Summary of Floods 

in the United States 

During 1954 

Prepared under the dt'rection of J. V. B. WELLS, Chief, Surface Water Branch 

FLOODS OF 1954 

G E 0 L 0 G I CAL S U R V E Y W AT E R- S U P PLY PAP E R 13 70-C 

Prepared in cooperation with 

Federal, State, and local agencies 

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1959 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

FRED A. SEATON, Secretary 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

Thomas B. Nolan, Director 

For sale by the Superintendent of Doeamenta, U.S. Govemment Printiq 08lee 

Wuhi~on 25, D.C. - Priee 10 eenta (paper eover) 
PREFACE 

This report on the summary of floods in the United States during 

1954 was prepared by the Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, L. B. Leopold, chief' hydraulic engineer, under the direction 

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

The continuing investigation of surface-water resources in the 

areas covered by this report is being made by the Geological Survey 

in cooperation with State agencies, the Corps of Engineers, the 

Bureau of Reclamation, and other Federal or local agencies. The 

U.S. Weather Bureau furnished some data and information included 

in this report. 

The basic data and information were collected by the district 

offices of the Surface vVater Branch, in whose districts the floods 

occurred. 

m 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Abstract__________________________________________________________ 201 

Introduction______________________________________________________ 201 

Determination of flood stages and discharges____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 203 

Explanation of data________________________________________________ 203 

Summary of :floods of 1954__________________________________________ 204 

Floods of January 21-27 in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama_ 204 

Floods of February 16-17 in southeastern Michigan________________ 206 

Floods of April 4-6 in northeastern Montana_____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 207 

Floods of April 12-13 in Bull Creek basin, Texas__________________ 209 

Floods of April 15 in west-central Wisconsin______________________ 211 

Floods of April 29-30 in west-central Oklahoma___________________ 212 

Floods of April3Q-May 3 in Minnesota and Wisconsin_____________ 213 

Floods of May 18-23 in the Kootenai and the Flathead River basins, 

Montana and Idaho_________________________________________ 215 

Floods of May 27-28 in Panola and Lafayette Comities, Mississippi__ 215 

Floods of June 8 in the Little Miami and the Miami River basins, 

Ohio_______________________________________________________ 220 

Floods of June 9-10 in the Red River basin, Texas________________ 221 

Floods of June 11 in the Bad River basin, South Dakota___________ 223 

Floods of June 1954 in Iowa____________________________________ 223 

Floods of June 17 in Nebraska___________________________________ 225 

Floods of June 27-July 1 in the Rio Grande basin, Texas___________ 228 

Floods of July 19 in West Virginia_______________________________ 230 

Floods of July 20 in Miami, Arizona_____________________________ 231 

Floods of July 21 in Paint Creek basin, Ohio______________________ 233 

Floods of July 22-23 in the Purgatoire River basin, Colorado______ 234 

Floods of Juiy 29 in Pinal Creek, Arizona_________________________ 238 

Floods of August 4-5 in the Santa Cruz River basin, Arizona_______ 239 

Floods of August 19 in Upper Queen Creek basin, Arizona__________ 240 

Floods of August 19 and 24 in eastern Washington_________________ 241 

Floods of September 5 in Little Beaver Creek basin, Montana_______ 241 

Floods of September 11-14, New Jersey to Maine_________________ 243 

Floods of October 6-8 in the Pecos River basin, New Mexico_______ 247 

Floods of October 1954 in the Chicago area, Illinois and Indiana____ 249 

Floods of October in the Eastern States__________________________ 252 

Floods of November 18-19 in western Washington_________________ 258 

Index____________________________________________________________ 261 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

[Plates are in pocket] 

PLATE 2. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and 

precipitation, in inches, April 25-May 3, Minnesota and Wisconsin. 

Floods of April 30-May 3, 1954. 

v 
VI CONTENTS 

PLATE 3. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and 

precipitation, in inches, September 11-12, New Jersey to Maine. 

Floods of September 11-14, 1954. 

FIGURE 

4. Map of flood area showing isohyetal lines for total rainfall, in inches, 

October 5-7, in Pecos River basin, New Mexico. Floods of October 

6-8, 1954. 

5. Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points, 

Eastern States. Floods of October 1954. 

Page 

41. Map of part of the United States, showing outline of areas for 

which reports were prepared, 1954______________________ 202 

42. Map of flood area, January 21-27 in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama_______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 204 

43. Map of flood area, February 16-17 in southeastern Michigan__ 206 

44. Map of flood area, April 4-6 in northeastern Montana______ 208 

45. Map of flood area, April 12-13 in Bull Creek basin, Texas___ 210 

46. Map of flood area, April 15 in west-central Wisconsin_______ 211 

47. Map of flood area, April 29-30 in west-central Oklahoma____ 212 

48. Map of flood area, May 18-23 in the Kootenai and the Flathead River basins, Montana and Idaho_________________ 216 

49. Map of flood area, May 27-28 in Panola and Lafayette 

Counties, Miss_______________________________________ 218 

50. Discharge hydrograph, Clear Creek near Oxford, Miss., May 

1954________________________________________________ 219 

51. Map of flood area, June 8 in the Little Miami and the 

Miami River basins, Ohio_____________________________ 221 

52. Map of flood area, Jun~ 9-10 in the Red River basin, Texas__ 222 

53. Map of flood area, June 11 in the Bad River basin, South 

Dakota_____________________________________________ 224 

54. Stage hydrograph, Bad River near Fort Pierre, S. Dak,, June 

1954________________________________________________ 225 

55. Map of flood area, June 17 in Nebraska___________________ 226 

56. Map of flood area, June 27-July 1 in the Rio Grande basin, 

Texas_______________________________________________ 229 

57. Map of flood area, July 19 in West Virginia_______________ 231 

58. Map of flood area, July 20 in Miami, Arizona______________ 232 

59. Map of flood area, July 21 in Paint Creek basin, Ohio_______ 233 

60. Map cf flood area, July 22-23 in the Purgatoire River basin, 

Colorado____________________________________________ 235 

61. Hydrograph of discharge in Purgatoire River, July 22-24___ _ 236 

62. Map of flood area, July 29 in Pinal Creek, Arizona-----.---- 238 

63. Map of flood area, August 4-5 in the Santa Cruz River basin, 

Arizona_____________________________________________ 239 

64. Map of flood area, August 19 in Upper Queen Creek basin, 

Arizona_____________________________________________ 240 

65. Map of flood areas, August 19 and 24 in eastern Washington_ 242 

66. Map of flood area, September 5 in Little Beaver Creek basin, 

Montana-----------------------------------~-------- 243 

67. Discharge hydrographs for the Hondo River at Diamond A 

Ranch near Roswell and the Pecos River near Artesia_____ 249 

68. Map showing total precipitation, in inches, October 15-16; 

and path of hurricane Hazel. The floods of October in 

EasternStates--------------------------------------- 253 

69. Map of .flood area, November 18-19 in western Washington__ 258 
CONTENTS VII 

TABLES 

Page 

TABLE 1. Rainfall, in inches, at Weather Bureau statons, January 2o-23, 

1954 in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama_____ _ _ _ _ _ _ 204 

2. Summary of flood stages and discharges, January 21-27, in 

North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabl'tma_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 205 

3. Summary of flood stages and discharges, February 16-17, in 

southeastern ~ichigan_________________________________ 207 

4. Summary of flood stages and discharges, April 4-6 in northeastern ~ontana______________________________________ 209 

5. Summary of :flood stages and discharges, April 29-30 in westcentral 0 klahoma_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 213 

6. Summary of flood stages and discharges, April 30-~ay 3 in 

~innesota and Wisconsin--------------------------~--- 214 

7. Summary of flood stages and discharges, ~ay 18-23 in the 

Kootenai and the Flathead River basins, ~ontana and 

Idaho________________________________________________ 217 

8. Summary of flood discharges, ~ay 27-28 in Panola and 

Lafayette Counties, ~iss_______________________________ 220 

9. Summary of flood stages and discharges, June 8 in the Little 

~iami and the ~iami River basins, Ohio________________ 222 

10. Summary of flood stages and discharges, June 9-10 in the Red 

River basin, Texas____________________________________ 223 

11. Rainfall, in inches, at Weather Bureau stations, June 15-17, 

1954, in Nebraska_____________________________________ 227 

12. Summary of flood stages and discharges, June 17 in Nebraska__ 227 

13. Summary of flood stages and discharges, June 27-July 1 in 

the Rio Grande basin, Texas__________________________ 230 

14. Summary of flood stages and discharges, July 19 in West 

Virginia______________________________________________ 232 

15. Summary of flood stages and discharges, July 21 in Paint 

Creek basin, Ohio_____________________________________ 234 

16. Summary of flood stages and discharges, July 22-23 in the 

Purgatoire River basin, Colorado________________________ 237 

17. Rainfall, in inches, at Weather Bureau stations, August 3-5, 

1954, in the Santa Cruz River basin, Arizona_____________ 240 

18. Summary of flood stages and discharges, August 19 and 24 

in eastern Washington_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 24 J 

19. Summary of flood stages and discharges, September 11-14, 

New Jersey to ~aine__ __ ___ _ __ _ _ _ _ __ _____ _ __ __ __ _ _ ___ _ 245 

20. Summary of flood stages and discharges, October 6-8 in the 

Pecos River basin, New ~exico_________________________ 250 

21. Summary of flood stages and discharges, October in the Eastern 

States_______________________________________________ 254 

22. Rainfall, in inches, at Weather Bureau stations, November 

14-19, 1954, in western Washington_____________________ 259 

23. Summary of flood stages and discharges, November 18-19 in 

western Washington___________________________________ 259 

FLOODS OF 1954 

SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 

DURING 1954 

ABSTRACT 

The most destructive floods in the United States during 1954 occurred in 

Iowa, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, in the Chicago area, and in the Eastern 

States. 

In Iowa after a series of heavy rains, most streams reached their peak stages 

between June 19 and 24. This was the greatest flood known in about the upper 

half of the Iowa River, on the Des Moines River below Fort Dodge, and in the 

Rock and Little Sioux Rivers. 

Between June 27 and July 1 in the Rio Grande basin in Texas, up to 35 

inches of rainfall produced record-breaking floods. The International Boundary and Water Commission computed a discharge of 948,000 cfs at their gaging 

station on the Pecos River near Comstock, Tex.-more than 8 times the previous known maximum. More than 200 lives were lost in one town alonePiedras Negras, Mexico. 

On July 22 and 23 in the Purgatoire River basin in Colorado, the high 

tributary inflow to the Purgatoire River near Alfalfa produced a discharge of 

37,800 cfs, which was probably the greatest flood at that point since 1904. 

During September 11 to 14 from New Jersey to Maine, heavy rains following 

hurricane Edna produced floods which caused damage that was estimated at 

$24 millions. 

On October 6 to 8 relatively heavy rains fell in the Pecos River basin in 

New Mexico from Acme to Carlsbad. Thirteen lives were lost and damage 

was estimated at $1.8 million. 

The :floods of October 9 to 11 in the Chicago area caused damage estimated 

at $25 millions. 

Between October 15 and 17 in the Eastern States, floods which followed 

hurricane Hazel were severe in a band about a hundred miles wide extending 

from North Carolina through western New York and eastern Ohio. At least 

93 lives were lost and damages were estimated to have been $250 million. 

This summary also describes 22 minor floods which occurred in scattered 

areas throughout the United States. 

INTRODUCTION 

The purpose of this summary chapter in the series, "Floods of 

1954," is to assemble into a single volume information relating to 

all known severe floods in the lTnited States, whether local or of 

wide areal extent. The two previous chapters of Water-Supply 

508902 0-59--2 201 
202 FLOODS OF 1954 

Paper 1370 describe in detail the floods of June 1954 in Iowa 

(1370-A); and the floods of October 1954 in the Chicago area, Illinois and Indiana { 1370-B). The flood areas described in these reports are shown in figure 41. 

The floods in this summary chapte.Y were selected as being unusual 

hydrologic events in which large -areas were affected, great amounts 

of damage resulted, or extreme discharges or stages occurred. 

--_l ___ J f\ l_ 

I "'-, I ~' ) ~'-

1 

I 

~ I ---.1 

( 

I 

I 

I 

! 

' I 

/ 

I 

' I 

\ 

_____ '" j \ 

I 

l, ~---

EXPLANATION 

Floods of June 1954 in Iowa Floods of October 1954 in the Chicago 

area, Illinois and Indiana 

letters indicate the chapters of Water-Supply Paper 1370 

which were prepared to cover major floods 

FIGURE 41.-Map of part of the United States, showing outline of areas for which 

reports were prepared, 1954. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 203 

DETERMINATION OF FLOOD STAGES AND DISCHARGES 

The peak stages and discharges, at gaging stations and at miscellaneous sites, given in this chapter are from data which are regularly obtained and compiled in the ordinary procedure of surfacewater investigation by the Geological Survey. 

The usual method of determining stream discharges at gaging 

stations is by the application of a stage-discharge rating to the 

recorded stage. The rating is usually defined by current-meter 

measurements through as much of the range of stage as possible. 

At times it is impossible to make current-meter measurements at 

high stages because of impassable roads, washed-out bridges, large 

amounts of drift in the water, swift or turbulent flows, and rapidly 

changing stage. 

The peak discharge at a gaging station may be above the range 

of the stage-discharge rating. Short extensions of the rating may 

be made by logarithmic extrapolation, by velocity-area studies, or 

by use of other measurable hydraulic factors. Peak discharges at 

gaging stations which are greatly above the range of the rating and 

peak-discharges at miscellaneous sites are generally determined by 

various methods of indirect measurements at the site. 

EXPLANATION OF DATA 

The floods reported herein are ,given in chronological order. Because of the different characteristlCS of each flood and because of the 

varying amounts of information available, no consistent form is 

used in reporting each event. 

The data presented include a short description of the flood; a map 

of the flood area showing the location of flood -determination points 

and, at times, the location of precipitation stations; rainfall data; 

and maxima stages and discharges of the streams affected. 

In general, rainfall figures are given in the description of the 

flood. When considerable rainfall data are available, they are presented in tabular form showing daily or storm totals; or totals may 

be shown directly on the map. In a few places, where sufficient data 

are available to determine the pattern and distribution of rainfall, 

an isohyetal rna p is shown. 

A tabular summary of stages and discharges is given for each 

flood, unless the number of stations affected is small, in which case 

the information is incorporated into the description. 
204 FLOODS OF 1954 

SUMMARY OF FLOODS OF 1954 

FLOODS OF JANUARY 21-27 IN NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, 

AND ALABAMA 

Heavy general rains fell over most of North Carolina, northeast 

and south-central Tennessee, and northern Alabama on January 21-

23 (table 1). Flooding occurred in several basins in North Carolina, 

principally in the Pamlico and Neuse River basins, and in the Tennessee River basin in the States of Tennessee and Alabama (fig. 42). 

The South Yadkin River near Mocksville, N.C., reached the highest stage since its record was begun in 1938. On the French Broad 

TA:aLE 1.-Rainfall, in inches, at Weather Bureau stations, Jan. 2D-23, 1951,., in 

North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama 

Station 

NORTH CAROLINA 

Gatesville ____ ------------------ _____ _ Elizabeth City ___ --------------------- Weldon No.2------------------------- Franklinton ____ -- ____________________ _ Burlington ___________________________ _ Greensboro ___________________________ _ 

Carthage (near) ______________ ------- __ Pope Field ___________________________ _ 

Raleigh-Durham Raleigh AP ------------------ ______________________________ _ 

Mt. Olive _________________ ------------

Wilson (near)-------------------------

Beauty Spot_------------------------- Roan High Knob ____________________ _ 

Camp Creek Bald ____ ---------------- Coxecombe Mtn ______________________ _ Little Switzerland ____________________ _ Mt. MitchelL _______________________ _ 

Max Patch Mtn. _ --------------------

Asheville North Fork.-------------------------- _____________________________ _ 

Chambers Mtn __ --------------------- Spruce Mtn---------------------------

N 

Total 

rainfall 

(inches) 

Station 

NORTH CAROLINA-COntinued 

3. 90 Mt. Pisgah ___________________________ _ 2. 34 Pink beds ____________________________ _ 4. 05 Blue Ridge P .o ______________________ _ 4. 30 Cedar Mtn---------------------- ------ 2.93 Quebec _______________________________ _ 

3.-56 Bryson City __ ------------------------ 3.07 Laurel Mtn __________________________ _ 2. 65 Wayah Bald _________________________ _ 3. 93 Raven Mtn __________________________ _ 4. 49 Haywood Gap _______________________ _ 

1. 68 Clingmans Dome __ ------------------- 4.24 

4. 90 TENNESSEE 

4. 55 Belvidere __ --------------------------- 4. 67 Butler ____ ---------------------------- 4.60 Lick Creek ___________________________ _ 

5. 49 9. 04 ALABAMA 

5. 48 New Market--------------------------

5. 39 Toney ____ ---------------------------- 4.10 Paint Rock __________________________ _ 

4. 87 Guntersville ___ ----------------------- 6.49 BoaZ-------------~---------- ----------

EXPLANATION 

Flood area boundary .2 I Gaging atation 

NumJJer referred to in table e 

lOO......._......._.J....J......_._....~-.~.._._ _____ lOOJ....._ ____ :m-', Milel 

Total 

rainfall 

(inches) 

4.81 

5.52 

5.10 

7.80 

5.98 

6.16 

5.25 

7.41 

6.56 

5.45 

6.30 

6.57 

3.30 

3.41 

7.38 

7. 82 5. 72 

3.62 

2. 20 

FIGURE 42.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods 

of January 21-27 in North Carollna, Tennessee, and Alabama. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 205 

River and tributaries below Marshall, N.C., the crest stages were the 

highest since 1947. Ca.ne Creek at Fletcher, N.C., was slightly higher 

than it was in 1949 and the highest since 1942. The Tar River at 

Tarboro had the greatest discharge since 1945 and the third highest 

during the period of record (table 2). Estimates of flood damage 

in North Carolina totaled $360,000. 

In eastern Tennessee the flood was most noteworthy on streams 

in the Watauga River basin where the stage of Roan Creek at Neva 

was the highest since the beginning of its record in 1942. 

TABLE 2.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, January 21-27 in North 

Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama 

[Each station in this table has two or three entries listed under maximum floods ; the first 

pertains to the flood being reported on ; the second pertaill!S to the maximum flood pre- viously known during the period of record; the third pertains to the maximum flood 

known outside the period of record]. 

No. 

on 

fig. 

42 

DrainStream and place of age area Period of 

determination (sq mi) record 

Date 

Maximum floods 

Gage 

height 

(ft) 

Discharge 

Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

----II----------------I------J·-------J-----------J·------1-------------

CHOW AN RIVER BASIN 

1 Ahoskie Creek at Ahoskie, N.C. 

PAMLICO RIVER BASIN 

2 Sapony Creek near Nashville, N.C. 

3 Tar River at Tarboro, 

N.C. 

NEUSE RIVER BASIN 

4 Middle Creek near Clayton, N.C. 

5 Little River near Princeton, N.C. 

6 Contentnea Creek near Wilson, N.C. 

CAPE FEAR RIVER BASIN 

7 South River near Parkersburg, N.C. 

PEE DEE RIVER BASIN 

8 South Yadkin River near Mocksville, N.C. 

TENNESSEE RIVER BASIN 

9 Cane Creek at Fletcher, 

N.C. 

10 French Broad River at Marshall, N.C. 

11 Roan Creek near Neva, 

Tenn. 12 Flint River near Chase, 

Ala. 

I Occurred Jan. 28, 1954. 

