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W. B. No. 52B 
 
 Issued December 81, 1913 
 
 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
 
 WEATHER BUREAU 
 C. F. MARVIN, Chief 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913 
 
 IN THE 
 
 RIVERS OF THE OHIO AND LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEYS 
 
 Bulletin Z 
 
 by 
 ALFRED J. HENRY 
 
 Professor of Meteorology 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1913 
 

Issued December 31, 1913 
 
 U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
 
 WEATHER BUREAU 
 C. F. MARVIN, Chief 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913 
 
 IN THE 
 
 RIVERS OF THE OHIO AND LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEYS 
 
 Bulletin Z 
 
 BY 
 
 ALFRED j/ HENRY 
 
 Professor of Meteorology 
 
 WASHINGTON 
 
 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
 
 1913 
 
 u I 
 
.PU US' 
 
 o; of o, 
 
 WAR 4 5914 
 

 LETTEE OF TRANSMITTAL. 
 
 United States Department of Agriculture, 
 
 Weather Bureau, Office of the Chief, 
 
 Washington, D. C, October 2, 1913. 
 The honorable the Secretary of Agriculture. 
 
 Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith a report on the disastrous floods of March and 
 April, 1913, in the States of Ohio and Indiana"; also of the resulting floods in the Ohio and 
 lower Mississippi Eivers, together with tables and illustrations appertaining to the same. This 
 report has been prepared by Prof. Alfred J. Henry. 
 
 I recommend its publication as Bulletin Z of the Weather Bureau. 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 C. F. Marvin, Chief of Bureau. 
 Approved. 
 
 B. T. Galloway, Acting Secretary. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Letter of transmittal 3 
 
 Acknowledgments _ 9 
 
 Floods in the Ohio River. 1870-1913 11 
 
 The Basin _ H 
 
 Contributing causes H 
 
 During the last 40 years 12 
 
 By groups 14 
 
 Individual floods before period of systematic observations 14 
 
 Floods of the later period . . . . 14 
 
 Recapitulation of floods in the Ohio during the last 40 years. T5 
 
 Ohio and Mississippi floods of January, 1913 ] 5 
 
 The origin of the March, 1913, flood , _ \q 
 
 Precipitation 16 
 
 Excessive precipitation in Ohio 16 
 
 The flood in the Ohio River, March, 1913 24 
 
 In the headwaters. 24 
 
 The discharge of the Ohio at Parkersburg, W. Va. 25 
 
 From Cincinnati to Louisville . . 26 
 
 From Louisville to Cairo 26 
 
 Daily river gage readings in tributaries March 22-29, inclusive, 1913 27 
 
 Previous floods in the Ohio River 29 
 
 Comparison of 1884 and 1913 floods 30 
 
 Precipitation, flood of 1884 31 
 
 Are floods in the Ohio increasing 33 
 
 Secular variation of precipitation ; _ 34 
 
 Floods in the Ohio River by 15 and 20 year periods 36 
 
 Conclusions as to flood frequency 36 
 
 Probable maximum flood at Pittsburgh 37 
 
 The flood in the lower Mississippi River, March-April, 1913 39 
 
 Comparison with the flood of 1912 40 
 
 Area overflowed 41 
 
 Money loss due to floods of 1913 42 
 
 Detailed reports on floods of 1913 , by districts 43 
 
 Precipitation and floods in Ohio. March, 1913, by Prof. J. Warren Smith, Columbus, Ohio 44 
 
 Precipitation, March, 1913. , 45 
 
 Previous heavy rainfalls 46 
 
 Rise of the rivers 46 
 
 Loss and damage by the flood . 47 
 
 The Maumee River. 47 
 
 The Sandusky River 48 
 
 The Mahoning River. 49 
 
 The Hocking River 49 
 
 The White Water River of Indiana 49 
 
 The Great Miami River 50 
 
 The flood at Dayton, Ohio, by H. C. Alps, Dayton, Ohio 51 
 
 Precipitation 52 
 
 Losses 53 
 
 Dayton floods in past years ". 53 
 
 Precipitation over Great Miami watershed. March 21-27, inclusive, 1913 54 
 
 The flood below Dayton, Ohio. 54 
 
 At Hamilton. Ohio. 55 
 
b CONTENTS. 
 
 Detailed reports on floods of 1913, by districts — Continued. 
 
 Precipitation and floods in Ohio, March, 1913 — Continued. p age . 
 
 The Little Miami River 55 
 
 The Scioto River 56 
 
 The flood at Columbus, Ohio 57 
 
 Below Columbus, Ohio 59 
 
 The Muskingum River 59 
 
 The flood at Zanesville, Ohio 60 
 
 Below Zanesville, Ohio 61 
 
 At McConnellsville, Ohio (by C. H. Morris, cooperative observer) <il 
 
 At Marietta, Ohio 62 
 
 Hourly rainfall in Ohio River watershed, March 23-26, 1913 63 
 
 Mean daily rainfall and total for the period, March 23-27, 1913 64 
 
 Daily river gage readings, March 24-28, 1913 65 
 
 Special river gage readings, March 24—27, 1913 65 
 
 Losses, tabulated by counties 67 
 
 Flood in the "White River of Indiana. March, 1913, by C. E. Norquest, Indianapolis, Ind 71 
 
 The White River Valley 71 
 
 Heavy rainfall of March 23-27, 1913 71 
 
 River stages 72 
 
 Flood summary 73 
 
 Loss of life and property 74 
 
 Flood in the Wabash River of Indiana, March, 1913, by W. R. Cade, Terre Haute, Ind 75 
 
 Flood in the Illinois River, by Montrose W. Hayes, St. Louis, Mo. 77 
 
 The flood in the Ohio River in the Louisville district, by Prof. F. J. Walz, Louisville, Ky 81 
 
 Precipitation 81 
 
 Crest stages 81 
 
 The Kentucky River 81 
 
 The Ohio River 82 
 
 Flood warnings 83 
 
 The flood in the Ohio River in the Evansville district, by Al Brand, Evansville, Ind 85 
 
 Its origin and progress 85 
 
 Losses and damage 87 
 
 The flood in the Mississippi River in the Memphis district, by S. C. Emery. Memphis, Tenn 89 
 
 Its origin and progress 89 
 
 Crevasses 90 
 
 Flood warnings 92 
 
 The floods in the Mississippi River in the Vicksburg district, by W. E. Barron, Vicksburg, Miss 93 
 
 The January flood 93 
 
 The March- April flood 93 
 
 Flood warnings 94 
 
 Losses and damage 96 
 
 Floods in the Arkansas and White Rivers of Arkansas, by H. F. Alciatore, Little Rock, Ark 97 
 
 Comparison of 1912 and 1913 floods 97 
 
 Notes on the spring flood of 1913 on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi River 98 
 
 Floods in the Mississippi River below Vicksburg, and in the Atchafalaya River in the spring of 1913, by 
 
 I. M. Cline, New Orleans, La 101 
 
 Warnings for the flood in the Mississippi River 102 
 
 Action taken as a result of the warnings. 102 
 
 Crevasses 102 
 
 Area flooded 102 
 
 Loss and damage 103 
 
 The flood in the Hudson River, March, 1913, by George T. Todd, Albany. N. Y 105 
 
 Floods in New York State (by R. E. Horton, Albany, N. Y.) 105 
 
 Supplemental note on frequency of recurrence of Hudson River floods (by R. E. Horton, Albany, N. Y.). 109 
 
 Floods in the Connecticut Valley and in Vermont, March, 1913, by W. W. Neifert, Hartford, Conn 113 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 Charts. Page. 
 
 1. Oliio River watershed, special rainfall chart, March 23-27, inclusive, 1913 28 
 
 2. Ohio River watershed, total precipitation, January 1-13, inclusive, 1913 28 
 
 3. Ohio River watershed, total precipitation, Otober 3-6, inclusive, 1910 28 
 
 4. Ohio River watershed, total precipitation, February 4-7, inclusive, 1S84 2S 
 
 5. Map of overflowed area in Mississippi Valley, 1913 41 
 
 6. Total precipitation in Ohio, 8 a. in., March 23, to 8 a. in., March 25, inclusive, 1913 45 
 
 7. Total precipitaton in Ohio for 48 hours ending 7 p. m., March 25, 1913 45 
 
 8. Total precipitation in Ohio, March 23 to 27, inclusive, 1913 45 
 
 9. Loss to bridges and highways in Ohio, by comities, March, 1913 45 
 
 10. Overflowed area in Dayton, Ohio 52 
 
 Diagrams. 
 
 I. Comparison of crest stages in the Ohio in floods of 1884 and 1913 30 
 
 II. Progressive averages of precipitation in the Ohio Valley 35 
 
 III. Hydrograph, Great Miami at Dayton. Ohio, March 23-29. 1913 51 
 
 IV. Hydrographs for floods of 1913 42 
 
 Half tones — Figures. 
 
 1. The Ohio in flood at Cincinnati, April 1, 1913, steamer Princess over river gage, foot of 
 
 Broadway — Elevated railroad to right — Water three blocks back 25 
 
 2. Wabash in flood at Mount Carniel, 111 26 
 
 3. River front, Paducah, Ky., April, 1913 . 25 
 
 4. Crevasse near Beulah, Miss., in February, 1913 40 
 
 5. Trestle work and rock fill — Closing crevasse at Beulah, Miss., March, 1913 . 40 
 
 6. Closing Beulah crevasse — Dumping dirt on river side of rock fill, March, 1913 40 
 
 7. Closing Beulah crevasse — Land side of fill, 1913 40 
 
 8. Closing Beulah crevasse — Both sides of fill. Note difference in height of water. 1913 40 
 
 9. Fourth and main Streets, Dayton, Ohio — Flood of March, 1913. Looking north on Main Street — 
 
 Water about 10 feet deep. Taken shortly before dark, Tuesday, March 25, 1913 (copyright 
 
 by Smith Bros., Dayton. Ohio) 51 
 
 10. Steele High School building, Dayton, Ohio — Showing destruction due to undermining foundation 
 
 by water 51 
 
 11. Washington Street Bridge (Indianapolis, Ind. ), looking downstream 73 
 
 12. Indianapolis Water Co. — Weather Bureau river gage shelter, small round building left center 
 
 of picture 73 
 
 13. Threatened cave-in in main levee, Remy, La., and reenforcement of sand bags, April, 1913 102 
 
 7 
 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 
 
 Special acknowledgments for valuable material furnished are due to District Forecaster 
 I. M. Cline, New Orleans; Profs. J. Warren Smith, Columbus, Ohio, and F. J. Walz, Louis- 
 ville. Ky. ; local forecasters, Penny witt, Pittsburgh; Devereaux, Cincinnati; Brand. Evansville; 
 Lindley, Cairo; Hayes, St. Louis; Emery, Memphis; Barron, Vicksburg; Alps, Dayton; Todd, 
 Albany; and Neifert, Hartford; section directors, Howe, Parkersburg; Alciatore, Little Rock; 
 Church and Norquest, Indianapolis; and Cade, .Terre Haute. 
 
 Also to Mr. R. E. Horton, of Albany, N. Y., for a report upon the floods in the State of 
 New York. 
 
 I am further indebted to Mr. W. O Devereaux, in charge of the Cincinnati Weather Bureau 
 Office, for valuable suggestions and for reading the manuscript of Floods in the Ohio River; to 
 Herman W. Smith and Andy M. Hamrick, of the river and flood division, for valuable 
 assistance. 
 
 Errata: Delete the words " Part 2 " on Charts Nos. 1 to 10. inclusive. 
 
FLOODS IN THE OHIO RIVER, 1870-1913. 
 
 By Alfred J. Henry. 
 
 The Ohio Basin. — The Ohio Basin is second in size of the six great natural divisions of the 
 Mississippi Basin, yet it ranks first in importance in the causation of damaging floods in the 
 larger stream. The topography of the basin in the western and northern portions is generally 
 flat and rolling, but between those portions and the eastern and southern boundaries of the 
 basin almost all conditions of surface contour may be found. It should be remembered that the 
 eastern and southern boundaries, for the most part, lie along the crests of the Alleghenies and 
 related mountain ranges, and that down the rugged western slopes of these mountains flow the 
 streams which form the southern tributaries of such rivers as the Monongahela, the Little 
 Kanawha, The Great Kanawha, the Big Sandy, the Kentucky, the Cumberland, and the Ten- 
 nessee. On the headwaters of these rivers the slopes are steep, gradually becoming less as the 
 lowlands are reached. 
 
 Contributing causes of Ohio floods. — The Ohio is preeminently one of the turbulent rivers 
 of the United States among streams of its size and drainage area. There are several important 
 reasons why this should be so. First in order of importance is the accident of geographic loca- 
 tion considered with respect to the meteorological conditions which dominate the weather of 
 the interior of the continent. The longer dimension of the basin extends in a southwest- 
 northeast direction from northeastern Mississippi to southwestern Xew York, a distance of 
 about 800 miles; its shorter dimension stretches from northern Indiana southeastward to 
 northern Georgia, a distance of about 500 miles: its total area is 201,700 square miles, and 
 practically all of this vast area lies wholly within the region of frequent and copious rain- 
 storms which, particularly in the winter and spring, pass from Texas to New England, directly 
 over the longer axis of the basin of the river. Moreover, the northern portion of the basin. also 
 lies within the area of rainfall produced by storms which pass across the continent from west 
 to east over the Great Lakes. Owing to certain phases of storm development and movement 
 not at present susceptible of satisfactory explanation, a storm passing eastward along or through 
 the northern tier of States sometimes leaves an unsettled condition in its rear which may 
 extend southwestward to the Gulf of Mexico, in which secondary storm centers are apt to 
 develop and move northeastward through the lower Mississippi Valley, depositing heavy rains 
 in both valleys. The northern portion of the Ohio Basin is, therefore, so located with respect 
 to storm movement that it receives at times two downpours in quick succession. The torrential 
 rains of March 23-27, 1913, illustrate this possibility, with the exception that the interval 
 between the passage of the two storms on those dates was so short that the rainfall seemed to 
 be, and was for all practical purposes, continuous. 
 
 Another meteorological condition occasionally develops over the interior of the continent, 
 technically known as the formation of a barometric trough, which separates two regions of 
 higher pressure, one to the southeast and the other to the northwest : the southeastern or Atlantic 
 area of high pressure extends well over the ocean, and the wind movement along and in its 
 western borders is from the south and its moisture content is naturally high. The air of the 
 northwestern or continental area of high pressure is cold and dry, and the opportunity is 
 therefore continually present for the cold, dry air of the northwest to underrun and force 
 upward the lighter moist air which belongs to the Atlantic high-pressure system. The quality 
 
 11 
 
12 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 or condition of immobility is largely developed in the latter, and to this quality may be attrib- 
 uted the long-continued rains which frequently attend " trough " pressure formations over the 
 Ohio and lower Mississippi Valleys. 
 
 Primarily all floods are the results of falling rain or melting snow, or a combination of 
 the two. The winter precipitation on the headwaters of the streams which take rise in the 
 Alleghenies is mostly in the form of snow. Under favorable conditions as to temperature 
 snow may accumulate in the mountains, and even on the lowlands, of the northern portion of 
 the basin, until its presence becomes a menace to the dwellers in the lowlands, since there is 
 ever present the possibility of a temporary warm spell or a warm rain occurring throughout 
 the watershed. The transition from the lower warmer end of the basin to the upper colder 
 portion is easity and quickly accomplished even in the heart of winter. 
 
 As a natural result of the meterological conditions described in the preceding paragraphs, 
 the Ohio Basin has a greater precipitation than any other of the northern tributary basins of 
 the Mississippi. Finally, among other important contributory causes are the physical features 
 of the basin in western Pennsylvania, "West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and western North 
 Carolina and the extreme southwestern portion of Virginia, such as steep slope of stream beds, 
 lack of surface storage, etc. The physical features are permanent and their influence upon 
 stream flow is possible of determination. The character of the seasons, however, can not be 
 foreseen; the necessity of being prepared for destructive floods during winter and spring is, 
 therefore, ever present. 
 
 Fortunately, all of the causes which contribute to the formation of floods in the Ohio Basin 
 are seldom in operation over the entire watershed at one and the same time ; that is to say, all 
 of those causes which, if operating unitedly, would form an unprecedented flood generally act 
 disconnected^ 7 , and thus we experience floods less severe than might be expected under a more 
 favorable conjunction of natural causes. Thus, as regards precipitation, it may be considered 
 as a fundamental proposition that as the area of a watershed increases the probability of rain 
 falling simultaneously over all portions of it diminishes. The full force of the proposition is 
 better realized if we stop to consider the result of floods converging at Cairo, let us say, simul- 
 taneously from the upper Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Ohio, and then to such a flood add 
 the waters of the Arkansas, the St. Francis, and the Red, and we have a volume of water to 
 combat staggering to contemplate. Such a combination of flood conditions has never been 
 known to occur, but it is within the limits of reason to assume that atmospheric conditions 
 favorable to a modified form of the above suggestion may occur. 
 
 Ohio foods of the last 40 years. — In the last 40 years the Ohio River has been in severe 
 flood seven times, using the expression " severe flood " to signify a stage of 5 feet or more above 
 the flood stage for at least three-fifths of the distance between Pittsburgh and Cairo. 
 
 The term " flood stage " is synonymous with another term, viz, " danger line," which was 
 formerly used by the Weather Service and is still in current use in flood literature. The flood 
 stage is a point at which the river overflows its banks and begins to damage property in 
 proximity thereto. The flood stage at any point naturally depends on the height of the river 
 banks above low water. At Pittsburgh it is 22 feet ; Parkersburg, 36 feet ; Cincinnati, 50 feet ; 
 Louisville. 28 feet; Evansville, 35 feet; and Cairo, 45 feet. 
 
 Technically, a river may be in flood when it reaches the adopted flood stage, but actually 
 serious damage is in proportion to the height above the flood stage reached by the river. It is 
 preferred to distinguish three classes of floods, viz, (1) technical floods or freshets, during which 
 the river does not pass more than 1 foot above the flood stage; (2) severe floods, to signify 
 stages from 2 to 5 feet above flood stage: and (3) great floods, to indicate the greatest recorded 
 Hoods. If we take the maximum stage of water recorded at the several stations along the Ohio 
 River as having a value of 1, we may express other floods in terms of the maximum stage; thus, 
 5 feet above flood stage at points between Pittsburgh and Louisville is equivalent to a stage of 
 0.7 to 0.8 of the maximum stage. Between Evansville and Cairo, 5 feet above the flood stage is 
 equivalent to from 0.85 to 0.0 of the maximum stage. 
 
FLOODS IN THE OHIO RIVER, 1870-1913. 
 
 13 
 
 Severe floods in the Ohio River occurred in the years 1882, 1883, 1884, 1897, 1898, 1907, and 
 1913: of these the floods of 1884, 1907. and 1913 may be classed as "great floods." Two severe 
 floods occurred in each of the years 1907 and 1913. There were, of course, other years of flood 
 on individual stretches of the river, and also other years when the river was in moderate flood 
 from Pittsburgh to its junction with the Mississippi at Cairo. The subjoined table includes 
 practically all of the severe floods, with the stages recorded at Pittsburgh. Parkersburg, Cin- 
 cinnati, Louisville, Evansville, and Cairo. The criterion of a severe flood, as before stated, is 
 a stage of 5 feet or more above flood stage, although a few stages a little short of 5 feet have 
 been given for Cairo to complete the record of upriver floods. 
 
 Table I. — Ohio River floods of 5 feet and more above flood stage. 1 
 
 Year. 
 
 Pittsburgh. 
 (22 leet). 
 
 Parkersburg 
 (36 feet). 
 
 Cincinnati 
 (50 feet). 
 
 Louisville 
 (28 feet). 
 
 Evansville 
 (35 feet). 
 
 Cairo 
 (45 feet). 2 
 
 
 Stage. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Stage. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Stage. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Stage. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Stage. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Stage. 
 
 Date. 
 
 1832 
 
 35.0 
 
 Feb. 10 
 
 49.5 
 
 
 64.2 
 58.6 
 66.3 
 71.1 
 56.3 
 56.5 
 59.2 
 57.3 
 54.9 
 61.2 
 61.4 
 57.4 
 
 Feb. 18 
 Feb. 21 
 Feb. 15 
 Feb. 14 
 Feb. 5 
 Feb. 28 
 Mar. 25 
 Feb. 25 
 Feb. 20 
 Feb. 26 
 Mar. 29 
 Mar. 8 
 
 40. S 
 37.4 
 44.4 
 46.5 
 
 
 46.3 
 44.9 
 47.8 
 4S.0 
 43.2 
 43.9 
 44.4 
 42. S 
 41.8 
 43.6 
 44.8 
 42.7 
 40.0 
 42.4 
 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 • 
 
 Feb. 22 
 Feb. 16 
 Feb. 15 
 
 Feb. 24 
 Feb. 19 
 
 ...do 
 Feb. 8 
 Mar. 5 
 Mar. 30 
 Mar. 2 
 Feb. 24 
 Mar. 2 
 Apr. 2 
 Mar. 12 
 Mar. 11 
 
 ...do 
 
 51.9 
 52.2 
 51. S 
 48.5 
 48.8 
 48.7 
 46.2 
 44.9 
 51.6 
 49.8 
 46.2 
 
 Feb. 26 
 
 1883 
 
 28.0 
 33.3 
 
 Feb. 8 
 Feb. 6 
 
 45.2 
 53.9 
 
 Feb. 10 
 Feb. 9 
 
 Do. 
 
 1884 
 
 Feb. 23 
 
 1887 
 
 Mar. 9 
 
 1890 
 
 
 
 
 
 34.1 
 35. 5 
 
 Mar. 3 
 Mar. 2S 
 
 Mar. 12 
 
 1890 
 
 
 
 
 
 Apr. 6 
 Mar. 4 
 
 1891 
 
 31.3 
 
 Feb. 18 
 
 44.6 
 
 Feb. 21 
 
 1S93 
 
 
 
 Feb. 28 
 
 1897 
 
 29.5 
 2S.5 
 
 Feb. 23 
 Mar. 24 
 
 37.9 
 
 47.8 
 
 Feb. 25 
 Mar. 26 
 
 35.4 
 36.3 
 
 Feb. 28 
 Mar. 30 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 1898 
 
 Apr. 6 
 Mar. 30 
 
 1899 
 
 1902 
 
 32.4 
 28. 9 
 30.0 
 29.0 
 
 Mar. 1 
 do 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1903 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 50.6 
 
 Mar. 15 
 
 1904 
 
 Jan. 23 
 
 Mar. 22 
 
 42.0 
 42.4 
 40.1 
 51.6 
 41.2 
 
 Jan. 26 
 Mar. 23 
 Jan. 21 
 Mar. 16 
 Feb. IS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1905 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1907 
 
 65.2 
 62.1 
 
 Jan. 21 
 Mar. 18 
 
 41.4 
 36.0 
 
 Jan. 22 
 Mar. 20 
 
 46.2 
 43.8 
 41.5 
 43.2 
 42.6 
 46.7 
 48.3 
 
 Jan. 24 
 Mar. 23 
 Mar. 14 
 Mar. 1 
 Mar. 31 
 Jan. 19 
 Apr. 1 
 
 50.4 
 46.2 
 
 Jan. 27 
 
 
 35.5 
 30.7 
 
 Mar. 15 
 Feb. 16 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 1908 
 
 
 1909 
 
 
 
 33.0 
 
 Feb. 27 
 
 47.3 
 54.0 
 48.9 
 54.8 
 
 Mar 17 
 
 1912 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Apr. 6 
 
 1913 
 
 31.3 
 30.4 
 
 Jan. 9 
 Mar. 28 
 
 45.1 
 58.9 
 
 Jan. 13 
 Mar. 29 
 
 62.2 
 70.0 
 
 Jan. 15 
 Apr. 3 
 
 39.5 
 44.8 
 
 Jan. 14 
 Apr. ,2 
 
 Jan. 26 
 
 1913 
 
 Apr. 4,7 
 
 
 ■ All of the stages in the above table except those of the 1832 flood are from observations bv the Weather Bureau. The 1832 stages have been col 
 lected from various sources and are believed to be authentic. 
 
 2 Some stages less than 5 feet above flood stage are given to complete the record of upriver floods. 
 
 In the forty-odd years considered, the river at Pittsburgh was 5 feet or more above the flood 
 stage on 13 separate occasions. Six of these floods continued throughout the course of the 
 river to Cairo. The remaining seven, for one reason or another, dwindled away on the lower 
 reaches of the river. Prominent among the causes of the decay of a flood is a lack of syn- 
 chronism between the flood wave that is passing downstream and the output of the lower 
 tributaries. There may have been sufficient precipitation over the watershed to cause a serious 
 flood, but if the lower tributaries put out their quota of water either before or after the passage 
 of the flood wave, the latter is much flattened. One of the most interesting cases of flood 
 decay is that of the March (1907) flood, which gave the highest water ever recorded at Pittsburgh, 
 Pa., a stage of 62.1 feet at Cincinnati, yet the river at Cairo barely passed the flood stage of 
 45 feet, the final reading being 46.1 feet. The causes of this apparent anomaly are as follows : 
 The excess water at Pittsburgh and along the upper reaches of the stream was due to a snow 
 covering of from 4 to 8 inches which overlaid the watersheds of the Conemaugh, Kiskiminetas, 
 and Youghiogheny Rivers. Rain and warm weather combined caused the greater portion 
 of this snow to melt and run into the rivers and small streams, but the run-off from West 
 Virginia rivers and other tributaries farther downstream depended entirely upon rainfall 
 
14 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 and was naturally not extraordinary, since the snowfall which caused the great run-off in the 
 Pittsburgh district was not widespread. As a consequence the volume of water entering the 
 river from its southern tributaries was not sufficient to maintain the stream at record-breaking 
 stages. Another factor which must be taken into consideration when estimating the Cairo 
 stage which should result from an upstream flood wave is the stage of the Mississippi River 
 at Cairo at the time the flood waters of the Ohio discharge into it. since a full Mississippi 
 has the effect of backing up the Ohio and causing a higher reading on the Cairo gage than 
 the same volume of water would with the Mississippi at a low stage. In the March (1907) 
 flood in the Ohio, the Mississippi was considerably lower than during the January flood of 
 the same year. The details of the above-named flood illustrate the necessity of making a 
 separate study of each flood, and particularly as to the circumstances of its origin and de- 
 velopment. 
 
 Ohio -floods by groups. — For convenience of discussion we may assign severe Ohio floods 
 to one of the three following groups according to their origin : First group; floods in midwinter 
 and spring caused by extensive and continued rains during an open winter. The flood of 
 January, 1913, is typical of this group. Second group; floods caused by a short period of 
 rain coming in conjunction with a midwinter thaw. The February (1884) flood is typical of 
 the second group. We are compelled to make a third group, of which we have the single 
 example of March, 1913. The third group therefore consists of floods caused by torrential 
 rains extending over a comparatively short period, 72 to 96 hours. Other floods partake of 
 some of the characteristics of each group and are therefore difficult of classification. The 
 melting of the winter's snow is generally a factor, but its influence sometimes is practically 
 negligible. 
 
 Individual Ohio foods before the period of systematic observations. — We now mention 
 very briefly Ohio floods within historic periods. 
 
 Flood of 1806: The Ohio at Pittsburgh reached a stage of 33.9 feet. Independent con- 
 firmation of this flood may be found in " History of Clarion Co., 1887,'' where mention is 
 made of a great flood in Red Bank Creek in 1806. Red Bank is one of the eastern tributaries 
 of the Allegheny River, which it enters south of the Clarion River. 
 
 Flood of 1832 : This flood furnished a stage on the Pittsburgh gage of 35 feet, which endured 
 as the highest of record for 75 years ; the flood was caused by rain falling upon frozen ground, 
 melting what snow there was and running off as fast as it fell. The 1832 flood was of con- 
 siderable magnitude at Cincinnati and ranks as one of the great floods at that place. Maxi- 
 mum stages reached by this flood at Louisville. Ivy., and Evansville, Ind., are given in Table I, 
 and the following comparative statement of flood crests in early times is due to Mr. Adam 
 Crozier, one of the early cooperating observers of the Smithsonian Institution and later of the 
 Signal Service. 
 
 Speaking of the flood of 1882, he says, under date of February 22, 1882: 
 
 The Ohio River reached its highest point here (35 miles below Louisville) to-day. Compared with that 
 of former great floods it was as follows: Thirty-four inches below the flood of 1847; 33 inches above the flood 
 of 1S53 ; and 1 inch above the flood of 1867. 
 
 Inasmuch as the 1847 flood is said to have been 2 feet under that of 1832, the last-named 
 flood must also be counted among the first magnitude floods in the lower stretches of the river, 
 although it has been overtopped by the floods of 1883, 1884, 1907, and 1913. 
 
 Flood of 1847 : This was a severe flood at Cincinnati and was probably due to floods in the 
 West Virginia and Kentucky tributaries, since the stages both above and below Cincinnati indi- 
 cate a moderate flood only. 
 
 There were also floods in the early fifties and the early sixties, but little definite informa- 
 tion of them has been preserved beyond a record of the maximum stages at Pittsburgh and a 
 few other upriver points. 
 
 Floods of the later period. — The records of the Army Engineers and the Signal Service, 
 now Weather Bureau, include daily river stages at principal points along the Ohio from 1870 
 
FLOODS IN THE OHIO RIVER, 1870-1913. 15 
 
 to date. At Pittsburgh and Cincinnati daily gage readings are available for an earlier 
 period; otherwise the record begins in 1870. In the decade 1870-1880 there were no general 
 floods of consequence, but, coincident with an increase in precipitation in the early eighties, a 
 series of floods set in beginning in 1882, continuing through 1883, and culminating in the great 
 Ohio flood of 1884. In the same decade there were also minor floods in the lower part of 
 the river in 1887. 
 
 In the decade 1890-1900 there were general floods in the years 1S97 and 1898, but they were 
 not unusually severe. 
 
 In the 10 years 1900 to 1910 there were numerous minor Hoods in the upper stretches of the 
 river and also two severe floods in 1907. 
 
 A severe flood in the lower stretches of the river in 1912 was followed by a general flood in 
 January. 1913, and a greater flood in March-April of the same year. 
 
