Floods in Missouri
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GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 370 FLOODS IN MISSOURI MAGNITUDE AND FREQUENCY Prepared in cooperation with the STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT OF MISSOURI UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Douglas McKay, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY W. E. Wrather, Director GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 370 FLOODS IN MISSOURI MAGNITUDE AND FREQUENCY By J. K. Searcy Prepared in cooperation with the STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT OF MISSOURI Washington, D. C., 1955 Free on application to the Geological Survey, Washington 25, D. C. CONTENTS Page Page Abstract .................................... 1 Gaging-station re cords--Continued Introduction. ................................. 1 Tarkio River basin ......................... 44 Flood-frequency design data................... 1 West Tarkio Creek near Westboro. ........ 44 The design flood ........................... 1 Tarkio River at Fairfax.................. 45 Flood-frequency curve at the design site ..... 1 Nodaway River basin ....................... 46 Maximum floods of record .................. 3 Nodaway River near Burlington Junction ... 46 The Mississippi River. ..................... 3 Missouri River main stem .................. 47 The Missouri River ........................ 5 Missouri River at St. Joseph ............. 47 Flood-frequency analysis...................... 5 Platte River basin. ......................... 48 Description of the area..................... 6 Platte River at Conception Junction........ 48 Topography ............................ 6 One Hundred and Two River near Maryville 48 The prairies ......................... 6 Platte River near Agency. ................ 49 Ozark Plateau........................ 7 Missouri River main stem .................. 51 Southeast lowlands.................... 7 Missouri River at Kansas City............ 51 Climate................................ 7 Blue River basin ........................... 51 Analysis of flood data ...................... 11 Blue River near Kansas City.............. 51 Flood frequency at a gaging station. ....... 11 Missouri River main stem .................. 52 Value ............................... 11 Missouri River at Waverly................ 52 Types of flood series ................. 11 Grand River basin.......................... 53 Plotting positions .................... 13 East Fork Big Creek near Bethany ........ 53 Historical data....................... 13 Grand River near Gallatin ................ 55 Fitting frequency graphs .............. 13 Weldon River near Mercer ............... 56 Regional flood-frequency curves .......... 13 Weldon River at Mill Grove............... 57 Requirements for combining records ... 15 Thompson River at Trenton. .............. 58 Mean annual flood,.................... 15 Medicine Creek near Gait ................ 59 Computation of comparable means. ..... 15 Locust Creek near Milan................. 60 Test for homogeneity of records ....... 15 Locust Creek near Linneus ............... 61 Flood-frequency regions!.............. 16 Grand River near Sumner. ................ 62 Hydrologic areas ..................... 16 Yellow Creek near Rothville .............. 63 Crest-stage gage program............. 17 Chariton River basin ....................... 63 Gaging-station records ....................... 17 Chariton River at Novinger ............... 63 Records available .......................... 17 Chariton River near Keytesville........... 65 Explanation of data ........................ 18 Lamine River basin ........................ 66 Mississippi River main stem ............... 23 Lamine River at Clifton City.............. 66 Mississippi River at Keokuk, Iowa. ....... 23 Blackwater River at Blue Lick............ 67 Fox River basin ........................... 25 Missouri River main stem .................. 68 Fox River at Wayland ................... 25 Missouri River at Boonville .............. 68 Wyaconda River basin ...................... 26 Osage River basin ......................... 69 Wyaconda River above Canton............. 26 Sac River near Stockton .................. 69 Fabius River basin......................... 27 Cedar Creek near Pleasant View .......... 70 North Fabius River at Monticello.......... 27 Osage River at Osecola .................. 70 Middle Fabius River near Baring ......... 28 Pomme de Terre River at Hermitage...... 72 Middle Fabius River near Monticello,, ; .. 29 South Grand River near Brownington ...... 73 North Fabius River at Taylor............. 29 Osage River at Warsaw .................. 74 South Fabius River near Taylor. .......... 30 Niangua River near Decaturville .......... 75 North River basin. ......................... 31 Osage River near Bagnell ................ 