64.3 195o-54 Jan. 24, 1954 ____ _ Feb. 29, 1952 ___ _ 

Aug. 1940_ ------

64.8 195o-54 Jan. 24, 195L __ _ Aug. 25, 1950 ___ _ 

2, 140 1896-1900, Jan. 27, 1954-----

so. 7 

229 

236 

382 

313 

63.1 

1,332 

102 

342 

1931-54 Aug. 20, 1940 ___ _ 

1939-54 

193G-54 

193o-54 

July 27, 1919_---

Jan. 23, 1954 ____ _ 

Sept. 1,J95L __ _ Jan. 24, 1954 _____ , Dec. 2, 1934 ____ _ Sept. 1924 ______ _ Jan. 24, 1954 ____ _ Aug. 17, 1940 ___ _ Sept. 1924 ______ _ 

1951-54 Jan. 31, 195L __ _ Mar. 8, 1952 ____ _ 

1938-54 

1942-54 

1942-54 

1942-54 

193o-54 

Jan. 23, 1954----- Sept. 19, 1945 ___ _ Oct. 3, 1929 _____ _ 

Jan. 22, 1954 ____ _ Aug. 28, 1949 ___ _ July 1916 _______ _ 

Jan. 22, 1954 ____ _ Jan. 7, 1946 _____ _ July 1916__ _____ _ 

Jan. 22, 1954 ____ _ Jan. 20, 1947 ____ _ 

Jan. 21, 1954----- Jan. 5, 1949 _____ _ Sept. 1929 ______ _ 

7.89 

7.47 

11.1 

14.34 

12 .. 30 I 27.43 

31.77 

34.0 

11.34 

12.31 

12.79 

12.68 

14.9 

13.68 

13.80 

22.2 

60.74 

60.37 

16.73 

16.02 

22.6 

8. 52 8. 45 14.8 

8.48 

9.18 

18.5 

6.35 

5:62 

25.00 

23.61 

25.0 

1,100 17.1 904 14.0 

2,200 

1,630 

23,600 

37,200 

52,800 

33.9 

25.2 

11.0 

17.4 

24.6 

3,070 38.0 4,100 50.8 4, 770 20.8 4, 470 19.5 

4, 940 20.9 

4,830 20.5 

1, 730 

1,480 4.53 

3.87 

9, 240 29.5 

8,000 25.6 

2, 900 45.9 

2, 770 43.8 

23,200 19.1 

29,600 22.2 

3, 340 32.8 3, 230 31.7 42,000 12.3 37,700 11.0 42,000 12.3 
206 FLOODS OF 1954 

In northern Alabama there was much flooding of lowlands from 

tributaries of the Tennessee River, and a number of people had to 

be evacuated from their homes in the vicinity of Huntsville. The 

peak discharge in the Flint River near Chase was the greatest in 

the period of record which began in 1930 and equaled that of the 

flood of September 1929. 

FLOODS OF FEBRUARY 16-17 IN SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN 

Rain and snow fell February 16 and 17, on southern Lake Huron 

and on Lake St. Clair tributaries in southeastern Michigan; and 

owing to ice jams in a small area, minor floods were caused (fig. 43). 

The Weather Bureau reported precipitation measurements of 3.02 

inches near Burnside, 2.45 inches at Lapeer State Hospital, 1.45 

inches at Harbor Beach, and 1.42 inches at Sebewaring. Several 

thousand dollars of flood damage was reported at Frankenmuth 

from the overflowing Cass River when ice jams that broke loose 

upstream formed again downstream, and caused inundation of a part 

of the downtown area. The discharge during the 1954 flood was 

relatively small; it was less than one-half of that during the 1942 

flood; however, the stage of 22.44 feet exceeded that of 1942 by 1.56 

feet. The discharge of the Flint River near Fosters was not outstanding, but its stage almost equaled that of April 1947, the high50 0 50 Miles 

N 

EXPLANATION 

Flood area boundary 

.2 

Gaging station 

Number referred to in table 8 

FIGURE 43.--Map of ftood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods 

of February 16--17 in southeastern Michigan. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 207 

est during the period of record, and was only 0.7 foot lower than 

the maximum stage known which occurred in 1904 (table 3). 

Severe ice jamming was reported in the lower St. Clair River, and 

considerable damage was caused to boats and to river docks. 

TABLE 3.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, February 16-17 in southeastern 

Michigan 

[Each station in this table has two or three entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the 

flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum 1lood previously known during the period of record; the third pertains to the maximum flood known outside the period of record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainin Stream and place of age area Period of Discharge fig. determination 43 

STREAMS TRmUTARY TO 

LAKE HURON 

1 Flint River near Fosters_ 

2 Cass River at Frankenmuth. 

STREAMS TRIBUTARY TO 

ST CLAIR RIVER 

3 Mill Creek near Abbottsford. 

STREAMS TRIBUTARY TO 

LAKE ST CLAIR 

4 North Branch Clinton 

River near Mount 

Clemens. 

1 Occurred April 6. 2 Maximum known. a Affected by ice jam. 'Observed. 

(sqmi) record 

Date 

1,120 1940-54 Feb. 17, 1954 .••• Apr. 7, 1947 _____ 

March 1904 .•.... 848 1908-9 Feb. 17, 1954 •.•• 1935-36 

1939-54 Mar. 18, 1942 ____ 

138 1947-54 Feb. 16, 1954 ____ Mar. 20, 1948 ____ Jan. a, 195L _____ 

185 1947-54 Feb. 17, 1954 ____ Apr. 4, 1950 _____ 

6 Affected by backwater from Clinton River, occurred April 4 or 5. • Daily discharge. 

Gage 

height 

(ft) Cfs 

17.7 6,080 

117.97 19,000 218.4 ________ ... ___ 

3 22.44 7,500 

20.88 17,700 

9. 7 2,500 

9.2 3,050 3' 10.81 ------------

15.52 3,900 617.5 • 4, 500 

-

FLOODS OF APRIL 4-6 IN NORTHEASTERN MONTANA 

Cfsper 

sqmi 

5.43 

17.0 

----8:85 

20.9 

18.1 

22.1 

--------

21.1 

24.3 

Rapid snowmelt occurred April 4-7 and was responsible for localized flooding of several northern tributaries of the Milk and Missouri 

Rivers (fig. 44) which began April 4 or 5. Highway travel was 

interrupted in some areas, farm lands were flooded, and about 60 

families in Nashua and Poplar were forced from their homes. The 

Corps of Engineers estimated the damage at $250,000. 

Thirty Mile Creek flooded parts of Harlem on April 6, and Porcupine Creek did considerable damage to an outlying section of Nashua. 

Wolf Creek near Wolf Point exceeded the maximum peak stage of 

1952 by 3.65 feet. Peak stages on all branches of the Poplar River 

near the international boundary exceeded maximums of 1952 and 

earlier known floods. Further downstream near Poplar the stages 

exceeded those of 1952 and were within a few tenths of a foot of 
48" 

109" 

109" 

