UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Harold L. Ickes, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. C. Mendenhall, Director

Water-Supply Paper 836

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HYDROLOGY 

OF THE UNITED STATES

1938-39

GLENN L. PARKER, Chief Hydraulic Engineer

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON : 1940

CORRECTION for Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 836-E.

In Water-Supply Paper 836-E, "Local overdevelopment of ground-water 

supplies, with special reference to conditions at Grand Island, Nebr.," the 

plate numbers and titles as printed on plates 17 and 18 are reversed.

The title of plate 17 (incorrectly printed as plate 18) should read "Map 

showing contours on the water table in the vicinity of Grand Island on 

August 1, 1936."

The title of plate 18 (incorrectly printed as plate 17) should have the date 

"January 1, 1938."

101912

CONTENTS

[Theletters in parentheses preceding the titles are those used to designate the papers for advance publication]

Page

(A) Stages and flood discharges of the Connecticut River at Hartford,

Conn., by H. B. Kinnison, L. F. Conover, and B. L. Bigwood____ 1

(B) Ground-water resources of the Holbrook region, Arizona, by Marshal]

A. Harrell and Edwin B. Eckel_________________________ 19

(C) Artesian-water levels and interference between artesian wells in the

vicinity of Lehi, Utah, by G. H. Taylor and H. E. Thomas____ 107

(D) Ground water in the United States: A summary of ground-water conditions and resources, utilization of water from wells and springs, 

methods of scientific investigation, and literature relating to the 

subject, by Oscar Edward Meinzer___________________________x 157

(E) Local overdevelopment of ground-water supplies with special reference to conditions at Grand Island, Nebr., by Leland K. Wenzel__ 233

ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

PLATE 1. Stages of the Connecticut River at Hartford, and the corresponding discharge at 2-hour intervals March 13 to March 

27, 1936_______________._.____________________________ 14

2. Geologic map of the Holbrook region, northeastern Arizona. In pocket

3. Hydrologic map of the Holbrook region, showing wells, springs,

reservoirs, and culture____________________-______--_ In pocket

4. A, Kaibab limestone overlying Coconino sandstone; B Coconino

sandstone overlain directly by Moenkopi formation._______ 46

5. A, Badlands carved in variegated shales of the Chinle formation; 

B, Cross-bedded Upper Cretaceous sandstone overlain by 

recent alluvium______________________________________ 46

6. A, Massive Upper Cretaceous sandstone, overlying a zone of 

shaly sandstone; B, Tertiary sand and gravel capped by thin 

lava flow _____________________________________________ 46

7. A, Tertiary sands at Deep Lake, Apache County; B, Bluff cut

in travertine cone by the Little Colorado River___________ 46

8. A, Tepeelike ridges formed by compression in a small synclinal 

area on south side of the Holbrook dome; B, Water holes in 

Kaibab limestone in bed of Jacks Canyon, Coconino County. 46

9. A, Silver Creek Spring, Navajo County; B, Mud mounds at

Navajo Springs, Apache County___----------_------_--_- 46

10. A, Landscape north of Joseph City, Navajo County; B, Laguna

Salada, Apache County_______________________________ 46

160365 40
IV ILLUSTRATIONS

Page 

PLATE 11. A, Green Lake at Long-H Ranch, Apache County; B, Lyman

Dam on Little Colorado River south of St. Johns._________ 47

12. A, Installation of an automatic water-stage recording gage on 

flowing well (D-5-1) 17ac5; B, Measuring the discharge 

from well (D-5-1) 8dc during a test of interference with 

other wells_ ________________________________________ 130

13. Hydrographs of 34 wells in the vicinity of Lehi, Utah County,

Utah, September and October 1936__________________ 130

14. Fluctuations of water levels in wells (D-5-1) 17ac5 and (D-5-1)

18abl measured by recording gages ____________-_----____ 130

15. Relief map of the United States_________-_-_-_-_---_------ 157

16. Map showing contours on the water table in the vicinity of 

Grand Island on January 1, 1936, and location of municipal, 

industrial, and irrigation wells __________________________ 264

17. Map showing contours on the water table in the vicinity of

Grand Island on August 1, 1936.__________________ 264

18. Map showing contours on the water table in the vicinity of

Grand Island on January 1, 1938-___-_-_--------__------ 264

19. Lines showing estimated decline of the water table in the vicinity

of Grand Island since ground-water development began____ 268

20. Profiles of the water table at Grand Island-.______________ 268

21. Lines showing decline of the water table in the vicinity of Grand

Island from January 1, 1936, to January 1, 1938____.______ 268

FIGURE 1. Rating curve for Connecticut River at Thompsonville, Conn__ 8

2. Connecticut River hydrographs for the flood of March 1936_ 12

3. Index map of Arizona showing areas considered in this report

and other water-supply papers of the Geological Survey.___ 21

4. Map of Lehi and vicinity, Utah County, Utah, showing wells 

measured during 1934, 1935, and 1936, and approximate 

area in which static levels were lowered during pumping from 

weU (D-5-1) 8dc in September 1936_______________ 108

5. Graph showing the cumulative departure from the normal precipitation, average monthly precipitation, and mean monthly 

temperature at Salt Lake City, Utah__.______________ 113

6. Hydrograph of well (D-5-1) 20abl, Jacob G. Cox________ 118

7. Hydrograph of well (D-5-1) 17ad2, M. S. Lott_________ 119

8. Map of Lehi and vicinity, Utah County, Utah, showing contours on the piezometric surface during September 1935 and 

September 1936___________________________ 123

9. Map of Lehi and vicinity, Utah County, Utah, showing contours on the piezometric surface during September and December 1936________________________________. 124

10. Map of Lehi and vicinity, Utah County, Utah, showing edge 

of flowing-well area in 1935 and 1936 and lines of equal rise 

of static levels from September to December 1936_______ 126

11. Map of the United States showing mean annual precipitation. _ 161

12. Map of the United States showing the four major regions of 

the United States with respect to ground water and their 

subdivision into ground-water provinces--.---.------------ 162

13. Map of the United States showing areas in which Paleozoic

rocks are at or near the surface..---------------.-------- 165
ILLUSTRATIONS V

Page

FIGTJBE 14. Map of the eastern and central parts of the United States 

showing areas in which Pre-Cambrian rocks are at or near 

the surface__________________-_--_____--_-__-_______-_ 166

15. Map of the eastern part of the United States showing areas

in which Triassic rocks are at or near the surface__________ 167

16. Map of the United States showing principal areas underlain

by glacial drift. ______________________________________ 169

17. Map of the western part of the United States showing principal areas underlain by valley fill_____________________ 172

18. Map of the western part of the United States showing areas 

in which Tertiary or Quaternary volcanic rocks are at or 

near the surface_____-_____----_-_-_-__-______________ 173

19. Ideal section illustrating chief requisite conditions for artesian

flows. _____________________________________________ 176

20. Generalized section of the Roswell artesian basin. __________ 177

21. Map of the Winter Garden district of the Coastal Plain in 

Texas, showing original artesian conditions and conditions 

as affected by heavy withdrawals through wells_________ 179

22. Section along the line' A-A' in figure 21 ___ _ _________ 180

23. Generalized section of the Dakota artesian basin__________ 181

24. Map of the lower peninsula of Michigan showing areas of

artesian flow, supplied chiefly from glacial drift-__________ 183

25. Perspective view and section of a typical western valley showing artesian conditions__-___----_--___--_-_-----_-----_ 185

