the discharge. The maximum 

stage and discharge at the gaging station are given for the floods 

of May-July 1950 and for the indicated period of record prior thereto, and at some stations for floods antedating such period of record.
372 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

The table of daily discharges presents the data generally for 

May, June, and July, which cover not only the period of the flood 

but also a time of sufficient length before and after the peak to 

show the relation of the flood discharges to the discharges of the 

preceding and following periods, thus giving a general perspective 

of the stream-flow conditions before, during, and after the flood 

rise. The table shows the monthly mean discharge for the 3 

months, and the volume of runoff expressed in acre-feet.

The tables showing stage and discharge at indicated times are 

designed to present the rise and recession of the floods in detail,. 

Not all stations were affected by each flood, and therefore the 

tables are not uniform in time.

Gage heights were obtained from records of continuous waterstage recorders, so far as such records were available. For 

stations at which the records were incomplete because of failure 

of the recording system, the method of computing the missing 

periods is explained in the section of the description concerning 

gage heights or discharge. For stations at which the gage-height 

record consisted of only one or more manual gage readings per 

day, the stages at indicated times generally represent such readings, unless otherwise explained.

Records are presented in downstream order. Records for 

gaging stations on the main streams are presented first, in downstream order, and then stations ontributaries in similar order 

beginning with the uppermost. Records of gaging stations published in this report relate to streams on which floods occurred 

and for those streams on the fringe of the flooded area.
FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA 373

Missouri River main stem 

Missouri River at Omaha, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 41°15'40". long. SS'SS'IS", in sec. 23, T. 15 N., R. 13 E., at Ak-Sar-Ben Bridge 

in Omaha. Datum of gage is 958. 24 ft above mean sea level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. --322, 800 sq mi.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima.--May-July 1950: Discharge, 96, 900 cfs 3 a. m. June 20 (gage height, 14.00ft).

1928 to April 1950: Discharge, 200, 000 cfs Apr. 12, 1943; gage height, 22. 45 ft April 13, 1943. 

Maximum stage known, 24.65ft, present datum, Apr. 25, 1881 (ice jam).

Remarks. --Flow partly regulated by Fort Peck Reservoir.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

70, 300

63,200

58,900

55, 100

54, 800

54, 400

51,400

51,400

57,600

58, 500

June

33, 900

39,400

33, 900

32, 500

33, 600

33,600

31,800

30, 700

30, 700

31,800

July

63,600

59, 800

60, 600

68,500

69,400

59,300

53, 200

50,600

52, 500

47,600

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

59, 800

78,500

79, 500

71,600

67,600

62,700

56, 800

53,600

52, 900

57,600

June

34, 30C

41, 20(

45, 80(

35, 70C

39, 80C

48, 40C

43, 90C

63, 20(

91. 20C

92, 40(

July

49, 100

58, 90C

59, 30C

51, 40C

53, 60C

62, 30C

54, OOC

53, 20C

55, 10C

52, 50(

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Runoff, in thousand acre-feet. .......................................

May

59, 300

50, 600

47,600

45, 000

47,600

41,600

41, 200

38,300

38,300

38,300

35,400

M oon

3,371

June

68,000

57,600

52, 900

49, 100

45,400

47, 200

61,900

68,000

71,600

69,400

-

2,894

July

55, 900

58,000

53, 200

50,600

52, 100

49, 100

46, 900

44, 600

42,800

41,200

40, 900

3,312

Missouri River at Nebraska City, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 40°40'35". long. 95°50'10", in SW£ sec. 10, T. 8 N., R. 14 E., at Waubonsie Highway 

bridge at Nebraska City. Datum of gage is 903. 94 ft above mean sea level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. --414, 400 sq mi.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control method used.

Maxima. May-July 1950: Discharge, 147, 000 cfs 4:30 a. m. May 9 (gage height, 18.60ft).

1929 to April 1950: Discharge, 214,000 cfs June 14, 1944; gage height, 25.8 ft Mar. 6, 1949 

(ice jam).

Remarks. --Flow partly regulated by Fort Peck Reservoir.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

90,300

77, 200

70,800

65, 100

67,200

62,500

59.600

58, 600

117,000

88,700

June

42, 300

42, 800

50, 100

53, 600

52, 300

50, 100

44, 400

39, 800

41,000

38, 100

July

68,200

62,000

59,600

63, 500

68.-800

62, 500

57, 600

54, 400

55,400

57, 200

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

74, 500

88,700

96, 100

88,700

80,800

74, 500

68,200

63,500

61,500

64,000

June

.39, 80C

40, 60(

58, 60(

43, 60C

41, 90C

47, 00(

47, OOC

51, 40(

89, 80(

98, 80(

July

70, 30C

82, 90C

84, OOC

65, 10C

61, OOC

77, 20C

70, 80C

62, 50C

71. 90C

98, 30C

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

80

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs. .....................................

Runoff, in thousand acre-feet. ..........',............................

May

75,000

70,300

57, 200

54,000

58,100

52, 700

49. 200

44,400

44, 400

47, 900

45, 300

68, 260

4,197

June

84,000

66,100

63,000

57, 200

49,600

47. 000

56, 200

66,600

7"3, 000

74, 000

-

54.990

3,272

July

81,900

78,700

75,000

65,600

71,400

64, 000

57, 200

53, 100

51,000

48, 300

51,000

66, 140

4,067
374 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Missouri River at Rule, Nebr.

Location. Lat 40°03'15". long. 95°25'15", in NW^NWi sec. 17, T. IN., R. 18 E., at C., B. & Q.

 R. R. bridge at Rule, 80 ft upstream from U. S. Highway 159 bridge, 3. 2 miles upstream from 

Nemaha River, and 514.4 miles above mouth (1932 mileage). Datum of gage is 837. 23 ft above mean 

sea level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. 418, 905 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Graph drawn on basis of once-daily wire-weight gage readings and hourly gage 

readings during flood period of May 9 and 10. Crest gage height was observed.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements made at approximately 5-day intervals. Shifting-control method used throughout. Gage heights used to hall tenths.

Maxima. May-July 1950: Discharge, 172, 000 cfs 6 a. m. May 10 (gage height, 21.55ft).

 1949 to July 1950: Discharge, 185,000 cfs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Apr. 29, 1950; gage height, 

21.6 ft from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Apr. 30, 1950.

Remarks. --Flow partly regulated by many reservoirs in the basin.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

3

5

8

May

118,000

93, 400

76, 300

72, 000

70, 600

71,000

67, 400

67, 800

137,000

162,000

June

47, 600

43,800

50, 500

47, 200

55, 400

52, 400

49. 400

43, 400

56, 100

41,600

July

78, 200

70, 100

64, 700

67, 400

74, 800

73, 900

64, 700

58, 900

56, 100

59, 700

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

I May

116,000

89, 700

106,000

100,000

88, 700

82, 200

74, 800

69, 200

65, 600

66,000

June

39,000

38,000

39, 300

56. 100

44, 400

46, 600

51,600

49, 400

85, 200

101,000

July

65,600

69, 200

101,000

82, 700

66, 000

85, 200

87, 700

74, 400

64, 300

80, 700

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in thousand acre-feet. .......................................

| May78, 700

78, 700

69, 200

63, 000

67, 400

68,800

58, 900

50, 100

52, 000

58, 500

55, 000

4,947

June

92, 900

75, 800

64, 700

63,800

59, 700

51.600

53, 500

70, 100

79, 700

83, 700

-

3,438

July)

89, 700

77. 200

74, 400

68,800

66, 500

73, 900

63,400

57, 300

52, 800

49, 800

50. 500

69 990

4,303

Platte River basin 

Platte River near Grand Island, Nebr.

Location. -Lat 40-53'. long. 98°17', in sec. 36, T. UN., R. 9 W., at bridge on U. S. Highway 34 

2 miles upstream from Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad bridge and 5 miles southeast of 

Grand Island.

Drainage area. 59, 500 sq mi.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. May-July 1950: Discharge, 4, 310 cfs 3:30 a. m. May 9 (gage height, 3. 60 ft).

1933 to April 1950: Discharge, 30, 000 cfs June 6, 1935, from rating curve extended above 

14, 000 cfs; gage height, 6. 03 ft Mar. 4, 1949 (backwater from ice).

Remarks. -Natural now of stream affected by transmountain diversions, storage reservoirs power 

aras°PmentS' grOUnd'water withdrawals and diversions for irrigation, and return How from irrigated

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

1,290

1,100

859

822

1,050

1,220

1,200

2,600

3,670

2,710

June

2,490

1,960

1,550

1,480

1,310

1,200

1,140

896

616

525

July

199

183

302

234

335

175

136

147

1,500

1,670

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

2,280

2,340

2,280

1,720

1,570

1,250

1,100

1,200

1,520

1,400

June

466

386

273

412

412

495

649

766

525

466

July

896

569

438

386

293

253

412

348

302

244

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. .................................................

May

1,480

1,520

1,380

1,100

1,080

1,100

1,220

1,570

2,740

2,580

3.000

103,000

June

466

569

510

425

466

466

466

412

335

263

-

746

44. 420

July

273

244

904

1.220

915

749

733

822

803

699

840

556

34,160
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 375

Platte River near Grand Island, Nebr. -Continued 

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

10p

12

i

8

N

4

8

12

Gage 

height Discharge

May 7

2.70

2.72

1,160

1,200

May 8

2.83

2.93

3.07

3.27

3.52

3.58

1, 573

1,830

2,220

3,000

4,000

4,230

Hour

3:30

8

N

6

12

6

6

Gage 

height Discharge

May 9

3.60

3.51

3.42

3.31

3.19

4,310

3,960

3,630

3,240

2,840

May 10

3.09

3.18

2, 520

2,800

Hour

9:30

10

11

12

2

4

8

N

4

Gage 

height Discharge

July 8

2.05

2.35

2.60

2.68

82

361

733

878

July 9

2.78

2.75

2.85

2.88

3.06

1,160

1, 100

1, 310

1, 380

1,830

Hour

7:30

12

4

10

6

12

N

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9 ( con. )

3.14

3.10

2, 05U

1,940

July 10

3.04

3.08

2.92

2.84

,800

i,910

1,500

1. 310

July ll"

2.70

2.60

 896

716

Platte River near Duncan, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 41°22', long. 97°29', in sec. 12, T. 16 N., R. 2 W., at highway bridge, l| miles south 

of Duncan and 12 miles upstream from Loup River. Datum of gage is 1, 478. 55 ft above mean sea 

level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. --61, 600 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except 5 a. m. May 6 to 6 p. m. May 7 when there 

was no gage-height record, and July 10, 11 when graph was partly estimated.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. --May-July 19DO: Discharge, 4, 150 cfs 1:15 p.m. May 10 (gage height, 3. 10 ft). 

1895-1915, 1928 to April 1950: Discharge observed, 51, 100 cfs June 23, 1905.

Remarks. --Natural flow of stream affected by transmountain diversions, storage reservoirs, power 

developments, ground-water withdrawals and diversions for irrigation, and return flow from irrigated 

areas.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

1,290

1,430

1, 340

1,020

1,070

1,200

1,400

1,980

2,410

3,970

June

3, 000

3,020

2, 350

1,910

1,640

1, 380

1,240

832

808

720

July

261

214

273

298

285

198

208

160

600

1,680

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

3,170

2,740

2, 520

2, 390

2, 100

1,870

1,430

1,320

1,500

1,700

June

621

502

350

330

402

395

468

698

676

709

July

2,200

2, 240

1, 910

1 980

1,680

1,270

1,020

953

1,020

858

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs . . ..................................

Runoff, in acre-feet. ................................................

May

1,850

1,910

1.750

1,810

1, 550

1, 530

1,510

1,550

1,830

2,350

2,930

1,885

115,900

June

550

442

402

493

493

324

350

372

395

318

_

873

51,950

July

643

621

590

676

1,500

1,530

1,410

1, 360

1,130

1,150

1,070

1,000

61,460

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time. 1950

Hour

6p

4a

6

9

5

8

9

2a

4p

8

12

Gage 

height Discharge

May 7

2.19 1,590

May 8

2.20

2.41

2.48

2.41

2.47

2.42

1,600

2, OCO

2,140

2,000

2,120

2,020

May 9

2.42

2.55

2.71

2.92

2,120

2,390

2,740

3,250

Hour

4a

8

1:15

12

6

N

4

8

2

N

6

12

Gage 

height Discharge

May 10

3.05

3.07

3.10

2.94

4,000

4,060

4,150

3,680

May 11

2.86

2.76

2.72

2.75

3,300

3,050

2,950

3,020

May 12

2.81

2.63

2.55

2.60

3,100

2,670

2, 500

2,610

Hour

9p

12

4

8

10

2

8

12

2

6

N

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 8

1.38

1.46

132

170

July 9

1.65

1.80

1.84

1.78

1.94

1.98

468

610

654

590

770

820

July 10

2.23

2.36

2.42

2.54

1,390

1,620

1,740

1,960

Hour

6

2

7

12

6

N

6

12

N

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 11

2.62

2.72

2.66

2.72

2,120

2,320

2,200

2,320

July 12

2.68

2.67

2.71

2.60

2,240

2,220

2,300

2,080

July 13

2.48

2.59

1,830

2,040

238744 O - 53 - 5
376 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Platte River at North Bend, Nebr.

Location, --bat 41°27'10", long. 96°45'50", in SEj sec. 7, T. 17 N., R. 6 E., at bridge on State Highway 

79, 1 mile south of North Bend and 5 miles downstream from Shell Creek.

Gage-height record. --Graph drawn on basis of twice-daily wire-weight gage readings and occasional 

readings by engineers.

Discharge records. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements below 19, 000 cfs 

and extended to peak stage. Shifting-control method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 25, 000 cfs 5 p. m. July 12 (gage height, 5. 3 ft, from graph based 

on gage readings).

April 1949 to April 1950: Discharge, 21, 000 cfs June 2, 1949; gage height, 6. 0 ft March 8, 1950, 

from graph based on gage readings (backwater from ice).

On June 24, 1947 peak discharge was about 90, 000 cfs (estimated on basis of peak discharge near 

Ashland and Loup River at Columbus).

Remarks. --Natural flow of stream affected by transmountain diversions, storage reservoirs, power 

developments, ground water withdrawals and diversions for irrigation, and return flow from irrigated 

areas. Diurnal fluctuations from power plant on Loup River.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

4,070

4,160

3,700

3,700

4,070

3,730

4, 340

5,640

6, 920

6,960

June

5,290

5,220

10, 700

8,790

7, 240

4, 550

3,540

3,400

3,090

2,720

July

2,790

2,670

1, 830

2,040

2,420

2,580

2,420

2,420

3,040

16, 900

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

7,000

6,020

5,540

5,460

5, 540

4,940

5,000

4,970

4,610

7,360

June

2, 990

2,540

2,720

2,200

2,420

2,870

2,990

3,170

3,450

4, 520

July

12,500

15,000

12,700

9, 250-

7,320

6,280

6,320

9,750

19,600

13,900

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

7,080

5,120

4,850

4,610

4,430

4,370

4,250

4,760

5,180

^, 180

5,500

315, 500

June

3,670

2,870

2,630

2,540

2,490

2,220

2,310

2,100

2,140

2,580

-

218,100

July

9,800

8,480

7,280

10,700

9,850

8,120

5,710

5,120

4, 280

4,370

3,560

7,387

454,200

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

12

4

8

10

2

6

10

2

6

10

2

6

10

Gage 

height Discharge

June 2

2.13

J

3.18

3.94

4.05

3.97

4.00

3.83

J

3.47

3.42

3.40

3.27

3.08

2.91

4,340

une 3

8,340

12,100

12,700

12,300

12, 500

11, 500

une 4

9,700

9,450

9,350

8,740

7,890

7, 200

Hour

2

6

10

2

6

10

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

Gage 

height Discharge

June 5

2.97

3.16

3.23

2.89

2.60

2.52

1.40

3.50

5.10

4.86

4.52

4.32

4.31

7,440

8,250

8,560

7, 120

5,990

5,710

July 9

2,380

July 10

11,200

23,400

21, 500

19,100

17,800

17,800

Hour

4

8

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

5

8

12

4

8

N

Gage 

height Discharge

July 11

3.85

3.40

3.29

3.23

3.20

3.17

J

3.17

3.17

3.40

5.30

4.45

3.35

14, 800

12,200

11,600

11,300

11,200

11,000

uly 12

11,000

11, 000

12, 200

25,000

18,700

12,000

Julv 13

3.44

3.60

3.60

12, 500

13,400

13,400

Hour

4

8

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 13 (Con.)