liO 

02 

Uagagedaite 

Nvwtber rej'onwd. to ill table 4 

liO 4011ilee 

~~~~------~------~ 

107° 106° 

107" 106" 

105° 104° 

49° 

I 

1:!!! 

\.~- 48" 

105" 104" 

FIGURE 44.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of April 4-6 In northeastern Montana. 

~ 0 

0 

1::1 

f1j 

0 

~ 

.... 

<= 

0. 

~ 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 209 

the rain-caused flood peaks of 1946. Big Muddy Creek caused flooding along its length, but flooding was generally less than in 1952 

(table 4). Shotgun Creek flooded a part of Bainville for a short 

time. 

TABLE 4.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, April 4-6 in northeastern 

Montana 

[Each station in this table has one, two or three entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being rel'orted on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period 

of record; the third pertains to the maximum flood known outside the period of record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainin Stream and place of age area Period of Discharge fig. determination (sqmi) record Gage 

44 Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfs per sqmi 

MILK RIVER BASIN 

1 Porcupine Creek at 800 1908-24 April1954 _______ ---------- 15,300 19.1 

Nashua. Apr. 11, 1916 ____ ---------- Mar. 24, 1939 ____ -----35;500- ---44~4-

WOLF CREEK BASIN 

2 Wolf Creek near Wolf 245 1909-14 Apr. 4 or 5, 1954. 12.9 9, 780 39.9 

Point. 1950-53 Apr. 7, 1952 _____ 9. 25 7,050 28.8 

POPLAR RIVER BASIN 

3 Middle Fork Poplar 381 1931-54 Apr. 6, 1954 _____ 10.25 12,700 33.3 

River at international Mar. 21, 1939 ____ 8. 78 5,600 -------- boundary. 

4 West Fork Poplar River 141 1931-52 April1954 _______ 5.22 5,870 41.7 at international Apr. 14, 1952 ____ 5.15 5,450 38.7 

boundary. 

5 Poplar River near 3,100 1908-24 Apr. 6, 1954 _____ 17.86 37,400 12.1 

Poplar. 1947-54 Apr. 7, 1952 _____ 16.98 27,800 8.97 

July 10, 1946 _____ 18.1 140,000 --------

' Slope-area determination at site 20 miles upstream. 

FLOODS OF APRIL 12-13 IN BULL CREEK BASIN, TEXAS 

As much as 5.1 inches of rain fell April 10-13 on the drainage 

basin of Bull Creek which is tributary to the headwaters of the 

Colorado River (fig. 45). The only Weather Bureau precipitation 

station in the area is at the southwest edge at Gail, where 2.78 

inches of rain was reported for April 11-14 of which 2.48 inches 

fell April 11. Supplemental records furnished by the Colorado 

River municipal water district of Big Springs show that the floodproducing rains which fell near Gail varied from 2.5 inches 4 miles 

west, 3.4 inches 8 miles east, 4.5 inches 15 miles northeast and 5.1 

inches 10 miles northwest of Gail. Points at which supplemental 

measurements of rainfall were made are shown in figure 45. 

The principal damage attributable to this flood was the breeching 

of Bull Creek diversion dam, an earth structure which diverted 

flood flow from 363 square miles in Bull Creek basin to Lake J. B. 

Thomas through a 2-mile canal. The peak discharge, which occurred in the canal April 12, was computed by slope-area measure508902 0-59-3 
210 

!S.O 

+ 

,---, 

I : 

I L I ~--~,--~ I TEXAS I 

~--_j \ '" I } ' ,~ ""'' ' \ 

\, 

'-.... 

FLOODS OF 1954 

SMiles 

EXPLANATION 

0 Miscella.'leous measurement site 

.2.78 

Precipitation station 

+2.5 

Supplemental precipitation 

station 

Rainfall measurements in inches. 

Data from U.S. Weather Bureau 

FIGURE 45.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and rainfall totals April 10-13. Floods of April 12-13 in Bull Creek Basin, Texas. 

ment as 6,240 cfs. The maximum stage at the diversion dam was 

spillway level, and the peak discharge in the canal probably occurred 

at the time of the dam failure. 

A gaging station was established on Bull Creek near Ira in 1947 

and was discontinued September 1953. The maximum discharge 

during the period of record was 4,940 cfs July 6, 1948, and October 4, 1953, whereas the peak of the April 13, 1954, flood was determined to be 22,400 cfs (gage height 21.1 ft) by a slope-area measurement of a reach about 3,500 feet below the site of the discontinued 

station. The peak stage of this flood was exceeded by the flood of 

September 7, 1932 which reached a stage of 23.0 feet and by that 

of June 1939 which probably reached a stage 1.0 foot higher than 

that of September 7, 1932. 

A more detailed report of this flood was prepared by the Austin, 

Tex., district office of the U.S. Geological Survey and released to 

the open files in July 1954. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 211 

FLOODS OF APRIL 15 IN WEST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN 

A flash flood occurrP.d on the Eau Galle River on April 15, 1954, 

as a result of heavy thunderstorms in that area (fig. 46). The peak 

discharge at Spring Valley, determined by slope-area measurement, 

was 7,000 cfs (gage height 9.5 ft) from a drainage area of 64.8 

square miles. The previous maximum during the period of record 

(1944-54) was 3,900 cfs (gage height 8.0 ft) March 15, 1945. The 

maximum stage known since at least 1894 was 16.98 feet (discharge 

33,000 cfs) and occurred Sept. 18, 1942. This discharge was estimated by the Corps of Engineers on the basis of a slope-area measurement by the Geological Survey of peak discharge of 39,000 cfs 

at Elmwood, drainage area, 91.9 square miles. 

Damages in the town of Spring Valley were estimated by the 

Weather Bureau at $20,000. Several ungaged tributaries in the 

vicinity were reported at highest stages ever known. A dam at 

EXPLANATION 

Flood area boundary 

Gaging • station 

w o w~~ 

L-J.--L-L-~~--------~ 

FIGURE 46.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination point. Floods 

of April 15 in west-central Wisconsin. 
212 FLOODS OF 1954 

Lake Eau Galle, in place since 1934, on the Eau Galle River about 

20 miles below Spring Valley, was washed out. Northern streams 

were unusually high at the end of the month because of heavy general rains, but no flood damages were reported. 

FLOODS OF APRIL 29-30 IN WEST-CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 

Flash floods occurred in the upper Washita River basin and in 

Meridian Creek near Sweetwater at the western edge of Oklahoma 

(fig. 47) during the night of April 29-30. These floods followed 

rains of more than 12 inches over the drainage area above the mainstem stream-gaging station near Cheyenne. The isohyetal lines on 

figure 47 were drawn from Weather Bureau data and from unofficial 

rainfall measurements collected by the U.S. Geological Survey, 

Oklahoma City. Runoff in the Sandstone Creek basin was from a 

different storm center, and a maximum rainfall of 3.71 inches was 

reported in the basin. 

--4-- 0..IIMl~-==-~.,_,. 

FIGURE 47.·-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and isohyetal lines for April 29-30. Floods of April 29-30 in west-central Oklahoma. 
.SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 213 

The peak discharge on Washita River near Cheyenne was determined by contraction method to be 69,ROO cfs from a drainage area 

of 794 square miles which was almost 30,000 cfs greater than the 

previous maximum discharge for the period of record that began 

in 1937. The peak stage was 1.7 feet higher than any during the 

period of record and 1.0 foot higher than that during the great flood 

of April 1934. The peak discharge at an ungaged site on Rush 

Creek near Reydon, a tributary of the Washita River above the 

Cheyenne gage, was determined by slope-area measurement to be 

53,700 cfs from a drainage area of 69.6 square miles or 772 cfs per 

square mile (table 5). Three miles downstream from Rush Creek, 

the Washita River was reported to be 4 feet higher than the previous maximum. Downstream from Cheyenne at Strong City and at 

Hammon' it was 2 or 3 feet lower than the previous maximum, which 

occurred in 1934. The flood crest flattened rapidly further downstream creating only a minor flood at Clinton. 

Damage to county roads and bridges was extensive. Winter wheat 

suffered considerably from the torrential rain and high winds. There 

were no fatalities. 

FLOODS OF APRIL 30-MAY 3 IN MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN 

The heavy rainfall of April 26-27 and 30 coupled with additional 

heavy rains May 1-3 caused flooding in the Mississippi River along 

the Wisconsin-Minnesota boundary, in the Chippewa River basin 

TABLE 5.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, April 29-30 in west-central 

Oklahoma 

[Each station in this table has one, two or three entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the 

period of record; the third pertains to the maximum flood known outside the period of record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainage Period 

in Stream and place area of Discharge fig. of determination (s!{ mi) record or: 47 Date heig t (ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

WASHITA RIVER BASIN 

1 Rush Creek near Reydon_ 69.6 ------------ Apr. 29, 1954 ----15:24- 53,700 772 2 Washita River near Chey- 794 1937-54 Apr. 29, 1954 69,800 87.9 enne. May 23,1941 13.5 40,000 50.4 Apr. 3,1934 (I) ------------ --------

3 Dead Indian Creek near 33.8 ------------ Apr. 29, 1954 ---------- 8,410 249 Roll. 4 Sandstone Creek near 87.1 1952-54 Apr. 30, 1954 13.64 6,360 -----..--- Cheyenne. June 6,1953 6.40 1,020 --------

RED RIVER BASIN 

5 Meridian Creek near Sweet- 14.0 ------------ Apr. 29, 1954 ---------- 1,210 86.4 water. 

1 Reached a stage 1.0 ft lower than that of 1954, at site on upstream side of highway fill. 
214 FLOODS OF 1954 

in Wisconsin, and in the Menominee River near McAllister, Wis. 

(See pl. 2.) The focal point of the heavy rains occurred in the 

Chippewa River drainage with one center in central Chippewa Valley and the other in the lower part of the drainage basin. Amounts 

of precipitation at Weather Bureau stations in the flood area during 

the storm period (April 25-May 3) are s-hown on plate 2. 

The Chippewa River had just receded from a bankful rise during 

the last part of April, and the reservoirs on the river were full. The 

rains of May 1 and 3, 1954, produced a crest stage at Durand of 

15.40 feet which almost equaled that of the 1941 flood; however, the 

peak discharge of 101,000 cfs exceeded that of 1941 and was the 

highest recorded during the period of record which began in 1928 

(table 6). The 'Visconsin River basin did not receive so much rainfall, and its reservoirs took up the excess runoff without much spilling. The flood was unique for this area in that it resulted entirely 

from rain rather than the usual combination of rainfall and snowmelt. 

The greatest amount of flood damage occurred in Durand, in 

Trempealeau County, and in Cochran, "\Vis., which was estiinated at 

about $500,000. Damage at and near LaCrosse and at Prairie du 

Chien, Wis., amounted to about $120,000. Along the Mississippi 

River in Minnesota, damage of about $150,000 occurred at Red Wing, 

Wabasha, and Winona. 

TABLE 6.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, April 3Q-May 3 in Minnesota 

and Wisconsin 

[Each station in this table has two or three entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the 

flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period 

of continuous record; the third pertains to the maximum flood known outside the period of continuous 

record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainage Period 

in Stream and place area of Discharge plate of determination (sq mi) record Gage 2 Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sq mi 

CHIPPEWA RIVER BASIN 

1 Chippewa River at Eau 6, 630 1902-9 May 2,1954 22.00 80,000 12.1 

Claire, Wis. 1944-54 June 7,1905 ---------- 170,000 10.6 

2 Chippewa River at Dur- 9,010 1928-54 May 3,1954 15.40 101,000 11.2 

and, Wis. Sept. 2, 1941 15.43 93,600 10.4 

Sept. 12, 1884 218.4 ------------ --------

STREAMS TRIBUTARY TO 

LAKE MICHWAN 

3 Menominee River near 4,020 1945-54 Apr. 30, 1954 16.77 21,900 5.45 

McAllister, Wis. Apr. 15, 1951 17.83 25,700 6.39 

1 Observed. 

2 Maximum stage known. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 215 

FLOODS OF MAY 18-23 IN THE KOOTENAI AND THE FLATHEAD 

RIVER BASINS, MONTANA AND IDAHO 

Below normal temperatures prevailed in northwestern Montana 

and northern Idaho during much of the spring which kept streams 

at a relatively low rate of discharge. Unseasonably warm weather 

May 16-20 in combination with a record snowpack in the Kootenai 

and the Flathead River basins (fig. 48) caused floods on May 18-23 

whose peak discharges approached or exceeded those of 1948. 

The greatest flood damage was caused in the Kootenai Flats area 

near Bonners Ferry, Idaho, and a moderate amount was caused in 

the Kootenai basin near Libby, Mont. The peak discharge of the 

1954 flood at Bonners Ferry did not quite equal the peak discharge 

of the 1948 flood although the stage was slightly higher (table 7). 

About 8,000 acres of fertile farmland were flooded to a depth of 10 

to 15 feet, whereas about 30,000 acres was flooded in this area in 

1948. Dikes kept the floodwaters out of Bonners Ferry, but a small 

residential district across the river was inundated. The lesser damage in the 1954 flood is attributed to the dike system which withstood flood action better than it did in 1948. Losses from th~ flood 

in Idaho have been estimated at $1,250,000. 

The 1954 peak discharge of 86,600 cfs in the Kootenai River at 

Libby, Mont., was the third highest in the period of record which 

was begun in 1910 and was exceeded only in the floods of 1916 and 

1948. Considerable farm laud was inundated at and near Libby, 

Mont., where 18 families were forced from their homes, a number 

of small bridges were destroyed, and U.S. Highway 2 was closed 

for 2 days. The Great Northern Railway discontinued service over 

their lines for several days because of soggy roadbeds. Damage was 

fairly widespread in this part of Montana but was not severe in any 

locality. 

FLOODS OF MAY 27-28 IN PANOLA AND LAFAYETTE COUNTIES, 

MISSISSIPPI 

Record-breaking floods occurred May 27-28 on small streams in 

Panola and Lafayette Counties, Miss. They were caused by heavy 

rains of cloudburst intensity during the late afternoon and night of 

May 27. The heaviest rainfall occurred in the headwaters of Long 

Creek in Panola County where up to 10 inches fell in a 3-hour 

period. Rainfall records are available at six Weather Bureau stations which are located at the edge of the intense rainfall area. 

Miscellaneous rainfall measurements were obtained at 37 points 

within the area to supplement those of the official stations. These 

data were used to draw the isohyetal map, figure 49, which shows 
116" 115" 114" 

- --49" 

\ 

\ 

" " " " '\ 

\ 

\ 113" 

\ 

'\ 

" 48" 

116" 

EXPLANATION 

Flood --- area boundary 115" 

.2 

Gaging station 0 2D 

Number referred to in table 7 

114" 113" 

Figure 48.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods of May 18-23 in the Kootenai and the Flathead River 

basins, Montana and Idaho. 

~ 

1-l 

0) 

~ 0 

0 

t:::l 

r:/1 

0 

~ 

...... 

~ 

0. 

~ 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 217 

TABLE 7.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, May 18-23 in the Kootenai 

and the Flathead River basins, Montana and Idaho 

[Each station in this table has one, two, or three entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period of record; the third pertains to the maximum flood known outside the period of record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainin Stream and place of age area Period of Discharge flg. determination (sq mi) record Gage 48 Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

KOOTENAI RIVER BASIN 

1 Fortine Creek near Tre- 112 1946-53 May 20, 1954. ___ 11.8 1,810 16.2 

go, Mont. May 16, 1950 ____ 11.8 1,810 16.2 

2 Fisher River near Jen- 780 19~54 May 20, 1954 ____ 7.39 5, 710 7. 32 

nings, Mont. Apr. 27, 1952. ___ 6.03 3,680 4. 72 

May 22, 1948 ____ ----i7~33- 16,560 -------- 3 Kootenai River at Lib- 10,240 191Q-54 May 21, 1954 ____ 86,600 8.46 

by, Mont. June 21, 1916. ___ 20.7 121,000 11.8 

4 Lake Creek at Troy, 210 1945-54 May 20, 1954 ____ 7.17 3,080 14.7 

Mont. May 30, 1948 ____ 8.28 3,250 15.5 

5 Yaak River near Troy, 766 191Q-16 May 22, 1954 ____ 11.4 13,400 17.5 

Mont. May 1948. ______ 11.0 12,500 16.3 

6 Kootenai River at Leo- 11,740 1928-54 May 21, 1954 ____ 120.81 104,000 8.86 

nia, Idaho. May 28, 1948 ____ 123.40 123,000 10.5 

June 1894. _____ 2 124.6 ------2~040- ---38~5- 7 Boulder Creek near Leo- 53 1928-54 May 19, 1954 ____ 6.31 

nia1 Idaho. Oct. 19, 1947 _____ 7.85 2, 700 51.0 

8 MoYie River at East- 570 1929-54 May 20, 1954 ____ 10.55 9,400 16.5 

~ort, Idaho. May 24, 1948 ____ 10.25 8,030 14.1 

9 oyie River at Eileen, 755 1925-54 May 20, 1954 ____ 6.99 11,000 14.6 

Idaho. May 26, 1948 ____ 6. 51 9,650 12.8 

10 Kootenai River at Bon- 13,000 1927-54 May 21, 1954 ____ 35.55 132,000 10.2 

Iiers Ferry, Idaho. May 27, 1948 ____ 3 35.32 139,000 10.7 

11 Deep Creek at Moravia, 133 1928-54 May 18, 1954 ____ 7.40 1,670 12.6 

Idaho. May 15, 195Q ____ '6. 98 1,500 11.3 

12 Kootenai River near 13,400 1929-54 May 23, 1954 ____ 70.47 199,900 7.46 

Copeland, Idaho. May 30, 1948 ____ 670.1 1124,000 9. 25 

13 Long Canyon Creek 29 1928-54 May 19, 1954 ____ 827 28.5 near Porthill, Idaho. May 27, 1948 ____ -----6~40- 1,300 44.8 

14 Smith Creek near Port- 70 1928-54 May 19, 1954 ____ 2,570 36.7 

hill, Idaho. May 17, 194L ___ 7 7.37 3,150 45.0 

15 Boundary Creek near 97 1928-54 May 19, 1954 ____ 5.16 2,350 24.2 

K~~~~~ R~~:~~t PortMay 28, 1948 ___ 5.34 2,530 26.1 

16 13,700 1928-54 May 22, 23, 1954_ 8 65.17 1102,000 7.45 

hill, Idaho. June 1, 1948 _____ 9 66.16 125,000 9.12 

PEND OREILLE RIVER 

BASIN 

17 Flathead River near 1, 553 191Q-17, May 21, 1954 ____ 12.25 31,500 20.3 

Columbia Falls, 1929-54 June 20, 1916 ____ 9.9 30,100 19.4 

Mont. 

18 Middle Fork Flathead 1,128 1939-54 May 20, 1954 ____ 13.01 34,500 30.6 

River near West Gla- May 23, 1948 ____ 12.40 32,600 28.9 

cier, Mont. 

19 South Fork Flathead 958 1948-54 May 20, 1954 ____ 12.75 21,000 21.9 

River at Spotted Bear June 13, 1953. ___ 11.45 17,700 18.5 

Ranger Station, near May 22, 1948 ____ 14.00 22,000 23.0 

20 Hungry Horse, Mont. 

Spotted Bear River near 184 1948-54 May 20, 1954. ___ 7.4 5,480 29.8 

Hungry Horse, Mont. June 6, 1950 _____ 6. 42 3,860 20.9 

May 22, 1948 ____ 7. 24 4,010 21.8 

21 Twin Creek near Hun- 47 1948-54 May 19, 1954 ____ 8.33 2, 790 59.4 

gry Horse, Mont. May 14, 1950 ____ 7. 51 1,550 33.0 

May 22, 1948 ____ 8.1 2,410 51.3 

22 Lower Twin Creek near 224 1948-54 May 20, 1954 ____ 4. 01 868 38.8 

Hungry Horse, Mont. June 5, 1950 _____ 3.86 565 25.2 

May 22, 1948 ____ 5. 25 1,200 53.6 

23 Sullivan Creek near 71.3 1948-54 May 19, 1954 ____ 5.29 2, 750 38.6 

Hungry Horse, Mont. May 12, 1949 ____ 4. 73 1, 700 23.9 

May 22, 1948 ____ ----"4:82" 2,280 32.0 

24 Graves Creek near Hun- 27 1948-54 May 19, 1954 ____ 1,300 48.1 

gry Horse, Mont. June 22, 1950 ___ '_ 5. 70 101,520 46.1 May 1948 _______ 5.33 101,440 43.6 

25 Flathead River at Co- 4,464 1922-23, May 20, 1954 ____ 15.57 69,600 15.6 

lumbia Falls, Mont. 1928-54 May 23, 1948 ____ 19.08 102,000 22.8 

June 1894 _______ 22.7 135,000 30.2 

1 At site 7~ miles downstream. 2 From informatton by Great Northern Railway Co. a Occurred May 28, 1948. 'Occurred April27, 1952. a Daily discharge. 8 Occurred May 31, 1948. 7 Occurred May 27, 1948. 8 Occurred May 23, 24, 1954. 9 Occurred May 31, 1948. Io At former site 2~ miles downstream, drainage area 33 sq mi. 

508902 0-59--4 
218 

INDEX MAP OF M1SS1SS1PP1 

FLOODS OF 1954 

EXPLANATION 

_6 ...... 

llohyetalliae 

p,.,ftpitat;m.i•i-'" .1 

Gqiq otation 

... llaneoua lite 

NIIMr~toit~lable8 

10110. ~~~~~--------~------_j 

FIGURE 49.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and isohyetal lines for May 27. Floods of May 27-28 in Panola and Lafayette Counties, 

Miss. 

rainfall for the flood area. Information from local residents indicates that most of the rainfall occurred· between 7 p. m. and midnight. Recording rain gages at Sardis Dam and Enid Dam showed 

that most of the rainfall there occurred between 6 :30 and 10 p. m. 

No local resident could remember witnessing or hearing of any 