26. Map of the northern drainage basin of Big Smoky Valley,

Nev., showing intake and discharge of ground water. _____ 188

27. Map of the United States showing springs of the first magnitude________________________._____________ 189

28. Map of the United States showing thermal springs. _________ 191

29. Hydrographs, for selected days, of the ebbing and flowing

springs near Broadway, Va., and Afton, Wyo____________ 193

30. Map showing States in which most of the public water supplies are derived from wells.___________________________ 195

31. Graphs of water levels in wells showing fluctuations caused by 

precipitation and seasonal variations in evaporation and 

transpiration.________________________________________ 213

32. Graphs of water levels in wells showing discharge of ground

water by transpiration of alfalfa._______________________ 214

33. Graphs of water level in a well showing discharge of ground

water by transpiration of willows. _______________________ 214

34. Graphs of water levels in two observation wells showing fluctuations caused by pumping a third well. ____________________ 215

35. Graph of water level in a well showing fluctuations caused by

pumping and by passing railroad trains ___________________ 216

36. Graphs of water levels in a well showing the effects of passing

railroad trains._______________________________________ 216

37. Graph of water level in a well showing fluctuations caused by

variations in atmospheric pressure.______________________ 217

38. Graph of water level in an artesian well 100 feet from the shore

showing fluctuations caused by the ocean tide____________ ' 218

39. Graph of water level in a well 800 feet deep showing fluctuations

caused by the ocean tide_l.______________________________ 218
VI ILLUSTRATIONS

Page

FIGURE 40. Graph of water level in a well showing fluctuations caused by an

earthtide..--______-___.._____---__-___-----_____. 219

41. Graphs of water levels in wells showing fluctuations caused by

earthquakes-____-____----__-_-----__----- _____--_-___ 220

42. Map showing location and size of principal feeder water mains 

and location of wells pumped for municipal supply in Grand 

Island-_________-______-___-. _-___l___ ______ 237

43. Graphs showing operation of city wells in hours per month__ 246

44. Annual precipitation and accumulative departure from normal precipitation at Grand Island for the period 1895-1937- _ 255

45. Hydrograph showing fluctuations of water level in well 245

and the monthly precipitation at Grand Island_-________- 257

46. Hydrographs showing fluctuations of water level in observation wells and monthly pumpage for public supply at Grand 

Island.___________._-_____------________ 261
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GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Harold L. Ickes, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. C. Mendenhall, Director

Water-Supply Paper 836-A

STAGES AND FLOOD DISCHARGES

OF THE

CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD 

CONNECTICUT

BY

H. B. KINNISON, L. F. CONOVER, AND 

B. L. BIGWOOD

Contributions to the hydrology of the United States, 1938 

(Pages 1-1S)

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON : 1938

17or sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. ------ Price 10 centa
CONTENTS

Page

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

Introduction........................................................ 1

Historical review................................................... 2

Usefulness of records............................................... 4

Computation of flood discharge at Hartford.......................... 5

Character of the river valley from Windsor Locks to Hartford... 6

Flood discharge at Thompsonville............................... 7

Inflow to the valley reservoir................................. 10

Determination of gain or loss in storage....................... 10

Effect of the overtopping of the Hartford dikes................ 14

Effect of the Middletown gorge on stages at Hartford........... 14

Records of flood crests............................................. 15

ILLUSTRATIONS

Plate 1. Stages of the Connecticut River at Hartford, and the

corresponding discharge at 2-hour intervals March 13

to March 27, 1936. . ..................................... 14

Figure 1. Rating curve for Connecticut River at Thompsonville,

Conn................................................... 3

2. Connecticut River hydrographs for +.he flood of

March 1936............................................. 12

II
CQNTRIBU TION3 TO THE HYDROLOGY OF THE UNITES SK-TEg. 1958

IT. C« Grower, Ctolef Hydraulic Engineer

STAGES AHP FLOOD D'lSCgARQES OF THE COHMBCTICOT RIVBR 

 CONHECTIGU'T

By H. B. Kinnlaon, L. P. Conover, and B. L. Bigwood

Abstract

Records of stages of the Connecticut River at Hartford, Conn., have 

been maintained for many years, although the earlier records were for 

flood stages only. The first record relates to the flood of March 1639. 

Hie records of stages and discharges at Hartford are used by the United 

States Weather Bureau in its flood-forecasting system. Daily records of 

stages at Hartford have been obtained by the Weather Bureau since November 

1, 1904, and a water-stage recorder, giving a graphic record of stage, has 

been used since September 8, 1908.

Subsequent to the floods of November 1927 the Geological Survey established river-measurement stations on the Connecticut River at Thompsonville 

and on tributary streams between Thompsonville and Hartford so that the 

run-off from 98.4 per cent of the drainage area above Hartford was measured 

at the gaging stations. The run-off from the remaining 1.6 percent of the 

area was assumed to be the same in second-feet per square mile as that from 

the tributary area below Thompsonville where records were obtained.

I>uring flood stages the Connecticut River overflows its banks above 

and below Hartford and forms a reservoir where water is stored in the river 

channel and on the flood plain. The area of this reservoir at the crest 

of the flood of March 1936 was about 43.5 square miles, with a volume of 

15,580,000,000 cubic feet between a stage of 15.6 feet at the Hartford gage 

and the peak stage. Of this volume, 5,620,000,000 cubic feet was above 

Hartford. In computing the discharge past the Hartford gage the rate at 

which water went into storage on a rising stage or was drawn from storage 

on a falling stage was applied as a correction to the known inflow into the 

reservoir. Not only was the flood of March 1936 the greatest one known at 

Hartford, but it was also the first major flood for which data were available for an accurate determination of the discharge at Hartford throughout 

the flood period.

INTRODUCTION

The flood of March 1936 was the greatest ever recorded for the Connecticut River at Hartford, Conn. The river rose to a stage 8.6 feet higher 

than that of November 1927 and 7.8 feet higher than that of May 1854, the 

maximum known up to that time, and caused unprecedented damage in the city 

of Hartford and adjacent communities.

Accurate information about the discharge of the river at Hartford and 

the effects of water storage in the river channel and in the overflow 

area above Hartford during this record-breaking flood is of greatest importance in connection with studies for the prevention or mitigation of

1
2 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY, 1938

like catastrophes in the future. Not only was the flood of March 1936 the 

greatest flood that has occurred at Hartford since the first white settlements there but It was also the first major flood for which data were 

available for an accurate determination of the discharge of the river at 

Hartford throughout the flood period. Therefore, it Is considered desirable to give a fairly complete description of the methods used In arriving 

at the determinations of the river discharge under the conditions existing 

at the time of the flood.

Records of previous floods show stages only, and for floods prior to 

that of 1936 It Is not possible to make accurate determinations of the 

crest discharge at Hartford, because of lack of necessary basic Information. However, It Is believed that the methods described In this report 

may be used In future flood-flow computations, provided records are available for the gaging stations used In March 1936.

Information about previous floods of the Connecticut River at Hartford, covering a period of nearly 300 years, and for somewhat shorter periods at Springfield and Holyoke, Mass., has been Included In this report. 

Prom this information some idea may be obtained as to the relative magnitude and frequency of the major floods, and It may be noted that the three 

greatest floods during the entire period were those of May 1854, November 

1927, and March 1936, and that the two later of these floods were separated by less than 9 years.

A description of the general features of the storms causing the 

floods In the Connecticut River Basin and other river basins in New England in March 1936 may be found In Water-supply Paper 798. That report 

also contains acknowledgments for financial cooperation and assistance 

received from cooperating agencies In the several New England States in 

connection with the collection of field data and preparation of the report. Those acknowledgments to cooperating agencies in Connecticut and 

Massachusetts are also applicable for assistance In the collection and 

compilation of the data used In this report.