 To recapitulate : The Ohio Eiver during the last forty-odd years has been in decided flood 
 in its entirety seven times; it has been in discontinuous flood much more frequently; thus at 
 Pittsburgh in the same period the number of times with a stage of 5 feet above the adopted 
 flood stage of 22 feet was 13; owing to the fact that some of the most important tributary 
 streams in flood causation enter the Ohio between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, it would probably 
 be a better criterion of great floods to use the stages recorded at Cincinnati instead of Pitts- 
 burgh. Table I shows that a stage of the river at that place 5 or more feet above the flood 
 stage, 50 feet, has occurred fifteen times; of these, however, four, viz, those of 1891, 1893, 1899, 
 and the second flood of 1907, did not reach Cairo with an excess of at least 3 feet above flood stage, 
 and must be classed as discontinuous or decaying floods; 11 of the 15 floods, however, con- 
 tinued to Cairo with little or no abatement, and that number is believed to represent the flood 
 frequency during the period 1871-1913. The years in sequence are 1882, 1883, 1884, 1890 (2), 
 1897, 1898, 1907 (January), 1913 (2), and the classification according to that herein proposed 
 is as follows: 
 
 Group 1: Floods due to accumulated rains in January, February, and March 7 
 
 Group 2: Floods due to winter rains in conjunction with a thaw 3 
 
 Croup 3: Heavy rains within a few days 1 
 
 Total Ohio floods, Cincinnati to Cairo 11 
 
 The great majority of floods, therefore (7 out of 11), were due to heavy rainfall in the 
 Ohio Basin ; severe floods occur almost invariably in the months of January, February, and 
 March, sometimes lapping over into April. 
 
 Passing now to a consideration of the floods of 1913, it may be remarked at the outset that 
 the atmospheric conditions during January were unusually conducive to flood formation. A 
 flood of moderate severity passed down the Ohio River beginning at Pittsburgh, Pa., on Jan- 
 uary 9, reaching Cairo 17 clays later, and New Orleans, La., by February 23 — 45 days from 
 Pittsburgh. The small table shows the progress of the January flood from Pittsburgh to New 
 Orleans. 
 
 Ohio and Mississippi River flood of January-February, ]!)13. 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Pittsburgh.. 
 Parkersburg. 
 Cincinnati... 
 Louisville... 
 Evans ville.. 
 Cairo 
 
 Flood 
 stage. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Crest 
 
 Feet. 
 31.3 
 45.1 
 62.2 
 39.5 
 46.7 
 48.9 
 
 Date 
 
 Januarv, 
 1913. 
 
 Number 
 
 of days 
 
 above 
 
 flood 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Flood 
 stage. 
 
 Mempliis 
 
 Vieksburg 
 
 Natchez 
 
 Baton Rouge. . 
 Donaldsonville 
 New Orleans. .. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Crest 
 stage. 
 
 Date 
 Feb- 
 ruary, 
 1913. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 
 40.5 
 
 3 
 
 49.0 
 
 16-18 
 
 48.7 
 
 20 
 
 37.2 
 
 22 
 
 29.3 
 
 22 
 
 18.4 
 
 23 
 
 Number 
 of days 
 
 above 
 
 flood 
 
 25 
 22 
 21 
 19 
 17 
 10 
 
16 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 The origin of the March, 1913, food. — The meteorological conditions which led up to the 
 disastrous floods of March, 1913, in Ohio and Indiana, have been reported upon elsewhere by 
 the writer (Monthly Weather Review, March, 1913) ; suffice it for our present purpose to 
 summarize them very briefly in the following paragraph: 
 
 An unprecedented amount of rain fell over the States of Ohio and Indiana in the space of 
 72 hours, or from the afternoon of March 23 to the afternoon of March 26, 1913. The rain 
 continued over these and adjoining States with practically no intermission, although at a lower 
 rate of intensity during the 27th. the aggregate amount for the four-day period being absolutely 
 without precedent for a like period over a considerable portion of the watershed of the northern 
 tributary streams in Ohio and Indiana. The extension of the region of rainfall over the southern 
 tributaries of the Ohio on March 26 and 27 made a flood in the streams of that region certain. 
 
 EXCESSIVE PRECIPITATION IN OHIO. 
 
 In order to maice a comparison of the accumulated amounts of precipitation in the case of 
 the March, 1913, floods with previous storms, we have examined the continuous record of daily 
 precipitation for Cincinnati, Ohio, for the period 1871-1913. The criterion on which the table 
 below was formed was the occurrence of at least 1 inch of precipitation in 21 hours: that amount 
 must have occurred at least in 1 of the 24 hours considered, hence each group of dates repre- 
 sents the occurrence of at least 1 inch in 24 hours. If no rain fell on the day immediately 
 preceding or subsequent to the date of heavy rain, the entry in the table is confined to a single 
 date; if two or more dates are given, the second entry of rainfall represents the accumulated 
 amount for 48 hours, the third the accumulated rainfall for 72 hours, etc. The arrangement 
 of the table is chronologically by months. This arrangement permits us to note that the seasonal 
 variation of excessive rains is not especially well marked; the principal maximum occurs in the 
 months of May, June, July, and August, while there is also a prominent midwinter maximum 
 in February. The minimum falls in September and October, as might be expected. 
 
 Accumulated amounts of excessive precipitation at Cincinnati, Ohio, 1871 to June 30. 1913. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Day. 
 
 24 
 hours. 
 
 48 
 hours. 
 
 72 
 hours. 
 
 96 
 
 hours. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Day. 
 
 24 
 hours. 
 
 48 
 hours. 
 
 72 
 hours. 
 
 96 
 hours. 
 
 JANUARY. 
 
 1874. 
 1876. 
 1876. 
 1876. 
 1877. 
 1880. 
 1881. 
 
 1885 . 
 1890. 
 1890. 
 1891. 
 
 871. 
 S73. 
 874. 
 874. 
 881. 
 882. 
 882. 
 883. 
 883. 
 
 884. 
 
 6- 7 
 
 18 
 
 22-23 
 
 27-28 
 
 0.72 
 
 2.97 
 
 .70 
 
 1.18 
 
 1.92 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.90 
 3. 53 
 
 
 
 
 
 15-16 
 
 1.09 
 
 1.12 
 
 
 
 8 
 
 31 
 
 4- 7 
 
 1.16 
 1.27 
 1.05 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.05 
 
 1.94 
 
 2.52 
 
 15 
 
 1.46 
 
 2.65 
 
 2.73 
 
 
 4- 7 
 
 .28 
 
 .34 
 
 1.64 
 
 2.44 
 
 15 
 
 1.32 
 
 
 
 
 31 
 
 1.31 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1893. 
 1895. 
 1897. 
 
 1898.. 
 1898.. 
 1899.. 
 1906.. 
 19071. 
 1910.. 
 1913 . . 
 1913.. 
 
 FEBRUARY. 
 
 17-18 
 15-16 
 6- 7 
 20-23 
 
 1.50 
 .31 
 
 1.04 
 .43 
 
 2.00 
 1.84 
 1.11 
 3.16 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3.79 
 
 3.82 
 
 7-10 
 
 1.00 
 
 2.01 
 
 2.92 
 
 3.01 
 
 12-13 
 
 .18 
 
 1.48 
 
 
 
 19-21 
 
 1.00 
 
 2.85 
 
 3. 31 
 
 
 4- 7 
 
 1.22 
 
 1.24 
 
 2.75 
 
 3.20 
 
 10-11 
 23-24 
 
 4- 7 
 
 1.65 
 1.01 
 1.35 
 
 1.96 
 1.10 
 2.91 
 
 
 
 
 
 4.56 
 
 4.79 
 
 10-13 
 
 .14 
 
 .73 
 
 .79 
 
 1.97 
 
 19 
 
 1.12 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1885.. 
 1887.. 
 1887.. 
 1893 . . 
 1894 . . 
 1897.. 
 1903 . . 
 1904 . . 
 1908.. 
 1908.. 
 1909.. 
 1910.. 
 
 1 
 
 5- 7 
 
 J- 5 
 
 9-10 
 
 19-20 
 
 22-23 
 
 13-14 
 
 1- 2 
 
 1- 3 
 
 12-14 
 
 5- 8 
 
 10-12 
 
 1.35 
 .11 
 
 .47 
 
 1.57 
 
 .68 
 
 1.32 
 
 .93 
 
 .11 
 
 1.08 
 
 .19 
 
 .14 
 
 .70 
 
 1.37 
 1.64 
 1.56 
 1.84 
 2.35 
 1.55 
 2.00 
 1.40 
 2.63 
 2.66 
 .70 
 2.48 
 
 3.92 
 
 2.71 
 2.68 
 2.22 
 2.53 
 
 2.26 
 
 8- 9 
 
 2- 3 
 
 26 
 
 14-15 
 
 12 
 
 20-22 
 
 15-16 
 
 6- 7 
 
 4- 5 
 
 13-15 
 
 23-24 
 
 26-27 
 
 0.24 
 
 1.97 
 
 1.19 
 
 1.05 
 
 1.14 
 
 .45 
 
 1.09 
 
 .03 
 
 .10 
 
 .06 
 
 2.69 
 
 .07 
 
 1.42 
 3.31 
 
 1.76 
 1.79 
 1.08 
 1.41 
 1.90 
 2.70 
 1.97 
 
 3.21 
 
 1.92 
 
 1.94 
 
 1 Continuous rain, 11-20; total, 4.37 in. 
 
EXCESSIVE PRECIPITATION IN OHIO. 17 
 
 Accumulated amounts of excessive precipitation at Cincinnati, Ohio, 1871 to June 30. 191S — Continued. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Day. 
 
 24 48 
 hours, hours. 
 
 72 
 hours. 
 
 96 
 hours. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Day. 
 
 24 
 
 hours. 
 
 48 
 hours. 
 
 72 
 hours. 
 
 96 
 hours. 
 
 MARCH. 
 
 1871 
 
 2- 3 
 
 4- 7 
 
 1- 3 
 
 28 
 
 12-14 
 
 22 
 
 20-21 
 
 28-30 
 
 20-21 
 
 26-27 
 
 30 
 
 1.00 
 
 .40 
 
 1.02 
 
 1.04 
 
 1.82 
 
 1.70 
 
 2.54 
 
 .45 
 
 .13 
 
 1.21 
 
 1.08 
 
 1.40 
 
 .41 
 
 1.05 
 
 
 
 1897 
 
 2- 5 
 
 16-19 
 
 28 
 
 6- 8 
 21-22 
 25-26 
 19 
 29-30 
 12-13 
 
 8- 9 
 24-27 
 
 0.44 
 
 1.07 
 
 1.07 
 
 .03 
 
 .23 
 
 .75 
 
 .66 
 2.00 
 
 .63 
 2.21 
 
 0.75 
 1.10 
 
 0.75 
 1.78 
 
 5.72 
 
 
 
 ]s7-l 
 
 1.88 
 1.31 
 
 1.93 
 
 1897 
 
 1.82 
 
 1S75 
 
 1899 
 
 1903 
 
 
 1876 
 
 1.39 
 2.25 
 
 2.82 
 
 1.90 
 6.59 
 1.88 
 6.36 
 
 2.49 
 
 
 1878 
 
 1.84 
 
 1.93 
 
 
 1904 
 
 1904 
 
 1906 
 
 1906 
 
 1907 
 
 1909 
 
 1913 
 
 
 1879 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 2.85 
 
 .95 
 
 1.36 
 
 1.50 
 
 
 
 
 
 1883 
 
 2.45 
 
 
 
 1888 
 
 
 
 1891 
 
 
 
 
 
 1896 
 
 
 
 7.47 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 APRIL. 
 
 1872 
 
 8- 9 
 15 
 13-15 
 15-16 
 24-26 
 22-23 
 17-18 
 21-23 
 24-27 
 18-21 
 
 1.62 
 
 1.10 
 
 1.90 
 
 .87 
 
 .36 
 
 1.02 
 
 .43 
 
 .06 
 
 .28 
 
 1.72 
 
 1.78 
 
 
 
 1893 
 
 9-11 
 28-29 
 
 7- 8 
 25-27 
 20-21 
 23-26 
 11-14 
 26 
 
 8-10 
 
 0.23 
 
 .41 
 
 .08 
 1.19 
 
 .23 
 1.15 
 
 .31 
 1.58 
 
 .22 
 
 1.04 
 1.69 
 1.10 
 1.38 
 1.25 
 1.15 
 .42 
 
 2.38 
 
 2.41 
 
 1872 . 
 
 
 
 1902 
 
 
 1876 . 
 
 1.99 
 2.33 
 1.80 
 1.13 
 2.36 
 1.82 
 .33 
 1.73 
 
 2.20 
 
 
 1903 
 
 
 
 1880 
 
 1904 
 
 1.52 
 
 
 1880 
 
 2.36 
 
 
 1905 
 
 
 1884 
 
 1907 
 
 2.20 
 1.60 
 
 2.51 
 
 1887 . 
 
 
 
 1911 
 
 1.98 
 
 1887 
 
 2.80 
 1.42 
 2.90 
 
 1.49 
 3.18 
 
 1912 
 
 
 1890 
 
 1913 
 
 1.23 
 
 2.14 
 
 
 1892 
 
 
 
 
 MAY. 
 
 1871 
 
 30 
 17-18 
 
 9-10 
 25-27 
 29-31 
 
 9-11 
 14 
 27-28 
 19-22 
 26-29 
 4 
 11-13 
 30-31 
 
 7- 9 
 29-31 
 
 2.00 
 
 1.03 
 
 1.41 
 .53 
 
 1.76 
 .2S 
 
 1.21 
 .46 
 .33 
 .18 
 
 1.43 
 .92 
 
 1.00 
 .11 
 .42 
 
 
 
 
 1893 
 
 1893 
 
 1893 
 
 1899 
 
 1900 
 
 1902 
 
 1903 
 
 1903 
 
 1904 
 
 1 
 
 9 
 
 25-26 
 
 ' 29-31 
 
 9-10 
 
 21-24 
 
 21-22 
 
 27-30 
 
 30-31 
 
 11-14 
 
 3- 6 
 
 30-31 
 
 5- 8 
 
 28-29 
 
 2.43 
 1.12 
 2.37 
 1.12 
 
 .40 
 2.37 
 
 .08 
 1.13 
 1.32 
 3.16 
 
 .68 
 1.14 
 1.24 
 
 .23 
 
 
 
 
 1S72 '. 
 
 2.39 
 1.57 
 3.31 
 2.23 
 .40 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1875 
 
 
 
 2.38 
 1.15 
 2.07 
 2.37 
 1.15 
 1.42 
 2.40 
 3.35 
 1.74 
 1.17 
 1.65 
 1.43 
 
 
 
 1S79 
 
 3.34 
 
 2.25 
 2.42 
 
 
 1.84 
 
 
 1880 
 
 
 1880 
 
 1881 
 
 2.37 
 
 4.82 
 
 1882 
 
 2.62 
 .71 
 .53 
 
 
 
 1.58 
 
 1.96 
 
 1883 
 
 2.47 
 .94 
 
 2.52 
 2.06 
 
 
 1883 
 
 1905 
 
 3.75 
 2.43 
 
 5.06 
 
 1884 
 
 1908 
 
 1911 
 
 1912 
 
 1912 
 
 3.91 
 
 1886 
 
 2.16 
 1.03 
 1.17 
 1.54 
 
 2.67 
 
 
 
 1887 
 
 1.92 
 
 2.01 
 
 1888 
 
 1.25 
 1.62 
 
 
 
 1889 
 
 
 
 
 
 JUNE. 
 
 1872 
 
 12-14 
 
 21-22 
 
 1- 3 
 
 9 
 
 23 
 
 24-26 
 
 7-10 
 
 8-11 
 
 27-29 
 
 9 
 
 13-15 
 
 25-26 
 
 28-29 
 
 8 
 
 0.05 
 .13 
 .30 
 
 1.28 
 
 1.51 
 .06 
 .22 
 .09 
 
 2.05 
 
 1.42 
 .90 
 
 1.96 
 .50 
 
 1.35 
 
 1.15 
 1.13 
 1.59 
 
 1.63 
 
 
 1881 ." 
 
 29 
 9 
 
 5- 7 
 10-13 
 14-17 
 21-22 
 23-24 
 24-25 
 27-30 
 
 4- 6 
 25-26 
 21-24 
 
 8-10 
 
 1.00 
 1.68 
 1.10 
 1.18 
 .10 
 1.00 
 1.64 
 1.22 
 .05 
 .03 
 .34 
 .26 
 .91 
 
 
 
 
 1875 
 
 1886 
 
 1887.. 
 
 
 
 
 1876 
 
 1.70 
 
 
 1.79 
 1.76 
 1.65 
 2.05 
 1.69 
 1.39 
 1.80 
 1.75 
 2.52 
 1.30 
 1.05 
 
 1.82 
 2.26 
 2.43 
 
 
 1876 
 
 1890 
 
 1890 
 
 1893 
 
 2 85 
 
 1876 
 
 
 
 
 2.51 
 
 1877 
 
 1.44 
 
 .69 
 
 1.55 
 
 2.61 
 
 1.46 
 2.70 
 1.61 
 2.63 
 
 2.83 
 1.71 
 
 
 1878 
 
 1896 . . 
 
 
 
 1879 
 
 1899.. 
 
 
 
 1879 
 
 1902 
 
 1903 
 
 2.64 
 1.88 
 
 2 75 
 
 1880 
 
 2.06 
 
 1880 
 
 3.52 
 2.55 
 1.54 
 
 4.04 
 
 
 1906.. 
 
 
 \ 
 1880 
 
 1907 
 
 1909 . 
 
 1.30 
 2.22 
 
 1.83 
 
 1880 
 
 
 
 
 1881 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14284°— 13- 
 
18 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Accumulated amounts of excessive precipitation at Cincinnati, Ohio, 1S71 to June SO, 1913 — -Continued. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Day. 
 
 24 
 hours. 
 
 48 
 
 hours. 
 
 72 
 hours. 
 
 96 
 
 hours. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Day. 
 
 24 
 hours. 
 
 48 
 hours. 
 
 72 
 hours. 
 
 96 
 hours. 
 
 
 
 
 
 JULY. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1872. 
 1874. 
 1S75. 
 1875. 
 1877. 
 1877. 
 1878. 
 1880. 
 1881. 
 1889. 
 1891. 
 1891. 
 1893. 
 1896. 
 1896. 
 
 1871. 
 1871. 
 1871. 
 1873. 
 1873. 
 1875. 
 1876. 
 1876. 
 1878. 
 1879. 
 1879. 
 1880. 
 1882. 
 1882. 
 1885. 
 1885. 
 1886. 
 
 15-17 
 
 10-11 
 
 22-23 
 
 27-30 
 
 18 
 
 26-27 
 
 13 
 
 19 
 
 14 
 
 19 
 
 7- 8 
 
 30 
 
 26 
 
 9 
 
 20-21 
 
 0.14 
 
 .17 
 1.17 
 
 .43 
 1.24 
 
 .24 
 1.55 
 1.54 
 1.54 
 2.40 
 1.46 
 1.59 
 1.90 
 1.18 
 
 .06 
 
 1.62 
 1.87 
 1.27 
 1.63 
 
 2.57 
 
 
 
 
 2.30 
 
 2.61 
 
 1.30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.43 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.08 
 
 
 
 
 
 1896. 
 1897. 
 1897. 
 1897. 
 1898. 
 1900. 
 1901. 
 1902. 
 1903. 
 1906. 
 1907. 
 1910. 
 1911. 
 1912. 
 
 23-24 
 
 5- 6 
 24 
 26 
 31 
 25 
 
 30-31 
 
 18 
 
 22 
 
 22-23 
 
 9-11 
 
 16-17 
 
 6- 8 
 17-18 
 
 0.07 
 2.20 
 2.39 
 1.01 
 1.00 
 1.04 
 1.16 
 1.39 
 1.18 
 2.16 
 .16 
 1.07 
 1.43 
 2.52 
 
 1.08 
 2.24 
 
 3.45 
 .99 
 1.98 
 2.61 
 2.54 
 
 3.59 
 
 AUGUST. 
 
 7- 8 
 11 
 
 1.40 
 2.00 
 
 1.45 
 
 
 
 
 
 24-27 
 
 .10 
 
 2.40 
 
 2.55 
 
 2.60 
 
 11-12 
 
 .05 
 
 1.40 
 
 
 
 25-26 
 1- 3 
 
 .12 
 2.03 
 
 1.41 
 2.21 
 
 
 
 2.22 
 
 
 5- 8 
 
 1.89 
 
 2.09 
 
 2.34 
 
 2.73 
 
 16-18 
 
 .10 
 
 1.75 
 
 2.32 
 
 
 18-21 
 
 1.22 
 
 1.47 
 
 2.07 
 
 2.09 
 
 4- 7 
 
 .06 
 
 1.93 
 
 2.83 
 
 3.94 
 
 23-25 
 
 1.04 
 
 2.14 
 
 3.81 
 
 
 1- 3 
 
 .27 
 
 .60 
 
 2.17 
 
 
 23-25 
 
 1.17 
 
 1.37 
 
 1.38 
 
 
 26-29 
 
 .72 
 
 2.60 
 
 2.79 
 
 2.82 
 
 6- 7 
 22-25 
 
 .90 
 1.05 
 
 2.62 
 1.06 
 
 
 
 1.07 
 
 1.44 
 
 15-17 
 
 .55 
 
 1.72 
 
 1.73 
 
 
 1890. 
 1890. 
 1892. 
 1894. 
 1895. 
 1896. 
 1898. 
 1899. 
 1899. 
 1903. 
 1905. 
 1906. 
 1906. 
 1912. 
 1912. 
 
 20-21 
 18-21 
 25-27 
 11 
 10-13 
 26-27 
 
 1- 2 
 18-19 
 
 5- 6 
 10-12 
 25-27 
 19 
 17-18 
 25-27 
 
 8-11 
 19-20 
 
 0.26 
 
 1.12 
 
 .05 
 
 1.06 
 
 .14 
 
 .81 
 
 1.89 
 
 1.18 
 
 1.51 
 
 .09 
 
 .14 
 
 1.37 
 
 .04 
 
 .08 
 
 .09 
 
 .12 
 
 2.72 
 1.61 
 2.60 
 
 1.34 
 1.98, 
 
 1.90 
 1.21 
 1.98 
 1.49 
 1.25 
 
 1.34 
 1.53 
 2.02 
 
 1.51 
 
 1.68 
 2.71 
 
 1.52 
 
 1.55 
 1.36 
 
 1.71 
 2.19 
 
 2.06 
 
 1.38 
 
 SEPTEMBER. 
 
 1873 
 
 22 
 5 
 
 1- 3 
 12-13 
 23-24 
 
 8 
 
 2- 5 
 
 3- 6 
 13-14 
 11-14 
 
 30 
 
 1.12 
 1.14 
 
 .06 
 1.13 
 
 .35 
 1.25 
 1.50 
 1.28 
 2.02 
 
 .15 
 1.60 
 
 
 
 
 1894 
 
 15-18 
 
 27-30 
 
 22 
 
 7 
 6- 7 
 1 
 9-11 
 26-29 
 5 
 8-11 
 14-16 
 
 0.12 
 .68 
 
 1.24 
 
 1.22 
 .16 
 
 1.04 
 .08 
 .72 
 
 2.16 
 .04 
 .22 
 
 1.32 
 1.93 
 
 1.75 
 3.67 
 
 1.82 
 
 1874 
 
 
 
 
 1896 
 
 3.98 
 
 1879 
 
 2.05 
 1.28 
 1.66 
 
 2.57 
 
 
 1898 
 
 
 1879 
 
 1899 
 
 
 
 
 1884 
 
 
 
 1900 
 
 1.24 
 
 
 
 1885 
 
 
 
 1902 . 
 
 
 
 1889 
 
 1.71 
 
 1.68 
 
 2.10 
 
 .48 
 
 1.90 
 2.13 
 
 2.14 
 2.14 
 
 1903. . 
 
 1.13 
 .81 
 
 1.24 
 
 .83 
 
 
 1891 
 
 1906... 
 
 1.96 
 
 1892 
 
 1911 
 
 
 1893 
 
 1.58 
 
 2.19 
 
 1911 
 
 .15 
 1.23 
 
 1.49 
 1.63 
 
 3.02 
 
 1893 
 
 1911 . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 OCTOBER. 
 
 1876 
 
 22-24 
 
 2- 4 
 
 13 
 
 1- 2 
 
 28-29 
 
 0.76 
 .36 
 
 1.01 
 .16 
 
 2.15 
 
 2.87 
 2.29 
 
 2.94 
 2.43 
 
 
 1893 . 
 
 3- 4 
 6- 7 
 
 3 
 10-11 
 
 4- 6 
 
 1.42 
 
 .16 
 
 1.93 
 
 1.24 
 
 .26 
 
 1.44 
 1.24 
 
 
 
 1881 
 
 1900 
 
 
 
 1882 
 
 1907... 
 
 
 
 1883 
 
 1.72 
 3.99 
 
 
 
 1909 
 
 1.26 
 2.59 
 
 
 
 1883 
 
 
 
 1910 . 
 
 5.41 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EXCESSIVE PRECIPITATION IN OHIO. 19 
 
 Accumulated amounts of excessive precipitation at Cincinnati, Ohio, is7i to June SO, 1918 — Continued. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Day. 
 
 2-1 
 
 hours. 
 
 48 
 hours. 
 
 72 
 hours. 
 
 hours. 
 
 Year. 
 
 IViN 
 
 24 
 
 hours. 
 
 •is 
 hours. 
 
 72 
 hours. 
 
 hours. 
 
 NOVEMBER. 
 
 1871. 
 1S73. 
 1874. 
 1874. 
 1875. 
 1878. 
 1879. 
 1880. 
 1881. 
 1883. 
 1883. 
 1886. 
 
 13-14 
 
 21-24 
 
 16-17 
 
 22-23 
 
 13-14 
 
 27 
 
 14 
 
 4- 6 
 
 17-19 
 
 10 
 
 21-22 
 
 22-23 
 
 8- 9 
 
 1.40 
 1.34 
 
 .21 
 1.82 
 1.79 
 1.35 
 1.06 
 
 .72 
 
 .15 
 1.04 
 1.81 
 
 .22 
 1.0S 
 
 2.21 
 1.69 
 1.29 
 1.90 
 2.29 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .73 
 
 1.37 
 
 2.23 
 2.18 
 
 
 2.94 
 1.42 
 2.20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1889. 
 1891. 
 1891. 
 1895. 
 1896. 
 1897. 
 1897. 
 1S98. 
 1899. 
 1900. 
 1900. 
 1910. 
 1911. 
 
 10 
 22-24 
 
 8- 9 
 27-28 
 
 1- 2 
 25-26 
 10-11 
 21-23 
 20-23 
 24-26 
 27 
 
 6- 7 
 
 0. n-s 
 
 1. 10 
 1.39 
 
 .56 
 1.38 
 1 . 65 
 
 .12 
 1.34 
 
 .06 
 1.52 
 1.45 
 1.06 
 
 .07 
 
 1.10 
 
 2.25 
 1.98 
 1.52 
 2.73 
 1.27 
 1.92 
 1.08 
 1.80 
 1.90 
 
 1.08 
 
 1.21 
 
 2.29 
 
 1.09 
 2.07 
 2.35 
 
 2.13 
 2.55 
 
 DECEMBER. 
 
 1870... 
 
 19 
 
 31 
 
 3- 4 
 
 27-29 
 
 24-26 
 
 9-10 
 
 22-24 
 
 1- 5 
 
 14 
 
 20-23 
 
 5- 6 
 
 1.00 
 2.50 
 2.47 
 
 .06 
 1.68 
 
 .16 
 1.24 
 2.36 
 1.12 
 1.18 
 1.0S 
 
 
 
 
 1883 
 
 22-24 
 11-12 
 3 
 25-26 
 11-12 
 
 8-10 
 
 14 
 
 15-16 
 
 24-27 
 
 1- 2 
 27-30 
 
 0.69 
 1.16 
 1.35 
 
 3.26 
 1.43 
 
 3.71 
 
 
 1871.. 
 
 
 
 
 1884 
 
 
 1873 
 
 2.53 
 1.13 
 1.71 
 1.43 
 2.42 
 3.17 
 
 
 
 1893 
 
 
 
 1874 
 
 1.27 
 2.62 
 
 
 1895 
 
 .13 
 
 1.16 
 .03 
 1.52 
 1.31 
 .43 
 .15 
 .12 
 
 1.52 
 1.36 
 1.23 
 
 
 
 1875 
 
 1899 
 
 
 
 1879 
 
 1901 
 
 1.30 
 
 
 1879 
 
 3.65 
 
 
 1901 
 
 
 1880 
 
 1902 
 
 1.53 
 .77 
 
 1.38 
 .19 
 
 
 
 1881 
 
 
 
 1904 
 
 1.97 
 
 3.00 
 
 1881 
 
 2.09 
 1.14 
 
 2.86 
 
 2.94 
 
 1905 
 
 
 1882 
 
 1910 
 
 1.28 
 
 1.29 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The statistics of the above table are summarized in the small table. below, wherein is shown 
 the maximum rainfall for each month, classified according to the length of the period, whether 
 24, 48, 72, or 96 hours. From this table we see that the greatest 24-hourly amount in the forty- 
 odd years, 1871-1913, was 3.32 inches in May, 1905 ; the greatest 48-hourty amount was 6.6 inches 
 in March, 1907; the greatest 72-hourly amount was 7.5 inches in March, 1913; and the greatest 
 96-hourly amount was 5.7 inches in March, 1897. 
 
 Accumulated precipitation in 2%, 48, 72, and 96 hours at Cincinnati, Ohio {maximum for each month and for 
 
 the year). 
 
 |In inches.] 
 
 
 Jan. 
 
 Feb. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Apr. 
 
 May. 
 
 June. 
 
 July. 
 
 Aug. 
 
 Sept. 
 
 Oct. 
 
 Nov. 
 
 Dec. 
 
 Max. 
 