other flood greater than this one. The peak discharge on Clear 

Creek near Oxford, the only gaging station in the area, was 2,960 cfs 

(gage height 11.04 ft) on May 27, 1954. The previous maximum 

during the periods of record ( 1939-41, 1950-54) at this station occurred on February 20, 1953, with a peak discharge of 2,480 cfs 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 219 

(gage height, 9.46 ft in the gage well and 9.9 ft from high-water 

marks) . Indire.ct measurements of peak discharge for this flood 

were obtained at nine other sites in the area (table 8). The maximum unit discharge was 3,030 cfs per square mile from an area of 

4.85 square miles. Owing to the high intensity of rainfall and the 

steep slopes of the drainage basins, rises were very rapid as illustrated by a discharge hydrograph of Clear Creek near Oxford 

(fig. 50). 

All flooding was in rural areas and no loss of life resulted. The 

Agriculture Stabilization Committees at Sardis and at Oxford estimated the crop and soil losses in Panola County at $400,000 and in 

Lafayette County at $25,000. The total damage to county roads 

and State highways was estimated to be in excess of $25,000. 

0 

z 

0 

0 

~ 

(/) 

a:: 

~ 

.... 

~ 

~ 

"-

0 

iii 

::J 

0 

~ 

Ll.i 

~ 

a:: 

< :J: 

~ 

0 

3000 

2500 

2000 

1500 

1000 

500 

0 

6a.m. 

MAY27 

\ 

--·-· -----·-·-

\ 

\ --......... 

6 p.m. 12 p.m. 6a.m. 6p.m. 

MAY28 

1954 

,FIGURE 50.-Diseharge hydrograph, Clear Creek near Oxford, Miss., May 1954. 
220 FLOODS OF 1954 

A more detailed report of this flood was prepared by the Jackson 

(Mississippi) district office of the U.S. Geological Survey and released to the open files in March 1955. 

TABLE 8.-Summary of flood discharges, May 27-28 in Panola and Lafayette 

Counties, Miss. 

No. 

in 

fig. 

49 

Stream and place of determination 

Discharge 

Drainage i------.---- area 

(sqmi) Cfs Cfs per sqmi 

---1·-------------------------------------l·--------------- YAZOO RIVER BASIN 

1 Clear Creek near Oxford._----------------------------------------

2 Dry Traywick Branch near Oxford·------------------------------- 3 Flowers Creek near Eureka Springs ______________________________ _ 4 Rowsey Creek near Eureka Springs ______________________________ _ 

5 Long Creek near Eureka Springs --------------------------------- 6 Caney Creek near Eureka Springs _______________________________ _ 7 Anthony Ditch near Eureka Springs _____________________________ _ 

8 Long Creek near Pope __ ------------------------------------------ 9 Woodruff Creek at Eureka Springs _______________________________ _ 

10 Long Creek at Courtland-----------------------------------------

9.3 2, 960 

.27 403 

2. 59 3, 280 

1.00 1,390 

12.8 19,500 

4. 85 14,700 

.27 500 

30.8 31,900 . 79 800 

65.0 38,300 

318 

1,490 

1,270 

1,390 

1,520 

3,030 

1,850 

1,040 

1,010 

590 

FLOODS OF JUNE 8 IN THE LITTLE MIAMI AND THE MIAMI RIVER 

BASINS, OHIO 

Local flooding occurred in the vicinity of Yellow Springs, Greene 

County, Ohio, (fig. 51) following an intense thunderstorm on June 8. 

Rainfall, totaling 4.81 inches in less than 2 hours, was measured 

at the Weather Bureau rain gage at Yellow Springs. The storm 

centered just northeast of Yellow Springs. Highways and bridges 

in the area were damaged. The floodwaters rose to door levels in 

the Yellow Springs business district, and the public water supply 

was interrupted for about 6 hours. 

Indirect measurements of peak discharge were made on three small 

tributary streams, and of these Birch Creek at Yell ow Springs had 

a unit peak discharge of 1,160 cfs per S'quare mile from a drainage 

area of 4.67 square miles. In the vicinity the only stream-gaging 

station which showed an appreciable rise was that on the Little 

Miami River near Oldtown, with a peak discharge of 4,720 cfs from 

a drainage area of 129 square miles. (See table 9.) 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 221 

5 

40"-------+----------+--40" 

0 5 

Xenia • 

EXPLANATION 

0 

Miscellaneous site 3. 

Gaging station Number referred ro in table 9 

10 Miles 

FIGURE 51.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods 

of June 8 in the Little Miami and the Miami River basins, Ohio. 

FLOODS OF JUNE 9-10 IN THE RED RIVER BASIN, TEXAS 

Floods occurred on June 9 and 10 in the upper Red River basin. 

Up to 2.78 inches of rain in the Salt Fork Red River basin caused 

the maximum peak discharge for the short period of record at Salt 

Fork Red River near Wellington (table 10). Selected Weather 

Bureau precipitation stations and the amounts of rainfall for June 

8-11 and location of gaging stations most affected are shown on 

figure 52. 

Several highway structures were destroyed in the vicinity of 

Wellington. 
222 FLOODS OF 1954 

TABLE 9.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, June 8 in the Little Miami and 

the Miami River basins, Ohio 

[Each station in this table has one or two entries under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being reported on, and the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period of record] 

No. 

in Stream and place fig. of determination 51 

LITTLE MIAMI RIVER BASIN 

1 Yellow Springs Creek at Yellow Springs. 2 Birch Creek in Glen Helen 

3 at Yellow Springs. Little Miami River near Oldtown. 

MIAMI RIVER BASIN 

4 East Fork Mud Run at Hustead. 

1./6. 

Panhandle 

Maximum floods 

Drainage Period area of Discharge (sqmi) record Gage Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

4.30 ------------ June 8,1954 ---------- 2,130 495.0 

4.67 ------------ June 8, 1954 ---------- 5,400 1,160 

129 1952-54 June 8,1954 10.2 4, 720 36.6 Mar. 12,1953 4.28 625 4.8 

1. 55 ------------ June 8,1954 ---------- 814 525 

101" too• 

101" 

EXPLANATION 3. 

Gaging station 

NuMber re]eried to i" table 10 

FIGURE 52.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and precipitation stations. Floods of June 9-10 in the Red River basin, Texas. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 223 

TABLE 10.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, June 9-10 in the Red River 

basin, Texas 

[Each station In this table has two entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period of record) 

No. Drainage in Stream and place area fig of determination (sqmi) 52 

RED RIVER BASIN 

1 North Tule Draw at res- 1189 ervoir, near Tulia, Tex. 

2 Salt Fork Red River near 31,222 

Wellington, Tex. 

3 Salt Fork Red River at 81,566 

Mangum, Okla. 

' 124 sq mils probably noncontributing. 2 Occurred May 16, 1951. 

a 209 sq mi is probably noncontributing. 

Period 

of 

record 

1940--54 

1952-54 

1937-54 

Maximum floods 

Discharge 

Ga~ Date heig t (ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

June 9,1954 97.35 4,680 -------- May 15,1951 2 96.76 5,430 83.5 

June 10,1954 16.00 95,900 -------- July 19, 1953 13.90 63,400 62.5 

June 10,1954 13.30 38,100 -------- June 16, 1938 14.70 60,000 44.2 

FLOODS OF JUNE 11 IN THE BAD RIVER BASIN, SOUTH DAKOTA 

A flash flood occurred in the Bad River near Fort Pierre (fig. 53) 

during the morning of June 11. Weather Bureau records of rainfall were sparse in the area-0.69 inch at Hopewell, 1.42 inches at 

Hayes, 2.20 inches at Midland, and 2.45 inches at Pierre. The Bad 

River rose 19 feet in about 5 hours and reached a stage of 23.35 feet 

(discharge 16,600 cfs) (fig. 54). This was one of the most rapid 

rises which has occurred during the 26 years since the station was 

established although the peak was well below the maximum of record. A peak of 27.8 feet was reached May 1, 1942, another of 34.89 

feet (discharge, 50,000 cfs) was reached in April 1927, and a peak 

in July 1905 exceeded that of April 1927 by about 2 feet. 

FLOODS OF JUNE 1954 IN IOWA 

Rainfall during the latter part of May and the first half of June 

1954, culminated in a series of heavy rains June 15-22 and caused 

streams in north-central and northwest Iowa to rise to record heights 

in many places. Affected in Iowa were streams in the basins of the 

Iowa, Cedar, Skunk, Des Moines, Big Sioux, Floyd, Little Sioux, 

and Soldier Rivers and Perry Creek. Omaha Creek in Nebraska 

also was flooded. 

Notable high rates of discharge produced by the extremely heavy 

rains include 108 cfs per square mile from 2.14 square miles of 

drainage area on the East Fork Iowa River above Hayfield, Iowa, 

and 242 cfs per square mile from a drainage area of 7.07 square 
224 

10 

101° 

Hopewell • 

FLOODS OF 1954 

0 10 

EXPLANATION 

Gaging • station 

20Miles 

FIGURE 53.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination point. Floods 

of June 11 in the Bad River basin, South Dakota. 

miles on a small Otter Creek tributary. The greatest unit peak discharge was 1,110 cfs per square mile measured from an area of 

0.056 square mile on a small tributary of Boone River i-tear Britt, 

Iowa. The unit discharge of 83.4 cfs per square mile on the Skunk 

River near Randall, Iowa, was unusual considering its much larger 

drainage area of 163 square miles. 

The floods of June 1954 were the greatest known on the Iowa 

River above Eldora, on the Des Moines River below Fort Dodge to 

Des Moines, and on the Rock and the Little Sioux Rivers. Nearrecord floods occurred on the Des Moines River at and upstream 

from Fort Dodge, and on the Cedar River and tributaries upstream 

from Waterloo. 

Flood damage amounted to nearly $28 million. Much urban 

damage occurred ; however, the above total consisted mainly of agricultural damage with an estimated 725,000 acres of cropland in 26 

northern counties of Iowa under water during the first 3 weeks in 

June. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 225 

25 

ri\. 

f \ 

\ 20 

\ ~ IJJ 15 L&.. 

~ z 

~ 

~ 

\ ~ 

" u:i 

~ 

IJJ 

" 10 c( 

" 

5 

.J 

0 

12 m. 6 p.m. 12 p.m. 6 a.m. 12 m. 6 p.m. 12 p.m. 

JUNE 10 JUNE 11 

1954 

FIGURE 54.-Stage hydrograph, Bad River near Fort Pierre, S. Dak., June 1954. 

A more comprehensive report on this flood is contained in WaterSupply Paper 1370-A. 

FLOODS OF JUNE 17 IN NEBRASKA 

Heavy rainfall occurred in the Ne1naha River basin in southeastern Nebraska and in the Loup River basin in east-central Nebraska 

(fig. 55) during the early hours of June 17. 

508902 0,- 59 T 5 
eBroken Bow 

EXPLANATION 

..___.,. ................... __. 

Flood area boundary 

.2 

Gaging station 

01 

Miscellaneous site 

Number referred to in table 12 

• 

Precipitation station 

NEBRASKA 

KANSAS-

• Hiawatha 

FIGURE 55.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and precipitation stations. Floods of June 17 in 

Nebraska. 

t\j 

t\j 

~ 

~ 0 

0 

t:l 

{/). 

0 

l'%j 

...... 

co 

Ol 

,... 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 227 

In the Nemaha River basin, rainfall averaged about 3 inches over 

most of the drainage area and tapered off sharply outside of it, and 

in the Loup River basin localized rainfall of 4 to 5 inches occurred 

in the vicinity of Loup City (table 11). 

There was considerable crop damage on the Nemaha River flood 

plain near Falls City, and local flooding occurred in the vicinity of 

I_.joup City. 

A maximum unit discharge of 389 cfs per square mile from an 

area of 6.2 square miles was obtained in the Loup City area 

(table 12). 

TABLE 11.-Rainjall, in inches, at Weather Bureau stations, June 15-17, 1951,., in 

Nebraska 

Station Total rainfall (inches) 

Station Total rainfall (inches) 

NEBRASKA 

Loup City_--------------------------- Arcadia ______________________________ _ North Loup __________________________ _ Comstock ____________________________ _ 

Broken Bow_------------------------- Ord __________________________________ _ Anselmo _____________________________ _ 

Mason City--------------------------- Ravenna _____________________________ _ 

Grand Island AP __ ------------------- Greeley ______________________________ _ 

NEBRASKA-continued 

5. 05 BurwelL----------------------------- . 47 Pawnee City--------------------------

.26 Falls CitY----------------------------- . 97 Table Rock __________________________ _ . 41 Tecumseh ____________________________ _ . 43 Firth _________________________________ _ 

. 92 

2 61 KANSAS 

3.01 2 34 MorrilL. ____________________________ _ . 50 Hiawatha ____________________________ _ 

0.09 

3.49 

4.10 

3. 97 3. 60 

2.59 

4. 50 

5.10 

TABLE 12.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, June 17 in Nebraska 

[Each station in this table has 1 or 2 entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to !the flood bein~r reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period of 

record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainage Period 1n Stream and place area of Discharge fig. of determination (sqmi) record Gage 

55 Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

PLATTE RIVER BASIN 

1 Dead Horse Creek at Loup 6.2 ------------ June 17, 1954 ---------- 2,410 389 

2 Ci~. Oak reek near Dannebrog_ 122 1949-54 June 17,1954 17.23 1,880 15.4 

July 9,1950 17.00 1, 780 14.6 

NEMAHA RIVER BASIN 

3 North Fork Nemaha River 531 1952-54 June 17,1954 28.48 43,300 81.5 at Humboldt. Aug. 6,1953 9.15 2,180 4.1 

4 Nemaha River at Falls 1,340 1944-54 June 17, 1954 27.44 51,400 38.4 

City. June 2,1949 28.8 34,200 26,0 

5 Muddy Creek at Verdon ___ 188 1952-54 June 17,1954 22.97 17,100 91.0 

Nov. 16,19521 11.87 4,040 21.5 
228 FLOODS OF 1954 

FLOODS OF JUNE 27-J'ULY 1 IN THE RIO GRANDE BASIN, TEXAS 

Record-breaking floods, caused by an intense tropical storm moving inland from the Gulf of Mexico, occurred June 27-29 in the 

Devils River and the Pecos River basins and on the Rio Grande. 

Other streams in the United States and in Mexico also yielded large 

flows. During June 24-29, rainfall totaling 35 inches fell in some 

areas (fig. 56). 

Uncounted lives were lost, mostly in Mexico, and damage to manmade structures was extensive. Several bridges were destroyed and 

hundreds of buildings were washed away or damaged beyond repair. 

In Mexico many adobe homes collapsed after being partly submerged 

in water for a few hours. In the town of Piedras N egras ( population 35,000), half of the buildings were destroyed and more than 

200 people died. Falcon Reservoir on the Rio Grande below Laredo, 

Tex., was nearly empty when the flood flow arrived and consequently contained the flow without spilling. This saved the agricultural area downstream from flooding. 

The maximum discharge during the flood, reported by the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and 

Mexico, was 1,158,000 cfs on June 28 below Diablo Dam site on the 

Rio Grande (table 13). The Commission's gaging station on the 

Pecos River near Comstock, Tex., in continuous operation since 

1900, had a peak discharge of · 948,000 cfs, that was more than 8 

times the previously known maximum. The peak stage, 96.24 feet, 

was nearly 58 feet higher than the previous maximum. Devils River 

near Juno, Tex., reached a peak stage of 35.0 feet and had a discharge of 393,000 cfs, reported to be the highest flow since at least 

1882. 

More detailed information on a part of the flood area is contained 

in open file release No. 49, August 1954, "Floods in the Devils and 

Pecos River Basins of Texas, June 27-28, 1954," which was prepared by the Austin district office in cooperation with the Texas 

State Board of Water Engineers. Information is also contained in 

Water Bulletin No. 24, "Flow of the Rio Grande and related data," 

published by the International Boundary and Water Commission, 

United States and Mexico. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 229 

102" EXPLANATION 

--10-- A 31"'--':0....."""""~-------1---~-4--l---31" lsobyetal line Gaging station lrUenw.tional Boundary and 

Water Commiuion 

Precipitation in i11el&ea 

Gaging • station U. S. Geologicol Surt~e71 

0 Miscellaneous site 

U. S. Geological Su1"Ve7/ 

102" 

100" 

20 0 20 40 Miles 

A Miscellaneous site 

lftterftatUmal Boundary and 

Water CommiBBioft 

Numbers referred to in table 13 

100" 

FIGURE 56.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and isohyetal lines for June 24-29. Floods of June 27-July 1 in the Rio Grande basin, 

Texas. 
230 FLOODS OF 1954 

TABLE 13.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, June 27-July 1 in the Rio 

Grande basin, Texas 

[Each station in this table has 1, 2, or 3 entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period of record; the third pertains to the maximum flood of which knowledge is available outside the period of 

record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainage Period 

in Stream and place area of Discharge fig. of determination (sqmi) record Gage 56 Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfs per sqmi 

RIO GRA.NDE BASIN 

1 Rio Grande at Langtry t ___ 79,375 1900-14, June 27, 1954 49.87 169,000 2.1 

1919-20, Sept. 4, 1935 46.70 149,000 1.9 1924-54 June 17,1922 56.9 204,000 2.6 2 Pecos River near Sheffield __ 31,660 1921-25, June 27, 1954 17.72 17,000 .54 1939-49 Oct. R,1941 16.75 13,800 .44 3 Pecos River near Com- 35,293 1900-54 June 28,1954 96.24 948,000 26.9 stock.! Sept. 1,1932 38.25 116,000 3.3 4 Johnson Draw at Ozona ____ 120 ------------ June 28,1954 ---------- 72,700 606.0 5 Devils River near Juno ____ 2, 733 1925-49 June 28,1954 35.0 2 393,000 144.0 

Sept. 1, 1932 33.8 370,000 135.0 6 Devils River near Del Riot_ 4,185 1900-14, June 28, 1954 34.76 585,000 140.0 

1923-54 Sept. 1, 1932 36.60 597,000 143.0 7 Rio Grande below Diablo ---------- ------------ June 28,1954 55.72 1.158,000 -------- Dam site.t 8 Rio Grande near Del Rio t_ 121,925 1900-15, June 28,1954 38.25 1,140,000 9.4 1919-20, Sept. 1,1932 34.5 605,000 5.0 

1923--54 9 Rio Grande at Eagle Pass t_ 125,502 1900-14, June 29,1954 53.51 964,000 7. 7 

1924-54 Sept. 2,1932 49.00 569,000 4. 5 10 Rio Grande at San Antonio 127,245 ------------ June 29, 1954 42.70 912,000 7. 2 Crossing.! 11 Rio Grande at Laredo t _____ 130,859 1900-13, June 30,1954 61.35 716,900 5.5 

1923-54 Sept. 3,1932 52.20 335,000 2.6 

June 1865 62.5 950,000 -------- 12 Rio Grande at Head ofFal- ---------- ------------ June 30,1954 ---------- 640,000 -------- con Reservoir .t 13 Rio Grande at Falcon ---------- Dam.t ------------ July 1,1954 ---------- 528,000 --------

1 Data furnished by International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico. 2 Greatest since at least 1882. 

FLOODS OF JULY 19 IN WEST VIRGINIA 

Heavy rains on July 19 produced a. severe flash flood on the 

Cherry River causing damages estimated at $2 million. Other 

streams in the area, however, were not comparatively high, although 

the storm covered most of the Gauley River basin, of which the 

Cherry River is a part (fig. 57). 

Relatively high amounts of precipitation fell over most of the 

Gauley River basin. Camden on G~uley had 3.53 inches, Webster 

Springs had 2.98 inches, Richwood had 3.60 inches, and Summersville had 2.93 inches. As a result of these heavy rains and resulting 

floods, the town of Richwood and vicinity was declared an emergency area. 
,SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 231 

E S 

R G I 

20 0 

EXPLANATION .2 

Gaging station 

Number referred to in table 1-' 

• 

Precipitation station 

20 Miles 

FIGURE 57.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and precipitation stations. Floods of July 19 in West Virginia. 

The discharge on Cherry River at Fenwick was almost 10,000 cfs 

higher than the previous maximum of record (table 14). 

FLOODS OF JULY 20 IN MIAMI, ARIZONA 

A thunderstorm on July 20 produced 1.70 inches of rain at Miami, 

1.20 inches at Superior, 0.61 inch at Pinal Ranch, and 0.48 inch at 

Globe during the evening of July 20 and caused a flash flood in 

Bloody Tanks Wash in Miami (fig. 58). Water topped the concrete 

walls of the channel, flooded the main streets, and demolished many 
232 FLOODS OF 1954 

TABLE 14.-Bummary of flood stages and discharges, July 19 in West Virginia 

[Each station in this table has two entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period of record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainin Stream and place or age area Period of Discharge fig. determination (sqmi) record Gage 57 Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfs per sqmi 

KANAWHA RIVER BASIN 

