Water-Supply and Irrigation Paper No. 147 Series M, General Hydrographic Iimstigations, 15 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIEKCTOB DESTRUCTIVE FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1904 EDWARD CHARLES MURPHY AND OTHERS WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1905 Water-Sutrply and Irrigation Paper No. 147 Series M, General Hydrographic Investigations, 15 DEPAKTMENT OF THE INTEEIOE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALOOTT, DIRECTOR DESTRUCTIVE FLOODS IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1904 EDWARD CHARLES MURPHY AND OTHERS WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1905 CONTENTS. Page. Letter of transmittal.___--------_---___--___--_------_---..----_------.-- 9 Introduction. ______.___.______._._____________.____.____-_.___.-----.---- 11 Sacramento River flood, California, from report of S. G. Bennett. _.___.___ 12 Streams and drainage basin ______________._____.__._-_.-.--.___-____- 12 Precipitation ---..--..-----_.__-________.-._----.-----_----.--------- 15 Gage height and discharge -___..____._. _______ ___.___.__-_-----__--- 16 Obstruction of channeL _---______.____.__.___.___..-____------------ 20 Damage ............................................................. 20 Prevention of future damage-..._______._.- ___--_.---_.----------__-- 21 Susquehanna River flood. Pennsylvania, by E. C. Murphy................ 22 Former floods....-------__-_-.._____ .........-...--- ...-.--.--.--.- 32 Streams and drainage basin..........._------.-.-----..--.-.--.--.--. 23 Precipitation _......-..-......--........--..-..--.-.------.._---.---- 25 Ice gorges __________________________________________ ...---.---.-.--- 25 Gage height and discharge -...-...........-..-..--. _-.---._-_--..-... 27 Damage -.-.-.----.-.-.-.----.-._..---.----....--.-.----------..---.- 31 Prevention of future damage- _-...---......---.--.--...--_....-.-..--- 32 Mohawk River flood, New York, from report of R. E. Horton....._-...--. 32 Streams and drainage basin ... ..............I....-----..,------..-.- 32 Precipitation and temperature........ ..^.........-...-........^-.... 33 Discharges ................._. _ ..............^..-....-............. 35 Damage .-__.-..._..-...-._____.. .f .______.___........._^......... 40 Grand'River flood. Michigan, from report of R. E. Horton....._.--...-.., 40 Streams and drainage basin ......... ..._..._.._..-_-__-------_._..__ 40 Precipitation and temperature._..__..........-...--.-_...-.-....--_-- 41 Gage height and discharge -----.....-...--..-..-... .....-------..-.-- 42 Damage ..^...................^,..................................... 44 Prevention of future damage.................-..-..-.--_-.-.---..---- 44 Wabash River flood, Indiana, by F. W. Hanna ...--..-...---.-.-.--..-.-. 45 Streams and drainage basin .-......--...--.--.--.-.--.._-.--...---.-- 45 Precipitation ..-....-....................-..-_..--.-._---..-.- .___. 46 Gage height.--...---...-_..---..-._..--.-.----..-.-..----.-----..-.. 47 Damage -....-.....--...--..--........-.-.-----.-_-.--.--.-..---..---- 49 Prevention of future damage...-..-.-.... r ....-...-..--...----..---- 52 Belle Fourche River flood. South Dakota, from report of R. F. Walter..__ 55 Streams and drainage basin ........-._.-.--.-.-..--..----.....- ...... 55 Precipitation --..--...--_...-.-...-....----..---...------------.-..-- 56 Gage height and discharge ...................-----.-._...-..---..---. 56 Damage .....-.-..---. ---...--........-.-_.--.----.-.------. .___..-. 58 3 4 CONTENTS. Page. Kansas floods, by E. C. Murphy...__._______-._-.......---....--.-----_.. 59 Precipitation --_-._-...__-__._ -__-__.-_--_--__.-_.-._.-----_--_--_-- 59 Kansas River flood .___..___.___________.._ .__..--.---..-----------.. 61 General statement -...-_--.-..--. __-.-_--__--_.--.--------_--_-- 61 Flood near Kansas City _-_.___-.-_.___--_---__---.---------.----- 61 Gage height and discharge --.-----------_--_---..------.----- 62 Necessary waterway ____...__._.__-_____-__--------_-_.-__-- 64 Recommendations of board of army engineers _.-___-------.-_ 65 Flood near Lawrence .__..__...-..----.--_-.- .................... 66 Flood near Lecompton___._.__. ________....-__--_--___-._.-..-- 66 Grage height and discharge _-.-.-----..------------. __-._--__. 66 Necessary waterway.___-.___-___-__..____..-._--_--_--_--_-- 68 Floods near Topeka._--_-._-.._---._--..---_...--._---------_---- 70 Gfage height - ....-.__-__-__-______-__-__-__-----_---------.- 70 Obstructions in channel --.--..-.-.-_----------.--.------_--..- '71 Flood near Manhattan ....__-._-__.._. ........................... 73 Flood near Junction ___________._.__..______..._. ............... 73 Flood near Solomon....... ......--..-.-...-.._-......-..--..---. 74 Comparison of floods of 1903 and 1904 ..............