3.50

3.40

2.60

12,800

12,200

July 18

8,250

July 19

J. ^5 4. : r5.20

5.22

4.95

4.55

4.22

3.90

3.65

3.38

3.15

3.10

13,100

19,400

24, 200

24,400

22,200

19,400

July 20

17,200

15,200

13,600

12,109

10, 900

10,600
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 377

Platte River near Ashland, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 41°03'30", long. 96°19'30", on line between sees. 29 and 32, T. 13 N., R. 10 E., at 

bridge on U. S. Highway 6, 100 ft downstream from Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad bridge, 

2 miles upstream from Salt Creek, and 3 miles northeast of Ashland. Datum of gage is 1, 052. 51 ft 

above mean sea level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. --83, 800 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 47, 900 cfs- 2:30 a. m. July 20 (gage height, 6. 30 ft).

1928 to April 1950: Discharge, 107, 000 cfs June 12, 1944, includes overbank flow caused by 

breaking of dikes; gage height, 8. 33 ft Mar. 5, 1936 (site then in use), ice jam. 

Flood of June 1944 is greatest since 1883 and possibly largest known.

Remarks. --Natural flow of stream affected by transmountain diversions, storage reservoirs, power 

developments, ground-water withdrawals and diversion for irrigation, and return flow from irrigated 

areas.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

6,050

6,450

6,050

5,590

5,740

5,440

4,970

5, 550

9,260

13, 300

June

7,320

7, 190

13,800

17,900

16,000

12,500

8, 160

6,940

6,450

5,590

July

3,000

2,950

2,870

2,430

2,480

3, 320

2,820

2,820

3, 320

16,400

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

13,000

12, 300

10,400

8,880

8,730

8,160

6,740

6,570

6,130

6,210

June

4,860

4, 970

3,840

4,020

3,490

3,240

3,600

4,860

6,780

7,240

July

14,400

13,600

18,800

13,400

10, 500

13,600

9,890

12,200

22, 800

33,600

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs. . . .... ..............................

Runoff, in acre -feet. ........................ .......... ...........

May

10, 900

7,980

7,720

7,190

6,940

6,210

5,900

5,860

6,130

6,330

6,980

7,537

463, 500

June

7,670

6,820

5,900

4, 830

4, 310

4, 150

3,600

3,320

3, 130

3,160

-

6, 521

388,000

July

21,800

20, 800

14,700

17,100

19,900

14, 500

10,500

9,370

7,410

6,210

6,370

11,410

701,900

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

4a

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 10

1.41

1.42

1.46

2.18

4.35

4.74

4.85

4.91

4.97

5.00

5.00

5.00

4.95

4.90

4.84

4.75

4.66

4.59

4.51

4.44

4.36

2,870

2,900

3,000

5,480

18,500

21,900

22,900

23,400

24,000

24, 300

24,300

24,300

23,900

23,400

22,900

22,200

21,400

20,800

20,200

19,600

19,000

Hour

2a

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

Gage

height Discharge

July 11

4.19

3.99

3.83

3.74

3.70

3.67

3.65

3.61

3.52

3.42

3.34

3.25

17,700

16,300

15, 200

14,600

14,400

14, 200

14,000

13,800

13,200

12,600

12,100

11,600

July 12

3.20

3.24

3.59

3.81

3.80

3.78

3.73

3.68

3.58

3.43

3.33

4.36

11, 300

11,500

13,600

15,100

15,000

14,900

14, 500

14, 200

13,600

12,700

12,100

19,000

Hour

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Gage

height

5.14

5.27

5.01

4.69

4.44

4.26

4.02

3.82

3.68

3.61

3.56

3.53

3.56

3.57

3.57

3.58

3.80

4.44

4.82

5.13

5.33

5.48

Discharge

July 1 3

25,600

26,800

24,400

21,600

19,600

18,300

16, 500

15,100

14, 200

13,800

13, 500

13,300

July 19

15,800

15, '-<nO

15, 900

16,000

17, 500

24,100

29,000

33, 500

36,100

37,800

Hour

10

11

12

1

2

2:30

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 19 (con.)

5.70

6.00

6.11

40,400

44,100

45,500

July 20

6.22

6.29

6.30

6.29

6.25

6.17

6.07

5.93

5.76

5.60

5.40

5.18

5.00

4.68

4.45

4.32

4.21

4.15

4.12

46,900

47,800

47,900

47, 800

47, 300

46,200

45,000

43, 200

41,100

39,200

36, 900

34,400

31,900

27, 600

24,800

23,300

22,200

21,600

21,400
378 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Wood River near Gibbon, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 40°46 I 10". long. 98°48'00", in NW| sec. 9, T. 9 N., R. 13 W. , at county bridge 

2j miles northeast of Gibbon.

Drainage area. --572 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except for period 9 a. m. June 6 to 9 a. m. June 13 

when no record was obtained.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used for low and medium stages May 1 to June 6, June 20 to July 4, July 11-31; rating curve 

used direct at high stages.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 1, 680 cfs 3 to 5 p. m. July 10 (gage height, 15. 74 ft). 

April 1949 to April 1950: Discharge, 1, 600 cfs June 9, 1949 (gage height, 15.63ft).

Remarks. --Flow during flood period not affected by irrigation diversions.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

6.2

6.6

6.7

6.8

7.8

7.4

8.0

18

12

25

June

42

27

18

15

12

8.4

8. 1

7.8

7.5

7.3

July

6.2

6.6

9. 3

66

34

28

14

9. 7

787

1, 540

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

16

9.5

8.7

9. 1

10

11

10

18

37

52

June I July

7.0

6.7

6.4

6.0

6.4

6.6

7.6

8.7

8.5

35

452

42

63

66

24

13

9.3

5.8

4.8

3.8

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. ...............................................

May

25

29

30

35

21

16

14

12

130

148

61

26.0

1,600

June

202

80

29

18

12

9. 1

7.6

8.2

6.8

6.4

-

21.0

1,250

July

4.0

13

102

382

70

42

210

68

19

8.0

4.6

132

8,150

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

Gage 

height Discharge

July a

8p 2.83

9 2.82

10

11

12

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

3.28

3.80

4.45

7.4

7.3

16

33

64

July 9

6.25

7. 32

8.79

11.00

12.68

13.57

14.32

14. 76

14.98

172

247

350

525

666

793

1,020

1, 170

1,250

Hour

9

12

3

6

9

N

3

5

6

9

12

3

6

Gage 

height

July

15-06

15. 1C

Discharge

9 (con. )

1,280

1, 300

July 10

15. 1£ 1,340

15.37 1,440

15.55 1,550

15.67 1,620

15.74

15.74

1,680

1.680

15.73 1,670

15. 6E 1,620

15.45 1,490

July 11

14.95 1,130

13.70 707

Hour

9

N

3

6

9

12

6

N

6

12

6

10

Gage 

height Discharge

July 11 (con. )

11.15 441

8.67 244

6.67 147

5.82 106

5.46 85

5.22 70

July 12

4.85 52

4. 58 39

4.38 31

4.20 25

July 13

4.06 21

4.00 19

Hour

11

N

3

6

9

12

6

N

6

12

N

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 13 (con.)

4.06 21

4.34 29

5.68 98

6.06 121

6.12 124

5.95 114

July 14

5.48 86

5.05 62

4.71 45

4.47 35

July 15

4.12 23

3.92 17
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 379

Prairie Creek near Silver Creek, Nebr.

Location. Lat 41°19'15". long. 97°41'40", in NW| sec. 29, T. 16 N., R. 3 W., about 200 ft downstream 

from bridge on State Highway 39, l| miles northwest of Silver Creek and about 11 miles upstream from 

mouth.

Drainage area. --406 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except 7 p. m. July 17 to 2 p. m. July 19 when no 

record was obtained.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 889 cfs 12 m. July 13 (gage height, 6.62 ft).

August 1949 to April 1950: Discharge, 127 cfs Sept. 12, 1949 (gage height, 3.03ft).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

17

17

17

17

18

17

17

22

42

38

June

28

30

28

23

23

21

16

13

12

11

July

13

13

13

19

18

16

15

14

50

109

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

56

78

57

42

34

28

25

23

27

25

June

11

11

9.2

10

9.4

9.6

24

54

90

58

July

104

353

862

810

752

512

285

180

200

161

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

23

22

60

175

84

52

41

37

35

32

28

38.9

2,390

June

46

42

51

55

33

22

18

16

15

14

-

26.7

1, 590

July

116

100

98

126

167

228

252

229

170

122

94

200

12, 300

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

8p

10

12

1

3

6

N

6

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 8

0.72 13

.76 14

1.00 20

July 9

1.13 23

1.19 25

1.34 30

1.73 46

2.18 66

2.76 97

Hour

4

8

N

6

12

6

N

6

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 10

3.00

3.08

3.01

2.91

2.81

112

118

113

106

100

July 11

2.74

2.81

2.96

3.22

96

100

109

128

Hour

6

9

N

3

6

9

12

3

6

N

6

12

Gage 1 

height 1 Discharge

July 12

3.51 154

3.77 177

4.30 229

5.20 358

6.08 603

6.38 742

6.50 810

July 13

6.54 836

6.56 849

6.62 889

6.60 875

6.56 849

Hour

N

6

N

6

12

N

12

N

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 14

6.49

6.46

804

787

July 1 5

6.42

6.38

6.27

764

742

686

July 16

5.83

5.32

515

382

July 17

4.79

4.13

290

211
380 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Middle Loup River at St. Paul, Nebr,

Location. --Lat 41°11'55". long. 98°26'50", in sec. 10, T. 14 N., R. 10 W., at St. Paul, 600ft

upstream from bridge on U. S. Highway 281 and 6 miles upstream from confluence with North Loup 

River. Datum of gage is 1, 776. 6 ft above mean sea level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. --7, 720 sq mi, of which only 3, 200 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except for period June 8-11 when no record was 

obtained. Record doubtful May 28, June 4-6, because of faulty intake operation.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shiftingcontrol method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 9, 600 cfs 11:30 a. m. July 9 (gage height, 6. 51 ft).

1895-97, 1899, 1903, 1928 to April 1950: Discharge, 72, 000 cfs June 23, 1947 (gage height, 

10. 69 ft).

Remarks. --Diversions above station for irrigation.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second. 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

1,230

1,070

1,160

1,140

1,450

1,530

1,460

1,450

1,810

1,700

June

1,010

1,020

995

956

870

799

744

740

730

700

July

670

700

788

788

846

918

834

810

6,510

4,830

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

1,240

1,120

1.30C

1,260

1, 17C

1,220

1,160

1, 10C

3,920

2,940

June

680

650

630

1,190

1,010

1,010

1,320

3,120

1, 900

1,230

July

2,480

2,660

1,500

1, 130

969

1,260

1,200

1,430

1,810

1,700

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. ................................................

May

2,440

1,810

1,290

1,020

1,090

1,090

1,220

1, 540

2,010

1,460

1,130

1,501

92,290

June

918

810

777

766

700

640

640

755

722

680

-

957

56, 950

July

1, 510

2,130

4,230

5,380

2,120

1,350

1,230

1 930

788

969

930

1,787

109,900

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

9p

10

11

12

1

2

3

5

7

9

10

11

Gage 

height Discharge

July 8

4.47

4.77

5.02

5.15

744

1, 120

1,490

2,150

July 9

5.40

5.60

5.56

5.50

5.58

5.67

5.89

6.40

2,910

3, 750

3,630

3,450

3,690

4, 120

5, 300

8,800

Hour

11:30

N

1

4

5

7

9

11

3

6

9

N

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9 (con. )

6.51

6.45

6.30

6.28

6.35

6.46

6.32

6.25

9,600

9,300

8,550

8,450

8,800

9,350

8,650

8,300

July 10

5.89

5.68

5.61

5.50

6,260

5,420

5,140

4,750

Hour

1

3

6

9

12

6

N

3

6:30

8:30

10

11

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 10 (con.)

5.58

5.52

5.25

5.18

5.04

4,860

4,640

3,750

3,540

3, 140

July 11

4.86

4.64

4.49

4.93

4.83

4.93

4.94

4.88

2,700

2,130

1,840

2,750

2,530

2,750

2,770

2,640

Hour

6

N

4

5

6

7

8

9:30

12

6

N

12p

Gage 

height Discharge

July 12

4.85 2,570

4.83 2,530

4.96 2,820

4.96 2,820

4.90 2,680

4.93 2,750

5.00 2,910

5.02 2,960

4.88 2,640

July 13

4.39 1,630

4.22 1,350

4.18 1,290
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 381

Loup River near Genoa, Nebr.

Location. Lat 41°25'05". long. 97°43'25", in NW^ sec. 25, T. 17 N., R. 4 W., 2 miles south of Genoa, 

3 miles upstream from Beaver Creek, and 6 miles downstream from diversion dam of Loup River 

Public Power District.

Drainage area. --14, 440 sq mi, of which only about 6, 000 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph. Record doubtful May 10-18, May 20 to June 1, 

because of faulty intake operation.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements except July 11,

13-18, 23-25, when control was extremely unstable. Shifting-control method used except during period 

of indefinite stage-discharge relation when discharge was computed on basis of estimated shift adjustments and records for station at Columbus.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 39, 300 cfs.at 12 m. July 3 (gage height, 7.92ft).

1928-32, 1943 to April 1950: Discharge, 90^ 000 cfs, June 23, 1947 (gage height, 10.12ft), from 

rating curve extended above 32, 000 cfs by logarithmic plotting.

Remarks. --Natural flow of stream affected by power developments, ground-water withdrawals and 

diversions for irrigation, and return flow from irrigated areas.

Records do not include flow of Loup River power canal which diverts at point 6 miles upstream and 

returns to Platte River below station (see p. 387).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

136

91

89

107

204

466

230

443

2,930

1,050

June

179

1, 360

1,420

455

295

198

165

176

171

154

July

79

57

100

116

67

70

74

68

25,600

14, 000

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

777

495

443

421

303

234

185

191

1,760

2,010

June

111

103

134

141

179

162

171

361

1,240

390

July

3,750

20,400

4,500

1,030

560

420

6, 300

7,000

19,400

3, 190

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs ...... ..............................

Runoff, in acre-feet. ................................................

May

897

647

421

274

234

255

234

244

365

654

303

551

33, 900

June

173

136

118

109

70

85

120

128

118

118

-

291

17, 340

July

1,560

1,500

10,000

11,500

4,400

2,000

1,560

962

835

421

282

4,574

281,300

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

la

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

3

5

7

9

11

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9

2.39

2.47

5.30

5.72

5.88

6.38

6.60

7.00

7.28

7.45

7.70

7.92

7.88

7.79

7.62

7.44

7.28

7. 13

154

176

7,510

10, 600

11,800

16, 700

19, 500

24, 200

27, 900

30,800

35, 000

39, 300

38, 900

37,600

35,400

33,200

31, 200

29,400

July 10

6.85

6.49

6.09

5.75

5.38

5.03

4.75

26, 300

22,700

19, 100

16,400

13, 700

11, 500

9,860

Hour

4

6

8

10

12

4

8

N

4

8

10

12

2

4

6

8

10

N

4

8

12

6

10

2

6

Gage 

height

July

4.50

4.24

4. 19

4.19

4.07

Discharge

10 (con.)

8, 66U

7,550

7,350

7,350

6,900

July 11

3.78

3.39

3.00

2.77

2.63

2.68

5.78

5,040

3,440

2,600

1,860

1,650

1, 720

17, 100

July 12

6.90

7.19

6.96

6.52

6. 19

6.03

5.72

4.94

4.28

Ju

3.89

3.87

3.39

3.26

28,400

31,600

29,000

24, 700

21,700

20,400

18, 000

12,600

9,080

ly 13

5, 380

5,320

3,440

3,140

Hour

6a

2

10

4

N

8

4

N

5

7

8

10

12

2

4

6

8

N

6

12

4

10

N

2

' Gage 

height Discharge

July 14

2.69

2.29

2.27

1,220

827

810

July 15

2.23

2.02

1.88

625

432

316

July 16

1.82

1.68

1.65

1.70

1.8G

1.96

3.46

290

237

227

244

316

352

3,600

July 17

4.62

4.84

4.92

4.72

4.19

3.47

3. 12

J

3.02

2.98

3.30

3.95

8,010

9,960

10,400

9,370

7,080

3,630

2,450

lily 18

2,270

2, 200

2,800

4,950

Hour

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

6

N

4

6

8

10

12

4

8

'N

4

8

12

N

Gage 

height Discharge

July 18 (con.)

4.67

5.38

5.78

5.68

5.95

9,120

13,600

16,300

15,600

17,600

July 19

6.41

6.65

6.67

6.45

6.12

5.67

4.96

4.45

4.05

22,700

24, 900

25,100

23, 100

20,200

16,000

10,600

7,590

5,830

July 20

3.60

3.39

3.13

3.00

2.95

2.88

4,150

3,480

2,780

2,470

2,360

2,200

July 21

2.45 1,440
382 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Loup River at Columbus, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 41°24'50", long. 97°22'00", in sec. 30, T. 17 N., R. IE., at bridge on U. S. Highway 30 

at Columbus, 3j miles upstream from mouth and 14 miles downstream from Lookinglass Creek. Datum 

of gage is 1, 430. 29 ft above mean sea level, unadjusted. Prior to Aug. 28, 1950 at datum 2. 00 ft 

higher. Gage heights contained herein are to present datum.