HISTORICAL REVIEW

Matthew Grant In his "Windsor Church Records" (original manuscripts 

preserved by the Connecticut Historical Society) observed:

I found In the old book that the great flood began the 5th of March, 

1639. On the llth day of March It began to fall but by reason of much 

rain on the 12th day, It rose very high.* * * On the 15th and 16th days 

It (the flood) had fallen near 2 feet, but on the 16th day was much rain 

and great wind out of the southeast, which made It an exceeding great
STAGES AND FLOOD DISCHARGES, CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD, CONN. 3

storm. It indamaged houses and break down many trees, so that by the 

cause of which rain all the 17th and 18th days the water rose very high, 

more than had ever before been known by the Indians.

Since that date, which was only three years after the settlement of 

Hartford, all floods of any consequence have been recorded as to height 

and date In sundry ways,, Flood heights were first indicated by markings 

on posts, buildings, barns, and other convenient places and then noted 

in the diaries and miscellaneous manuscripts of the early settlers. The 

Connecticut Courant (now Hartford Courant), first printed In 1764, early 

began publication of the flood heights. Many other newspapers and journals established at later dates contain accounts of major floods. A Mr. 

Chapman who lives near the old tollhouse kept a record for many years 

prior to 1870. Flood heights also were marked by means of spikes driven 

into the timbers of a brewery building located in this vicinity. The 

Army Engineers at the time of the river survey made b/ them in 1871 investigated these known high-water marks and referred them to mean sea 

level, thus making them comparable. Since 1871 the crest stages have been 

read from various gages of the Army Engineers, the Hartford & New York 

Transportation Co., the Connecticut River Bridge and Highway District, and 

the United States Weather Bureau. The gages formerly used at the tollhouse, at State Street, and at or near the various bridges are not now in 

existence, but all were In the vicinity of the present gage used by the 

Weather Bureau.

The Army Engineers kept daily records from 1871 to 1877 in connection with their study of the improvement of the river for navigation. The 

Geological Survey has published records for the years 1871-81, 1884-86, 

and 1896-1908, based on daily observations. Except for the periods mentioned above, records were obtained only during periods of high water, 

with occasional readings at other times. A compilation of these old records was prepared by W. W. Neifert, former official in charge of the Hartford office of the Weather Bureau, and published in part in a paper by 

Alfred J. Henry, "Floods in New England rivers," in the Monthly Weather 

Review, December 1914. A complete and amended list of floods of the Connecticut River at Hartford for which records are now available appears 

elsewhere In this report.

The Weather Bureau's New England Flood Service, with headquarters at 

Boston, Mass., was established November 1, 1902, for the purpose of forecasting floods, and provided for the observation of river stages at Hartford daily during the period November 1 to April 30 of each year and at
4 iOQNTKmJTIOHS TO HYDROLOGY, 1938

other times 'during peri-ads of liigh water. Daily gage readings have been 

obtained s±, &3B Hartitord .gags since November 1, 1904, and beginning September 16., 19-05, these records have been collected under the supervision 

of the Hartford river district of the Weather Bureau, which was established on that date and comprised the Connecticut River and Housatonic 

River drainage Taaslns, The observations of river stages at Hartford were 

made on the staff .gage -of ithe Hartford & New York Transportation Co. at 

the dock at the -foot of State Street until January 10, 1908, when readings 

were begun on -a board gage placed ion the west pier of the temporary highway bridge. After the completion of the new Bulkeley Memorial Bridge a 

water-stage recorder was plrnse-d in pier 1, and records have been obtained 

there since September S3, 1908. The stilling well, 3 feet 6 inches in diameter, $>TfKr -which the recording gage is placed, is connected with the 

river by two intake pipes, 2 inches and 4 inches in diameter, placed at 

an angle to each other and at different heights. Tne recorder first installed was oT -the 8-day type and was in operation until October 11, 1935, 

when it "was replaced by a recorder of the continuous type, which has been 

in operation to the present time. A float-tape gage was installed inside 

the well -July 22., 1936, for reference, and a wire weight gage, for measurements to the water surface outside the well, was placed on the bridge 

May 7, 1937. Records of stages are published by the Weather Bureau in its 

annual series of "Daily river .stages."

USEFULNESS OF RECORDS

Throughout the -modern history of the Connecticut River Valley records 

of river stages and discharges at Hartford have been of great value in 

problems of navigation, flood forecasting, flood control, water-front improvements, bridge, railroad, and highway construction, river pollution, 

interstate use of water, power development, industrial and recreational 

activities, and general hydraulic research.

The river survey made by the Army Engineers in 1871, which marked the 

establishment of a permanent gage at Hartford, was carried out in the interests of improvement of navigation. Transportation of passengers and 

freight by water was at that time an important commercial activity and 

continued to increase in importance for several decades. Records of river 

stages have found constant use In connection with the successful operation 

of river boats and the maintenance of adequate navigation channels. Prior
STAGES AND FLOOD DISCHARGES, CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD, CONN. 5

to 1870 the value of river records was recognized only as a matter of historical significance.

The record of stages and discharges at Hartford is an essential element in the flood-forecasting system established by the Weather Bureau in 

1904 by authorization of Congress. With the increase of population and 

wealth in the Connecticut River Valley, timely forecasting of flood 

heights has become increasingly important.

The flood of 1927, with its attendant damage and destruction, emphasized the necessity for protection of the great population and wealth 

which had become concentrated in the valley. In the design and operation 

of flood-control works the river records are of vital importance. The 

flood of 1936 further emphasized the immediate need of a comprehensive 

plan for flood control and protection.

The concentration of population in the Connecticut River Valley has 

brought with it many intricate problems of modern civilization, all of 

which demand a comprehensive knowledge of river stage and discharge.

COMPUTATION OF FLOOD DISCHARGE AT HARTFORD

The flood of November 1927 was the greatest known flood on the Connecticut River at Hartford up to that time with the single exception of 

that of May 1, 1854. After the flood of 1927 the Geological Survey established a river-measurement station on the Connecticut River at Thompsonville (the measurements( including the flow in the canal of the Northern 

Connecticut Power Co.), and also established measurement stations on the 

two principal tributaries of the Connecticut River between Thompsonville 

and Hartford namely, the Farmington River at Tariffville and the 

Scantic River at Broad Brook. The total drainage area of the Connecticut 

River at Hartford is 10,480 square miles, and at Thompsonville it is 

9,637 square miles. The drainage area of the Farmington River at Tariffville is 578 square miles, and that of the Scantic River at Broad Brook 

is 98.4 square miles. Therefore, of the discharge from the 10,480 square 

miles of drainage area at Hartford, that from 10,313 square miles, or 

98.4 percent of the total area, is measured at the gaging stations named 

above. The records of flow at these stations, together with the records 

of stages at the Weather Bureau's gage at Hartford, form the basis for 

the computation of the discharge at Hartford.

From time to time during past years the lower Connecticut River has 

been the subject of studies and investigations, some of which have in-
6 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY, 1938

volved the determination of the discharge of the river at Hartford. Recent studies by the Geological Survey indicate that the rating curve for 

the stage-discharge relation at Hartford is not a single curve but a broad 

loop curve showing a much greater discharge for a given gage height on a 

rising stage than for the same gage height on a falling stage. Loop curves 

have been developed and used for many years in the work of the Geological 

Survey. (See "River discharge," by J. C. Hoyt and N. C. Grover, p. 97, ) 

The looping of a rating curve is accentuated in flat, sluggish reaches of 

rivers and is always developed when a considerable amount of overflow occurs between the gaging station and the high-water control, especially if 

the river channel at the high-water control is relatively narrow. It is 

not necessarily true that the loop developed for one flood will be the 

same as the loop for another flood, even though the floods attain the same 

crest stage; the controlling factor is the relative rate of rise and fall 

of the flood stages.