 
 3.0 
 3.5 
 3.9 
 2.5 
 
 2.7 
 3.3 
 4.6 
 4.8 
 
 2.5 
 6.6 
 
 7.5 
 5.7 
 
 1.9 
 2.4 
 2.9 
 3.2 
 
 3.2 
 3.3 
 3.7 
 5.0 
 
 2.0 
 3.5 
 4.0 
 2.8 
 
 2.5 
 3.4 
 3.6 
 2.6 
 
 2.0 
 2.7 
 3.8 
 3.9 
 
 2.2 
 2.1 
 2.6 
 4.0 
 
 2.2 
 4.0 
 5.4 
 
 1.8 
 2.9 
 2.3 
 2.5 
 
 2.5 
 3.3 
 3.6 
 3.0 
 
 3.2 
 
 
 6.6 
 
 
 7.5 
 
 
 5.7 
 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 25 
 
 22 
 
 19 
 
 29 
 
 27 
 
 29 
 
 33 
 
 22 
 
 10 
 
 26 
 
 22 
 
 288 
 
 
 
 The record of 7.5 inches in 72 hours in the March, 1913, rainfall is easily above any other 
 record for a like period, the nearest approach to it being 5.4 inches in October, 1910. The figures 
 in the table also express the principle elsewhere referred to in this paper, viz, that the intensity 
 of precipitation varies inversely as the duration. In 7 out of 12 months the accumulated 
 amounts for 96 hours are less than for a shorter time. 
 
 The chronological variation of excessive rains, as determined from the number of excessive 
 rains in each year (not published), seems to follow rather closely the variation in the yearly 
 
20 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 amounts of precipitation; thus, there was a maximum number of occurrences of excessive rain- 
 falls in the years 1879-83, inclusive, which period was also one of abundant rains; conversely, 
 years of small rainfall do not }'ield many occurrences of excessive precipitation, but there does 
 not seem to be any relation between the amount of the excess of the j^early precipitation above 
 normal and the number of occurrences of excessive rains. 
 
 The details of the floods in Ohio and Indiana and the course of the wave of water which 
 later passed down river to the Gulf of Mexico are now matters of history and will not be 
 repeated here; it is our purpose, however, to present the statistics of this remarkable flood 
 rather fully and to draw some comparisons with previous floods. Beginning with the precipi- 
 tation, we present the numerical values of the daily amounts over the Ohio Basin in Table 
 Xo. 2, below. 
 
 In Table No. 2 the stations in Ohio and Kentucky are located in the various watersheds 
 as follows : 
 
 Ohio. — Antwerp, Benton Eidge, Toledo, and Wauseon in the Maumee watershed; Fre- 
 mont, Tiffin, and Upper Sandusky in the Sandusky watershed; Bowling Green, Cleveland. 
 Conneaut, and Hudson in the Lake Erie watershed; Cincinnati, Millport, and Portsmouth 
 along the Ohio; Garrettsville in the Mahoning watershed; Belief ontaine, Dayton, Greenville, 
 and Urbana in the Great Miami watershed : Kings Mills in the Little Miami watershed ; Circle- 
 vine, Columbus, Frankfort, and Marion in the Scioto watershed; and Bangorville, Cambridge, 
 Canal Dover, Canton, Granville. Philo, and Wooster in the Muskingum watershed. 
 
 Kentucky. — Falmouth and Scott in the Licking watershed; Pikeville and Catlettsburg in 
 the Big Sandy watershed; Berea, Beattyville, Shelby City, High Bridge, Lexington, and 
 Frankfort in the Kentucky watershed ; Edmonton. Franklin, and Calhoun in the Green water- 
 shed; Middlesboro, Williamsburg, Burnside, and Hopkinsville in the Cumberland watershed: 
 and Anchorage, Maysville, Louisville, and Marion along the Ohio. 
 
 Table Xo. 2. — Daily amounts of precipitation (in inches and hundredths) at representative stations in the 
 
 watershed of the Ohio River, Mar. 23-27, 1913} 
 
 "WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. 
 
 Regular stations (midnight to midnight): 
 
 Pittsburgh 
 
 Erie 
 
 Special river stations (7 a. m. to 7 a. nO: 
 
 Beaver Falls 
 
 Confluence 
 
 Ellwood City 
 
 Franklin 
 
 Freeport 
 
 Greensboro 
 
 Lock No. 4 
 
 Mosgrove 
 
 Parker 
 
 Saltsburg 
 
 Sharon 
 
 Warren 
 
 West Newton 
 
 Cooperative stations (~ p. m. to 7 p. m.): 
 
 Aleppo 
 
 Claysville 
 
 Clearfield 
 
 Greenville 
 
 Indiana 
 
 Saegerstown 
 
 Mar 23. 
 
 0.20 
 1.28 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.01 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.10 
 
 0.15 
 0.00 
 1.34 
 0.23 
 1.00 
 
 Mar. 24. 
 
 0.72 
 1.38 
 
 0.59 
 0.00 
 0.69 
 1.41 
 0.14 
 0.06 
 0.08 
 0.19 
 0.62 
 0.05 
 1.19 
 0.70 
 0.10 
 
 0.08 
 0.17 
 0.64 
 1.11 
 0.62 
 1.09 
 
 Mar. 25. 
 
 0.55 
 2.12 
 
 1.65 
 0.00 
 1.81 
 2.22 
 1.53 
 0.04 
 0.05 
 1.77 
 2.25 
 0.20 
 2.92 
 1.70 
 0.07 
 
 0.58 
 0.58 
 0.31 
 3.74 
 0.26 
 3.70 
 
 Mar. 26. 
 
 1.63 
 0.91 
 
 1.79 
 1.00 
 1.61 
 1.32 
 1.15 
 1.40 
 1.50 
 1.93 
 1.40 
 1.50 
 1.24 
 1.36 
 1.62 
 
 1.09 
 1.51 
 1.09 
 0.95 
 1.17 
 0.74 
 
 Mar. 27. 
 
 0.38 
 0.58 
 
 0.92 
 0.76 
 0.92 
 0.88 
 0.35 
 1.12 
 0.64 
 0.67 
 1.25 
 0.77 
 0.84 
 1.10 
 0.64 
 
 0.97 
 1.02 
 0.90 
 0.60 
 0.80 
 0.98 
 
 Total. 
 
 3.51 
 6.27 
 
 4.95 
 1.76 
 5.03 
 5.83 
 3.17 
 2.62 
 2.27 
 4.56 
 5.53 
 2.52 
 6.19 
 4.86 
 2.43 
 
 2.82 
 3.43 
 2.94 
 7.74 
 3.08 
 7.51 
 
 1 Important.— The daily amounts of precipitation at regular Weather Bureau stations are given from midnight to midnight, seventy-fifth meridian 
 time. At special river stations the amounts include the precipitation which occurred between 7 a. m. of one day and 7 a. m. of the following day, 
 local time, while the amounts at cooperative stations include the precipitation from 7 p. m. of one day to 7 p. m. of the following day, local time. 
 
PRECIPITATION IN OHIO BIVER WATERSHED MARCH 23-27, 1913. 
 
 21 
 
 Table Xo. 2. — Daily amounts of precipitation (in inches and hundredths) at representative stations in the 
 watershed of the Ohio River, Mar. 23-27, 1913— Continued. 
 
 Mar. 23. 
 
 Mar. 24. 
 
 Mar. 25. 
 
 Mar. 26. 
 
 Mar. 27. 
 
 Total. 
 
 OHIO. 
 
 Regular stations (midnight to midnight): 
 
 Cincinnati 
 
 Cleveland 
 
 Columbus 
 
 Toledo 
 
 Special river stations (7 a. m. to 7 a. m.): 
 
 Kings Mills 
 
 Portsmouth 
 
 Upper Sandusky 
 
 Cooperative stations (7 p. m. to 7 p. m.): 
 
 Antwerp 
 
 Bangorville 
 
 Bellefontaine 
 
 Benton Ridge 
 
 Bowling Green 
 
 Cambridge 
 
 Canal Dover 
 
 Canton 
 
 Circleville 
 
 Conneaut 
 
 Dayton 
 
 Frankfort 
 
 Fremont 
 
 Garrettsville 
 
 Granville 
 
 Greenville 
 
 Hudson 
 
 Marion 
 
 Millport 
 
 Philo 
 
 Tiffin 
 
 Tj rbana 
 
 Wauseon 
 
 Wooster 
 
 WEST VIRGINIA 
 
 Regular stations (midnight to midnight): 
 
 Elkins 
 
 Parkersburg 
 
 Special river stations (7 a. m. to 7 a. m.): 
 
 Charleston 
 
 Creston 
 
 Fairmont -. 
 
 Glenville 
 
 Ilinton 
 
 Huntington 
 
 Point Pleasant 
 
 Rowlesburg 
 
 St. Marys 
 
 Wheeling 
 
 Williamson 
 
 Cooperative stations (7 p. m. to 7 p. m.): 
 
 Beckley 
 
 Bens Bun 
 
 Cuba 
 
 Elkhorn 
 
 Grafton 
 
 Ryan 
 
 Wellsburg 
 
 0.00 
 1. 94 
 0.53 
 1.90> 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 2.45 
 0.90 
 1.37 
 2.36 
 2.00 
 0.33 
 0.62 
 1.03 
 0.15 
 0.90 
 0.51 
 T. 
 2.50 
 1.98 
 0.49 
 1.29 
 1.60 
 1.38 
 0.75 
 0.36 
 1.98 
 0.62 
 2.07 
 1.16 
 
 0.00 
 0.08 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 T. 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.20 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.23 
 
 2.21 
 1.46 
 2.14 
 1.82 
 
 0.69 
 T. 
 2.00 
 
 0.85 
 1.95 
 1.52 
 2.00 
 1.50 
 1.09 
 0.30 
 2.20 
 1.50 
 1.23 
 2.91 
 1.20 
 0.72 
 1.03 
 1.43 
 1.77 
 1.90 
 1.97 
 0.90 
 1.36 
 1.12 
 2.13 
 1.14 
 1.94 
 
 0.00 
 0.05 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.03 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.19 
 0.18 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.30 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.41 
 
 4.15 
 2.66 
 2.89 
 
 1.74 
 
 2.57 
 0.03 
 2.15 
 
 2.50 
 5.25 
 5.61 
 2.64 
 2.00 
 1.87 
 2.70 
 3.00 
 1.97 
 2.86 
 3.28 
 1.67 
 2.80 
 4.61 
 2.68 
 4.45 
 4.10 
 4.39 
 1.90 
 1.46 
 3.65 
 3.12 
 1.78 
 4.84 
 
 0.22 
 0.80 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.02 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.20 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.53 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.52 
 0.28 
 0.97 
 0.35 
 0.36 
 0.76 
 
 1.11 
 0.91 
 1.40 
 0.48 
 
 4.06 
 2.78 
 3.50 
 
 0.12 
 1.55 
 2.13 
 0.24 
 0.30 
 2.55 
 1.35 
 1.62 
 2.29 
 0.97 
 1.48 
 2.20 
 0.20 
 0.88 
 2.06 
 1.41 
 1.15 
 1.87 
 1.35 
 2.29 
 0.47 
 2.25 
 0.32 
 1.40 
 
 0.49 
 
 1.84 
 
 1.20 
 1.60 
 1.28 
 1.15 
 0.62 
 2.24 
 1.80 
 0.90 
 1.63 
 1.86 
 0.78 
 
 0.95 
 1.21 
 1.48 
 2.05 
 0.80 
 1.40 
 1.83 
 
 0.00 
 0.25 
 0.01 
 0.25 
 
 1.22 
 1.40 
 1.19 
 
 0.55 
 
 0.91 
 0.53 
 0.30 
 0.25 
 0.88 
 0.75 
 0.60 
 0.37 
 0.85 
 0.76 
 1.42 
 0.94 
 0.87 
 0.50 
 0.41 
 0.90 
 1.00 
 0.70 
 0.70 
 0.75 
 0.54 
 0.34 
 0.81 
 
 0.70 
 0.24 
 
 1.35 
 1.47 
 0.92 
 1.20 
 1.74 
 1.90 
 1.18 
 0.90 
 1.00 
 0.50 
 1.70 
 
 1.40 
 0.77 
 0.95 
 0.05 
 1.05 
 1.29 
 0.78 
 
 7.47 
 7.22 
 6.97 
 6.19 
 
 8.54 
 4.21 
 
 8.84 
 
 6.47 
 10.56 
 11.16 
 
 7.54 
 6.05 
 6.72 
 5.72 
 8.45 
 6.28 
 6.81 
 8.94 
 6.49 
 7.16 
 9.37 
 7.16 
 9.33 
 9.65 
 
 10.61 
 5.60 
 6.17 
 7.97 
 8.66 
 5.65 
 
 10.6*5 
 
 1.41 
 3.01 
 
 2.55 
 3.07 
 2.25 
 2.35 
 2.36 
 4.14 
 3.18 
 1.80 
 2.82 
 3.07 
 
 2.35 
 2.70 
 3.01 
 3.07 
 2.20 
 3.05 
 4.01 
 
22 
 
 PRECIPITATION IN OHIO EIVER WATERSHED MARCH 23-27, 1913. 
 
 Table No. 2. — Daily amounts of precipitation {in inches and hundredths) at representative stations in the 
 watershed of the Ohio River. Mar. 28-27, 1913 — Continued. 
 
 Mar 23, 
 
 Mar. 24. 
 
 Mar. 25. 
 
 Mar. 26. 
 
 Mar. 27. 
 
 Total. 
 
 KENTUCKY. 
 
 Regular stations (midnight to midnight): 
 
 Lexington 
 
 Louisville 
 
 Special river stations (7 a. m. to 7 a. m.): 
 
 Beattyville 
 
 Burnside 
 
 Catlettsburg 
 
 Falmouth 
 
 Frankfort 
 
 High Bridge 
 
 Maysville 
 
 Paducah 
 
 Pikeville 
 
 Williamsburg 
 
 Cooperative stations (7 p. m. to 7 p. m.): 
 
 Anchorage 
 
 Berea 
 
 Calhoun 
 
 Edmonton 
 
 Franklin 
 
 Hopkinsville 
 
 Irvington 
 
 Marion 
 
 MIddlesboro 
 
 Scott 
 
 Shelby City 
 
 Regular stations (midnight to midnight): 
 
 Evansville 
 
 Fort Wayne 
 
 Indianapolis 
 
 Terre Haute 
 
 Special river stations (7 a. m. to 7 a. m.): 
 
 Attica 
 
 Bluffton 
 
 Elliston 
 
 Madison 
 
 Mount Vernon 
 
 Shoals 
 
 Cooperative stations (7 p. m. to 7 p. m. ): 
 
 Anderson 
 
 Berne 
 
 Butlerville 
 
 Collegeville 
 
 Connersville 
 
 Crawfordsville 
 
 Eminence 
 
 Farmersburg 
 
 Greenfield 
 
 Huntingburg 
 
 Huntington 
 
 Judy ville 
 
 Kokomo..., 
 
 Mauzy 
 
 Moores Hill 
 
 Princeton 
 
 Rome 
 
 Salamonia 
 
 Salem 
 
 South Rend 
 
 Underwood 
 
 0.00 
 T. 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 T. 
 0.00 
 
 0.29 
 2.08 
 1.27 
 1.05 
 
 0.37 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.36 
 0.00 
 T. 
 
 2.34 
 2.30 
 0.14 
 1.20 
 0.68 
 2.80 
 1.60 
 0.78 
 1.25 
 2.27 
 1.80 
 1.97 
 2.18 
 0.56 
 0.33 
 0.05 
 0.00 
 3.55 
 0.10 
 1.15 
 0.01 
 
 0.21 
 0.15 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 T. 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.20 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 0.00 
 0.20 
 0.20 
 0.05 
 
 T. 
 0.00 
 2.86 
 0.00 
 
 0.90 
 1.98 
 2.76 
 2.45 
 
 2.80 
 3.80 
 1.10 
 2.74 
 0.21 
 0.37 
 
 1.50 
 2.34 
 2.57 
 1.14 
 1.85 
 2.30 
 1.95 
 1.92 
 2.56 
 4.50 
 1.05 
 1.13 
 1.57 
 2.25 
 1.63 
 2.00 
 0.10 
 1.16 
 2.00 
 0.53 
 2.10 
 
 1.79 
 4.95 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.30 
 0.11 
 0.05 
 0.16 
 1.20 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 3.50 
 1.20 
 1.40 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.32 
 3.75 
 2.28 
 0.00 
 1.50 
 0.61 
 
 4.01 
 0.69 
 
 1.56 
 0.77 
 
 2.28 
 3. CO 
 6.10 
 3.67 
 1.65 
 
 2.51 
 2.56 
 4.43 
 1.86 
 5.67 
 2.20 
 1.45 
 2.23 
 2.32 
 0.52 
 1.95 
 1.51 
 1.97 
 5.59 
 2.78 
 4.37 
 3.13 
 3.04 
 3.10 
 0.88 
 3.30 
 
 2.46 
 0.87 
 
 3.04 
 2.25 
 2.36 
 3.23 
 3.35 
 3.02 
 2.03 
 3.64 
 0.80 
 2.02 
 
 1.72 
 5.25 
 2.46 
 4.30 
 4.85 
 2.53 
 1.80 
 1.43 
 1.75 
 2.38 
 4.16 
 
 0.30 
 0.40 
 0.34 
 
 0.19 
 
 0.00 
 0.10 
 1.20 
 2.27 
 2.55 
 1.80 
 
 0.50 
 0.42 
 1.56 
 0.20 
 1.46 
 0.70 
 0.25 
 0.21 
 1.00 
 0.00 
 0.30 
 0.27 
 0.00 
 0.98 
 2.10 
 1.05 
 2.46 
 1.08 
 1.10 
 0.60 
 2.30 
 
 0.01 
 T. 
 
 3.28 
 3.25 
 0.92 
 0.96 
 1.06 
 1.24 
 1.29 
 0.40 
 1.40 
 2.05 
 
 0.08 
 0.60 
 0.13 
 0.09 
 
 T. 
 0.10 
 0.20 
 
 T. 
 1.60 
 0.23 
 0.39 
 
 0.02 
 0.21 
 0.08 
 0.10 
 
 0.63 
 0.60 
 0.20 
 T. 
 0.37 
 0.45 
 
 0.14 
 0.19 
 0.57 
 0.00 
 0.32 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 T. 
 0.15 
 0.00 
 0.30 
 0.14 
 0.38 
 0.27 
 0.08 
 0.06 
 0.09 
 0.21 
 0.20 
 0.18 
 0.21 
 
 4.47 
 5.97 
 
 6.32 
 5.50 
 3.28 
 4.49 
 4.52 
 4.31 
 3.48 
 5.24 
 2.20 
 4.07 
 
 5.50 
 7.05 
 3.99 
 4.39 
 5.05 
 3.15 
 5.81 
 3.70 
 3.35 
 6.97 
 5.16 
 
 5.52 
 5.36 
 6.01 
 4.56 
 
 6.08 
 7.50 
 8.60 
 9.04 
 4.78 
 9.28 
 
 6.99 
 7.81 
 9.27 
 4.40 
 9.98 
 8.00 
 5.25 
 5.14 
 7.28 
 7.29 
 5.40 
 5.02 
 6.10 
 9.65 
 6.92 
 7.53 
 5.78 
 9.04 
 6.50 
 3.34 
 7.92 
 
PRECIPITATION IN OHIO RIVER WATERSHED MARCH 23-27, 1913. 
 
 23 
 
 Table No. 2. — Daily amounts of precipitation (in inches and hundredths) at representative stations in the 
 watershed of the Ohio River, Mar. 23-27, 1913 — Continued. 
 
 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. 
 
 Regular stations (midnight to midnight): 
 
 Cairo 
 
 Special river stations (7 a. m. to 7 a. m.): 
 
 Sha wneeto ivd , 
 
 Chester 
 
 Mount Carmel 
 
 Cooperative stations (7 p. m. to.7 p. m.): 
 
 Albion 
 
 Carbondale 
 
 Carlyle 
 
 Danville 
 
 Equality 
 
 Flora 
 
 Manteno 
 
 Metropolis 
 
 Palestine 
 
 Tuscola 
 
 WESTERN VIRGINIA. 
 
 Regular stations (midnight to midnight): 
 
 Lynchburg 
 
 ■VVytheville 
 
 Special river stations (7 a. m. to 7 a. m.): 
 
 Buchanan 
 
 Speers Ferry 
 
 NORTHERN ALABAMA. 
 
 Special river stations (7 a. m. to 7 a. m.): 
 
 Bridgeport 
 
 Florence 
 
 Guntersville 
 
 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 Regular station (midnight to midnight): 
 
 Asheville 
 
 TENNESSEE. 
 
 Regular stations (midnight to midnight): 
 
 Chattanooga 
 
 Knoxville 
 
 Memphis 
 
 Nashville 
 
 Special river stations (7 a. m. to 7 a. m.): 
 
 Carthage 
 
 Celina 
 
 Clarksville 
 
 Elizabethton 
 
 Johnsonville 
 
 Kingston 
 
 Newport 
 
 New River 
 
 Cooperative stations (7 p. m. to 7 p. m.): 
 
 Ashwood 
 
 Benton _ 
 
 Byrdstown 
 
 Cedar Hill 
 
 Dover 
 
 Erasmus 
 
 Jackson 
 
 Kenton 
 
 McMinnville 
 
 Mountain City 
 
 Rogersville 
 
 Savannah 
 
 Mar. 23. 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 2.20 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 1.34 
 0.00 
 0.16 
 2.05 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.08 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 o.oo 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 Mar. 24. 
 
 0.02 
 
 0.52 
 0.62 
 0.86 
 
 2.10 
 0.25 
 1.60 
 1.35 
 0.27 
 2.38 
 0.29 
 0.35 
 1.34 
 1.22 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.01 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 T. 
 0.00 
 0.10 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.30 
 0.24 
 T. 
 0.00 
 0.24 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.48 
 
 Mar. 25. 
 
 1.62 
 2.80 
 6.20 
 
 6.23 
 4.24 
 1.92 
 1.40 
 3.02 
 3.30 
 0.45 
 3.74 
 3.67 
 1.23 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 T. 
 
 0.09 
 
 0.10 
 0.08 
 1.23 
 1.11 
 
 0.01 
 0.00 
 0.53 
 0.00 
 0.86 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 0.00 
 0.20 
 0.91 
 0.33 
 0.04 
 0.48 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.63 
 
 Mar. 26. 
 
 2.44 
 0.22 
 
 1.50 
 
 0.71 
 0.52 
 0.58 
 0.54 
 0.97 
 0.40 
 0.15 
 1.25 
 0.40 
 0.42 
 
 0.27 
 1.70 
 
 0.00 
 0.26 
 
 0.00 
 0.25 
 0.10 
 
 1.58 
 2.18 
 0.56 
 1.85 
 
 4.50 
 4.20 
 3.47 
 1.00 
 4.00 
 0.22 
 T. 
 1.42 
 
 2.50 
 0.53 
 0.00 
 4.72 
 2.67 
 2.07 
 2.75 
 1.79 
 1.25 
 0.63 
 0.33 
 5.95 
 
 Mar. 27. 
 
 0.02 
 
 0.74 
 0.82 
 0.60 
 
 0.07 
 0.07 
 
 T. 
 0.23 
 
 T. 
 0.11 
 07 
 0.05 
 0.00 
 0.08 
 
 0.54 
 0.88 
 
 2.20 
 2.00 
 
 1.86 
 1.44 
 0.72 
 
 0.40 
 
 0.03 
 0.16 
 T. 
 0.01 
 
 1.90 
 2.16 
 1.26 
 1.60 
 0.64 
 2.86 
 1.75 
 2.54 
 
 0.00 
 0.75 
 3.70 
 0.15 
 
 T. 
 0.92 
 
 T. 
 0.01 
 1.85 
 1.23 
 2.13 
 0.04 
 
 Total. 
 
 5.32 
 4.46 
 9.16 
 
 9.11 
 5.08 
 4.10 
 5.72 
 4.26 
 6.19 
 2.30 
 5.39 
 5.57 
 5.00 
 
 0.81 
 2.58 
 
 2.20 
 2.26 
 
 1.86 
 1.69 
 0.82 
 
 1.19 
 
 1.71 
 2.42 
 1.87 
 2.97 
 
 6.41 
 6.36 
 5.26 
 2.60 
 5.60 
 3.08 
 1.75 
 3.96 
 
 2.50 
 
 1.28 
 3.70 
 5.37 
 3.82 
 3.32 
 2.79 
 2.52 
 3.10 
 1.86 
 2.46 
 7.10 
 
24 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 A chart of the aggregate rainfall for the period covered by the table is also presented. This 
 chart No. 1 shows by appropriate shading the intensity of the fall in the several parts of the 
 watershed. The figures in red express the total rainfall, in inches and tenths, for the stations 
 and the period covered by Table No. 2. It should be remembered that rain did not begin to fall 
 south of the Ohio River until March 25. High water in the smaller southern tributaries there- 
 fore was about a day later than in the northern tributaries. 
 
 A careful analysis of the rainfall statistics of the 1913 flood as published in Table No. 2 
 reveals the important fact that in the beginning rain fell over the headwaters of the streams in 
 Ohio and Indiana sufficient to fill their bank full. Subsequently rain ceased on the headwaters, 
 but continued in the lower reaches of all streams in the States named and extended into the 
 watersheds of the tributaries which enter the Ohio River along the left bank. It is also dis- 
 closed that practically all of the flood-producing rain fell over the States of Ohio. Indiana, and 
 Illinois and that the two headwater tributaries of the Ohio, viz, the Allegheny and the Monon- 
 gahela. were not serious factors in the causation of the flood under discussion. 
 
 The rains of the spring of 1912 which caused the greatest flood that the lower Mississippi 
 Valley yet has experienced likewise fell not on the headwaters of the Missouri, the upper 
 Mississippi, the Wabash, nor the Tennessee and the Cumberland, but on the middle and lower 
 portions of the respective basins of those streams, whence the inference that in methods of flood 
 protection by reservoirs or otherwise it will be necessary to care not only for the rain which 
 falls on the headwaters, but also in the low-lying portions of the respective basins. 
 
 Table No. 3 follows with river-gage readings made at 8 a. m. eastern time, on the tributaries 
 of the Ohio in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. 
 The table also contains a column comparing the absolute high water of the March. 1913. 
 flood with records of previous high water. It appears that in general the northern tributaries 
 in Ohio and Indiana were about as much above previous high water as the southern tributaries 
 Jacked of reaching previous high-water stages. (See page 27.) 
 
 The March, J 913, food in the Ohio River. — The flood in the main stream was essentially due 
 to the volume of water discharged by the rivers of Ohio and Indiana augmented, of course, by 
 the discharge of the southern tributaries. The watershed of the Allegheny did not receive as 
 much precipitation as did that of the Beaver., immediately to the westward. Practically no 
 rain fell over the Monongahela watershed until the 26th, and while it continued over that 
 watershed until the morning of March 27, the river itself was at no time in flood. At some 
 places the Allegheny exceeded the high stage of the flood of 1865, but the failure of the 
 Monongahela to reach flood stage fortunately prevented a record-breaking rise in the Ohio at 
 Pittsburgh. 
 
 At Wheeling, W. Va., 91 miles below Pittsburgh, the volume of the flood was much greater 
 than at Pittsburgh, doubtless due to the great amount of water discharged by the Beaver 
 River. The highest mark at Wheeling fell 2 feet short of the crest of the 1881 flood. 
 
 The most important tributary of the Ohio between Wheeling and Parkersburg is the 
 Muskingum, which enters the Ohio at Marietta, 12 miles above Parkersburg. The precipitation 
 over the Muskingum watershed was remarkably heavy. As a result the river crested at Zar.es- 
 ville, Ohio, 70 miles from the mouth of the Muskingum, at 51.8 feet, 15 feet higher than any 
 previously recorded stage. The immense volume of water carried by that river arrived at its 
 junction with the Ohio simultaneously with the flood wave from the Allegheny and the Beaver. 
 thus producing higher stages by as much as 5 feet than in the 1884 flood. One of the 
 first effects of the flood waters near the mouth of the Muskingum was to isolate Parkers- 
 burg and Marietta from communication with the outside world by telegraph or telephone: and 
 while some loss resulted from lack of means to transmit warnings, there was still great loss in 
 the district to property which could not be protected. 
 
 It is interesting to note the volume of water which flowed past Parkersburg in 24 hours. 
 Fortunately the Weather Bureau is able to present hourly river gage readings made under 
 
THE MARCH, 1913, FLOOD IN THE OHIO KIVEE. 
 
 25 
 
 the supervision of the Parkersburg station from 11 a. m., March 26, to 8 p. m., March 31, as in 
 the table below. 
 
 
 Feet and tenths. 
 
 
 Feet and tenths. 
 
 26th, 11 a. m 
 
 25.5 
 
 28th, 5 a. m 
 
 53.9 
 
 12 m 
 
 26. 8 
 
 6 a. m 
 
 54.3 
 
 1 p. m 
 
 28. 
 
 7 a. m 
 
 54. 5 
 
 2 p. m 
 
 28. 7 
 
 8 a. m 
 
 54.9 
 
 3 p. m 
 
 29. 9 
 
 9 a. m 
 
 55. 2 
 
 4 p. m 
 
 30. 5 
 
 10 a. m 
 
 55. 5 
 
 op. ra 
 
 31.8 
 
 11a. m 
 
 . .* 55.7 
 
 6 p. m 
 
 32.5 
 
 12 m 
 
 56. 
 
 7 p. m 
 
 33.5 
 
 lp.ra 
 
 56. 1 
 
 8 p. m 
 
 34.5 
 
 2 p. m 
 
 56.4 
 
 9 p. m 
 
 35. 4 
 
 3p.m.... 
 
 56. 5 
 
 10 p. m 
 
 36.2 
 
 4 p. m 
 
 56.7 
 
 11 p. m 
 
 37.0 
 
 sp. 111 
 
 56. 9 
 
 12 md 
 
 37. 8 
 
 6 p. m 
 
 57.1 
 
 27tti, la. m 
 
 38.5 
 
 7 p. m 
 
 57.2 
 
 2 a. m 
 
 39.3 
 
 8p.m 
 
 57.3 
 
 3 a. m. . .. 
 
 40. 1 
 
 9 p. m 
 
 57.5 
 
 4 a. m. . .. 
 
 41.1 
 
 10 p. m 
 
 57. 6 
 
 5a.m.... 
 
