notable local floods of 1942-43 · (a) flood of august 4-5, 1943, in central west virginia, by h....

Notable Local Floods of 1942-43

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1134

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1952

CONTENTS

The letters in parenthesis preceding the titles are those used to designate the separate chapters]

Page

(A) Flood of August 4-5, 1943, in central West Virginia, by H. M. Erskine. 1(B) Floods of July 18, 1942, in north-central Pennsylvania, by William S.

Eisenlohr, Jr________________________________________________ 59

ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATE 1. Map of West Virginia showing location of points where flooddeterminations were made__________--_-_--__-_-_-_--__-_ 48

2. Map of flood area showing locations of stream-gaging stations, rainfall-measurement points, and isohyetal lines for July 17-18, 1942-____-___________________-___-______--_-_-____- In pocket

FIGURE 1. Map of West Virginia showing location of Little KanawhaRiver basin_________________________-__-__--_-_---_-_ 2

2. Residence of Yeager family, which was flooded. ____________ 53. Residence, near Heaters, which was washed dowiistream_____ 64. Washed-out railroad bridge on Copen Run _________________ 65. Washed-out fill on State Route 5 at Jobs Run______________ 76. Rock and mud deposit from a hillside wash________________ 77. Typical sand and gravel deposits__________________________ 88. Typical hillside erosion_____________________-_____-__--__ 89. Cornfield destroyed by flood. _--_____________-__-__-_-__- 9

10. Isohyetal map of Little Kanawha River basin showing totalrainfall July 26-30, 1943__________________--_-____--- 10

11. Isohyetal map of Little Kanawha River basin showing totalrainfall August 4-5, 1943__ ______________-___-_--__--__ 13

12. Discharge hydrographs at stream-gaging stations on LittleKanawha River July 26 to August 9, 1943_ ______________ 18

13. Discharge hydrographs at stream-gaging stations on tribu taries of Little Kanawha River July 26 to August 9, 1943__ 19

14. Map of Little Kanawha River basin showing location of pointswhere determinations of flood discharge were made_______ 30

15. Relation of unit discharge in Little Kanawha River basinto size of drainage basin-__-_----__-_-_-_--_-_--------- 31

16. Flood profiles of Little Kanawha River____________________ 3417. Business section of Burnsville during flood of April 16, 1939-_ 3718. Part of flooded section of Glenville during flood of April 1939__ 3719. Isohyetal map of Little Kanawha River basin showing total

rainfall April 14-18, 1939__-_-_-_--________________ 3820. Hourly precipitation at recording rain gages April 14-18,

1939________________________________________________ 39

CONTENTS

Page FIGURE 21. Graph of daily mean discharge of Little Kanawha River at

Grantsville, March 26 to April 25, 1939-______________ 4022. Stages reached by floods exceeding 23 feet at Glenville,

1901-43^ __ __________________-_-____-____-___ 4223. Monthly distribution of floods exceeding 23 feet at Glenville,

1901-43-______________-____-_--------____-_-_-_-_-__ 4524. Recurrence interval of floods on Little Kanawha River at

Glenville, 1901-43-_______________________-__. 4525. Relation of unit discharges in table 9 to size of drainage

basin______________________________________________ 4826. Index map showing location of flood area __________________ 6027. Dam of Williamsoii Pulp & Paper Co., Austin, Pa., breached

by flood. _____________________________________________ 6128. Buildings in Austin, destroyed by flood____________________ 6229. Houses in Johnsonburg, Pa., swept off their foundations and

pushed together.___________________----_______-_---__ 6330. Bridge of Coudersport & Port Allegaiiy R. R. damaged by

flood.______.__-____---__-_____-----_-_-_____ 6331. Baltimore and Ohio R. R. tracks along First Fork Sinnema-

honing Creek torn up by flood ________________________ 6432. Questionnaire used for recording miscellaneous rainfall infor

mation ______________________________________________ 7333. Upstream end of debris cone on Taylor Farm, formed during

flood.-__---___-______-_---_-____--_____________ 7634. Blow-out hole near Port Allegany_________________-_-_____ 7735. Distribution of rainfall at recording-gage stations___________ 8236. Relation between percent of total rainfall and minimum

time required for its occurrence------------------------- 8737. Glass jar, on Appolt farm, that overflowed after catching

30.8 inches of rain_ -___-____________---_______-_----__ 11538. Old and new drainage channels on Appolt farm near Port

Allegany___________________________________________ 11839. Upper critical-depth section on Taylor farm________________ 11940. Slope-area reach on Nelson Run__________________________ 12041. Bridge opening on Allegheny River at Port Allegany used for

contra cted-opening measurement _______________________ 12142. Comparative hydrographs of flood flows in Susquehanna and

Allegheny Rivers drainage basins. ______________________ 12243. Flood discharge, in second-feet per square mile, in relation

to drainage area______________________________________ 144

o

^lood of Vugust 4-5,1943 n Central Vest VirginiaH. M. ERSKINE

h a Summary of Flood Stages and Discharges in West Virginia

OTABLE LOCAL FLOODS OF 1942-43

iOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1134-A

spared in cooperation with the CorpsEngineers and the State of

irginia

ITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1951

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Oscar L. Chapman, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

W. E. Wrather, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price 40 cents (paper cover)

CONTENTS

Page

Abstract- _ ________-----__-___--_--_--_----____-___---_-_____-_--__ 1[ntroduction_ _____________________________________________________ 1Administration and personnel-__----__---_-_____---___-_-_-_-______- 3Acknowledgments- _________________________________________________ 3Description of the storm and flood___________________________________ 4Rainfall __________________________________________________________ 9Flood discharge ___________________________________________________ 15

Measurement of flood discharge _________________________________ 15Discharges at gaging stations during the flood period_______________ 17

Little Kanawha River near Burnsville___-_____-___--_____-___ 20Little Kanawha River at Glenville___________________________ 21Little Kanawha River at Grantsville_________________________ 22Little Kanawha River at Palestine,__________________________ 24Leading Creek near Glenville_______________________________ 25Steer Creek near Grantsville________________________________ 26West Fork Little Kanawha River at Rocksdale________________ 26South Fork Hughes River at Macfarlan______________________ 27Hughes River at Cisko_____________________________________ 28

Summary of flood discharges.___________________________________ 29Flood crests_____________________________________-_----_-----_--_-_ 33Previous floods,________________________________-__-_--_----___-__- 35

Floods prior to April 1939--------------___--------------------- 35Flood of April 1939_______________.__________________________ 36

istribution and frequency of flood events__-_______-_--__---____--_-_ 42Summary of flood stages and discharges in West Virginia.______________ 46Literature cited___________________________________________________ 49Index____________________________________________________________ 57

ILLUSTKATIONS

Page PLATE 1. Map of West Virginia showing location of points where flood

determinations were made__^_____________________Facing 48FIGURE 1. Map of West Virginia showing location of Little Kanawha

River basin.__________________________________________ 22. Residence of Yeager family, which was flooded____-____--_-_ 53. Residence, near Heaters, which was washed downstream _____ 64. Washed-out railroad bridge on Copen Run________________ 65. Washed-out fill on State Route 5 at Jobs Run_______________ 7-6. Rock and mud deposit from a hillside wash.-_-_-----_----_-- 77. Typical sand and gravel deposits ______ ______________---_-- 88. Typical hillside erosion_______________________-_--___----- 89. Cornfield destroyed by flood_____________________-__-____- 9

in

IV CONTENTS

FIGURE 10. Isohyetal map of Little Kanawha River basin shoeing total rainfall July 26-30, 1943._-._____ _______________

11. Isohyetal map of Little Kanawha River basin showing total rainfall August 4-5, 1943 _ _______________

12. Discharge hydrographs at stream-gaging stations 011 Little Kanawha River July 26 to August 9, 1943_ __________

13. Discharge hydrographs at stream-gaging stations on trib utaries of Little Kanawha River July 28 to August 9, 1943_

14. Map of Little Kanawha River basin showing location of points where determinations of flood discharge were made___ ___

15. Relation of unit discharge in Little Kanawha River basin to size of drainage basin_ _______________ _

16. Flood profiles of Little Kanawha River_____________________17. Business section of Burnsville during flood of April 16, 1939_ _ _18. Part of flooded section of Glenville during flood of April 1939 _ _19. Isohyetal map of Little Kanawha Fiver basin showing total

rainfall April 14-18, 1939 _____________ _____20. Hourly precipitation at recording rain gages April 14-18, 1939- _21. Graph of daily mean discharge of Little Kanawha River at

Grantsville, March 26 to April 25, 1939_ __________________22. Stages reached by floods exceeding 23 feet at Glenville, 1901-4323. Monthly distribution of floods exceeding 23 feet at Glenville,

1901-43___ __________________________24. Recurrence interval of floods on Little Kanawha River at

GlenviUe, 1901-43 ______________________25. Relation of unit discharges in table 9 to size of drainage basin. _ _

TABLES

TABLE 1. Daily precipitation July 20 to August 6, 1943, at stations in and adjacent to Little Kanawha River basin._____________

2. Hourly precipitation August 4-5, at recording gages. ________3. Miscellaneous measurements of precipitation August 4-5_____4. Summary of flood discharges in Little Kanawha River basin__5. Flood crests reached by major floods at points on Little Kanawha

River_ _______________________________________________6. Daily precipitation April 5-20, 1939- ___________________7. Summary of crest stage and discharge, precipitation, runoff,

and retention at gaging stations for the flood of April 15-17, 1939.____________________ _________________

8. Recorded flood-crest stages at stations on Little Kanawha River _9. Maximum known flood stages and discharges in West Virginia. _

NOTABLE LOCAL FLOODS OF 1942-43

FLOOD OF AUGUST 4-5, 1943, IN CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA

Bv H. M. ERSKINE

ABSTRACT

During the night of August 4-5, 1943, a violent, thunderstorm of unusual intensity occurred in parts of Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, Ritchie, and Wirt Counties in the Little Kanawha River Basin in central West Virginia. Pre cipitation amounted to as much as 15 inches in 2 hours in some sections. As a result, many small streams and a reach of the Little Kanawha River in the vicinity of Burnsville and Gilmer reached the highest stages known. Computations based on special surveys made at suitable sites on representative small streams in the areas of intense flooding indicate that peak discharges closely approach 50 percent of the Jarvis scale.

Twenty-three lives were lost on the small tributaries as numerous homes were swept away by the flood, which developed with incredible rapidity during the early morning hours. Damage estimated at $1,300,000 resulted to farm build ings, crops, land, livestock, railroads, highways, and gas- and oil-producing facilities. Considerable permanent land damage resulted from erosion and deposition of sand and gravel.

INTRODUCTION

The flood of August 4-5, 1943, in the Little Kanawha Kiver Basin in central West Virginia was of short duration and high intensity. The area affected (fig. 1) was about 50 miles long and 10 miles wide extending northwest along the major axis of the roughly diamond- shaped Little Kanawha River Basin. Many small streams in Braxton, Calhoun, Gilmer, Ritchie, and Wirt Counties reached stages much higher than previously known as a result of precipitation that amounted to as much as 15 inches in 2 hours. Little Kanawha River reached the highest stages of record in the vicinity of Burnsville and Gilmer, but farther downstream the peak stages were not exceptional. In less than one-fourth of the area of the basin was precipitation during the storm in excess of 4 inches.

Twenty-three lives were lost as a result of the flood. Although there was considerable flooding of residential property in the com munities along the Little Kanawha River, all loss of life occurred along relatively small tributaries. There in the small valleys the water rose with great rapidity during the early morning hours, car rying away many homes.

NOTABLE FLOODS OF 1942-43

FIGUEE 1. Map of West Virginia showing location of Little Kanawha River basin.

Property damages were high considering the limited extent to which the area is settled. Crops and agricultural land, farm homes and farm buildings, railroads, highways and rural roads, and gas- and oil-producing facilities suffered heavy damages. As a result of a survey conducted by its office at Huntington, W. Va., the Corps of Engineers arrived at the following summary of damages:

Agricultural lands, farm buildings, livestock, etc_______ $511, 750Urban damages___________________________________ 29, 500Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co.. ___________ _______ 566, 935State Road Commission____________________________ 158, 950Gas- and oil-producing companies ___________________ 26, 938

Total__._____________________________ 1, 294, 073

Severe flash floods, resulting from violent thunderstorms covering relatively small areas, are known to have occurred previously in West Virginia, but little or no factual information is available relative to the maximum rainfall and its intensity or to the maximum rate of discharge from the small areas affected. Notable among previous floods of this general type in West Virginia are the floods on Cabin

FLOOD OF AUGUST 4-5, 1943, IN WEST VIRGINIA 3

Creek and Coal River in Kanawha and Boone Counties during August 1916, when 40 lives were lost and the estimated property damage was $5,000,000, and the floods on Paint Creek and Armstrong Creek in Fayette and Kanawha Counties during July 1932, which caused the loss of 19 lives and property damage estimated at $1,000,000 (Congressional Doc., 1935).

The outstanding features of this flood made it appear highly de sirable that factual information relative to it and the storm that produced it be collected and assembled in report form. Accordingly, the Geological Survey undertook to make special determinations of the peak discharges by means of slope-area measurements based on surveys at the most favorable sites available on representative small streams in the most severely flooded areas. The selection of these sites was coordinated closely with the data on rainfall that were assembled soon after the storm.

