CLOUDBURST FLOODS in UTAH 1850-1938 by RALF R
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR J. A. Krug, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY W. E. Wrather, Director Water-Supply Paper 994 CLOUDBURST FLOODS IN UTAH 1850-1938 By RALF R. WOOLLEY With a chapter on physiographic features By RAY E. MARSELL and a FOREWORD by NATHAN C. CROVER UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1946 For sale by the Supt. of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. Price $1.50 CLOUDBURST a definition The term "cloudburst" is commonly used to designate a tor rential downpour of rain which by its spottiness and relatively high intensity suggests the bursting and discharge of a whole cloud at once. Cloudbursts are usually associated with thunder storms; they may occur anywhere but generally over a relatively small area. They are common in the hilly and mountainous dis tricts of the West, and the resulting floods pouring out from the small precipitous catchment basins are flashy and often destructive. CONTENTS Page Cloudburst a definition____-___---__--__-_______--_--_-__-__..-.._..,-_-_ ii Foreword, by Nathan C. Grover---.-...-..----__________________________ 1 Abstract.________-_-___----------__--_---_-_---_-_-..-.. ___-_-._____ 5 Authorization ___________________..___..---__--____-_-_..________ ._-______ 7 Administration and personnel____________________________________________ 7 Scope of report.___________-_--_---_----_____--_-_-_---_--_-_____---__- 8 Cooperation and basic data.---_--_--_-------_-_---------_--_..__--___-_- 9 Previous studies____-____---_-_-------_-_--_---------___.-..---_---_-- 9 Physiographic features, by Ray E. MarselL.____-_-___---___-_-___-______ 15 Boundaries and area.-----__--__-_-------_-______---_--.____-_____- 15 Provinces.-_ ________---__--_-_--__-_--_--__------_____--__-___-- 15 General description._____________________________ ______________ 15 Drainage----------------------------------------------------- 16 Topography ____-__-._--____--_____-__-__-__--.--_--__-.--____ 16 Colorado Plateaus provmce__-_----_____----__-_________________ 18 Basin and Range province-___-___-__-__-_--_--_________--______ 20 Middle Rocky Mountains province,_____________________________ 22 Soils.......____________________________________________________ 24 Natural vegetation____-_______-_____-_--_--__----_-_-_______-____- 28 Land classification_________________________________________________ 28 Climate..--..______...______--___-_----__-____------__--____ 30 ' ! General discussion.___________________-__-_-----___.___._-_--_--.._ 30 / Meteorology.______--_--__---_--___-__.-----------____-------_---_ 32 General statement- _-___._______-___--__---.--___._---_---__-__ 32 Storm courses.__-____._-____--_____--_-----____-_---____-_--._ 34 Storm types._________-_-_-_--______---_------__-__-___--____'_ 34 Cyclonic storms._.____._______.__-__--__..__._-_._._..___. 34 Thunderstorms- ___________________________________________ 36 Relation between storms and altitude_-_---_---____--_-_--_.__-_- 39 Frequency of thunderstorms and cloudbursts._.__.__.._______..-__ 41 Cloudburst intensity duration___--_____---__--..___.-_______..__ 42 General statement-_ _______-_-_____-__-_'"-_____-__..--___--._ 42 Intensity duration...________-_____--__--.-_-__---__--__-._ 43 Factors influencing intensity_--_-----------__-------_-----_- 45 * Runoff under thunderstorm influence.--_-----------_--_-----_--- 47 Cloudburst floods______-_-__'__.______________--_-__--_-__-__-.-_______- 52 General statement.--____._-_____-______--_--__---__----___--____-_ 52 Geographic distribution-_____________.__..__________..-.-____._..__ 56 Character and extent of areas affected.-_____---___-___------_---.--- 57 Frequency... __"____--_-____-___--___-----__-_------------_-------- 58 Catchment basins______.________.__-__.__-___--__._._.__-_-__-._-- 61 Willard Creek Basins......___.__._..._....__..__..___.____.... 61 Catchment basins in the frontal range of the Wasatch Mountains between Salt Lake City and Weber Canyon.-..__..___._____-__. 62 : Parrish Creek Basin_____-_'--___.___-----_.-____--_.--__--- 63 Davis, Farmington, Ford, and Steed Creek Basins.____________ 65 SnowsHde Canyon Basin__-___-__--__-_-_-----____-___-_----__- 67 Lost Canyon Basin..........._____________________________ 69 Cottonwood Creek Basin.---___________________________________ 69 Pleasant Creek Basin________________--___:__^_______-___-,._-_ 71 ra CONTENTS Continued Page Cloudburst floods Continued Catchment basins Continued Manti Creek Basin.____.__.___________--___-______.__- 71 Chalk CreekBasin___________---_____-_----__-----__--___--__- 72 Coal CreekBasin______________.__-_____._____ 72 Kanab Creek Basin__________-_.__-_.