 41.6 
 
 11 p. m 
 
 57. 7 
 
 6 a. m. . .. 
 
 42. 
 
 12 md 
 
 57.8 
 
 7 a.m.... 
 
 42. 3 
 
 29th, la. m 
 
 57. 9 
 
 8 a. m. . .. 
 
 43.0 
 
 2 a. m 
 
 58.0 
 
 9 a.m.... 
 
 43. 8 
 
 3 a. m 
 
 58. 1 
 
 10a. m 
 
 44.6 
 
 4 a. m 
 
 58.2 
 
 11 a. m. . .. 
 
 45.1 
 
 5 a. m 
 
 58. 3 
 
 12 m 
 
 45. 8 
 
 6 a. m 
 
 58. 4 
 
 1 p. m 
 
 46. 2 
 
 7 a. m 
 
 58. 5 
 
 •' p. m 
 
 47. 
 
 8 a. m 
 
 58. 5 
 
 3 p. m 
 
 47.7 
 
 9 a. m 
 
 58. 6 
 
 4 p. m 
 
 48.1 
 
 10 a. m 
 
 11 a. m 
 
 58. 6 
 
 S p. m 
 
 48. 8 
 
 58. 7 
 
 6 p. m 
 
 49. 2 
 
 12 m 
 
 1 p. m 
 
 58. 7 
 
 7 p. m 
 
 50. 
 
 58. 8 
 
 8 p. m 
 
 50. 3 
 
 2 p. m 
 
 58. 8 
 
 9 p. m 
 
 50.7 
 
 3 p. m 
 
 58.8 
 
 10 p. m 
 
 51.3 
 
 4 p. m 
 
 58.8 
 
 11 p. m 
 
 51.8 
 
 5 p. m 
 
 58.8 
 
 12 md 
 
 52. 3 
 
 6 p. m 
 
 58.9 
 
 28th, "1 a. m 
 
 52. 8 
 
 7 p. m 
 
 8 p. m 
 
 58.9 
 
 2 a. m 
 
 53.2 
 
 58. 9 
 
 3 a. m 
 
 53. 4 
 
 9 p. m 
 
 58. 8 
 
 4 a. m 
 
 53.7 
 
 10 p. m 
 
 58. 7 
 
 I lowly river gage readings, Parkersburg, W. Va.. 11 a. m. Mar. ,'6-8 p. m. Mar. 31, 1913. 
 
 Feet and tenths. 
 
 29th, 11 p. m 58. 6 
 
 12md 58.5 
 
 30th, 1 a. m 58.4 
 
 2 a. m 58.4 
 
 3 a. m 58. 3 
 
 4 a. m 58.2 
 
 5 a. m 58. 1 
 
 6 a. m 58. 
 
 7 a. m 57.9 
 
 8 a. m 57.9 
 
 9 a. in 57. 8 
 
 lOa.m 57.6 
 
 11a. m 57.6 
 
 12m 57.6 
 
 1 p. m 57.5 
 
 2 p. m 57.4 
 
 3p.m 57.2 
 
 4 p. m 57.0 
 
 5 p. m 56.9 
 
 6p.m 56.7 
 
 7 p. m 56.5 
 
 8 p. m 56.3 
 
 9 p. m 56.1 
 
 10 p. m 55.9 
 
 lip. m 55.7 
 
 12 md 55.5 
 
 31st, la. m 55.3 
 
 2 a. m 55.1 
 
 3 a. m 54.9 
 
 4 a. m 54.7 
 
 5 a. rri 54. 5 
 
 6 a. m 54.3 
 
 7 a. m 54.1 
 
 8 a. m 53.8 
 
 lla.m 53.0 
 
 1 p. m 52.5 
 
 3 p. m 52.0 
 
 4p.m 51.8 
 
 5 p. m 51.5 
 
 6p.m 51.2 
 
 7 p. m 50. 9 
 
 8 p . m 50. 6 
 
 In order to form an idea of the approximate run-off during the storm period we have 
 computed the discharge of the Ohio at Parkersburg, W. Va., for the seven days, March 26-April 
 1. when the river was above a stage of 35 feet. The rain period in the watershed above Parkers- 
 burg was March 24-27. The increased flow in the river became noticeable on March 26, when 
 the mean stage, 8 p. m. to 8 p. m., was 22.1 feet. A stage of 35 feet was reached and passed 
 at 8 p. m. of the 26th. The total discharge for the seven clays when the river was above that 
 stage was approximately 323,654,400,000 cubic feet ; deducting from this amount that wdiich may 
 be called the normal flow at the time the rains began, and assuming that the normal flow was 
 constant for the seven days, we have 323.654,400.000—27.216.000,000=296.438,400.000 cubic feet 
 as the excess discharge due to the rains. 
 
 The rainfall for the watershed of the Ohio above Parkersburg averaged 4.7 inches; in 
 some parts of the watershed the actual rainfall was as much as 10 inches, while in other parts 
 it was less than 2 inches. The computed rainfall on the basis of an average of 4.7 inches per 
 square mile is 406,188,200.000 cubic feet, or about 2.8 cubic miles of water. The approximate run- 
 off as determined above was 296,438.400,000 cubic feet, or about 2 cubic miles of water, and the 
 percentage of excess run-off to total rainfall for the seven days was 73, an extremely high value 
 of run-off, but not an improbable one, considering the time of year and the probable height 
 of ground water at the beginning of the period. The above figures of excess discharge for the 
 seven days correspond to a discharge of 13 second-feet per square mile of watershed. The 
 maximum discharge was, however, 17.5 second- feet per square mile. 
 
 From Parkersburg to Cincinnati the river rose very irregularly. At the latter place it rose 
 nearly a foot an hour during the night of the 25th-26th and reached 50 feet, the flood stage, by 
 7 a. m. of the 26th. By that hour the river stood 21.5 feet higher at Cincinnati than at Mays- 
 ville, Ky., the last named being 60 miles upriver. 
 
 The explanation of this extraordinary 24-hour rise at Cincinnati was furnished by Mr. 
 W. C. Devereaux of the Cincinnati office, viz, that it was due to the volume and strength of the 
 
26 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 current issuing from the Great Miami River where it joins the Ohio, about 15 miles below 
 Cincinnati, thus causing the Ohio to back up in that stretch of the stream between the mouth 
 of the Great Miami and Cincinnati. A river packet encountered the output of the Great Miami 
 on the night of March 25-26, and so great was the force of the current that the captain of the 
 packet was obliged to steer almost directly into the current to prevent being carried onto the 
 opposite bank of the riA'er. 1 
 
 The flood discharge of the Scioto came out 24 hours later than that of the Great Miami, as 
 did also that of the Muskingum and other small rivers; thus there was not perfect synchronism 
 in the flood discharge of the Ohio and Indiana streams. To this lack of synchronism may be 
 ascribed the immunity from higher stages than were actually recorded from Cincinnati to 
 Cairo. At the time the river reached flood stage at Cincinnati the principal flood wave was 
 about 24 hours upriver from Parkersburg. The latter place is 286 miles upstream from Cincin- 
 nati, or about three days run for a normal flood wave. As a matter of fact, the crest of the rise 
 at Cincinnati was not reached until six clays after the river attained a flood stage. Meantime 
 much of the flood water first discharged into the river had passed downstream. The Cincinnati 
 crest, 70 feet, was reached at 5 a. m. of April 1, and that height was maintained until midnight 
 of that date, when the river began to fall slowly. As a result of the lack of synchronism in 
 one; however, the highest water on record was reached at all points from Parkersburg to 
 the discharge of flood waters into the trunk stream, the flood wave in the latter was a very flat 
 Maysville (see diagram 1). 
 
 The flood, Cincinnati to Louisville. — At Madison, Ind.. 86 miles below Cincinnati, the 
 crest of the flood wave, 62.8 feet, was reached on April 1, 1913. That stage exceeds the record 
 of the 1884 flood by 1 foot and is the only instance where the 1913 flood exceeded the earlier 
 flood between Cincinnati and Louisville. At Louisville the crest stage of 44.9 feet on April 2, 
 1913, fell short of previous high record by 1.8 feet. For a detailed account of the flood at 
 Louisville see accompanying papers, page 81. 
 
 The flood, Louisville to Cairo. — The river between Louisville and Cairo was about 9 feet 
 below flood stage when the rains of March 25-27 set in. As at Cincinnati it rose rather rapidly 
 during the 48 hours immediately following the rains, but the bulk of the flood water from the 
 Wabash, on the north, did not come in until the night of March 29-30. One effect of the 
 Wabash flood was to back up the Ohio, thus causing relatively high-crest stages at Mount 
 Vernon, Ind., Henderson, Ky., and Evansville, Ind. The crest at Evansville, 48.3 feet, occurred 
 about noon of April 5, and is believed to have been due to a short period of heavy rains over 
 the lower Ohio and Green River Valleys, combined with the local ponding effect of the 
 Wabash. 
 
 At Cairo, 111., the initial stage on March 25, was 40.9 feet, 4.1 feet below flood stage. Flood 
 stage was reached on March 27, and a crest stage of 54.8 feet on April 4. This stage is 0.8 foot 
 higher than ever before recorded. The river stood at this unprecedented stage until April 9, 
 and then began to fall very slowly. The stages of the river at Cairo are, of course, conditioned 
 on the levees withstanding the water, and since those protecting Cairo have been raised 
 and strengthened in recent years, we should expect higher stages at Cairo than have hitherto 
 been recorded. Fortunately, the Mississippi was not at a flood stage at the mouth of the Ohio, 
 and thus the Cairo stage was not so high as it might have been had the conditions of the 1912 
 flood prevailed. Nevertheless the river passed slowly above the hitherto record stage of 54 
 feet reached on April 6, 1912, and on April 4, 1913, touched the mark of 54.8 feet — higher 
 by 0.8 foot than ever before recorded. It hung at the 54.8-foot mark for a period of about 72 
 hours; meanwhile the people who had remained at Cairo, assisted by the State militia, were 
 making heroic efforts to save the levees and the dty from total destruction. On April 7, 1913, 
 the river began to fall, almost imperceptibly at first, but more rapidly by the 18th, and on the 
 22d of the month it passed below the flood stage, thus ending the most memorable flood that 
 lias yet menaced the lower Ohio River. 
 
 1 The effect of the Great Miami water was noticeable as far up river as Ripley, Ohio. 
 
DAILY GAGE READINGS, MARCH 22-29, 1913. 
 
 27 
 
 Table No. 3. — Daily river gage readings (in feet and tenths) Mar. 22-29, 1913, and crest stages as compared with previous 
 highest water at special river stations in the watershed of the Ohio . 
 
 Flood 
 stage 
 (feet). 
 
 Previous highest 
 stage. 
 
 ! Height. 
 
 2.8 
 1.3 
 
 2.2 
 2.4 
 3.5 
 
 3.8 
 6.5 
 11.9 
 
 3.3 
 
 15. 
 
 LAKE ERIE SYSTEM. 
 
 Sandusky River: 
 
 Tiffin, Ohio 7 18. 5 Apr. 2, 1904 
 
 Fremont.Ohio 10 16.5 - —1904 
 
 Maumee River: 
 
 Fort Wayne, Ind 15 22.5 Mar. 8,1! 
 
 Napoleon, Ohio 13 18. 8 Mar. 2, 1910 
 
 OHIO RIVER SYSTEM. 
 
 Clarion River: 
 
 Clarion, Pa m in 
 
 Conemaugh-Kiskiminetas : 
 
 Johnstown, Pa 7 21.0 
 
 Saltsburg, Pa 6 22.1 
 
 Allegheny River: 
 
 Olean, N.Y j 12 19.3 
 
 Warren, Pa 14 17.4 
 
 Franklin, Pa 15 15.4 
 
 Parker, Pa 20 28. 
 
 Freeport, Pa 20 32.7 
 
 Springdale, Pa 27 33. 
 
 Cheat Eiver: 
 
 Rowlesburg, W. Va 14 22.0 
 
 Youghiogheny River: 
 
 Confluence, Pa 10 18.6 
 
 West Newton, Pa 23 30.6 
 
 Mouongahela River: 
 
 Fairmont, W . Va 25 37.0 
 
 Greensboro, Pa IS 39.0 
 
 Lock No! 4, Pa 28 42.0 
 
 Mahoning River: 
 
 Youngstown, Ohio 5 15.8 
 
 Beaver River: 
 
 Beaver Falls, Pa ! 11 15.4 
 
 Tuscarawas River: , 
 
 Canal Dover, Ohio s 12.0 
 
 Muskingum River: 
 
 Coshocton, Ohio S 22.0 
 
 Zanesville, Ohio 25 36.8 
 
 Beverly, Ohio 25 35.0 
 
 Little Kanawha River: 
 
 Glenville, W. Va 20 21.2 
 
 Creston, W. Va 20 25.8 
 
 New-Great Kanawha River: 
 
 Radford, Va 14 34.0 
 
 Hinton, W. Va 14 23.0 
 
 Charleston, W. Va 30 46.9 
 
 Big Sandy River: 
 
 Williamson, W. Va 26 24.5 
 
 Pikeville, Ky 40 39. 5 
 
 Scioto River: 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 17 21.3 
 
 Cireleville, Ohio 12 19.3 
 
 Chillicothe, Ohio 14 28. 3 Mar. 24, 1898 
 
 Licking River: 
 
 Falmouth, Ky 25 38. 
 
 Miami River: 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 18 21.3 • ,1866 3.0 
 
 Hamilton, Ohio 12 21.2 Mar. 24,1898 3.0 
 
 t Estimated. 
 
 a Dyke broke on 25th and flood waters passed around the gage 
 subsequent readings not comparable with preceding ones. 
 1 About 22.9. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Mar. 20,1905 
 
 May 31,1889 
 , 1859 
 
 June 1,1889 
 Mar. —,1865 
 Apr. 30,1909 
 Mar. —,1865 
 Feb. 18,1891 
 Mar. 16,1908 
 
 July 10,1888 
 
 Mar. 14,1907 
 Feb. 27,1912 
 
 July 10,1888 
 
 ....do 
 
 July 11,1888 
 
 Jan. 21,1904 
 
 Jan. 22,1904 
 
 Mar. 24,1898 
 
 ....do 
 
 Mar. —1898 
 
 Jan. 9,1907 
 Apr. 20,1901 
 
 Sept. 15, 1878 
 Sept. 13,1878 
 Sept. 29, 1861 
 
 June 14,1907 
 Aug. —1903 
 
 Mar. 23,1898 
 July 17,1884 
 Mar. 24,1898 
 
 , 1854 
 
 March, 1913. 
 
 6 
 
 
 1 
 
 8.0 
 8.8 
 
 0.6 
 
 4.6 
 
 1.0 
 
 23 
 
 6.7 
 0.8 
 
 2.6 
 
 1.2 
 
 2.0 
 2.2 
 3.2 
 3.2 
 6.2 
 11.4 
 
 3.3 
 
 1.3 
 1.8 
 
 15.0 
 7.9 
 8.5 
 
 0.5 
 
 4.4 
 
 1.2 
 9.7 
 7.6 
 
 1.4 
 3.1 
 
 1.2 
 3.1 
 
 5.9 
 
 3.4 
 5.0 
 
 4.8 
 
 1.6 
 4.2 
 
 3.0 
 3.0 
 
 24 
 
 7.0 
 
 9.4 
 
 19.6 
 9.2 
 
 3.2 
 
 2.5 
 1.0 
 
 2.7 
 3.8 
 6.1 
 5.0 
 5.9 
 11.2 
 
 3.2 
 
 1.3 
 1.5 
 
 14.9 
 
 7.8 
 8.2 
 
 4.7 
 
 6.6 
 
 2.3 
 
 2.5 
 9.9 
 
 1.4 
 2.9 
 
 1.1 
 3.0 
 
 5.7 
 
 3.2 
 4.9 
 
 6.2 
 
 1.6 
 
 4.0 
 
 7.0 
 
 4.8 
 
 12.5 
 13.5 
 
 a24.0 
 16.0 
 
 2.5 
 1.0 
 
 6.6 
 8.0 
 11.6 
 15.4 
 16.2 
 19.0 
 
 3.2 
 
 1.1 
 1.3 
 
 14.8 
 
 7.7 
 9.0 
 
 15.5 
 
 13.2 
 
 7.0 
 
 11.0 
 21.2 
 16.6 
 
 1.6 
 2.8 
 
 1.0 
 2.9 
 
 5.5 
 
 3.1 
 4.8 
 
 21.9 
 11.6 
 11.9 
 
 *24.0 
 19.6 
 
 19. 4f 
 21.5 
 
 26.0 
 22.0 
 
 12.0 
 
 3.0 
 1.6 
 
 14.0 
 14.1 
 22.0 
 
 24.5 
 26.4 
 30.0 
 
 3.1 
 
 1.6 
 2.2 
 
 14.8 
 8.0 
 10.0 
 
 •22.9 
 
 16.7 
 
 13.0 
 
 2.0 
 
 4.2 
 
 1.0 
 2.8 
 5.5 
 
 3.2 
 4.5 
 
 20.9 
 24.2 
 
 29.1 
 28.1 
 
 16. Of 
 21.5 
 
 26.0 
 25.0 
 
 12.3 
 
 5.5 
 6.2 
 
 14.4 
 14.8 
 21.1 
 24.5 
 31.9 
 36.5 
 
 4.9 
 7.4 
 
 20.2 
 
 14.6 
 16.2 
 
 17.4 
 15.0 
 
 51.8 
 46.5 
 
 15.2 
 16.0 
 
 7.3 
 6.5 
 10.2 
 
 26.4 
 34.0 
 
 19.7 
 20.3 
 
 33.8 
 
 522.2 
 25.0 
 
 12. Of 
 14.3 
 
 25.1 
 22.5 
 
 10.2 
 
 4.6 
 6.3 
 
 15.2 
 14.1 
 19.5 
 23.0 
 29.5 
 34.3 
 
 4.8 
 8.5 
 
 22.4 
 
 18.7 
 25.2 
 
 15.1 
 16.1 
 
 11.0 
 18.9 
 
 9.8 
 11.6 
 33.0 
 
 18.0 
 21.5 
 
 17.4 
 16.2 
 
 32.2 
 
 515.7 
 19.2 
 
 8. Of 
 11.0 
 
 23.7 
 18.0 
 
 7.2 
 
 4.0 
 4.2 
 
 12.6 
 12.5 
 15.3 
 17.0 
 23.5 
 28.3 
 
 3.5 
 
 5.7 
 
 19.1 
 13.6 
 20.2 
 
 10.4 
 
 12.0 
 
 9.0 
 
 3.2 
 9.5 
 
 4.2 
 
 7.2 
 
 30.0 
 
 8.9 
 10.4 
 
 14.7 
 13.8 
 24.6 
 
 23.6 
 
 11.6 
 14.8 
 
 High 
 
 est. 
 
 19.4 
 21.5 
 
 26.1 
 25.0 
 
 13.9 
 
 5.5 
 7.7 
 
 15.6 
 15.2 
 22.5 
 25.7 
 32.2 
 36.5 
 
 5.6 
 9.7 
 
 23.6 
 18.7 
 25.2 
 
 '22.9 
 
 17.4 
 16.1 
 
 '20.0 
 
 51.8 
 46.5 
 
 20.0 
 20.4 
 
 11.5 
 14.5 
 
 34.8 
 
 30.4 
 39.0 
 
 22.9 
 24.2 
 37.8 
 
 34.1 
 
 29.0 
 34.6 
 
 Date. 
 
 Mar. 26 
 ..do.... 
 
 ..do.... 
 Mar. 27 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 ...do. 
 
 ...do. 
 ...do. 
 
 Mar. 
 ...do. 
 
 Mar. 
 ...do. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 ...do. 
 
 ...do. 
 
 Mar. 
 ...do. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 Mar. 
 ...do. 
 
 ...do. 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Mar. 
 Mar. 
 ...do. 
 
 Mar. 
 ...do. 
 
 Mar. 
 Mar. 
 ...do. 
 
 28 
 
 Mar. 27 
 
 Mar. 
 Mar. 
 
 Com- 
 pared 
 with 
 pre- 
 vious 
 highest. 
 
 + 0.9 
 + 5.0 
 
 + 3.6 
 
 + 6.2 
 
 - 2.1 
 
 -15.5 
 
 -14.4 
 
 + 3.7 
 
 - 2.2 
 + 7.1 
 
 - 2.3 
 
 - 0.5 
 + 3.5 
 
 -14.3 
 
 -13.0 
 -20.9 
 
 -13.4 
 -20.3 
 -16.8 
 
 + 7.1 
 
 + 2.0 
 
 + 4.1 
 
 - 2.0 
 + 15.0 
 + 11.5 
 
 - 1.2 
 
 - 5.4 
 
 -22.5 
 
 - 8.5 
 -12.1 
 
 + 5.9 
 
 - 0.5 
 
 + 1.6 
 
 + 4.9 
 + 9.5 
 
 - 3.9 
 
 + 7.7 
 +13.4 
 
 2 No record after the 26th. 
 
 3 Obtained by survey. 
 < Approximated. 
 
 5 Measurements made at Viaduct Bridge. 
 
28 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Table No. 3. — Daily river gage readings (in feet and tenths) Mar. 22-29. 1913, and crest stages as compared with previous 
 highest water at special river stations in the watershed of the Ohio — Continued. 
 
 Flood 
 stage 
 (feet). 
 
 Previous highest 
 stage. 
 
 Height, 
 
 Date. 
 
 March, 1913. 
 
 24 
 
 26 
 
 27 
 
 1913 
 
 High 
 
 est. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Com- 
 pared 
 
 with 
 pre- 
 vious 
 highest 
 
 Little Miami River: 
 
 Kings Mills, Ohio 
 
 Kentucky River: 
 
 Beattyville, Ky 
 
 High Bridge, Ky 
 
 Frankfort, Ky 
 
 White River: 
 
 Anderson, Ind 
 
 Indianapolis, Ind 
 
 Elliston, Ind 
 
 Shoals, Ind 
 
 New River: 
 
 New River, Term 
 
 Wabash River: 
 
 Blufiton, Ind 
 
 Logansport, Ind 
 
 Attica, Ind 
 
 Terre Haute, Ind 
 
 Mount Carmel, 111 
 
 Cumberland River: 
 
 Burnside, Ky 
 
 Carthage, Tenn 
 
 Nashville, Tenn 
 
 Clarksville, Tenn 
 
 Clinch River: 
 
 Speers Ferry, Ya 
 
 Clinton, Tenn 
 
 Holston River: 
 
 Rogersville, Tenn 
 
 French Broad River: 
 
 Dandridge, Tenn 
 
 Hiwassee River: 
 
 Charleston, Tenn 
 
 Little Tennessee River: 
 
 McGhee, Tenn 
 
 Tennessee River: 
 
 Knoxville, Term 
 
 Chattanooga, Tenn 
 
 Bridgeport, Ala 
 
 Florence, Ala 
 
 Johnsonville, Tenn 
 
 Ohio River: 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 Wheeling, W. Va 
 
 Parkersburg, W. Va... 
 
 Point Pleasant, W. Va 
 
 Huntington, W. Va . . . 
 
 Catlettsburg, Ky 
 
 Portsmouth, Ohio 
 
 Maysville, Ky 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 Madison, Ind 
 
 Louisville, Ky 
 
 Evansville, Ind 
 
 Shawneetown, 111 
 
 Paducah, Ky 
 
 Cairo, 111 
 
 3.3 17.8 
 
 37.5 
 30.0 
 
 44.0 
 
 18.8 
 19.5 
 29.6 
 34.1 
 
 33.0 
 
 16.7 
 17.3 
 29.7 
 27.7 
 28.3 
 
 65.0 
 54.3 
 55.3 
 60.6 
 
 26.6 
 45.0 
 
 17.5 
 
 28.0 
 
 32.2 
 
 39.0 
 
 39. 
 58.6 
 41.0 
 32.5 
 48.0 
 
 35. 5 
 53.1 
 53. 9 
 60.0 
 65. 6 
 66.2 
 66.3 
 65.7 
 71.1 
 61.8 
 46.7 
 48.0 
 56.4 
 54.2 
 54.0 
 
 Mar. 1, 1903 
 
 Jan. 30, 1902 
 
 Feb. —1878 
 
 Mar. 23,1904 
 
 Apr. 1,1904 
 
 Mar. 5,1897 
 
 Mar. 30,1904 
 
 Feb. —,1903 
 
 Apr. —,1904 
 
 Feb. —1883 
 
 Aug. 3, 1875 
 
 Feb. 18,1883 
 
 Aug. 7,1885 
 
 Mar. 30,1902 
 
 Apr. 7, 1886 
 
 Jan. 22.1882 
 
 Jan. — , 1882 
 
 Feb. 28,1902 
 
 Mar. 31,1886 
 
 Jan. 23,1906 
 
 May 21,1901 
 
 Mar. 31,1886 
 
 Mar. —,1867 
 
 Mar. — ,1875 
 
 Mar. 11,1867 
 
 , 1867 
 
 Mar. 19,1897 
 
 Mar. 24,1897 
 
 Mar. 15,1907 
 
 Feb. 7, 1884 
 
 Feb. 9, 1884 
 
 Feb. —,1884 
 
 Feb. 9, 1884 
 
 Feb. 12.1884 
 
 ....do 
 
 Feb. 14,1884 
 
 ....do 
 
 Feb. 15,1884 
 
 ....do 
 
 Feb. 19,1884 
 
 Feb. 24,1884 
 
 Feb. 23,1884 
 
 Apr. 6,1912 
 
 0.9 
 11.5 
 8.6 
 
 4.3 
 4.7 
 
 0.8 
 11.4 
 
 8.7 
 
 3.8 
 
 7.4 
 
 3.2 
 
 3.2 
 3.6 
 6.2 
 7.1 
 11.9 
 
 8.7 
 15.8 
 21.5 
 29.7 
 
 2.6 
 9.4 
 
 4.0 
 
 4.9 
 
 8.0 
 
 2.9 
 
 2.5 
 3.8 
 6.8 
 7.0 
 13.4 
 
 10.5 
 16.4 
 17.4 
 24.4 
 
 2.4 
 
 8.7 
 
 3.9 
 3.5 
 
 10.0 6.4 
 
 8.8 6.8 
 
 4.5 
 12.9 
 11.2 
 18..0 
 27.5 
 
 5.3 
 8.8 
 10.5 
 14.1 
 19.7 
 19.5 
 21.5 
 23.1 
 27.5 
 25.1 
 11.3 
 28.4 
 29.3 
 33.6 
 39.0 
 
 4.8 
 12.9 
 
 7.0 
 16.0 
 28.0 
 
 4.8 
 8.3 
 10.0 
 12.3 
 17.9 
 17.3 
 19.1 
 20.3 
 24.7 
 23.6 
 10.8 
 28.3 
 29.6 
 34.3 
 39.9 
 
 1.6 
 11.3 
 8.5 
 
 11.8 
 
 11.0 
 
 11.8 
 
 8.8 
 
 2.6 
 
 12.3 
 12.1 
 15.9 
 14.5 
 13.6 
 
 9.1 
 15.7 
 17.5 
 20.6 
 
 2.0 
 8.2 
 
 3.6 
 
 3.1 
 
 5.2 
 
 6.2 
 
 4.2 
 12.3 
 10.4 
 13.7 
 28.5 
 
 4.5 
 7.5 
 9.5 
 11.1 
 16.1 
 13.8 
 17.4 
 18.4 
 22.6 
 21.6 
 10.0 
 27.5 
 29.3 
 34.4 
 40.3 
 
 2.0 
 
 11.1 
 8.5 
 
 17.6 
 18.0 
 23.8 
 21.6 
 
 2.4 
 
 24.6 
 19.5 
 18.3 
 
 8.2 
 15.5 
 16.2 
 20.1 
 
 1.6 
 7.8 
 
 3.4 
 
 3.0 
 
 4.8 
 
 5.9 
 
 3.5 
 11.2 
 
 9.4 
 12.0 
 28.4 
 
 11.5 
 10.0 
 
 10.1 
 14.1 
 15.5 
 16.1 
 17.1 
 29.3 
 27.5 
 11.4 
 26.0 
 28.9 
 34.3 
 40.9 
 
 33. 7 
 
 11.6 
 21.0 
 15.8 
 
 20.6 
 
 37.0 
 34.6 
 35.2 
 
 14.0 
 
 38.6 
 33.4 
 38.3 
 
 10.2 
 
 27.8 
 29.5 
 
 4.1 
 
 20.0 
 22. 5f 
 31.6 
 27.0 
 21.4 
 
 15.2 
 21.0 
 25.0 
 31.6 
 
 1.0 
 7.6 
 
 3.3 
 
 2.9 
 
 5.2 
 
 5.9 
 
 3.2 
 10.1 
 
 8.5 
 10.7 
 29.4 
 
 20.1 
 30.5 
 22.1 
 13.2 
 17.2 
 17.2 
 21.9 
 28.8 
 50.3 
 43.5 
 22.5 
 30.1 
 31.1 
 36.9 
 43.5 
 
 31.3 
 37.0 
 
 23.5 
 
 19.0 
 
 33.4 
 31.2 
 23.0 
 
 57.2 
 37.5 
 39.3 
 
 47.3 
 
 12.0 
 23.4 
 
 7.4 
 
 8.5 
 
 13.2 
 
 13.8 
 
 7.3 
 13.3 
 
 9.2 
 13.7 
 32.1 
 
 28.1 
 45.5 
 43.0 
 34.1 
 39.4 
 41.1 
 51.0 
 44.3 
 57.2 
 53.6 
 33.6 
 36.6 
 34.9 
 38.5 
 45.5 
 
 30.4 
 42.2 
 
 5.6 
 
 13.8 
 
 31.6 
 30.8 
 24.8 
 
 58.0 
 43.9 
 42.7 
 50.5 
 
 17.5 
 26.5 
 
 19.1 
 
 12.2 
 
 20.0 
 
 17.5 
 
 20.9 
 25.4 
 16.4 
 14.0 
 33.0 
 
 30.4 
 50.8 
 54.9 
 50.6 
 54.5 
 56.8 
 61.9 
 57.5 
 62.6 
 57.0 
 38.4 
 40.4 
 3S.3 
 40.7 
 47.4 
 
 19.5 
 33.5 
 37.5 
 
 41.7 
 
 3.9 
 
 12.3 
 
 28.5 
 29.2 
 27.8 
 
 40.0 
 47.0 
 42.8 
 50.5 
 
 7.2 
 29.9 
 
 8.5 
 
 8.4 
 
 14.5 
 
 11.2 
 
 20.1 
 31.2 
 20.6 
 15.7 
 33.3 
 
 24.8 
 50.0 
 58.7 
 60.2 
 63.8 
 65.1 
 62.8 
 62.8 
 66.0 
 59.6 
 41.1 
 43.0 
 41.9 
 42.6 
 49.1 
 
 39.9 
 34.6 
 38.3 
 
 22.1 
 25.7 
 31.3 
 
 42.2 
 
 23.5 
 
 20.0 
 22.5 
 33.4 
 31.3 
 31.0 
 
 61.5 
 47.0 
 44.9 
 50.9 
 
 18.2 
 30.2 
 
 19.1 
 
 16.0 
 
 20.3 
 
 21.6 
 
 21.6 
 33.3 
 23.7 
 18.5 
 33.3 
 
 30.4 
 51.1 
 58.9 
 62.8 
 66.4 
 67.7 
 67.9 
 66.4 
 70.0 
 62.8 
 44.9 
 48.4 
 59.5 
 54.3 
 54.8 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 Mar. 28 
 Mar. 27 
 Mar. 28 
 
 Mar. 25 
 Mar. 26 
 Mar. 27 
 Mar. 28 
 
 Mar. 27 
 
 Mar. 26 
 ..do.... 
 Mar. 27 
 ..do.... 
 Mar. 30 
 
 Mar. 28 
 Mar. 29 
 Apr. 2 
 Mar. 28 
 
 Mar. 27 
 Mar. 29 
 
 Mar. 28 
 
 ..do.... 
 