Character of the river valley from Windsor Locks to Hartford

Windsor Locks, at the head of tidewater and at the foot of the rapids 

around which the canal of the Northern Connecticut Power Co. is constructed, lies at the upper end of a broad flood plain over which the water 

flows during periods of high water. This flood plain, which is in places 

2-jjr miles wide, extends downstream about 18 miles below Hartford to the 

relatively narrow gorge in the river in the vicinity of Middletown. The 

flood plain has a decided slope downstream and carries so large a volume 

of water during flood periods that the slope of the river closely approxi-1- 

mates the slope of the flood plain, the water rising or falling about the 

same amount at all points within the flooded area. Therefore, the great 

inundated river valley acts in a manner similar to a detention reservoir, 

with the city of Hartford situated about a third of its length below its 

upper end.

At the crest of the flood of March 1936 the area of this reservoir, 

as measured on the Geological Survey topographic maps, was 43.5 square 

miles, of which 16.74 square miles, or 38.5 percent, was above the Hartford gage. By means of river cross sections taken from recent surveys 

made by the Army Engineers, the capacity of the entire reservoir between 

a stage of 15.6 feet at the Hartford gage and the peak stage was determined to be 15,580,000,000 cubic feet. Of this volume, 5,620,000,000 

cu'bic feet was in the part above Hartford. A capacity curve was prepared
STAGES AND FLOOD DISCHARGES, CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD, CONN. 7

showing storage at different stages for that part of the valley reservoir 

above Hartford, and the effect of this storage was taken into consideration in the computation of the flow at Hartford.

Flood discharge at Thompsonville

The drainage area of the Connecticut River at Thompsonville is 92 

percent of the total drainage area above Hartford. The Thompsonville gage 

Is in the pool above the Enfield Dam, about 150 feet above the head gates 

of the Northern Connecticut Power Co.'s canal. Water diverted into this 

canal is returned to the river at Windsor Locks and is included in the 

flow above Hartford.

A continuous record of stage during the flood was obtained at this 

gaging station by means of a water-stage recorder of the latest type. The 

rating curve had been well defined to high stage previous to the flood by 

means of current-meter measurements. The following discharge measurements 

were obtained during and after the flood, so that the rating curve to the 

peak stage was determined with a high degree of accuracy. Figure 1 shows 

the rating curve for this station.

Discharge measurements of the Connecticut River 

at Thompsonville, Conn.

Date Gage height Discharge 

(1936) (feet) (second-feet)

March 20 16.34 277,000

22 13.39 214,000

25 8.30 119,000

29 6.46 87,100

April 10 5.10 60,200

30 2.68 18,600

The gage height at the end of each 2-hour period throughout the flood 

was read from the continuous-recorder graph, and the corresponding discharge was determined from the station rating curve. These bihourly discharges during the flood of March 1936, together with the mean daily discharge for the 3 months' period ending April 30, 1936, are shown in the 

table on page 9.

The discharge at the end of each 2-hour period was determined in a 

similar manner for the stream-gaging stations on the Farmington River at 

Tariffville and on the Scantic River at Broad Brook, except that the discharge at the Broad Brook station March 20-21, when the stage-discharge 

relation was affected by backwater from the Connecticut River, was determined from a gage-height graph corrected for backwater.

33944 O 37 2
CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY, 1938

GAGE HEIGHT IN FEET

CM O CO

GAGE HEIGHT IN FEET
STAGES AND FLOOD DISCHARGES, CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD, CONN. 9

Discharge of the Connecticut River at Thompsonville, Conn., 

during the flood of March 1936

Location.- Lat. 41°59'20 11 , long. 72°36'15 n , in pool above Enfield Dam, 1 mile below 

Thompsonville, Hartford County. Zero of gage is 38.48 feet above mean sea level.

Drainage area.- 9,637 square miles,

gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph except for period 12 p.m. Mar. 18 to 

7 a.m. Mar.23, when it was based on flood marks and shape of stage graphs at nearby 

stations. Cage heights given to half tenths between 2.10 and 4.20 feet; hundredths 

below and tenths above these limits.

Stage-discharge relation.- Defined by current-meter measurements below 277,000 secondfeet; verified by drainage-area comparison of instantaneous and total yield of flood 

at other gaging stations on Connecticut River.

Maxima.- 1936: Discharge, 282,000 second-feet 2 to 10 a.m. Mar. 20 (gage height, 16.6

1928-35: Discharge, 153,000 second-feet Apr. 20, 1933 (gage height, 10.47 feet). 

Maximum discharge previously known, 190,000 second-feet (revised) Nov. 6, 1927 

(gage height, 12.1 feet).

Remarks.- Flood run-off affected by 19,500,000,000 cubic feet of storage capacity above 

station. Tables of daily and monthly discharge include water diverted by canal of 

northern Connecticut Power Co. Bihourly stages and discharges as shown in table are 

for Enfield Dam only, except for period March 18-25, when flow in canal is included.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, 1936

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Feb.

7,350

6,120

7,240

7,790

7,800

7,730

7,560

7,300

4,440

5,160

Mar.

6,200

6,900

7,420

7,800

9,260

9,420

7,880

5,830

7,780

8,970

Apr.

57,200

55,400

55,400

55,400

51,800

53,600

71,900

79,300

68,300

62,700

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Feb.

6,220

6,600

7,200

6,810

5,770

4,180

5,290

6,230

6,600

7,200

Mar.

11,900

57,400

98,600

120,000

114,000

101,000

86,800

135,000

256,000

278,000

Apr.

59,000

57,200

55,400

53,600

44,500

45,400

44,500

41,800

38,000

34,600

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Run-off, in inches ............................................

Feb.

7,580

6,340

5,550

6,350

6,590

7,350

7,870

7,950

7,550

0.75

Mar.

249,000

820,000

189,000

154,000

118,000

101,000

87,700

87,400

86,800

73,800

62,800

QQ "?nn

10.68

Apr.

31,000

31,900

31,000

29,200

28,300

24,700

23,000

20,500

18,300

17,600

5.18

Gage-height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1936

13

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

M

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

M

2

4

6

8

10

N

2

4

6

8

10

M

Feet Sec . ft .