Drainage area. --15, 230 sq mi, of which only about 6, 530 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff.

Gage-height record. --Wire-weight gage read twice daily except July 4. Mean daily gage heights May 9, 

10, 19, 20, June 2, 3, July 9-14, 17-25, computed from graphs based on gage readings.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements below 30, 000 cfs 

and extended upward by logarithmic ploUing. Shifting-control method used. Discharge for July 4 

computed on basis of records for station near Genoa.

Maxima.--May-July 1950: Discharge, 42, 100 cfs 2 a. m. July 10 (gage height, 9.0ft).

1894-1915, 1931, 1933 to April 1950: Discharge, 85, 000 cfs June 23, 1947 (gage height, 12.0ft, 

from floodmark), from rating curve extended above 30, 000 cfs by logarithmic plotting.

Remarks. --Natural flow of stream affected by power developments, ground water withdrawals and

diversions for irrigation, and return flow from irrigated areas. Records do not include flow of Loup 

River power canal which diverts at point 25 miles upstream and returns to Platte River below 

station. (See p. 387).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

356

302

320

342

423

512

463

487

4,740

2,060

June

406

2,820

4,600

2, 230

1, 540

1, 260

970

655

524

376

July

262

156

173

180

193

184

178

206

17, 400

24, 100

Monthly mean discharge, in in c 

Runoff, in acre-feet. ..........

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

1,290

889

662

708

531

445

385

324

1, 320

3,410

June

333

258

254

298

294

356

356

469

2,160

863

July

7,090

18,800

9,880

2,030

538

311

5,580

6,600

24,800

8,970

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

fs

May

1,260

916

763

591

418

524

512

481

708

1,190

755

906 

55,710

June

493

352

311

258

254

196

206

187

181

196

-

789 

46,920

July

3,500

3,210

10, 800

14, 20C

4, 70C

2, 30C

2,420

1,690

1,270

863

700

5, 59C 

343,700

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

7:15p

12

9:15

11:20

1:55

2:35

3:30

4:25

5:40

7:15

9:30

2

8

3:15

Gage

height Discharge

July 8

2.59

2.70

181

216

July 9

6.37

7.00

7.32

7.46

7.75

7.93

8.20

8.12

8.57

J

9.0(es

8.17

6.88

13,200

17,200

21,500

22,600

25,200

29,000

31,800

31,000

36, 200

Uly 10

t.) 42,100

31,500

17,200

Hour

4:10

5:20

8:30a

4

9a

11

11:20

1

3

5

5:25

6:05

7

Gage

height Discharge

July 10 (Con.)

6.77

6.61

16,400

15,400

July 1 1

5.07

4.65

7,460

5,880

July 12

7.42

7.52

7.55

7.28

7.28

7.22

7.22

7.16

7.22

24, 500

25,400

25,700

23, 200

23,200

22,700

22,700

22, 200

22, 700

Hour

9:30a

6:30

9:30a

4:30

9:30a

10p

lOa

6:30

8a

4

9:30a

Gage 

height Discharge

July 13

5.70

4.85

10, 900

7,090

July 14

3.40

3.05

2, 200

1,660

July 15

2.30

2.02

633

451

July 16

1.73

1.75

307

316

July 17

5.67

5.60

7, 750

7,460

July 18

4.68 4,400

Hour

8:30p

11

8a

10:40

6

7:05

9:30

9a

4:30

lOa

11

N

6:45

9a

Gage 

height Discharge

July 18 (Con. )

6.30

7.07

10,600

15,000

July 19

8.27

8.70

8.90

8.75

8.37

23,900

28,000

30,000

28,500

24,800

July 20

5.85

4.93

9,250

5,590

July 21

4. 10

3.97

3.92

3.64

3,730

3,430

3,320

2,730

July 22

3.60 2,650
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 

North Loup River near St. Paul, Nebr.

383

Location. Lat 41°15'35", long. SB^e'SO". in sec. 22, T. 15 N., R. 10 W., 60 ft downstream from 

bridge on U. S. Highway 281, 3 miles north of St. Paul, and 4 miles upstream from confluence with 

Middle Loup River.

Drainage area. 4,460 sq mi, of which only about 1, 270 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff. 

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shiftingcontrol method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 16, 800 cfs 5:30 a.m. July 9(gage height, 4.37ft).

1895-97, 1899-1903, 1928 to April 1950: Discharge, 90, 000 cfs (estimated) June 6, 1896.

Remarks. Natural flow affected by ground water withdrawals and diversions for irrigation, and return 

flow from irrigated areas.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

May

920

946

985

1,010

1,140

1,280

1,330

1,660

1,780

1,460

June

920

874

920

851

874

886

816

732

672

614

July

533

574

824

662

710

784

721

837

10,200

2,350

Day

11

12

13

14

17

May

1, 36C

1,280

1,390

1,250

1,120

1,060

1,040

1,020

2,270

1,340

June

596

578

569

752

794

742

972

972

998

897

July

1,280

1,950

1,010

934

852

1,090

1,230

2,540

3,090

1,480

Day

21

22

May

1,360

1,260

1,170

1,040

946

985

998

1,140

1,220

1,170

998

75, 230

June

851

794

763

681

605

560

560

551

551

551

-

44, 620

July

1,270

1,270

6,590

2,570

1,210

1.060

962

915

852

817

769

103,000

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

8p

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5:30

7

8

Gage 1 height 1 Discharge

July 8

1.07 690

1.10 721

1.50 1,230

2.07 2,330

2.85 4,630

July 9

2. 55 4, 000

3.89 12,300

3.96 13,000

4.06 13,900

4.37 16,800

4.23 15,900

4.01 14,500

Hour

10

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9 (Con. )

3.67

3.47

3.05

2.64

2.15

13, 300

11,800

9,000

6,320

4,030

July 10

1.88

1.79

1.65

1.42

1.21

1.04

2,990

2,750

2,420

1,970

1,640

1,400

Hour

6

N

3

5

6:30

7

9:30

12

la

2

3

Gage 

height Discharge

July 11

0. 90 1, 230

.80 1.120

. 75 1, 060

.83 1,150

1.36 1,870

1.20 1,620

1.05 1,420

1.26 1,710

July 12

1.49 2,090

1.59 2,290

2.01 3.350

Hour

4

4:30

5

7

9

N

4

8

12

6

N

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 12 (Con.)

2.16 3,790

2.18 3,850

2.16 3,790

1. 90 3, 040

1.60 2,310

1.22 1,650

. 99 1, 340

.39 1,230

.83 1,150

July 13

0.72 1,030

.69 1,000

.65 962
384 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Spring Creek at Gushing, Nebr.

Location. Lat 41°18'00". long. 98°22'50", in SW^ sec. 5, T. 15 N., R. 9 W., about one-half mile 

northwest of Gushing and about 2^ miles upstream from mouth.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except May 9-14, 24, July 21, 25, 26, when no

record was obtained because of faulty intake action, and May 8, 15, 18, 19, 23, 25, May 28 to June 3, 

June 6, 14, 16-18, July 9-12, 16-20, 22, 24, 27, when fragmentary record was obtained. Gage 

heights for days of partial record were obtained from estimated graph.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements below 1, 500 cfs 

and extended to peak stage by logarithmic plotting. Discharge for periods of no gage-height record 

computed on basis of weather records and trend of flow.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 2, 560 cfs 11:30 p. m. July 22 (gage height, 15.00ft). 

May 1949 to April 1950: Discharge, 448 cfs June 27, 1949 (gage height, 5.79ft).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

8.2

7.6

7.3

7.0

7.3

7.9

7.0

72

35

18

June

7.0

6.3

11

6.6

6.0

5.4

5.7

4.9

4.6

4.4

July

2. 8

3.3

6.0

12

10

5.7

5.1

78

331

428

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

11

9.2

8.1

7/6

7.3

7.3

7.0

46

118

30

June

3.8

3.8

3.6

12

5.1

4.9

27

13

9 2

11

July

127

108

54

17

13

33

231

641

1,080

147

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet, ...............................................

May

16

15

14

11

9.6

9.2

9 2

11

10

8.5

17.9

1,100

June

6.0

4.6

4. 1

3.1

3.1

3.1

3.1

2.8

2.8

-

6.39

380

July

25

232

365

135

30

17

14

12

11

10

8.5

135

8,320

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at Indicated time, 1950

Hour

9p

10

11

12

2a

4

6

8

10

N

5a

6

7

8

9

Gage 

height Discharge

July 8

1.50

3.64

9.50

8.86

4.9

156

1,120

995

July 9

6. 14

5.52

4.67

3.77

3.54

3.43

J

2.56

2.56

3.94

7.00

7.85

507

413

293

184

159

147

uly 18

77

77

214

649

793

Hour

10

11

N

1

3

6

9

11

12

3a

6

9

11

N

3

6

Gage 

height Discharge

July 18 (Con.)

8.30

8.65

9.20

9.38

9.20

8.52

7.48

7.13

7.47

877

945

1,060

1,090

1,060

919

727

663

725

July 19

9.35

10.35

11.07

11.20

11.07

9.80

8.10

1,090

1,310

1,480

1,520

1,480

1,190

839

Hour

9

12

4a

8

N

4

8

12

9p

10

11

11:30

12

2a

Gage 

height Discharge

July 19 (Con.)

6.95

5.85

632

446

July 20

4.65

3.78

3.25

2.87

2.67

2.47

266

156

100

70

56

42

July 22

2.36

11.90

14.48

15.00

14.60

35

1,690

2,410

2,560

2.440

July 23

7.43 717

Hour

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

2a

6

N

6

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 23 (Con. )

6.66 582

4.67 274

3.77 166

3.31 118

3.35 121

3.82 170

4.08 198

4.19 212

4.27 221

4.47 245

4.66 268

July 24

4.75 280

4.40 237

3.10 99

2. 54 56

2. 35 42
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 385

Cedar River near Spalding, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 41°43'20". long. 98°27'45", in NW^ sec. 5, T. 20 N., R. 10 W., 40 ft downstream from 

highway bridge, 10? miles northwest of Spalding.

Drainage area. --794 sq mi, of which only about 50 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff. 

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements below 650 cfs and 

extended to peak stage on basis of slope-area determination at gage height 7. 50 ft. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 1, 320 cfs,9:30 p. m. July 8 (gage height, 5.12ft).

1945 to April 1950: Discharge, 4, 000 cfs June 23, 1947 (gage height, 7.50ft), by slope-area method.

Remarks. --Low and medium flow regulated by power plant above station.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

153

139

162

171

166

166

173

180

278

264

June

161

224

271

230

256

324

327

289

209

168

July

125

124

162

162

166

150

138

265

545

312

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

209

254

244

207

194

148

153

188

240

277

June

156

157

128

137

170

150

140

173

187

171

July

326

623

628

524

472

532

543

499

521

352

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. ...............................................

May

200

272

244

< 258

208

193

183

179

192

163

174

201

12, 360

June

179

194

206

187

176

148

130

119

94

116

-

186

11,060

July

317

306

388

316

285

264

224

186

259

159

178

324

19. 940

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

3a

6

9

12

5

Gage 

height Discharge

July 8

2.22 230

1.87 162

1.37 87

1.18 63

1. 10 54

Hour

6

7

7:45

8

9

9:30

Gage 

height Discharge

July 8 (con.)

1.72

2.07

2.13

2.50

4.94

5.12

137

199

211

294

1,210

1,320

Hour

10

11

12

3a

6

Gage 

height Discharge

July 8 (con. ) , 4.90

4.40

4.05

3.73

3.43

1,190

934

787

July 9

634

532

Hour

2

4

6

8

10

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9 (con. )

3.73

3.94

3.78

3.20

2.61

2.21

2.45

634

710

651

461

300

209

261
386 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Cedar River near Fullerton, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 41°23'45". long. 98"00'15", on line between SE^SE^ sec. 33, T. 17 N., R. 6W., and 

NEpJEi sec. 4, T. 16 N., R. 6 W.. at bridge on State Highway 52, 3 miles northwest of Fullerton 

and 5 3/4 miles upstream from mouth.

Drainage area. «1, 220 sq mi, of which only about 480 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph, except periods June 15-26, July 8, when twicedaily staff gage readings were used.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurementa. Shifting-control method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 10, 100 cfs 1:30 a. m. July 19 (gage height, 9.64 ft).

1931-32, 1940 to April 1950: Discharge, 9, 760 cfs Feb. 28, 1948 (gage height, 9.40ft).

Remarks. Natural flow affected by power developments, ground-water withdrawals for irrigation, 

and return flow from irrigated areas.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

222

222

228

228

281

287

287

497

1,150

371

June

290

1.570

482

332

320

332

338

390

380

329

July

147

164

479

320

250

253

233

378

5,780

1,750

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

308

317

320

329

296

267

250

228

422

341

June

281

230

230

236

261

258

244

441

261

276

July

1,870

5,320

1,410

1,150

971

1,620

2,820

3,920

6,430

1,110

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs. ..................................... 

Runoff, in acre-feet .................................... 

May

317

299

329

308

332

353

302

311

335

323

296

334 

20, 540

June

241

228

217

239

217

214

198

179

173

164

-

318 

18, 940

July

908

678

895

721

626

558

473

435

386

359

353

1,380 

84,830

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

6a

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

4

6

8

10

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

7

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

Gage 

height Discharge

June 2

2.10

3.87

4.70

4.64

4.60

4.75

5.00

5.13

5.15

5.00

4.44

3.77

3.38

3.14

296

1,090

1,690

1,780

1.890

2.140

2.490

2,770

2,940

2.800

2,280

1.730

1,440

1.180

June 3

2.67

2.40

2.34

2.28

2.15

2.07

J

2.11

2.60

3.70

5.00

5.98

Ju

6.53

6.94

7.30

7. 65

7.9ff

8.29

8.59

8.80

8.94

. 9.00

8.99

8.95

743

480

374

356

296

273

uly 8

284

435

935

1,730

2,510

Iy9

3,040

3,530

4,010

4,520

5,070

5.680

6,390

7,040

7,500

7,750

7,730

7,850

Hour

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

2

4

6

8

10

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

12:30

1

2

4

Gage 1 

height 1 Discharge

July 9 (con. )

8.90 7,520

8. 84 7, 370

8.75 7,180

8.62 6,890

8.48 6,610

8.34 6,330

8. 16 6, 020

7. 90 5, 590

7.42 4,910

6.78 4,140

6.17 3,510

5. 70 3, 060

July 10

5. 07 2, 520

4.61 2,170

4. 33 1, 980

4. 16 1, 870

4.04 1.790

3.93 1,720

3.55 1.490

3.17 1,260

2.94 1,120

July 11

2.77 1,030

2. 54 905

2. 48 870

2. 59 920

2.63 935

2.94 1,100

3. 54 1, 440

5. 00 2, 440

7. 89 5, 570

8.40 6.470

8.72 7,160

9.12 8,210

July 12

9. 24 8, 550

9. 17 8, 33G

9.13 8,210

9. 04 7, 950

Hour

6

8

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

N

1

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

9

N

4

8

12

Gage I 

height I Discharge

July 12 (con.)

8.95 7,700

8.92 7,600

8.80 7,300

8.68 7,020

8.47 6,550

7.92 5.570

7. 14 4, 510

6.32 3,610

5.71 3,020

5. 26 2, 620

4.90 2,330

4.64 2,130

4.44 1,990

4.14 1,780

3.88 1,620

July 16

2.30 756

2.66 930

2.91 1,060

4.66 2.150

5.61 2,940

5. 99 3, 290

6.46 3,760

7.00 4,350

7. 36 4, 790

7.56 5,060

July 17

7.55 5,060

7. 55 5, 060

7.61 5,140

7.61 5,140

7.44 4.910

7.09 4,470

5. 69 3, 020

4. 57 2, 090

3.91 1.650

3. 56 1. 440

3.30 1.290

Hour

4

6

8

10

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

10

12

1:3C

6

9

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

10

12

4

8

10

N

6

12

6

N

Gage | 

height | Discharge

July 18

2.89 1.060

2.95 1.090

3, 39 1, 340

3.77 1,560

5.78 3,100

6. 57 3, 890

7.04 4,410

7.41 4,870

7. 65 5, 200

7. 96 5, 670

8.21 6,090

8.85 7,440

9.40 9,090

9. 58 9, 760

July 19

9. 64 10, 100

9. 51 9, 570

9. 57 9, 800

9.41 9.060

9.17 8.120

8.61 6,740

7.47 4,790

6. 58 3, 770

6.04 3,180

5.65 2,830

5. 38 2, 550

4.89 2,130

4. 56 1. 860

4.30 1,660

July 20

3.89 1,360

3.50 1,030

3.55 1,050

3. 55 1, 050

3.41 981

3.20 875

July 21

2.98 770

2.79 687
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 387

Loup River power canal near Genoa, Nebr.