 ..do 
 
 Mar. 27 
 
 Mar. 28 
 
 Mar. 30 
 
 Mar. 31 
 
 Mar. 21 
 
 Mar. 29 
 
 Mar. 2S 
 ..do.... 
 Mar. 29 
 Mar. 30 
 ..do..... 
 Mar. 31 
 
 ..do 
 
 ..do 
 
 Apr. 1 
 
 ..do 
 
 Apr. 2 
 Apr. 5 
 
 ..do 
 
 Apr. 7 
 Apr. 4, 7 
 
 + 2.4 
 + 4.6 
 
 - 5.7 
 
 + 3.3 
 + 6.2 
 + 1.7 
 + 8.1 
 
 - 9.5 
 
 + 3.3 
 + 5.2 
 + 3.7 
 + 3.6 
 
 + 2.7 
 
 - 3.5 
 
 - 7.3 
 -10.4 
 
 - 9.7 
 
 - 8.4 
 -14. S 
 
 + 1.6 
 
 -12.0 
 
 -11.9 
 
 -17.4 
 
 -17.4 
 -25.3 
 -17.3 
 -14.0 
 
 -14.7 
 
 - 5.1 
 
 - 2.0 
 + 5.0 
 + 2.8 
 + 0.8 
 + 1.5 
 + 1.3 
 + 0.7 
 
 - 1.1 
 + 1.0 
 
 - 1.8 
 + 0.4 
 + 3.1 
 + 0.1 
 + 0.8 
 
 t Determined by survey. 
 
COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS FLOODS. 
 
 29 
 
 THE FLOOD IN THE OHIO RIVER AS COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS FLOODS. 
 
 Fragmentary records of previous floods in the Ohio River at Pittsburgh go back to 1806, 
 but probably the best authenticated record of an early flood is that of February 10, 1832, when 
 a stage of 35 feet, on the Pittsburgh gage, or 13 feet above the present flood stage, was reached. 
 This high record, moreover, stood as such for three-quarters of a century, or until March 15, 
 1907. when a stage of 35.5 feet was reached, half a foot higher than the 1832 record. The flood 
 at Pittsburgh during March, 1913, came mostly from the Allegheny River, and was not so 
 great by about a foot as the January flood of the present year. (See Table No. 1.) 
 
 The greatest of floods in the Ohio River between Pittsburgh and Cairo during the forty- 
 odd years that the Weather Bureau has been making daily observations of stages of the river, 
 whether the order of magnitude of the flood be determined by the crest stage reached or the 
 volume of water carried, was undoubtedly that of February 6-23, 1884, although March, 1913, 
 was a close second, and indeed in several stretches of the river as before stated the crest stages 
 of the March-April, 1913. flood overtopped those of the earlier flood. From St. Marys, W. Va., 
 to probably a short distance below Maysville, Ky.. the stages of the March, 1913, flood were 
 the highest ever known; at Parkersburg the previous high record of 1884 was exceeded, by 
 5 feet. The Muskingum River of Ohio empties into the main stream at Marietta, Ohio, about 
 12 miles upriver from Parkersburg. This river, at Zanesville, Ohio, 70 miles from its mouth, 
 attained a stage 15 feet above previously known high water. The result of suddenly discharg- 
 ing an amount of water into a stream greatly in excess of the stream's capacity to carry it off 
 must be a local ponding in the vicinity of the discharge of the lesser into the greater stream. 
 The simultaneous arrival of the headwaters flood wave and the Muskingum's output doubt- 
 less explains the extraordinarily high stages at Marietta and Parkersburg. 
 
 Below Parkersburg the excess of the 1913 flood over that of 1884 gradually decreased, due 
 to the fact that the northern tributaries had run out and there were practically no floods in the 
 southern tributaries ; giving the Ohio flood waters a chance to back up the valleys and spread 
 over a large area of country. This was especially noticeable at Point Pleasant, where the water 
 spread over the lower portion of the Great Kanawha Valley and the excess in height decreased to 
 2 feet, and again below Maysville, where the Ohio Vallej^ widens out and the excess entirely 
 disappears. 
 
 In 1884 the flood in the Ohio at Cincinnati must have been augmented by flood waters in 
 the tributaries which enter the river near that city to produce the stage it did. 
 
 In 1913 the flood was augmented below Louisville bj r additional water from the Wabash, 
 due to heavy opportune rains in that valley; below the mouth of the Green River the 1913 
 flood exceeded that of 1884. 
 
 The small table below presents comparative statistics of the floods of February, 1884, and 
 March, 1913, respectively, and we also present a diagram which graphically shows the crest 
 stages of the floods along the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to Cairo (Diagram No. I). The 
 crest stages are plotted in terms of excess in feet above the flood stage for each point at which 
 daily gage readings were made. 
 
 Comparative stages, Ohio River, in floods of February, 1884, and March, 1913, respectively. 
 [Plus sign indicates a higher stage in 1913 than in 1884, and minus sign the contrary.] 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 Wheeling, W.Va 
 
 Parkersburg, W. Va . . . 
 Point Pleasant, W. Va. 
 Portsmouth, Ohio 
 
 Crest stage. 
 
 1884 
 
 Feet. 
 33.3 
 52.4 
 53.9 
 60.8 
 66.2 
 
 1913 
 
 Feet. 
 30.4 
 51.1 
 58.9 
 62.8 
 67.9 
 
 Differ- 
 ence. 
 
 Feet. 
 -2.9 
 -1.3 
 +5.0 
 +2.0 
 +1.7 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 Louis ville, Ky. . . 
 Evansville, Ind.. 
 
 Paducah, Ky 
 
 Cairo, 111 
 
 Crest stage. 
 
 1884 
 
 Feet. 
 71.1 
 46.6 
 48.0 
 54.2 
 51.8 
 
 1913 
 
 Feet. 
 70.0 
 44.8 
 48.4 
 54.3 
 54.8 
 
 Differ- 
 ence. 
 
 Feet. 
 -1.1 
 
 -1.8 
 +0.4 
 +0.1 
 +3.0 
 
30 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Further comparisons of 1884 a nd 1913 floods. — The antecedent conditions of the two floods 
 were quite unlike; the 1913 flood was the result of torrential rains crowded into a very short 
 space of time when the conditions were excellent for a large surface run-off, and it came later 
 in the year when the soil was free of frost. The 1884 flood was the result of only moderately 
 heavy rains (see Chart No. 4 and Table 4) coming on the crest of a midwinter thaw. In fact 
 there were two distinct thaws in a period of mild and rainy weather that continued from 
 February 4 to February 14. The first and most pronounced thaw culminated on February 5, 
 with average temperatures of about 60° F., in the early morning throughout the watershed. 
 
 The period of moderately heavy rains was approximately coincident with the culmination 
 of the thaw just mentioned, viz, February 5, G, and 7. The greatest daily fall was but 0.93 
 inch for the entire watershed as determined from the reports which appear in Table No. 4. 
 A second maximum of rainfall occurred on the 13th at a time when the flood crest was about 
 at Cincinnati. The unusually high stage recorded at that place may have been due to the 
 effect of this second maximum of precipitation occurring when the river was already at a 
 high stage. 
 
 k. 
 
 25 
 ZO 
 IS 
 10 
 
 J 
 
 
 
 
 §1 
 
 I* 
 
 
 (V o 
 
 
 *1 
 
 3^ 
 
 
 1^ 
 
 
 <5 
 
 <5s<o 
 
 f 
 
 
 
 
 
 II 
 |1 
 
 
 1 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 N \ 
 
 
 
 
 .. 
 
 .^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 A 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 / / 
 
 
 *' 
 
 \ > 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^/ 
 
 \ 
 
 ^y'i 
 
 ~^\ 
 
 S 
 
 
 y*C. 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 \. 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 vS 
 
 ^fl-*^ 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1913 CREST STAGES — 
 1884 ■■ } — 
 
 -FULL LINE. 
 -DOTTED LINE. 
 
 **■' *«. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cr/i/-*" 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 rLG 
 
 
 jJA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 j*trx 
 
 Diagram I. — Comparison of crest stages in the Ohio River in floods of 1884 and 1913. 
 Temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit in the Ohio Valley at 7 a. m. Washington mean time, Feb. J/-15, 1884. 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Dates. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 53 
 
 45 
 48 
 36 
 59 
 40 
 58 
 
 10 
 
 36 
 
 34 
 36 
 30 
 35 
 34 
 43 
 
 11 
 
 43 
 36 
 45 
 35 
 43 
 42 
 50 
 
 12 
 
 52 
 40 
 48 
 42 
 53 
 58 
 57 
 
 13 
 
 58 
 52 
 55 
 38 
 47 
 38 
 57 
 
 14 
 
 40 
 28 
 20 
 
 8 
 19 
 15 
 27 
 
 15 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 23 
 34 
 30 
 18 
 29 
 31 
 32 
 
 35 
 33 
 42 
 36 
 
 42 
 39 
 37 
 
 27 
 33 
 36 
 40 
 41 
 52 
 46 
 
 39 
 
 36 
 44 
 38 
 49 
 59 
 60 
 
 60 
 51 
 62 
 57 
 64 
 63 
 63 
 
 39 
 38 
 46 
 37 
 53 
 49 
 64 
 
 38 
 36 
 40 
 34 
 39 
 34 
 46 
 
 42 
 38 
 43 
 38 
 46 
 43 
 46 
 
 19 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 20 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 20 
 
 Indianapolis, Ind 
 
 18 
 
 Louisville, Ky 
 
 20 
 
 Cairo.Ill 
 
 24 
 
 Nashville, Term 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 Mean 
 
 29 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 46 
 
 60 
 
 47 
 
 38 
 
 42 
 
 4S 
 
 35 
 
 42 
 
 50 
 
 49 
 
 23 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 The temperatures given in the above table are all from places situated in the lowlands, but 
 the corresponding temperatures even at the highest points in the watershed and on the north 
 slopes must have been at least 10 degrees above the freezing point. The relatively high tem- 
 peratures and the fact that in the month previous to the flood there was an average of about 
 2 feet of snow in Ohio, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania must enter very largely into 
 any consideration of the cause of the 1884 flood. Unfortunately, the snowfall records of 30 
 years ago are very deficient as to number and unsatisfactory as to quality, but enough is known 
 to state that at the time of the thaw there was practically no snow on the ground immediately 
 
DAILY PRECIPITATION FEBRUARY 4-14, 1884. 
 
 31 
 
 along the Ohio River in Ohio. Indiana, and Kentucky, and perhaps for a distance of 100 miles 
 back from the river. There was still some snow on the ground in northern Ohio, West Virginia, 
 and western Pennsylvania, and doubtless a very considerable amount in the higher altitudes of 
 those regions. There are, however, no definite records of snowfall available for the confirmation 
 of this view. Gagings of tributary streams were not made at points where such measurements 
 would have been useful in determining the run-off from areas whence no meteorological observa- 
 tions are available. We conclude that there must have been a large run-off from melting snow 
 from the following facts: (1) The rainfall for the entire flood period, viz, February 4 to 14, 
 inclusive, does not seem to have been sufficient to produce the volume of water carried by the 
 river. (2) The known horizontal distribution of precipitation will not account for the high 
 water in the upper reaches of the Ohio ; that is to say, the region of heavy precipitation was 
 mostly over the immediate Ohio Valley below Cincinnati. (3) The fact that the Ohio was at 
 flood stage at Cincinnati as early as February 4, the day. that the rain began. This last fact 
 in itself clearly indicates that a large quantity of snow water had already entered the stream. 
 In the 1913 flood the Ohio at Cincinnati was at a stage of 22.6 feet on the second day of the 
 rain period, or at an initial stage of about 17 feet lower than at a corresponding period in the 
 1884 flood. 
 
 If the Ohio River on March 24, 1913, had been at, say, a 30-foot stage, which is not unusual 
 for March, a new record of high water would have been written for the Ohio Valley. In this 
 connection it should be kept in mind that torrential rains and severe winter weather are in- 
 compatible, and that in the season when heavy rains are probable the rivers and small streams 
 are generally low. 
 
 The two floods here considered, so far as known by observation and experience, represent 
 the two diametrically opposite weather conditions under which destructive floods in the Ohio 
 are likely to occur. 
 
 Table 4. — Daily precipitation {in inches and hundredths), Feb. h-lh, 188-' f , Ohio watershed. 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 Wellsburg, W. Va 
 
 Helvetia, W. Va 
 
 Marietta, Ohio 
 
 Quaker City, Ohio 
 
 Warren, Ohio 
 
 Ironton, Ohio 
 
 Lebanon, Ohio 
 
 Washington C. H., Ohio 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 Waverly , Ohio 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 
 
 Logan, Ohio 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 Levering, Ohio 
 
 Canton, Ohio 
 
 Granville, Ohio 
 
 Westerville, Ohio , 
 
 Wooster, Ohio 
 
 Sidney, Ohio 
 
 North Lewisburg, Ohio 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio 
 
 Oberlin, Ohio 
 
 Wauseon, Ohio 
 
 Junction (Paulding County), Ohio 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 Upper Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 Toledo, Ohio : 
 
 Vevay, Ind 
 
 Jefiersonville, Ind 
 
 0.45 
 
 0.71 
 0.85 
 0.69 
 0.00 
 0.54 
 0.15 
 
 1.35 
 
 0.58 
 
 0.55 
 
 T. 
 
 0.58 
 
 0.92 
 
 0.52 
 
 0.27 
 
 0.53 
 
 0.26 
 0.45 
 0.31 
 0.20 
 0.22 
 0.24 
 0.20 
 0.00 
 0.04 
 
 0.84 
 
 0.76 
 
 1.50 
 
 0.06 
 
 T. 
 
 1.80 
 
 1.70 
 
 0.37 
 
 1.95 
 
 1.56 
 0.48 
 0.66 
 1.28 
 0.55 
 0.00 
 0.33 
 0.60 
 1.11 
 
 0.45 
 1.22 
 1.18 
 1.27 
 0.86 
 1.04 
 2.02 
 0.90 
 1.55 
 (') 
 Probably 
 
 0.80 
 1.00 
 0.75 
 1.41 
 1.95 
 0.92 
 0.53 
 1.25 
 
 1.65 
 
 1.74 
 1.42 
 2.37 
 1.40 
 1.55 
 1.07 
 1.95 
 0.31 
 1.87 
 1.25 
 1.25 
 0.63 
 0.61 
 0.32 
 0.36 
 0.65 
 0.70 
 0.28 
 3.50 
 (') 
 included 
 
 0.03 
 0.03 
 0.05 
 
 0.01 
 
 0.33 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 
 0.12 
 
 T. 
 
 0.34 
 
 0.25 
 
 0.31 
 
 0.11 
 
 0.22 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.69 
 
 0.10 
 
 3.74 
 
 0.23 
 
 0.69 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.63 
 
 0.07 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.03 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.02 
 
 0.00 
 
 0. 04 0. 11 
 
 0. 00 0. 10 
 
 0. 01 0. 04 
 0.07 
 0.03 
 0.08 
 0.06 
 0.00 
 
 0. 00 0. 07 
 
 0. 20 0. 00 
 
 3. 98 0. 00 
 
 in the following 
 
 0.04 
 
 0.50 
 0.02 
 0.00 
 0.09 
 
 0.58 
 0.19 
 0.16 
 0.03 
 0.06 
 0.14 
 0.10 
 0.06 
 0.06 
 0.17 
 0.04 
 0.07 
 0.00 
 0.12 
 0.10 
 0.03 
 0.34 
 0.22 
 0.20 
 0.51 
 0.28 
 0.22 
 0.27 
 0.30 
 0.41 
 0.08 
 0.00 
 0.18 
 day. 
 
 0.13 
 
 0.62 
 
 T. 
 
 0.26 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.66 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.14 
 
 T. 
 
 0.02 
 
 T. 
 
 0.02 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.19 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.01 
 
 0.10 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.07 
 
 0.53 
 
 0.09 
 
 0.89 
 
 0.20 
 
 T. 
 
 0.54 
 
 0.30 
 
 0.59 
 0.91 
 0.16 
 0.45 
 0.26 
 0.45 
 0.15 
 0.20 
 0.24 
 
 0.14 
 0.10 
 0.45 
 0.24 
 0.34 
 0.48 
 0.83 
 
 0.10 
 0.00 
 1.13 
 
 0.06 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 
 0.58 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.27 
 
 0.06 
 0.00 
 0.33 
 0.00 
 0.06 
 0.00 
 0.07 
 0.00 
 0.26 
 
 0.20 
 0.25 
 0.15 
 0.46 
 0.77 
 0.45 
 0.32 
 
 0.37 
 0.90 
 0.39 
 
 0.14 
 0.75 
 0.14 
 0.28 
 0.99 
 0.67 
 0.68 
 0.60 
 
 1.18 
 
 0.19 
 0.90 
 0.46 
 0.55 
 1.02 
 0.60 
 0.30 
 0.51 
 0.71 
 0.59 
 0.55 
 0.57 
 0.55 
 0.18 
 0.23 
 0.42 
 0.88 
 0.19 
 0.00 
 T. 
 
 0.18 
 
 0.25 
 
 0.74 
 
 0.56 
 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 
 0.39 
 
 0.50 
 
 1.53 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.45 
 
 0.02 
 
 0.40 
 
 0.02 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.47 
 
 0.70 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.25 
 0.02 
 
 0.00 
 00 
 0.04 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.62 
 
 Total. 
 
 3.44 
 
 3.75 
 4.33 
 4.29 
 6.27 
 3.90 
 4.46 
 5.26 
 5.37 
 6.82 
 5.10 
 4.25 
 5.63 
 3.58 
 4.44 
 3.38 
 4.12 
 3.29 
 2.92 
 2.S2 
 3.70 
 3.91 
 3.59 
 3.38 
 3.00 
 3.91 
 4.01 
 2.03 
 6.84 
 6.52 
 
32 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 Table 4. — Daily precipitation, Feb. .'i-J'i. 188.'i, Ohio watershed — Continued. 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Laconia, Ind 
 
 Suninan. Ind 
 
 Indianapolis. Ind 
 
 La Fayette, Ind 
 
 Logansport. Ind 
 
 Rising Sun, Ind 
 
 Terte Haute, Ind 
 
 Wabash, Ind 
 
 Evansville, Ind 
 
 Louisville, Ky 
 
 Frankfort, Ky 
 
 Bowling Green, Ky.. 
 
 Cairo, 111 
 
 Springfield, 111 
 
 St. Louis, Mo 
 
 Memphis, Tenn 
 
 Dyersburg, Tenn 
 
 Grief, Term 
 
 Gadsden, Tenn 
 
 Bolivar, Term 
 
 Milan, Tenn 
 
 McKenzie, Tenn 
 
 Nashville, Tenn 
 
 Chattanooga, Tenn. . 
 
 Knoxville, Tenn 
 
 Jonesboro, Tenn 
 
 Greenville, Tenn 
 
 Mary ville, Tenn 
 
 Andersonville, Tenn. 
 
 Cary ville, Tenn 
 
 Parksville, Tenn 
 
 Ashwood, Tenn 
 
 Austin, Tenn 
 
 0.90 
 
 0.43 
 
 (') 
 
 0) 
 
 (') 
 (') 
 (') 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.89 
 
 1.23 
 
 (')' 
 
 0.07 
 
 0.57 
 
 1.32 
 
 T. 
 
 (') 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.10 
 
 0.57 
 
 0.04 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.22 
 
 0.30 
 
 T. 
 
 0.10 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 Mean. 
 
 0.25 
 
 0.29 
 
 0.00 
 
 2.00 
 
 0.81 
 
 1.18 
 
 1.02 
 
 (') 
 
 2.03 
 
 1.10 
 
 0.50 
 
 2.38 
 
 0.40 
 
 (') 
 
 1.17 
 
 0.37 
 
 0.40 
 
 0.57 
 
 (') 
 
 0) 
 
 0.72 
 
 0) 
 
 1.71 
 
 1.40 
 
 T. 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.80 
 0.00 
 
 0.69 
 
 6 
 
 0.00 
 1.38 
 0.63 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 C) 
 
 0.83 
 
 0.35 
 
 0.60 
 
 1.73 
 
 1.91 
 
 2.73 
 
 1.24 
 
 0.03 
 
 0.37 
 
 2.41 
 
 3.42 
 
 (') 
 
 2.30 
 
 (') 
 
 0.70 
 
 1.10 
 
 1.73 
 
 0.04 
 
 0.01 
 
 0.01 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 
 1.20 
 
 0.50 
 
 0.93 
 
 4.11 
 
 0.00 
 0.04 
 0.35 
 0.00 
 2. ,85 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 1.50 
 0.63 
 0.70 
 0.00 
 0.18 
 0.03 
 0.02 
 0.53 
 
 3.00 
 
 0.52 
 
 2.02 
 
 0.44 
 
 0.10 
 
 0.68 
 
 3.19 
 
 1.53 
 
 0.85 
 
 T. 
 
 1.92 
 
 1.55 
 
 1.90 
 
 3.00 
 
 0.50 
 
 1.45 
 
 0.72 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 09 
 0.26 
 0.33 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.01 
 0.27 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.25 
 0.16 
 0.24 
 1.53 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.57 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.95 
 
 0.70 
 
 0.74 
 
 1.21 
 
 0.78 
 
 0.60 
 
 T. 
 
 2.86 
 
 1.76 
 
 1.26 
 
 1.80 
 
 0.70 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.14 
 
 0. 25 
 
 0.31 
 
 T. 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.25 
 
 0.59 
 
 0.20 
 
 0.60 
 
 0.14 
 
 0.10 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.03 
 
 0.12 
 
 0.03 
 
 0.56 
 
 0.80 
 
 2.12 
 
 0.92 
 
 1.67 
 
 0.70 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.44 
 
 0.52 
 
 1.97 
 
 0.65 
 
 1.10 
 
 0.31 
 
 1.09 
 
 1.36 
 
 T. 
 
 0.20 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.30 
 
 0.35 
 
 10 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.04 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.61 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.51 
 0.10 
 0.08 
 0.59 
 1.90 
 0.00 
 0.86 
 0.42 
 0.25 
 0.75 
 0.25 
 0.12 
 0.33 
 0.08 
 1.30 
 0.64 
 0.26 
 0.00 
 0.34 
 0.00 
 1.40 
 
 1.00 
 0.32 
 0.08 
 
 (') 
 0) 
 
 0.40 
 
 0.17 
 0.00 
 0.47 
 0.60 
 0.97 
 0.90 
 0.11 
 0.40 
 0.25 
 0.05 
 0.25 
 0.00 
 0.07 
 0.28 
 0.02 
 0.25 
 0.01 
 0.01 
 0.02 
 0.70 
 0.40 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 1.00 
 0.00 
 
 0.21 
 
 0.29 
 
 0.41 
 
 1.15 
 
 0.77 
 
 1.39 
 
 0.75 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.02 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.30 
 
 0.27 
 
 0.03 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.13 
 
 1.14 
 
 1.15 
 
 0.42 
 
 0.26 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.10 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.47 
 
 0.30 
 
 0.53 
 
 T. 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.12 
 
 0.00 
 
 T. 
 
 0.70 
 
 1.20 
 
 0.28 
 
 0.55 
 0.38 
 0.17 
 0.43 
 0.65 
 0.35 
 0.00 
 1.36 
 0.10 
 0.77 
 1.23 
 0.69 
 0.-43 
 0140 
 0.16 
 0.37 
 0.34 
 1.57 
 0.53 
 0.49 
 0.25 
 0.00 
 1.08 
 1.23 
 0.61 
 0.17 
 0.50 
 2.23 
 0.29 
 1.90 
 1.30 
 0.10 
 0.70 
 
 0.57 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 0.00 
 
 0. 17 
 
 T. 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.44 
 
 0.01 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.05 
 
 0.38 
 
 0.98 
 
 0.90 
 
 0.00 
 
 1.29 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.00 
 
 0.19 
 
 Total. 
 
 7.11 
 5.48 
 3.37 
 3.61 
 2.75 
 3.85 
 3.64 
 3.02 
 4.81 
 8.02 
 6.59 
 4.76 
 4.13 
 3.32 
 4.02 
 7.03 
 
 6.59 
 4.88 
 5.59 
 5.17 
 5.50 
 6.37 
 5.85 
 4.34 
 4.20 
 8.06 
 6.36 
 6.42 
 6.44 
 5.20 
 5.50 
 
 4.82 
 
 1 Probably Included in the following day. 
 
 The 1884 flood is typical of the midwinter flood that results from moderately heavy pre- 
 cipitation in conjunction with the melting of snow and the breaking up of ice in the rivers. 
 It seems remarkable that so few midwinter floods have occurred in the past. 
 
 The great flood of 1832, so far as can be ascertained, was a midwinter flood; and these two, 
 1832 and 1884. seem to have been the only typical midwinter floods of record in the 81 years 
 which have passed since 1832. Other midwinter floods are produced by continued heavy pre- 
 cipitation during an open winter, as in January, 1913 (see Chart No. 2), in which the accumu- 
 lated rainfall in the Ohio watershed January 1-13, 1913, is shown. The origin of the great 
 majority of floods in the lower Mississippi can be traced back to the accumulated precipitation 
 in the lower Mississippi and Ohio Valleys during January, February, and March. 
 
 The flood of March and April. 1913, is in a class by itself; it responds to the condition; 
 unprecedented rains plus high run-off with rivers at a medium stage. As in the case of mid- 
 winter floods all of the factors in the expression for the 1913 flood are variables, and we 
 therefore do not know whether or not the upper flood limit has yet been reached. 
 
 Ordinarily the intensity of rainfall varies inversely as the duration; it is the exception 
 that heavy rains continue over areas as large, for example, as the State of Ohio, for more than 
 24 hours. In October, 1910. however, rains fell almost continuously over the lower Ohio 
 Valley for a period of 4 days, although the period of great intensity realty covered only 3 days. 
 As (he aggregate rainfall for this storm in some localities was equal to that which fell over 
 parts of Ohio during March, 1913, a chart showing its horizontal distribution has been prepared 
 and is presented as Chart No. 3 in the series of precipitation charts accompanying this report. 
 
ARE FLOODS IN THE OHIO INCREASING. 33 
 
 We distinguish, of course, between the conditions of the soil as to moisture content and the 
 stages of the streams in March and October, respectively. The bulk of the rain-in the October 
 storm fell in the lower stretches of the Ohio Valley and doubtless the gage readings at Cairo, 111., 
 and Evansville. Tnd.. will give us an idea of the amount of water which ran into the streams as 
 a result of the heavy rains. The Ohio at Cairo, 111., on October 4. when the rains began, was 
 at a stage of 12.2 feet; it rose steadily until the 11th, when a stage of 20. S feet was reached, 
 after which it fell steadily until the end of the month. At Evansville. Ind., the Ohio rose from 
 4.7 feet at 7 a. m. on October 4, to 26 feet at noon of the 9th. a total rise of 21.3 feet, due to the 
 heavy rains of October 3-6. 
 
 Considering that the rains on the dates mentioned were almost as heavy and continuous as 
 those of March 23-27, 1913, it is interesting to note that the effect on the streams was scarcely 
 noticeable as compared with the effect of the last-named floods. The maximum discharge in 
 the Ohio at Evansville, in connection with the October, 1910. rains, was approximately 250,000 
 second-feet on October 9, whereas, the approximate discharge at Evansville on March 25, 1913, 
 the second day after the beginning of the rains, was, according to figures supplied by the 
 United States Geological Survey, a little greater than the above figures, and reached a maximum 
 value of 676,000 second-feet on April 5. From these figures it would seem reasonable to infer 
 that in those seasons when the supply of water in both the soil and the streams is at a low ebb, 
 as must be the case late in summer and throughout the autumn, little is to be feared from floods 
 in the great rivers, due to heavy rains. Danger from local floods in the smaller streams is. 
 however, an ever present possibility. 
 
 Before closing the question of summer floods in the Ohio we would remark that practically 
 the only semblance to a midsummer flood, as determined by the stages at Cincinnati. Ohio, 
 occurred in August, 1875, when the river rose above the 50-foot stage and remained above that 
 stage for five days, culminating at 55.3 feet on August 6. This flood was caused by heavy rains 
 in July, which produced moderately high stages in the Ohio during the latter part of that 
 month. A short period of heavy rains in the first part of August made the attainment of flood 
 stages possible. In the smaller streams, as before indicated, flood stages are possible in the 
 summer and autumn months, though relatively infrequent. 
 