Although there were several regularly operated precipitation sta tions in the storm area, none of these were in the localities where the rainfall was intense. The wide variations in rainfall over relatively small areas made it essential that additional records be obtained to define accurately the amount and distribution of precipitation.

Representatives of the Corps of Engineers, the Weather Bureau, andthe West Penn Power Co. made a thorough investigation of the areasoon after the storm and interviewed many local residents regardingertinent features of the storm. Numerous miscellaneous records ofainfall were thus obtained from the amount of water collected inails, tubs, jars, and other containers that were uncovered and in the

open during the storm.It is the aim of this report to bring together in suitable form the

data collected during those special investigations and the data collected at regular gaging and precipitation stations.

ADMINISTRATION AND PERSONNEL

This report was prepared in the Water Resources Division of the Geological Survey under the general administrative direction of G. L. Parker, Chief Hydraulic Engineer, until his death on February 12, 1946, and since that time by his successor, C. G. Paulsen. The field and office work was performed and the original report prepared by H. M. Erskine, district engineer, Charleston district, assisted by his staff. Hollister Johnson, hydraulic engineer, reviewed the compu tations of peak discharge.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The general stream-measurement program in West Virginia at the time of the flood and during the subsequent investigation was carried on by the Geological Survey cooperating with the Corps of Engineers,

4 NOTABLE FLOODS OF 1942-43

and with the State of West Virginia through its Geological and Eco nomic Survey, Public Service Commission, Health Department, and Water Commission. Acknowledgment is made to those cooper ating agencies and also to the Weather Bureau and to J. E. Stewart, hydraulic engineer, West Penn Power Co., who furnished much valua ble material and many helpful suggestions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE STORM AND FLOOD

The heavy rainfall of August 4 to 5 and the resultant floods were caused by a large supply of convectively unstable, moist, tropical maritime air, transported from the general region of the Gulf of Mexico, which released its potential energy with explosive violence upon interaction, with a cold air mass that had m.oved into the area from the northwest. Storms of this type are limited to the hot sum mer period and are characterized by intense rainfall, accompanied by thunder and lightning. This general type of storm is described in considerable detail elsewhere (Eisenlohr, 1951).

The U. S. Weather Bureau (1943) has described this storm as follows:

Thundershowers, mostly of short duration, occurred about dusk on August 4, throughout the Little Kanawha River Basin. However, these showers were locally heavy in the Burnsville-Copen area. They were followed about 3 hours later by record-breaking rains accompanied by one of the worst, if not the worst, electrical storms of record. The excessive rains began to fall in the McFarlan- Girta area about, lip. m., August 4, and progressed southeastward into the Salt lick Creek Basin where the excessive rains began about 1 a. m., August 5. These rains continued in most places for from 1 to 2 hours and were generally continuous, although quite a number of persons reported brief slackenings of the hard rains. There were two main peaks of excessive rainfall, one over the Burnsville-Copen- Cedarville area and the other over the Nobe-Brohard area.

The resulting flood developed with incredible speed and, coming as it did at night on the tributaries, gave no opportunity for warning the people residing along the normally small streams. The violence of the storm and the roar of the streams awakened many in time for them to seek refuge on higher ground. However, many were either not awakened in time or, if awake, did not realize the danger and re mained in their homes, which in many cases were destroyed by the onrushing waters. Eight persons were drowned in the vicinity of Heaters on the O'Brien Fork Saltlick Creek, eight in the vicinity of Copen 011 Copen Run (fig. 2), five at Girta on Island Run, and two above Tanner on Tanner Creek. Of these 23 who lost their lives more than half were small children.

The area affected by the flood ranges from hilly to mountainous, with elevations varying from about 600 to 1,500 feet except for a few points in the southeastern part where elevations in excess of 2,000

FLOOD OF AUGUST 4-5, 1943, IN WEST VIRGINIA

2. Residence of the Yeager family where six persons perished during the flood. The house was swept V> mile down Copen Run and came to rest in the creek bed. Courtesy of Corps of Engineers.

feet are reached. The hillsides are generally steep, the valleys narrow, and the profiles of the tributary streams moderately steep. Heavy showers had fallen over most of the area during the week preceding the flood. These circumstances tended to produce a situation favorable to high rates of runoff.

The principal tributaries that had high rates of discharge the highest stages known to local residents were Saltlick Creek, Copen Run, Cedar Creek, Tanner Creek, Laurel Fork, Yellow Creek, and Leatherbark Creek. At Burnsville, Little Kanawha River reached a crest stage about 25 feet above extreme low water and 0.5 foot higher than the flood of March 1918, which had been the highest of record. At Gilmer, the 1918 maximum was exceeded by 0.1 foot. At Glenville, the crest stage was 30.73 feet compared to 33.6 feet in November 1926, which is the highest of record. The crest stage became lower as it advanced downstream.

The water-supply system for the town of Burnsville was put out of operation. Other municipal supplies were not affected but two- thirds of the wells in the flood area were reported contaminated by the flood waters. Emergency water-purification measures and public clinics for immunization against typhoid fever were promptly set up under the general direction of the State Health Department. The Red Cross and Civilian Defense workers were active in assisting with relief and rehabilitation work.

Probably the largest single property damaged by the flood was the 10-mile length of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co. tracks between Heaters and Burnsville where six railroad bridges in the Saltlick Creek basin were destroyed, much track washed out or moved, and

945369 51 2


the roadbed generally damaged. (See fig. 3.) About 5 miles"fof track along Copen Run between Copen and Gilmer were extensively damaged and out of operation for 11 days. (See fig. 4.) The pri mary State highways in the flood area closed temporarily because of slides and inundations and the washing out of small bridges and fills (fig. 5). Detours were provided where needed spon after the flood

FIOUEE 3. Residence near Heaters, which with its four occupants was washed a mile down O'Brien Fork of Saltlick Creek and lodged on a displaced section of railroad track. Courtesy of Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co

FIGURE 4. Washed-out railroad bridge on Copen Run. Courtesy of Corps of Engineers.


FIGURE 5. Washed:out fill on State Route 5 at Jobs Run about 10 miles below Glcnville. Courtesy ofCorps of Engineers.

receded. The secondary road system suffered severely with many miles of roadway and dozens of small bridges and culverts completely destroyed.

Agricultural property was heavily damaged. In addition to the many farm homes and buildings demolished or badly damaged, much tillable land in small valleys was permanently damaged by erosion along the creek banks, the washing of topsoil from the cultivated bottom lands, and the depositing of heavy deposits of sand and gravel which came down every small run in great quantities (figs. 6, 7). The

FIGURE 6. Rock and mud deposit from a hillside wash. This wash drains about 2 acres in Right Fork Saltlick Creek basin. The man is standing at site of five-room house that was swept away by flood. Courtesy of Corps of Engineers.


cleared hillside land, used mostly for grazing purposes, was frequently cut by deep gullies. Large slides and blow-outs were common. (See fig. 8.) There were many instances where hillside pastures lost at least one-third of their cover of sod as a result of these actions.

'-*"-** "* ^ '^'fc, *£- * ^ **"-" *x ~°"~ K**' ^^'Sfe ; "s 8"* ^ * ^JI j»"

mFIGUBE 7. Typical sand a?id gravel deposits. Kight Fork Saltlick Creek basin.

FiotT KE 8. Typical hillside erosion. Right Fork Saltlick Creek basin.

FLOOD OF AUGUST 4-5. 1943. IX WEST VIRGINIA 9

The crops on the lowlands, particularly corn, hay, and garden truck, were almost a complete loss. (See fig. 9.) Many farmers faced the necessity of selling their livestock owing to the resulting shortage of feed.

Residential and business property in Bumsville and low-lying sec tions of Glenville suffered materially from inundation, but no lives were lost. Ninety percent of Burnsville was inundated during the srest of the flood. Gas- and oil-producing companies suffered dam ages to pipe lines, rigs, compressor stations, and company buildings.

FIGURE 9. Cornfield destroyed by flood. Right Fork Saltlick Creek. Courtesy of Corps of Engineers.

RAIN FALL

Precipitation had been high in central West Virginia during the latter part of July. Heavy rainfall July 28-30 resulted in high stream flows, particularly in the upper reaches of Little Kanawha River. Fhe data of precipitation as recorded at Weather Bureau stations in md adjacent to Little Kanawha River basin during the period July 20 to August 6 are given in table 1, and the locations of the stations ire shown in figure 2. Figure 10 also shows, by means of isohyetal .ines, the total rainfall during the period July 26-30.

Although light thundershowers occurred generally over the flood irea during the late afternoon of August 4, the downpour producing the flood did not begin until several hours later. In the northwestern part of the area the intense rain began about lip. m., while in the southeastern section it did not begin until about 1 a, m., August 5. Flie heavy rain continued for about 2 hours with little slackening. Although there were no recording precipitation gages in the areas where the rainfall was most intense, there were several near by. The

TA

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E 1.

Da

ily

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943,

at

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Lit

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Riv

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Sta

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g. 1

0)

Cai

ro'..

. ..

.

July

20 .14

21 Tr.

1.11

22 0.44 .52

.95

.52

.65

.45

.60

.46

.30

.44

.42

.32

.63

2324

25 0.10 .02

.05

.22

26 0.39 .72

.63

.96

1.10 .27

1.67 30 .15

.82

.84

.33

.54

.52

1.31

27 0 19

28 0.71

.6

71.

541.

602.

501.

761.

311.

771.

221.

95 .70

1.27 .12

1.44

29 2.33 .68

.27

1.68

1.15 .55

.80

1.58

3.20

1.21

1.10

30 0.70 .22

.02

1.52

1.46 .29

2.90

*.0

2.2

9.5

0

31

August

12

3

0.20 .45

Tr. .55

.48

.13

.10

.08

.16

4

1.20 .65

.21

1.33 .64

.77

.80

1.34 .47

1.18 .22

.94

.93

.90

5

2.55

2.40

1.65 .97

3.70

2.

45 .03

.03

.63

1.61 .67

1.65

6 Tr. .01

Tot

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for

stor

ms

July

25

-30

4.13

3.

19

3.46

3.

26

3.87

5.

36

5.59

2.

91

2.17

7.

25

2.11

5.

19

2.37

3.

46

3.85

Au

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4-5 2.

55

2.40

1.

65

.74

1.17

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70

2.45

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1.61

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.

43, IN

WEST

VIRGINIA


records obtained from them are indicative of the distribution of the rainfall with respect to time and are in substantial agreement with the testimony of local residents in the storm area. The hourly precipita tion at the recording gages during the storm period is listed in table 2.

TABLE 2. Hourly precipitation, in inches, for storm of Aug. 4~5, 1943, at recording gages

[From U. S. Weather Bureau. Eastern Standard Time]

Hour ending

Aug. 4

c

I::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::8_.____ - _-, ___-910 ___-_ __ 11_ ____________

Aug. 5

23_______-_______________ -__4 . _________ _ ______5 . __________________________

Total ______________ __

Freeman s- burg

0.02.41

.11. 16

0.74

Gassaway

.43

.03

1.17

Macfarlan

0.01.04

.663.70

r>9

.01

.02

5.03

Parkers- burg

0.02.07.01

.82

.06

0.93

Smithburg

0.02

.29

0.31

Stump- town

A 01

.02

61.03

.01

It was apparent soon after the storm that the areas receiving the most intense rainfall were relatively small and were so scattered that the records for the regular precipitation stations did not give the com plete picture. Accordingly, soon after the flood, field parties visited the area where intense rainfall was indicated and made a search for quantitative data. Thus, rainfall measurements were obtained at 118 additional points. The location of these points, amount of rain fall measured, and remarks regarding the reliability of each record are given in table 3. Figure 11 is an isohyetal map based on all available records for the storm.


945369 51-

14 XOTABLE FLOODS OF 1942-43

TABLE 3. Miscellaneous measurements of precipitation during storm of Aug. 4-5,1943

[Measurements taken from miscellaneous gages and from containers other than gages]

Measurement No.

4 ---------

6 _- -_

8 __ - - _ 9 ___ _-

11- ----------------------

13-- --- -

17__ -- -----

19-- - --- --------

21 - - - - - - - - -

25-- - 26_-__ ----------------2728--- ------------------9Q

30-__ ------------------31._ - - 32 _-__--- _ __--__---33 34 - _ _35--

37____----- - -----------------38-- 39-_ - ---------40- -- - ---------

47 -.-_ 48_ ---------------------49 50

52 -___- __--_____-_ ---______53 54 .55--

59 60_-------__ __-___.__-_ - --61 62__ 63 64-- -- .65- 66-.