March 8

1.33

1.31

1.30

1.30

1.27

1.27

1.27

1.28

1.28

1.29

1.29

1.29

5,420

5,280

5,200

5,200

4,990

4,990

4,990

5,060

5,060

5,130

5,130

5,130

March 14

8.1

8.2

8.3

8.3

8.3

8.2

8.2

8.2

8.4

8.4

8.5

8.5

116,000

118,000

119,000

119,000

119,000

118,000

118,000

118,000

121,000

121,000

123,000

123,000

March 20

16.6

16,6

16.6

16.6

16.6

16.5

16.4

16.4

16.3

16.2

16.0

15.9

282,000

282,000

282,000

282,000

282,000

280,000

278,000

278,000

276,000

274,000

270,000

268,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 9

1.28

1.28

1.26

1.30

1.40

1.48

1 = 55

1.61

1.67

1.68

1.66

1.62

5,060

5,060

4,920

5,200

5,950

6,550

7,100

7,580

8,100

8,180

8,010

7,670

March 15

8.4

8.3

8.2

8.1

8.0

7.9

7.8

7.7

7.7

7.6

7.8

7.8

121,000

119,000

118,000

116,000

114,000

112,000

110,000

108,000

108,000

107,000

110,000

110,000

March 21

15.8

15.7

15.5

15.3

15.2

15.0

14.8

14.7

14.7

14.6

14.5

14.4

266,000

264,000

859,000

855,000

853,000

849,000

845,000

842,000

842,000

840,000

838,000

836,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 10

1.58

1.55

1.51

1.50

1.55

1.62

1.66

1.69

1.72

1.72

1.72

1.70

7,340

7,100

6,780

6,700

7,100

7,670

8,010

8,260

8,520

8,520

8,520

8,350

March 16

7.8

7.7

7.6

7.5

7.4

7.3

7.2

7.0

6.9

6.8

6.8

6.7

110,000

108,000

107,000

105,000

103,000

101,000

99,400

95,800

94,400

98,200

98,200

90,400

March 22

14.3

14.2

14.1

13.9

13.8

13.7

13.5

13.4

13.3

13.2

13.0

12.9

234,000

238,000

230,000

226,000

224,000

222,000

218,000

216,000

214,000

212,000

208,000

206,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 11

1.69

1.68

1.68

1.75

1.84

1.97

2.03

2.07

2.1

2.15

2.25

2.3

8,260

8,180

8,180

8,780

9,560

10,700

11,300

11,700

12,000

12,500

13,500

14,000

March 17

6.6

6.5

6.5

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.4

6.5

6.5

88,600

86,800

86,800

85,000

85,000

85,000

85,000

85,000

85,000

85,000

86,800

86,800

March 23

12.8

12.6

12.5

12.3

12.2

12.1

12.0

11.8

11.7

11.6

11.4

11.2

204,000

200,000

198,000

194,000

192,000

190,000

188,000

184,000

183,000

181,000

177,000

173,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 12

2.6

2.95

3.4

3.7

4.0

4.3

6.0

5.9

6.0

6.2

6.2

6.3

17,600

23,000

31,000

36,400

41,800

47,200

77,800

76,000

77,800

81,400

81,400

83,200

March 18

6.6

6.7

6.8

7.1

7.5

8.2

9.1

10.0

11.0

11.7

12.1

12.5

88,600

90,400

92,200

97,600

105,000

118,000

134,000

151,000

169,000

183 ,000

190,000

198,000

March 24

11.1

10.9

10.8

10.6

10.4

10.3

10.1

9.9

9.7

9.5

9.4

9.2

171,000

167,000

166,000

162,000

158,000

156,000

153,000

149,000

145,000

142,000

140,000

136,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 13

6.4

6.4

6.5

6.6

6.7

6.8

6.9

7.2

7.6

7.9

8.0

8.0

85,000

85,000

86,800

88,600

90,400

92,200

94,400

99,400

107,000

112,000

114,000

114,000

March 19

13.1

13.7

14.3

14.8

15.2

15.6

15.9

16.1

16.2

16.4

16.5

16.5

210,000

222,000

234,000

245,000

253,000

261,000

268,000

272,000

274,000

278,000

280,000

280,000

March 25

9.0

8.9

8.7

8.5

8.4

8.3

8.2

8.0

7.9

7.8

7.7

7.6

132,000

130,000

127,000

123,000

121,000

119,000

118,000

114,000

112,000

110,000

108,000

107,000
10 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY, 1938 

Inflow to the valley reservoir

By determining continuously the discharge past the three river-measurement stations at Thompsonville, Tariffville, and Broad Brook, practically the entire flow into the reservoir above Hartford could toe determined at all times during the flood of March 1936. A small amount was 

added to the inflow measured at the three gaging stations because of the 

flow from the 1.6 percent of ungaged drainage area above the Hartford 

gage. This additional amount was estimated by assuming it to be the same 

in second-feet per square mile as that measured at the Broad Brook gaging 

station. A reasonable time interval was allowed for the water to enter 

the reservoir after it had passed the Thompsonville and Tariffville gages.

These measuring facilities provided means for determination of the 

inflow to the reservoir above Hartford at all times during the flood. 

The accuracy of these determinations depends almost entirely upon the accuracy of the determination of the flood flow past the gaging stations.

Determination of gain or loss in storage

When the inflow into a reservoir increases and the reservoir begins 

to fill, part of the inflow necessarily goes into storage, and the discharge out of the reservoir is less than the inflow by the amount of water thus stored. After a rise, when the inflow is decreasing and the reservoir begins to empty, the discharge out of the reservoir is greater than 

the inflow by the amount of water coining out of storage. If the rate of 

inflow into the reservoir is known, it only becomes necessary to determine 

the rate at which the water goes into or comes out of storage to determine 

the discharge from the reservoir. These rates depend upon two factors 

first, the capacity of the reservoir; and second, the rate of rise or fall 

in the surface of the reservoir. The method of determining the capacity 

of the reservoir has been given above. The second factor was determined 

from three gages, as follows:

(a) The recording gage on the Connecticut River at the highway bridge 

in Hartford.

(b) The recording gage on the Scantic River at Broad Brook. This 

gage, being in backwater from the Connecticut River during the period from 

5 p.m. March 19 to 3 p.m. March 25, accurately recorded the rise and fall 

of the Connecticut River during most of the peak.

(c) A nonrecording gage on the Connecticut River at Windsor Locks.
STAGES AND FLOOD DISCHARGES, CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD, CONN. 11

Graphs from these gages are shown in figure 2, where it may be seen 

that the stages rose and fell by practically the same amounts at all three

The bihourly stage at the Hartford gage and the corresponding computed discharge at that place are shown in the table on page 13. The 

table also shows the mean daily discharge for the period March 1 to April 

30.

The accuracy of the determinations of the bihourly discharges at 

Hartford depends upon several factors, of which the principal two are:

(a) The accuracy of the measurement of the inflow above Hartford. 

This was measured at three standard river-measurement stations, each 

equipped with a water-stage recorder and considered to measure the river 

discharge with a high degree of accuracy. An exception may be the Broad 

Brook station during periods of backwater from Connecticut River, but this 

station controls the computation of flow from a very small area and therefore the errors involved have no great bearing on the accuracy of the computation of total inflow above Hartford.

(b) The accuracy of the determination of the volume of the reservoir 

above Hartford at various gage heights. It is possible that an accurate 

topographic map of this area might reveal errors in the surface area and 

volume of this reservoir used in the computations, but it is not believed 

that these errors were of sufficient magnitude to have any material effect 

on the computation of the mean daily discharge at Hartford.
12 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY, 1938

DISCHARGE IN THOUSANDS OF SECOND-FEET

o

ro 

S^OCT] .

od 

v|oojg pecug

o

8||IAUOSdlilOL)J_

IT) 

CM

GAGE HEIGHT IN FEET
STAGES AND FLOOD DISCHARGES, CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD, CONN. 13

Discharge of the Connecticut River at Hartford, Conn., 

during the flood of March 1936

Location.- Lat. 41°46'10 n , long. 72°40'0 n , at Memorial Bridge in Hartford, Hartford

County, three-quarters of a mile above Park River and li miles above mouth of Hockanum River. Zero of gage is 0.55 foot below mean sea level.

Drainage area.- 10,480 square miles.

Gage-height record.- Water-stage recorder graph. Gage heights given to tenths.

Stage-discharge reTatlon.- Determined from continuous records of discharge from 98.4 

percent of the drainage area as measured at gaging stations on Connecticut River 

at Thompsonvllle, Farmlngton River at Tariffville, and Scantic River at Broad Brook 

plus computed flow from ungaged area and adjusted for gain or loss in valley storage between these points and Hartford gage.