Location. Lat 41-25', long. 97:46', in sec. 28, T. 17 N., R. 4 W., at skimming weir 2 miles downstream from point of diversion and 85 miles southwest of Genoa.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph except May 20-31, June 17-20, July 24-27, when 

gage heights were computed from graphs based on staff-gage readings obtained every 8 hours, 

or more frequently.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements.

Maxima. May-July 1950: Daily discharge, 3,000 cfs May 21.

1936 to April 1950: Daily discharge, 3, 410 cfs Apr. 27, 1944.

Remarks. Canal diverts from Loup River in sec. 6, T. 16 N., R. 4 W. Water is used in power planta 

near Monroe and Columbus and is returned to Platte River Ij tulles downstream from Loup River. 

Diversion began Dec. 2, 1936.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

2,600

2,430

2,260

2,290

2,440

2,720

2,630

2,810

2,320

2,790

June

2,240

2,500

2,280

2,160

2,020

1,910

1,930

1,860

1,780

1,780

Monthly mean discharge.

July

1,320

1,340

1,930

1,980

1,680

1,710

1,870

1.790

1,390

1,950

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

2, 65C

2,490

2,600

2,700

2,510

2,400

2.310

2.320

2,720

2,880

June

1,710

1,610

1,470

1,590

2,200

2,010

2,200

2,490

2,520

2,400

July

2,650

1,050

2,240

2.610

2,540

2,490

1,770

1,930

1,370

2,560

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

3,000

2,880

2,600

2.390

2,490

2,650

2,550

2,680

2,810

2.880

2,550

2.592 

159. 400

June

2.140

1,900

1,700

1,650

1,630

1.450

1.390

1,380

1,410

1,350

-

1,889 

112, 400

July

2,750

2,760

2,180

1,800

2,040

2,010

1,970

2,030

2,070

2,020

1,980

1,993 

122,500
388 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Beaver Creek at Loretto, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 41"45'50". long. 98°04'50", in E£ sec. 26, T. 21 N., R. 7 W., at west edge of 

Loretto just downstream from county highway bridge.

Drainage area. 311 sq mi.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 4, 570 cfs 11 a. m. June 2 (gage height, 11. 74 ft).

1944 to April 1950: Discharge recorded, 807 cfs Feb. 28, 1848 (gage height, 9.81ft), may have 

been exceeded by flood in May 1945 for which no record was obtained.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

82

77

75

72

76

101

103

104

154

167

June

66

1,810

929

677

481

288

165

119

95

80

July

47

46

47

47

53

50

46

146

1,620

353

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

136

111

133

124

102

91

88

85

110

126

June

72

66

60

64

86

73

64

82

149

137

July

119

616

165

103

94

584

1,200

607

805

507

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs. .................. 

Runoff, in inches. ....................... 

May

141

124

102

99

81

777

77

75

78

86

74

101

8.210

June

91

76

71

66

60

55

52

52

50

48

-

206

12, 270

July

404

197

426

348

424

328

190

134

105

91

82

322

19,800

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

la

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

6

N

6

12

N

12

N

12

N

12

Gage 1 height 1 Discharge

June 2

3.64 66

4.03 86

7.38 405

8.78 710

8.94 808

9.00 850

9.03 672

9.05 688

10.43 2,380

11.48 4,090

11.74 4,570

11.63 4,360

11.36 3,880

11.06 3,350

10.76 2,860

10.47 2,440

10.22 2,110

10.00 1,750

9.83 1,520

9.71 1,380

9.60 1.260

9.51 1,170

9.41 1,080

9.33 1,010

June 3

9.01 847

9.19 1,000

9.21 989

9.11 823

June 4

8.87 670

8. 57 554

June 5

8.19 478

7.61 420

June 6

6.24 269

5'. 56 201

Hour

N

12

7

8

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

9:20

10

11

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

N

6

9

11

12

Gage I 

height 1 Discharge

June 7

5.14 163

4.85 138

July 8

3.09 43

3.39 57

6.84 335

9.01 858

9.08 910

9.13 951

July 9

9.25 1,060

9.19 1,000

9.22 1,030

9.32 1,120

9.53 1,320

9. 92 1, 740

10.34 2,260

10.63 2,660

10.76 2,860

10.78 2,890

10.75 2.840

10.66 2,710

10.56 2,560

9.86 1,560

9.34 1,020

8.89 680

July 10

8.51 538

8.11 466

6.94 347

5.60 206

5.07 160

4.77 138

July 11

4. 37 109

4.27 103

4.69 132

4.77 138

5.11 166

Hour

1

2

4

6

8

10

11

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

6

N

6

12

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

10

11

12

1

2

3

Gage 

height

5.91

6.74

7.54

8.03

8.91

9.30

9.32

9.28

9.08

8.83

8.58

8.30

7.80

6.83

5.40

4.93

4.58

4.40

4.08

4.31

6.29

8.03

8.35

8.50

8.57

8.65

8.77

9.19

10.11

10.50

10.69

10.74

10.69

10.55

Discharge

July 12

239

323

428

son

789

1,100

1,120

1,050

801

650

557

495

434

334

July 13

189

151

124

111

July 16

91

105

274

500

564

600

621

650

705

1,000

1.970

2,480

2,760

July 17

2,830

2,760

2,550

Hour

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

1

2

3

4

8

N

4

8

12

Gage 1 height 1 Discharge

July 17 (con. )

10.38 2,310

10.02 1,780

9.68 1,350

9.37 1,040

9.09 808

8.85 660

8. 68 588

8.52 540

8.38 510

8.26 489

8. 12 468

July 18

7.97 450

7.77 432

7.49 412

7.08 365

6.76 325

7.92 483

8.43 582

8.51 603

8. 59 627

9.07 902

9.38 1,170

9.61 1,400

July 19

9.68 1,470

9.69 1,480

9.67 1.450

9.59 1,320

9.17 871

8.77 623

8.46 526

8.21 511

8.07 504
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 389

Beaver Creek at Genoa, Nebr.

Location. Lat 41"26'20". long. 9J°44'30", in W^SE^ sec. 14, T. 17 N., R. 4 W., at bridge on State 

Highway 22, a fifth of a mile upstream from Union Pacific Railroad bridge, 1 mile southwest of Genoa 

and about 3 miles upstream from mouth.

Drainage area. --627 sq mi, of which about 410 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except June 23-27 when twice-daily chain-gage readings 

were used. Shifting-control method used May 1 to 6 p. m. June 2; June 7 to 3 a. m., July 9.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements below 8, 500 cfs 

and extended to peak stage.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 21, 200 cfs 2:30 a. m. July 19 (gage height, 18. 70 ft).

1940 to April 1950: Discharge, 3, 930 cfs June 21, 1942 (gage height, 15. 5 ft, from floodmarks ).

Remarks. --Natural flow affected slightly by ground-water withdrawals for irrigation. Diurnal fluctuation 

at low flow caused by power plants above station.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

107

122

118

111

110

104

104

145

493

379

June

122

2.220

4,100

2,070

1,150

842

591

322

222

171

Monthly mean discharge. 

Runoff, in acre-feet. ....

July

83

82

84

85

90

80

84

86

4.160

3,020

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

207

194

160

145

164

152

125

115

118

136

June

141

124

118

117

118

122

149

150

155

138

July

1,780

2,570

1,690

773

321

243

1,340

3,410

10,000

2,160

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

144

157

168

152

165

140

112

111

121

122

124

156 

9,570

June

174

157

122

109

102

91

89

88

86

84

-

475 

28, 250

July

965

929

1,260

866

521

465

495

366

263

220

191

1,248 

76,720

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

4

8

N

4

8

11

2

5

8

N

6

12

6

6

6

6

Gage 

height Discharge

June 2

1.44

1.56

1.60

1.73

2.63

2.92

3.90

4.85

5.70

5.97

5.87

5.96

6.83

8.70

11.50

14.10

L5.45

16.02

16.11

L6.00

L5.85

J

L5.15

14.05

.2.70

.1.17

9.86

9.36

Ji

9.62

9.86

9.63

8.97

7.80

6.75

Ji

5.96

5.28

Ji

4.81

4.32

119

136

142

162

326

386

587

796

973

1,020

998

1,020

1,330

1,930

2,940

4,600

6,710

8,200

8,470

8,140

7,720

me 3

6,130

4,550

3,650

2,950

2,450

2,270

me 4

2,360

2,450

2,370

2,140

1,780

1,460

ine 5

1,230

1,040

me 6

909

779

Hour

6

6

6

6

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9:30

11

1

3

5

7

10

12

1

2

4

6

9

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

Gage 

height Discharge

June 7

3.90

3.38

J

2.67

2.33

667

523

une 8

354

288

JulyS

1.24

1.33

1.41

1.47

84

95

106

114

July 9

1.51

3.60

8.30

11.55

12.87

13.08

13.51

15.51

16.32

15,99

15.15

14.14

13.08

11.84

10.00

9.16

126

543

1,900

3,120

3,740

3,850

4,130

6,840

9,100

8,110

6,130

4.640

3,850

3,250

2,500

2,210

July 10

9.32

9.83

11.74

12.79

12.99

12.38

11.10

9.82

9.04

2,260

2,440

3,200

3,700

3,800

3.500

2,920

2,430

2,170

July 11"

8.53

8.38

8.11

7.53

6.70

6.06

2,000

1,960

1.870

1,690

1,440

1,260

Hour

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

6

9

12

2

5

8

N

6

12

6

N

6

12

6

6

6

11

12

2

4

6

8

10

Gage 

he&ht Discharge

July 12

5.97

6.01

6.57

7.98

9.13

9.66

9.70

9.64

10.00

11.37

12.62

13.11

13.20

13.17

12.88

11.79

9.79

8.69

1,230

1,240

1,400

1,830

2,200

2,380

2,390

2,370

2,500

3,040

3,610

3,870

3,920

3,900

3,740

3,230

2,420

2,050

July 13

8.56

8.61

8.43

7.82

6.50

5.44

2,010

2,030

1,970

1,780

1.380

1.080

July 14

4.77

4.41

3.76

2.93

898

803

638

452

July 15

2.46

2.06

356

278

July 16

1.88

1.82

1.97

245

235

262

July 17

3.44

4.69

5.45

5.96

6.02

563

876

1,080

1,230

1,240

Hour

IN

2

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

8

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

1

2

2:30

4

6

8

N

4

8

12

6

N

6

12

6

N

6

12

2

4

Gage 1 height 1 Discharge

July 17 (con.)

5.87 1,200

5.76 1,170

6.06 1,260

7.13 1,570

8.54 2,010

9.82 2,430

10.64 2,730

July 18

10.92 2,850

10.71 2,760

9.79 2,420

8.99 2,150

9. 53 2, 330

10.40 2,640

11.35 3,030

13.30 3,980

15.55 6,940

16.90 11,100

July 19

17.80 15,400

18.55 20,200

18.70 21,200

18.34 18,700

17.73 15,000

17.18 12,300

16.21 8,770

15.18 6,180

14.12 4,620

12.92 3,760

July 20

10.35 2,620

8.38 1,960

7.16 1,580

6.47 1.370

Jiuy 21

5.67 1,150

4.86 922

4.27 766

3.98 691

July 22

3.95 684

4.07 714
390 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Shell Creek at Newtnan Grove, Nebr.

Location. -Lat 41°44'30", long. 97°45'00", in NW^NW* sec. 2, T. 20 N., R. 4 W., at bridge on county 

road, 1 mile east of Newman Grove and 5 miles downstream from North Branch.

Drainage area. --122 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except period July 19-31 when graph based on twice 

daily wire-weight gage readings was used.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements below 800 cfs and 

 extended to peak stage on baais of computation of combined flow through bridge and over road embankments during flood of June 2, 1950.

Maximum. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 12, 000 cfs 1 p. m. July 18 (gage height, 20. 20 ft). 

Remarks. --Station established July 1949; no previous flood data available.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

April

2.5

2.4

2.4

2.4

2.6

2.8

2.7

4.2

42

2.2

May

1.0

5,050

76

11

8.0

6.9

6.5

6.0

4.8

2.5

June

1.1

1.2

1.2

1.2

1.3

1.3

1.2

1.5

590

12

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

April

1.2

1.1

1.1

1.1

1.1

1.0

1.0

1.1

1.1

2.0

May

2.3

2.6

2.7

29

6.9

3.1

2.6

178

4.8

1.9

June

113

311

15

6.6

5.7

942

304

4,580

1.570

86

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. ................................................

April

1.2

1.0

1.0

1.9

1.7

1.1

1.0

1.0

1.0 1.1 1.1

2.99

184

May

1.4

1.3

1.4

1.2

1.2

1.1

1.1

1.1

1.1

1.1

-

181

10, 750

June

471

107

324

70

89

61

12

5.8

5.2

4.7

4.4

313

19,240

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

1

2

3

4

5

5:30

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

3

6

9

12

Gage

height Discharge

June 2

1.44

1.98

10.90

15.85

20.06

20.13

20.08

19.77

19.44

19.88

20.02

20.04

19.87

19.55

IS. 22

19.00

18.78

18.36

17.60

18.85

16.10

15.20

13.65

12.00

10.05

J

8.90

7.70

6.83

6.27

5.88

5.57

5.30

5.14

.94

.70

.73

.60

.46

4.15

4.06

4.04

1.1

2.0

499

845

11,300

11,600

11, 400

9.850

8,200

10,400

11, 100

11,200

10, 400

8.750

7,100

6,000

4,900

3,180

1,880

1,180

870

793

669

537

414

une 3

305

224

165

128

106

88

72

83

53

42

43

38

32

20

18

17

Hour

6

7

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9:30

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

6

N

6

12

5

6

7

8

e

Gage 

height Discharge

July 8

1.98

2.14

2.26

3.10

3.68

7.80

l.S

1.4

1.7

4.4.4

8.£

228

July 9

10.85

12.90

13.90

14.50

14.80

15.48

15.92

16.33

16.74

16.72

16.60

16.30

15.75

15.25

14.00

11.75

10.00

8.60

7.40

6.45

5.80

5.40

5.10

4.82

445

609

689

737

761

815

851

932

1,120

1,110

1,040

920

837

797

697

517

382

284

200

134

95

71

55

42

July 10

4.23

3.80

3.52

3.33

19

11

8.!

6.1

July 11

3.20

3.47

4.62

9.50

11.60

5.£

7.S

34

347

505

Hour

10

11:30

12

1

2

3

5

7

8

10

N

3

6

9

12

6

N

6

12

7

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

1

3

5

7

Gage 1 height 1 Discharge

July 11 (con.)

12.73 595

14.72 755

14.63 747

July 12

13.75 677

12.50 577

11.55 501

10. 36 407

10.88 447

10.98 455

10.65 429

9.45 345

7.12 187

5.92 111

5. 26 73

4. 71 46

July 13

4.12 24

3.73 14

3. 44 9. 9

3.25 8.1

July 16

2.89 5.5

4.00 18

8.55 284

10.0 382

14.5 737

15.4 809

18.71 4,550

18.67 4,360

18.10 2,550

17.50 1,770

16.97 1,260

17.43 1,690

17.57 1,850

17.44 1,700

16.90 1,210

July 17

16.30 920

15.00 777

11.10 465

9.55 350

Hour

9

N

3

6

9

12

3

6

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

6

9

Gage 

height Discharge

July 17 (con.)

8.60

7.25

6.15

5.60

5.51

5.55

284

190

116

83

78

80

July 18

5.67

5.81

6.07

7.60

13.50

18.75

20.20

20.07

19.80

19.48

19.27

19.28

19.45

19.70

19.47

19.48

19.40

19.36

J

19.10

18.25

17.05

15.30

14.34

13.40

12.35

11.20

10.00

9.25

8.65

8.00

J

6.50

5.40

87

96

111

214

652

4,750

12,000

11,400

10,000

8,400

7,350

7,400

8,250

9,500

8,850

8,400

8,000

7,800

Fuly 19

6,500

2,880

1.320

801

824

649

561

457

361

302

256

207

ruly 20

101

36
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 391

Shell Creek near Columbus, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 40°31'30". long. 97"! 7'00" in sec. 23, T. 18 N., R. IE., 80 ft upstream from county 

highway bridge, I mile upstream from Los eke Creek and 7 miles northeast of Columbus.

Drainage area. --270 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except July 8, 9, 19-21. Gage heights for period 

 July 19-21 computed from graph based on fragmentary periods of water-stage recorder graph and 

wire-weight gage readings.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shiftingcontrol method used. Discharge for July 8, 9, interpolated.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 5, 970 cfs 12:30 p. m. June 3 (gage height, 21. 38 ft). 