OS- 69 70 -- _-

7973.- . . 74

Location

Latitude

39 01 11 39 02 04 39 02 08 39 01 31 39 02 32 38 55 21 39 04 32 39 03 53 39 00 49 38 59 44 38 59 36 38 58 15 38 57 50 38 58 43 38 59 03 38 55 30 39 01 23 39 00 38 39 01 12 38 59 02 38 55 05 38 51 31 38 50 13 38 50 42 38 50 08 38 50 08 38 52 15 38 52 10 38 50 02 38 47 12 38 52 35 38 47 47 38 49 23 38 47 23 38 49 59 38 52 59 38 51 35 38 51 31 38 47 52 38 48 5R 38 54 57 38 51 36 38 52 07 38 53 07 38 53 45 38 54 09 38 46 03 38 54 24 38 54 38 38 53 40 38 50 15 38 46 00 38 50 52 38 47 23 38 48 24 38 45 38 38 50 46 38 49 49 38 46 22 38 44 31 38 45 02 38 44 25 38 43 21 38 47 24 38 48 33 38 42 03 38 45 02 38 44 54 38 44 54 38 51 26 38 47 15 38 48 21 38 47 06 38 47 59

Longitude

81 13 33 81 10 39 81 10 34 81 10 31 81 10 00 81 07 51 81 05 42 81 05 26 81 05 03 81 04 41 81 04 17 81 03 08 81 02 31 81 02 23 81 02 16 81 00 44 80 59 38 80 59 07 80 57 38 80 50 31 80 51 50 80 51 05 80 49 35 80 49 10 80 49 07 SO 48 54 80 48 44 80 48 13 80 48 02 80 48 00 80 47 59 80 47 24 80 47 18 SO 46 21 80 40 13 80 46 12 80 45 57 80 45 44 80 45 42 80 45 21 80 45 10 80 44 59 80 44 43 80 44 41 80 44 18 80 44 15 80 44 09 80 44 09 80 44 08 80 43 49 80 43 47 80 43 46 80 43 35 80 43 18 80 43 13 80 43 04 80 43 03 80 42 33 80 42 31 80 42 28 80 42 23 80 42 10 80 42 07 80 41 58 80 41 54 80 41 49 80 41 48 80 41 44 80 41 44 80 41 31 80 41 19 80 41 19 80 41 JO 80 41 -" 0

Elevation (feet above

msl)

800 930 950 880 800 710 700 840 900

1,020 1,020

960 1.080 1, 100 1, 100 1,100

960 880 900 750 760 860 800 820 900 900 860 860 840 870 920

1,050 800 960 880

1,175 830 890 88C 860 720 800 830 750 850 740 890 830 770 760 860 920 830

1, 040 970 940 850 960 950 975 950 990

1, 075 1,110

980 975 940

1,020 1,100

800 1,130

950 1,180 1.020

Rainfall (inches)

'5. 5 9.4 8.0 4.5

2 2.0 5.0 5.5

10.4 6.0+ 5.0

= 2.0 9.4+

10. 5+ 6.8+ 9.5

2 2.0 6.0 6.8+ 8.1+ 5.1

13.0+ 0.1 6.0 7.0+

10.4 6.5 7.2 4.5 4.9 6.9+ 9.2 4.5 5.3 6.4 7.8+

13. 0 5.3 5.0 4.7+ 6.5+

10.8 6.4

11.0 + 5.4 3.1 3.6 6.1

15.0+ 5.2+ 7.0

1 9.3 7.0 7. 1 8.0 9.0

9! 99.4+

10.5+ 4.6

4 7.0 5.0 3.8 9.2+ 8.0 5.0 8.5 7.0+ 6.1+

10.0+ 5.0 6.9+ 4.8 9.2-4-

Estimated accuracy of measurement

Fair. Good.

Do. Fair. Good.

Do. Do. Do.

Fair. Do.

Good. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do.

Fair. Good.

Do. Do.

Fair. Reliable. Good. Fair. Good. Fair. Good. Fair. Good.

Do. Do.

Fair. Good.

Do. Do. Do.

Fair. Good.

Do. Do.

Fair. Good. Seems too low. Questionable. Good. Fair. Good.

Do. Do. Do.

Fair. Good.

Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. D


TABLE 3. Miscellaneous measurements of precipitation during storm of Aug. 4~5,1943 Continued

Measurement No.

76_-__-___-___________.________

78--- -- -- - --- -_79 ____ _____ _____ _____ __80_-____ ___ _________________81______________-______________8283_- .- -_.__ _-84_ ____________________________85___________________________-_86_ - _ _87 _________________ _______ __88_ ____________________________89_____________________________90_______-_____________._____._91_-_____,____ ____________ _._92 ___________ ____ ____ __93.- -__- _94____________ _____ __________95_- __ -96_--____-_-__-___________-__-_97____________ _____________ ._98_---___- -- -99_________ _____ _____________100----------- _____________ __101___________ ________________lC2_--___----________ _________103___ ________________________104-_____-___-_______________._105- --_- __ 106107-- - -108--_____-_-__________- ___ __109- ___ ____110-____ _____ ____________

112__ 113--____----___---__________-_114___________________ _____ __

117____ _ _ _ ___ ______nS- -

Location

Latitude

38 49 46 38 43 41 38 48 39 38 51 41 38 51 36 38 48 10 38 47 48 38 47 54 38 45 21 38 51 31 38 45 40 38 43 55 38 51 41 38 51 03 38 45 45 38 46 41 38 46 25 38 48 45 38 45 43 38 50 41 38 48 23 38 51 18 38 52 18 38 49 38 38 49 38 38 45 51 38 49 21 38 48 57 38 50 33 38 50 33 38 49 05 38 52 50 38 47 00 38 50 45 38 50 51 38 45 58 38 45 53 38 46 12 38 46 12 38 44 56

38 46 02 38 48 02 38 48 02

Longitude

80 40 52 80 40 52 80 39 56 80 39 45 80 39 46 80 39 37 SO 39 37 80 39 28 80 39 18 80 39 17 80 39 16 80 39 14 80 39 12 80 38 56 80 38 33 80 38 26 SO 38 15 80 38 06 80 38 04 80 37 33 80 37 07 80 37 02 80 36 58 80 36 54 80 36 54 80 36 48 80 36 47 80 36 46 80 36 44 80 36 44 80 36 43 80 36 39 80 36 34 80 36 34 80 36 28 80 36 09 80 35 53 80 34 02 80 34 02 80 33 44 80 32 48 80 31 31 80 29 54 80 29 54

Elevation (feet above

nisi)

790 1, 160

800 800 800 870

1,080 980 890 780 910 980 880 780 880 820 950 960 920 780 840

1,010 810 740 740 860 820 820 790 800 850 850 900 820 825 820 900 785 785

1,225 825 980

1, 025 1,025

Rainfall (inches)

12.5 7.9+ 8.5+ 5.3 7.6+ 3.3 7.2+ 6.2 4.2 8.9+ 5.5 4.6

14.8 10.0 6.0 6.9+

3 12^0 4.8

10.3+ 10.0+ 6.5 4.4 3.5+ 5.4 6.2 9.6+ 5.0 6.4 5.8+ 9.3+ 4.7 5.5 6.1+ 6.7 6.2 6.5 4.9 4.6 9.5 7.6 7.8

8 8.0 8.0

Estimated accuracy of measurement

Good. Do.

Fair. Good.

Do. Questionable. Good. Fair. Good.

Do. Fair.

Do. Do.

Good. Do.

Fair. Good.

Do. Do.

Fair. Good.

Do. Fair.

Do. Do.

Good. Fair.

Do. Good.

Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do. Do.

NOTE. Where the record is incomplete owing to overflowing of the container, the total amount is followed by +. All measurements include the fall from a shower or showers that occurred about dusk 011 August

4,1943, and it is estimated that this fall did not exceed 1 inch at any place.1 Approximate.2 Considerably plus.

3 Slightly plus. * Estimated.

FLOOD DISCHARGE

MEASUREMENT OF FLOOD DISCHARGE

The usual method of determining stream discharge at gaging sta tions is by the application of the stage-discharge rating to the stages recorded. The rating is defined by current-meter discharge measure ments through as much of the range between the extremes of low and high water as is practicable.

Many difficulties are encountered when attempts are made to obtain current-meter measurements at high stages, particularly at


gaging stations on the relatively small and flashy streams. Impass able roads resulting from slides, debris deposits, washouts, and inun dation; washed-out or inaccessible bridges or cableways from which measurements are usually made; huge quantities of drift in the water; and very swift and turbulent flow as well as rapidly changing stage are among the obstacles encountered. When it is impracticable 01 impossible to obtain current-meter measurements upon which to base the upper end of a rating, it must be extended upward on the basis of special studies.

Information on flood flows may be desirable at points other than at the regular gaging stations. This is particularly true of flash floods resulting from intense rainfall over relatively small areas as in the flood of August 1943. Although it is usually impossible tc determine the total flood runoff at such points, a reasonably accurate value for the peak discharge may be computed where field conditions are favorable. The methods employed in determining the maximurr discharges given in this report are: Extension of rating curves at the gaging stations, computation of flow by the critical-depth method computation, of flow through contracted openings, and computatior of flow by the slope-area method. A brief statement concerning each of these methods is given below; fuller descriptions are giver elsewhere (Corbett and others, 1943, pp. 98-108).

Extension oj rating curves. This method is based essentially on th( shape of the upper part of the rating curve as defined by current meter measurements and a knowledge of the channel conditions anc other pertinent factors that may affect the shape of the rating above the highest measurements. Logarithmic plotting with suitable ad justments for overflow areas and other factors that may affect th< channel capacity at high stages is frequently used.

Critical-depth method. This method has limited usage as it depend; on the flow at the selected section being under critical-depth con ditions. Proof that this condition prevailed usually depends upoi an independent determination of peak flow by other methods, there fore it is generally used in conjunction with determinations made b;j some other method.

Contracted-opening method. Computations using this method ar< based on the conversion of head into velocity while the flow is passing through a restricted section of the channel such as a narrow opening between bridge abutments.

Slope-area method. This method has the widest application t( conditions as they are usually found in natural streams. It was usex in computing peak discharges at all but one of the sites where specia


discharge determinations were made for this flood. The computa tions were based on the Manning formula.

The slope, area of cross section, and hydraulic radius were computed from data obtained by field surveys soon after the flood had subsided. Where necessary, owing to the relative difference in conveyance properties, the cross sections were divided into appropriate parts and a value of n assigned to each. Where cross sections were reason ably uniform, one value of n was assigned to the entire section. The value selected for n in each case was arrived at on the basis of the Geological Survey's background of experience gained through flood studies involving channels of various types and through reference to engineering texts and manuals dealing with the subject.

DISCHARGES AT GAGING STATIONS DURING THE FLOOD PERIOD

Records of stage and discharge for the flood period at the nine gaging stations in operation in the Little Kanawha River Basin are given on succeeding pages. These records consist of a station description, a table giving the daily mean discharge during July and August 1943, and a table showing the gage height and discharge at indicated time in sufficient detail to permit reasonably accurate plotting of the hydrographs during the flood period. The station description gives informa tion regarding the location of the station, the drainage area, the character of the gage height and discharge records, the maximum during the flood of August 1943, and the greatest known flood prior to 1943. The table of gage height and discharge at indicated time is omitted for the stations on Leading and Steer Creeks because com plications due to backwater prevented the computation of discharge with sufficient accuracy to warrant this refinement. Where backwater or other factors affected the normal stage-discharge relation, notation of the special methods used is made under "Discharge records."

In nearly all cases the stage-discharge relation is fairly well defined by current-meter measurements, up to the maximum for the August 1943 flood. Slope-area measurements have been used to aid in defining the upper ends of the ratings for the stations in the Hughes River Basin. Water-stage recorders functioned satisfactorily at all stations during the flood period. At noiirecording stations the gage readers rendered excellent service by obtaining special gage readings, which made it possible to construct accurate hydrographs for the flood period. Figures 12 and 13 are hydrographs showing the discharge of Little Kanawha River and its tributaries during the period July 26 to August 9.

DISCHARGE, IN THOUSANDS OF SECOND-FEET

.10 SCOOTS


LITTLE KANAWHA RIVER NEAR BURNSVILLE

LOCATION. Lat. 38°49'25", long. 80°35'35", at bridge on State Highway 5, 0.1 mile downstream from Knawl Creek and 4 miles southeast of Burnsville, Braxton County. Datum of gage is 756.09 feet above mean sea level (levels by Corps of Engineers).

DRAINAGE AREA. 155 square miles. GAGE-HEIGHT RECORD. Water-stage recorder graph except for period 9 a. m. to

4 p. m. July 30 for which a graph was drawn based on a floodmark. DISCHARGE RECORD. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measure

ments up to 6,500 second-feet and extended above. Gage heights used to half-tenths between 3.5 and 4.6 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

MAXIMA. 1943: Discharge, 7,370 second-feet 1 p. m. July 30 (gage height 17.62 feet from floodmark); 7,290 second-feet 6. a m. Aug. 5 (gage height, 17.46 feet).

1938-42: Discharge, 9,200 second-feet Feb. 3, 1939 (gage height, 19.04 feet,observed at crest).

The flood of Mar. 13, 1918, reached a stage of 19.7 feet, from floodmark (dis charge about 9,800 second-feet).