Maxima.- 1936: Discharge, 313,000 second-feet 3 a.m. Mar. 20 (augmented by breaching 

of Hartford dikes); maximum gage height, 37.6 feet 8 to 9 a.m. Mar. 21.

1896-1935: Gage height, 29.0 feet Nov. 6, 1927 (discharge not determined). 

1639-1935: Maximum known stage, 29.8 feet May 1, 1854 (discharge not determined) .

Remarks.- Flood run-off affected by 20,500,000,000 cubic feet of artificial storage 

capacity above station. Gage-height record furnished by 13. S. Weather Bureau.

Mean discharge, in second-feet, 1936

Day

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Feb. Mar.

7,200

7,880

8,440

8,830

10,600

10,900

9,110

6,890

8,720

10,300

Apr.

61,600

58,000

58,600

58,600

54,400

57,700

75,400

84,400

74,400

67,700

Day

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Feb. Mar.

15,400

58,500

102,000

128,000

123,000

110,000

94,700

125,000

243,000

286,000

Apr.

63 , 100

61,300

59,400

56,900

47,700

48,600

47,400

44,300

40,000

36,500

Day

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

Run-off , in inches ............................................

Feb. Mar.

266,000

244,000

211,000

175,000

136,000

112,000

96,000

93,800

93,600

80,800

68,500

10.47

Apr.

32,900

33,800

32,900

31,100

29,800

26,000

24,500

22 ,000

19,800

19,100

5.06

Gage-height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1936

1S

1

3

5

7

9

11

1

3

5

7

9

11

1

 3

5

7

9

11

1

3

5

7

9

11

1

3

5

7

9

11

1

3

5

7

9

11

Feet |Sec.ft.

March 8

3.3

#6,890

March 14

22.5

22.7

22.8

23.0

23.1

23.2

23.3

23.4

23.5

23.5

23.6

23.7

123,000

128,000

129,000

129,000

130,000

129,000

128,000

128,000

128,000

128,000

128,000

128,000

March 20

35.0

34.4

35.1

35.6

36.0

36.3

36.6

36.8

37.0

37.1

37.3

37.4

283,000

313,000

295,000

284,000

270,000

278,000

284,000

289,000

288,000

286,000

283,000

278,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 9

3.4

3.6

3.7

3.6

3.5

3.4

3.4

3.5

3.7

3.8

3.8

4.0

#8,720

March 15

33.8

23.9

33.9

33.9

24.0

S3. 9

33.9

33.8

23.8

23.7

23.6

33.6

128,000

127,000

127,000

127,000

125,000

123,000

122,000

120,000

119,000

118,000

117,000

120,000

March 21

37.4

37.5

37.5

37.5

37.6

37.5

37.5

37.4

37.4

37.3

37.2

37.1

276,000

275,000

274,000

272,000

267,000

265,000

264,000

260,000

259,000

259,000

259,000

256,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 10

4.0

4.3

4.4

4.4

4.3

4.2

4.1

4.2

4.4

4.6

4.7

4.8

#10,300

Maroh 16

23.5

23.4

23.4

23.3

23.2

23.1

23.0

22.9

22.7

22.6

22.4

22.2

120,000

119,000

117,000

116,000

114,000

112,000

110,000

108,000

104,000

103,000

101 ,000

101,000

March 22

37.0

36.9

36.7

36.6

36.4

36.2

36.0

35.9

35.7

35.5

35.3

35.2

256,000

254,000

250,000

250,000

249,000

845,000'

244,000

841,000

837,000

836,000

231,000

229,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 11

4.9

5.0

5.2

5.3

5.3

5.2

5.3

5.5

5.9

6.2

6.6

7.0

#15,400

March 17

22.0

21.9

21.7

21.5

21.4

21.2

21.1

21.0

20.8

20.7

20.6

20.6

99,800

98,000

97,200

96,200

94,400

93,400

93,400

92,900

92,900

92,700

91 ,800

93,700

March 23 n

35.0

34 = 8

34.6

34.4

34.2

34.0

33.8

33.6

33.4

33.2

33.0

32.8

227,000

222,000

221,000

219,000

214,000

211,000

210,000

208,000

203,000

201,000

200,000

197,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 12

7.5

8.1

8.8

9.5

10.3

11.3

12.1

12.8

14.0

14.7

15.2

15.6

20,200

24,800

31,100

40,100

46,400

52,700

58,900

83,100

83,600

85,800

87,100

88,100

March 18

20.5

20.5

20.5

20.6

20.7

21.0

21.3

21.9

22.6

23.4

24.2

25.1

93,600

95,000

95,000

97,500

101,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

146,000

160,000

173,000

179,000

March 24

32.5

32.3

32.1

31.8

31.6

31.3

31.1

30.8

30.6

30.3

30.0

29.7

192,000

189,000

185,000

184,000

180,000

175,000

173,000

170,000

168,000

164,000

160,000

157,000

Feet Sec.ft.

March 13

15.9

16.5

17.3

17.9

18.5

18.9

19.4

19.8

20.8

22.2

22.3

22.4

88,400

91,300

92,200

94,6OO

96,800

98,700

100,000

102,000

106,000

114,000

117,000

120,000

March 19

26.0

26.8

27.7

28.5

29.4

30.3

31.1

31.9

32.6

33.4

34.0

34.6

192,000

205,000

218,000

228,000

235,000

242,000

248,000

257,000

265,000

272,000

275,000

277,000

March 25

29.5

29.2

28.9

28.6

28.3

28.0

27.7

27.4

27.1

26.8

26.6

26.3

152,000

148,000

147,000

143,000

139,000

137,000

135,000

133,000

129,000

127,000

125,000

123 ,000

# Mean for the day.
14 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY, 1938

Effect of the overtopping of the Hartford dikes

As the flood waters continued to rise at Hartford, an attempt was 

made to prevent overtopping of the protecting dikes by raising them from 

altitudes of 32.5 feet at the Colt Dike and 33.5 feet at the Clark Dike 

to an altitude of 35.0 feet. This attempt proved unsuccessful, and the 

water started spilling over the Colt Dike about 10 p.m. March 19. By 

1 a.m» on March 20 the flow over the top of both dikes had become so great 

that the material used in raising them was swept away. This allowed an 

outlet for so enormous an amount of water that the rise of the river was 

temporarily checked, and the stage fell rapidly for a period of about 2^ 

hours while the area back of the dikes was filling. This fall took place 

even though the rate of inflow was continually increasing during ;he period, and as shown in figure 2, it was reflected at the Broad Brook gage 

about 2 hours later and at the Windsor Locks gage about 3 hours later. In 

a reservoir of standing water the time lag would be very short, but in the 

reservoir above Hartford the upstream travel of the wavelike action was 

apparently retarded by the opposing downstream current.

When the stage fell as a result of the overtopping of the dikes, 

water was removed from storage in the reservoir above the gage at a rapid 

rate. This rate was added to the inflow, which was nearing its maximum, 

to produce the maximum rate of discharge of 313,000 cubic feet a second 

past the Hartford gage at a stage of 34.4 feet. Had this break not occurred, the natural peak discharge past the Hartford gage would have been 

about 290,000 cubic feet a second at about 9 a.m. March 20. (See fig. 2.)

As soon as the available storage back of the dikes had been filled, 

the stage In the river again started to rise, and water was again being 

stored In the reservoir above the gage. Plate 1 shows the sudden rise and 

fall in discharge caused by the overtopping of the dikes and also the loop 

discharge curves for the flood period.

Effect of the Middletown gorge on stages at Hartford

The relatively narrow section of the river in the vicinity of Middletown, about 18 miles below Hartford, forms the principal high-water control for the Hartford gage. At that place the channel capacity is not as 

adequate to pass the flood flows as the much wider flood channel upstream. 