__________________ 73 Small streams in Colorado River Basin_____________________ 74 Mudflows_________________-___________________ 75 General statement.__________________________________________ 75 Mudflows as a phase of cloudburst floods_--_-_-_-_-___--_--.___-_ 79 Mechanics of mudflows__-______-_--_--__--_-_-___--.______-_ 80 Relation of cloudburst floods and mudflows to topography and geology_ 83 Historical floods__-._______________.-_._---___________ 84 Relation of cloudburst floods to settlement and use of the land-_____________ 121 Economic importance of areas affected by cloudburst floods._-_____._______. 123 Index. __________________________--_-_--____-._--_-___i- 127 ILLUSTRATIONS Page PLATE 1. Map of Utah showing physiograpliic divisions _______________ In pocket 2. A, Wasatch Range east of Springville; B, Wasatch Range southeast of Salt Lake City_________________________ 18 3. __., Book Cliffs erosional escarpment boundary between the Canyon Lands and Uinta Basin divisions of the Colorado Plateaus province; B, A typical landscape in the Canyon Lands_____._____.________.______---__.:____ 26 4. A, Mount Ellen, Henry Mountains; B, La Sal Mountains_ __ 34 5. Little Cotton wood Canyon, Wasatch Range_______________ 42 6. Land classification map of Utah showing distribution of cloud burst floods.-__-___-____________________-__-_-.__ In pocket 7. Weather maps covering cyclonic storm of September 21-25, 1930_.___.________...________________--. In pocket 8. Weather maps covering cloudburst storm of August 13, 1923 __ In pocket 9. Weather maps covering cloudburst storm of August 13, 1931 __ In pocket 10. Weather maps covering storms of August 23-30, 1932________ In pocket 11. Map of Utah showing distribution of cloudburst floods and precipitation_______.___.._____________________ In pocket 12. Plan of Willard Creek showing topography and vegetal cover.. In pocket 13. A, Wasatch Mountains looking toward Parrish Canyon, near Centerville; B, Wasatch Mountains looking toward Steed Canyon, near Farmington__________________ _ ___ 66 14. A, Upper part of catchment basin on South Fork Parrish. Creek; B, Looking up Parrish Creek Basin from near west end of the south rim; C, Looking up alluvial cone at Snowslide Canyon, in Provo Canyon, near Provo:________________________ 74 15. A, Looking up Snowslide Canyon below forks, near Provo; B, Part of Snowslide Canyon catchment basin.________.--_ 82 16. A, Tributary drains in upper part of Snowslide Canyon catch ment basin; B, Part of west slope of Snowslide Canyon show ing densely wooded moist area..____________ .__ 82 IV . ILLUSTRATIONS Continued Page 17. A, View of upper part of Lost Canyon catchment basin, near Provo; B, Looking over upper part of alluvial cone into Lost Canyon, near Provo___.______________-.._-__ 82 18. Plans and profiles of Cotton wood and Pleasant Creeks______ In pocket 19. Plan and profile of Manti Creek, including North Fork.______ In pocket 20. A, Main street of Willard after flood of August 13, 1923; B, Residence at Willard after flood of August 13, 1923; C, Orchard near mouth of Farmington Canyon, flood of August 13, 1923; D, Residence and barn in wake of Parrish Creek flood of August 27, 1930_____.___.._.._..._._._...._ 90 21. Two successive mudflows near Layton._--__-_-__-__----._-_- 98 22. Location and number of damaging cloudburst floods reported in Utah from 1847 to 1938, inclusive, with dates of settlement of communities affected___--.--______--___________ In pocket 23. Map of Utah showing distribution of cloudburst floods and population._--__-___________________________________ In pocket FIGURE 1. Distribution of precipitation in Utah with relation to areas and altitudes___________________._-_____-___________ 31 2. Climatological charts for Utah showing average temperature and precipitation, 1891-1938.--_-----__-_.._------------ 33 3. Characteristics of cyclonic storm of September 22-23, 1930___ 35 4. Characteristics of cloudburst storm of August 13, 1923. _____ 37 5. Characteristics of cloudburst storm of August 13, 1931_____- 38 6. Characteristics of storms of August 26 and 29, 1932_________ 40 7. Average annual distribution of thunderstorm days at Salt Lake City ._..._......_.__..._._._..-.-______ 41 8. Graphic analysis of intensities of three cloudburst storms. _ _ _ 44 9. Association of temperature drop with deviations from mean intensity___________.--_--_-____--___--_______ 46 10. Typical regimen of Price and San Rafael Rivers____-_-_---- 53 11. Graphs showing relationship between reports of floods, settle ments, and population in Utah from 1847 to 1938____--- 60 12. Plan of Parrish Creek__.____,__-____-_____-___-_- ------- 64 13. Map of Parrish Creek catchment basin showing vegetal cover. 66 14. Plan of Snowslide Canyon and Lost Canyon______-___._-- 67 15. Map of Snowslide Canyon showing vegetal cover._______-_- 68 16. Map of Lost Canyon