Mean discharge, in second-feet, 1943

Day

1_. ....2_______3 ..4_._____

6_______78__.____

July

69 52 41 38 35

134 84 69

Monthly mean c Kunoff, in inches

August

510 288 177 308

5, 050 1,180

495 282

Day

10 ....11_______12 ______

15 16

ischarge, in second-i

July

146 9357 44 76 93 76 62

August

172 121 106

75 107 447 705 408

Day

1718 ______19_______20__.____

22 ______23. _ ____24___.___

July

4252 54 45 34 38 78 50

August

495 300 177 115 80 64 53 44

Day

25 26 ______27_______28_._.___29___..__30_-__.__31__._.__

July

36 517 619

1,120 2,280 5,190 1,560

416 3.09

August

37 33 50

147 104

61 46

395 2.94

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1943

Hour

July 26:

f>

45 ______6_________

8 _ _9 ________10_ ______!!______ _Noon____

2_. ______ 34 ________56

8 ______ .9 ._____-

Gage height

1.581.581.571. .571.56L55

1.752.123.154.204.77

5.11 4.904.624.484.755.105.305.35

Discharge

34

3332

4488

342650830

920 860770

830

995

Hour

Julu26 Con.

!!________12___ ____

46 --__-_

10_ ____Noon_.__6 p. m____ 12 _

July %&:

2_-____ __34 ____ ___5

7 _ _

Gage height

5.385.405.43

5. 34 5.004.70

3! 953.48 3. 17

3.123.08

3.02

5.507.15

Discharge

1,010

890800710

435 348

323314306

1,0401.600

Hour

JulySS Con. S_ 9 ____..___

!!________

2 p. m. _

68 ___ _..10___-____12

July Z9:

8 ________

4_ ___ ___6__ ______8 ________10____._ _12

Gage height

7.787.94

7.436.985.82

5.415.457.158.46

9.30 9.839.869. as9.248.678.008.87

Discharge

1,840

1.6701,5301, 130

1,0101,0101,6002,070

2,360 2,5602.6002,4802,3202,1201,8402,200


Gage height, in feet, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1943 Con.

Hour

July 30: 2 a. m ...4 ____6___._____8 _ __10- -_-

9

4

8 ______10___ ____12________

6 a. m____

12__ _____.4«jj. i:

6 a. m____ Noon. ___ 6 p. m _ 12________

.4u0. 2;Noon. ___ 12 p. m_ _

Gage height

9.7013.7814.3215. 5016.617.517.6217.516.72

14.6013. 4012.17

8.46 6.175.224.52

4.02 3.70 3.49 3.30

2.96 2.76

Discharge

2, 5204,6204,9405, 7406,5707,2907, 3707,2906, 650

o, 1304, 3803, 700

2,040 1,210

945735

585 495 432 375

221

Hour

Aug. 3:

12 p. m__

2 a. m ___4 ____6________-8 __ _____10---

3 ______4_________

6________.

8 ______9__ __ _10-- !!________12__._____

Aug. 5: 1 a. m____ i

:._ _ 4 _____ ._

Gage height

2.572 52

2.552.582.64

2.783.123.273.333.373.37

3.27 3.243.213.293.824.15 4.52

4.74 8.10

15. 60 17.08

Discharge

172

167174189208227323

384395398

366 358349372525630 735

795 1,8805, 810 6, 970

Hour

Aug. 5 Con. 5 6

8____ _____9 10 11 ____

9 _ 12______ __

Noon____

12

4 p. m____ 12________

Aug. 8: Noon-_-_ 12 p. m___

Aug. ft:

12 p. m_

Gage height

17.4017.4617.4317.3517.2317.0416. 7816.4715. 07

11.209.40

4.764.28

3.823. 55 3.29

2.94 2.74

2.552.40

Discharge

",2107,290",210",210",0506, 8906, 7306, 4905,460

3,1902,400

1,3001,000

825675

525450 372

271 216

167133

LITTLE KANAWHA RIVER AT OLENVILLE

LOCATION. Lat. 38°56'00", long. 80°50'20", at highway bridge at Glenville, Gilmer County, and about 1,000 feet upstream from Sycamore Run. Datum. of gage is 697.79 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912. Auxiliary gage on highway bridge at mouth of Leading Creek, 2.7 miles downstream. Datum of auxiliary gage is 700.23 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912.

DRAINAGE ABBA. 386 square miles.GAGE-HEIGHT RECORD. Water-stage recorder graph at the base gage. Graph

drawn based on four readings a day of the auxiliary staff gage from 6 -a. m. July 29 to 3 p. m. July 31 and 8 a. m. Aug. 5 to 6 p. m. Aug. 6.

DISCHARGE RECORD. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measure ments for entire range of stage. Gage heights used to half-tenths between 3.5 and 5.5 feet; hundredth? below and tenths above these limits. Stage-fall- discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements for entire range of stage, used during periods of backwater from Leading Creek 6 a. m. July 29 to 3 p. m. July 31 and 8 a. m. Aug. 5 to 6 p. m. Aug. 6.

MAXIMA. 1943: Discharge, 17,300 second-feet 6 p. m. Aug. 5 (gage height30.73 feet).

1915-22, 1928-42: Discharge, 20,400 second-feet Apr. 16, 1939, from graph of discharge adjusted«for changing stage; gage height, 33.22 feet Apr. 17, 1939, from floodmarks.

The flood of Nov. 16, 1926, reached a stage of 33.6 feet; discharge not deter mined, but probably less than that of Apr. 16, 1939.



Day

1 .2__3-4 5. 6.. - -7 _.__8 .

July

114 83 56 44 41

292 256 138

Monthly mean <3 Runoff, in inche

August

911 426 262 318

13, 000 8,670

984 474

Day

910 11 12- _. .13_______14_ 15 ......16 -

ischarge, in second-3

July

172 136 90 70 88

132 98 70

August

296 208 167 146 118 302 770 578

Day

17 18. 1920 21

23 24

July

65 69 83 75 65 56 69 96

August

1,400 560 308 204 150 120

98 80

Day

25 26 27 28 29 30 31 .

feet.-.--------.--..--.-----.-.-.------------.--.-.

July

75 333

1,060 1,970 5,500 7,400 6,090

803 2.40

August

70 59 61

215 229 142 94

1,014 3.03


Honr

July 26:

10 _ ._

Tttlti 9V*

6a. m____

12

July 28:2 a. m .4 . 6. __ . _

10- _ Noon. _2 p. m____4_ .- 6 _ _8- __ 10 ___ ...12 ...

July 29: 2 a. m__.-4 .6_ ____8 .10

2 p.m.... 4_ ___ ...6 ___ _810 __12 .

Gage height

. io

. OU 9 on

2 ne

6 OK

5.704.92

4.174.05 4.805.48 6.627.809.28

10.6211.5511.72

11.22

11.90

14.90

16.8017.2317.4817 Q7

17.00

15.7316.19

Discharge

72184

1,0201,430

1,2801,100

542508 770

1,020 1,4301,8802,4302,9403,3503,3903 0 en

3,4704 10A

5 OKA

6 OCA

6,600

5,7705,270

Hour

July 30:

46 S10_ _ ...Noon2 p. m . .4. _ _6_ ____ .810- __

July ol:

4 .... __6_ ___ ...8- __ ___10_. _ ...

6 p. m__,_ 12

4 a. m_ _8. ___ ...Noon _6 p. m- 12-

12p. m_._ Aug. S:

Aug. 4:6 a. m ....Noon____6 p. m _ 12 ...

2-- q

Gage height

16.82

18.5018.9519.3419.7220.0520.3220.5520.67

20.4620.0619.5018.62I/. oU 12.55 7.57

6.055.425.004.524.20

3.45

O. AA

3.163.403.48 5.53

9 on

15.66

Discharge

6,050

7,2507,5807,8308,1008,4008,5908,790S Qftft,

8,7008,5008,0207,310

3,7701,800

1,210988840665560

410 320

224

237305329

1,020

2 47ft

5,3107,440

Hour

Aug. 5 Con. 4-- _. 5..-- ..

8-.- 9-.--.10-- 11- ...Noon. _2 p. m___.4 -.-

8-. .10- 12-

Aug. 6:2a. m. _4-.. 6-.- 8 10-. ..Noon. _

4

10-. 12

Aug. 7.

Noon_ _ 6 p. m..._ 12-.---. .

12-_.--.._Aug. 9:

12 p. m...

Noon _

Gage height

21.0722.6823.9824.9825.8426.5927.4428.1928.8229.8530.51

30.6830.2529.73

29.0028.05 26.9025. 51 24.0022.17

17.9515.50

10.70ft fiO

5.08 4.62 4.34

4.12

3.743.60

3 07

3.19

3.052.93

Discharge

8,78010,000n ftAft

12,00012,20013, 00013,90014,60016,20016,900

16,40015, 700

14,60013,500 12,20011,000 10, 1009,0307.820 6,800

4,0302 ncn

877 700 612

525

365

296245

208180

LITTLE KANAWHA KIVER AT GRANTSVILLE

LOCATION. Lat. 38°55'20", long. 81°05'50", at bridge on State Highway 16 at Grantsville, Calhoun County, about 1,200 feet downstream from Philip Run. Datum of gage is 652.83 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912.

DRAINAGE AREA. 913 square miles.GAGE-HEIGHT RECORD. Water-stage recorder graph.DISCHARGE RECORD. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter meas-


urements. Gage heights used to half-tenths between 8.0 and 11.0 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

MAXIMA. 1943: Discharge, 23,700 second-feet 10:30 p. m. Aug. 5 (gage height,34.95 feet).

1928-42: Discharge, 34,300 second-feet Apr. 17, 1939 (gage height, 43.10 feet).


Day

12 ____3 4 _______5__ ......8__...___78 ---..

July

288 172 126

99 112 156 571 380

Monthly mean Runoff, in inche

August

2,920 810 530

1,340 17,900 20,500 5,750 1,330

Day

11

1415... ....16 .

discharge, in seconc;

July

367 428 239 156 126 158 184 140

August

899 644 512 422 467 374

1,070 1,370

Day

17. _----18 19_ __

2223 -24. _...._

July

110 99 94

108 106 101 101 112

August

2,800 1,470

776 512 330 264 201 167

Day

26 .27.---..OQ

29. ______3031 .

l-feet.

July

128 119 738

1,820 8,530 9,970 9,700

1,146 1.45

August

148 170 343 467 593 422 259

2,121 2. 68


Hour

July 26: 2 a. m. _Noon.-_-12 p.m.-

July %7:2 a. m_ ... 4_----..-_6S... ......10 - -

468 10 12 .

July 28: 2 a. m 46 8 -10

46 . 8.. -------1012 -_-__

July %9:

2p.m_ 46 8 10 12

July 80:2 a. m .... 46 -8 10

8

Gage height

6.966.936.87

6.87 6.866.866.888.509.84

10.0310.029.969.869.769.63

9.50 9.359.489.389.52

10.1310.7111.3211.8312.7513.9215.30

18.2019.5019.96 20.3820.7020.8229.8020.62

20.46 20.4620.6020.7420.8520.9121.0021.08

Discharge

131124

110 108108112

1,1801,290

1,2401,1801,1301,080

1,000 925

1,000950

1,020

1,6702,0402,3703,0603,8805,020

7,6308,8009,250 9,6109,8809,9709,9709,790

9,700 9,7009,7909,8809,970

10,10010,200

Hour

JidySO-Con. 12.

July 31:

8 Noon

8 -----12

8

12

12 p. m Aug. &:

6 -

12

4 --------6 8 10

2 p. m_ 4 --- _

810 12

Aug. S: 1 a. m__ .- 2 3 4_ 5 6 78

Gage height

21.18

21 2321.2321.03 20.5119.50n QQ

15.6613.35

9.68

8.68

8.358.308.258.20

8.358.28

8.749.589.879.83

9.8510.33 10.7810.9410.9310.9010.85

11.00 16.2017.8520.70

25.9027.5028.70

Discharge

10,300

10,30010,200

8,8007,270

5,3803,500

1,4001,100

790645

512495478460495512495

6651,0501,1801,1801,1001,1801,460 1,7301,8201,8201,7901,760

1,850 5,8307,2709.880

12,70014,80016,30017,500

Hour

Avg. S-Gon. 9 ........10

1 p. m--_

345 6 7

9

12 Aug. 6:

2 a. m 4

810

8 -12__

46_- ----

10 .-Noon . - - -

8.--. .-19

Noon..__ 12 p. m___

Aug. 9:Noon.---12 p.m.-

Aug. 10:

Gage height

29.5530.3031.0031.6032.10 32.7033.2233.7534.1034.4034.62

34.9034.9434.95

34.75 34.5034.1333.7033.10

30.6028.35OK 4C\

23.6521.8519.9017.9516.0014.40 12.3011.5211.15

11.00 10.45 9.93

9.519.16

8.898.63

Discharge

18,30019,00019, 70020,30020, 800 21,40021,90022,50022,80023,10023, 30023, 50023, 60023,60023,70023,600

23,500 23,20022,80022,40021,80021, 10019, 30017,20014,300

12,60010,9009,1607,4505,6504,240 2,5801,9901,790

1,330 1,080

878737

644560

SUPPLEMENTAL RECORD. Aug. 5, 10:30 p.m.,gage height, 34.93 feet; discharge, 23,700 second-feet.