 Are floods in the Ohio increasing? That question has received a great deal of attention 
 in recent years and several writers have answered it in the affirmative, citing the Ohio River 
 as an example of greater flood frequency now than formerly. 
 
 The writer has not been able to discover valid reasons for sharing in that belief; on the 
 contrary a careful consideration of the data for the Ohio River leads to the opinion that while 
 the data on the subject are inadequate to the formation of a definite conclusion, such as are 
 available, can be so arranged as to point to either an affirmative of a negative conclusion, as 
 will be shown later in this paper. 
 
 It must be admitted that atmospheric precipitation is the sole source of the water which 
 fills the streams. Meteorologists have known for many years that that element is variable 
 both in time and space. The one other cause which enters largely in flood formation is the 
 character of the surface covering in a watershed. It is conceivable that if the character of the 
 surface cover be suddenly changed there might be a profound change in the run-off, but since 
 all artificial changes in a river system are brought about slowly, and since some of them may 
 augment the run-off while others may retard it, it becomes a matter of great difficulty to inte- 
 grate the total effect of artificial changes in the watershed or stream flow for any given epoch. 
 The Department of Agriculture is now carrying on experimental work in the Rio Grande 
 Forest Reserve that, when completed will throw considerable light upon the subject. 
 
 The writer has had occasion to examine the precipitation records of the United States 
 as collected in the beginning by the Smithsonian Institution, and later by the United States 
 Signal Service and its successor, the present Weather "Bureau of the Department of Agricul- 
 ture. A brief reference to the results of that examination will be useful in connection with 
 the present subject. 
 
 14284°— 13 3 
 
34 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 The total yearly precipitation varies greatly even at points but a short distance apart; 
 it therefore becomes a difficult matter to express the monthly or annual abnormality for an 
 urea so large as the United States. For convenience in discussion the latter area has been 
 divided into 19 smaller climatic units and it is only through a combination of the results for 
 the several smaller units that one can get an idea of the abnormality of the country as a whole. 
 Since systematic observations began there has not been a single year when precipitation was 
 above normal in all parts of the country, and but one year when it was deficient in all parts of 
 the country in one and the same year. The abnormalities for the smaller climatic units, since 
 the units are of unequal size, do not readily lend themselves to a combination, but considered 
 separately they indicate the interesting fact that in the Rocky Mountain region from Montana 
 southward to the Mexican border the number of years with precipitation above the normal are 
 very nearly equal to the number of years with precipitation below the normal. East of the 
 Mississippi, and in the Gulf and South Atlantic States, especially, the number of years with 
 diminished precipitation are in a very decided majority. Further, it would seem that years 
 of fat or lean precipitation do not follow any recognizable sequence and that the most probable 
 value for any year is not the arithmetical mean or normal for the latitude, but a value near 
 and slightly below the mean. On the other hand years of excessive rainfall do not occur with 
 the same frequency as years of light rainfall ; heavy rains seem to be due to extraordinary and 
 probably world-wide temperature and pressure relations which appear to be the cause of un- 
 usual storm movement with its attendant precipitation. Thus in 1912 the prevalence of an 
 unusually large number of southwest storms and the rains attending them produced the great 
 flood in the lower Mississippi Valley of 1912. 
 
 In a previous discussion of the subject of secular variation of precipitation 1 the writer 
 prepared from the records of three stations in the middle Ohio Valley, Cincinnati, Portsmouth, 
 and Marietta. Ohio, a diagram which he called " progressive averages of precipitation for the 
 Ohio Valley." The curve in that diagram has been brought down to date and is presented below 
 in Diagram II. It was prepared as follows: The annual precipitation at the three points 
 named was combined in a single mean, which may be considered as a regional mean for that part 
 of the Ohio Basin between Marietta and Cincinnati. It probably represents with considerable 
 accuracy a region of 300 or 400 miles in all directions from the river as a central point, but it is 
 not claimed that the figures represent the precipitation of the entire watershed. 
 
 The heavy horizontal line in the diagram represents the normal precipitation ; where the 
 curved line passes above the horizontal line precipitation was above the normal by amounts 
 shown in the scale on the left margin. The diagram is conveniently read by considering the 
 peaks as wet spells and the valleys as dry spells. This diagram is similar to others of a like 
 character which have been constructed for different sections of the country in the fact that it 
 shows that years of fat and lean precipitation follow each other at very irregular intervals and 
 further that the period of fat or lean rains may extend over very unequal periods; thus the 
 period 1841-1849 in the diagram was a period of fat rains which has not since been equaled. 
 Likewise the memorable drought of 1838 in the Ohio Valley is indicated by the character of the 
 curve for 1837-1839. Another important point to remember is that the peaks of fat rains in the 
 Ohio Valley do not ordinarily coincide in point of time with similar peaks for the region Avest 
 of the Mississippi or along the Gulf of Mexico. In other words, the variation of precipitation 
 in regard to space is largely local rather than general. The valuations with respect to time 
 are exceedingly irregular. At this point it is proper to mention that the calendar year is much 
 too great a unit for comparative purposes; unfortunately the labor of assembling the data in 
 a more convenient unit is so great as to be prohibitive. 
 
 In Table No. 1 we have assembled all of the floods of consequence in the Ohio River from its 
 source at Pittsburgh, Pa., to its mouth at Cairo, 111. We will now proceed to consider that 
 record in connection with the rainfall curve of Diagram II. 
 
 1 Bulletin 1), Weather Bureau. 1897, i>. IS. 
 
ABE FLOODS IN THE OHIO INCREASING. 
 
 35 
 
 In the endeavor by others to show that floods in the Ohio are increasing the record of 
 river stages of 22 feet or more at one point in the river, Pittsburgh, Pa., for the 40 years 
 1870-1910 has been considered. It was assumed that a stage of 22 feet, which, by the way, is 
 the point at which the river begins to overflow its banks and is known as the flood stage, con- 
 stituted a flood. The number of these so-called floods which occurred in the first half of the 
 40-year period was compared with the number which occurred in the second half. The result 
 of the count was that the number in the second half of the period considerably exceeded the 
 number in the first half; therefore the conclusion that floods in the Ohio River are increasing. 
 
 to 
 
 UJ 
 
 + 7 
 + 6 
 + & 
 
 +3 
 +Z 
 +1 
 
 -/ 
 -2 
 -3 
 -¥ 
 -S 
 -6 
 -7 
 
 + 7 
 + 6 
 
 + + 
 +3 
 
 + 2 
 
 + / 
 
 
 
 -/ 
 
 -2 
 
 -3 
 -V 
 -6 
 -6 
 
 k 
 2 
 S 
 
 <0 
 "3 
 
 
 s, 
 
 \ 
 
 > 
 
 § 
 
 5 
 
 $ 
 
 b 
 ^ 
 
 vo 
 
 N 
 
 V 
 
 <0 
 
 
 1 
 
 ^ 
 
 £" 
 ^ 
 
 5 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 « 
 
 K 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 $ 
 
 <5> 
 vo 
 
 
 v<? 
 
 vo 
 
 vo 
 
 »0 
 
 Vfl 
 
 V© 
 Vo 
 
 vo 
 
 CO 
 
 vo 
 
 vo 
 
 
 fc 
 
 a 
 
 K 
 
 * 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 " 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 fc 
 
 
 IS 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 Co 
 
 2 
 
 i 
 
 »0 
 
 
 N 
 
 «0 
 
 «0 
 CD 
 
 «0 
 
 <0 
 
 
 
 
 
 <0 
 
 
 
 «0 
 
 CS 
 
 c> 
 
 
 
 Ci 
 
 2 
 
 
 >0 
 
 O 
 
 vo 
 
 V^ 
 
 
 oo 
 
 Ci 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 S 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^N 
 
 v, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 \ 
 
 / 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Diagram II. — Progressive averages of precipitation in the Ohio Valley. 
 
 There are certain obvious objections to this procedure ; in the first place, a rise in the river 
 to the flood stage does not constitute a flood; the flood stage is simply the point on the gage 
 when the river begins to overflow and cause damage to property on its banks; in the second 
 place, as has already been pointed out in this paper, a river in flood at one single point in its 
 course is not necessarily in flood at other points; therefore it is not proper to determine 
 
36 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 flood frequency from a single point in a river's course; in the third place, no account has been 
 taken of the precipitation during the period under consideration. 
 
 By reference to Diagram II we see at once that there was a period of dry years extend- 
 ing from about 1869 to 1880, with the single exception of two years of about normal rainfall 
 in 1875 and 1876. The deficiency for 1870 and 1871 was well marked and extended over the 
 entire watershed. We are therefore justified in the assertion that the lack of floods in the Ohio 
 above Cincinnati during the 10 years 1870-1880 was due simply to a term of dry years. Con- 
 sidering further Diagram II, we see that a period of increased precipitation set in in 1880, 
 culminating in 1882. The well-known floods of the early eighties in the Ohio Valley have 
 already been described in this paper. The next period of heavy precipitation centered in 1890, 
 but it was confined practically to a single year and caused serious floods only in the lower 
 stretches of the river. (See Table No. 1.) 
 
 The precipitation after 1890 Avas markedly deficient, especially during the drought years 
 of 1894-95. A second short period of abundant rains centered in 1897-98. Serious floods 
 occurred in both of these years. Then followed a term of dry years, which continued until 
 1906. No serious floods occurred until 1907. The agreement between the record of precipita- 
 tion and flood frequency is seen to be as close as might be reasonably expected. Let us next 
 consider the record of serious floods in the Ohio as contained in Table No. 1. 
 
 Dividing the 40-year period into two equal portions, it is seen, as before stated, that the 
 greater number of floods occurred in the second half; but we have just shown that the absence 
 of floods between 1869 and 1880 was due to a lack of precipitation. If we now disregard the 
 first 10 years of the period and divide the remaining 30 years into two equal periods of 15 years 
 each and count the floods therein, we have the result shown in tabular form below: 
 
 Number of severe floods in the Ohio River during the 40 years, 1870-19J0, in two periods of 20 years each and 
 
 nvi/vi uit i my i lit' J/u ycwis, ±oiv—±vju, 
 
 also in two periods of 15 years each. 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Pittsburgh 
 Cincinnati. 
 Louisville. 
 Evansville 
 
 First period 
 of 20 years, 
 1870-1890. 
 
 Second 
 period of 
 20 years, 
 1891-1910. 
 
 First period 
 of 15 years, 
 1881-1895. 
 
 Second 
 period of 
 15 years, 
 1896-1910. 
 
 The Cairo stages are not included in this table since they are influenced by causes other than 
 the amount of water coming down the Ohio and therefore would be misleading. 
 
 The above is a very interesting and instructive table; we see at once that if we use the 
 Pittsburgh stages as indicative of the number of floods in the Ohio there is a preponderance of 
 floods in the second 20 and 15 year periods, respectively, but if we use Cincinnati the 
 division into 20-year periods shows about an equal number in each; if we disregard the first 
 10 years of the period and divide the remaining 30 years into two equal portions, we find the 
 result of the Pittsburgh count is reversed, and that the preponderance of severe floods falls 
 within the first period. The same results are reached if we consider the Louisville record, but 
 Evansville, the next station below Louisville, coincides with Pittsburgh, but for entirely 
 different reasons. 
 
 The facts here given and the interpretation put upon them will have served the purpose 
 of this paper if attention be focused upon what seems to be an obvious conclusion, viz, that flood 
 frequency is primarily due to the distribution of precipitation as regards both time and space, 
 and that there is urgent need of accurate measurements both of precipitation and stream flow 
 for the next 50 years or longer before conclusions the one way or the other may be reached. 
 
PKOBABLE MAXIMUM FLOOD IN THE OHIO AT PITTSBUEGH. 37 
 
 PROBABLE MAXIMUM FLOOD IN THE OHIO AT PITTSBURGH. 
 
 In approaching a problem of this character we can 'be guided only by observation and 
 experience. The Ohio at Pittsburgh has been under systematic daily observation a little more 
 than 60 years, while records of floods dating back to the beginning of the nineteenth century 
 are available. The extreme flood height in the last 100 years was 35.5 feet, on March 15, 1907. 
 That stage was produced not by torrential rains over the entire watershed, but by the concur- 
 rence of two favorable conditions, the first of which was effective over a comparatively small 
 portion' of the entire Allegheny-Monongahela Basin, viz, the watersheds of thei Kiskiminetas 
 and Youghiogheny Rivers. These two conditions were, first, the occurrence of a moderately 
 heavy fall of snow on March 10, 1907, over the watersheds above named; second, the occurrence 
 two days later of rain with rising temperature. The rain, which began on the 12th, was prac- 
 tically continuous for 48 hours. 2.41 inches falling at Pittsburgh, Pa., and the average for the 
 entire watershed was 1.97 inches. While the rainfall extended over the entire watershed, ii was 
 heavy only in the neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The snow that made extremely high water 
 probable was likewise confined to the watersheds of the Kiskiminetas and Youghiogheny. 
 While the synchronism in the time of the several flood waves reaching Pittsburgh in this case 
 was not perfect, it was nearly so. and there was produced the highest water of a century on the 
 Pittsburgh gage on barely 2 inches of rainfall on the average for the entire watershed. 
 
 The midwinter flood of 1884 was likewise due to a winter thaw in connection with only 
 moderately heavy rains, but the volume of water which passed down the Ohio River in that 
 flood was greater than in the 1913 flood, although the rainfall over the basin was probably not 
 more than half as great as in 1913. The record of the 1884 flood illustrates the potentiality of 
 snow covering as a factor in flood causation, and this fact is again emphasized in the record of 
 the flood of March 1, 1902, when a stage of 32.4 feet was reached at Pittsburgh, Pa., on an 
 average rainfall over the entire watershed of three-quarters of an inch. In this case the ice 
 came out of the rivers converging at Pittsburgh separately, else a still higher stage might have 
 been recorded. 
 
 The danger of stages above 36 feet on the Pittsburgh gage seems to lie mostly in the 
 probability of ice gorges in both rivers breaking up simultaneously. That long-continued rains, 
 such as fell over Ohio and Indiana in March, 1913, may occur over some portion of the Alle- 
 gheny-Monongahela watershed within the next hundred years is within the range of probability, 
 but that such rains will be uniformly heavy over the entire watershed We consider only as a 
 remote possibility. We consider the formation of ice gorges and their simultaneous breaking 
 up in connection Avith spring rains to be the greatest flood menace in the upper Ohio Valley. 
 
 Perfect synchronism in the breaking up of ice in the streams above Pittsburgh would 
 doubtless cause a stage close to 38 feet on the Pittsburgh gage, and we would consider that figure 
 as the probable maximum flood stage at Pittsburgh. However, if the watersheds of all the 
 rivers above Pittsburgh were to receive as great a rainfall as occurred over Ohio and portions 
 of Indiana in the flood of March, 1913, it is probable that a stage above 40 feet would be reached 
 at Pittsburgh. 
 
FLOOD IN THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 
 
 The condition of the Mississippi River as to gage heights on March 31, 1913, or when the 
 crest of the Ohio flood was eight to ten days distant, is shown in the small table below; : 
 
 Station. 
 
 St. Paul, Minn . . 
 Dubuque, Iowa. 
 
 St. Louis, Mo 
 
 New Madrid, Mo. 
 Memphis, Term. 
 Vicksburg, Miss. 
 New Orleans, La 
 
 Flood stage. 
 
 Stage Mar. 
 31. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 14 
 
 1.4 
 
 18 
 
 10.2 
 
 30 
 
 23.2 
 
 34 
 
 39.7 
 
 35 
 
 36. 
 
 45 
 
 39.6 
 
 18 
 
 14.5 
 
 Difference. 
 
 Feet. 
 -12.6 
 
 - 7.8 
 
 - 6.8 
 + 5.7 
 + 1.0 
 
 - 5.4 
 
 - 3.5 
 
 Thus it will be seen that the river was considerably below the flood stage at St. Louis and 
 thence northward to St. Paul, but it was above flood stage at Memphis and thence to Cairo, 
 and rising slowly from Memphis to New Orleans. Moreover, the western tributaries were at 
 moderate stages, and neither high water nor floods were impending in any one of them. It 
 was apparent at the outset, therefore, that, barring additional precipitation, the only water to 
 consider in estimating the volume of the flood in the lower Mississippi was that coming out 
 of the Ohio. As soon as the probable output of the Ohio could be determined it became evident 
 that the flood of 1912 in the lower Mississippi would be equaled, if not overtopped, and warnings 
 to that effect were issued by the Weather Bureau official at Memphis as early as March 27, 
 1913. about two weeks before the arrival of the flood crest. Warnings were issued at the New 
 Orleans station on March 31 and repeated at intervals as the changing conditions demanded 
 until May 14. The river at Memphis reached the flood stage of 35 feet on March 30 and 
 continued to rise about a foot per day until April 10, when a maximum stage of 46.5 feet, the 
 highest of record, was attained. This stage was a foot and two-tenths above the high water 
 of 1912. On April 10 a break occurred in the levee at Wilson, Ark., above Memphis. The 
 water escaping through this break, in connection with the flow through a previous break at 
 Graves Bayou, on the Arkansas side below Memphis, caused a fall in the river at Memphis of 
 a foot between 8 a. m. and 4 p. m. of April 10. There was no recovery in the river from the 
 effect of the above-mentioned breaks, and the river passed below the flood stage at Memphis 
 by April 29. 
 
 The situation at Memphis just before the break occurred was indeed ominous. The levees 
 had withstood a flood earlier in the year and were for the second time within a space of less 
 than two months again subjected to the strain of a volume of water greater than ever before 
 experienced ; portions of the city were already flooded ; gas was shut off ; westbound train 
 serA'ice was discontinued; when to add to the peril of the situation heavy rains began to fall 
 in Arkansas, portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and in western Tennessee. At Little Rock 9.56 
 inches fell in 24 hours ; curiously enough the effect of that great amount of rain on the Arkansas 
 at Little Rock was not great, the total rise amounting to but 9 feet five days later. Evidently 
 the downpour was local in character. At Memphis there was a fall of 3.22 inches in 24 hours 
 on April 9, the day previous to the crest stage. 
 
 The crest stage at Memphis, had not the levees given way, would probably have been 
 
 somewhat higher than was actually recorded. (On this point see p. 90.) 
 
 39 
 
40 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Comparative statistics of floods in the lower Mississippi River published in Weather Bureau 
 Bulletin Y show that the crest stages of the 1913 flood exceeded previous crest stages from New 
 Madrid. Mo., to Helena. Ark.; also at Natchez, Miss. 
 
 The facts which conspired to produce lower crest stages in the New Orleans district than 
 were experienced in 1912 were (1) a very slow return of Lake St. John crevasse water, thus 
 enabling the bulk of the flood waters in the Mississippi to pass the mouth of the Red River 
 before the arrival of the crest of the crevasse water, and (2) a short period of northerly winds 
 about May 11, 1913, which tended to augment the discharge of the flood waters into the Gulf 
 of Mexico. 
 
 The duration of the flood is shown in the small table below, in which similar statistics for 
 1912 are given for comparative purposes: 
 
 Duration of 1.912 anil WIS floods. 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Number of days above flood stage. 
 
 1912 
 
 1913 
 
 First, 
 flood. 
 
 Second 
 flood. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Cairo, 111 
 
 Memphis, Term. 1 ... 
 
 Helena, Ark 
 
 Arkansas City, Ark 
 
 Vicksbnrg, Miss 
 
 Natchez, Miss 
 
 Baton Rouge, La. . 
 Donaldsonville, La 
 New Orleans, La.. 
 
 47 
 55 
 59 
 54 
 63 
 57 
 59 
 53 
 46 
 
 1 On Mar. 1, 1912, flood stage changed from 33 to 35 feet; the latter value was used in this table. 
 
 In forming the table the two floods in 1913 are considered separately and the total number 
 of days above the flood stage for both floods is given. Thus we discover that so far as dura- 
 tion is concerned the combined number of flood clays in 1913 is somewhat short of the number 
 of flood days in 1912. It seems, therefore, that notwithstanding the higher crest stages in 
 1913 than in 1912 the volume of the latter flood was really the greater of the two. 
 
 The overflowed area in 1912 also appears to have been considerably greater than in both 
 floods of 1913. 
 
 Area overflowed. — The area of overflowed lands, whether from crevasse water or backwater, 
 was less from the two floods of 1913 than from the single flood of 1912. 
 
 In the Memphis district, Cairo to Helena, the levees did not break in January. 1913, and 
 consequently very little damage from overflow was sustained. The only crevasse of any im- 
 portance in the January, 1913, flood occurred in the Vicksbnrg district near Beulah, Miss., the 
 scene of a serious break in the levee in 1912. Repairs to the 1912 break had not been wholly 
 made when the January, 1913, flood reached that point. At first the break had a width of 
 but 200 feet, but a rise of 6 feet additional in the river caused the break to widen to about 
 1,000 feet in spite of efforts to restrain it within its original bounds. Efforts to prevent the 
 break attaining a greater width were, however, successful, and the resulting overflow was only 
 about half of that which occurred in 1912. While the flood waters were still pouring through 
 the crevasse a successful attempt was made to close it. The different stages in the attempt 
 are well shown in the series of halftones reproduced in this report. 
 
 Figure 4 shows the crevasse as it appeared in February. 1913. 
 
 Figure 5 shows the trestle constructed of piling, and the rock dumped into the break. 
 
 Figures 6, 7, and 8 show, respectively, the final steps of clumping earth on both sides of 
 the rock fill. 
 
o t 
 
 10 »> 
 

Chart 5, Part 2. 
 
 Flooded district (in red) 
 
MONEY LOSS DUE TO FLOOD. 41 
 
 The closing of the .Beulah crevasse prevented the overflow of about 1,000 square miles 
 that was inundated in 1912. 
 
 The overflowed areas in the second 1913 flood comprise portions of southeastern Missouri, 
 especially the counties of Mississippi. New Madrid, Dunklin, and Pemiscot. The total area 
 ovei'flowed in Missouri and Arkansas as computed by the Mississippi River Commission being 
 2,454 square mines. In Arkansas the overflowed counties were Mississippi, parts of Poinsett, 
 Crittenden, St. Francis, Lee, and Desha. The latter was overflowed in part from a break in 
 White River levee. 
 
 In general the overflowed region in Arkansas in 1913 was not greatly different from that 
 of 1912. (For details see report of Section Director H. F. Alciatore, p. 97.) 
 
 The overflowed areas in Louisiana were not so large in 1913 as in the previous year. In 
 the parishes of northeastern Louisiana, viz, West Carroll, East Carroll, Morehouse, and Rich- 
 land there was considerable overflow, principally along the bayous in those districts. In the 
 central-eastern parish of Concordia the overflow was general and it extended westward into 
 Catahoula Parish almost to the lake of that name. There was also a third region of overflow, 
 viz. along the Atchafalaya River below Melville in the parishes of St. Landry, St. Martin, 
 Iberville, Iberia, and Assumption. 
 
 On the left bank of the Mississippi River there were overflows in Hickman and Fulton 
 Counties in Kentucky; also in the Reelfoot Lake region of Tennessee and in small portions 
 of Tennessee counties bordering the river. 
 
 In Mississippi the counties which were overflowed in whole or in part were, from north 
 to south, Bolivar, Sunflower, Washington, Sharkey, Yazoo, Issaquena, and Warren. There 
 was also some overflow along the Yazoo River in the counties of Tallahatchie, Leflore, and 
 Carroll. 
 
 A small scale map showing overflowed areas is presented as Chart No. 5. This map has 
 been reduced in great part from larger scale maps prepared by the Mississippi River Com- 
 mission, to whom we are indebted for most of the information. 
 
 MONEY LOSS DUE TO FLOODS. 
 
 The elements of fixed capital that suffered in the floods of March and April, 1913, are 
 chiefly those of railway lines, telegraph and telephone systems, bridges and highways, dwell- 
 ings and other buildings such as power plants, and factories. 
 
 Practically all of the above-mentioned elements suffered ioss that will require the outlay 
 of additional capital either to replace the tangible property lost or destroyed, or, in case the 
 loss was not total, to restore the system to its original standard of efficiency. In any event 
 the original investment has been increased by just so much as it cost to replace the property 
 destroyed. Loss was also sustained due to interruption of trade or traffic, the failure of pros- 
 pective crops, and the suspension of business; moreover, vast sums of money and a great deal 
 of labor was devoted to strengthening the levees along the great rivers and in other protective 
 measures, none of which appears in the final summaries of loss. 
 
 Much labor and considerable time has been devoted to the collecting of the statistics of 
 loss here given ; the most of which are as accurate as could be had except by an actual census 
 of the situation. 
 
 In the case of loss to railroads the majority of the facts were supplied by the responsible 
 authorities directly concerned; in a few cases, however, in the absence of definite figures, re- 
 course has been had to a carefully prepared estimate of the loss. There is therefore an element 
 of uncertainty in some of the amounts that may amount to at least 10 per cent; in the state- 
 ments of loss of crops both matured and prospective ; and of loss due to suspension of business 
 the uncertainty, from the nature of the respective cases, is much greater. 
 
 We present first a statement of loss suffered by railroads and telegraph and telephone 
 systems arranged by States wherever possible. In the Mississippi Valley States of Missouri, 
 Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, it has not been possible to distinguish as 
 between States ; the total loss is therefore grouped under the general head Mississippi Valley. 
 
42 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 Loss to railroads, telegraph and telephone companies. 
 
 State or district. 
 
 Loss to rail- 
 roads. 
 
 Loss to tele- 
 phone and 
 telegraph com- 
 panies. 
 
 Ohio 
 
 $6, 493, 555. 00 
 4,812,805.00 
 1,391,544.00 
 150, 000. 00 
 3,120,661.00 
 ' 200, 000. 00 
 
 $1,982,756.00 
 9 000.00 
 
 Indiana . , , 
 
 Illinois 
 
 
 Kentucky 
 
 5,000.00 
 6, 423. 00 
 
 Mississippi Valley 
 
 New England 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 16, 168, 565. 00 
 
 2, 003, 179. 00 
 
 
 1 Estimated. 
 
 Losses other than to railroads, telegraph and telephone companies. 
 
 City or district. 
 
 Ohio River districts: 
 
 Pittsburgh district 
 
 Parkersburg district 
 
 Cincinnati district 
 
 Louisville district 
 
 E vansville district 
 
 Cairo district 
 
 Mississippi River districts: 
 
 Memphis district 
 
 Vicksburg district 
 
 New Orleans district 
 
 Cumberland River at Nashville 
 
 Upper Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. Albany district 
 
 Connecticut River Valley and Vermont 
 
 White River, Ind 
 
 Wabash River, Ind 
 
 Smaller rivers of Ohio 
 
 Total 
 
 Tangible 
 property, 
 buildings, 
 bridges, high- 
 ways, etc. 
 
 $2, 
 
 500. 000 
 350, 000 
 530, 200 
 800, 000 
 700, 000 
 S10, 000 
 
 203, 000 
 500, 000 
 
 13, 750 
 157, 500 
 950, 000 
 
 37, 500 
 659, 855 
 000, 000 
 865, 526 
 
 122,077,331 
 
 Matured 
 crops. 
 
 $125,000 
 
 214,040 
 150, 000 
 240, 000 
 23, 200 
 
 Farms and 
 farm prop- 
 erty, includ- 
 ing prospec- 
 tive crops. 
 
 $25,000 
 
 752, 240 
 
 1, 125, 000 
 150,000 
 
 470, 000 
 500, 000 
 225,000 
 
 262, 500 
 
 1,412,800 
 
 4,170,300 
 
 Stock and 
 movable 
 property. 
 
 $1,000 
 
 205,000 
 
 998,000 
 
 125, 000 
 
 12,000 
 
 3,500 
 
 51.150 
 
 i 5, 002, 000 
 
 6, 397, 650 
 
 Suspension 
 of business. 
 
 $200, 000 
 
 100, 000 
 
 1, 360, 850 
 
 500, 000 
 
 500,000 
 
 1,720,000 
 
 350,000 
 
 75,000 
 
 23,000 
 
 150,000 
 
 622,600 
 6, 394, 078 
 
 11,995,528 
 
 Total. 
 
 $2, 725, 000 
 2,451,000 
 3, 891, 050 
 1,300,000 
 2,325,000 
 1,290,000 
 
 5, 605, 040 
 
 1,625,000 
 
 565, 750 
 
 207, 200 
 
 1,100,000 
 
 37,500 
 
 5, 596, 105 
 
 10,000,000 
 
 106,674,404 
 
 145,393,049 
 
 1 Distributed as follows: Farm buildings and fences, $1,352,000: soil washing, $3,300,000; driftwood and debris, S350.000. 
 
 Grand total of loss from all causes, $163,564,793. 
 
 The Work of the Weather Bureau in the forecasting of floods is frequently referred to in 
 the reports of local forecasters and others in the section which forms the concluding part of 
 this report. No effort has been made to reduce to dollars and cents the saving of property 
 that resulted from the forewarnings of the floods herein described. That such forewarnings 
 are valuable no one will deny, yet there is evidence to show that the full measure of benefits 
 that should have been enjoyed from them was sacrificed, in some cases, because the personal 
 opinion of the recipients differed from that expressed in the bureau's warnings. 
 
 If it could be shown that not a single dollar is saved by the flood service of the Weather 
 Bureau, the work would nevertheless be justifiable on the broader ground that it contributes 
 to the general welfare of the people and conduces to the protection of human life. 
 
ACCOMPANYING PAPERS. 
 
 DETAILED REPORTS OF FLOODS IN OHIO, INDIANA, ILLINOIS, 
 
 KENTUCKY, NEW YORK, NEW ENGLAND, AND THE 
 
 LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 
 
 43 
 
Chart 6, Part 2. Total precipitation in Ohio. 8 a. m., March 23, to 
 8 a. m., March 25, 1913, inclusive (inches). 
 
 Chart 7, Part 2. Total precipitation in Ohjo for 48 hours ending 
 7 p. m., March 25, 1913 (inches). 
 
Chart 8, Part 2. Total precipitation in Ohio, 8 a. m., March 23, to 
 8 a. m., March 27, 1913, inclusive (inches). 
 