1 Gauley River at Cam- 236 1908-16, July 19, 1954 _____ 19.42 19,800 83.9 

den on Gauley 1929-54 July 4, 1932 ______ 27.38 42,500 180 2 Cherry River at Fen- 150 1929-54 July 19, 1954----- 19.8 37, ()()() 246 wick. June 1940 ________ 15.2 27,300 182 3 Gauley River near Sum- 680 1908-16, July 19, 1954----- 25.87 66,100 97.3 

mersville. 1928-54 July 4, 1932 ______ 28.75 77,700 114 4 Gauley River above 1,315 1928-54 July 19, 1954.. ___ 24.80 67,500 51.3 Belva. July 5, 1932 ______ 28.6 105,000 79.8 

113" 112" 111" 110" 

35"J----------------+----------------~--------------~---------------t35" 

f~~;ZON:-~ 

................. 

................... ___ ,! 

INDEX MAP 

25 

111" 

25 50 

I 

110" 

EXPLANATION 

Flood area boundary 

0 

Miscellaneous gaging site 

• 

Precipitation station 

75 IOOMiles 

FIGUU 58.--Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination point and precipitation stations. Floods of July 20 in Miami, Arizona. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 233 

automobiles. Floodwater carrying mud and debris did considerable 

damage to business establishments. Total damage was estimated at 

$150,000. 

A slope-area measurement in NW1,4SE;iNE14 sec. 30, T. 1 N., 

R. 15 E., below bridge on U.S. Highways 60 and 70 east of Miami 

determined the peak discharge to be 2,720 cfs from 18.2 square miles. 

FLOODS OF JULY 21 IN PAINT CREEK BASIN, OHl:O 

Heavy local rains fell in the vicinity of Hillsboro and New Vienna, 

Ohio (fig. 59), during the night of July 20-21. Totals of 5.72 

inches (official) at Hillsboro and 7.5 inches (unofficial) at New 

Vienna were recorded. The 5.72 inches at Hillsboro occurred in 

about 8 hours and was the record 24-hour rainfall for the station. 

Roads, bridges, and some private property were damaged by the 

exceqgive runoff from this storm. 

83"30' 83"00' 

39"30'-------------+----------------+-39"30' 

39"00'------------+---------------+- 39"00' 

83'30' 

10 

_, INDEX MAP 

EXPLANATION 

.,---'-

Flood area boundary 

03 

Miscellaneous site 

Number referred to in table 15 

0 10 

83"00' 

20 Miles 

FIGURE 59.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and precipitation stations. Floods of July 21in Paint Creek basin, Ohio. 
234 FLOODS OF 1954 

Three peak-flow determinations, on areas of 0.74, 3.60, and 16.1 

square miles were made, with a maximum unit discharge of 700 cfs 

per square mile on the 3.60 square mile drainage area (table 15). 

The storm covered about 200 square miles and centered over the 

ridge separating the Little Miami River and the Paint Creek basins 

rather than concentrating over one basin. At the gaging station on 

Rocky Fork near Barretts a peak discharge of 6,150 cfs from 141 

square miles was not extreme for this site, because the peak discharge 

had been exceeded several times since 1939. 

TABLE 15.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, July 21 in Paint Creek basin, 

Ohio 

No. 

fn 

fig. 

59 

1 

2 

a 

Discharge 

DrainStream and place of determination age area Date 

(sqmi) Cfs Cfs per sqmi 

--- PAINT CREEK BASIN 

Rocky Fork near Hillsboro ________________________ 16.1 July 21, 1954 6,520 400 

Clear Creek tributary No.1 near Hillsboro ________ . 74 July 21, 1954 485 655 

Clear Creek tributary No.2 near Hillsboro ________ 3.60 July 21, 1954 2,520 700 

FLOODS OF JULY 22-23 IN THE PURGATOIRE RIVER BASIN, 

COLORADO 

Floods of outstanding magnitude occurred in the Purgatoire River 

basin in Colorado (fig. 60) as a result of heavy rains on July 22-23. 

The area which received the heaviest rainfall is sparsely inhabited 

and has few official precipitation stations. Information on the distribution of the rainfall is limited to unofficial measurements of total 

storm precipitation made by residents of the area, to visual inspections of the streams contributing high discharge, and to a few records collected at official weather stations on the fringe of the area. 

On July 22 the Walsenburg, Colo., recording precipitation gage 

recorded 0.52 inch of rain between 11 a. m., and 12 m., 0.43 in~h 

between noon and 1 p. m., and decreasing hourly amounts until 

7 p. m., with a total catch of 2.00 inches. On July 22 at John Martin Dam, precipitation occurred between 2 and 3 p.m., but the largest 

hourly amount was 0.89 inch between 3 and 4 p.m. Light precipitation continued until 7 a.m., July 23, when a total of 2.44 inches were 

recorded. 

According to residents of Trinchera, a cloudburst occurred there 

during the afternoon of July 22; the heavy rain, estimated at more 

than 5 inches in less than 1 hour, fell on the relatively flat land 

north of Raton Mesa. Judging by all known evidence, the storm 

causing the floods of July 22-23 in the Purgatoire River basin was 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 235 

104° 

00 0 

103° 

EXPLANATION 

Flood --- area boundary .7 Stream gaging stationa 

02 Miscellaneous sites 

Numbers referred to in table 16 

OOMiles 

FIGURE 60.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points. Floods 

of July 22-23 in the Purgatoire River basin, Colorado. 

relatively widespread with one or more cores of intense precipitation extending generally parallel to the Purgatoire River between 

Raton Mesa and Higbee. U noffi.cial measurements of total storm 

rainfall collected by the Corps of Engineers showed a few amounts 

of 7 inches. The descriptio~s of the storm, as furnished by residents, 

indicate an extremely intense initial downpour followed by several 

hours of light rain. 

Runoff from the heavy precipitation was extremely flashy. Following the flood, determinations of the peak discharges at regular 

gaging stations and at miscellaneous ungaged sites were made by 

the Geological Survey (table 16). The investigations at miscellaneous sites were limited by the scarcity of roads in the flood area. 

Moderate runoff occurred from almost all small tributaries of the 

Purgatoire River upstream from Trinidad early in the afternoon of 

July 22. The Purgatoire River at Trinidad reached a peak stage 

of 6.7 feet about 2:40 p. m., on July 22. The right-bank tributaries 

of the Purgatoire River (Frijole, San Francisco, Trinchera, and 

Terminton Creeks) reached peak stages and discharges at U.S. Highway 160 about 4 p. m., on July 22, as a result of the cloudburst just 

north of Raton Mesa. The Geological Survey recording-gage structure on the Purgatoire River near Alfalfa was overtopped by about 

6 feet with the floods from Frijole and San Francisco Creeks that 
236 FLOODS OF 1954 

caused the main stream to reach peak stage at about 5 p. m. Floods 

from Chacuaco and Smith Canyon Creeks entered the main stem 

before the flood from upstream reached the mouth~ of these creeks. 

The recorder trace at Ninemile Dam near Higbee, shows a small 

flood peak at 7:40 p. m., July 22, and at 12:15 a. m., July 23, presumably from local inflow and Chacuaco Creek, and then a major 

peak at 6:30 a. m., July 23, when the upstream flood passed. The 

recorder trace at Highland Dam, 11 miles southwest of Animas, 

shows a. first small flood peak at 2 a. m., July 23, presumably from 

Smith Canyon Creek and then a major peak at 3 p. m., July 23, 

when the upstream flood passed. Contributions to flooding by tributaries downstream from Smith Canyon Creek were minor. (See 

fig. 61.) Precipitation above Muddy Creek reservoir did not fill the 

reservoir. The Purgatoire floodwater passed into empty John Mar·-

tin Reservoir and was stored for beneficial use. Inflow to John 

Martin Reservoir from the Purgatoire and the Arkansas Rivers 

was 39,100 acre-feet during the 3 days July 22-24. ComparativE~ 

data on previous floods on the small tributaries which were affected 

by the 1954 flood are lacking. Comparison with previous main--

stem floods along the Purgatoire River indicates that the July 22-23, 

50 

0 

z 

8 

LLJ 

en 40 0:: 

LLJ 

ll. 

~ 

LLJ 

LLJ 

.... 

u 30 iii 

::J 

u 

.... 

0 

en 

0 

z 

~ 20 ::J 

0 

X 

~ 

~ 

ui 

<!' 

0:: 10 c( 

X 

~ 

25 

0 

1-1-

~-~ 

I 

I 

. . 

\I 

"A t,Hi~hland Dam 

I I I i ~ ~\ . At Ninemile Da~ 

l ! I 

. I 

I I 

~ 

I . 1\ 

~ I . I I . I I I : I 

I \,Near Las Anima~- . ~ I . : I \'I . 1\ J I I v 

:i \ . I 

. V\ II J~t'\ -

' Near Alfalfa~ v lt·f,~ v~ l/1"'-' \ 1\ 

I ,, . • I 

~ I 

I 

I\ I N. At Trinidad J 1 . \ : l'r .... lllJ}j \.~ ~J 22 

" . . 

'• 

•, 

r-... ... '•t-. t-1-·t-I--. 

23 

JULY 1954 

1\ 1\ 

r-... r--..~ I::. b. J t=.:~ .... ·-I'· •• -~-24 

FIGURE 61.-Hyd·rograph of discharge in Purgatoire River July 22-24. 

I 

ILL :-
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 237 

1954 flood was among minor floods at Trinidad, probably the largest 

flood since 1904 at Alfalfa, about equal to the 1934 and 1942 floods 

at Ninemile Dam, and well below the 1942 flood at Highland Dam 

and at Las Animas. 

The floods caused damage to highways, railways, small farm 

ponds, and irrigated farms in the valleys. At the village of Trinchera many homes were flooded, the Colorado Railway embankment 

across Trinchera Creek was overtopped and seriously eroded, and 

State Route 55 was washed out. in many places. Two automobiles 

were lost or destroyed. U.S. Highway 160 was overtopped at the 

time of flood crest at the crossings of Frijole, San Francisco, and 

Trinchera Creeks and many intervening small draws. The overtopping washed a way minor amounts of the road fill, but traffic was 

restored as soon as the flood receded below the pavement. Many 

TABLE 16.-Sum.mary of flood stages and discharges, July 22-23 in the Purgatoire 

River basin, Colorado 

[Each station in this table has one, two, or three entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period 

of record; the third pertains to the maximum flood known outside the period of record] 

No. Drainage in Stream and place area fig. of determination (sq mi) 

60 

PURGATOIRE RIVER BASIN 

1 Purgatoire River at Trini- 795 

dad. 

2 Purgatoire River at Hoehne 857 

Dam. 

3 Frijole Creek at U.S. High- 80 

4 

way 160. 

Draw No.1 at U.S. High- 0.843 

way 160. 

5 Draw No. 2 at U.S. Highway 160. 1.49 

6 San Francisco Creek at 160 

U.S. Highway 160. 7 Purgatoire River near 1.320 

Alfalfa. 

8 Trinchera Creek at U.S. 129 

Highway 160. 

9 Alkali Arroyo at U.S. 34.5 

Highway 160. 

10 Purgatoire River at Nine- 2,900 

mile Dam near Higbee. 11 Purgatoire River at High- land Dam near Las 3,376 

Animas. 

12 Purgatoire River near Las 3,503 

Animas. 

13 John Martin Reservoir at Caddoa. 18,917 

'Greatest known since at least 1859. 

' Site and datum then in use. a Datum then in use. 

Period 

of 

record Date 

1896-99, 1905 July 22, 1954 

1906-12, Apr. 23, 1942 

1916-54. Sept. 30, 1904 

------------ July 22,1954 

------------ July 22, 1954 

------------ July 22, 1954 

------------ July 22,1954 

------------ July 22, 1954 

1905-7, July 22, 1954 

1924-28, Aug. 7,1927 

1951-54. 

------------ July 22, 1954 

------------ July 22,1954 

1924-54 July 23, 1954 

Sept. 15, 1934 

1931-54 July 23, 1954 

Apr. 24, 1942 

1889,1909, July 23,1954 

1922-31, July 21,1927 

1948-54. Oct. 1,1904 

1943-54 July 24,1954 

July 3,1948 

• Greatest flood known, stage and discharge undetermined. a Elevation, in feet, above mean sea level. e Contents, in acre-feet. 

Maximum floods 

Discharge 

heig G~ t (ft) Cfs Cfs per sqmi 

6. 7 9,300 11.7 

12.70 35,000 44.0 

113.6 45,400 57.1 

---------- 5, 920 6. 91 

---------- 13,500 169 

---------- 447 530 

---------- 1,130 758 

---------- 26,300 164 

27.6 37,800 28.6 

218.0 19,100 14.5 

---------- 25,100 195 

---------- 15,500 449 

14.30 45,000 15.5 

14.3 45,000 15.5 

14.05 40,300 11.9 

16.8 60,000 17.8 

11.55 38,800 11.1 3 8 80 49,000 14.0 

(4) (4) -------- 53,794 64 8 25.230 -------- 53,835.70 8 244,700 --------
238 FLOODS OF 1954 

small farm ponds were damaged or destroyed when flood runoff 

eroded the impounding earth dam. Below Ninemile Dam the Purgatoire River overflowed several irrigated farms causing some damage. 

FLOODS OF JULY 29 IN PINAL CREEK, ARIZONA 

Heavy rains south of Globe and 1.1 inches in Globe caused a flash 

flood in Pinal Creek near Globe (fig. 62) on the evening of July 29. 

The creek which flows through the lower part of the business district overflowed its banks and water rose to a depth of several feet 

in some of the buildings. The Weather Bureau reported 25 business 

establishments in 2 city blocks severaly damaged and 126 families 

suffered losses. Total damages were estimated at $1 million. 

A slope-area measurement in NlhSE%,NWl;iSE%, sec. 23, T. 1 N .. , 

R. 15 E., 1%, miles northwest of the courthouse in Globe showed a 

peak discharge of 8,130 cfs from 34.4 square miles. 

A greater flood occurred August 17, 1904. Computation of a 

simple slope-area measurement showed the discharge to have been 

13,200 cfs from a drainage area of 33.4 square miles. 

A R I z 0 N A 

32";;;t--------l'--------+-------+------+32" 

112 .... ___ 

EXPLANATION ~ 

-------- ..................... ------- ------- Flood area boundary 111° no• 

50 50 Miles 

FIGURE 62.-Map showing location of ftood area. Floods of July 29 in Pinal Creek, 

Arizona. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 239 

FLOODS OF AUGUST 4-5 IN THE SANTA CRUZ RIVER BASIN, 

ARIZONA 

Heavy thundershowers occurred August 4 and 5 in the Santa Rita 

Mountains and extended west to the Santa Cruz River where severe 

flooding was caused in the reach between Amado and Sahuarita 

(fig. 63). A few Weather Bureau precipitation stations are in the 

area and are listed in table 17, which shows total amounts of rainfall recorded for August 3--5, 1954. A peak discharge of 14,600 cfs 

(gage height 10.1 ft) from a drainage area of 1,662 square miles 

occurred in the Santa Cruz River at Continental. The previous 

maximum during the period 1940-54 was 12,100 cfs (gage height 

8.85 ft) which occurred August 14, 1940. Damage to railroad rightof-way, highways, bridges, irrigation canals, and power and communication facilities were estimated at $50,000 by the Weather 

Bureau. Crop damage, mainly to cotton, was estimated at $50,000. 

113" 

34"-r----------------~------,---4-----------~------------t 

112" 111" 110• 

EXPLANATION 

--------

Flood area boundary 

G&ginc • station 

• 

Precipitation station 

A 

I 

I 

I 

I 

' --. ... 112" ......... Bear Valley ....... . ............ , 

111" 

50 0 

0 N 

N Lazy H Ranch 

• 

A 

110" 

50 Miles 

FIGURE 63.-Map of ftood area showing location of flood-determination point and precipitation stations. Floods of August 4-5 in the Santa Cruz River basin, Arizona. 
240 FLOODS OF 1954 

TABLE 17.-Rainfall, in inches, at Weather Bureau stations, August 3-5, 1954, ·Z:n 

the Santa Cruz River basin, Arizona 

Station 

Casa Grande 3 SE __ ------------------ Tucson AP -------------------------- Univ. of Ariz _________________________ _ N Lazy H Ranch ____________________ _ Tucson Magnetic Obs ________________ _ 

Sabino Canyon __ ---------------------

Total 

rainfall 

(inches) 

o. 74 

.90 

.77 

1.40 

.16 

. 76 

Total 

Station rainfall 

(inches) 

Beach Ranch __ ----------------------- 1. 34 Amado________________________________ 3. 06 

Bear Valley___________________________ 3. 12 

Nogales ___ ------------- ____ ----------- 1. 26 

San Rafael Ranch_____________________ 1.13 

FLOODS OF AUGUST 19 IN UPPER QUEEN CREEK BASIN, ARIZONA 

Heavy rains of from 4 to 6 inches fell in a few hours over the 

Upper Queen Creek basin on the morning of August 19. Weather 

Bureau rain gages at Superior and at Superstition Mountain recorded 2.47 inches and 4.93 inches, respectively, for August 19. .A. 

flash flood of 42,900 cfs from an area of 144 square miles occurred 

at 10 a. m., at the gaging station at Whitlow Dam site, near Supe·-

rior (fig. 64). The previous maximum during the period of record 

32°~-------------4--------------+--------------~-------------1-32° 

113;· ............ ... , 

................. 

EXPLANATION 

--------

Flood area boundary 

Gaging • station 

• 

Precipitation station 

112° 

50 

111° tto• 

50 Miles 

I 

I _____ _j 

FIGURE 64.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination point and precipitation stations. Floods of August 19 in Upper Queen Creek basin, Arizona. 
.SU::MMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 241 

( 1915-20, 1948-54) was 10,000 cfs August 1, 1919. The previous 

maximum outside the period of record was 13,200 cfs August 6, 1939. 

The gage was destroyed by the flood. Most of the flood damage 

occurred in or near the communities of Gilbert and Queen Creek, 

where homes were flooded, maturing cotton was destroyed, and canal 

banks were washed out. A railroad bridge 4 miles west of Superior 

was destroyed. The Weather Bureau reported property damage. of 

$445,700 and damage to crops, mainly cotton, of $1.4 million. 

FLOODS OF AUGUST 19 AND 24 IN EASTERN WASHINGTON 

On August 19 two cloudbursts occurred-1 about 15 miles north 

of Davenport and 1 near Lamont-and on August 24 a cloudburst 

occurred in Clayton Gulch near Clarkston. Figure 65 shows approximate location of the storms. Farmlands were eroded; and roads, 

culverts, and bridges were damaged by the resulting floods. DeterIn.inations of peak runoff were made on 4 small areas ranging from 

0.33 to 7.04 square miles. The largest unit peak discharge was 1,410 

cfs per square mile from an area of 0.33 square mile (table 18). No 

gaging stations were affected by these local storms. 

TABLE 18.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, August 19 and 24 in eastern 

Washington 

Stream and place of determination 

PALOUSE RIVER RASIN 

Drainage area 

(sq mi) 

Date 

Mud Lake Tributary near Lamont_ ______________________ ---------- Aug. 19,1954 

SNOOK CANYON RASIN 

Snook Canyon near Davenport---------------------------

Snook Canyon tributary----------------------------------

ALPOWA CREEK RABIN 

Clayton Gulch near Clarkston ___________________________ _ 

0. 45 Aug. 19, 1954 . 33 Aug. 19, 1954 

7. 04 Aug. 24, 1954 

Discharge 

Cfs Cfs per sqmi 

1, 140 ----------

5111 . 1,150 

467 1,410 

1,600 227 

FLOODS OF SEPTEMBER 5 IN LITTLE BEAVER CREEK BASIN, 

MONTANA 

A cloudburst centered over an unnamed tributary o:f Little Beaver 

Creek, 7.5 miles southeast of Baker (fig. 66) at about 5:45 p. m., on 

September 5. Residents, within 5 miles of the areSl .• reported rainfall intensities ranging from 2.5 inches in 30 rifinut~;:, ~" 4.5 inches 

in 45 minutes. An indirect measurement of peak flow showed a 

discharge of 1,680 cfs from a drainage area of 0.5 square mile which 

is equivalent to a unit peak discharge of 3,360 cfs per square mile. 

A Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific train carrying 160 

passengers was derailed and two cars overturned at the culvert 
242 

EXPLANATION 

(-J 

Flood area -boundary 

s H 

50 

FLOODS OF 1954 

Dave~port 

I N G T 0 

/"'\ 

Lamont~/ 

N 

N 

Clarkston< 

r) \ 

' I 

....------------~ 

0 50 Miles 

FIGURE 65.-Map showing location of flood areas. Floods of August 19 and 24 in 

eastern Washington. 
10 

SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 243 

EXPLANATION 

0 

MiBCellaneoua site 

10 

I 104· 

I 

I 

)g 

zi:.C: 

~,~~ 

0 = :1 ~ 

'i 

104" 

FIGURE 66.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination point. Flood• 

of September 5 in Little Beaver Creek basin, Montana. 

washout on the Little Beaver Creek tributary. No lives were reported lost. The railway company estimated damage at $75,000. 

No other significant damage was reported. 

FLOODS OF SEPTEMBER 11-14, NEW JERSEY TO l'tt.AINE 

The Weather Bureau described the storm which produced the 

floods of September 11-14 as follows: 

Hurricane Edna, the second such storm to visit the east coast within 11 days, 

struck New England a glancing blow on September 11, 1954. Smashing into 

Martha's Vineyard shortly after 1 p.m., it crossed Cape Cod Bay, following a 

slightly curving northeasterly course offshore ; it headed toward extreme eastern Maine and passed close to Eastport, Maine into New Brunswick shortly 

after 7:30 p.m.; thus, nearly all of New England, except Cape Cod and the 

islands to the south, were on the west or north side of the storm, and were 

spared the full brunt of the wind force. Highest pst velocities in these areas 

came with the storm's backlash and reached to above 90 mph. Gusts above 