LITTLE KANAWHA RIVER AT PALESTINE

LOCATION. Lat. 39°02'00", long. 81°24'20", in lower pool at lock 4 at Pales tine, Wirt County, 0.9 mile downstream from Reedy Creek. Datum of gage is 596.075 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912. Auxiliary water-stage recorder in upper pool at lock 3, 5.5 miles downstream from lock 4. Datum of gage is 590.51 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912.

DRAINAGE AREA. 1,510 square miles.GAGE-HEIGHT RECORD. Water-stage recorder graphs. Record from auxiliary

gage used during periods of no backwater from Ohio River.DISCHARGE RECORD. State-discharge relation defined by current-meter measure

ments up to 18,000 second-feet and extended above. Stage-fall-discharge

Mean discharge in second-feet, 1943

Day

!________o

4

6

S

July

417 375 3262S3 276 464

1, 030 730

August

7,040 1,900

784 12, 200 21, 600 14,901)

3, 000

Day

910___ _

12 _ __ _

14 ______15_- ____16______-

Monthly mean discharge, in second- Runoff in inches ______ ______

July

5384S1 378309 264 2-0210

August

1, 3209H8776 661051 820 798

1, 100

Day

17__ ____18 __----19 _ _20 ______

22 ____23 ____ _

July

205 246222186 155 165 158 141

August

2,430 2,7601,400

907 46fi 363 283 234

Day

25_______26 ______

28 ____

30__.____31_ _____

feet. ___ _-_____ ___

July

181 644 329 877

9,800 10, 300 9,400

1,288 0.98

August

182 346 475 707 743 798 440

2.640 2.02

Gage height, inject, and discharge, in second-feet, at indicated time, 1943

Hour

July 26: 4 a. in8 ________Noon___ 2 p. m____4 _6810________12_-______

July 26:

4__ _ ___ 6 ______ _8

6 ________8_________

12_- -July 27:

12p.m___July 28:

8. ________

12July 29:

4a.m____8 .

Gage height

9. 50A K9

9.50 9.48 9.479.47

Q Kf)

10.20

10.40 10.2410.1210.08

10.1510.08 10.049.98

9 769.67

9.9710.40

11.07

12.75 13. 9514.6814.98

Discharge

162

162 155 152152162

880 697KQ1

655

609547

QO.Q252

458880

1,970

5, 950 9,400

1 1, 50012,500

Hour

July "29 Con.

12July SO:

12p.m _

8 a. m_ _

12

12

Noon____

4 a. m____8 ________Noon____ 2 p. m_ _ 4_________6_8 ________

12. _ -_._Aug. 5:

2 -A. m____ 46______ _8_

Gage height

15.1014.87

14.4314.1814.01

13. 9513. 88

13. 58 12.9011.90

11.1410.74

10. 32

10. 20 10.2010.26 10.29 10.3010.3210.35

11.36

12. ff. 13. 3713. 9014.65

Discharge

12, 200

10, 60010, 0009,400

9,4009,100

8.230 6, 340

2,1101,3701,010

784 676

655 655718 750

784820

1.2202,580

5,690 7,6709,100

11,200

Hour

Aug. 5 Con.

10________Noon 6 p. m___ 12__ ... _

AUQ. fi:2 a. m__ _4fi8 ____ 10- Noon

4__ _ fi _810_ ___ __

i 12

8 a. m____

12 _ _ _Aug.*:

12 p. m___ Aug. 9:

12 p. m_ _Aua. 10:

12 p. m___Aug. 11:

Noon 12 p. m__.

Gage height

15.1415. 38 15.77 16.45

16. 6216. 9817. 1817. 3417.4817.56 17.6017.6217.6017. 5517.47

16. 45 15.0013.22

11.3210.70

10. 4810.33

10.2210.12

10.069.98

Discharge

13, 900 15. 300

21, 200

22, 400 22, 400

22, 40022, 000

17, 600 12, 5007,130

2,4901,300

984796

676581

530 466


relation defined by current-meter measurements up to 25 feet and extended above. Gage heights used to half-tenths between 11.5 and 13.0 feet; hun dredths below and tenths above these limits.

MAXIMA. 1943: Discharge, 22,400 second-feet 4 p. m. Aug. 6 (gage height 17.62 feet).

1939-42: Discharge, 40,500 second-feet Dec. 30, 1942 (gage height, 27.5 feet, from graph based on gage readings).

The flood of April 17, 1939, reache.l a stage of 32.25 feet, from floodmarks (discharge, about 53,000 second-feet).

LEADING CREEK NEAR GLENVILLE

LOCATION. Lat. 38°57'45", long. 80°52'05", 200 feet upstream from Big Run, 1.4 miles above mouth, and 1% miles northwest of Glenville, Gilmer County. Datum of gage is 700.23 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912. Auxiliary gage is at site of abandoned highway bridge at mouth 1.3 miles downstream. Datum of auxiliary gage is same as base gage.

DRAINAGE AREA. 144 square miles.GAGE-HEIGHT RECORD. Base staff gage read twice a day to hundredths. Graphs

drawn based on all available gage readings July 5-10, 27-31, Aug. 4-7, 14-15, 27-28. Auxiliary staff gage read four times a day July 29-31 and Aug. 5-6; graphs drawn based on all available readings for these days.

DISCHARGE RECORD. Stage-discharge relation defined by current meter-measure ments up to 5 feet. Gage heights used to half-tenths between 2.5 and 4.0 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits. Stage-fall-discharge relation defined by current-meter measurements between 5.0 and 24.0 feet, and used during periods of backwater from Little Kanawha River, July 29-31 and Aug. 5-6.

MAXIMA. 1943: Discharge, about 3,500 second-feet 8:00 p. m. Aug. 5 (gage- height, 24.1 feet, observed at crest).

1938-42: Discharge not determined; gage height, 27.5 feet Apr. 17, 1939.REMARKS. Gage heights given in the paragraph on maxima are affected by

backwater from Little Kanawha River.


Day

1_ 23 -4_. ______

8 _______

July

18 11 6.7 6.7

21 160 90

104

Monthly mean c Runoff, in inche

August

139 64 34

456 1,420 2,130

323 92

Day

9_ --_-_.10. 11.. . 12. -----13 ..14 -15 16 --

ischarge, in seconc3

July

202 94 36 22 15 12 9.4 7.9

August

62 45 34 26 24 30 77 43

Day

17 --18__ ____19_ ____20 21 _22__ ____23 ____24 ______

July

7.0 7.3 7.9 7.9 9.7

32 16 14

August

65 64 34 22 18 15 13 12

Day

25 26 27 28 _29 30__ ____31

-feet. _ - ___ - -_ -

July

H8.2

36 426

1,170 1,150

681

142 1.14

August

11 9.9

20 206

58 29 19

180 1.45


LOCATION. Lat. 38°51/45", long. 81°02'05", at highway bridge 500 feet up stream from Rush Run, 2.2 miles above mouth and 5.5 miles southeast of Grantsville, Calhoun County. Datum of gage is 678.00 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912. Auxiliary gage is the water-stage recorder at Grantsville (see page 22).

DRAINAGE ABEA. 166 square miles.GAGE-HEIGHT HECOBD. Water-stage recorder graphs.DISCHARGE RECORD. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter meas

urements up to 6,000 second-feet and extended above. Gage heights used to half-tenths between 4.6 and 6.5 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits. Stage and discharge ratios of the base and auxiliary gages were used in computing discharge for periods of backwater from Little Kanawha River Aug. 5-7.

MAXIMA. 1943: Discharge, 5,580 second-feet 1 p. m. Aug. 5; gage height 18.72feet 3 p. m. Aug. 5.

1938-42: Discharge 12,400 second-feet Apr. 16, 1939; gage height 28.15 feet Apr. 16, 1939, from graph based on gage readings.

REMARKS. All gage heights given in the paragraph on Maxima are affected by backwater from Little Kanawha River.


Day

19

3 _ ---_4 ......5- -6

8 -----

July

32 17 11 8.6

12 34 50 36

Monthly mean d Runoff, in inche,

August

80 49 35

119 3,070 1,060

162 84

Day

9 .10 _._.11 .12_. . ,13-..-..14. ,15.... 16..--..

ischarge, in second-

July

34 17 11 8.6

32 44 22 13

August

54 42 61 50 80

148 169 193

Day

1718 19 20 21 22_._. ___2324.

July

9.1 8.0 9.3

12 8.6 6.8

17 19

August

471 114

56 40 32 26 20 17

Day

25 26 ...27 28 . 29 30_- _31

feet

July

10 13 17

186 1, 260

401 169

01 K.

0. 57

August

16 107 150 143 60 40 30

219 1.52

WEST FORK LITTLE KANAWHA RIVER AT ROCKSDALE

LOCATION. Lat. 38°50'35", long. 81°13'20"', at highway bridge about 50 feet downstream from Henrys Fork, 800 feet downstream from Rocksdale, Cal houn County, and 9 miles southwest of Grantsville. Datum of gage is 657.85 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912.

DRAINAGE AREA. 205 square miles.GAGE-HEIGHT RECORD. Wire-weight gage read to hundredths twice a day.

Graphs drawn based on all available readings July 5-9, 27-31, Aug. 3-8, 12- 18, and 26-28.

DISCHARGE BECORD. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measure ments up to 12,000 second-feet. Gage heights used to half-tenths between 5.8 and 7.6 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

MAXIMA. 1943: Discharge, 1,100 second-feet 3 p. m. Aug. 5 (gage height 9.72feet from graph based on gage readings).

1928-31, 1938-42: Discharge 20,200 second-feet Apr. 16, 1939 (gage height 30.3 feet, from floodmarks), from rating curve extended above 13,000 second- feet.



27

Day

1 ---_2- -.--..3 4 - 5 6 .7 8 . .

July

39 24 17 15

121 212 154 238

Monthly mean Runoff, in inche

August

90 61 45

193 640 348 148 80

Day

9 ._10 --

13_ _14- ..,.

16

lischarge, in second-s

July

144 57 35 26 20 18 17 15

August

51 42 38 32

182 115 119 170

Day

17 18 .

21 -22 23 ..24..- .

July

12 11 14 11 9.6

10 9.3

12

August

510 150

70 44 3225 22 19

Day

25 26

28. 29 .-.30 31

feet --

July

10 9.3

23 831

2,980 634 210

192 1.08

August

16 55 85 47 30 21 15

113 0.63


Hour

July 26 1 a. m-.._

12-. July 27:

12_ .___July 28:

6 a. m__._

2 p. m 4 ------6_ 810 12- .

July 29:2 a. m__ _. 4.- .6 8--

Noon

12

Gage height

5.08 5.05

5.095.30

5.40

5.305.55

6.25 7.508.10 8.809.94

14.213.5

13.314.215.416.916.715.6 12.49.8

Discharge

9.2 8.0

9.620

25

2034

96 3625437S5

1,180

3,1402,780

2,680 3,1403,4804,830

3,960 2,2301,140

Hour

July SO 6 a. m _

Aug. 2: Noon_ 12 p. m __

Aug. 3:

8-..----.Noon

8

2 a. m_ 4- -----6

Gage height

8.75

7,75

6.90

6.00

5.85 5.76

5.655 70

6.106.757.35 7.306.80

6.70

7.15

Discharge

785 576448OOA

206131

9070

57 50

444247

80176320 307185

166 196267

Hour

Aug. 5 Con.

8 .10

4 6 810 12

Aug. 6: 4 a. m_ 8 Noon-...

12

Aug. 8:

12 p. m ...

Gage height

7.608.409.209.709.709.359.008.608.30

7.90 7.607.407.126.90

6.706.456.30

6.105.90

5.67

Discharge

390645925

1,1001,100

995

715610

478 390334 254206

166124102

8061

5143

SUPPLEMENTAL RECORD. Aug. 5, 3 p. m., gage height, 9.72 feet; discharge, 1,100 second-feet.

SOUTH FORK HUGHES RIVER AT MACFARLAN

LOCATION. Lat. 39°04'40", long. 81°11'25", at highway bridge 0.4 mile east of Macfarlan, Ritchie County, 0.5 mile upstream from Dutchman Run and 1.5 miles upstream from Macfarlan Creek. Datum of gage is 635.28 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912.

DRAINAGE AREA. 210 square miles.GAGE-HEIGHT RECORD. Wire-weight gage read to hundredths twice a day, more

frequently during high water. Graphs drawn based on all available gage heights on days of fluctuating stage.

DISCHARGE RECORD. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measure ments up to 6,000 second-feet and extended above on basis of slope-area measurements at 21.7 and 27.91 feet. Gage heights used to half-tenths between 4.6 and 5.4 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

MAXIMA. 1943: Discharge 11,200 second-feet at 8:45 a. m. Aug. 5 (gage height 27.91 feet, observed at crest).


1915-22, 1938-42: Discharge 11,000 second-feet Jan. 22, 1917 (gage height25.7 feet).

A flood of unknown date, but prior to 1915, reached a stage of about 29 feet,from information by local residents (discharge about 13,000 second-feet).