 Chart 9, Part 2. Total damage to highways and bridges in flood of 
 March, 1913, as furnished by county commissioners in July. 1913 
 
 ., WILLIAMS i ^^^ . 
 5000 J-2000O-1 
 » L-] 
 
 l.5j| DEFIANCE IHENRY 
 
 5j_-9QQqO j 20000 
 
 PAUL0INS 
 
 vooo ! ""••J"* ! 55( ^' E ! LORA, 1 H^ 0( ^"i~''~~nTi.UMeu U .'j 
 Hancock r 1 r - ] o° r l I I r— 1 
 
 9700 f 
 
 WYANDOT CRAWFORD 
 
 ??3W ! 
 
 COLUMBIANA 
 
 12700 
 
 L CARROLL J ~" 1 
 
 iNoneJ §| 
 
 , 60000 i 45 000 Mf ! ^^ 
 
 1 45264 V -1 "~ 
 
 i HAI "' iN j 65000 [ 
 
 8j mercer | gam j- -ri-A" ! ° Jmor _3?.5Q0_; 200000^-- 
 
 | 7600 j -i- ,75000! "-ox LT «WMr ^ 
 
 8! >j SHELBY o QKn - l" L H 15 0°00 i COSHOCTON j r 1 HARRISON j £ 
 
 ! i2oowr----S ON,ON ^";Z E i" ~i-2!5V- -=L^bbl±l 
 
 ■»« j j champaign ^3QQQ^ir««Lj LICK)Me euERNSEY I b£lmont 
 
 Kr-^ifUr ' 3180 ° J M ~L 10 99P-j 5500 
 
 ■ clark' / « ^ <*£wwf 1 -1450000 
 
 in / r !. 1550000 J h _ n tone! 
 
 JTJ * f FAIRFIELD L LT^ «-*W!l'E^ MONROE 
 
 FhIp,^ I 65000 H ; c ^L! 1 ^ffi? N l l_r-i 700 °, 
 
 S! BUTLER i WARREN 
 
 ^Leooooo jL? 00000 
 li 1M <~~y 
 
 * 
 
 |25flfej 
 
 7T "" ""k 
 
 977-.0 
 
 15000! 
 
 a i h tna 
 
 v.Won | 30000 
 
 . r 1 — 
 
 I— i2C 
 
 JACKSON j 
 
 l^iaoa 
 
 8000 
 
 
 \. 
 
 Total, $12,031,039. 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 
 
 By J. Warren Smith, Professor of Meteorology. 
 
 The flood of March. 1913. was due to an excessive rain falling upon a surface that was 
 already thoroughly saturated. There was no snow upon the ground, and the surface soil was 
 not frozen, so that the usual winter flood conditions were absent ; but the surface soil Avas very 
 wet. and small streams and depressions were well filled by frequent precipitation during the 
 first part of March. 
 
 On Sunday, March 23, rain began to fall in northwestern Ohio at about 8 a. m., and in 
 central districts during the middle of the forenoon. The rainfall during Sunday was about 2 
 inches in the Maumee and Sandusky watersheds, in northwestern Ohio, and about 0.5 inch in 
 central districts, but was very slight in southern counties. The rain ended by early evening 
 in most of the State. 
 
 Rain began to fall again soon after midnight and fell almost continuously through the 24th, 
 25th, and 26th. By the morning of the 24th the total 24-hour rainfall was about 3 inches in 
 the Sandusky, Maumee, and upper Great Miami River Valleys, but less than 1 inch in the 
 southeastern portions of Ohio. 
 
 During the day, Monday, March 24, the fall was heaviest in the upper Great Miami Valley 
 and amounted to 3.7 inches at Piqua, Miami Count}^. 
 
 The rainfall for the 24 hours ending the evening of the 24th averaged 1.9 inches in the 
 Scioto Valley above Columbus, 1.9 inches in the Great Miami Valley above Dayton, 2.1 inches 
 in the Little Miami Valley. 1.6 inches in the Sandusky Valley, and 1.3 inches in the Muskingum 
 Valley above Zanesville. The greatest fall reported was 5.6 inches at Piqua. 
 
 The total rainfall from Sunday morning up to the evening of Monday the 24th averaged 
 3.6 inches in the Sandusky watershed. 3.1 inches in the Scioto above Columbus, 2.9 inches in 
 the Great Miami above Dayton, 2.4 inches in the Little Miami, and 1.9 inches in the Muskingum 
 above Zanesville. In Hancock and Wyandot Counties it was over 4 inches, and in Miami 
 County 6.6 inches. 
 
 The rainfall was very heavy during Monday night. At Bellefontaine, in Logan County, 
 it was about 4.5 inches; in Richland County, 4 inches; Marion County, 3.6 inches; Shelby 
 County, 3.5 inches ; and in Seneca County, 3.3 inches. 
 
 The total rainfall up to the morning of the 25th is shown in chart No. 6. The precipitation 
 on that chart is for 48 hours, and it was that rainfall which caused the flood waters in Indiana 
 and western Ohio. Unfortunately not many of the observations are made in the morning, 
 but the above-named chart shows a fall of 9 inches in Miami County, and 7 inches in Marion 
 County, and 7.4 inches in Logan County. The fall was over 6 inches over a large portion of 
 the north-central part of Ohio. 
 
 The heaviest rainfall had moved eastward by the 25th, and the Muskingum Valley received 
 more than the western watersheds. At Ashland, Ashland County, the fall from 12.30 p. m.. 
 Monday, the 24th, until 12.30 p. m.. Tuesday, was 5.96 inches. The rainfall for the 24 hours 
 ending the evening of the 25th was more than 4 inches over a large part of the upper Muskingum 
 watershed, as well as in the central Great Miami Valley and the upper Scioto. 
 
 45 
 
46 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 The total rainfall up to the evening of the 25th is indicated in chart No. 7. The total 
 rainfall from the morning of March 23 to the evening of March 27 is given in chart No. 8. 
 It shows that the fall was over 10 inches over a large district. 
 
 Table No. 2, page 64, gives the carefully determined average rainfall in each watershed 
 for each 24 hours and for the 5 days. The area of the watershed is shown, as well as the 
 calculated fall of water, in cubic feet per square mile. The Great Miami watershed (total) 
 includes the White Water River in Indiana, where the rainfall was very heavy. 
 
 The daily rainfall records will be found in Table No. 2, page 21. 
 
 A very careful study of the run -off from the small valleys of the upper Great Miami River 
 is being made by the Morgan Engineering Co., of Dayton, and their computations show that 
 the rainfall over a large district east of Piqua and Troy must have been considerably greater 
 than was recorded at any of the surrounding stations. 
 
 OTHER HEAVY RAINFALLS. 
 
 The heaviest monthly rainfall in Ohio since the records began in 1854 was in September. 
 1866. At North Lewisburg and Urbana, Champaign County, the total fall for the month was 
 15.'.) inches, while the average for 20 stations well distributed over the State was 9.7 inches. 
 
 The following item relative to the high water of that month is from the twenty-eighth 
 annual report of the Ohio Board of Public Works for 1866: 
 
 Very extensive damage was done at Circleville on September 19. The water was 8 inches higher than 
 in the great flood of 18G0, which was then said to be unprecedented in the Scioto River. The water flowed 
 over the high canal bank for almost the entire distance between the lock at the west end of Circleville 
 aqueduct and Foresman's mill, and near the last-named point the banks were entirely swept away. Several 
 breaks occurred in the canal feeder between Columbus and 4-mile lock. Much damage was done to the 
 canals in the Muskingum Valley. 
 
 This rain gave the highest water at Dayton previous to March, 1913, but daily records are' 
 not available. 
 
 A careful tabulation has been made of all of the 24, 48, 72, and 96 hour rainfalls at all of 
 the stations in Ohio from 1883 to date. This table is too long to publish in this report, but it 
 shows that the only time when the rainfall approaches that for March, 1913, in area covered 
 and intensity of fall was in October, 1910. (See Chart No. 3.) 
 
 The rainfall for October 5-6, 1910, was 7.5 inches in Butler County; 7.7 inches in Warren 
 County; over 6 inches in Montgomery, Clark, Champaign, and Delaware Counties; and over 
 5 inches from Hamilton north to Shelby County and east to Richland County. The fall for 
 October 4 to 7, inclusive, 1910, was not so heavy by a third as occurred on March 23 to 26, 1913, 
 and the heaviest rainfall was in the lower portion of the Great Miami Valley instead of the 
 upper watershed as in March, 1913. 
 
 RISE OF THE RIVERS. 
 
 The streams in the northwestern portion of Ohio began to rise rapidly during the night 
 of the 23d, and by; the morning of the 24th the flood stage was passed at Fort Wayne, Inch, 
 and at Upper Sandusky and Tiffin, Ohio. 
 
 By noon of the 24th the Great Miami, Little Miami, and the Scioto Rivers had begun to 
 rise at a rapid rate. These rivers continued to> rise during the night of the 24th and the 
 morning of the 25th, and in the lower portions until the 26th. 
 
 The Muskingum River did not begin to rise rapidly until the night of the 24th, and did 
 not reach its highest stage until the 27th. 
 
 The river gauge readings are shown in detail in Tables Nog. 3 and 4, and a further discussion 
 of the rate of rise is given in the story regarding each watershed. 
 
 From the figures of Table 2 the total amount of water falling on the several watersheds 
 can be easily determined and the probable run-off calculated. In the Scioto watershed above 
 Columbus the total fall of water from the 23d to 27th, inclusive, amounted to 235,813.912,500 
 gallons, or 31,441,855,000 cubic feet. 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 47 
 
 DAMAGE AM) Miss I',V Till: FLOOD. 
 
 The following statement gives the best figures of the loss and damage that it has been 
 possible to collect. In many cases the amounts given are only estimates, but they are conserva- 
 tive ones, and the total loss was undoubtedly far greater than these compilations indicate. 
 (See also Table 5.) 
 
 But no tables can tell all the tale; indeed, no pen can recount the story of horror, of suffer- 
 ing, of countless acts of self-sacrifice and heroism. There were many instances of the savings 
 of n lifetime being wiped out in an hour, of priceless pictures, books, and heirlooms washed 
 away or ruined by the water and mud. 
 
 Neither do the tables tell of light plants being out of use and cities and villages in darkness 
 for a week or more, of water supplies being cut off, sewage plants out of commission, or I aim 
 lands completely destroyed. The whole story is indeed a sad one, and undoubtedly the " Big 
 flood of 1913 " will be a reckoning point for many years to come. 
 
 There were over 100 municipalities in Ohio affected by the flood. The total population of 
 the cities and towns most affected by the flood was 1.388,000. The total number of lives lost 
 Tn the flood as near as can be determined was 467. The approximate number of residences 
 flooded was 40,037, and the approximate number of houses destroyed was 2,220. 
 
 Total estimated money loss in Ohio. 
 
 Damage to public highways and bridges (see Chart No. 9) $12,031,039 
 
 Damage to buildings and personal property 78,072,387 
 
 Damage to farm buildings and fences 1,352,000 
 
 Damage to farms by soil washing 3,300,000 
 
 Damage to farms by driftwood and debris 350.000 
 
 Crops destroyed or damaged 1,412,800 
 
 Loss of live stock 234,953 
 
 Cost of cleaning and repairs to machinery, etc 3,702. 100 
 
 Damage to railroads, physical plants 6,051,300 
 
 Loss to railroads, enforced suspension of business 6,000,000 
 
 Damage to interurban eleetri<- roads 220,872 
 
 Loss to same by suspension of business 173. 965 
 
 Damage to street and suburban lines 221, 383 
 
 Loss to same by suspension of business 200,000 
 
 Damage to physical plants of telephone lines 110.000 
 
 Loss to same by enforced suspension of business 20,113 
 
 Damage to lines of Western Union Telegraph Co 150,000 
 
 Total 113, 662, 918 
 
 MATJMEE RIVER. 
 
 The Maumee watershed covers the northwestern corner of Ohio, northeastern Indiana, and 
 a small portion of southern Michigan. It has a total area of 0,344 square miles, 4,702 of which 
 are in Ohio. It empties into Maumee Bay at the western end of Lake Erie. The main tribu- 
 taries from the north are the Tiffin and St. Josephs Rivers, and from the south the Blanchard 
 and St. Marys Rivers. The rivers of the southern watershed flow through a district that is 
 extremely flat. The northern watershed is more rolling. 
 
 At Montpelier on the St. Josephs River the water was 7 feet higher than has been 
 experienced for some years. 
 
 At St. Marys, near the head of the St. Marys River, the water was from 2 to 3 feet higher 
 than before known, but only a small per cent of the city was flooded. There was much uneasi- 
 ness, however, because of danger from the Grand Reservoir, which is situated about 2 miles 
 west. Many people left their homes in this city, as well as in Celina at the western end of the 
 reservoir, and fled to higher ground. This reservoir has an area of 1 5,748 acres and is the largest 
 artificial lake in Ohio. It drains only about 03 square miles, but filled very quickly with the 
 
48 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 heavy rainfall, and there was considerable washing of the banks. The spillway from this 
 reservoir is at the western end. and the surplus water flows into the Wabash River. 
 
 At Wapakoneta on the Auglaize River the water was 3 feet higher than any previous 
 record. The damage was not large. 
 
 Findlay is on the Blanchard River, a branch of the Auglaize. The water here was 3 feet 
 higher than during the previous highest flood, on April 1, 1904, and 60 per cent of the city was 
 flooded. There was one death, and 3,000 people were driven out of their homes by the water. 
 
 Ottawa is also on the Blanchard River and is in the same flat region. Fully 95 per cent of 
 this city, which has a population of 2.200, was flooded, although in most of the city the current 
 was not swift and little damage was done to buildings. 
 
 Lima is on the Ottawa River in central Allen County. Where unobstructed the water was 
 1.5 feet higher than the former highest record, on April 1, 1904. There was one death and 
 considerable property damage in this city. 
 
 Two hundred and sixty-eight houses were flooded at Defiance and 150 at Napoleon, both 
 on the Maumee River.'and there Avas one death at Napoleon. 
 
 The damage along the smaller streams that empty into Lake Erie was not generally large 
 outside of the injury to railroads and bridges. The Portage River at Bowling Green was 3 
 feet higher than any previous record. In Lorain County a railroad engine broke through a 
 weakened trestle and the crew of three men was drowned. In Cleveland the lowlands alone: 
 the Cuyahoga River were overflowed and a large amount of lumber and other light material 
 was carried downstream and into the lake. The wooden wharves along the river banks and a 
 large amount of freight in cars standing in the railroad yards were damaged. Damage was 
 done to bridges by the breaking away of steamers from their moorings. 
 
 A good deal of damage was done at Akron. Summit County, on the Little Cuyahoga River, 
 by the breaking of the banks of the largest of a string of artificial lakes known as the Portage 
 Lakes. It is called the East Reservoir, and the bank was cut where the feeder from the 
 Tuscarawas River enters. The power equipment and storerooms of the Goodyear tire and 
 rubber plant were flooded, causing a loss estimated at from $50,000 to $100,000; one of the city 
 playgrounds was damaged to the extent of $12,000; bridges were carried away; and 15 to 30 
 houses were demolished. 
 
 At Akron, as well as at many other points along the watershed between Lake Erie and 
 the Ohio River drainage areas, the unusual spectacle was presented of large damage from flood 
 at the crest of the watershed. At Bellevue, at the junction of Sandusky and Huron Counties, 
 the flood did not recede for nearly five weeks, the first floors of many of the houses being 
 flooded for this period. This village, with a population of about 4,149, is not located on a 
 stream, but the surface water is usually drained into natural " sinks " or else drilled holes. 
 Because. of the excessive rainfall, the ground water was rapidly raised and the "sinks" which 
 take the water in under ordinary conditions became springs. 
 
 SANDUSKY RIVER. 
 
 The Sandusky River rises in the western portion of Richland County, flows west through 
 Crawford and into Wyandot County, then north through Seneca and Sandusky Counties, and 
 empties into the west end of Sandusky Bay in southern Lake Erie. The river is 115 miles 
 long and drains 1,554 square miles. Its headwaters are 709 feet above the mouth. The valley 
 is small, having a depth of from 20 to 25 feet and an average width of one-fourth mile or less. 
 There are quite a number of dams along the main stream, the largest being the Ballville Dam, 
 2 miles above Fremont. 
 
 The heavy rainfall caused a rapid rise of all the small streams in this valley, and on the 
 morning of the 24th the river at Upper Sandusky was 3.8 feet above the flood stage and was just 
 at flood stage at Tiffin. It rose steadily and rapidly at Upper Sandusky during the next 24 
 hours and reached 19 feet at 9 a. m. March 25. This was 6 feet above the flood stage, and 3 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 191.3. 49 
 
 feet higher than occurred February 3. 1883, and 4 feet higher than on March 4, 1847, the 
 previous high-water records. Inasmuch as the river is some 25 feet or more below the general 
 level, very little damage was done either in Wyandot or Crawford Counties. 
 
 At Tiffin, Seneca County, the flood was much more serious. The river flows through the 
 center of the city from southwest to northeast, and a fair-sized branch comes in from the 
 southeast. The buildings encroach very decidedly upon the stream channel, and this is very 
 narrow and crooked. It is crossed by six bridges, none of which was high enough or wide 
 enough to prevent damming. 
 
 The river was at flood stage (7 feet) at Tiffin at 7 a. m. March 24 and had risen to 7.8 feet 
 at 1 p. m. At 7 a. m. the 25th the gage was 12.5 feet, and at 11 a. m. it was 14 feet, and the 
 bridges and streets near them were impassable. At 1.40 p, m. the first bridge went out; and, as 
 the current is very swift through the city, the other bridges and buildings nearest the channel 
 were carried away in rapid succession. The height of the water at the river gage was 19.4 feet 
 at 6 a. m. March 20, or 8 feet higher than ever before recorded. At the Hubach brewery it was 
 28.9 feet, or 10.3 feet higher than the previous record, and at the waterworks 9 feet above the 
 highest before known. 
 
 The observer, Prof. T. H. Sonnedecker, has made some investigations and concludes that 
 this was the greatest flood in that valley since it has been settled by the white man and probably 
 the greatest in this geological era. 
 
 At Fremont the river passed the flood stage, 10 feet, at about 9 a. m. of the 24th. At 
 7 p. m. it was 12.4 feet ; at 7 a. m. of the 25th, 13.5 ; at 3 p. m., 17.5 ; and by noon of the 26th it 
 had reached 21.5 feet, or 3.7 feet above the record of February, 1884. It remained practically 
 stationary until the following morning. The river gage is on the downstream side of the 
 bridge, and it was 1 foot higher above than below the bridge. 
 
 About 35 per cent of the city was flooded, which includes a large proportion of the business 
 district. The loss to merchandise stock and buildings was estimated at $262,000. The loss on 
 the Ballville Dam was $85,000. Three men were drowned at Fremont. 
 
 MAHONING EIVEE. 
 
 Xumerous power and water-supply dams on the Mahoning River makes this river a 
 series of pools and riffles from its source to the Pennsylvania line, greatly affecting the run-off 
 of the stream. 
 
 At "Warren, in Trumbull County, the river was 4.2 feet higher than before recorded. Two 
 persons were drowned and 150 houses were flooded. The highest water was at 6 p. m. March 26. 
 
 At Garrettsville, Portage County, the water was 1.5 feet higher than any previous record. 
 
 Niles, Trumbull County, the river was 6.8 feet higher than in January, 1904, the previous 
 high water. From 10.15 p. m., March 24, until 8.15 a. m., March 25, the water rose at an 
 average rate of 6 inches per hour. 
 
 At Youngstown, Mahoning County, the highest water was at 11 p. m. March 26, when it 
 reached 22.9 feet, or 7.1 feet higher than the previous record, January 21, 1904. 
 
 HOCKING RIVER. 
 
 The rainfall was not particularly heavy in southeastern Ohio and the flood was not so 
 serious in the Hocking Valley as elsewhere. At Logan, Hocking County, the river was not so 
 high by 1.5 feet as was recorded in 1884. 
 
 WHITE WATER RIVER, IND. 
 
 The highest stages for this stream and its tributaries ever known were reported during the 
 flood period March 23-27, 1913. The rainfall in this valley as reported by cooperative 
 observers of the Weather Bureau for this period was as follows: Cambridge City, 9.38 inches; 
 14284°— 13 1 
 
50 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Connersville, 9.98 inches: Richmond, 11.15 inches. On March -25. Cambridge City recorded 
 5.70 inches: Connersville. 5.07 inches. On March 24, Richmond reported 5.30 inches and on 
 the 25th 4.17 inches, making a total of 9.47 inches for the 48 hours. Xo snow was on the 
 ground to augment the stream flow, but the ground was well soaked by previous rains when 
 the heavy downpours occurred and the run-off was quite rapid. Perhaps it was equal to what 
 it would have been had the ground been frozen. 
 
 The county commissioners of Union, Henry, Fayette, Wayne, and Randolph Counties 
 report a total loss of $101,100 in damage to county and municipal bridges and a loss of $67,500 
 in damage to public highways. This makes a total loss of $228,600 in damage to public high- 
 ways and bridges. 
 
 Interurban electric lines operating in this valley report a loss of approximately $35,000 
 to their lines, bridges, and rolling stock and about $20,000 loss in business due to enforced 
 suspension. 
 
 The correspondent at Cambridge City reports the loss of two lives due to the flood. The 
 Red Cross Society reports 15 deaths at Brookville, Franklin County. 
 
 THE GREAT MIAMI RIVER. 
 
 The drainage basin of the Great Miami River lies in southwestern Ohio and southeastern 
 Indiana and has an area of approximately 5,400 square miles. One-third of the total area is 
 in Indiana. The river is formed in Logan County by two small streams rising in Auglaize 
 and Hardin Counties. It flows in a southwesterly direction and joins the Ohio River at the 
 Indiana State line. The length of the river is 140 miles. The main tributaries are the Still- 
 water River from the west and the Mad River from the east, both entering the Great Miami 
 just above Dayton. 
 
 The valleys above Dayton are narrow and comparatively shallow, while below Dayton the 
 valley is broad and open. The average fall of the river is 4.1 feet per mile and is steepest in 
 the upper part, especially in the Mad River drainage area. 
 
 The Lewiston Reservoir is in Logan County and is often designated as the source of the 
 Great Miami. It has an area of about 6.134 acres and drains a watershed of 100 square miles. 
 
 The Loramie Reservoir is situated in the western portion of Shelby County and feeds into 
 the Great Miami between Sidney and Piqua. It has an area of 1,900 acres and drains 70 
 square miles. 
 
 Both of these reservoirs were soon filled at the time of the heavy rainfall and there was 
 grave danger that the banks would give way. There was no serious break in either one, how- 
 ever, and on the other hand they did very little to minimize the flood conditions. 
 
 Sidney is the first large town on the upper Miami. It is located in Shelby County and 
 has a population of nearly 7,000. Only about 6 per cent of the city was flooded by the high 
 water, and no lives were lost. But three residences Avere destroyed, although 230 were in the 
 flooded district. The water was the highest at about 9 a. m. March 25, when it was 4 to 6 feet 
 higher than before recorded. The damage to buildings and personal property is given as $35,000. 
 
 The damage was much more at Piqua than at Sidney. Fully 50 per cent of Piqua was 
 flooded, and 44 lives were lost. The number of residences flooded was 2.000, and 100 or more 
 were destroyed. The river gage at Piqua was at 8.7 feet on the morning of the 24th, and the 
 water had risen only to 11 feet at 5 p. m. It rose more rapidly after that hour and reached 
 the flood stage of 14 feet at 9 p. m. The rise from that hour until 10 a. m. on the 25th Avas 
 10 feet. The river was about stationary at 24 feet until 2 p.m.; then fell steadily. By the 
 27th it had fallen to the flood stage. About 2,000 people were rendered homeless at Piqua. 
 During the night of the 24th the water broke through the leA^ee that protected the portion of 
 the city east of the Miami and Erie Canal and also flooded East Piqua. Later the water came 
 clown through the main portion of the city. The water was 6 feet deep in some of the business 
 districts, and the flood damage was very great. 
 
iZ S 
 
 >,o 
 
FIG. 10.— STEELE HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, DAYTON, OHIO. 
 Showing destruction due to undermining foundation by water. 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 
 
 51 
 
 Troy is the next town of moderate size below Piqua. It has a population of over 6,000 
 and covers about 2 square miles. Fulty 75 per cent of the city was flooded. Water affected 
 nearly 1,000 houses, and 50 were washed away. The highest water was about noon March 25. 
 Sixteen lives were lost. The loss at Troy was, to business houses. $35.000 ; factories, $150,000 ; 
 residences and personal property, $175,000. 
 
 Springfield is a city of nearly 50,000 population and is situated on the Mad River in 
 central Clark County, 25 miles above Dayton. A moderate amount of damage was done in 
 the city, as most of it is well above flood waters, and only one life was lost. 
 
 Dayton is in Montgomery County, 33 miles below Piqua and 77 miles above the Ohio River. 
 The drainage area above the city is 2,558 square miles. The river is 600 feet wide at average low 
 water. The central portion of the city is located on the flood plain of the river, which at this 
 point is about 3-J miles wide. Approximately 50 per cent of the city is built on this flood 
 plain. The following report is made by Mr. H. F. Alps, local forecaster at Dayton : 
 
 REPORT OF FLOOD AT DAYTON, OHIO, MARCH 25, 1913. 
 
 The most destructive flood in the history of Dayton occurred on Tuesday morning, March 25, 1913, fol- 
 lowing about 36 hours of unprecedented rainfall over the Great Miami River watershed. The center of the city 
 was submerged to a depth of 9 feet, and in many of the lower sections the measured depth was 20 to 21 feet. 
 It is known that 96 persons were drowned, and that the losses totaled about $75,000,000. Before the people 
 
 
 MON. TOE. WED. 
 
 THU. Fill. 
 
 M48l2 46M48l2 4SM48l2 48M48l2 48M48l2 46f 
 
 FT. 
 
 30 
 
 20 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 
 S3 
 
 
 
 
 
 rts\ 
 
 
 
 
 
 atp 
 
 
 
 
 
 ftp 
 
 
 
 
 
 ftp 
 
 
 
 
 H 
 
 IGh 
 
 W 
 
 AT 
 
 :r 
 
 29 
 
 "T. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 L 
 
 :ve 
 
 e ^ 
 
 HE l( 
 
 »H1 
 
 z 
 
 3 FT. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Diagram III. — Hydrosraph, Great Miami at Dayton, Ohio, March 23-29, 1913. 
 
 could realize the city w r as going to be overwhelmed, the flood wave had swept over the lower portions and 
 was rapidly approaching the business center. An hour after the water started over the levees it was impossible 
 to cross from the residence sections of the uorth and west iuto the business district, and in less than five 
 hours after the water overtopped the lowest points in the levees the entire business section was covered to a 
 depth of several feet. The business district and large portions of the residence sections are located in the 
 lowlands. This low, flat area, covering about 7.5 square miles, was all submerged during the flood. It is 
 approximately 4 miles in length and 2 miles in width. Adjacent to this level flat are hills with varying slopes 
 having an area of about 9 square miles and used chiefly for residence purposes. The Mad River, Stillwater 
 River, and Wolf Creek discharge into the Miami River within the city limits. The levees were constructed 
 to safeguard against a stage of 23 feet, which is 6 feet below the crest of the flood of March 25. 
 
 On Sunday morning, March 23, the reading of the river gage was only 3 feet. It was 7 feet on the 
 morning of the 24th. and the rise during the day was moderate and fairly steady. At 12 o'clock noon the gage 
 reading was 11.6 feet; at 4 p. m. it was 12.2 feet; at 8 p. m. it was 14.2 feet: at 10 p. m. it was 15.3 feet: and 
 at 12 midnight it was 16.4 feet. About 2 a. m. of tbe 25th the water had reached the flood stage, or IS feet, 
 and the rise during the following eight or nine hours was exceedingly rapid. The water started over the levee 
 in the north portion of the city about 5 a. m., and by 9.30 a. m. water several feet in depth with a dangerously 
 swift current was flowing through the heart of the city. The flood crest was nearly reached by 11 a. m. 
 The rise then became very slow, the stage being 28.3 feet about 3 p. m. and reaching a maximum of 29 feet 
 about midnight. The water receded slowly, the total fall to 4.30 a. in. of the 26th being 0.7 foot. At 3 p. m. 
 the water was 4 feet below the crest, and the fall was fairly steady afterwards, as is shown graphically by 
 the curve which is plotted from the several special measurements made during the flood. (See Diagram 
 III.) The water lowered to the flood stage by about 10 p. m. of the 27th. and it had fallen below the streets 
 in the business section on the morning of the 28th, so 1hat many people were permitted by the military 
 authorities to enter the city and start the work of rehabilitation. 
 
 RAINFALL. 
 
 Rainfall contributory to the flood started on Sunday, March 23. On that date there was 
 0.48 inch at Dayton, which fell from 7.42 a. m. to 10.56 a. m., a brisk shower occurring between 
 
52 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 8 and 9 a. m. Then there was no rain of any consequence until 7 a. m. of the 24th, when rain 
 began and continued until after midnight of the -25th. During this period of rain there were four 
 heavy showers at Dayton. From 7.10 a. m. to 7.38 a. m. of the 24th, 0.52 inch fell ; from 3.21 p. m. 
 to 3.47 p. m. of the 24th, 0.54 inch fell: nearly a half inch fell between 6 p. m. and 7 p. m. of the 
 same date, and 0.58 inch fell between 2 a. m. and 3 a. m. of the 25th. From the beginning of the 
 rain, at 7 a. m. of the 24th, to about 4.30 p. m. of the 25th, when the river had practically reached 
 its crest, the total amount of the rainfall, as shown by the automatic record at the local office, was 
 5.17 inches. The amount falling during about the same period at the cooperative station in 
 the edge of the city, where the rain gage has a more suitable exposure, was 6.19 inches; 4.40 
 inches of rain fell during the 24 hours ending about 7 a. m. of the 25th, and the rainfall during 
 the remainder of the day was comparatively light. The rainfall at the cooperative station, 
 measured by Mrs. Edith E. L. Boyer, an excellent observer, was about 15 per cent greater than 
 the amounts measured at the local office. If 15 per cent is added to the 24-hour fall of 4.40 
 inches, the amount is raised to about 5 inches. It is interesting to note that about one-half 
 of the 24-hour fall of 4.40 inches was recorded in the four showers, which altogether covered 
 about 2 hours. The rainfall at Piqua. about 33 miles north of Dayton, on the Miami River, was 
 very heavy. The amount measured there for the 17 hours beginning at 7 a. m. of the 24th and 
 ending at midnight was 5.43 inches. 
 