1947 to April 1950: Discharge, 4, 600 cfs June 2, 1947 (gage height, 21.7ft).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second. 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

30

26

23

22

24

25

28

30

84

390

June

22

410

4,510

2,780

671

121

68

52

44

40

July

14

13

12

12

12

11

11

11

11

33

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

113

48

32

26

24

21

20

19

22

20

June

36

34

83

35

30

28

49

46

82

214

July

458

167

334

389

62

35

33

486

1,160

3,140

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. ................................................

May

22

28

26

20

18

18

17

22

22

47

32

41.9

2,580

June

75

41

30

26

23

20

18

18

16

15

-

320

19,020

July

2,360

411

611

525

429

108

125

113

102

62

50

365

22,410

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

6

8

10

TJ

12:30

2

4

Gage 

height Discharge

June 2

2.03

2.49

4.54

5.23

5.40

5.33

5. 18

5.31

6.10

6.89

8.21

9.62

11.09

12.43

13.26

J»

15.10

18.41

20.84

21.12

21.24

21.36

21.38

21.35

21.26

18

30

124

168

182

176

165

175

247

330

488

674

892

1,090

1,220

me 3

1,520

2,190

4,230

4,970

5,410

5,890

5,970

5,850

5,490

Hour

9

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

6

N

6

12

6a

6p

Gage 

height

June

21.18

21.01

Jui

20.71

20.40

20.07

18.99

17.86

16.24

Jui

14.02

10.73

7.91

6.67

5.93

5.50

Discharge

3 (con. )

5,180

4,630

le 4

3,620

3,050

2,490

2,330

2,070

1,730

le 5

1,330

824

442

298

225

186

June 6

4.96

4.38

4.03

3.78

147

112

93

80

June 7

3.63

3.39

74

62

Hour

10

3

6

8

N

1

2

3

5

7

9

N

3

6

9

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 17

2.40

2.56

2.69

2.71

2.66

t

2.71

3.55

4.83

6.39

7.14

7.68

8.51

8.88

9.30

10.26

10.53

29

34

38

38

37

July 18

38

74

145

279

362

427

526

574

632

769

810

July 19

11.31

12.04

12.71

13.62

14.41

15.32

926

1,040

1,140

1,280

1,410

1,560

Hour

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

3:30

6

9

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

2

4

6

N

3

6

8

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 20

16.50

17.88

19.42

20.72

20.92

21.00

21.08

21.10

21.07

20.76

20.38

1,760

2,030

2,370

3,360

3,450

3,590

3,810

3,870

3,830

3,540

3,190

July 21

19.91

19.52

18.67

17.82

16.90

15.10

J

10.22

8.90

7.65

5.G5

5.40

5.26

5.40

6.70

2,830

2,600

2,270

2,100

1,910

1,580

uly 22

814

626

466

261

218

206

218

352
392 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Elkhorn River at Norfolk, Nebr.

Location. Lat 42"00'10", long. 97°25'30", in NW^NW^ sec. 3, T. 23 N., R. 1 W., at bridge on U. S. 

Highway 81, 1 mile south of Norfolk and 3 3/4 miles upstream from North Branch.

Drainage area. --2, 790 sq mi, of which only about 2, 400 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff.

Gage-height record. --Wire-weight gage read twice daily. Mean daily gage heights July 19, 20, computed 

from graph based on gage readings.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control method used.

Maxima. --May-June 1950: Discharge observed, 7, 080 cfs 9 a. m. July 19 (gage height, 8. 35 ft).

1945 to April 1950: Discharge, 12, 600 cfs June 26, 1947; gage height, 12. 25 ft Feb. 28, 1948 

(backwater from ice).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

582

592

639

671

694

740

787

976

1,290

1.330

June

1,020

1,300

2,380

2,250

1,660

1,420

1,260

1,090

983

902

July

441

415

381

381

415

406

415

394

607

902

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

1,460

1,410

1,340

1,270

1,070

990

969

997

1,130

1,170

June

909

856

775

740

1,050

936

769

1,000

1,160

1,130

July

1,110

1,730

1,570

1,440

1,560

1,690

1,840

1,790

5,300

2,810

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

690

510

320

140

080

1 983

915

863

850

876

1.000

1,043

64, 130

June

1,200

1,260

1,360

1,300

1,120

902

751

607

547

491

-

1,104

65,710

July 1

2, 98 "1

2, 3E'

2,880

2, 360

1,900!

1,900

1, 460

1,310

1,140

1,020

88^1

1,47"

90,9101
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 393

Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 41°19'50". long. 96°17'50", in SEi sec. 21, T. 16 N., R. 10 E., just downstream from 

Rawhide Creek and 3? miles north of Waterloo.

r -ainage area. --6, 900 sq mi, of which about 6, 500 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except for short periods on June 3, 5, 19, July 15, 

16, 18-20, and all day June 20. The periods of missing record were filled in by estimated graphs 

based on the trend indicated by the water-stage recorder on either side of the periods.

I'ischarge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

I "txima.--May-July 1950; Discharge, 13, 400 cfs 5a.m. July 20; gage height, 7.08ft lla.m. July 22.

1911-13, 1928 to AprU 1950: Discharge, 100, 000 cfs June 12, 1944 (gage height, 16.6ft; from floodmark in gage well), from cur rent-meter measurement of main channel and velocity-area studies of overflow 

section.

Flood of June 12, 1944 is the greatest known.

r emarks. Several small diversions above station for irrigation.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

1,240

1,180

1,150

1,140

1,460

1,470

1,430

1,790

2,230

2,850

June

1,230

1,300

4,870

6,110

5,820

3,250

2,810

2,530

2,080

1,700

July

935

844

861

829

805

775

758

775

805

811

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

2,490

2,530

2,410

2,290

2,120

1,840

1,590

1,470

1,430

1,520

June

1*490

1,330

1,180

1,220

1,120

1,050

1, 160

1,820

3,670

3,100

July

835

1,430

1,820

3,000

2,930

6,400

3,770

3,710

7,270

11,000

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. .................................................

May

1,780

1,780

2,040

1,930

1,780

1,560

1,500

1,390

1,360

1,310

1,260

1,720

105,800

June

2,580

2,790

2,910

2,290

2,380

2,230

1,760

1,350

1,140

1,020

-

2,310

137,400

July

9,300

10,600

6,250

5,360

4,910

3,500

3,200

2,980

2,370

2,020

2,030

3,320

204, 200

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

6a

6

12

2

4

8

6

4a

11

4

8

12

5

9

N

6

12

6

N

6

12

6

6

6

N

Gage 

height

2.43

2.58

2.79

3.35

3.96

4.14

4.32

4.52

4.46

4.58

4.65

4.74

4.80

4.72

4.57

4.06

3.65

3.42

3.30

3.21

3.20

1.72

1.82

2.00

2.20

Discharge

June 2 

1,220

1,350

1,540

June 3

2,530

4,180

4,850

5,560

June 4

6,030

5,890

6.180

6,350

6, 580

June 5

6,730

6,530

6,150

4,980

3,980

June 6

3,380

3,180

3,050

3,030

July 11

805

868

July 12

1,040

1,200

Hour

4

8

10

12

6

N

6

10

3

6

9

1

4

8

12

6

N

7

8

9

10

11

12

2

4

8

Gage 

height Discharge

July 12 (con.) 

2.60 1,690

2.84

2.88

2.85

2,060

2,110

2,070

July 13

2.61

2.53

2.56

2.65

1,810

1,720

1,760

1,850

July 14

3.23

3.41

3.48

3.50

3.48

3.43

3.35

2,780

3,050

3,150

3,180

3,150

3,080

2,960

July 15

3.22

3.14

3.11

3.19

3.50

3.95

4.37

4.52

J

4.85

5.00

5.30

2,760

2,650

2,610

2,720

3,220

4,010

5,020

5,360

uly 16

6,130

6, 500

7,290

Hour

11

N

3

6

12

4

8

N

6

12

6

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

6

9

11

2

4

8

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 16 (con. ) 

5.43 7,640

5.41

5.10

4.75

4.21

,

3.87

3.78

3.75

3.63

3.50

7,590

6,760

5,890

4,680

Fuly 17

4,010

3,840

3,790

3,570

3,340

July 18

3.37

3.33

3.37

3.68

4.09

4.25

4.28

4.28

3,140

3,080

3,140

3,750

4,540

4,980

5,050

5,050

July 19

4.25

4.15

3.93

3.75

4.00

5.00

5.50

6.10

6.49

4,980

4,760

4,320

3,980

4,460

7,290

9,180

11,500

12,900

Hour

2

5

8

N

4

8

12

3

6:30

8:30

12

N

9

12

3

6

9

11

1

4

8

12

6

N

6

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 20 

6.58 13,300

6.62

6.58

6.37

6. 15

6.00

5.91

13,400

13,100

1 1, 200

9,460

8,990

8,720

July 21

5.96

6.05

6.01

6.06

6.18

6.25

6.36

Jul

6.36

6.72

7.01

7.08

7.04

6.64

5.98

5.53

Jul

5.28

5.13

4.82

4.56

8,870

9,140

9,020

9,180

9,550

9,780

10,100

y22

10,100

11,400

12,400

12,600

12,500

11,100

8,930

7,620

y 23

6,810

6,420

5,680

5,090
394 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Logan Creek near Uehling, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 41°42'50", long. 96"3ri5", on south line of SEjSEj sec. 9, T. 20 N., R. 8E., at 

county bridge 2 miles southwest of Uehling and 8 miles upstream from mouth.

Drainage area. --1, 030 sq mi.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph except May 10, May 17 to June 1. July 19, when no 

record was obtained. Record for May 13-16 doubtful because of faulty intake action.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-controJ 

method used. Discharge for periods of no gage-height record computed on basis of discharge measurement made on May 22, fragmentary recorder graph, floodroark on July 19, and weather records.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, about 3, 860 cfs, July 19 (gage height, 10.3ft, from floodroark).

1941 to April 1950: Discharge, 13, 700 cfs,June 11, 1944 (gage height, 17.65ft, froro floodroarks), 

from rating curve extended above 5, 800 cfs by velocity-area studies.

Maximum stage known, 18. 6 ft,June 5, 1950, froro floodroarks (discharge, 20, 000 cfs, from rating 

curve extended above 5, 800 cfs by velocity-area studies).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

3

7 

8

10

May

90

89

87

121 

187 

328

630

June

100

209

218

124

89

75

72 

67 

64

61

July

74

75

76

75

77

77

74 

71 

79

82

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17 

18 

19

20

May

164

118

107

101

95

92

\- 90

130

June

60

64

82

101

77

98

216 

1,380 

1,150

690

July

74

82

166

97

93

150

113 

128 

2,300

1,080

Day

21

22

23

25

26

27

28 

29

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. .................................................

May

* 

.>

i>- 100

7,970

June

342

124

79 

78

12,250

July

980

139 

130

116 

113

19,670

Salt Creek at Lincoln, Nebr.

Location.--Lat 40°50'50". long. 96"40'50", in SW^ sec. 7, T. ION., R. 7 E., at bridge on North 

27th Street at north edge of Lincoln, about one mile downstream from Oak Creek.

Drainage area. 740 sq mi.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph when stage was above gage height 6. 3 ft; below this 

stage, wire-weight gage read twice daily. Gage heights May 5, 8, 11, 25, 29, 31, June 14, 15, July 

12, 13, 31, were computed from graphs based on gage readings and recorder graph.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shiftingcontrol method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 27, 800 cfs 9 a. m. May 9 (gage height, 26. 05 ft).

Flood of May 9, 1950 greatest since that of July 6, 1908, which may have been equal or greater.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

78

65

68

64

527

226

120

295

16,700

1,860

June

171

127

220

106

102

88

80

77

71

66

July

47

40

50

68

53

50

41

44

82

66

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

409

285

200

159

124

111

102

96

153

168

June

66

61

62

700

490

100

147

104

129

84

July

69

213

492

109

64

94

106

64

187

86

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, cfs. .. ... .... ... .... .... ... ..

Runoff, in acre-feet. ............................... ................

May

140

117

98

82

688

372

127

102

1,360

1,540

324

863

53,080

June

73

66

62

59

47

51

48

48

45

47

-

120

7,130

July

62

51

50

51

48

51

48

47

44

40

300

90.9

5,590
PLATTE RIVER BASIN 395

Salt Creek at Lincoln, Nebr. -Continued 

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

1

Z

3

4

5

Gage 

height Discharge

May 8

4.77

4.82

5.40

6.22

6.79

7.52

8.87

10.07

M

15.62

19.52

21.72

23.52

24.77

82

91

220

493

726

1,060

1,770

2,520

ay 9

7,670

12,700

16,000

19,600

23, 200

Hour

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

Gage 

height Discharge

May 9 (con. )

25.56

25.84

26.02

26.05

25.97

25.72

25.17

24.32

23.62

22.52

21.02

19.52

25, 800

27,000

27, 700

27,800

27, 500

26, 500

24, 400

21, 900

19,800

17,600

14, 900

12,700

Hour

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

2

4

6

8

10

Gage 

height Discharge

May 9 (con. )

18.12

16.62

15.22

14.32

13.67

13.09

12.67

10,700

8,830

7,230

6,260

5,610

5,030

4,620

May 10

11.95

11.29

10.62

9.90

9.22

3,950

3,350

2,810

2,270

1.840

Hour

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

4

8

:N

4

8

12

height Discharge

May 10 (con. )

8.49

7.82

7.36

7.08

6.88

6.71

6.57

1.440

1,120

895

774

692

625

571

May 11

6.37

6.21

6.08

5.96

5.88

5.82

494

439

397

356

332

312

Salt Creek near Ashland, Nebr.

Location. Lat 41"02'50", long. 96°20'30", in SWi sec. 31, T. 13 N., R. 10 E., at bridge on U. S. 

Highway 6, 1 mile east of Ashland and 2| miles upstream from mouth. 

Drainage area. --1, 640 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Wire-weight gage read twice daily except June 8-21 when no readings were obtained. 

Mean daily gage heights computed from graph based on gage readings May 5-11, 13, 18, 25, 27-29, 

June 1, July 10-14, 31.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Discharge for 

period of no gage-height record computed on basis of records for station at Lincoln.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 19, 300 cfs 12 p. m. May 9 to 2 a. m. May 10 (gage height, 

12. 98 ft).

1947 to April 1950: Discharge observed, 26, 100 cfs May 6, 1949 (gage height, 14.14ft), may 

include some overflow from Platte River.

Remarks. --Some overflow from Platte River may enter Salt Creek above station when Platte River is 

in flood.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

178

167

156

151

424

606

198

198

12, 500

8,660

June

328

244

241

273

219

162

173

150

150

140

July

97

92

97

94

110

110

110

125

173

396

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

1,000

700

420

307

250

222

184

176

184

257

June

130

130

120

120

820

700

170

230

180

200

July

324

1,130

1,040

420

196

151

361

207

400

706

Dav

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs. .......... ............

Runoff, in acre-feet ................................. ..............

May

310

254

196

178

486

637

339

216

424

750

556

62,050

June

150

140

130

125

122

120

110

105

97

94

-

12,050

July

257

151

148

238

257

125

103

110

92

105

426

16, 560

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

N

Gage 

height Discharge

May 8 

2.80 213

M

2.83

2.92

3.24

5.88

8.75

11.19

11.58

LI. 76

11.95

L2.08

ay 9

222

250

361

2,540

6,420

11,300

12,600

13,300

14, 200

14, 800

Hour

2

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

6

8

10

Gage 

height

May 

12.17

12.30

12.48

12.68

12.91

12.98

Discharge

9 (con. ) 

15,200

15,800

16,700

17.700

18. 900

19.300

May 10

12.98

12.74

12.12

10.57

9.04

19. 300

18,000

15,000

9.570

6,860

Hour

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

3

6

9

N

Gage 

height Discharge

May 10 (con.) 

8. 09 5, 480

7.58

7.31

6.94

6.49

5.96

5.46

4,760

4, 380

3,870

3,290

2,630

2,040

May 11

4.84

4.42

4.29

4.25

1,380

986

894

868

Hour

6

12

6a

N

6

12

6

N

6

12

Gage 

height Discharge

May 11 (con.) 

4.23 856

4.14 802

May 12

4.. 03

3.98

3.91

3.72

3.46

3.33

3.28

3.24

739

711

673

576

May 13

451

396

376

361
396 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Wahoo Creek at Ithaca, Nebr.

Location. Lat 41°08'40", long. 96°32'20", in NE corner sec. 32, T. 14 N., R. 8 E., at bridge on Staf 

Highway 63,one-half mile south of Ithaca.

Drainage area. --272 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Chain gage read once daily at low stages, more frequently at high stages. No 

reading obtained May 6.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used. Discharge for May 6 interpolated.