^............. 75 Damage .____----_.._,-.._.....-..--.--__.._.. ..........-..-...-- 76 Prevention of future damage... -...--..--...---....--..----..--..- 77 Neosho River floods .__._.____ ...................................... 78 Streams and drainage basin ______.__.______.--...--,-_-_..__.--.. 78 Discharge and run-off ............................................ 81 Flood near lola......................... .._.-..._..-.__-._-.--. 85 Flood near Humboldt. -..-..... -.-._..-..----.-..---..----.--.. 87 Flood near Neosho Rapids .............. ......... j............ 89 Flood near Emporia _.-__._.._...--_ ._ . ....................... 90 Flood near Chanute.. ..__----.-------------.......-.--.----.-.-- 91 Flood near Fort Gfibson .....'............................... ..... 91 Levees of Neosho County ____-____-__-_..__.__-._-__.. .......... 92 Necessary width of channel,. _-__-__-__-___-.-..------__._--_._-_- 93 Damage......... ............_......_........................... 94 Prevention of future damage _._._____ _ _____.._.__..-.._....._._- 94 Verdigris River floods __-__..___..__ _.._.-................. ...... .. ' 94 Streams and drainage basin.__.____.___.----___-_-.__-__-.-_____ 94 Discharge and run-off.._____-.______ _.......................... 96 Floods near Independence -..------_------.-------.----....-.---. 101 Flood on the lower Verdigris..-.---------------.. ._.__-_.. ...... 103 Flood in lower Fall River Valley ..--.-_----.-. .__ ^ _._____.._.__ 104 Necessary width of channel of Verdigris River ..__.__ _........... 105 Damage ..-..--.-..-.. ......__.-_.--.---.-..-_--.-_._-..__._.._ _ 106 Osage River floods.-----_.-._.-..--.-...--.---....-..----..-.---.---- 106 Stream and drainage basin-.--.--.-..---...-.....--.-..--..-...-. 106 Gage height and discharge __________.-_____.____.._.-_.-__--_-.__ 106 Damage -..-..-.--....-..-..__.--.....-..--.-.---.---.........--- 108 Prevention of future damage -_-__-__--_-----_-----_-----_-.-- _. 109 Arkansas River floods .......... .....---..-.-----....-..-............ 109 Gage height and discharge ........ -..._....--.----...-....-....- 109 Flood near Arkansas City..........._............................. 110 Flood near Wichita _....._.,......__._..-_.-_.-_....._-...._.-_. Ill Flood on Walnut River...-......_... ....-....-.......-........ 112 CONTENTS. 5 Page. Pennsylvania floods, by E. C. Murphy.-. ^................................ 113 Johnstown flood ----_.._._._--._______. .... ____._____-___-_-_-----._. 113 Robinson Run flood.....-__._ ________._-.___-- ---------- __.__ -.___. 114 Troxton Canyon flood, Arizona, by E. C. Murphy. ______ -_.__.---__--_-.. 115 Globe flood, Arizona, by O. T. Reedy...._____.._____.-.___-...__--.--_--- 118 Canadian River basin flood, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Indian Territory, from report of Frank S. Dobson and George B. Monk. ------ 120 Streams and drainage basin_-____________.___-__-_-_-__.------_.----- 121 Precipitation ..--_-._. __-.--.______________.___--.-_-_._____----.___ 123 Flood on Canadian River _.__________._____.._______.____--..._----__ 124 Flood on UteCreek... ______...______.___._..____......_____..-.-.__-. 125 Flood on Sapello River....-...-____.__._-..___-._ ................... 126 Flood on Rio Mora.-..___________--______._.__--------. .....-.---..- 127 Obstruction of streams......---..........-.........-....-.....-..---- 128 Damage. _.-.-_--_--_.___._-.. ....................................... 128 Pecos River basin flood, New Mexico, from report of Frank S. Dobsoii .... 130 Streams and drainage basin..................................... .... 130 Precipitation _____-._____________.._________.._.______._______--__---- 131 Flood on the Pecos................................ ..-.-.-..-.-.-..--.. 133 Flood on Gallinas River -____--..-.__..____-______--___.-----.-_--- 138 Flood on Hondo River ___---___._________._.____.-___._.--..._-___--. 139 Damage ^ .................. __._______.___.__.____..__.____--....___. 140 Prevention of future damage.............._...................._....- 141 Failures of Lake Avaloii dam near Carlsbad, N. Mex., by E. C. Murphy.... 141 Rio Grande floods, New Mexico, by E. C. Murphy ........................ 143 Precipitation ----..____._-.-..__.__.__.__-.__.__-.---.__---_-----_-.- 143 Flood in southern New Mexico. ....\...............^................. 143 Flood in northern and central New Mexico ....----.-.-__.-_---_--_.-- 148 . Damage ........................... ____.___._.________.___._--..__.. 149 Floods in the Denver district, by M. C. Hinderlider and assistants......... 150 Review of year _.__-_______._______._.._.____._____.-_______----____. 150 Introduction.......__....-..........__._.... .................... 150 Flood stations .........................................._..-...-.. 151 Cause of floods..._.._..._....