76 North River at Bethel.................... 31 Gasconade River basin...................... 77 North River at Palmyra.................. 32 Gasconade River near Hazlegreen ......... 77 Bear Creek basin .......................... 33 Gasconade River near Waynesville ........ 78 Bear Creek at Hannibal.................. 33 Big Piney River near Big Piney........... 79 Salt River basin ........................... 33 Little Piney Creek at Newburg............ 80 Salt River near Shelbina ................. 33 Gasconade River at Jerome............... 80 Salt River near Hunnewell................ 35 Gasconade River near Rich Fountain ...... 82 South Fork Salt River at Santa Fe ......... 35 Missouri River main stem .................. 83 Youngs Creek near Mexico ............... 36 Missouri River at Hermann .............. 83 Middle Fork Salt River at Paris .......... 37 Mississippi River main stem ................ 83 Elk Fork Salt River near Paris ........... 38 Mississippi River at St. Louis ............ 83 Salt River near Monroe City. ............. 39 Meramec River basin ...................... 85 Salt River near New London.............. 40 Meramec River near Steelville............ 85 Cuivre River basin......................... 41 Meramec River near Sullivan ............. 87 Cuivre River near Troy ................. 41 Bourbeuse River near Spring Bluff ........ 88 Mississippi River main stem................ 42 Bourbeuse River at Union ................ 88 Mississippi River at Alton, 111............ 42 Meramec River at Robertsville ........... 90 Missouri River main stem .................. 43 Big River at Byrnesville ................. 90 Missouri River at Omaha, Nebr. ......... 43 Meramec River near Eureka.............. 92 Missouri River at Nebraska City, Nebr.... 43 Mississippi River main stem ............... 93 Mississippi River at Chester, 111. ........ 93 III IV CONTENTS Page Page Gaging-station records--Continued Gaging-station records--Continued Headwater Diversion Channel basin (Castor White River basin--Continued and Whitewater Rivers) ................ 94 North Fork River near Tecumseh. ........ 108 Castor River at Zalma .................. 94 Bryant Creek near Tecumseh ............ 108 Mississippi River main stem................ 95 North Fork River at Tecumseh ........... 109 Mississippi River at Thebes, 111. ......... 95 Black River near Annapolis .............. 110 St. Francis River basin .................... 95 Black River at Leeper................... Ill St. Francis River near Patterson ......... 95 Black River at Poplar Bluff .............. 112 Little River ditch 81 near Kennett. ........ 97 Jacks Fork at Eminence ................ 113 Little River ditch 1 near Kennett. ......... 97 Current River near Eminence ............ 115 Little River ditch 251 near Lilbourn....... 98 Current River at Van Buren.............. 116 Castor River at Aquilla .................. 99 Current River at Doniphan ............... 117 Little River ditch 1 near Morehouse ...... 99 Little Black River near Fairdealing....... 119 Little River ditch 251 near Kennett........ 100 Eleven Point River near Bardley ......... 119 Little River ditch 259 near Kennett........ 101 Arkansas River basin...................... 121 White River basin ......................... 102 Spring River near Waco ................. 121 White River at Beaver, Ark. ............. 102 Turkey Creek at Joplin ................... 122 James River below Battlefield ............ 103 Shoal Creek above Joplin ................ 122 Wilson Creek near Springfield ............ 104 Elk River near Tiff City ................. 124 James River at Galena................... 105 Peak discharges not previously listed .......... 125 White River near Reeds Spring ........... 106 Selected bibliography ......................... 126 White River at Forsyth .................. 107 ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1. Location of hydrologic areas................................................................ 2 2. Variation of mean annual flood with drainage area in hydrologic areas 1-5. ...................... 3 3. Variation of mean annual flood with drainage area in hydrologic areas 6-8....................... 4 4. Variation of mean annual flood with drainage area on the main stems of the Black, Bourbeuse, Fox, Gasconade, Osage,and Weldon Rivers. .................................................. 5 5. Location of flood-frequency regions ........................................................ 6 6. Frequency of annual floods, regions A-C, period 1921-52, and region D, period 1926-52 ......... 7 7. Relation of maximum to 50-year flood in region A ............................................. 8 8. Relation of maximum to 50-year flood in region B. ............................................ 9 9. Relation of maximum to 50-year flood in region C. ............................................ 10 10. Relation of maximum to 50-year flood