Day

123 _______ 45 -----6 -----

8

July

2.8 2.2 1.8 1.5 5.4

14 23 14

Monthly mean d Runoff, in inches

August

104 60 37

374 8, 5701,190

216 116

Day

9____,___10_ _--__11_______12 _13. _ _-_1415 16__ ___

ischirge, in second-;

July

9.17.6

11 10 11 7.0 4.5 3.2

August

56 45 34 3164

18175

Day

17 -18___ 1920_______21 _ - 2223 _-__24__ --.-

July

2.8 9.4

18 7.9 4.5 5.0 5.0 4.0

August

51 53 44 37 29 24 19 15

Day

2526 .- _27__ 28 . -...2930 31 -.-

est __--__ -_ - . _

July

3.4 3.7 3.2

140 1,070 1, 510

295

104 0.57

August

13 11 12 58 65 44 30

378 2.08


Hour

July "26: Noon _ . 12

12.__ ,-July 28:

6 a. m ..Noon .6 p. ni 12 __

July 39: 6 a. m____Noon -._

8. ._..12. ......

July 30:

8. .

12... ......

Gage height

3.12 3.11

3! 08

3 20

3.484.205. 006.00

6.95

8.107.859.20

8.807.406.30

Discharge

3.7 3.6

. -i

3.2

1374

246532

870

1,2701, 1501,710

9 *3nn

1,010628

Hour

July 31: Noon,.-

12-. -__..Aug. .?:

Aug. 4: 6 a. m____ Nooii-4 p. m_ __8_ ...12

2 a. m _._ 4.6 ...8 ..10 .. __

Gage height

5.00

4.104.00

4.28

4.80 5.205.456.00

15.50 23.6027.2027.9027. 8527.20

Discharge

246 150

10874

6048

00

34O/

196 300370532

2, 030

4,700 8,880

10, 90011, 20011,20010,900

Hour

Aug. -5 Con.

4- ___ _6-_ 8 10___ ____12__

Aug. 6:2 a. m. 4 __ __68--__-____10 _ _ _Noon____ 4 p. m____

Aug 7:

Aii'i. 8:

Aug. 9:

12 p. m___

Gage height

25. 9024.5022.9021.1018.7015.70

12.50 10.408.407.506.906.50 5.90

4 30

4.184.10

Discharge

10, 1009,3808,5007,5006,3004,800

3,200 2,2101,3901,060

846710 520 430

206156

11294

7565

SUPPLEMENTAL RECORD. Aug. 5, 8:45 a. m., gage height, 27.91 feet; discharge, 11,200 second-feet.

HUGHES RIVER AT CISKO

LOCATION. Lat. 39°07'45", long. 81° 17'10", 200 feet downstream from county footbridge at Cisko, Ritchie County, and 1 mile downstream from confluence of North and South Forks and 4J-2 miles south of Petroleum. Datum of gage is 605.35 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912.

DRAINAGE AREA. 453 square miles.GAGE-HEIGHT RECORD. Staff gage read to hundredths twice a day, more frequently

during high water. Graphs drawn based on gage readings on daj^s of fluctuat ing stage.

DISCHARGE RECORD. Stage-discharge relation defined by current-meter measure ments up to 21 feet, extended to 27.5 feet on the basis of slope-area measure-


ments at 24.5 and 27.5 feet. Gage heights used to half-tenths between 3.5 and 4.8 feet; hundredths below and tenths above these limits.

MAXIMA. 1943: Discharge, 17,800 second-feet noon Aug. 5 (gage height, 24.5feet, from floodmark).

1915-22, 1929-31, 1939-42: Discharge about 25,700 second-feet Jan. 22, 1917 (gage height, 30.25 feet).


Day

E

8-_- -

July

10 9.48.4 9.4

58 110 40 41

Monthly mean c Runoff, in inches

August

307 173 120 537

12, 600 3,190

502 292

Day

B . _ 10____-__11 ______12_______13___.___14_______15___.___16.

ischarge, in second-

July

45 85 45 33 18 23 20 16

August

196 133105 85 74 84

353 208

Day

17_______ 18 ______19 .20_______21_______22^_-___23_______21 _____

July

17 215

51 35 22

25 22

August

133 142 142

93 66 49 36 35

Day

25 ______26_______27_______28______29_ _30______31______

feet___________________________________ _ _ ___________

July

18 16 18

164 1,440 2,150

652

175 0.45

August

31 24 22 29

104 94 69

646 1.64

Gage height, in feet, and discharge, -in second-feet, at indicated time, 1943

Hour

July 26: 1 a. m ___

6 p. m __._ 12 p. m___

8 ___ _ ._ 10 Noon _ _ _ 4 p. m____8____-___12

July 29:

4 _______

8 ________

6

10- 12- -----

Gage height

2.52

2.62

2.512.47 2.90

3. 654.25

4.30 4.033.82 3.50 3. 353.95

4.805.80 6.607 907 807.707.40

8.10

9.209.70

Discharge

17 16

1015 39

133277322292 221162108 86

196

450808

1, 1301 3801, 6501,6001, 4701, 5201,790

2,3702,670

Hour

July 30: 4 a. m__ 8

July 31: 6 a. m____

12 p. m___

Noon____ 12 p. m___

Aug. 3:

6 p. m _-._

Aug. 4:

46 _ _ -810

Gage height

10.10 9.648.907.90

5.60 5.204.74

4.354.03

3.83 3.75

3.503.45 3.95

4 804.844.885.005.256.20

Discharge

2,920 2,6102,200

1,170

732

434

307221

173 152

108100 196

483517587965

Hour

Aug. 5: 2 A. m_ __

0

Noon_ ___ 2 p. m ___

6 8

Aug. 6:6 a. m____ Nooii-_ 6 p. m -12-

Aug. 7:

4 p. m__._

Gage height

13.0 16.419.6

24.5 24.4

23.021.419.718.1

13.28.6 6.505.70

5.104.75

4. 304.204.10

3.953.80

Discharge

4, 900

17 20017, 800 17, 600 17 °00

13, 100

9,300

5. 040 2. 040 1,090

770

552434 385

307262234

196

SUMMARY OF FLOOD DISCHARGES

Data from all flood measurements made in the flood area are summarized in table 4. The locations of points where the discharges were measured are shown in figure 14, the number shown for each point being the corresponding number in the first column of table 4.

945369 51-


The areal distribution of rainfall during the storm of August 4-5 was such that the maximum amount of rainfall fell on only a small part of the drainage area above any gaging station. In no case did rainfall amounting to 4 inches or more fall on more than half the drainage area above a gaging station. As a result, the gaging-statioii records do not give a good indication of the peak discharges on the smaller streams whose drainage areas were wholly within the region of heavy rainfall. The general location of each peak-discharge measure ment on a small stream was selected after an examination of the region and a study of the rainfall records in order to obtain representative measurements in areas where the peak runoff rates were unusually high. It is believed that the measurements showing the highest unit- runoff rates with respect to a drainage area of given size are very close to the maximum rates that occurred on drainage areas of cor responding size anywhere in the flood area.

The maximum unit discharges, in second-feet per square mile, are plotted against the drainage area in square miles in figure 15. The

DRAINAGE AREA,IN SOU£t)E MILES

. Relation of unit discharges in Little Kanawha River basin to size of drainage basin.

numbers shown near the plotted points correspond to those in the first column of table 4 and 011 figure 14. At gaging stations where the flood of August 1943 was not the maximum known, the discharge for the maximum flood previously known is also plotted.

TA

BL

E 4

. Sum

mary

of f

lood

dis

char

ges

in L

ittl

e K

anaw

ha R

iver

bas

in,

for

the

floo

d of

Au

gu

st 1

943

CO to

No.

1 2 3 4 5 6 8 9 10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19 20

21 22

23

Str

eam

and p

lace

of

det

erm

inat

ion

Rig

ht

Fork

Sal

tlic

k C

reek

at

Gem

4___

____

_ _

____

Dra

inag

e ar

ea

(squ

are

mil

es)

155

386

913

1,51

0 39.8 5.74

1.15

3.87

5.27

144 1.

232.

8716

.1 2.42

166 1.

5120

5

210

453

Per

iod

ofre

cord

1938

-42

f 191

5-2

2 1.

1928

-43

1928

-43

1939

-43

1938

-43

193S

-43

/192

8-31

\1

938-

43

/191

5-22

\1

938-

43

[191

5-22

h

929

-31

[193

9-43

Max

imum

flo

od p

revio

usl

y k

now

n

Dat

e

Mar

. 13

,191

8 JA

pr.

16

,193

9-'

Apr

. 17

,193

9 __

___d

o___

____

_

Ap

r.

17.1

939

Apr.

16

,193

9

JApr.

16

.193

9

} o

Lla

n.

22.1

917

Gag

e hei

ght

(fee

t)

19.7

3

33. 2

243

.10

32. 2

5

27.5

28.1

5

30. 3

29.0

311.

25

Dis

char

ge

Sec

ond-

fe

et 9, 8

00

20, 4

0031

,300

53

, 000

____

____

__

12, 4

00

20, 2

00

13,0

00

25, 7

00

Sec

ond-

fe

et p

er

squar

e in

ilo 63

.4

52.8

37.6

35

. 1

74.7

98.5

61.9

56. 8

Max

imum

du

rin

g p

rese

nt

floo

d

Tim

e

Aug

. 5,

10:

30 p

. m

__._

_

Aug

. 5,

8 p

. m

_-__

____

_

Gag

e h

eig

ht

(fee

t)

17. 4

6 30

.73

34. 9

5 17

.62

24.1

18. 7

2

9.72

27. 9

1

24.5

Dis

char

ge

Sec

ond-

fe

et

7,29

0 17

, 300

23, 7

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FLOOD CRESTS

The heights reached by great floods are matters of primary import ance to be considered in planning many of man's activities. Adequate knowledge of flood heights over long periods of time is essential to the solution of problems involving the design and location of structures and works in the river valleys and also to the control of floods.

Records of the stages reached by floods in recent years are avail able at a number of gaging stations and at several miscellaneous points where floodmarks recorded by local residents have later been corre lated with sea-level datum by surveys. These data are summarized in table 5.

TABLE 5. Flood crests reached by major floods at points on Little Kanawha River

[Feet above mean sea level]

Location

Stouts Mill______-______ ______ _____

Qlenville, USGS gage __

Dekalb_ .. _

Qrantsville. USGS gage_______ ___Creston, USWB gage________________Lock and Dam 5, upper gage. _Lock and Dam 4, upper gage ________

Lock and Dam 1, upper gage. .

Miles above mouth

127.1

116.6113. 5

103.7 100.9

83.378.048.7 41.2 30.7 25.314.9 3.8

0

Elevation (in feet) of flood crests on indicated date

March 1913

________

642.1 635.0 621.7 621.3620. 9 620.5 620.5

March 1918

775.8 766.8

748.8741.7 730.4

695. 5 652.5 641.5 628.7 621.7609.9 596.9 596.8

Novem ber 1926

773. 7 764.0

741.8 731.4

692. 7 645.4 636. 6 622.8 614.6603.6 591.6 588. 9

Jan uary 19.37

722.9

686. 2 644.5 633.6 625. 4 622. 1618.4 617.0 616.7

Feb ruary

1939

775. 1 764. 0

727.4

689.8

595. 1

April 1939

774.4 765. 8 755.2 748.8 742.7 731. 0 727.4

701. 5 695. 9 654.9 643.5 629. 2 622. 5 609. 6 596.8 596. 1

August 1943

773.6 767.3 755. 9 748.7 741.3 728.5 724.0 717.0 694.4 687.8 641. 4

i 632. 8 i 619. 6

608.1 i 598. 4 1 587. 2

575.6

1 Highest gage reading, may not be the peak.

The flood profile in figure 16 was constructed from the data in table 5 supplemented by elevations at a number of other locations where the information was available for only one or two floods.

It is of interest to note in figure 16 that, although the flood of April 1939 was higher over a greater length of river than any other flood, the profile of recorded maximum stages, in the relatively short length of 127 miles, is made of sections of five major floods: March 1913, March 1918, November 1926, April 1939, and August 1943.

ALTITUDE,IN FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL

JIG sacx/M


PREVIOUS FLOODS

FLOODS PBIOB TO APRIL 1939

Several large floods have occurred in the Little Kanawha River Valley since 1900 when systematic records were started. Fairly good information is available for most of these floods but relatively little is known about the floods prior to that time. A brief description of the floods prior to 1943, for which we have some information, is given below.

April 1852. The meager information available indicates that this was probably the greatest flood on Little Kanawha River since white settlers first located in its valley. At Prices Ripple (mile 85) the river rose 38 feet above low water and at Dekalb the peak was 36 feet above low water. These points indicate stages approximately 2 feet higher than were reached in April 1939 in the section of river between Glenville and Grantsville.

September 1861. The only record is one obtained from an aged resident of Burnsville, who stated that the floods of 1861 and 1875 exceeded that of 1918. No doubt this flood in the Little Kanawha River Valley was a great flood as records for Elk River show that the greatest flood known on that river occurred at this time.

August 1875. This flood exceeded the 1918 flood at Burnsville (see above flood of September 1861); it was the greatest flood known on Middle Island Creek at Little, reaching a stage of 33.5 feet. Thus a great flood is on record on the lower reaches of the Little Kanawha River as well as in the headwaters.