Wide overflow areas adjacent to the river channel immediately upstream
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATEB-8UPPLY PAPEB 896 PLATE 1

38

36

34

32

lariMarch22-

I am March 21

lamMarch23

lam March 24^

30

UJ LJ U.

O 28

r

LJ

o

lam March 25,

lamMarchB

24

22

20

lam.Marchie

March 27j

lam.Max:hl5

lamMarchl?;

I am. March 18

llamMarch!3'

18

80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 

DISCHARGE IN THOUSANDS OF SECOND-FEET

260 280 300 320

STAGES OF CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD AND CORRESPONDING DISCHARGE AT 2-HOUR INTERVALS, MARCH 13 TO MARCH 27, 1936.

STAGES AND FLOOD DISCHARGES, CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD, CONN. 15

from the MIddletown gorge gave storage to a large volume of water during 

the flood.

These natural conditions combined to cause the stage at Hartford to 

continue to rise for a period of 24 hours after the maximum natural flow 

had passed Hartford. During the greater part of this period of Increasing Stage the discharge at Hartford was decreasing. This action Is peculiar to rivers having the conditions mentioned above and may be explained 

as follows:

(a) The stage of the water In the storage reservoir In and adjacent 

to the river channel above the control, Including the stage at Hartford, 

continued to rise until the discharge from the reservoir became equal to 

the Inflow.

(b) The stage of the reservoir remained stationary only so long as 

the Inflow and the outflow were practically equal. As at Hartford the Inflow was rapidly decreasing at the time when the outflow became equal to 

the Inflow, It follows that the reservoir remained at peak stage for a 

short time only.

(c) The reservoir began to fall as soon as the inflow became leas 

than the outflow.

(d) During the time when the stage of the reservoir was increasing 

the inflow was greater than the outflow, and the difference in these ratea 

of flow was the rate at which water- was going Into storage.

(e) During the time when the stage of the reservoir was conatant no 

water was going Into or being removed from storage, and the flow into, out 

of, and past each cross section within the reservoir was assumed to be the 

aame. Under natural conditions thia stage of equal flow throughout the 

reservoir may not be reached, as a time Interval Is required for the conditions at the upper end of the reaervoir to be reflected throughout Ita 

length. At Hartford the peak stage was reached at 9 a.m. March 21, at 

which time the inflow was 267,000 cubic feet a second. Thia flow was approximately the maximum discharge past the control section at MIddletown.

(f) During the time when the reservoir was falling the outflow waa 

greater than the inflow, and the difference In these ratea of flow waa 

the rate at which water was being removed from storage.

RECORDS OF FLOOD CRESTS

The following reviaed list of crest stagea at Holyoke and Springfield, Maaa., and Hartford, Conn., is Included In this report for use In 

connection with flood atudies of the lower Connecticut River:
16 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY, 1938

Crest stages of floods of Connecticut River at Holyoke and Springfield, 

Mass., and at Hartford, Conn.

Year

1639

1642

1683

1692

1767

1793

1798

1801

1807

1818

1818

1824

1824

1827

1828

1836

1838

1839

1841

1843

1843

1843

1844

1845

1845

1846

1847

1847

1848

1849

1850

1850

1851

1852

1853

1853

1854

1855

1856

1856

1856

1857

1857

1858

1859

1860

1861

1862

1863

1864

1865

1865

1866

1867

1867

1867

Holyoke ,

Date

_

-

-

-

-

-

-

_

-

_

_

_

-

-

_

-

-

-

_

-

_

_

_

_

_

_

-

_

_

_

May 1

May 8

_

-

_

_

May 1

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

April 20

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

-

Mass.

Stage 

(feet)a

_

-

-

_

-

-

_

_

-

_

_

-

-

_

_

-

_

-

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

9.5

00

_

_

_

10.5

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

_

12.5

_

_

_

_

_

_

-

Springfield, Mass.

Date

_

_

-

-

-

-

_

March 20

-

_

_

_

-

-

_

-

-

-

-

January 8 (9)

_

April 18

_

-

_

_

_

_

_

_

-

_

April 24

_

_

Ma; 1

_

-

_

August 21

February 21

_

_

March 20

_

April 15

April 20

_

April 29

March 18

_

_

February 17

April 17

-

Stage 

(feet)b

_

-

-

_

-

-

_

21.7

-

_

_

_

-

_

_

-

_

-

-

20.3

_

20.7

_

-

-

-

-

_

-

_

-

-

19.5

_

_

2,5.2

_

-

_

18.8

13.5

_

_

20.5

_

16.0

22.2

10.3

18.8

-

_

13.0

13.4

-

Hartford, Conn.

Date

March 18

May- June

July-August

February-March

January 12

February 21

March 25

March 20

February 1

March 3

May 6

February 12

December 30

March 30

February 11

April 4

January 28

January 29

January 9

-

March 29

-

December 25

February 25

April

March 16

April 25

December 14

January 17

November 11

May 1

May 8

January 1

April 24

May 29

November 15

May 1

April 22

April 12

August 9

August 22

February 21

October 28

March

March 20

March 3

April 17

April 21

April 20

April 29

March 20

May 14

February 26

February 17

April 18

August 18

Stage 

(feet)c

(d)

(d)

26.0

26.2

(d)

(d)

(d)

27.5

(d)

(d)

(de)

(df>

(dg)

(dh)

22.8

Cdt)

23.0

324.2

26.3

27.2

19.5

19.0

19.O

18.8

21.2

17.0

16.0

17.5

21.3

22.0

14.5

23.1

16.0

20.5

29.8

21.5

18.0

18.1

23.3

19.5

18.2

12.2

26.4

16.0

21.5

28.7

22.2

17.2

24.8

18.0

20.8

17.2

20.0

16.2

a Zero of gage at altitude 97.98 feet above mean sea level.

b Zero of gage at altitude 37.76 feet above mean sea level.

c Zero of gage at altitude 0.55 foot below mean sea level.

d Great flood.

e As high as on March 3, 1818.

f Highest since 1818.

g 17 to 19 feet above summer level.

h Highest since 1807; 20 feet above ordinary low water.

i Nearly 20 feet.

j Highest since 1801.

k Several inches higher than on May 1, 1850.
STAGES AND FLOOD DISCHARGES, CONNECTICUT RIVER AT HARTFORD, CONN. 17

Crest stages of floods of Connecticut River at Holyoke and Springfield, 

Mass., and at Hartford, Conn. Continued.

Holyoke , Mas s .

Year

1868

1868

1869

1869

1870

1870

1870

1871

1871

1872

1873

1873

1874

1874

1875

1875

1876

1877

1878

1878

1878

1879

1880

1881

1881

1882

1882

1882

1883

1884

1884

1885

1885

1886

1886

1886

1887

1888

1888

1888

1889

1889

1890

1890

1890

1890

1891

1891

1892

1892

1893

1894

1895

1896

1897

1897

1897

1897

1398

1898

1899 

1900 

1900

Date

_

_

April 22

October 5

January 4

February 20

April 20

_

_

-

_

October 22

January 9

May 23

April 5

April 18

April 16

March 29

April 14

April 30

December 11

May 1

April 6

-

December 31

_

May 30

September 24

April 15

March 28

April 20

April 24

November 10

January 6

April 2

May 4

April 12

-

May 1

December 18

April 21

November 29

May 3

September 18

_

_

January 25

April 19

January 15

April 5

May 5

April 25

April 16

March 2

April 10

June 11

July 16

December 16

_

March. 21

April 26 

February 13 

April 21

Stage 

(feet)a

_

_

11.2

12.7

7.5

8.3

9.5

.