Maxima. --May-July 1950; Discharge, 1, 310 cfs 11:30 a. m. May 25 (gageheight, 15.71ft).

October 1949 to April 1950: Discharge, 5, 430 cfs Feb. 28, 1950 (gage height, 21.08ft).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

30

29

28

29

35

33

31

409

486

58

June

35

26

113

38

30

28

24

20

24

23

July

20

19

20

21

20

21

19

18

20

26

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

37

34

34

29

26

28

26

26

24

32

June

23

24

23

37

33

29

34

370

76

34

July

41

159

66

29

26

27

33

64

264

42

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

33

32

24

44

599

60

28

30

415

93

36

92.2

5.670

June

32

24

21

18

18

17

17

20

17

20

-

41.6

2,480

July

2-t

2?.

22

3f>

20

18

15

14

18

17

18

38.1

2,340

Silver Creek at Ithaca, Nebr.

Location. Lat 41°09'50", long. 960 31'25", in NE^ sec. 29, T. 14 N., R. 8 E., at county highway 

bridge half a mile east of Ithaca.

Drainage area. --72 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Staff-gage read to half-tenths daily.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge observed, 28 cfs May 9 (gage height, 3. 55 ft). 

1949 to April 1950: Discharge, 940 cfs Feb. 28, 1950 (gage height, 10.80ft).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

7

8

9

10

May

5.3

5.3

5.3

5.3

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

28

10

June

6.6

6.6

6.6

6.6

5.5

5. 5

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

July

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

8.2

8.2

7.0

7.0

7.0

7.0

5.9

5.9

8.2

6.8

June

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

5.5

6.6

5. 5

5.5

4.4

July

4.4

4.4

4.3

4.3

4.3

11

9.8

6.4

5.3

5.3

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs. ............ ... .

Runoff, in acre-feet. ............

May

6.8

6.8

6.8

6.8

13

10.

7. 7

7.7

6.6

6.6

6.6

7.79

479

June

4.4

4. 4

4. 4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

4.4

-

4 95

295

July

5.C

5.C

5.0

5.0

5.0

4.1

4.1

4.1

3.9

3.9

4 95

305
FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA 397

Weeping Water Creek basin 

Weeping Water Creek at Union, Nebr

Location. Lat 40048'50", long. 95°55'45", in NW^ sec. 26. T. ION., R. 13 E.. at bridge on U. S. 

Highway 34, a quarter of a mile west of Union and three-quarters of a mile downstream from South 

Branch Weeping Water Creek.

Drainage area. --231 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Chain gage read once daily prior to June 28 and wire-weight gage read once daily 

thereafter; gages read frequently during rises. Gage observer's house destroyed by flood on May 9 

and record for periods May 1-3, 8. lost; no readings by observer May 9-1B. Gage-height record for 

period May B-ll computed from graph based on engineers' gage readings, floodroark, and observer's 

notes.

of discharge measurement of May 17,

weather records, and trend of flow.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 60, 300 cfs 12:30 a. m. May 9 (gage height, 29. B ft, from floodmark), by computation of combined flow througn bridges and over highway embankment. 

February to April 1950: Discharge, 1, 300 cfs Feb. 28 (gage height, 15. 15 ft).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

15

15

20

286

2,080

146

44

7,080

16,900

487

June

32

28

26

21

13

11

16

17

224

92

July

12

12

11

9.5

11

10

9.2

7.7

20

27

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

200

70

50

50

40

40

42

53

64

62

June

16

15

20

844

132

16

432

190

37

30

July

60

1,960

700

190

107

11

8.6

94

49

35

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

82

43

31

27

32

41

32

28

73

43

40

910

55, 970

June

19

15

51

1,140

85

26

13

14

16

12

-

120

7,150

July

28

26

26

24

22

19

17

14

13

8.0

1,230

154

9,460

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Gage 

height Discharge

May 8

6.46

7.05

13.65

21.65

26.75

IB. 25

IS. 12

29.70

36

72

933

3,680

34, 000

46, 600

54, 200

59, 400

Hour

12:30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

Gage 

height Discharge

May 9

29.80

29.60

28.65

27.50

26.40

25.75

25.40

25.25

25.05

24.85

24.60

24.40

60, 300

58, 500

50, 000

40, 200

31,200

26,000

23, 200

22,000

20, 400

18,800

16,800

15,200

Hour

N

1

2

3

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

Gage 

height Discharge

May 9 ( con. )

23.95

23.40

23.00

22.60

22.15

20.85

18.50

16.90

15.50

11,600

7,700

6,000

4,960

4,180

3,200

2,330

1,820

1,400

May 10

14.35

13.30

1,090

860

Hour

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

9

12

Gage 1 height Discharge

May 10 (con.)

12.40 692

11.55 548

10.80 437

10.20 356

9.70 294

9. 30 248

8.90 210

8.45 174

8.10 146
398 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Little Nemaha River basin 

Little Nemaha River at Auburn, Nebr.

Location. Lat 40°23'30". long. 95°48'40", in NWi sec. 23. T. 5 N., R. 14 E., at bridge on State Highway 3, 1 mile downstream from Longs Creek and 1 mile east of Auburn.

Drainage area. 664 sq mi.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph above 9 ft except 11 p. m. .May 8 to 5 a. m. May 10 

when recorder failed to operate. Twice daily wire-weight gage readings below 9 ft except May 11-13, 

16, 18, 20, 28, June 1, 4, 5, 7, 12, 22, 25, 27, July 2, 5, 7, 14, 16, 19, 20, 22-24, 26, 27, 30. when 

no readings were obtained.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements .below 12, 000 cfs 

and extended to peak stage on basis of computation of combined flow through bridges and culverts and 

over highway and railway embankments. Shifting-control method used. Discharge for periods of no 

gage-height records was computed on the basis of floodmark on May 9, weather records, -and trend of 

flow, or was interpolated.

Maxima. May-July I960: Discharge, 164, 000 cfs 7 a. m. May 9 (gage height, 27.65ft, from floodmark). 

August 1949 to April 1950: Discharge, 2, 080 cfs Sept. 6, 1949 (gage height, 10.73ft).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

56

55

55

55

4,940

523

158

777

44, 900

2,300

June

142

112

104

97

91

87

84

75

2,780

338

July

96

73

55

48

47

46

44

42

110

146

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

J40

450

300

226

199

172

146

145

145

210

June

118

100

87

1,010

706

150

1,950

948

197

120

July

100

4,060

1,130

460

170

178

183

250

182

145

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs. ... ................................

Runoff, in acre-feet. .................'...............................

May

292

200

130

91

1,670

357

231

540

1,220

1,420

181

2,029

124, 700

June

95

69

83

79

71

65

59

55

52

55

-

333

19,830

July

100

96

92

88

85

80

74

69

52

118

248

280

17,190

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

7p

8

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

Gage 

height Discharge

May 8

5.70

5.72

5.76

5.85

16.35

18.10

1

19.72

21.29

22.94

24.68

26.03

27.31

150

154

162

181

9,090

12,200

day 9

15,800

20, 500

27, 200

45, 400

80, 900

140, 000

Hour

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

Gage 

height Discharge

May 9 (con. )

27.65

27.50

26.88

24.99

24.99

23.82

22.70

21.62

20.48

19.26

18.13

17.11

164,000

153,000

116,000

80, 600

52, 700

33, 300

26, 000

21,600

18,000

14,600

12,300

10,300

Hour

7

8

9

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

Gage 

height Discharge

May 9 (con. )

15.96

15.52

15.12

14.71

14.30

13.90

13.47

13.10

12.70

12.30

11.90

11.49

8,550

7,980

7,460

6,950

6,480

6,040

May 10

5,570

5,180

4,750

4,350

3,960

3,590

Hour

7

8

9

10

11

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

Gage 

height Discharge

May 10 (con. )

11.09

10.74

10.45

10.11

9.80

9.53

9.15

8.86

8.62

8.42

8.25

8.12

3.230

2,650

2,340

1,960

1,600

1,220

1.140

1,060

1,030

972

935

920
FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA 399

Nemaha. River basin 

Nemaha River at Falls City, Nebr.

Location. Lat 40°02'00". long. DS'SS'SO", on line between sees. 22 and 23, T. IN., R. 16 E., at 

bridge, on.-U. S. Highway 73, 1 mile south of Falls City and about 13 miles upstream from mouth. 

Datum of gage is 861. 24 ft above mean sea level, datum of 1929, supplementary adjustment of 1943, 

tentative (levels by Corps of Engineers).

Drainage .area. 1, 340 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Wire-weight gage read twice daily. Gage heights for the following periods were 

obtained from graph based on gage readings: May 5-12, 21-26, May 28 to June 1, June 10, July 2, 

9-15, 17-23.

Discharge .record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 26, 300 cfs ,10: 30 p. m. May 9 (gage height, 26.0ft).

1944-to April 1950: Discharge, 34, 200 cfs June 2, 1949 (gage height, 28.8ft, from floodmark).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

80

82

72

74

1,330

506

805

390

16, 400

6,360

June

821

496

447

404

335

230

208

213

338

760

July

72

233

164

159

130

83

83

83

784

1,200

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

1,590

660

461

332

284

242

197

157

197

181

June

329

239

171

157

143

152

760

980

350

308

July

428

420

2,060

380

404

242

1.400

2,880

828

618

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

2,170

2,440

695

296

2,990

2,110

1,240

660

4,060

3,980

2,060

105, 300

June

239

205

134

118

118

98

88

81

76

62

-

17, 970

July

835

468

227

166

166

169

230

148

128

118

106

30, 570

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

8p

10

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Gage 1 height 1 Discharge

May8

4. 50 262

4. 59 294

8.00 2,280

May 9

10.00 3,800

12.55 6,000

14.62 8,080

16. 30 9, 930

17.30 11,000

18.05 11.900

18.66 12.600

19.22 13.300

19. 90 14, 200

20.53 15,000

Hour

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

10:30

11

12

Gagel 

height] Discharge

May 9 (con.)

21.20 15,900

21.78 16,900

22.15 17,600

22. 50 18, 300

22:88 19,100

23.33 20.000

23. 80 20, 900

24.30 22,000

24.77 23,200

25.23 24,400

25.70 25,600

25.95 26,200

26.00 26,300

25.97 26,200

24.47 22,500

Hour

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

Gage 

height Discharge

May 10

20.87

18.20

16.85

15.60

14.78

14.08

13.22

12.73

12.30

11.91

11.42

11.00

10.55

10.10

9.65

15,400

11,800

10, 200

8,620

7.690

6.930

6,070

5.810

5,220

4,870

4,430

4,050

3,670

3,310

2,960

Hour

2

4

6

8

10

N

4

8

12

Gage 1 height | Discharge

May 11

9. 19 2, 630

8.73 2.310

8.30 2,010

7.95 1,770

7.67 1,600

7.40 1,440

6.93 1.160

6.58 970

6. 34 850

Kansas River basin 

Republican River near Bloomington, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 40°04'00". long. 99002'05", in NWjSE^ sec. 8, T. IN., R. 15 W., 600 ft downstream 

from county highway bridge, 2 miles south of Bloomington, and 9? miles downstream from Turkey 

Creek. Datum of gage is 1, 824.15 ft above mean sea level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. 20, 800 sq mi, of which only 15, 100 sq mi contribute directly to surface runoff.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph except July 8-12, when range of stage only was 

recorded.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used. Discharge for period July 8-12 computed on basis of recorded range in stage and records 

for station near Orleans.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 5, 050 cfs 9 a. m. July 28 (gage height. 5. 66 ft).

1929 to April 1950: Discharge, 260, 000 cfs June 1, 1935 (gage height, 20. 4 ft, from floodmarks, 

site then in use), by slope-area method.

Remarks. --Natural flow affected by irrigation development above station.
400 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Republican River near Bloomington, Nebr. -Continued 

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

372

363

363

363

396

405

421

396

396

890

June

1.450

957

786

672

570

506

426

367

327

294

Monthly mean discharge. 

Runoff, in acre-feet. . . .

July

68

84

130

153

189

908

922

600

350

300

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

887

852

929

1.190

798

636

541

512

898

1,750

June

267

237

213

193

181

171

159

325

452

278

July

300

350

666

1,920

1,710

1,200

660

382

294

684

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

1,030

810

660

512

436

405

410

848

2,720

3,620

2,520

882 

54,210

June

227

183

168

150

127

106

96

86

73

70

-

338 

20, 090

July

901

594

512

1.370

1,220

1,830

3,520

4,940

4,530

3,680

2,470

1,208 

74, 260

Republican River near Hardy. Nebr.

Location. Lat 40°00'. long. 97«56', in sec. 6, T. IS.. R. 5 W., l| miles southwest of Hardy. Datum 

of gage is 1, 501. 46 ft above mean sea level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. 22, 400 sq mi. of which 1, 900 sq mi is largely noncontributing.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph except for periods May 19-30. June 2-15, 19-27, 

July 8, 20-24, for which graph was based on twice-daily gage readings, and period June 18-18. for 

which there is no gage-height record.

Discharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. May-July 1950: Discharge, 30, 000 cfs 2 a. m. July 10 (gage height, 13.70ft).

1932 to April 1950: Discharge, 225. 000 cfs June 2, 1935 (gage height. 19.4ft). by slope-area 

method.

Remarks. Natural flow affected by irrigation developments above station.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

May

477

442

456

456

540

556

526

540

755

665

June

2,840

1.940

1,190

980

863

746

665

540

465

358

July

168

170

178

178

182

168

205

707

12, 800

12,600

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

556

953

989

971

1, 020

1,280

980

845

863

881

June

340

330

325

290

290

285

275

260

254

244

July

2,070

1,260

821

740

905

2,100

8,220

3,000

1,250

845

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs ............................

May

1.640

1,940

1,220

1,020

890

728

665

647

1,370

2,920

3,640

1,014

62, 340

June

463

340

295

241

210

202

200

190

180

175

-

532

31.670

July

701

809

935

872

854

1,520

1,260

3.920

5,220

4,540

3,990

2,362

145,200

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

4

8

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

Gage

height Discharge

JulyS

4.30

4.65

5.10

5.15

5.15

5.40

290

505

890

935

935

1,160

July 9

6.00

9.90

10.90

1,820

9,800

13, 000

Hour

4

8

12

2.

4

8

N

4

8

12

Gage

height Discharge

July 9 (Con.)

11.70

12.50

13.45

13.70

13.45

11.15

9.15

7.77

6.80

6.20

16,100

20. 400

27, 300

July 10

30, 000

27, 300

14, 100

8,400

5.500

3,900

3,070

Hour

4

8

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

Gage 1

height | Discharge

July 11

5. 70 2, 450

5.40 2.100

5.15 1.870

5.05 1,780

4.92 1.660

4.82 1.570

July 12

4. 70 1. 460

4. 57 1. 350

4.45 1.260

Hour

4

8

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

Gage 1

height 1 Discharge

July 12 (Con.)

4.32 1,150

4.15 1,030

4.10 990

July 13

4. 00 920

3.91 855

3.84 810

3. 73 740

3.72 730

3.67 700
KANSAS RIVER BASIN 401

Center Creek at Franklin, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 400 05'30", long. 98'57'50", in SE^SW^ sec. 36, T. 2 N., R. 15 W., at bridge on State 

Highway 3 at Franklin, 1 \ miles upstream from mouth. Datum of gage is 1, 828. 07 ft above mean sea 

level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. --Ill sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Staff gage read twice daily.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Daily discharge, 7. 1 cfs May 30.

1948 to April 1950: Discharge observed, 365 cfs May 6, 1949; gage height observed, 3.58ft 

Feb. 23, 1949 (backwater from ice).

Remarks.--Natural flow affected by irrigation development.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

5.6

5.6

5.6

5.8

6.0

5.6

5.6

5.6

5.6

5.6

June

4.8

4.6

4.6

4.6

4.0

3.4

3.4

3.1

3.1

3.0

Monthly mean discharge, 

Runoff, in acre-feet. . . .

July

0.6

1.5

1.4

1.8

2.0

1.6

1.6

1.6

1.9

1.8

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

5.6

5.6

5.6

5.0

5.4

5.4

5.4

5.6

5.4

5.6

June

3.0

3.1

3.1

3.1

2.9

2.8

2.5

2.4

2.2

2.0

July

1.8

l.S

2.E

1.7

1.1

1.7

1.6

1.5

1.2

1.3

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

5.6

5.2

5.2

6.7

6.7

6.9

6.9

6.9

6.9

7.1

5.4

5.83 

358

June

1.8

.8

.7

.7

.6

.5

.9

1.1

1.3

1.3

-

2.51 

150

July

1.4

1.4

1.5

2.0

2.2

2.6

1.9

2.5

2.2

1.6

1.1

1.70 

105

Thompson Creek at Riverton, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 40"05' 25", long. 98°45'45", in NW^ sec. 2, T. IN., R. 13 W., at bridge on State

Highway 3, at west edge of Riverton, half a mile upstream from mouth. Datum of gage is 1, 753. 38 ft 

above mean sea level, datum of 1929. Prior to July 11, 1950, at datum of 1. 32 ft higher.