February 1884- There is no evidence of particularly high stage in the upper part of the basin during this flood but there were un doubtedly high stages in the lower section owing to backwater from the Ohio River, which reached the highest stage known prior to the great flood of 1913; the stage at Parkersburg reached 53.9 feet.

July 1888. No record of this flood has been found, but the ex tremely high flood recorded in the West Fork, Tygart, and Elk River Basins indicates that a major flood probably occurred also in the upper part of the Little Kanawha Valley.

March 1913. The lowest 23-mile stretch of Little Kanawha River reached the highest known stage as the result of backwater from the Ohio River that reached a stage of 58.9 feet at Parkersburg, the highest known stage at that place. The flood was relatively small on that part of Little Kanawha River above the effect of backwater.

The Ohio River flood of 1913 is described by Horton and Jackson (1913).


March 1918. This was the greatest flood known in some sections of the Little Kanawha River valley between Grantsville and Glenville and above Burnsville. A rainfall of 4.8 inches in 24 hours was re ported at Sutton, a few miles outside the upper end of the Little Kanawha Basin. Probably 2 to 5 inches of rain fell on the basin.

November 1926, This was the highest flood of record at Glenville and in a reach of the river extending about 10 miles downstream. The rainfall for 1 day at Glenville was 3.50 inches. The heaviest rainfall was apparently concentrated near Glenville and in the Leading Creek area. The rise was quick and the runoff high.

January 1937. Moderately high floods occurred all along the river as the result of general heavy rainfall. The most severe part of this flood was in the lower reaches where backwater from the Ohio River was the principal factor, as indicated by the stage of 55.4 feet recorded at Parkersburg.

The 1937 flood is described by Grover (1938).February 1939. This flood was the result of heavy rainfall in the

headwaters of the Little Kanawha, Elk, Gauley, and Tygart River basins. A rainfall of 3.5 inches was recorded at Sutton. Rainfall was less in the middle and lower reaches of the Little Kanawha Valley resulting in a moderate flood in those sections. At the gaging station near Burnsville the stage reached was the highest recorded during the period of continuous records, exceeded, as far as is known, only by the flood of 1918.

FLOOD OF APRIL 1939

The flood of April 1939 was the greatest flood of record in sections of the river extending about 4 miles above and below Sand Fork and from the mouth of Steer Creek to Lock 3. (See fig. 16.) The maxi mum flood of record occurred in 70 of the 127 miles between the Burnsville gaging station and Parkersburg. In view of the magnitude of this flood (figs. 17, 18) and the records of precipitation, stage, and discharge available for the period, it is described in greater detail than the previous floods.

Rainfall during the period April 14-18 ranged from about 3 inches along the northern edge of the basin in the headwaters of the North Fork Hughes River to nearly 5 inches along the southwest edge in the headwaters of Spring Creek. The records for the precipitation stations in the basin and adjacent thereto are given in table 6. The isohyetal map (fig. 19) illustrates the areal distribution of the rainfall.

FLOOD OF AUGUST 4-5, 1943, IX WEST VIRGINIA 37

FIGURE 17. Business section of Burnsville during flood of April 16,1939. Stage is about 1.5 feet lower than the maximum August 5,1943. Courtesy of Corps of Engineers.

FIGURE 18. Part of flooded section of Olenville during flood of April 1939 Stage is about 2 feet belowthe crest of April 1939 flood.


The available recording precipitation gage records and the notes by observers at the standard precipitation gages indicate that the time during which there was rainfall was quite uniform over the basin. Figure 20 shows the hourly rainfall at recording gages in and near Little Kanawha River Basin. The gages at Valley Head and Weston are in the Monongahela River Basin a few miles from the boundary of the Little Kanawha Basin at its southeastern and central eastern edges, respectively. In general, light rain fell over the basin during the afternoon and evening of April 14. About midnight on the 14th steady rain began, continuing with only short interruptions until

16 APRIL 1939

FIGURE 20. Hourly precipitation at recording rain gages April 14-18,1939.

the afternoon of the 16th when the period of steady rainfall ended. Light rams were reported at some stations on the 17th and 18th.

Antecedent conditions were favorable for high percentages of runoff. Precipitation at Glenville during March amounted to 5.34 inches, 1.19 inches of which fell March 28-31. An additional 0.69 inch was recorded April 23. It may be seen from table 6 that general rainfall over the basin during the period April 6-12 ranged from about 1.5 to 2 inches with some rainfall reported nearly every day.

The maximum stage and discharge, precipitation, runoff, and re tention for each gaging station are summarized in table 7. The rainfall for each drainage area was determined from the isohyetal map (fig. 19) based on all rainfall records in and adjacent to the basin. The direct runoff was computed as the observed discharge during and following the storm minus the base flow. The method is illus trated in figure 21, showing the discharge graph for Grantsville.


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The base flow, consisting essentially of effluent from ground-water storage, is shown by the dashed line. The area between the dashed and the solid line represents the direct runoff resulting from the storm. The method used in computing the base flow and runoff is explained in detail in previous water-supply papers (Scofield, 1938, p. 4SS; Youngquist and Langbein, 1941, p. 76).

The retention, computed as the difference between rainfall and run off, ranged from 0.4 inch at Glenville to 1.0 inch near Burnsville. The average for all stations is 0.8 inch.

DISTRIBUTION AND FREQUENCY OF FLOOD EVENTS

The recorded annual maximum stage, and floods exceeding the es tablished flood stages at Creston and Glenville, are listed in table 8 for the periods of record for the gages near Burnsville, at Glenville, at Grantsville, and at Creston.

The data collected at Glenville 43 years of gage-height record and 14 years of discharge record appear to be best suited to illustrate the annual and seasonal distribution of past floods and the frequency with which they have occurred.

The recorded floods exceeding the flood stage of 23 feet at Glenville are shown in figure 22. Probably the relatively few minor floods recorded during the years 1901-12 is due to some extent to the fact that the practice of making special readings of gage height at or near flood crests was not generally in use for minor floods prior to 1913. It may be of some significance that 110 floods exceeding 30 feet were recorded prior to 1918 but during the years 1918-43 four such floods were recorded.

LU 30

FIGURE 22. Stages reached by floods exceeding 23 feet at Glenville, 1901-43.

FLOOD 'OF AUGUST 4-5, 1943, IN WEST VIRGINIA 43

TABLE 8. Recorded flood-crest stages, in feet, at stations on Little Kanawha River.

[For annual maximum flood and other floods for which the gage height was greater then 23 feet at Glenvilleor 20 feet at Crestoii]

Year

1901

1902_- -----190°

1905

1905 - -

19071907

1908

1909

1910_ -- 1910-

1912- -

-i ni o

1913__. __ - ___ _________ ___

1914___

1915-.

1916

19171917- -- 1917

1918

1918-- -

1 Q1 Q

1919- -

1920--- 1920_.

1921- 1921 _ - _

1922_ -.............. ....1922.

1923. _ _ _

1924- ._..-.... ..........1924-... .. ...-....1924 .... . -

Burnsville l

Date

Mar. 13

Gage height

19.7

Glenville =

Date

Apr. 4 Apr. 20

Jan. 27 Feb. 26

Feb. 28

Mar. 23

Feb. 9 Mar. 10 May 12

Mar. 16 Dec. 18

Jan. 9 Jan. 13Jan. 17

Feb. 7 May 10

Feb. 16May 1

Jan. 7 Jan. 19

Jan. 30

Feb. 27

Mar. 27Nov. 16

Feb. 19

Oct. 1 Dec. 18

Jan. 12 Feb. 13

Mar. 12 May 29

Jan. 29 Mar. 13 May 26

Jan. 2 June 26July 17 Dec. 7

July 25

Nov. 29 Dec. 24

Mar. 15 June 18

Feb. 2 Dec. 31

May 12

Gage height

26.8 22.0

16.2 15.0

21.1

5 11.5

12.5 26.0 23.5

16.5 17.1

23.7 20.922.1

6.3 17.5

14.5 14.5

17.515.5

22.6

15.1 19.1

22.525.5

23.9

24.0 22.0

28.2 22.5

28.527.0 22.3

22.7 32.9 29.7

27.4 23.024.0 23.9

22.323.9

24.1 26.4

22.7 22.8

23.8 23.8

26.229.7

Grantsville 3

Date

Mar.

Gage height

42.7

Creston 4

Date

Apr. 4 Apr. 20

Jan. 27 Feb. 26

Mar. 1

Mar. 24 Apr. 28

Feb. 10 Mar. 10 May 12

Mar. 16 Dec. 18

Jan. 9 Jan. 13 Jan. 18

Feb. 6 May 11

Feb. 17 May 1

Jan. 7 Jan. 19

Jan. 30

Feb. 27 July 23

Mar. 28 Nov. 17

Feb. 20

Oct. 2 Dec. 19

Jan. 12 Feb. 13

Jan. 22Mar. 12 May 29

Jan. 29 Mar. 14 May 26

Jan. 2 June 27 July 17 Dec. 7

Jan. 23 July 26

Nov. 29 Dec. 24

Mar. 16 June 19

Feb. 2

Jan. 1 Feb. 20 Mav 13

Gage height

23.5 25.8

21.9 21.7

21.5

13.0 16.0

20.0 23.5 20.0

19.518.5

16. 0 22.0 21.2

16.0 12.8

15.0 18.3

13.6 16.6

19.5

16.0 12.6

20.4 23.1

22.3

19.8 20.7

24.0 20.6

24.1 23.2 24.0

32.0 32.0 17.5

24.6 17.5 17.0 18.6

19.7 12.0

20.3 21.0

18.3 10.3

16. 4

17.8 21.8 23.8

44 XOTABLE FLOODS OF 1942-43

TABLE 8. Recorded flood-crest stages, in feet, at stations on Little Kanawha River -Continued

[For annual maximum flood and other floods for which the gage height was greatei then 23 feet at Glenvilleor 20 feet at Creston]

Year

19°51925

19°G

19271927

1929.--- -------------19291999

Burnsville '

Date

Nov.

1933 . --- . ._ -. J--

1934. - -_

1935 _---_ -----.-_---1935 ----------------

1936-- ---------------1936- -----------------------1936-------------------

1937 -.-----.--.------.----.1937.-- ------------------

1939 __ _

1940 -___ - -1940-_ -- ---

1941.- -------------------

1942 - -._--.-.-..--.-.- ___

1943-- . ------1943-- --------------------1943_ -_ -_---__

..........

..........

May 21

Feb. 3 Apr. 16

Mar. 31 Apr. 20

June 5

Dec. 30

Mar. 20 July 30 Aug. 5

Gage height

17.6

11.0

19.0 18.3

9.6 10.8

8.5

9.8

11.517.6 17.5

Glenville -

Date

Mav 12 Oct. 25

Jan. 22Nov. 16

Feb. 19 May 1

Apr. 30 June 30

Feb. 26 Mar. fi Oct. 3

Feb. 5

Apr. 1 Aug. 22

Jan. 30 Feb. 5 Mar. 17 Mar. 28

Feb. 15 Mar. 19

Jan. 7

Mar. 12 Aug. 8

Jan. 3 Feb. 15 Mar. 17Apr. 6

Jan. 23 June 22 Oct. 28

May 20

Feb. 4 Apr. 16

Mar. 31 Apr. 20

June 4

Dec. 30

Mar. 20 July 31Aug. 5

Gage height

22.5 22 2

23.333.6

22.8 21.5

19.5 19.6

19.2 23.9 23.9

16.8

14.6 18.0

26.027.8 25. 0 24.4

13.8 21.7

23.8

25.5 28.2

24.1 24.0 24.6 23.4

25.127.8 28.1

21.5

29.6 33.2

23.6 22.5

18.fi

22.2

25.5 20.7 30.7

Grantsville s

Date

Nov.

Feb. 26 Mar. 5 Oct. 3

Feb. 5

Apr. 2 Aug. 22


Feb. 15 Mar. 19

Jan. 7

Mar. 12 Aug. 8

Jan. 3 Feb. 15 Mar. 18 Apr. 6


May 21

Feb. 4 Apr. 17

Mar. 31Apr. 20

June 4

Dec. 30


Gage height

39.9

28.4 27.224.7

23.7

21.9 22.8

35.8 31.2 28.9 30.7

30.4 28.3

29.4

33.534. 7

628.0 30.4 31.8 31.8

33.4 30.1 32.1

30.0

37.0 43.1

30.3 31.2

25.5

31.6

34.2 21.3 35.0

Creston *

Date

May 12 Oct. 26

Jan. 22 Nov. 17

Feb. 20 May 1

Apr. 30 June 30

Feb. 27 Mar. 6 Oct. 4

Feb. 5

Apr. 2 Aug. 23


Feb. 16 Mar. 19

Jan. 8

Mar. 12Aug. 8

Jan. 3 Feb. 15 Mar. 17 Apr. 6


May 22

Feb. 4 Apr. 17

Mar. 31 Apr. 20

June 5

Dec. 30


Gage height

15.4 15.6

17.3 23.7

16.8 16.9

17.5 16.4

18.1 17.4 13.4

14.0

14.7 10.5

22.0 21.420.7 21.3

12.4 19.1

19.5

23.4 21.0

21.3 23.9 21.4 21.9

22.8 17.6 20.7

19.2

25.7 33.2

19.6 21.4

15.3

23.8

23.6 12.0 19.7

1 Recoids from floodmarks piior to 1938, two or more gage readings daily, 1938, 1939, and water-stage recorder charts beginning Feb. 26, 1940. Gage is 4 miles upstream from Burnsville.