100 mph were recorded on Martha's Vineyard and outer Cape Cod. However, 

despite this great wind force, major damage was produced by the very intensive rainfall preceding and attending the storm's onslaught. This rainfall was 
244 FLOODS OF 1954 

of excessive and near-record intensity for a number of hours and amounts of 

4 to 8 inches were general along coastal areas, southeastern New England, and 

eastern Maine. Local floods and washouts were widespread. Southern and 

eastern Maine were especially hard hit, with 8 deaths by drowning; highways 

and railroad right-of-ways honeycombed with treacherous washouts; many treE~s 

felled, taking electric and telephone lines down with them ; more than 40,000 

phones knocked out and many communities deprived of electric power ; and 

substantial losses to Aroostook County grain crops. Major losses in other parts 

of the affected areas were of similar nature--road washouts, serious local 

floods, electric and telephone lines downed by felled troos. 

Over New England as a whole, 16 deaths, mostly drownings, were attributed to the storm, with about 150 reported injured ; 250,000 phones were 

knocked out ; hundreds of communities were blacked out ; all Maine and New 

Hampshire roads were temporarily closed ; many thousands of persons in river 

valleys and coastal areas were forced to flee their homes. 

Preliminary estimates of damage, by states, were as follows: Maine, $7,000,-

000; New Hampshire, $5,500,000; Vermont, $100,000; Massachusetts, $7,500,000; 

Rhode Island, $2,000,000 ; Connecticut, $1,500,000 ; total for section, $23,600,000. 

These estimates include crop as well as property damage. 

Amounts of rainfall as reported by Weather Bureau stations September 11 and 12 are shown in plate 3. 

In Maine, peak stages on major rivers were high but had been 

exceeded by other floods during the past 35 years. However, maximum floods of record occurred on some smaller streams. Eight 

fatalities resulted from the flood. Many small bridges failed, and 

log booms were broken on the Kennebec River. 

In east-central Massachusetts, streams were the highest since thE~ 

hurricane flood of 1938. In the coastal areas of Massachusetts, in 

New Hampshire, and in the White Mountain region, peak discharges 

were high but generally did not reach the maximum for period 

of record. 

In Rhode Island the peaks approached or exceeded those of 

Mareh 1936. 

Peaks on Connecticut streams were generally moderate, except in 

the eastern part where they approached or exceeded previous maxi-· 

mums for the period of record. The monthly discharge for September on Quinebaug River at Jewett City was the second highest 

September discharge in the 37 years of record; it was exceeded only 

in 1938. 

Several small streams in New York reached peak stage and discharges that exceeded any others during the period of record. 

Elizabeth River at Elizabeth, N.J., reached a stage about 2 feet 

higher than any previous peak during 33 years of record, although 

the peak discharge was slightly less than that of July 1938. 

A summary of flood stages and discharges for the streams most 

affected by this flood is shown in table 19. The numbers of these 

stations correspond to those on the location map (pl. 3). 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 245 

TABLE 19.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, September 11-11,., New Jersey 

to Maine 

[Each station in this table has two or three entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood 

being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period of 

record: the third pertains to the maximum flood of which knowledge is available outside the period of 

record} 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainin Stream and place of age area Period of 

plate determination (sq mi) record 

3 Date 

ST. 10HN RIVER BASIN 

1 Meduxnekeag River 175 194Q-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ••. - near Houlton, Maine. May 5, 1947 _____ 

KENOBSCOT RIVER BASIN 

2 Piscataquis River near 297 1902-54 Sept.12, 1954 ____ 

Dover-Foxcroft, Maine. Apr. 29, 1923 .... 

KENNEBEC RIVER BASIN 

3 Kennebec River at 1,240 1919-54 Sept. 14, 1954 .•.. Moosehead, Maine. May 8, 1947 _____ 

4 Dead River near Dead 520 1939-54 Sept. 12, 1954 •.. _ River, Maine. May 5, 1940 _____ 

ROYAL RIVER BASIN 

5 Royal River at Yar- 142 1949-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ 

mouth, Maine. Mar. 27, 1953 ____ 

MOUSAM RIVER BASIN 

6 Mousam River near 105 1939-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ••.. West Kennebunk, Apr. 6, 1952 ..... Maine. 

PISCATAQUA RIVER BASIN 

7 Ohster River near Dur- 12.1 1934-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ••.. am, N.H. Mar. 19, 1936 ____ 

MERRIMACK RIVER BASIN 

8 Clark Brook at Auburn, 27.8 1938-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ 

N.H. Mar. 16, 1953 ____ 

9 Rocky Brook near Ster- 2.28 1946--54 Sept. 11, 1954 ____ 

ling, Mass. Mar. 20, 1948 •... 10 Assabet River at May- 116 1941-54 Sept. 13, 1954 ••.. nard, Mass. Mar. 21, 1948 •... 

MYSTIC RIVER BASIN 

11 Aberjona River at Win- 2 23.3 1939-54 Sept.12, 1954 .... chester, Mass. Mar. 20, 1948 ____ 

WESTPORT RIVER BASIN 

12 Adamsville Brook at 8.6 194o-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ 

Adamsville, R.I. Aug. 8, 1946 _____ 

PRO'\IlDENCE RIVER BASIN 

13 Quinsigamond River at 25.5 1939-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ 

North Grafton, Mass. Mar. 16, 1953. ___ 14 Blackstone River at 139 1939-54 Sept. 12, 1954. ___ Northbridge, Mass. Feb. 8, 1951.. ___ Mar. 19, 1936 ____ 15 W oonasquatucket River 38.3 1941-54 Sept. 11, 1954 .•. _ at Centerdale, R.I. Mar. 16, 1953 .... March 1936 .••.. _ PAWTUXET RIVER BASIN 

16 South Branch Pawtuxet 63.8 194o-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ River at Washington, June 1, 1948 ..... R.I. March 1936 ••••. _ 

1 A stage of 10.83 ft occurred Mar. 27, 1953 (backwater from ice). 2 Excludes 1.4 sq mi drained by Winchester reservoir. a Occurred Mar. 17. 1953. 

Gage Discharge 

height 

(ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

9-28 6, 590 37.6 

18.56 5,440 31.0 

12.93 13,200 44.5 

17.67 21,500 72.4 

9.38 13,600 11.0 

9.94 15,600 12.6 

11.50 18,000 34.6 

9.66 10,400 20.0 

7.12 7,960 56.0 

5.57 4,650 32.7 

5.69 2,830 26.9 

5.04 2,350 22.4 

5. 47 862 71.2 

7.45 548 45.3 

2. 55 602 21.7 

2.37 494 17.8 

4.58 395 173 

3.54 73 32.0 6. 47 2,040 17.6 

5. 75 1,460 12.6 

13.66 482 -------- 12.44 358 --------

5.80 269 31.3 

5. 72 241 28.0 

3.50 340 13.3 

3.48 336 13.2 

11.36 4,510 32.4 

9.04 2,270 16.3 

13.7 7, 510 54.0 

7.03 1,100 28.7 

5. 35 728 19.0 

1,000 26.1 

4.11 1,320 20.7 a 3.01 959 15.0 

1,810 28.4 
246 FLOODS OF 1954 

TABLE 19.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, September 11-14, New Jerseu 

to Maine-Continued 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainin 

plate 

Stream and place of age area Period of Discharge determination (sq mi) record Gag-e 3 Date hf'btht 

(ft) Cfs 

POTOWOMUT RIVER 

BASIN 

17 Potowomut River near 23.0 1940-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ 2. 63 450 East Greenwich, R.I. Au~. 8, 1946 _____ 4 6. 78 392 Sept. 21, 1938 ____ 5 8.5 ------------

PAWCATUCK RIVER BASIN 

18 Wood River at Hope 72.4 1941-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ 7. 45 1,470 

Valley, R.I. Mar. 16, 1953 ____ 7.10 1, 260 March 1936 ______ ---··------ 1. 540 POQUONOCK RIVER BASIN 

19 Great Brook at Poquo- nock Bridge, Conn. 14.3 1946-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ 5.1 464 

THAMES RIVER BASIN 

20 Safford Brook near 4.08 1950-54 Sept. 11, 1954 .. __ 5. 89 570 Woodstock Valley, Feb. 7, 1951.. ___ 5.31 390 

Conn. 21 Mo•mt Hope River near 29.1 1940-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ____ 9.20 3,250 

Warrenville, Conn. Feb. 7, I95L ____ 7. 79 1, 610 22 Little River near Han- 29.8 1951-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ 5.31 935 over, Conn. Dec. 21, 195L ___ 5.08 865 23 Little River at Buffum- 27.7 1939-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ 7.33 1, 220 

ville, Mass. Feb. 8, 1951. .. __ 5.37 520 

CONNECTICUT RIVER 

BASIN 

24 Eightmile River at 18.6 1937-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ... _ 6. 56 1, 240 North Plain, Conn. Sept. 21, 1938 ____ ---------- 1, 810 

MENUNKETESUCK RIVER 

BASIN 

25 Menunketesuck River 11.6 1941-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ____ 8. 51 1,600 

near Clinton, Conn. Nov. 12, 1947 ____ 6. 72 870 

HOUSATONIC RIVER 

BASIN 

26 Blackberry River at 48.2 1949-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ____ 8.50 1, 910 Canaan, Conn. Nov. 26, 1950 .... 9.37 2, 550 

BRONX RIVER BASIN 

27 Bronx River at Bronx- 626.6 1943-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ____ 4.81 737 ville, N.Y. Sept. 15, 1944 ____ 6.37 876 

STREAMS ON LONG ISLAND 

28 Mill Neck Creek at 11.5 1937-54 Sept. 11, 1{154 ____ 1.09 67.8 Mill Neck, N.Y. Sept. 15, 1944 ____ 7 4.85 104 29 Cold Spring Brook at 7.3 1950-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ____ 1.33 108 Cold Spring Harbor, Aug. 23, 1952 ____ 8 5.34 36.9 N.Y. 30 Nissequogue River near 27 1943-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ____ 1.20 131 Smithtown, N.Y. Sept. 14, 1944 ____ 1.32 147 31 Carmans River at Yap- 71 1942-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ____ 1.25 83.2 hank, N.Y. Aug. 7, 1946 _____ 1.19 76.3 32 Swan River at East 8. 8 1946-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ____ 1.80 46 Patchogue, N.Y. July 21, 1953 _____ .95 37 33 Patchogue Creek at 13.5 1945-54 Sept. 12, 1954 ____ ---------- 9 51.6 Patchogue, N.Y. Sept. 11, 1950 ____ ---------- 960 

34 Champlin Creek at 6. 5 1948-54 Sept. 11, 1954.... 1.12 75 Islip, N.Y. July 23, 1953_____ . 78 35.1 

• Occurred Aug. 31, 1954 (hurricane wave). • Backwater from hurricane wave. 8 Does not include 18.0 sq mi, from which entire flow is diverted for municipal water supply. 7 Occurred Sept. 21, 1938 (hurricane wave). 8 Occurred Aug. 31, 1954 (hurricane wave). •Daily. 

Cfs per 

sqmi 

19.6 

17.0 

-------· 

20.3 

17.4 

21.3 

32.4 

132 

95.6 

112 

55.3 

31.4 

29.0 

44.0 

18.8 

66.7 

97.3 

138 

75.0 

39.6 

52.9 

27.7 

32.9 

5. 

9. 90 04 14.8 

5. 

4. 

06 

85 

5.4 5 

7 

08 

23 

1 

1.1 

1. 

5. 

4. 2 3.8 2 

4. 44 11.5 

5. 40 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 247 

TABLE 19.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, September 11-14, New Jersey 

to Maine-Continued 

No. 

in Stream and place of 

plate determination 3 

STREAMS ON LONG 

ISLAND-Continued 

35 Penataquit Creek at Bay Shore, N.Y. 36 Sampawams Creek at Babylon, N.Y. 37 Carlls River at Babylon, N.Y. 38 Santapogue River at Lindenhurst, N.Y. 39 East Meadow Brook at Freeport, N.Y. 

40 Pines Brook at Mal- verne, N.Y. 

PASSAIC RIVER RABIN 

41 Weasel Brook at Clifton, 

N.J. 42 Second River at Belleville, N.J. 

EUZARETH RIVER RABIN 

43 Elizabeth River at Elizabeth, N.J. 

10 Occurred July 23, 1938. 

Drainage area Period of 

(sq mi) record 

5 

23 

35 

7 

31 

10 

1945-54 

1944--54 

1944-54 

1947-54 

1903, 

1937-54 

1936-54 

Maximum floods 

Date 

Sept. 11, 1954 ___ _ 

July 15, 1947 ____ _ Sept. 11, 1954 ___ _ Mar. 13, 1953 ___ _ Sept. 11, 1954 ___ _ July 15, 1947 ____ _ 

Sept. 11, 1954 ___ _ July 14, 1948 ____ _ 

Sept. 11, 1954 ___ _ Feb. 15, 1944 ___ _ 

Sept. 11, 1954 ___ _ July 13, 1948 ____ _ 

Gage 

heil!:ht 

(ft) 

1.08 

1. 02 1.44 

1.08 

1.50 

1.44 

. 91 1.15 

3.08 

2.19 

2. 56 2. 27 

Discharge 

Cfs Cfs per sqmi 

40 

36 

83.6 

50.8 

106 

100 

42.2 

22.6 

270 

297 

146 

110 

8.00 

7. 20 

3.63 

2.21 

3.03 

2. 86 6.01 

3.23 

8. 71 

9. 58 14.6 

11.0 

4. 45 1937-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ___ _ 3.33 

3.35 

5. 74 7.05 

426 

450 2,140 

3,300 

95.7 

101 

185 

284 

Mar. 13, 1953 ___ _ 

11.6 1937-54 Sept. 11, 1954 ___ _ July 23, 1938 ____ _ 

18.0 1921-54 Sept. 11, 1954____ 15. 02 2, 600 144 

Sept. 14, 1944____ ------------ -------- July 23, 1938_____ 10 13. 05 2, 720 151 

FLOODS OF OCTOBER 6-8 IN THE PECOS RIVER BASIN, NEW MEXICO 

On October 5-7 relatively heavy rains fell in the Pecos River 

basin in the area from Alamogordo Reservoir to Carlsbad. From 

Roswell and south the rains occurred mostly west of the river. Rainfall was relatively light above Alamogordo Reservoir, and discharge 

into the reservoir was small ( 19,100 cfs) compared to previous floods 

( 48,600 cfs on Sept. 1, 1942). The mean daily discharge flowing 

out of the reservoir was less than 10 cfs. 

A heavy concentration of rainfall occurred south of the reservoir 

with almost 10 inches at Canton. This produced a peak discharge 

of 29,000 cfs in the Pecos River near Acme. 

Heavy rains fell also in an arc-shaped area from west of Roswell 

to Artesia with more than 7 inches at Hondo and near Artesia, and 

somewhat smaller amounts between these two points. Plate 4, an 

isohyetal map, shows the amounts and distribution of rainfall of the 

October 5-7 storm and the points at which peak discharges were 

determined. 
248 FLOODS OF 1954 

Tributaries of the Pecos River near Roswell contributed appn~­

ciable discharges into the Pecos River. The peak discharge of 

Eightmile Draw was 10,200 cfs, and that of Berrendo Creek was 

19,400 cfs. See table 20. 

Tributaries at the upper end of the Rio Hondo were at the western edge of the storm, and the peak discharge of the Rio Ruidoso 

at Hondo was only 765 cfs from a drainage area of 307 square 

miles, and the discharge from a drainage area of 306 square miles 

in Rio Bonito at Hondo was negligible. Downstream from the 

heavy rain at Diamond A Ranch, the peak discharge on the Rio 

Hondo was 23,000 cfs, which was subsequently spread over a wide 

overflow channel and sharply reduced to 7,250 cfs at the dam site 

a few miles downstream. Rocky Arroyo near Roswell produced a 

peak discharge of 6,620 cfs from 71 square miles. The Rio Felix 

contributed 74,000 cfs at its crest, which was the maximum during 

the period of record which began in 1932; the previous maximum 

peak of 26,500 cfs occurred in 1937. The peak flattened to 26,700 

cfs in the Pecos River near Lake Arthur. 

The peak discharge of the Rio Penasco at Dayton was 25,900 cfs, 

and that of Four Mile Draw near Lakewood was 7,650 cfs. Most 

of the flow from these points was confined in McMillan Reservoir, 

whose peak outflow of 16,100 cfs occurred 4 days later. 

The peak discharge of Rocky Arroyo near Carlsbad was 63,300 

cfs from 254 square miles. The peak discharge of the Pecos River 

above Avalon reservoir was 53,000 cfs, which was reduced to 41,000 

cfs below the 'reservoir. 

Typical hydrographs for a tributary stream in a steep drainage 

basin (the Hondo River at Diamond A Ranch near Roswell) and 

for a main-stem station (the Pecos River near Artesia)' are shown 

in figure 67. 

Major damage occurred along the main stem of the Pecos River 

from Roswell to I.-ake McMillan and along the principal tributaries 

in this reach. Thirteen lives were lost in the flood-2 in Berrendo 

Creek and 11 in the Rio Felix. Total direct damages from the 

flood have been estimated by the Corps of Engineers at about $1.8 

million. 

The greatest damages were to crops and agricultural property. 

Of 17,000 acres of cultivated crops which were inundated, about 

10,000 acres was in cotton, about 5,000 acres was in alfalfa, and the 

remainder was in feed crops. More than 40,000 acres of uncultivated 

land was flooded along the main stem of the Pecos River. Erosion 

caused substantial amounts of damage to farm structures and farmlands. 
24 

Q 

820 

~ 

~ 

l;j 

~ 16 

~ 

a 

~ 

g 12 

~ ~ 8 

I 4 

0 

SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 249 

Hondo River ) vnear Roswell 

! 

II 

!l I 

II 

II ~ I\ r 

I \ 

I 

;" "J J \ .......... _ 6 

V\ \-· .,_ ... , .,..,, 

\ ~~ 

\ 

\ 

8 10 

OCTOBER 1954 

\ 

\ 

~ ~ ~ 

12 

FIGURE 67.-Discharge hydrographs for the Hondo River at Diamond A Ranch near 

Roswell and the Pecos River near Artesia. 

The greatest urban damage resulted in Roswell and Artesia from 

floods in Rio Hondo and in Eagle Creek respectively. A large part 

of this damage was to residences and the remainder to businesses, 

streets, bridges, sewers, and schools. 

Damage to highways, bridges, and approaches was relatively light. 

A small bridge on Y eso Arroyo south of Fort Sumner and a timber 

bridge on Eagle Creek west of Artesia were damaged. On Rio 

Penasco a timber bridge at Lower Penasco and a truss bridge south 

of Hope were destroyed. 

Owing to track damage along the Rio Felix, traffic was suspended 

for 4 days on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. 

FLOODS OF OCTOBER 1954 IN THE CHICAGO AREA, ILLINOIS AND 

INDIANA 

The floods of October 9-11, in the Chicago area of Illinois and 

in Indiana were the greatest in the history of the region. The 24-

hour rainfall of 5.63 inches on October 9-10 ancl the 48-hour total 

rainfall of 6.72 inches on October 9-11 were the greatest recorded 

at the Chicago Weather Bureau station in 69 and in 84 years respectively. Unofficial measurements in the southern suburbs of the city 

indicate that nearly 11 inches of rain fell in 48 hours. 
250 FLOOOS OF 1954 

TABLE 20.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, October 6-8 in Pecos River 

basin, New Mexico 

[Each station in this table has one, two, or three entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the 

period of continuous ~ecord; the third pertains to the maximum flood known outside the period of con tin· uous record] 

Maximum floods 

No. 

in Stream and place of 

plate determination 

4 

-- RIO GRANDE BASIN 

1 Pecos River near Pecos __ 

2 Pecos River near Anton 

Chico. 

3 Gallinas River near Montezuma. 

4 Gallinas River at Mon- tezuma. 

5 Gallinas River near Lourdes. 6 Gallinas River near Colonias. 

7 Pecos River at Santa 

Rosa. 

8 Pecos River near Puerto de Luna. 

9 Pecos River below Alamogordo Dam. 

10 Pecos River near Acme __ 

11 Eightmile Draw near Roswell. 

12 South Berrendo Creek at Roswell. 

13 Rio Ruidoso at Holly- wood. 

14 Rio Ruidoso at Hondo __ 

15 Rio Bonito at Hondo ____ 

16 Rio Hondo at Diamond 

A Ranch near Roswell. 

17 Rio Hondo at dam site near Roswell. 

18 Rocky Arroyo at Lam- bert Well near Ros- well. 

19 Rio Felix at old highway 

bridge near Hager- man. 20 Pecos River near Lake 

Arthur. 

21 Cottonwood Creek near Lake Arthur. 

22 Eagle Creek near Artesia. 

23 Pecos River near Artesia. 

24 Rio Penasco near Lower Penasco at Trails End. 

25 Rio Penasco at Dayton. 

1 Mean daily discharge. 2 About. 

Drainage area Period of 

(sqmi) record Date 

189 193(}-54 Oct. 7, 1954------

May 14, 1941. ___ Sept. 22, 1929 ____ 

1,050 1912-54 Oct. 6, 1954------ June 1, 1937 _____ 

84 193(}-54 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 

87 193(}-54 

Sept. 23, 1941. ___ Oct. 6, 1954 ______ Sept. 3, 1942. ____ 

Sept. 29-30, 1904. 

313 1951-54 Oct. 6, 1954------

610 1951-54 

Sept. 10, 1954 ____ 

Oct. 7, 1954------

Sept. 26, 1954 ____ June 1, 1937 _____ 2,650 193(}-54 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 

3, 970 1938-54 

June 2, 1937 _____ Oct. 7, 1954 ______ Sept. 1, 1942 _____ 

4,390 193(}-54 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ Sept. 1, 1942 _____ 

11,380 1937-B4 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 

397 1954 

Sept. 23, 194L __ May 28, 1937 ____ Oct. 6, 1954 ______ fall 194L _______ 

438 ------------ Oct. 6, 1954 ______ May 17, 1954 ____ June 1, 1937 _____ 

120 1953-54 Oct. 6, 1954 ______ July 8, 1954 ______ 

307 193(}-54 Oct. 8, 1954 ______ Sept. 29, 194L __ 306 193(}-54 Oct. 6, 1954. ____ 

Sept. 28 or 29, 

1941. 960 1939-54 Oct. 6, 1954 ______ Sept. 22, 1941. ___ 976 ------------ Oct. 6 or 7, 1954. 

71 ------------ Oct. 6 or 7, 1954. 

1941_ ____ --------

932 1939-54 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 

14,760 1938-54 

Sept. 22, 194L __ May 29, 1937 ____ Oct. 7, 1954 ______ Sept. 24, 194L ___ May30, 1937 ____ 199 1932-54 Oct. 7, 1954 _____ 

166 ------------

June 13, 1935 ____ Oct. 6, 1954 ______ 

15,300 1905-54 Oct. 8, 1954 ______ 

574 1953-54 

May 30, 1937 ____ 

Oct. 6 or 7, 1954 .. fall1953 _________ 

