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Floods of September 15-16, 1992, in the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins, South-Central Iowa

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Floods of September 15-16, 1992, in the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins, South-Central Iowa FLOODS OF SEPTEMBER 15-16, 1992, IN THE THOMPSON, WELDON, AND CHARITON RIVER BASINS, SOUTH-CENTRAL IOWA By David A. Eash and Barbara A. Koppensteiner U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Open-File Report 97-122 Prepared in cooperation with the IOWA HIGHWAY RESEARCH BOARD and the PROJECT DEVELOPMENT DIVISION of the IOWA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (IOWA DOT Research Project HR-140) Iowa City, Iowa 1997 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GORDON P. EATON, Director For additional information Copies of this report can be write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Room 269, Federal Building Branch of Information Services 400 South Clinton Street Box 25286, Denver Federal Center Iowa City, Iowa 52244 Denver, Colorado 80225-0286 CONTENTS Page Abstract.... ..................................................................................................................................................................^ 1 Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and scope....................................................................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Study area.............................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Hydrologic data..................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Floodflow frequencies........................................................................................................._^ 4 Flood history......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Floods of June 1947.................................................................................................................................................... 8 Floods of August 6, 1959............................................................................................................................................ 8 Floods of My 4, 1981................................................................................................................................................. 9 Floods of September 15-16, 1992............................................................................................................................... 10 Floods of My 5, 1993................................................................... 14 Profiles for the floods of September 15-16, 1992, in the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins, south-central Iowa............................................................................................................................................................. 15 Considerations.........................................................................................................^^ 16 Summary............................................................................................................................................................................... 16 References........................................................................................................._^ 16 Appendix A. Peak stages and discharges for streamflow-gaging stations in the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins, south-central Iowa...................................................................................................................... 19 Appendix B. Water-surface-elevation profiles for the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins, south-central Iowa............................................................................................................................................................ 47 Appendix C. Temporary bench marks and reference points in the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins, south-central Iowa............................................................................................................................................... 63 FIGURES 1. Map of the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins showing location of bridge sites used in the September 15-16, 1992, flood profiles and U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations..................... 3 2. Map showing areal distribution of rainfall for the September 14-15, 1992, storm in south-central Iowa ............... 11 3. Graph showing cumulative rainfall for September 14-15, 1992, at Beaconsfield, Derby, and Greenfield, Iowa................................................................................................................................................ 12 4. Graph showing water-surf ace-elevation profiles for the Thompson River, river miles 2.24-106.10 ....................... 49 5. Graphs showing water-surface-elevation profiles for the Thompson River,: 5A. river miles 2.24-20........................................................................................................................................... 50 5B. river miles 20-40.............................................................................................................................................. 51 5C. river miles 40-60.............................................................................................................................................. 52 5D. river miles 60-80.............................................................................................................................................. 53 5E. river miles 80-100............................................................................................................................................ 54 5F. river miles 100-106.10...................................................................................................................................... 55 6. Graph showing water-surface-elevation profiles for Elk Creek, river miles 5.76-16.36.......................................... 56 7. Graph showing water-surf ace-elevation profiles for the Weldon river, river miles 9.99-24.73................................ 57 8. Graph showing water-surf ace-elevation profiles for the Chariton River, river miles 22.86-77.87........................... 58 9. Graphs showing water-surface-elevation profiles for the Chariton River,: 9A. river miles 22.86-40......................................................................................................................................... 59 9B. river miles 40-60.............................................................................................................................................. 60 9C. river miles 60-77.87......................................................................................................................................... 61 10. Graph showing water-surface-elevation profiles for the South Fork Chariton River, river miles 18.96-39.25........ 62 CONTENTS iii TABLES 1. Floodflow frequencies for streamflow-gaging stations in the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins.............................................................................................................................................. 2. Selected flood-peak discharges, recurrence intervals, and unit runoff for streamflow-gaging stations in the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins....................................................................................... CONVERSION FACTORS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND VERTICAL DATUM Multiply By To obtain inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter foot (ft) 0.3048 meter mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer square mile (mi2) 2.590 square kilometer cubic foot per second (ft3/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second cubic foot per second per 0.01093 cubic meter per second square mile [(ft3/s)/mi2] per square kilometer ton per acre 2.242 megagram per square hectometer Sea Level: In this report, "sea level" refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929~a geodetic datum derived from a general adjustment of the first-order level nets of the United States and Canada, formerly called Sea Level Datum of 1929. iv FLOODS IN THE THOMPSON, WELDON, AND CHARITON RIVER BASINS, IOWA Floods of September 15-16, 1992, in the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins, South-Central Iowa By David A. Eash and Barbara A. Koppensteiner ABSTRACT included in the report. A flood history summarizes rainfall conditions and damages for floods that Water-surface-elevation profiles and peak occurred during 1947, 1959, 1981, 1992, and discharges for the floods of September 15-16, 1993. 1992, in the Thompson, Weldon, and Chariton River Basins, south-central Iowa, are presented in INTRODUCTION this report. The profiles illustrate the 1992 floods along the Thompson, Weldon, Chariton, and South Evaluation of flood hazards and the planning, Fork Chariton Rivers and along Elk Creek in the design, and operation of various structures on flood south-central Iowa counties of Adair, Clarke, plains require information about floods. Flood-profile Decatur, Lucas, Madison, Ringgold, Union, and reports provide water-surface-elevation profiles and Wayne. Water-surface-elevation
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