Drainage area. --295 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph except for period July 10-31, when once-daily wireweight gage readings were used.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements below 1, 500 cfs 

and extended to peak stage on basis of slope-area measurement.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 12, 200 cfs 3:30 a. m. July 9 (gage height, 13. 22 ft, present 

datum).

1948 to April 1950: Discharge, 3, 260 cfs June 8, 1949 (gage height, 7. 44 ft, present datum).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May22

2?

29

27

28

26

24

28

24

27

June

26

26

19

20

20

18

19

19

19

20

July

21

23

22

22

20

20

19

20

3,230

132

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

27

30

29

29

32

30

27

28

28

36

June

20

21

20

20

21

22

23

20

20

23

_ July

45

39

36

36

42

43

39

39

27

24

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. ............................................ . .

May

30

33

32

29

29.

32

32

39

44

34

23

1,820

June

22

20

22

21

20

21

21

20

20

20

-

1,240

July

23

22

26

19

19

22

23

22

23

23

24

8,220

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

12

1

2

3

3:30

4

Gage

height Discharge

July 8

2.08 21

July 9

4.49

7.10

11.30

11.90

9.45

1,310

4.550

11,200

12,200

8,600

Hour

5

6

7 

8

9

10

Gage

height Discharge

July 9 ( con. )

9.45

8.30

8.13

7.15

5.22

4.30

8,600

7,320

7,210

6,120

4,020

3,190

Gage

Hour

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

height Discharge

July 9 ( con. )

3.45

2.83

2.24

2.05

1.92

1.81

1.75

2,340

1,640

1,090

940

844

767

725

Hour

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Gage

height Discharge

July 9 ( con. )

1.68 678

1.61 636

1.55 600

1.49 564

1.41 516

1. 34 480

1.25 435
402 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Elm Creek at Amboy, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 40*05'. long. 98°26', in SE^SW^ sec. 34, T. 2 N., R. 10 W., at bridge on State Highway 3 at east edge on Amboy, 2^ miles upstream from mouth, and 4i miles east of Red Cloud. Datu-n 

of gage is 1, 666. 18 ft above mean sea level, datum of 1929.

Drainage area. --54 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Wire-weight gage read once daily except May 8. July 9, 10, 17, when twice-daily 

readings were obtained.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-contro' 

method used. Discharge for days of no gage-height record interpolated.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 1, 380 cfs 3 p. m. July 9 (gage height, 6. 6 ft, from graph based on 

gage readings). 

April 1948 to April 1950: Discharge observed, 994 cfs May 21, 1949 (gage height, 6. 02 ft).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second. 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

16

16

16

16

21

17

17

17

21

16

June

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

13

July

14

14

15

18

16

18

15

16

429

66

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

16

16

17

16

16

16

16

17

19

19

June

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

July

21

19

18

17

16

18

270

23

15

14

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Monthly mean discharge, in cfs

Runoff, in acre-feet. ................ ........ . ......

May

18

17

16

16

16

17

17

17

36

26

17

1 7 Q

June

14

14

31

14

14

14

14

14

14

14

-

14 fi

1, 100| 865

July

13

12

13

14

If

It

It

It

It

It

It

38.7

2,380

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

la

4

6

8

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9 

0.93 16

1.07 20

1.37 32

2.10 69

Hour

10

N

2

3

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9 (con.) 

3.75 286

6.16

6.57

6.60

1,060

1,360

1.380

Hour

4

6

8

10

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9 (con. ) 

6.37 1,190

5.10

4.13

3.37

2.69

640

372

221

127

Hour

3

6

9

N

6

12

Gage 1 

height 1 Discharge

July 10 

2.05 70

1.69 50

1.53 42

1.39 36

1.23 29

1.12 25
KANSAS RIVER BASIN 403

Big Blue River near Crete, Nebr.

vocation. Lat 40°35'40", long. 96°5T35". in 85 sec. 3, T. 7 N., R. 4 E., at bridge on State Highway 

62, 1. 6 miles south from Missouri Pacific Railroad station in Crete, 3. 3 miles downstream from Walnut 

Creek, 3. 6 miles upstream from Squaw Creek. Datum of gage is 1, 311. 5 ft above mean sea level, 

datum of 1929.

)rainage area. --2, 680 sq mi.

jage-height record. Wire-weight gage read twice daily. Gage heights above 12 ft obtained from 

graph based on gage readings.

Hscharge record. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Stage-discharge 

relation below about 12 ft affected by backwater from power dam downstream; discharge computed 

only for stages above 12 ft.

Jaxima. May-July 1950: Discharge, 27, 600 cfs 1 p. m. July 10 (gage height, 28. 74 ft). 

1945 to April 1950: Discharge, 20, 900 cfs Mar. 8, 1949 (gage height, 27.0ft).

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2 

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

1,790

June

2,630

1.670

July

15, 900

Day

11

12 

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

3,740

4,670

4,190

2,030

968

June July

10, 800

6.420 

4,660

4,150

3,810

4.090

4,870

2,860

1,460

Day

21

22 

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

1, 47C

3, SBC

June July

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

2

4

6

8

10

N

1

Gage 

height Discharge

July 10

12.00

14.40

19.20

26.80

28.20

28.68

28.74

1,440

2,400

4.570

19, 200

25, 100

27. 300

27, 600

Hour

2

4

6

8

10

12

4

8

Gage 

height Discharge

July 10 (con.)

28.70

28.55

27.84

27.15

26.60

26.10

24,400

20, 700

19, 800

19, 300

18, 400

16. 600

July 11

25.25

24.50

13. 800

11,700

Hour

N

4

8

12

6

N

6

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 11 (con.)

23.80

23.15

22.60

22.15

10, 200

9,040

8,210

7,600

July 12

21.75

21.22

20.59

20.04

7,900

6,460

5.790

5.240

Hour

6

N

6

12

N

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 13

19.65

19.23

4.890

4.590

18.92 4,410

18.76 4.330

July 14

18.43 4.160

17.88 3,890
404 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

Big Blue River at Barneston, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 40e03'. long. 96°35', in NEjSW^ sec. 13, T. IN., R. 7 E., in tailwater of power plant, 

three-quarters of a mile northwest of Barneston, 2 miles upstream from Plum Creek, and 5 miles 

upstream from Nebraska-Kansas State line.

Drainage area. --4, 420 sq mi.

Gage-height record. Water-stage recorder graph.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. May-July 1950: Discharge, 21, 300 cfs 4 p. m. May 10 (gage height, 25. 67 ft). 

1932 to April 1950: Discharge, 57, 700 cfs June 9, 1941 (gage height, 34.3ft).

Remarks. Low flow regulated by power plant at gage, which has pondage of about 1, 500 acre-ft. High 

flow occasionally affected for short periods by operation of trash gates.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

285

509

362

476

1,050

674

842

1,900

14, 300

20, 000

June

4,100

4,420

3,210

1.880

1,290

954

847

745

716

872

July

338

310

250

308

260

378

286

284

2,700

7,610

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

9,580

3,530

4,450

4,940

3,910

1,980

951

938

992

914

June

624

458

348

421

424

440

849

903

791

586

July

5,450

10, 500

15,600

10,800

6,770

5,150

5,210

6,170

8,110

3,110

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Runoff, in acre-feet. .................................................

May

1,020

848

706

647

1.800

1,000

1,030

843

4,010

5,870

4,400

3,056

187. 900

June

840

659

567

576

678

582

542

435

306

280

-

998

59, 380

July

1,800

1,620

1,580

1,560

1,330

982

808

708

674

542

497

3,208

197, 300

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time. 1950

Hour

8

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

9

N

3

6

9

12

4

8

N

2

4

. 6

8

12

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Gage 1 height 1 Discharge

MayS

7.65 1.720

8. 90 2, 370

13. 90 5, 780

17. 00 8, 290

May 9

17.94 9,060

18.83 9,790

18.82 10,000

19.11 10,400

19.60 11,000

20.10 11.700

21.30 13,400

22.10 14.600

23.06 16,200

23.85 17,200

24. 07 18, 000

24.29 18.400

May 10

24.46 18,700

24.87 19,500

25.40 20,700

25.60 21,100

25.67 21.300

25.61 21,200

25. 44 20, 800

24.80 19,400

May 11

24.32 18,400

23.65 17,200

22.68 15,500

20.80 12,700

18.73 9,910

16. 73 7, 960

14.89 6,250

13. 58 5, 360

12.23 4,360

10.47 3.130

11.72 4,000

12. 97 4, 880

12.30 4.410

Hour

4

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

10

12

N

12

N

12

6

N

6

12

6

N

6

12

2

4

5

6

7

Gage 

heieht

10.94

10.99

10.10

9.30

8.78

9.24

10.42

10.25

10.04

11.40

13.70

12.70

12.12

11.82

11.72

11.79

12.37

12.82

13.13

13.04

12.81

11.73

10.53

9.60

8.84

8.39

8.04

7.75

Discharge

May 12

3.460

3.490

2,910

2.430

2.120

2.390

3,100

3,000

2,870

3,780

5,480

4,690

4.280

4.070

4.000

4,050

May 13

4,460

4,770

May 14

5,000

4,930

May 15

4.630

4.010

3,170

2,610

May 16

2,150

1,900

1,720

1.580

July 9

2.77

3.10

4.18

5.60

6.32

74

130

380

772

1,020

Hour

8

9

10

11

N"3

8

9

12

2

4

5:30

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

6

8

9

10

11

N

2

4

6

8

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9 (con.)

7.40

10.19

10.71

10.89

11.00

11.52

11.88

12.20

13.11

13.66

14.41

17.66

17.35

16.85

16.72

16.74

16.91

17.09

17.24

17.41

17.34

17.12

16.65

16.01

15.28

14.61

13.97

13.47

13.11

13.02

12.29

12.92

12.81

12.76

12.93

13.39

14.10

1.48C

2. 96C

3, 30C

3,420

3,500

3,860

4.120

4,340

4,990

July 10

5,430

6.030

8,790

8,520

8,060

7,950

7,970

8. 120

8,280

8,420

8,570

8.510

8.310

7,880

7,310

6,720

July 11

6.190

5.880

5.280

4,990

4,920

4,400

4,840

4,770

4.730

4.850

5,210

5,780

Hour

10

12

2

4

6

8

10

N

4

8

12

4

8

10

N

4

8

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

4

8

9

10

11

N

4

8

12

4

8

Gage 

heieht Discharge

July 11 (con.)

14.88

15.76

6,390

7,110

July 12

18.59

17.26

17.84

18.32

18.80

19.24

19.98

20.82

21.76

7,830

8.430

8,960

9.450

9.990

10. 500

11, 500

12,700

14, 100

July 13

22.67

23.16

23.22

23.19

22.92

22.34

21.55

Ji

20.70

19.88

19.15

18.45

17.80

17.10

Ji

16.46

15.90

15.87

13.98

15.80

15.77

14.85

14.38

13.99

Jv

13.66

13.43

15,500

18, 300

16. 400

18, 400

15. 900

15, 000

13,800

ily 14

12,800

11,400

10,400

9,600

8,920

8,290

ily 15

7,710

7.220

7,200

5,680

6.980

7.120

6.380

6.000

5.690

ily 16

5,430

5,240
KANSAS RIVER BASIN 405

Little Blue River near Endicott, Nebr.

Location. --Lat 400 05'10", long. 97°08'10", in sec. 6, T. IN., R. 3E., 300 ft downstream from county 

highway bridge, l| miles upstream from Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad bridge, and 2 miles 

northwest of Endicott.

Drainage area. 2, 340 sq mi.

Gage-height record. --Water-stage recorder graph. N^ gage-height record May 1.

Discharge record. --Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements. Shifting-control 

method used.

Maxima. --May-July 1950: Discharge, 12, 100 cfs 9 a. m. July 9 (gage height, 14. 08 ft).

1908-15, 1929 to April 1950: Discharge, 31, 000 cfs June 9, 1941 (gage height, 16. 23 ft), from 

rating curve extended above 20, 000 cfs.

Mean discharge, in cubic feet per second, 1950

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

May

160

158

156

154

273

656

339

300

4,050

1,190

June

1,300

1,760

970

598

477

397

352

317

295

275

July

234

210

187

170

164

162

172

168

7,420

4,050

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

May

604

810

458

329

282

254

232

219

302

232

June

261

250

239

230

219

214.

510

1,770

514

359

July

3,650

9,490

6,890

2,820

1,050

774

4,430

8,300

5,030

1,850

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

May

230

212

228

193

805

445

329

250

2,670

6,250

1,230

774

47,600

June

282

245

252

232

364

282

225

219

208

185

-

27, 370

July

1,000

792

656

572

536

746

722

548

470

430

402

2,068

127,100

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in cubic feet per second, at indicated time, 1950

Hour

6

8

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

1

2

3

4

5

6

7:30

8

9

10

11

12

1

2

Gage 

height Discharge

May 8

2.43

2.67

3.19

3.60

4.90

M

6.26

6.93

7.10

7.11

7.09

7.15

7.69

8.09

8.52

8.93

9.25

9.54

9.89

10.19

10.46

10.61

10.74

10.83

10.92

10.90

10.75

10.43

9.83

9.17

M

8.42

7.75

261

317

450

567

1,030

ay 9

1,610

1,920

2,020

2,030

2,010

2,050

2,340

2,550

2,810

3,070

3,300

3,580

4,180

4,840

5,520

5,930

6,480

6,910

7,190

7,130

6.820

6.160

4.610

3.430

ay 10

2.830

2.390

Hour

3

4

6

8

10

N

3

6

12

6

N

6

10

11

12

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

N

2

4

Gage 1 

height 1 Discharge

May 10 (con. )

7.18 2,050

6.64 1.76C

5.87 1,380

5.40 1,160

5.07 1,030

4.80 918

4.48 800

4. 20 702

4.11 672

May 11

4.11 672

3.79 570

3.62 520

July 8

1.97 160

2.05 176

2.68 317

July 9

4.65 838

8.36 2,620

10. 76 4, 700

11.74 6,380

12.56 8,090

13.17 9,610

13.69 11,000

14.02 11,900

14.08 12.100

13.96 11,800

13.70 11,000

13.39 10,200

12.-76 8, 570

12.27 7,420

Hour

6

8

10

12

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

6

8

10'N

2

4

6

8

10

12

2

4

Gage 

height Discharge

July 9 (con. )

11.88

11.48

11.14

10.90

10.80

10.77

10.75

10.72

10.61

10.39

10.00

9.55

9.24

8.96

8.76

8.60

6,630

5,920

5,370

4,990

July 10

4,830

4,790

4,760

4,720

4,560

4,300

3,900

3,530

3,280

3,080

2,940

2.830

July 11

8.42

8.30

8.25

8.38

8.74

9.18

9.59

10.03

10.49

10.88

11.30

11.72

12.17

12.67

2,710

2,640

2,610

2,690

2,930

3,240

3,560

3,930

4,420

4,960

5,630

6.350

July 12

7,200

8.360

Hour

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

12

4

8

N

4

8

12

2

4

6

7

8

9

10

11

fl

2

4

6

8

10

12

Gage 

height Discharge

July 12 (con. )

13.15

13.43

13.55

13.56

13.56

13.49

13.36

13.19

13.03

12.88

J

12.62

12.37

12.08

11.73

11.34

10.98

9,560

10, 300

10,600

10, 700

10, 600

10,400

10,100

9,660

9,250

8,860

ruly 13

8,240

7,640

7.010

6,360

5.690

5.120

July 14

10.76

10.55

10.30

10.07

9.72

9.27

8.75

8.22

7.79

7.08

6.59

6.27

6.04

5.84

5.68

4,770

4,490

4,200

3,960

3,670

3,310

2,940

2,590

2,360

2,000

1,760

1,600

1,490

1,400

1,330
406 FLOODS OF 1950 IN SOUTHEASTERN NEBRASKA

SUMMARY OF FLOOD STAGES AND DISCHARGES

The results of the determinations of maximum flood flows s t 

existing stream-gaging stations and other places on streams in 

the area covered by this report are summarized and presented in 

table 3, "Summary of flood stages and discharges." The reference 

number in this table is applicable to figure SOand will aid in identifying the place where the discharge was determined.

The maximum discharges at existing gaging stations were obtained as a part of the station record, from a stage-discharge relation. The maximum discharge at miscellaneous points was obtained by special methods, such as those nojted under " Measure - 

ment of flood discharge. " These are indicated by headnote in 

table 3. Gaging stations and miscellaneous points can be identi - 

fied in table 3 by the entry in the column "Period of record": a 

period of record is shown for all gaging stations, whereas a dash 

indicates that the point is miscellaneous,that is, no record of discharge has been collected systematically at that point.