1,070 1951-54 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ Aug. 24, 1954 ____ 

a Discharge unknown, probably exceeded that of the flood of 1942. 4 Major floods occurred in 1904 and on June 1, 1937. a Flood of about same magnitude occurred in 1904. e Occurred September 22, 1941. 7 May have been exceeded in 1904 and 1919. 

8 Backwater from Pecos River. 

9 Occurred May 30, 1937. 

Gage 

height 

(ft) 

---------- 4. 57 

---------- 11.24 

----------

---------- 7. 78 

7. 75 

---------- 7.35 

7. 20 

10.6 

12. 1 

27.0 

14.58 

25.7 

9. 69 

17.0 

---------- 6}3. 58 1'4. 89 

13.71 

5. 33 

7. 2 

----------

----------

---------- 2. 90 5. 63 21.13 

---------- 20.92 

27.12 

28.78 

----------

----------

----------

27.50 

23.0 

20.6 

21.9 

21.77 

811.04 

8 912.0 

13.76 

14.7 

12.9 

5. 9 

6. 82 

2. 7 

Discharge 

Cfs 

I 57 

1,960 

2 2,000 

8,470 

40,300 I 15 

3,310 

19.4 2 6,020 

(3) 

3,440 

4 3,230 

2,800 

3, 720 5 23,000 

17,800 

55,200 

19, 100 

48,600 18.8 

42,800 

29,000 

45,000 

53,000 

10,200 

22,200 

19,400 

23,000 

37,700 

'17 

154 

765 

12,500 I 14 

11,000 

23.000 

27,000 

7,250 

6,620 

9,400 

74,000 

20,000 

26,500 

26,700 

49,600 

7 51,500 

185 

1,100 

12,500 

25,200 

51,500 

36,300 

---25~900---

3,650 

CfsJX; 

sqm 

------· 10. 

------· 

4 

)7 

4 

8.( 

38. 

------ 39. 

------ 69. 

------ 11. 

10. 

4. 

6. 

37. 

6. 

20. 

4. 

12. 

------9. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

25. 

55. 

44. 

------ 86. .................. 1. 

2: 

40. 

------ 36. 

24. 

28. 

7. 

93. 

132 

79. 

21. 

28. 

1. 

3 

3. 

5. 

75. 

1. 

3. 

63. ------ 24. 

3. 

4 

2 

(I 

3 

59 

] 

7' 

72 

8 

81 

2 

75 

55 

96 

66 

7 

9 

3 

0 

28 

49 

4 

0 

0 

1 

43 

2 

4 

4 

4 

81 

31) 

4!1 

911 

5..1 

3 

61i 

34' 

2 

2 

41 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 251 

TABLE 20.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, October 6-8 in Pecos River 

basin, New Mexico-Continued 

No. Drainage Period 

in Stream and place area of 

plate of determination (sqmi) record 4 

RIO GRANDE BASIN-con. 

26 Four Mile Draw near 265 1951-54 Lakewood. 

Z7 Pecos River below 16,990 1939-40, 

McMillan Dam. 1946-54 

28 Rocky Arroyo Carlsbad. near 254 1953-54 

29 Pecos River at dam site 17,620 1939-40, 3 near Carlsbad. 1944-54 

30 Pecos River below AvalonDam. 

18,080 1951-54 

31 Pecos River at Carlsbad. 18,100 1903-8, 

1914-54 32 Black River above 343 1946-54 Malaga. 

33 Pecos River near Malaga 19,190 1920-54 

34 Pecos River at Pierce 19,260 1938-41, 

Canyon Crossing, near 1951-54 Malaga. 35 Pecos River at Red 19,540 1937-54 Bluff. 

36 Delaware River near 689 1912-13, 

Red Bluff. 1914-15, 

1937-54 

10 Estimated by Chief Engineer of Pecos Irrigation Co. 11 Greatest since 1893. 12 Occurred May 22, 1941. 

Maximum floods 

Discharge Gage 

Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 13.3 7,650 28.8 July 13, 1953 _____ 9.61 1,470 5. 55 Oct. 11, 1954 _____ 7.09 16,100 0.95 Sept. 16, 1949 ____ 7.47 3,210 .19 Oct. 2, 1904 ______ ---------- 10 82,000 4.83 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ ---------- 63,300 249 July 12, 1953 _____ 9.43 18,200 71.7 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 18.53 53,000 3.0 May 31, 1948 ____ 12.3 18,200 1.03 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 23.3 41,000 2.Z7 May 24, 1954 ____ 5. 08 150 -------- Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 18.12 39,500 2.18 Aug. 7, 1916 _____ 21.0 11 85,700 4. 74 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 10.66 10,900 31.8 Apr. 24, 1954 ____ 12.6 15,200 44.3 Sept. 194L ______ 19.0 33,000 96.2 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 28.31 43,100 2. 25 Sept. 21, 194L ___ 12 35.1 63,700 3.32 Oct. 8, 1954 ______ 24.35 ------------ -------- May 22, 194L ___ 24.8 ------------ --------

Oct. 8, 1954 ______ 23.28 26,600 1.36 May 24, 194L ___ 28.3 52,600 2.69 Oct. 7, 1954 ______ 10.1 8,480 12.3 June 27, 1938 ____ 18.0 34,600 50.2 

These intense rainfalls on the flat areas of the Little Calumet, 

Kankakee, and Chicago Rivers caused the streams to overflow their 

banks and flood the heavily industrialized and densely populated 

parts of the city. Slow drainage of floodwaters in large areas along 

these rivers resulted in a prolonged period of inundation. On the 

Kankakee River at Shelby, Ind., the crest of the flood occurred 17 

days after the rain. 

The flow of the South Branch Chicago River has been diverted 

by locks into the Des Plaines River since 1900. The elevation at 

the mouth of the South Branch is usually held about 3 feet below the 

lake level. During this flood the river rose to a stage 3.4 feet higher 

than lake level at the time. To relieve flooding, the lock gates were 

opened on October 10, 1954, to allow the river to discharge into 

Lake Michigan for the first time in 54 years. 

Notable rates of discharge occurred in the Des Plaines River basin, 

where Long Run had a unit peak discharge of 152 cfs per square 

mile from a drainage area of 20.8 square miles, and Flag Creek had 

a unit peak discharge of 80.2 cfs per square mile from a drainage 

area of 16.2 square miles. 
252 FLOODS OF 1954 

Flood damages in Chicago and its suburbs were estimated by the 

U.S. Weather Bureau to be about $25 million. 

A more comprehensive report on this flood is contained in WaterSupply Paper 1370-B. 

FLOODS OF OCTOBER IN THE EASTERN STATES 

On October 15, 1954, the West Indian Hurricane, officially named 

"Hazel," hit the eastern seaboard and delivered a devastating blow. 

The center of the hurricane entered North Carolina at a point near 

the South Carolina line and traveled generally northward over 

North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and western 

New York into Canada in little more than 12 hours. 

Drenching rains accompanied "Hazel" with some record-breaking 

amounts being recorded. Pittsburgh had a new October rainfall 

record for 24 hours of 3.56 inches and an all-time record 12-hour 

amount of 3.41 inches on the 15th. Winston-Salem, N.C., had a 

record 6.24-inch amount in 24 hours on the 15th; and Carthage, N.C., 

received 9.72 inches on /the 15th and 16th. Greatest rainfall totals 

for the storm were reco:rded in the Carolinas and Virginia. A rain 

gage not operated by the USWB but of approved design is operated 

by Standard Minerals Company, Inc., of Robbins, N.C., at which 

station 11.25 inches was reported. In Virginia 10.71 inches at Big 

Meadows and 10.60 inches at Natural Bridge were measured. Although some large amounts of rainfall occurred in Virginia, the 

runoff was not comparatively high. This was due to the extreme 

drought which left the ground in a condition to absorb a great 

amount of water. If ground-water levels had been more nearly 

normal, a more intense flooding would have occurred in all sections 

in the path of the storm. A map of the area covered by the storm, 

showing total precipitation, in inches, and the path of the hurricane, is shown in figure 68. 

The heavy rainfall accompanying "Hazel" produced recori'-breaking or near record-breaking floods over much of the area (table 21). 

The area of most severe flooding is shown in plate 5. In western 

Mary land some of the peaks were exceeded only by the 1924 flood. 

Two gaging stations were destroyed by the flood-one at Kitzmiller 

and the other at Bloomington. In the Y oughiogheny River basin 

in Pennsylvania some of the peak discharges exceeded those of the 

1936 flood. In Ohio a few stages were only slightly below the 

record highs since 1926, while some were the highest since 1921. 

Extensive damage occurred directly from the hurricane and from 

the floods produced by the accompanying rains. Probably more 

damage can be attributed to the hurricane itself, but a considerable 

amount was caused by the floods. West Newton, Pa., reported that 

its business district was covered with 5 feet of water; this was 2 

feet more than in 1936. Property and crop losses, although never 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 253 

,_ .. --, 

,' \ 

y 0 R K 

I 

I 

\, 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

) 

' ) 

FIGURE 68.-Map showing total precipitation, m mches, October 15-16; and 

path of hurricane Hazel. The floods of October in Eastern States. 

fully evaluated in many sections, particularly rural areas, totaled 

more than $250 million. 

At least 93 persons lost their lives and several hundred were injured, as a result of the hurricane. 
254 FLOODS OF 1954 

TABLE 21.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, October in the Eastern States 

[Each station in this table has two or three entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the 

flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period of record; the third pertains to the maximum flood of which knowledge is available outside the period of 

record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Drainin Stream and place of age area Period of Discharge plate determination (sq mi} record Gage 5 Date height 

(ft} Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

POTOMAC RIVER BASIN 

1 North Branch Potomac 225 1949-54 Oct. 15, 1954 ..•.. 16.5 I 33,400 148 River at Kitzmiller, Mar. 1, 9154. ____ 9.02 9,280 41.2 Md. Dec. 7, 1950 _____ 8. 71 8,510 37.8 2 Savage River near Bar- 49.1 1948-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 8.45 7,510 153 ton, Md. Sept. 21, 1950 ____ 5.00 2,630 53.6 3 Crabtree Creek near 16.7 1948-54 Oct. 15, 1954 ..... 4.90 2, 290 137 Swanton, Md. July 12, 1949 _____ 5.01 3, 260 195 4 Savage River below 106 1948-54 Oct. 16, 1954----- 7. 70 6,530 61.6 Savage River Dam Jan. 8, 1952. _____ 6. 78 4,910 46.3 near Bloomington, Md. 5 North Branch Potomac 404 1949-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 17.15 39,400 97.5 

River at Luke, Md. June 13, 195L ___ 10.28 11,200 27.7 6 Georges Creek at Frank- 72.4 1929-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 10.84 4,340 59.9 

N~~h ~~anch Potomac 

Mar. 17, 1936 ____ ----23~23- 8,500 117 7 596 1938-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 37,000 62.1 River at Pinto, Md. Oct. 16, 1942 _____ 22.87 35,200 59.1 

Mar. 29, 1924. ___ 24.0 55,000 92.3 8 Wells Creek below 146 1951-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 11.02 11,600 79.5 

Hyndman, Pa. May 31, 1953 ____ 8.98 7,680 52.6 9 North Branch Potomac 875 1929-54 Oct. 16, 195L ___ 23.85 38,500 44.0 River near Cumber- Mar. 17, 1936 ____ 29.1 88,200 101 Land, Md. June 1, 1889 _____ 29.2 89,000 102 10 Sawpit Run near Old- 5.0 1947-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 4. 72 770 154 town, Md. Mar. 1, 1954----- 4.30 590 118 11 Little Tonoloway Creek. 16.9 1947-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 7.10 1,470 87.0 near Hancock, Md. Nov. 21, 1952 ____ 7. 01 1,180 69.8 12 Bell Creek at St. Pauls . 61 1948-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 2.12 306 500 Chapel, near Staun- Apr. 13, 1949. ___ 1. 86 193 316 ton, Va. 

lAMES RIVER BASIN 

13 Back Creek near Moun- 131 1951-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 9.35 8, 750 66.8 tain Grove, Va. Feb. 21, 1953. ___ 9.05 7,800 59.5 14 South River near River- 111 1949-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 9.44 4,890 440 side, Va. Mar. 1, 1954----- 8. 78 4,000 36.0 March 1936 ______ 13.7 ------------ -------- ROANOKE RIVER BASIN 

15 Goose Creek near Hud- 187 1930-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 23.14 16,000 85.6 dleston, Va. Oct. 19, 1937----- 25 75 20,300 108 5 16 Dan River at Paces, Va_ 2,550 1950-54 Oct. 17, 1954 _____ 25.40 34,000 13.3 Mar. 26, 1952 ____ 22.12 25,700 10.5 Aug. 16, 1940 ____ 32.3 -------·---- -------- 17 Georges Creek near 9. 2 1949-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 6. 23 932 103.5 Gretna, Va. Jan. 22, 1954 _____ 4.93 460 50.0 

CAPE FEAR RIVER BASIN 

18 South Buffalo Creek 33.6 1928-54 Oct. 15, 1"954 _____ 9. 76 4, 700 140.0 near Greensboro, N.C. July 15, 1949 _____ 11.54 10,000 298.0 

19 North Buffalo Creek 37.0 1928-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 15.54 5,580 151.0 near Greensboro, N.C. Sept. 25, 1947 ____ 15.96 6,000 162.0 20 Stony Creek near Bur- 44.2 1952-54 Oct. 16, 1954----- 15 26 ------------ -------- lington, N.C. Feb. 15, 1953 ____ 9.08 1,670 37.8 21 West Fork Deep River 32.1 1923-26, Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 13.9 3,120 97.1 near High Point, N.C. 1928-54 Sept. 24, 1947 ____ 19.92 8,450 263.0 22 East Fork Deep River 14.7 1928-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 6. 77 3,410 232.0 near High Point, N.C. Sept. 24, 1947 ____ 10 87 6,300 428 23 Deep River near Randle- 124 1928-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 2348 7,900 63.7 man, N.C. Sept. 25, 1947---- 32.2 2(),000 161 24 Deep River at Ramseur, 346 1922-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 30.47 34,000 98.5 

N.C. Se p t. 18 1945 ____ 34.04 43,000 124 

See footnotes at end of table. 
.SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 255 

TABLE 21.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, October in the Eastern 

States-Continued 

Maximum floods 

No. Drain- on Stream and place of age area Period of Discharge plate determination (sqmi) record Gage 5 Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

TIONESTA CREED BASIN 

25 Tionesta Creek at 233 1938-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 10.06 9,120 39.2 

Lynch, Pa. May 28, 1946 ____ 10.26 9,1)20 41 

OIL CREEK BASIN 

26 011 Creek at Rouseville, 300 1932-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 11.55 18,600 62 Pa. Mar. 22, 1948 ____ 11.29 16,800 56 

FRENCH CREEK BASIN 

27 F~,"ench Creek at Utica, 1,028 1932-54 Oct. 17, 1954 _____ 11.05 16,400 15.9 

Pa. Mar. 23, 24, 12.32 20,700 20.1 1948. March 1913 _____ 215.7 35,600 34.6 28 Sugar Creek at Sugar- 166 1932-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 9.20 9,480 57 creek, Pa. May 28, 1946 ____ 10.49 10,000 60.2 

MAHONING CREEK BASIN 

29 Little Mahoning Creek 87.4 1939-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 11.3 5,180 59.4 at McCormick, Pa. Jan. 27, 1952 _____ 11.42 5,300 60.7 

CROOKED CREEK BASIN 

30 Crooked Creek at 191 1938-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 15.12 12,400 65 Idaho, Pa. Jan. 27, 1952 _____ 12.66 8,030 42.1 March 1936 _____ 218.6 19,400 102 KISKIMINETAS RIVER 

BASIN 

31 Stony Creek at Fern- 451 1938-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 16.23 34,800 77.2 dale, Pa. Mar. 31, 1940 ____ 13.3 23,900 53.0 Mar. 17, 1936 ____ -----s-86- 2 58,600 130 32 Little Conemaugh River 183 1939-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 12,300 67.2 at East Conemaugh, Mar. 30, 1940 ____ 8.80 11,800 64.5 Pa. Mar. 17, 18,1936 _ 2 28,800 157 33 Conemaugh River at 715 1938-54 Oct. 16, 1954----- 19.2 54,000 75.5 Seward, Pa. Mar. 31, 194Q ____ 15.22 35,000 49 

Mar. 18, 1936 ____ 26.4 90,000 126 34 Blacklick Creek at Jose- 192 1952-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 11.35 11,900 62 phine, Pa. Jan. 27, 1952, 11.3 7,510 39.1 

35 Two Lick Creek at 171 May 31, 1953. 

1951-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 12.71 12,900 75.5 Graceton, Pa. Jan. 27, 1952----- 10.42 6,600 38.6 36 Loyalhanna Creek at 172 1939-54 Oct. 15, 1954----- 14.8 29,700 173 Kingston, Pa. June 28, 1951. ... 10.73 10,500 61 

Mar. 17 or 18, 14.5 21,000 122 

1936. 37 Loyalhanna Creek at 292 1940--54 Oct. 18,1954. ____ 6.90 4, 780 16.4 Loyalhanna.- Creek June 5, 1941. ____ 10.3 11,700 40.1 Dam, Pa. 

BUFFALO CREEK BASIN 

38 Buffalo Creek near Free- 137 1940--54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 13.6 14,000 102 port, Pa. Jan. 27, 1952----- 9.3 7,170 52.3 

MONONGAHELA RIVER 

BASIN 

39 Tygart River near Dail- 187 1915-54 Oct. 16, 19EL ... 13.62 10,400 55.6 ey, W.Va. Feb. 4, 1932. ____ 17.2 13,100 70.1 4v Tygart River near El- 272 1944--54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 14.45 10,700 39.3 

kins, W.Va. Feb. 14, 1948 ____ 14.13 8,810 32.4 41 Tygart River at Beling- 408 1907-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 17.66 15,000 36.8 ton, W.Va. July 25, 1912.--- 20.3 18,400 45.1 July 1888 ________ 2 21.7 21,200 52.0 42 Middle Fork River at 149 1942-54 Oct. 16, 1954----- 13.02 9, 780 65.6 Audora, W.Va. Feb. 14, 1948 ____ 11.26 7, 740 51.9 

43 Sand Run near Buck- 14.5 1953-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 6. 26 2,580 178 

hannon, W. Va. Jan. 16, 1954 _____ 3.08 273 18.8 Mar. 24 1948 ____ a 5.39 1,510 104 

See footnotes at end of table. 
256 FLOODS OF 1954 

TABLE 21.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, October in the Eastern 

States-Continued 

Maximum floods 

No. Drain- on Stream and place of age area Period of Discharge plate determination (sq mi) record Gage 5 Date height 

(ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

-· :MONONGAHELA RIVER BASIN-continued 

44 Buckhannon River at 277 1915-54 Oct. 16, 1954 ..... 11.8 8, 700 31.4 

Hall, W.Va. Mar. 14, 1918, 14.7 12,200 44.0 

Tygart 

Oct. 29, 1937. 

45 River at 916 1940-54 Oct. 16, 1954 ...•• 24.1 33,600 36.7 

Philippi, W.Va. Feb. 14, 1948 •... 22.72 30,900 33.7 

July 25, 1912 ____ 2 26.0 37,000 40.4 

46 T\:J~r~~iver at Colfax, 1,366 1939-54 Oct. 16, 1954 ..... 14.46 15,700 11.5 

Feb. 14, 1948. ___ 16.86 22,500 16.5 

47 D~ .F-$~~ at Hendricks, 345 1940-54 Oct. 15, 1954 .•... 15.23 47,000 136 

Feb. 22, 1944, ---------- 18,100 52.5 

Feb. 14, 1948. 

Feb. 22, 1944 ..•. 9.82 -----i2;500- ---58:4- 48 Shavers Fork at Par- 214 191o-26, Oct. 16, 1954 ...•. 12.34 sons, W.Va. 1940-54 May 12, 1924 ____ 10.60 '14,800 69.2 

July 10, 1888, ---------- 25,000 117 

July 17, 1907. 

Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 19.08 52,100 72.6 

49 Cheat River near Par- 718 1913-54 Mar. 12, 1917.. •• 19.05 62.400 86.9 sons, W.Va. July 1888 ________ 1120.5 51,300 71.4 

Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 15.67 66,300 68.2 

tiO Cheat River at Rowles- 972 1923-54 Feb. 4, 1932 _____ 12.66 65,200 67 burg, W.Va. July 6, 1844 ______ 216.7 125,000 129 

Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 15.68 15,800 79.0 

51 Big Sandy Creek at 200 1909-18, July 24, 1912 _____ 18.0 21,300 106 

Rockville, W. Va. 1921-54 July 10, 1888 _____ 8 20.5 7 30,000 150 

Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 52 Cheat River near Pis- 1,354 1927-54 Oct. 28, 1937, 

gab, W.Va. Feb. 3, 1939. 

30.1 127,000 93.8 

24.28 74,700 55.2 

Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 28.93 140,000 31.8 53 Monongahela River at 4,407 1939-54 Feb. 14, 1948. ___ 26.6 124,000 27.8 

Greensboro, Pa. July 1888 ·------- 2836.0 

Oct. 15, 1954 _____ ------4~400- ---59:7- 11.83 M Redstone Creek at Wal- 73.7 1942-54 June 2, 1946 ..... 7.84 2, 750 37.3 

tersburg, Pa. Oct. 16, 19M _____ 21.07 140,000 26.9 

55 Monongahela River at 5,213 1886-1905, July 11, 1888.--- 26.1 156,000 30.0 

Charleroi, Pa. 1933-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 12.16 11,800 88.1 

56 Yougbiogheny R i v e r 134 1941-54 Dec. 16, 1948 ____ 9. 77 7,800 58.2 near Oakland, Md. March 1936 ______ 15.3 --------··--- -------- Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 8.99 13,000 44.1 

57 Youghiogheny River at 295 1898-1904, Mar. 29; 1924 .... 10.2 815,600 52.9 

c~~::ille:R~e~· at 1940-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 10.70 8,400 134 

58 62.5 1947-54 July4, 1948 _____ 8.13 5,110 81.8 

Grantsville, Md. Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 8. 56 6,850 280 

59 Big Piney Run near 24.5 1932-54 Apr. 26, 1937 .... 7.6 4,300 175 

Salisbury, Pa. Oct. 15, 195L •.. 14.06 0 50,000 131 

60 Casselman River at 382 192o-54 Mar. 17, 1936 .... ----io:63- 35,800 94 

Markelton, Pa. Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 10,900 90 

61 Laurel Hill Creek at 121 1916-54 Mar. 17, 1936 ____ 10.28 10,300 85 

Ursina, Pa. Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 19.92 69,500 67.5 

62 Youghiogheny River be- 1,029 194o-54 June 4, 194L ____ 16.42 43,800 42. 5 

low Confluence, Pa. Mar. 17 or 18, 2 21.6 85,000 82.6 

1936. 

Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 21.96 103,000 77.7 63 Youghiogheny River at 1,326 1008-54 Mar. 18, 1936 .... 20.28 92,500 69.7 

Connellsville, Pa. Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 5.06 860 280 