2 Records from U. S. Weather Bureau prior to 1929 consisting of one daily reading, which was supple mented by special readings during floods beginning in 1913; Weather Bureau records and twice-daily gage readings by Geological Survey 1929-34, water-stage recorder charts beginning Dec. 14, 1934. All records reduced to the present gage datum.

3 Records from floodmarks piior to 1929; two or more gage readings daily, 1929-34; water-stage recorder charts beginning Nov. 21, 1934.

* Records from U. S. Weather Bureau. Gage read once daily supplemented by special readings during floods beginning in 1913. Datum of gage is 612.71 feet above mean sea level, adjustment of 1912.

3 May not be the maximum for year; no record Apr. 1 to July 11, 1904.6 Estimated from records at other stations.

FLOOD OF AUGUST 4-5, 1943, IX WEST VIRGINIA 45

The seasonal distribution of floods recorded at Glenville is shown in figure 23. Eleven of the 48 recorded floods exceeding 23 feet in the 43-year period occurred during March. The next highest in rates of occurrence were January with nine floods and February with seven.

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

FIGURE 23. Monthly distribution of floods exceeding 23 feet at Glenville, 1901-43.

No floods have been recorded in September but from two to three occurred in each of the other eight months of the year.

The frequency with which floods of various magnitudes have occurred above a base stage of 23 feet at Glenville during the period of record is shown in figure 24. The recurrence interval was computed

33

32

31

30

29

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20

19

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

1U

0RECURRENCE INTERVAL, IN YEARS

FIGURE 24. Recurrence interval of floods on Little Kanawha River at Glenville, 1901-43.


N+l from the formula r^-> in which N is the number of years of record,

and M is the relative magnitude of the event beginning with the highest as one. The trend of the plotted points indicates that floods reaching a stage of 23 % feet and discharge of 10,500 second-feet have been equaled or exceeded on an average of once a year during period of record, and floods reaching or exceeding a stage of 28 feet and discharge of 14,500 second-feet have occurred on an average of once every 4 years.

Flood-frequency studies have a very important place in establishing road-bed levels, bridge elevations and clearances, channel capacities, and in other engineering and economic problems where costs of the works must be balanced against probable damages and liabilities that are a function of the frequency of flooding. Anyone attempting to use flood-frequency data should understand its limitations. The relative shortness of the record as well as deficiencies in the application of the statistical theory tend to introduce errors, particularly in the recur rence interval for larger floods.

Much has been written on the subject of flood-frequency analysis, and several methods have been summarized (Jarvis and others, 1936). A more recent approach which is viewed with favor by some students of the subject is that presented by Gumbel (1945, pp. 833-839).

SUMMARY OF FLOOD STAGES AND DISCHARGES INWEST VIRGINIA

A summary of the known peak stages and discharges at gaging stations and at certain other points on streams in West Virginia and on its boundaries is given in table 9.

Except as otherwise noted, the discharge data given in this table are from the published reports or from the unpublished data in the files of the Geological Survey. Records of peak stage have been taken from the U. S. Weather Bureau publications in those cases where the gage-height record was collected by that agency. The records of peak stages for most of the gages at locks and dams were taken from the reports of the Corps of Engineers.

The summary includes data for practically all points on West Virginia streams where systematic records of stage and discharge have been collected for periods of a few years or more, with the exception of abandoned navigation locks and dams and certain points on Ohio River. A number of old navigation structures were aban-


doned and removed from Kanawha and Monongahela Rivers when modern locks and dams were constructed. In these cases the records are given for the present locks but not for those that were removed. Stage and discharge records for Ohio River along the border of West Virginia have been summarized only at stations where discharge records were secured. There are numerous other locations where records of stage are available. Records of flood stages for these points have been summarized in previous water-supply papers (Horton, 1913, Grover, 1937, 1938).

Different gages have been used from time to time at or near the same site at some stations. Insofar as practicable, the records have been reduced to the datum of the gage last used. The datum of the gage in terms of feet above mean sea level is given where this informa tion is available.

The period of known floods is not necessarily the same as the period for which continuous and systematic records have been collected. In many cases records of flood heights have been extended for a number of years prior to the establishment of gages on the basis of reliable floodmarks that were pointed out by local residents.

Wherever practicable, the approximate discharge for great floods outside the period of continuous discharge record have been deter mined by the extension of rating curves developed in recent years. In some oases this procedure was not applicable because of changes in channel conditions. In others it would have been necessary to extend the rating curve so far beyond the limit to which it was defined that a reasonable degree of accuracy in the result could not be assured. Under these conditions the maximum known stage is given and also the peak discharge for the greatest flood during the period of con tinuous discharge record.

The reference numbers assigned to the points listed in table 9 may be used in finding its location on the map, plate 1.

Figure 25 shows the peak discharge in second-feet per square mile plotted against the corresponding drainage area for each point where the discharge was given in table 9. Any study attempting to arrive at a probable peak discharge for a drainage basin by comparison with this chart should take into consideration the physical characteristics of the basin such as topography, shape, soil, vegetal cover, and channel conditions, as well as the drainage area.

DISCHARGE,IN SECOND-FEET PER SQUARE MILE

§o Q o o o o

«. *-V

t

8

JO SdOCTM:

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1134 PLATE 1

Gage height and discharge station

oGage height station

Miscellaneous measurement af peak discharge

MAP OF WEST VIRGINIA SHOWING LOCATION OF STAGES AND DISCHARGES LISTED IN TABLE 9 945369 O - 51 (Face p. 48)


LITERATURE CITED

Congressional Documents, 1935, Kanawha River, W. Va., Va., and N. C.: 74th Cong., 1st sess., H. Doc. 91.

Corbett, D. M., and others, 1943, Stream-gaging procedure, a manual describing methods and practices of the Geological Survey: U. S. Geol. Survey Water- Supply Paper 888.

Eisenlohr, W: S., 1951, Floods of July 18, 1942, in north-central Pennsylvania: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 1134-B. (In press.)

Grover, N. C., 1937 [1938], The floods of March 1936, part 3, Potomac, James, and upper Ohio Rivers: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 800.

1938 [1939], Floods of Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, January-February 1937: U. S. Goel. Survey Water-Supply Paper 838.

Gumbel, E. J., 1945, Floods, estimated by probability method: Eng. News-Record, vol. 134.

Hortoii, A. H., and Jackson, H. J., 1913, The Ohio Valley flood of March-April 1913, including comparisons with some earlier floods: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 334.

Jarvis, C. S., and others, 1936, Floods in the United States, magnitude and fre quency: U. S. Goel. Survey Water-Supply Paper 771.

Scofield, C. S., 1938, Quality of water of the Rio Grande Basin above Fort Quit- man, Tex.: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 839.

U. S. Weather Bureau, 1943, Monthly Weather Review.Youiigquist, C. V., and Langbein, W. B., 1941, Flood of August 1935 in the

Muskingum River Basin, Ohio: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 869.

TA

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cord

. F

rom

T

reat

ise

on

wat

er

reso

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s,

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tlan

d G

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ighl

and.

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agin

g-st

atio

n re

cord

. D

o.

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char

ge n

ot

dete

rmin

ed.

Gag

ing-

stat

ion

reco

rd.

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D

o.

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Do.

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D

o.

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D

o.

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isch

arge

not

dete

rmin

ed.

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ing-

stat

ion

reco

rd.

Do.

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char

ge

not

dete

rmin

ed.

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ing-

stat

ion

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D

o.

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ion

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rd.

Dat

um o

f ga

ge

i in

use

sin

ce 1

941

is 1

634.

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mea

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NOTABLE

FLOODS

OF

1942-43

99 100

101

102

103

104

105

106

Whe

elin

g C

reek

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in

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and

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at

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tle,

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Va,

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1918

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1918

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1913

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1913

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1915

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ms,

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. R.

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tion

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less

than

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open

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.

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Foo

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d of

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leC

O

TAB

LE 9

. M

axi

mu

m k

now

n fl

ood

stag

es a

nd d

isch

arge

s in

Wes

t V

irg

inia

Co

nti

nu

ed

No. 107

108

109

no 111

112

113

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

Stre

am a

nd p

lace

of d

eter

min

atio

n

Littl

e K

anaw

ha b

asi

n C

onti

nued

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th

For

k Y

ello

w C

reek

nea

r B

ig S

prin

g,

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a.

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t F

ork

Lit

tle

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t R

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le, W

. Va.

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uth

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k H

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s R

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a.

Hug

hes

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t C

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, W

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----

----

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t H

into

n, W

. V

a__

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_

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te, W

. V

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____

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arm

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am,

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Va_

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t C

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n, W

. V

a_ _

____

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t W

infl

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149

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9.

INDEX

Armstrong Creek flood- ______Page

3

Berry Fork.______ ___________________________ 32Burnsville, Little Kanawha River near _____ 20-21,

32,43-44

Cabin Creek flood_-______ _______ _____ _____ 2-3Cause of storm and flood _ _ _ _ _______ _ _ _ _ _ 4Cedar Creek.________________________________ 5Cisko, Hughes River at_ -------- ____ __ 2S-29, 32Coal River flood._______ ___ _ ______________ 3Copen Run__----__ -------- __ _ ___ -4,5,6,32

Damage from storm and flood ___ _____ _ ___ 2.4-9Description of storm and flood _______________ 4-9Discharge, hydrographs, at gaging stations

on tributaries. Little Kanawha River. ___________-___-___---_ 19

hydrographs. Little Kanawha River_____ 18peak, by contracted, opening method---. _ 16

by critical-depth method _____________ 16by extension of rat ing curves _________ 16by slope-area method__________- _____ 16

relation to drainage area _____ ----------- 31,48Distribution of flood events----. --__ ____ 42-46Duskamp Run __________________ ___ _______ 32

Flood, April 1852____ _ __ _______ ____ _ ___ 35April 1939_______ _____ ------ ----------- 36-42August 1875--.------ _____________ __ 35August 1916----- - ---------- ___________ 3February 1884 ___________ ___ ___ _______ 35February 1939 __ _____________ ______ ___ 36January 1937. ________ ______ ----------- 36July 1888 --------- ----------- ------ --- 35July 1932 _______ _ _ ___ ___ ___________ 3March 1913 -____ ___ __ -------------- - 35March 1918._______ __ _ ___ ___-_. _ _ _ 36November 1926 ____ -------- -------- ___ 36September 1861_________----_-------- ___ 35

Flood crests. ________________________ 33-34,41,42,43Flood stages and discharges, maximum_ ______ 32,

41, 50-56

Grantsville, Little Kanawha River at__ __._ 22-23,32, 40, 43-44

Steer Creek near. _____ ____________ _ __. 26,32Glenville, Leading Creek near________________ 25, 32

Little Kanawha River at _______ 21-22, 32, 42-45

Hughes River, at Cisko_ _-_.___________ 28-29,32Hvers Run__--__-______ _ ___________ _ _ 32

Island Run____-Page

4,32

Jobs Run.___________________________________ 7

Kanawha River drainage basin, discharge30-32

Laurel Fork __________________________________ 5, 32Leading Creek, near Glenville-_______________ 25, 32Leatherbark Creek_ ____________ _____________ 5Little Kanawha River, at Burnsville ________ 5

at Creston ____ __._-____ 43-44at Glenville._______________ ____ 21-22,32,42-45at Grantsville ________________ 22-23, 32, 40, 43-44at Palestine___________________________ 24-25,32near Burnsville__________________ 20-21, 32,43-44

Little KanawTha drainage basin, location _____ 2Little Kanawha River floods________________ 35, 3fi

Macfarlan, South Fork Hughes River at _ 27-28, 32 Middle Island Creek flood_______________.___ 35

North Fork Yellow Creek____

O'Brien Fork, Saltlick Creek_

32

4.6

Paint Creekflood____________________________ 3Palestine, Little Kanawha River at-______ 24-25, 32Precipitation, daily. _________________________ 11,41

homly- ___----_---_______________________ 12,39isohyetal map showing._______ _______ 10,13,38miscellaneous measurements-- ___________ 14-15

Retention, flood of April 1939______ __________ 41Right Fork Saltlick Creek___________________ 7,8,32Rocksdale, West Fork Little Kanawha River

at-----------------------_ ---_ 26-27,32Runoff, direct, flood of April 1939_____ _____ 41

Saltlick Creek _______ __ _________ __________ 5,32South Fork Hughes River, at Macfarlan. _ 27-28, 32 Spruce Fork_.______________ ______ __________ 32Steer Creek, near Grantsville ____-__--_-_____ 26, 32

Tanner Creek______________________________ 4,5,32Topography of aren __ _____________________ _ 4-5Trace Fork_.________ ______________________ 32

Walker Run--___-__----_ -------------- 32West Fork Little Kanawha River, at Rocks-

dale___-_ ------ ----- ---- 26-27.32

Yellow Creek. _______ ___ _____ __ -_______-- 5,32

57