The maximum flood previously known may include a flood antedating the period of record, the general aim being to list th^ 

highest flood for which the discharge is known. Information relating to previous maxima is contained in the footnotes.

Figure 61 is a graph showing relation of unit discharge to size 

of drainage area. The figure provides a convenient method for 

comparing flood discharges from drainage areas that differ widely 

in size; it does not bring out the comparative influence of topographical or other basin characteristics that may influence floo-i 

discharge.
SUMMARY OF FLOOD STAGES AND DISCHARGES 407

n orm to those in

100 1000 

DRAINAGE AREA, IN SQUARE MILES

FIGUBE 61. Relation of unit discharge to size of drainage area.
Table 3. --Summary of flood stages and discharges

[Maximum discharges for the floods of May-July 1950 were obtained from gaging-station records, except as otherwise indicated by the following symbols: S, slopearea measurements; C, contracted-opening measurement; D, computed flow over highway embankment; T, computed flow through culvert]

No. 

on 

fig. 1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Stream and place of determination

MISSOURI RIVER MAIN STEM

Missouri River at Omaha, Nebr.

Missouri River at Nebraska City. Nebr.

Missouri River at Rulo, Nebr.

PLATTE RIVER BASIN

Platte River near Grand Island, Nebr.

Platte River near Duncan, Nebr.

Platte River at North Bend, Nebr.

Platte River near Ashland, Nebr.

Wood River near Gibbon, Nebr.

Prairie Creek near Silver Creek, Nebr.

Middle Loup River at St. Paul, Nebr.

Loup River near Genoa, Nebr.

Loup River at Columbus, Nebr.

North Loup River near St. Paul, Nebr.

Spring Creek at Cushing, Nebr.

Cedar River near Spalding, Nebr.

Cedar River near Fullerton, Nebr.

Beaver Creek at Loretto, Nebr.

Beaver Creek at Genoa, Nebr.

Shell Creek at Newman Grove, Nebr.

Shell Creek near Columbus, Nebr.

Elkhorn River at Norfolk, Nebr.

Elkhorn River at Waterloo, Nebr.

Drainage 

area 

(square 

miles)

322,800

414,400

418,905

59, 500

61,600

.

83,800

572

406

7,720

14,440

15,230

4,460

-

794

1,220

311

627

122

270

2,790

6,900

Period 

of 

record

1928-

1929-

1949-

1933-

1895-1915,

1928-

1949-

1928-

1949-

1949-

1895-97, 1899,

1903,1928-

1928-32,1943-

1894-1915,

1931, 1933-

1895-97, 1899,

1903, 1928-

1949-

1945-

1931-32,1940-

1944-

1940-

1949-

1947-

1945-

1911-13,1928-

Maximum flood previously known

Date

Apr. 12, 1943

June 14, 1944

Apr. 29, 1950

June 6, 1935

June 23, 1905

June 24, 1947

June 12, 1944

June 9, 1949

Sept. 12, 1949

June 23, 1947

June 23, 1947

June 23, 1947

June 6, 1896

June 27, 1949

June 23, 1947

Feb. 28, 1948

Feb. 28, 1948

June 21, 1942

-

June 2, 1947

June 26, 1947

June 12, 1944

Gage 

height 

(feet)

a22.45

19.70

21.6

5.99

-

.

-

15.63

3.03

10.69

10.12

h!2.0

-

5.79

7.50

9.40

9.81

15.5

-

21.7

kll.l

ml6. 6

Discharge 

(cfs)

200, 000

214, 000

185, 000

30, 000

e51, 100

f90, 000

g!07, 000

1, 600

127

72,000

90, 000

85, 000

90, 000

448

4, 000

9, 760

i807

3,930

-

4,600

12, 600

100,000

Cfs per 

square 

mile.

.

-

-

.

-

.

-

2.80

.31

-

_

-

-

.

5.04

8.00

2. 59

6.27

-

17.0

.

-

Maximum during May-July 1950

Date and hour

June 20, 3 a. m.

May 9, 4:30 a.m.

May 10, 6 a. m.

May 9, 3:30 a.m.

May 11, l:15p.m

July 12, 5 p.m.

July 20, 2:30 a. m

July 10, 3-5 p. m.

July 13, noon

July 9, 11:30 a. m

July 9, noon

July 10, 2 a. m.

July 9, 5:30 a. m.

July 22, 11: 30 p. ir

July 8, 9:30 p.m.

July 19, 1:30 a. m.

June 2, 11 a. m.

July 19, 2:30 a.m.

July 18, 1 p. m.

June 3, 12:30 p. m

July 19, 9 a. m.

July 20, 5 a. m.

Gage 

height 

(feet)

14.00

18.60

21.55

3. 60

3. 10

5.3

6.30

15.74

6.62

6.51

7.92

h9.0

4.37

15.00

5.12

9.64

11.74

18.70

J20.20

21.38

e8.35

n7.08

Discharge 

(cfs)

96, 900

147,000

172, 000

4,310

4, 150

25,000

47, 900

1,680

889

9.600

39, 300

42, 100

16, 800

2,560

1,320

10,100

4,570

21, 200

12,000

5,970

7, 080

13,400

Cfs per 

square 

.mile

-

-

-

-

-

.

-

2.94

2.19

-

.

-

-

-

1.66

8.28

14. 7

33.8

98.4

22. 1

-

-
34

Union Creek at Madison, Nebr.

Tributary to Union Creek at Madison, Nebr. £/

Logan Creek near Uehling, Nebr.

Salt Creek at Lincoln, Nebr. 

Salt Creek near Ashland, Nebr.

Wahoo Creek at Ithaca, Nebr. 

Silver Creek at Ithaca, Nebr.

WEEPING WATER CREEK BASIN

Weeping Water Creek near Weeping 

Water, Nebr.

Weeping Water Creek at Union, Nebr. 

LITTLE NEMAHA RIVER BASIN

Little Nemaha River near Syracuse, Nebr. 

Little Nemaha River at Auburn, Nebr.

NEMAHA RIVER BASIN 

Nemaha River at Falls City, Nebr.

KANSAS RIVER BASIN 

Republican River near Bloomington, Nebr.

Republican River near Hardy, Nebr. 

Center Creek at Franklin, Nebr. 

Thompson Creek at Riverton, Nebr. 

Elm Creek at Amboy, Nebr. 

Big Blue River near Crete, Nebr.

Big Blue River at Barneston, Nebr. 

West Fork Big Blue River near

Dorchester, Nebr. v/ 

Tributary to West Fork Big Blue River north

of McCool Junction, Nebr. w/ 

Tributary to West Fork Big Blue River

south of York, Nebr. x/ 

Turkey Creek near DeWitt, Nebr. y_/

167

' 2.5

1,030

740

1,640

272

72

79

231

218

664

1,340

20, 800

22, 400

111

295

54

2, 680

4,420

1,220

17.2

6. 93

692

.

-

1941-

1949-

1947-

1949-

1949-

.

1950-

-

1949-

1944-

1929-

1932-

1948-

1948-

1948-

1945-

1932-

-

-

-

-

.

-

June 5, 1940

July 6, 1908

May 6, 1949

Feb. 28, 1950

Feb. 28, 1950

.

-

-

Sept. 6.1949

June 2, 1949

June 1, 1935

June 2, 1935

May 6, 1949

June 8, 1949

May 21, 1949

Mar. 8, 1949

June 9, 1941

-

-

-

-

.

-

18.6

-

el4. 14

21.08

10.80

.

-

-

10.73

28.8

320.4

19.4

t2. 72

h.7.44

e6.02

27.0

34.3

-

-

-

-

.

-

20, 000

(q)

r26, 100

5,430

940

_

-

-

2,080

34, 200

260, 000

225,000

e365

3,260

994

20, 900

57,700

-

-

-

-

.

-

19.4

-

15.9

20.0

13.8

.

-

-

-

26.5

-

.

3. 29

11.1

18.4

7.80

13.1

-

-

-

-

June 2

June 2

July 19

May 9, 9 a. m.

May 9, 12 p. en. to

May 10, 2 a. m.

May 25, 11:30 a. m.

May 9

May 9

May 9, 12:30 a. m.

May 9

May 9, 7 a. m.

May 9, 10:30 p. m.

July 28, 9 a. m.

Julu 10, 2 a. m.

May 30

July 9, 3:30 a. m.

July 9, 3 p. m.

July 10, 1 p. m.

May 10, 4 p. m.

July 10

July 9

July 9

May 9

.

-

10.3

26.05

12. 98

15. 71

e3.55

.

29.8

-

27.65

26.0

5.66

13.70

-

h!3. 22

6.6

28.74

25.67

-

-

-

1 -

15, 700CD

2, 560T

3,860

27,800

19, 300

1,310

28

30, 300 S

60, 300

225, OOOCD

164,000

26, 300

5,050

30. 000

u7. 1

12, 200

1, 380

27,600

21. 300

49, 400CD

15, 200CD

23, 000 S

21, 400 S

94.0

1.020

3.75

37.6

11.8

CO 4.82 (H

.39 g

384 *4

O

261 ^

O

o

1,030 O

247

CO

H

S

19.6 H

O

2

.06 CO

41.4 Q

25.6 S

10.3 50

O

4.82 Sj

40.5 ^

884

3,320

C 31.9 £g
Table 3.--Summary of flood stages and discharges--Continued.

No. 

on 

fig. 1

46 

47

Stream and place of determination

KANSAS RIVER BASIN- -Continued

Little Blue River at Hebron, Nebr. zj 

Little Blue River near Endicott, Nebr.

Drainage 

area 

(square 

miles)

1,440 

2, 340

Period 

of 

record

1908-15,1929-

Maximum flood previously known

Date

June 9, 1941

Gage 

height 

(feet)

16.23

Discharge 

(cfs)

31,000

Cfs per 

square 

mile

13.2

Maximum during May-July 1950

Date and hour

About July 1 1 

July 9, 9 a. m.

Gage 

height 

(feet)

14.08

Discharge 

(cfs) 8

24, 800 C 

12, 100

Cfs per 

square 

mile

17.2 

5. 17

a Occurred Apr. 13, 1943. Maximum stage known, 24.65 ft.Apr. 25, 1881, ice jam.

b Maximum gage height, 25. 8 ft on Mar. 6, 1949 (ice jam).

c Occurred Apr. 30, 1950.

d Maximum gage height, 6. 03 ft on Mar. 4, 1949 (backwater from ice).

e Observed.

f Greater than flood of June 1886.

g Greatest known flood since 1883.

h Present datum.

i May have been exceeded by flood in May 1945, for whichno record was obtained.

j Flood of June 2, 1950, reached stage of 20. 13 ft (discharge, U, 600 cfs).

k Maximum gage height, 12. 25 ft on Feb. 28, 1949 (backwater from ice).

m Greatest flood known.

n Occurred at 11 a. m. July 22.

p Determination made at culvert on U. S. Highway 81 in NW J sec. 8, T. 21 N., R. 1 W. 

q Flood of May 9,1950, greatest since that of July 6, 1908, which may have been

equal or greater.

r May include some overflow from Platte River, 

s Site then in use.

t Maximum gage height observed, 3. 58 ft on Feb. 23, 1949 (backwater from ice), 

u Mean daily discharge, 

v At bridge on U. S. Highway 6. 

w At bridge on U. S. Highway 81, 3/4 mile north of McCool Junction,

sec. 13, T. 9 N., R. 3 W.

x Near center of sec. 6, T. 9 N., R. 2 W., about 6 miles south of York, 

y In NWi sec. 15, T. 5 N., R. 4 E., downstream from Swan Creek, 

z At bridge on U. S. Highway 81.
INDEX

Page 

Abstract. ............................ 351

Amboy, Nebr., Elm Creek at ......... 402

Ashland, Nebr., Platte River near 377

Salt Creek near .................... 395

Auburn, Nebr., inundation of highway

hear .....................359,fig. 55

Little Nemaha River at ............. 398

Barneston, Nebr., Big Blue River at... 404 

Beaver Creek at Genoa, Nebr. ........ 389

at Loretto, Nebr. .................. 388

Beaver Crossing, Nebr., flood at 363,fig. 59 

Big Blue River at Barneston, Nebf. .... 404

near Crete, Nebr. ................. 403

Bloomington, Nebr., Republican River

near........................... 399

-edar River near Fullerton, Nebr. .... 386 

near Spalding, Nebr. .............. 385

-enter Creek at Franklin, Nebr. ...... 401

-olumbus, Nebr., Loup River at ...... 382

Shell Creek near ................... 391

3rete, Nebr., Big Blue River near ..... 403

Pushing, Nebr., Spring Creek at ...... 384

damages, flood .................. .364-366

)uncan, Nebr., Platte River near...... 375

21khorn River at Norfolk, Nebr. ....... 392

at Waterloo, Nebr. ................. 393

Sim Creek at Amboy, Nebr. .......... 402

Cndicott, Nebr., Little Blue River near 405 

Sxplanation of data ................... 371

''alls City. Nebr., Nemaha River at ... 399 

lood damages.................... 364-366

lood discharges, measurement of. .370-321 

i'lood stages and discharges, summary

of ..........................406-407

Moods, general description of. .... .352-363

franklin, Nebr., Center Creek at ..... 401

''ullerton, Nebr., Cedar River near. ... 386

General description of the floods ... .352-363

ienoa, Nebr., Beaver Creek at ....... 389

damage to highway near....... 363, fig. 60

Loup River near. ................... 381

Loup River power canal near ........ 387

ribbon, Nebr., Wood River near ...... 378

^rand Island, Nebr., Platte River near.. 374 

lardy, Nebr., Republican River near... 400 

itroduction. ......................351-352

sohyetal map of Shell Creek basin 359,fig. 56 

southeastern Nebraska and northeastern Kansas ........... 361,fig. 57

southeastern Nebraska and western

Iowa .................... 355,fig. 52

thaca, Nebr., Silver Creek at......... 396

Wahoo Creek at .................... 396

incoln, Nebr., Salt Creek at.......... 394

ittle Blue River near Endicott, Nebr. . 405 

ittle Nemaha River at Auburn, Nebr... . 398

hydrograph of .............. 354,fig. 51

ogan Creek near Uehling, Nebr........ 394

-oretto, Nebr., Beaver Creek at...... 388

Page 

Loup River at Columbus, Nebr. ..... 382

hydrograph of ............ 354,fig. 51

near Genoa, Nebr................ 381

power canal near Genoa, Nebr. ... 387

Measurement of flood discharges 370-371 

Meteorologic conditions ........366-370

Middle Loup River at St. Paul, Nebr. . 380 

Missouri River at Nebraska City,

Nebr. ...................... 373

at Omaha, Nebr. ................ 373

at Rulo, Nebr. .................. 374

Nebraska City, Nebr., Missouri

River at .................... 373

Nemaha River at Falls City, Nebr. .. 399 

Newman Grove, Nebr., Shell Creek

at.......................... 390

Norfolk, Nebr., Elkhorn River at ... 392 

North Bend. Nebr., Platte River at .. 376 

North Loup River near St. Paul.Nebr. 383 

Omaha, Nebr.. Missour River at.... 373

Platte River at North Bend, Nebr.... 376

near Ashland, Nebr. ............. 377

near Duncan, Nebr. ............. 375

near Grand Island, Nebr. ........ 374

Prairie Creek near Silver Creek,

Nebr. ...................... 379

Republican River near Bloomington,

Nebr. ...................... 399

near Hardy, Nebr................ 400

Riverton, Nebr., Thomson Creek at. 401 

Rulo, Nebr., Missouri River at..... 374

St. Paul, Nebr. .Middle Loup River

at.......................... 380

North Loup River near ........... 383

Salt Creek at Lincoln, Nebr. ....... 394

near Ashland, Nebr. ............. 395

Shell Creek at Newman Grove, Nebr. 390 

near Columbus, Nebr. ........... 391

Silver Creek at Ithaca, Nebr. ....... 396

Silver Creek^ Nebr., Prairie Creek

near........................ 379

Spalding, Nebr., Cedar River near .. 385 

Spring Creek at Gushing, Nebr. ..... 384

Stages and discharges at streamgaging stations ..........371-372

Summary of flood stages and

discharges ...............406-407

Talmage, Nebr., damage to railroad

track near ............. 357,fig.54

Thomson Creek at Riverton, Nebr. .. 401 

Uehling, Nebr., Logan Creek near . . 394 

Unadilla, Nebr., view along U. S.

Highway 40 .......... 357,fig. 53

Union, Nebr.. Weeping Water Creek at 397 

Wahoo Creek at Ithaca, Nebr........ 396

Waterlooe. Nebr. .Elkhorn River at.. 393 

Weeping Water Creek at Union. Nebr. 397 

Wood River near Gibbon. Nebr. ..... 378

York, Nebr., graph showing rainfall

at.................... 362.fig. 58

411

U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : O 1953