_

-

_

5.2

8.0

4.8

4.5

6.0

9.2

8.8

7.0

6.5

9.2

8.5

5.7

-

7.3

_

5.2

8.1

7.6

7.6

7.1

6.5

7.3

6.4

8.4

2.2

8.7

-

9.6

7.0

4.8

5.1

5.3

6.1

_

_

4.2

7.1

6.9

5.7

8.4

5.0

9.6

9.5

5.0

7.5

6.0

7.3

_

7.5

7.8 

9.4 

10.8

Springfield,

Date

_

_

April 21

October 4

-

-

April 20

_

May 6

April 12

April 12

_

January 9

-

April 5

-

April 16

March 29

-

-

December 11

May 1

April 6

April 26

_

March 3

-

April 14

March 28

_

April 24

_

-

April 2

_

April 12

-

May 1

_

November 29

-

-

October 21

_

_

April 17

January 16

-

May 5

April 26

April 17

March 3

_

June 12

_

-

March 15

_

April 27 

February 14 

April 21

Mass.

Stage 

(feet)b

_

-

21.0

21.5

_

-

19.0

_

13.0

14.2

15.0

_

17.5

-

15.0

-

17.0

16.5

-

-

18.5

15.8

10.8

11.5

-

10.8

-

14.6

16.0

_

13.3

_

-

16.0

17.0

-

17.5

~

-

11.3

-

-

11.7

-

-

14.2

13.8

-

18.2

10.4

20.2

20.2

-

15.2

-

-

15.5

_

16.2 

17.0 

17.1

Hartford, Conn.

Date

March 19

May 23

April 23

October 6

January 4

February 20

April 21

March 15

May 7

April 13

April 13

October 22

January 9

May 23

April 6

April 18

April 16

March 29

-

April 30

December 13

May 1

April 7

April 26

_

May 31

April 15

March 28

April 20

April 24

November 8

January 7

-

May 4

April 13

April 8

-

April 21

November 30

May 9

-

October 26

January 24

April 17

January 16

April 4

May 6

April 25

April 16

March 3

April 10

June 12

July 16

December 17

March 16

March 22

April 27 

February 15 

April 22

Stage 

(feet)c

21.5

20.0

26.7

26.3

19.2

21.3

25.3

16.5

18.7

21.0

21.2

15.6

23.9

16.3

18.7

18.4

22.0

22.9

18.5

24.5

21.5

15.4

16.5

-

-

14.8

 *

20.5

21.6

19.9

18.0

16.8

18.4

21.8

22.5

19.4

-

11.8

15.6

15.2

~

~

16.0

17.5

19.8

18.3

16.0

24.0

13.8

25.7

26.5

17.4

20.6

20.8

20.4

20.0

21.2

22.0 

23.4 

22.8

a Zero of gage at altitude 97.98 feet above mean sea level, 

b Zero of gage at altitude 37.76 feet above mean sea level, 

c Zero of gage at altitude 0.55 foot below mean sea level.
18 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY, 1938

Crest stages of floods of Connecticut River at Holyoke and Springfield, 

Mass., and at Hartford, Conn. Continued.

Holyoke, Mass.

Year

1901

1901

1902

1902

1903

1903

1904

1904

1905

1906

1906

1907

1907

1907

1908

1908

1908

1909

1910

1910

1910

1911

1911

1912

1913

1914

1915

1915

1915

1915

1916

1916

1917

1918

1919

1919

1920

1920

1920

1921

1921

1922

1923

1923

1923

1924

1925

1925

1926

1927

1927

1927

1928

1929

1929

1930

1931

1931

1932

1932

1933

1934

1935

1936

Date

April 8

December 16

March 4

October 30

March 24

June 22

March 27

-

April 1

April 17

May 29

March 31

April 28

November 8

February 17

March 30

May 2

April 16

January 23

March 2

March 27

April 16

_

April 9

March 29

April 22

February 26

April 13

July 9

August 5

February 27

April 3

March 30

April 4

March 29

May 23

March 28

April 25

December 16

March 11

May 2

April 13

April 7

May 1

December 2

April 8

February 14

March 31

April 27

March 20

November 5

December 10

April 9

March 25

April 28

April 9

April 12

June 11

April 14

November 21

April 20

April 14

January 11

March 19-20

Stage 

(feet)a

11.4

8.5

10.8

7.3

10.6

7.6

10.0

-

10.6

9.3

8.0

7.5

7.7

9.0

7.5

7.6

7.3

10.6

7.5

7.5

7.5

7.2

_

9.3

12.0

9.9

8.8

7»2

7.5

7.0

6.0

8.9

7.4

7.9

9.2

7.9

9.8

8.6

8.1

8.9

7.6

11.4

9.4

8.4

7.1

7.8

6.4

9.5

9.1

8.0

14.8

8.2

8.7

8.2

7.0

5.8

8.5

7.4

9.5

7.9

12.4

10.3

9.0

16.8

Springfield

Date

April 9

-

March 4

_

March 25

_

March 28

-

April 1

April 17

-

-

-

November 8

_

March 30

-

April 16

January 23

_

-

April 17

_

April 9

March 29

April 22

February 26

_

-

-

-

April 3

March 29

April 4

March 30

_

March 29

_

_

March 11

-

April 13

April 7

-

_

April 8

-

March 31

April 27

March 21

November 6

_

April 9

March 25

April 30

April 10

April 12

June 11

April 14

November 21

April 20

April 14

January 11

March 20

, Mass.

Stage 

(feet)b

19.8

-

19.3

-

17.4

-

15.3

-

18.4

15.1

-

-

-

15.5

-

13.1

-

18.7

15.0

_

_

11.9

_

16.1

20.2

17.0

15.6

-

-

-

-

15.6

13.5

14.0

15.0

_

17.3

-

15.5

-

19.4

16.8

-

_

14.5

-

16.0

16.0

13.3

22.4

-

13.5

14.0

12.7

10.4

13.1

12.8

15.3

13.2

19.9

17.7

15.5

28.6

Hartford.

Date

April 9

December 17

March 4

-

March 25

-

March 28

April 30

April 2

April 18

May 30

April 1

April 29

November 9

February 18

March 31

May 3

April I?

January 23

March 3

March 28

April 17

October 20

April 10

March 29

April 23

February 27

April 14

July 10

August 6

February 28

April 3

March 30

April 4

March 30

May 24

March 30

April 25

December 17

March 12

May 2

April 14

April -8

May 2

December 8

April 8

February 14

March 31

April 27

March 20

November 6

December 10

April 10

March 25

May 1

April 10

April 13

June 11

April 14

November 21

April 21

April 14

January 12

March 21

Conn.

Stage 

(feet)c

26.4

20.0

25.5

_

23.3

_

19.5

21.4

24.0

20.1

18.5

16.0

15.7

20.3

18.5

18.2

17.5

24.7

20.2

18.6

18.6

15.5

16.0

21.2

26.3

21.9

20.6

15.8

16.4

16.5

17.7

20.8

18.3

18.8

19,8

19.1

22.5

20.2

18.8

19.9

16.8

24.5

22.0

20.4

15.9

20.7

16.2

20.5

20.8

19.0

29.0

17.9

18.6

18.9

17.7

14.2

17.9

17.6

20.5

18.0

26.0

23.1

20.7

37.6

a Zero of gage at altitude 97.98 feet above mean sea level, 

b Zero of gage at altitude 37.76 feet above mean sea level, 

c Zero of gage at altitude 0.55 foot belo* wean sea level.

o
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