64 Green Lick Run at 3.07 1941-54 Aug. 13, 1943 .... 5.1 1,400 457 

Green Lick Reservoir, Pa. Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 32.5 108,000 63 

65 Youghiogheny River at 1, 715 1915-29, 

Sutersville, Pa. 1931-36 Mar. 18, 1936 ____ 30.65 100,000 58.3 

1938-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 6.68 950 216 66 Abers Creek near Mur- 4. 39 1948-54 July 5, 1950 ______ 7. 72 1,600 365 

rysville Pa. Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 30.63 200,000 27.3 67 Monongabela River at 7,337 1939-54 June 5, 194L .... 31.2 201,000 27.4 

Braddock, Pa. Mar. 18, 1936 .... 2 38.8 210,000 28.6 

See footnotes at end of table. 
SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 257 

TABLE 21.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, October in the Eastern 

States-Continued 

Maximum :floods 

No. Drain- on Stream and place of age area Period of 

plate determination (sqmi) record 

5 

68 

69 

70 

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77 

78 

79 

80 

81 

82 

83 

84 

85 

Date 

REAVER RIVER BASIN 

Sugar Run at Pymatun- 9.34 1934-54 Oct. 15, 1954 ... -- ingDam, Pa. Sept. 4, 1937 _____ 

Shenango River at 167 1934-54 Oct. 15, 1954-----

Pymatuning Dam, Sept. 4, 1937 _____ 

Pa. 

Little Shenango River 104 1919-23, Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

at Greenville, Pa. 1925-54 May 28, 1946- ___ 

Pymatuning Creek near 169 1914-23, Oct. 16, 1954-----

Orangeville, Pa. 1925-54 Feb. 3, 1915 _____ 

Shenango River at 588 1938-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

Sharpsville, Pa. Jan. 27, 1952 _____ Mar. 26, 1913 ____ 

Beaver River at Wam- 2,235 1914, Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

pum, Pa. 1932-24 Jan. 25, 1937 _____ Mar. 26, 1913 ____ 

Connoquenessing Creek 356 1919-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

at Hazen, Pa. June 29, 1924 •• -- Slippery Rock Creek at 398 1912-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

Wurtembur~t, Pa. Jan. 25, 1937 _____ 

Beaver River at Beaver 3,106 1935-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

Falls, Pa. Jan. 25, 1937 _____ Mar. 27, 1913 ____ 

RACCOON CREEK BASIN 

Raccoon Creek at Mol- 178 1941-54 Oct. 16, 1954-----

fatts Mill, Pa. Jan. 27, 1952 _____ Apr. 15, 1922 ____ 

KANAWHA RIVERA BASIN 

Greenbrier River at 134 1943-54 Oct. 15, 1954-----

Durbin, W.Va. Feb. 23, 1944 ____ Feb. 14, 1948 ____ 

Elk River at Sutton, 543 1939-54 Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

W.Va. Apr. 16, 1939 ____ 

STREAMS TRIBUTARY TO 

LAKE ERIE 

Cuyahoga River at Hi- 147 1927-35, Oct. 17, 1954----- ram Rapids, Ohio. 1944-54 Mar. 23, 1948 

Cuyahoga River at Old 405 1921-35, Oct. 20, 1954 _____ 

Portage, Ohio. 1939-54 Jan. 26, 1952 _____ 

Cuyahoga River at 709 1921-23, Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

Independence, Ohio. 1927-35 

1940-54 Jan. 27, 1952 _____ 

Phelps Creek near 26.4 1942-54 Oct. 15, 1954 _____ 

WindRor, Ohio. Mar. 22, 1948 ____ 

Ashtabula River near 118 1924-35, Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

Ashtabula, Ohio. 1939-47, 

1950-54 May 16, 1942 ____ 

Conneaut Creek at Am- 178 1922-35, Oct. 16, 1954 _____ 

boy, Ohio. 1950-54 Dec. 4, 1950 ••• --

1 Probably was exceeded by :flood of March 29, 1924. 2 Maximum known. 3 Maximum previously known. 4 Observed. 

5 At site 1,600 ft upstream at datum 1.13 ft higher. 6 Maximum known ; 20.0 to 20.1$ ft. 7 Maximum known ; 28,000 to 30,000 cfs. s About. 

9 Estimated. 

10 Ice jam. 

Discharge 

Gage 

height 

(ft) Cfs Cfsper 

sqmi 

5.84 1,980 212 

6.80 1,460 156 

8. 75 1,430 8.55 

9.2 1,540 9. 24 

12.73 6,620 63.6 

12.26 6,200 59.6 

10.73 3,650 21.6 

9.1 6,200 36.7 

12.64 13,900 23.6 

12.04 12,800 21.8 

219.3 ------------ -------- ---------- 41,400 18.5 

21.44 48,000 21.5 2 29.9 87,000 39.0 

15.51 18,200 51.2 

16.66 23,000 64.6 

10.23 15,700 39.5 

12.05 19,000 47.7 

13.33 58,500 18.9 

13.8 64,500 20.8 

217.4 103,000 33.2 

8.42 6,250 35 

9. 71 8,590 48.3 

9.80 10,000 56.2 

8.38 9,900 73.9 

---------- 5,110 38.1 

108.86 ------------ -------- 29.42 32,300 59.5 

27.8 27,700 51.0 

6.35 1,980 13.5 

7.00 2, 760 18.8 

6.94 2,180 5.38 

10.42 4,540 11.2 

20.04 14,200 20 

18.47 11,200 15.8 

8. 29 2,220 84.1 

8.97 2, 700 102 

9.32 8,880 75.3 

9.67 10,800 91.5 

10.74 12,900 72.1 

9.00 8,830 49.6 
258 FLOODS OF 1954 

FLOODS OF NOVEMBER 18-19 IN WESTERN WASHINGTON 

Floods occurred on the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington 

(fig. 69) on November 18 and 19 following rains of up to 17 inches 

during the 6-day period November 14-19. The greatest amount of 

any one day was about 5.5 inches at Cushman Dam (table 22). 

There was very little damage because the streams are generally confined to canyons or fairly deep channels. Most of the peaks in the 

area were not excessive, but at gaging stations on 4 streams the peak 

for the period of record was established, and at another the discharge was the second highest during the periods 1923-32, and 

1946-54. (See table 23.) 

The Wynoochee River had the highest unit peak discharge of 294 

cfs per square mile from 69.5 square miles. This was the maximum 

peak discharge at this station during the 30-year period of record. 

210 

EXPLANATION .2 

Gagill&' station 

Q6.7 

Miacellalleoua site Nvfllber referred to iK table U 

123" 

210Miles 

eElma 

Precipitation station 

122" 

FIGURE 69.-Map of flood area showing location of flood-determination points and precipitation stations. Floods of November 18-19 in western Washington. 
.SUMMARY OF FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES 259 

TABLE 22.-Rainjall, in inches, at Weather Bureau stations, November 14-19, 1954, 

in western Washington 

November 

Station Total 

14 15 16 17 18 19 

----------------1---------------------

Elma ___ ------------------------------------ _ 0. 30 0. 40 S. Olympic Tree Farm_______________________ 1. 57 1. 20 Quinault RS_________________________________ ________ 4.84 

Spruce ___ -------------------- _______ --------- 2. 37 . 86 

Cushman Dam______________________________ 3.20 1.00 Shelton______________________________________ . 48 . 60 

Aberdeen ___ --------------------------------- 1. 13 . 76 Clearwater----------_________________________ 2. 18 . 94 Forks IE_____________________________________ 2.17 . 50 

0. 56 1.80 

1. 53 2.28 

1. 91 

. 51 

.57 

1. 77 2.30 

0.97 

2. 77 

1.35 

3.0.5 

2.37 

2.10 

1.27 

1.88 

2. 52 

1.44 

4.65 

4.18 

4. 21 5.55 

2.37 

1.82 

2.85 

5.10 

1.08 

2.00 

1.35 

2.38 

3.25 

. 51 1.83 

3.95 

3.25 

4. 75 13.99 

13.25 

15.15 

17.28 

6.57 

7. 38 13.57 

15.84 

TABLE 23.-Summary of flood stages and discharges, November 18-19 in western 

Washington 

[Each station in this table has two entries listed under maximum floods; the first pertains to the flood being reported on; the second pertains to the maximum flood previously known during the period of record] 

Maximum floods 

No. Stream and place Drainage Period 

in of determination area of Discharge fl.g. (sqmi) record Gage 

69 Date height 

(ft) (Cfs) (Cfsper 

sqmi) 

CHEHALIS RIVER JlASIN 

1 W~oochee River above 69.5 1925-54 Nov. 18, 19'i4 15.83 20,400 294 ave Creek, near Aber- Jan. 22,1935 ---------- 18,000 259 deen, Wash. 

HAMMA HAMMA RIVER 

BASIN 

2 Hamma Hamma River 51.3 1951-54 Nov. 19, 19~4 6. 53 4,280 83.4 near Eldon. Jan. 9,1953 5. 25 2, 780 54.2 

SltOltOMISH RIVER JlASIN 

3 North Fork Skokomish 117 1944-54 Nov. 19, 1954 9.99 I 6,100 -------- River near Potlatch, Nov. 27, 1949 9.66 14,800 -------- Wash. 4 South Fork Skokomish 65.6 1923-32, Nov. 18, 1954 14.96 14,800 226 River near Potlatch, 1946-54 Wash. Nov. 26, 1949 17.75 19,300 294 

5 Skokomish River near 230 1943-54 Nov. 18, 1954 12.21 I 20,000 -------- Potlatch, Wash. Nov. 27, 1949, 

Feb. 10, 1951 2 14.51 I 19,200 -------- 6 Fir Creek tributary near . 76 ------------ Nov. 18, 1954 ---------- 216 284 

Potlatch, Wash. 7 Fir Creek near Potlatch, 1.86 ------------ Nov. 18, 1954 ---------- 460 247 Wash. 

1 Affected by storage. 2 For flood of Nov. 27, 1949. 

INDEX 

Page 

Alabama, floods of Jan. 21-21----------------- 204 

Alfalfa, Colo ________________________ ---------- 237 

Amado, Ariz ___ ------------------------------ 239 

Arizona, Miami, floods of July 20----------- 231-233 

Pinal Creek, floods of July 29 ____________ ,_ 238 

Santa Cruz River basin, floods of ' 

Aug 4-5_ ----------------------- 2;i9-240 

Upper Queen Creek, floods of Aug. 19 __ 240-241 

Arkansas River, Colo_________________________ 236 

Bad Riv.er, S. Dak ___________________________ \ 223 

Berrendo Creek, N. Mex_____________________ 248 

Big Muddy Creek, Mont_____________________ 209 

Birch Creek at Yellow Springs, OhiO--------- 220 

Bloody Tanks Wash, Miami, Ariz___________ 231 

Bloomington, Md____________________________ 252 

Boone River near Britt, Iowa________________ 224 

Bull Creek Basin, Texas, rainfall measurements __ ------------------------ 209-210 

Page 

Damage-Continued 

Texas ___ ------------------------------- 221, 228 

Vermont ___ ------------------------------ 244 

Virginia ____ ----------------------------__ 230 

Washington _____________________ ---______ 241 

Wisconsin. _________ ----__________________ 214 

Dayton, N. Mex_____________________________ 248 

Des Moines River, Iowa_____________________ 224 

Des Plaines River basin, III------------------ 251 

Devils River, Tex.--------------------------- 228 

Discharges, method of determining (see also 

Stages and discharges)____________ 203 

East Fork Iowa River above Hayfield, Iowa__ 223 

Eastern States, floods of October ____________ 252-257 

Eightmile Draw, N. Mex_____________________ 248 

Elizabeth River at Elizabeth, N.L___________ 244 

Elmwood, Wis_ ------------------------------ 211 

Explanation of data_--_---------------------- 203 

Cane Creek at Fletcher, N.C_________________ 205 Flag Creek----------------------------------- 251 

c c dB 

243 

Flint River near Chase, Ala__________________ 206 

ape 0 aY------------------------------- Flood stages and discharges. (See Stages and 

Carlsbad, N. Mex____________________________ 248 discharges.) 

Cass River, Mich_ --------------------------- 206 Flood-determination points in Montana and 

Cedar River, Iowa_-------------------------- 224 

Chacuaco Creek, ColO------------------------ 236 Four Mile ~~:!o~~~;L~k~;~~d.-N~-M~;~~-~ 5-~: Cherry River, W. Va_________________________ 23° French Broad River, N.C __________________ 204-205 

Chicago, floods of Oct. 1954----------------- 249-252 Frijole Creek, ColO------------------------- 235-236 Chippewa River basin, Wisconsin __________ 213-214 

Clayton Gulch near Clarkston, Wash________ 241 Gilbert Creek, Orig___________________________ 241 

Colorado, floods of July 22-23 _______________ 234-238 Globe, Ariz___________________________________ 238 

Continental, Ariz--------;-------------------- 239 Ground-water levels, effects of on flooding____ 252 

Cushman Dam, Wash________________________ 258 

Damage, Arizona _______________ 231-233,238,239,241 

Chicago_--------------------------------- 252 Colorado._--- __________________________ 237-238 

Cmm.ecticut___ _ __ _ __ _ _ ___ ___ _ ____ _ ___ ___ _ 244 

Eastern States __________________________ 252-253 

Idaho.----------------------------------- 215 

Iowa. __ ---------------------------------- 224 Maine to New Jersey ___________________ 243-247 

Massachusetts____________________________ 244 

Michigan __________ -- ____________ ---- ___ 206-207 

Minnesota _________ --- ____ -----___________ 214 

MississippL----------------------------- 219 Montana ___________________________ 215,241-243 

Nebraska __________ ---____________________ 227 

New England __________________________ 243-244 

New Hampshire__________________________ 244 

New Jersey to Maine ___________________ 243-247 

New Mexico ____________________________ 248-249 

North Carolina___________________________ 205 

Ohio ___________________________________ 220,233 

Rhode Island _____ ----------------------- 244 

Hondo, N. MeX------------------------------ 248 

Hurricane Edna _______ -_----------------- 243-247 

Hurricane HazeL.--------------------------- 252 

Idaho, floods of May 1s-23 __________________ 215-217 

Illinois and Indiana floods of October _______ 249-252 

Introduction __ ------------------------------- 201 Iowa floods of June _________________________ 223-225 

Iowa River, East Fork, Iowa_________________ 223 

Jewett City, Tenn____________________________ 244 

Kankakee River at Shelby, Ind______________ 251 

Kennebec River, Maine______________________ 244 

Kitzmiller, Md------------------------------- 252 

Lakewood, N. Mex___________________________ 248 

Lake Huron, Mich___________________________ 206 

Lake St. Clair tributaries, Mich______________ 206 

Las Animas, Colo____________________________ 237 

Little Beaver Creek, Mont___________________ 241 

Little Miami River, Ohio __________________ 220,234 

Loup city, Nebr______________________________ 227 

261 
262 INDEX 

~~ h~ 

Maine to New Jersey, floods of Sept. 11-14 __ 243-247 Purgatoire River at Trinidad, Colo___________ 235 

Martha's Vineyard·-----------~-------------- 243 Purgatoire River basin, ColoradO----------- 234-238 

Maryland, ftoods of October__________________ 252 

Menominee River near McAllister, Wis______ 214 Queen Creek, Ariz____________________________ 241 

Meridian Creek near Sweetwater, Okla._____ 212 Quinebaug River at Jewett City, Conn_______ 244 

Method of determining stream discharges.___ 203 

Miami River, Ohio___________________________ 220 

Michigan, ftoods of Feb. 16-17-------------- 206-207 

Minnesota, ftoods. --------------------------- 213 

Mississippi, ftoods of May 27-28_ ------- 215,218-220 

Montana, ftoods caused by rapid snowmelt___ 207 

ftoods of Apr. 4-6----------------------- 207-209 

ftoods of May 18-23 _____________________ 215-217 

ftoods of Sept. 5. _ ---------------------- 241-243 

Montana and Idaho, causes due to temperatures and snowpack______________ 215 

Muddy Creek, Colo__________________________ 236 

Nebraska, ftoods of June 17----------------- 225-227 

Nemaha River basin_------------------------ 227 

New England ftoods of Sept. 11-14---------- 243-247 

New Jersey to Maine ftoods of Sept. 11-14__ 243-247 

New Mexioo, ftoods of Oct. 6-8_ ------------ 247-249 

New York, ftoods of October_---------------- 252 

North Carolina,ftood of October_------------ 252 

Ohio, ftoods of June 8----------------------- 220-221 

Ohio, ftoods of July 2L _____________________ 233-234 

Oklahoma, ftoods of Apr. 29-30 _____________ 212-213 

Olympic Peninsula. Wash____________________ 258 

Paint Creek, Ohio____________________________ 234 

Panola and Lafayette Counties, Miss., Clear 

Creek near Oxford ______________ 218-219 

Panola County in headwaters of Long Creek, 

Miss.---------------------------- 215 Pecos River, N. Mex _______________________ 247,248 

Texas_-------------------------------____ 228 

Pennsylvania, ftoods of October______________ 252 

Pinal Creek, Ariz_____________________________ 238 

Poplar River near international boundary, 

Montana_________________________ 207 

Porcupine Creek at Nashua, Mont___________ 207 

Precipitation, Alabama_______________________ 204 

Arizona_----------------------- 231,238,239,240 

Chicago area_---------------------------- 249 

Colorado._----------------------------- 234-235 

Data ____________ ----------------------- 203,215 

Eastern States---------------------------- 252 

Illinois and Indiana______________________ 249 

Iowa __ ---------------------------------·- 223 

Maryland________________________________ 252 

Michigan_________________________________ 206 

Minnesota and WL'!OOnsin ______________ 213-214 

Montana_________________________________ 241 

New England __________________________ 243-244 

New Jersey to Maine ___________________ 243-244 

New Mexico______________________________ 247 

North Carolina __________ --------------- 204, 252 

Ohio.---------------------------------- 220,233 

Pennsylvania_____________________________ 252 

South Dakota---------------------------- 223 

Tennessee._______________________________ 204 

Texas.--------------------------------- 221, 228 

Virginia _______ -------_---_---- _____ ·-____ 252 

Washington.----------------------- 241, 258-259 

West Virginia.--------------------------- 230 

Rio Bonito at Hondo, N. Mex _______________ _ 

Rio Felix, N. Mex ___________________________ _ 

Rio Grande, Tex.----------------------------

Rio Hondo, N. MeX-------------------------- Rio Penasco at Dayton, N. Mex _____________ _ 

Rio Ruidoso at Hondo, N. Mex _____________ _ 

Roan Creek at Neva, Tenn __________________ _ 

Rocky Arroyo near Carlsbad, N. Mex _______ _ 

Rocky Arroyo near Roswell, N. Mex ________ _ 

Rocky Fork near Barretts, Ohio _____________ _ 

Roswell, N. MeX-----------------------------

248 

228 

248 

248 

248 

205 

248 

248 

234 

248 

Sahuarita, Ariz.------------------------------ 239 

Salt Fork Red River near Wellington, Tex___ 221 

San Francisco Creek, Colo __________________ 235-236 

Santa Cruz River, Ariz_______________________ 239 

Shotgun Creek at Bainville, Mont____________ 209 

Skunk River near Randall, Iowa_____________ 224 

Slope measurement, Arizona__________________ 238 

Smith Canyon Creek, Colo___________________ 236 

South Branch Chicago River----------------- 251 

South Carolina, ftood of October______________ 252 

South Dakota, ftoods of June lL __ ----------- 223 

South Yadkin River, N.C____________________ 204 

Stages and discharges, Alabama______________ 205 

Arizona. ___ ---------------------------- 238, 239 

Colorado.------------------------------ 235-236 

Connecticut _____ -- ____ -- __ -- __ ----------- 244 

Idaho. ___ -------------------------------- 217 

Iowa. ___ --------------------------------- 223 

Maine ________ ---_------- ______ ----------_ 244 

Massachusetts----------------------------- 244 

Michigan __________ ------ _______ --- _____ 206-207 

Minnesota _______ -------------- ___ ---_____ 214 

Mississippi. __ ---------------------------- 220 

Montana----------------------- 209,215,217,241 

New England __________________________ 244-247 

New Hampshire.------------------------- 244 

New MexiCO----~----------------------- 247-248 

New York.------------------------------- 244 

North Carolina.-------------------------- 205 

Ohio.---------------------------------- 220,234 

Oklahoma _______ --- _______ ------------___ 213 

Rhode Island_____________________________ 244 

Tennessee.----------------·-------------- 205 

Texas.----------------------------------- 228 

Washington ________________________ 241,258-259 

West Virginia---------------------------- 231 

Wisconsin ____________ -------------------- 214 

Superior, Ariz-------------------------------- 240 

Superstition Mountain, Ariz.---------------- 240 

Tar River at Tarboro, N.C___________________ 205 

Temperatures and record snowpack in the 

Kootenai and the Flathead River 

basins.--------------------------- 215 

Tennessee, floods of Jan. 21-27---------------- 204 

Tennessee River basin, Alabama_____________ 204 

Texas, floods of June 9-10.------------------ 221-223 

floods of June 27-July t_ ________________ 228-230 

Thirty Mile Creek at Harlem, Mont_________ 207 
Trinchera, Colo_----------------------------- Thinchera Creek, Colo ______________________ _ 

Trinidad, Colo ______________________________ _ 

Upper Queen Creek, Ariz ___________________ _ 

Virginia, :floods of October ___________________ _ 

INDEX 263 

l'age 

234 

237 

237 

240 

252 

Page 

Watauga River basin, Tennessee_____________ 205 

Weather Bureau, quoted ___________________ 243-244 

West Newton, Pa____________________________ 252 

West Virginia, :floods of July 19 _____________ 230-231 

Washington, :floods of Aug. 19 and 24_________ 241 

White Mountain region, New Hampshire____ 244 

Wisconsin, :floods of Apr. 15_ --------------- 211-213 

Whitlow Dam site, Arizona_----------------- 240 

Wolf Creek, Mont____________________________ 207 

:floods of Nov. 18-19 ____________________ 258-259 Wynoochee River, Wash ____________________ _ 

Washita River basin, Okla___________________ 212 Youghiogheny River basin, Pennsylvania ___ _ 

0 

258 

252