 An examination of the rainfall table (see page 54) will show that heavy amounts were 
 recorded on the 24th and 25th at all stations above Dayton, in the drainage area of the Miami 
 River and its tributaries. Judging from the available records of rainfall and the time the high 
 water reached Dayton, it is believed the average 24-hour rainfall for the entire basin above 
 Dayton would be about 5 inches had measurements been made at the several stations for the 
 24 hours ending about 7 a. m. of the 25th. The average in the basin for the entire period of 
 rainfall, beginning on the 21st and ending on the 27th, was about 8.80 inches. The rainfall was 
 not unusually heavy for short periods of time. On May 12, 1886, wlien some damage Avas 
 done by floods at Dayton, 4.50 inches of rain fell in about two hours. However, the rainfall 
 during the recent flood was the greatest on record falling over the entire basin in that period 
 of time. It was also the greatest amount that has fallen in the basin during a period of 24 
 hours. The rainfall approaching more nearly the amounts of March, 1913, than any other on 
 record was on October 5-6, 1910, when the average for the two days in the basin above Dayton 
 was about 5.50 inches. At that time the river only reached 16.1 feet, but the soil was not 
 saturated to begin with, as was the case in March. 1913. The most destructive flood known 
 before the recent one was on September 17. 1866, but the conditions then were so> different 
 from those prevailing now that no comparison can be made. The cultivation of the soil and the 
 drainage systems which are now in use provide for the rapid flow of the water into the channels. 
 The investigation in the Miami Basin, which has been conducted by noted engineers employed 
 by the Dayton citizens' relief committee, has disclosed the fact that the maximum discharge 
 of the river at Dayton on March 25 was approximately 250.000 cubic feet per second. As the 
 drainage basin of the river is about 2,500 square miles, this would give the unusually large 
 average maximum discharge in the basin of 100 cubic feet per second per square mile. The 
 maximum capacity of the channel at the time of the flood is figured at 100.000 second-feet. This 
 would leave 150,000 second-feet flowing through the city outside the river banks. 
 
 The flood converted the city into a river about 2 miles wide, with a current which was 
 generally too swift to operate rowboats. (See chart No. 10, overflowed area in Dayton, Ohio, 
 p. 51.) People were marooned in the second stories throughout the flooded districts, and in 
 many cases it was necessary to find refuge in the attic or upon the roof. There many of them 
 remained from two to three days without food and water. The fires which burned business 
 blocks and other buildings added to the suffering. Rowboats were in constant use where it was 
 possible to reach the people. The local office began sending out flood warnings at 12.30 p. m. 
 of the 24th, first into the most exposed places and later to other districts. The warnings were 
 continued until about midnight, and it is believed they resulted in the saving of many lives. 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 53 
 
 A number of families moved from low places on the evening of the 24th, and others were 
 keeping watch on the river. About 2.30 a. m. of the 25th, when the rise in the river was 
 increasing and the rainfall was alarmingly heavy, whistles were blown and bells were rung to 
 warn the people of the danger. About 3 a. m. messengers started through the lower residence 
 sections asking the people to leave their homes, and this was continued until the water flooded 
 the streets. The loss of life was exceedingly small when compared with the severity of the 
 flood. 
 
 Portable structures and the lighter frame houses were swept away, and many founda- 
 tions of substantial buildings were undermined. Several miles of asphalt pavement were 
 ripped from the streets and broken to pieces. It would be difficult to describe with any degree of 
 accuracy the enormous financial losses resulting from the flood. The most authentic da.ta as 
 to the losses sustained were secured by the Dayton citizens' relief committee after a careful 
 investigation of all interests and personal inspection of 2,164 residences in the flooded zone. 
 This report is as follows: 
 
 Loss to public property $2,008,100 
 
 Loss to public utilities, steam, street, and interurban, gas and electric lighting companies, tele- 
 phone and telegraph companies 5,884,573 
 
 Loss to public utilities, account of loss of business J 838, 631 
 
 Fire loss over insurance 975, 236 
 
 Damage to buildings 15, 200, 000 
 
 Damage to household furniture and furnishings 9, 440, 000 
 
 Loss to merchants on stock and fixtures 18,000,000 
 
 Loss on live stock, automobiles, and vehicles 1,000,000 
 
 Factory losses : 
 
 Wages 4, 045, 000 
 
 Stock and machinery 8. 747, 500 
 
 Business loss . 1, 900, 000 
 
 Loss on contracts, rents, etc 3,450,000 
 
 Pianos in homes 800, 000 
 
 Leaf tobacco in warehouses 900,000 
 
 Total 73, 249, 040 
 
 DAYTON FLOODS IN PAST YEARS. 
 
 The first severe flood that we have record of at Dayton was in March, 1805, which is said to 
 have been clue to the thawing of deep snows and the occurrence of heavy rains in the headwaters 
 of the Miami and Mad Rivers. During that flood the water covered the whole town, except a 
 portion of the business center. According to local history, the people seriousty considered the 
 proposition of moving the town from the lower flat to the higher ground in the east portion. 
 The next flood of importance was in 1814, when the water was said to have been deep enough at 
 the corner of First Street and the canal to swim a horse. The third notable flood occurred on 
 January 8, 1828, when a warehouse was washed away from the head of Wilkinson Street and 
 the entire southern part of town was submerged. Another flood visited Dayton in February, 
 1832. The high-water mark at that time equaled the high-water mark of the flood in 1828. 
 A flood occurred on January 2, 1847, which covered everything except an island in the center 
 of town. The water came up to Fifth Street, but it was not so high as the flood of 1805. The 
 loss was $5,000. The most severe flood of record, with the exception of the flood of March 25, 
 1913, occurred on September 17, 1866, when, it is stated, heavy rains for three clays caused a 
 rise in the river which overflowed practically the entire town. The water was 1 foot deep on 
 the floor of the Beckel House and 4 inches deep on the floor of the Phillips Hotel. The loss 
 was $250,000. As the town then had only about 15,000 inhabitants, this loss was comparatively 
 great. The next flood was on February 3, 4, and 5, 1883. The danger at that time was 
 increased by large ice gorges which formed in the stream. The water came up as high as 
 the flood of 1847, but it was about 2 feet below the high-water mark of 1866. Wolf Creek 
 
54 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 rose to an unprecedented height, and the western and southern parts of the city were under 
 water. On May 12, 1866, another flood occurred. At that time 4.50 inches of rain fell at 
 Dayton in about two hours. Wolf Creek was high, and most of the damage was done by the 
 overflow on the west side and the back water in the south portion. In March, 1897, and March, 
 1898, severe floods occurred, the latter being the most destructive. Much damage was done 
 in North Dayton and Eiverdale by these floods. During the flood of 1898 work Avas done on 
 the levee to save the business section, and it is stated that a rise of 6 inches more would have 
 flooded that district. 
 
 Rainfall over the Great Miami Hirer watershed above Dayton on Mar. 2J t and 25, 1913. -when the l/caricst 
 
 rainfall occurred. 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Bellefontaine 
 
 Dayton 
 
 Dayton (cooperative) 
 
 Greenville 
 
 New Bremen 
 
 Piqua 
 
 Plattsburg 
 
 Mar. 24. 
 
 Mar. 25. 
 
 Inches. 
 
 Inches. 
 
 1.52 
 
 5.61 
 
 2.95 
 
 2.27 
 
 2.91 
 
 3.28 
 
 1.77 
 
 4.45 
 
 1.80 
 
 3.22 
 
 5.59 
 
 U.71 
 
 1.75 
 
 2.01 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Sidney 
 
 Springfjeld . . . 
 
 Urbana 
 
 Wapakoneta. . 
 
 Average 
 
 Mar. 24. 
 
 Inches. 
 1.84 
 2.01 
 2.13 
 1.66 
 
 2.36 
 
 Mar. 25. 
 
 Inches. 
 3.96 
 3.57 
 3.12 
 3.29 
 
 3.32 
 
 i To midnight of the 24th. 
 Rainfall over the Great Miami watershed above Dayton for the period from Oct. .'/ to 7, 1910. 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Oct. 3. 
 
 Oct. 4. 
 
 Oct. 5. 
 
 Oct. 6. 
 
 Oct. 7. 
 
 
 Inches. 
 
 Inches. 
 0.06 
 .07 
 .70 
 .14 
 .89 
 
 Inches. 
 3.82 
 2.65 
 2.50 
 2.27 
 1.87 
 2.80 
 3.00 
 3.25 
 2.80 
 
 Inches. 
 2.78 
 2.98 
 1.94 
 2.86 
 2.24 
 1.84 
 3.72 
 2.46 
 3.50 
 
 Inches. 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.04 
 
 . 10 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.20 
 
 
 
 T. 
 
 .27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .10 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .24 
 
 2.77 
 
 2.70 
 
 .28 
 
 
 
 
 Note. — On Oct. 7, 1910, the river reached 16.1 feet. 
 
 Miamisburg is below Da} r ton. Only a small portion of the village was affected by the flood; 
 but 1 life was lost and 16 buildings wrecked. 
 
 Franklin is the next town down the river, and the part of the resK 1 *nce section that is on 
 the west bank of the river was flooded, and much damage was done, fourteen buildings were 
 washed away and 7 people drowned. 
 
 Middletown is in northeastern Butler County and has a population of about 15,000. About 
 25 per cent of the city was flooded, including the business section and the better residence 
 portion. Six people were drowned and 41 houses destroyed. 
 
 The city of Hamilton is in south-central Butler County and has a population of 39,000. 
 It is built on both sides of the Great Miami River, with the main business and residential 
 portions on the east bank. The land is very flat, and the main built-up portion of the city lies 
 in the level valley of the river. 
 
 The official river gage at Hamilton showed 4.8 feet of water in the river on the morning of 
 the 24th. By noon it had risen 4 feet, and at 5 p. m. the reading was 12 feet. At 6 a. m., 
 March 25. the reading was 18.8 feet, at 5 p. m. it was 25 feet, and at 3 a. m. of the 26th it had 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 55 
 
 reached its highest point of 34.6 feet. The observer, Mr. Earl W. Stout, reports that by noon 
 of the 25th the water was 2i feet over the Main Street Bridge and that the bridge was destroyed 
 at 12.25 p. m. Later in the day the railroad bridges went out, thus leaving no connection with 
 the two sections of the city. By the night of the 25th the water covered all streets on the east 
 side of the river and four streets running north and south on the west side. 
 
 The water was not high enough in most of the business section to damage goods on the 
 first floor, but in some of the residence districts it was from 10 to 18 feet in depth. 
 
 Forty-six per cent of the city was flooded. 335 houses were destroyed, and 98 lives were lost. 
 The following statement of loss has been furnished by the secretary of the citizens' relief 
 committee, dated May 16, 1913 : 
 
 Loss of life, probably 150 
 
 Bodies recovered to date 92 
 
 The city of Hamilton $404,300 
 
 Public schools 2, 500 
 
 County public works 667. 000 
 
 Coke Otto suburb 60,000 
 
 Public communication utilities 105, 500 
 
 Farm lauds 425,000 
 
 Railway, steam and electric 5S5, 000 
 
 Factory losses 2, 799, 218 
 
 Residence lands 134, 955 
 
 Residence buildings 1, 476, 480 
 
 Household goods 1. 565, 770 
 
 Mercantile stock 1, 453, 090 
 
 Live stock 13, 988 
 
 Public library 21, 000 
 
 Total loss . 9, 723, 801 
 
 The above estimate does not take account of depreciation in value of real estate of the city of Hamilton, 
 which depreciation will be a net loss unless the city can be proteced from the danger of future inundation. 
 The consensus of opinion among all real estate men is that this depreciation amounts to about 33J per cent. 
 The total taxable value of the real estate of the city of Hamilton was $31,838,420. The loss through deprecia- 
 tion, based on the theory that flood protection is not to be provided, amounts to $10,612,S06. The aggregate 
 losses, direct and indirect, will therefore be $20,336,607. It is our opinion that real estate values will quickly 
 recover when adequate protective works have been provided. (C. R. Green, secretary.) 
 
 THE LITTLE MIAMI. 
 
 The Little Miami watershed has a drainage area of about 1,709 square miles. The river rises 
 in southern Clarke County, flows southwesterly near the western edge of the watershed, and 
 empties into the Ohio Biver just above Cincinnati. Its principal tributaries all come from the 
 east. The grade is steep in the upper part of the river ; in the lower part the valley is narrow 
 and the adjacent bluffs comparatively high. 
 
 At Oregonia, in Warren County, the Weather Bureau river gage showed 7 feet on the 24th 
 and 18 feet on the 25th. It reached 21.1 feet at about 11 p. m. of the 25th. Water was in every 
 house in the small village, and considerable damage resulted. 
 
 Another river gage is located at Kings Mills, in southern Warren County. The river was 
 only 3.3 feet on the morning of the 24th. It had risen to 13.8 feet at 3 p. m., to 17.8 feet at 
 7 a. m., March 25, 22 feet at 2 p. m., and 33.7 feet by the morning of the 26th. This was 6.5 
 feet higher than during the flood of March, 1897. The observer reports that the river rose 
 steadily on the 25th till about 4.30 p. m., when it came to a stand and started falling. Soon 
 after 5 p. m. the river began rising with great rapidity, and from 6 to 10 p. m. the rise was 
 so rapid that little could be done to save property. The town of Kings Mills is located on the 
 high bluff far above the river, but the mills of a large cartridge and powder factory are down 
 in the narrow valley and sustained considerable damage. 
 
56 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Morrow is in the narrow valley at the month of a large eastern branch called Toclds Fork. 
 The population is less than 1,000 in number, but practically all of the residence and business 
 section of the town was flooded. The water was from 7 to 10 feet deep in the stores on Main 
 Street and much damage was done to the goods. As the current was at no time very strong the 
 buildings were not seriously damaged. 
 
 South Lebanon, with a population of 670, suffered a good deal of damage. The valley here 
 is about three-fourths mile wide, with high hills closing in and making the valley much nar- 
 rower below the village. Practically the entire settled portion of the town was under water, 
 the depth in some of the business streets being fully 25 feet. There is quite a fall through 
 the town and a number of houses were wrecked by the rapid current. All stock in stores and 
 much furniture was destroyed. 
 
 Loveland. farther down the valley, has a population of 1,476. The entire business district 
 was flooded to the depth of 5 to 10 feet, and about 25 per cent of the residential area was affected 
 by the water. 
 
 SCIOTO RIVER. 
 
 The watershed of the Scioto River covers 6,301 square miles. It rises in the eastern portion 
 of Auglaize County and empties into the Ohio River at Portsmouth. The river is 190 miles in 
 length, and has an average fall from source to mouth of 2.6 feet per mile. The principal tribu- 
 taries are the Little Scioto, Olentangy, Big Walnut, Big Darby Rivers, and Deer and Paint 
 Creeks. 
 
 The rainfall was so heavy that damage was done on all of the small streams Avhich go to 
 make up the Scioto River, Kenton, Larue, Marysville, and Marion all suffered much damage 
 because of the flooding of the residences. 
 
 The first point on the Scioto River at which a river gage station is located is Prospect, in 
 southern Marion County. This place has a population of about 900 and 75 per cent of the town 
 was flooded. The water was 5 feet deep in the main street. No lives were lost there and no 
 houses were destroyed. The water was 8.5 feet there at 3.30 p. m. March 24, the river having 
 risen 3 feet at that time. It rose to 20 feet on the 26th, reaching 4.5 feet higher than during 
 the flood in 1904. 
 
 The first station on the Olentangy River is at Delaware, Delaware County. The river there 
 was at 5.5 feet on the morning of the 23d and the same on the 24th. It began to rise during 
 the forenoon of the 24th, and by 1.30 p. m. was 8.5 feet. It continued to rise with remarkable 
 rapidity during the afternoon. At 10 p. m. the gage showed 13.8 feet; 11 p. m., 14.5 feet; 
 midnight. 14.9 feet; 1 a. m., 16.8 feet; and at 2 a. m. the 25th it was 18.2 feet. It was not 
 possible to reach the gage after 2 a. m., and by morning the bridge on which the gage was set 
 was washed away. Later levelings, however, show that the water reached 27.5 feet at noon on 
 the 25th, or 1 1.2 feet higher than the highest before recorded, on April 1, 1904. 
 
 The river bed at Delaware has been steadily narrowed by bridges, railroad fills, and fills 
 for manufacturing sites, so that it is 180 feet narrower than it was in 1870. In the southern 
 part of the city a high railroad embankment crosses the valley, and the special river observer 
 reports that the water was from 6 to 10 feet higher above the bridge than below it. 
 
 Only about 12 per cent of the city was flooded, but the water came in the night and rose 
 so rapidly that there were 18 deaths from the flood. Twenty-three homes were destroyed, 34 
 were partially wrecked, and business firms suffered a severe loss. All of the bridges across the 
 river were carried away. 
 
 Four and one-half miles above the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers at the 
 northern edge of the city of Columbus a large concrete dam has been constructed for water- 
 storage purposes. This reservoir has a capacity of 230,000,000 cubic feet, and the watershed 
 area above the dam is 1,032 square miles. This so-called "storage dam" is slightly over 1,000 
 feet in length and consists of two abutment sections, one at each end, and an overflow section 
 between. The overflow section is 500 feet in length, and was designed to discharge a maximum 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 57 
 
 rainfall of 6 inches on the drainage area, flowing off in 24 hours, or about L66,500 cubic feet per 
 second. 
 
 The gage at the storage dam showed 1.8 feet of water running over the overflow section 
 at 7 a. m. March 24. It rose 1 foot during the next 4 hours. The water rose 1 foot from 2 to 
 4 p. m. on the 24th and 1 foot from 9 to 10 a. m. on the 25th. It reached its highest point of 
 12.8 feet at 2.30 p. m. on the 25th. 
 
 Columbus is in Franklin County, at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy Kivers. 
 The main portion of the city is on the east bank, from 50 to 100 feet above the river. The 
 Scioto River flows in from the north and strikes the city limits at the northwest corner of 
 the western extension of the city. It flows easterly for about 2 miles, then southerly in a 
 winding course through the city. The Olentangy River comes from the north along 
 the western border of the northern extension of the city and unites with the Scioto just before 
 it makes the southerly bend. The total area of that part of the city west of the Scioto River is 
 4.37 square miles, and 2.7 square miles of this is in the low level flood plan within the bend. 
 The elevation is from 2 to 18 feet above the low-water stage. 
 
 This plain is protected by levees on the southern and western bank of the Scioto River, 
 extending a distance of about 7 miles. It is about 2.5 miles from east to west and 1 mile from 
 north to south. The northern portion of this district is given over to railroad yards and there 
 are some factories and business houses, but most of the area was covered with residences. At 
 the beginning of the flood week the population in this section was about 22,500. The river was 
 crossed by 15 bridges within the city limits. 
 
 The Weather Bureau river gage is located on the abutment of the most southern bridge 
 after the river has made its long curve through the city. On March 23, 1898, the river was 
 up to 21.3 feet on this gage; the west side levees were overtopped in places and considerable 
 damage resulted. After this flood the leA T ees were strengthened and raised 6 feet through- 
 out the whole distance of 7 miles. The estimated discharge of the two rivers during this 
 flood was 75,000 second-feet, or 47.9 second-feet per square mile of watershed area. It was 
 assumed that the addition of 6 feet to the levees would furnish ample protection against 
 future floods. About one-half of the levee, or that part along the southern bank of the Scioto 
 where it makes the easterly curve, has been occupied by railroad tracks in daily use. Within 
 the last few years the railroad tracks crossing this low plain have been raised to eliminate 
 the grade crossings. The Pennsylvania line parallels the river running from west to east and is 
 a short distance south of the levees, the Baltimore & Ohio track runs across the western portion 
 of the district from southwest to northeast, and two other roads cross it from north to south 
 near the eastern limit. These road embankments are pierced by numerous subways at the street 
 intersections, and it was the rush of water through these subways that caused the greatest 
 destruction of buildings and the greatest loss of life. 
 
 The flood stage in Columbus is 17 feet on the gage, when the water begins to flood buildings 
 and low streets on the east side of the river Avhere not protected by levees. The river was 6.2 
 feet at Columbus on the morning of March 24. It rose steadily through the day and was 13.8 
 feet by 4 p. m. It passed the flood stage soon after 9 p. m., and by daylight of the 25th 
 had passed the 1898 record. It continued to rise slowly at the gage until it reached 22.9 feet 
 at 11 a. m., stood nearly stationary for an hour, and then fell slowly. It stayed above the flood 
 stage until about noon of the 28th. 
 
 These figures show that the water at the Weather Bureau gage w T as only 1.6 feet higher 
 than in 1898, although a 6-foot higher levee had been overtopped and washed out. The fact 
 is that the water was held back by the bridges that cross it within the city limits and the river 
 was from 6 to 7 feet higher above the confluence of the two streams than in 1898. There were 
 eight bridges between the mouth of the Olentangy River and the Mound Street Bridge, where 
 the gage is located. The narrowest was the Broad Street Bridge, just after the turn is made 
 southward, which had an opening only 290 feet wide at right angles to the thread of the 
 current. 
 
58 . THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Mi*. Julian Griggs, former city engineer of Columbus, states that when the storage dam 
 showed a head of 10 feet passing over it at 8 a. m. on the 25th it was carrying the river channel 
 capacity of 63,246 second-feet, computing by the Francis formula with 4 as a constant for a 
 round-topped weir. At its crest the storage dam was passing 46 per cent more than the channel 
 capacity and there was more than the channel capacity going over the dam until 10 a. m., 
 March 26. 
 
 The effect of the flood was felt first along the east side of the Scioto and along the Olentangy 
 from the northern limit of the city southward to the Scioto. 
 
 The water reached the top of the levee and began to flow over into the west side district 
 at 9.25 a. m., March 25. In a short time the embankment had been overtopped at a number 
 of places and the water poured over the southern bank of the Scioto above the Olentangy into 
 a basin about 1 mile long and one-fourth mile wide between the river levees and the railroad 
 embankment. The water then passed through the three main subways under this elevated 
 track with a tremenduous scouring effect. There were six gaps in the levees aggregating in 
 length 3,300 feet. 
 
 At the crossing of the Little Miami Eailroad which parallels the river and the Baltimore 
 & Ohio Eailroad which crosses the western part of the district, 100 feet of the embankment 
 was washed out, and at one of the subways one of the abutments was washed out and the 
 embankment behind it for a distance of 150 feet. Buildings that were in line with the currents 
 through these breaks were completely destroyed. 
 
 After passing the western part of the Little Miami Bailroad the water piled up west of 
 the Baltimore & Ohio tracks, rising in a few minutes to a depth of 17 feet. This carried the 
 water over the second-story floors in a populous and desirable residence district, either driving 
 the inhabitants to the attics or to the roofs. 
 
 The water rushed through subways of the Baltimore & Ohio and meeting other currents 
 flowing southward on the east side of the track they formed whirlpools and gave a scouring 
 effect that no buildings could withstand. It was in this vicinity that the greatest damage was 
 done to residences and the greatest loss of life occurred. Two streets, Glenwood and Central 
 Avenues, were closely built up with substantial frame houses, but after the flood practically 
 every house for a distance of four squares was gone. Only fragments of foundations were 
 left where before there was a happy and prosperous neighborhood. One house from Central 
 Avenue was found 4 miles below the city. This damage was done during the evening and 
 night of the 25th, fully 12 hours after the levees were overtopped. These people had been 
 warned in ample season to have escaped to higher ground, but no one realized that this district, 
 protected as it was by a high railroad embankment, would get more than a moderate amount of 
 back water. 
 
 Measurements by the city engineer show that the water was 3.04 feet above the curb at 
 Broad and Sandusky Streets ; 9.96 feet at Broad and Glenwood ; 8.73 feet at Rich and Cypress ; 
 9.66 at Mound and Glenwood; and about 17 feet at West Park and Sullivant Avenue. 
 
 The work of rescue went on as rapidly as the depth of water and swiftness of the currents 
 would allow, but it was not until the 28th that the water had gone down sufficiently to allow 
 teams to go through the streets. There was much suffering as a result, as many people were 
 shut in without relief from Tuesday until Friday. There were many thrilling acts of rescue 
 and many heartbreaking stories of inability to save loved ones perhaps even after escape from 
 wrecked houses. Thirteen people Avere rescued from one tree alone. 
 
 There were 93 lives lost in the flood in Columbus and the deaths indirectly clue to the flood 
 bring the number up to at least 100. According to the record of the city building inspector 
 293 dwellings and business houses were totally destroyed, their valuation being $433,700. There 
 were 4,071 damaged; the loss on these being $814,200. In 3,100 houses visited after the flood 
 it has been estimated that the loss on pianos alone in Columbus amounts to $630,000; loss to 
 furniture including musical instruments. $1,320,000; and loss to buildings and other real estate 
 $2,250,000. It has not been possible to ascertain the mercantile loss, but a conservative estimate 
 makes the total damage to West Columbus by the flood between $12,000,000 and $15,000,000. 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 59 
 
 The city street cleaning department removed 70,000 loads of debris at a cosl of $100,000. 
 The repairs to sewers cost $25,000, and the repairs to streets $'.'1,000. The loss of city bridges 
 amounts to $350,000. The loss to the county in bridges and highways was $1,200,000. 
 
 Below Columbus no very great damage was clone by the high water until Chillicothe was 
 reached. At Circleville, 27 miles below Columbus, the water reached 21.2 feet at 3 a. m.. 
 March 26, which was 4.9 feet above any previous record. The city itself is at a good elevation 
 above the river and little damage was done. 
 
 Chillicothe. Ross County, is located at the confluence of Paint Creek with the Scioto 
 River. The main portion of the city is built on moderately low and level land and slope- away 
 from the Scioto River toward Paint. Creek. Chillicothe is 25 miles below Circleville. The 
 water was at 11.9 feet at 7 a. m. of March 25. At •_' p. m. it had risen only to 13.4 feet and 
 was rising so slowly that the observer did not look at the gage when he left his work in the 
 evening. At 2 a. m. of the 26th it had risen to 18 feet and by 6 a. m. had reached 35 feet. Its 
 highest point was 37.8 feet at 11 a. m. 
 
 The water broke through the railroad levee at about 5.15 a. m. and about the same time 
 was backing up through the sewers and doing 1 some flooding. The railroad levee gave way 
 when the water was at its highest point and fully 75 per cent of the city was flooded. The 
 water in the east of the city was only about 1 foot higher than in 1881 but it was fully 7 feet 
 higher in the west end, caused by the railroad line backing it up. At the river gage the water 
 was 9.5 feet higher than the 1898 flood. 
 
 The greatest damage at Chillicothe was clone in Hickory Street south of Main Street, 
 where the water plowed out a channel from 6 to 10 feet deep the full width of the street, and 
 in some places the houses and property abutting thereon. There were 18 deaths in Chillicothe 
 due to the flood. 
 
 Small villages along the Scioto below Chillicothe were flooded and many houses washed 
 away. The Norfolk & Western triple tracks at Waverly, Ohio, were twisted and wound into a 
 corkscrew by the flood. 
 
 The city of Portsmouth, at the mouth of the Scioto River, had 75 per cent of its area, 
 under water. It is stated that when the Scioto flood was at its height it carried a current of 
 Avater clear across the Ohio River that was 5 or 6 feet higher than the level of the Ohio above 
 the current. The water was 8 to 10 feet in depth in some of the business streets in Portsmouth, 
 and 4,500 residences were flooded. 
 
 MUSKINGUM RTVER. 
 
 The drainage area of the Muskingum River is approximately 7,693 square miles, or nearly 
 one-fifth of the area of the State. The distance from the mouth at Marietta to the headwaters 
 of the Tuscarawas River is 211 miles. 
 
 The northern part of the watershed is in the glaciated portion of the State and is composed 
 of smooth, rolling plains cut into by broad stream valleys. From Muskingum County south, 
 however, the land was not subjected to glacial action and the streams have cut deep, narrow 
 channels. The river is navigable from Zanesville to the mouth, a distance of 70 miles. The 
 drainage area above Zanesville is close to 6,500 square miles. The river at Zanesville is 450 feet 
 wide at average low water. 
 
 The main branches of the Muskingum River are the Licking River, which unites with it at 
 Zanesville from the west : the Wills Creek, which flows in from the east between Zanesville 
 and Coshocton, and the Walhoncling and Tuscarawas, which unite to form the Muskingum at 
 Coshocton. The Licking River rises in the Licking Reservoir, which covers 3,500 acres and 
 drains 90 square miles. The Tuscarawas River at Coshocton is 300 feet wide and the Wal- 
 honding 100 feet. The two rivers drain 4.600 square miles. 
 
 The rainfall was very heavy in Richland, Ashland, and Wayne Counties, all of the small 
 streams at the headwaters of the larger rivers were higher than ever before known, and a 
 great deal of damage was done. At Clinton, in Summit County, for example, near the head- 
 waters of the Tuscarawas River, the business section was inundated by about 6 feet of water, 
 and great damage was done. 
 
60 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 At Massillon, in Stark County, a city of over 14,000. fully 30 per cent of the city was flooded. 
 Thirty per cent of Mount Vernon. Knox County, was flooded; 90 per cent of Warsaw and of 
 Xellie, both small places in Coshocton County; 50 per cent of Dresden, in Muskingum County; 
 and 33 per cent of Belleville, in Richland County. 
 
 At New Comerstown, in Tuscarawas County, which has about r>00 houses, 200 were in the 
 flooded district, the water being from -1 to 5 feet in depth. 
 
 The headwaters of the Walhonding River began to rise on the 24th and reached their 
 highest point on the 25th, while the Tuscarawas River did not begin to show much change 
 until the 25th. Thus at Mount Vernon, Knox County, the highest stage Avas reached at noon 
 of the 25th, and at Warsaw, just above Coshocton, the highest was at 5.30 p. m. of the 25th. 
 
 In the Tuscarawas the flood crest did not reach Massillon, Stark County, until 8 a, m. of 
 the 26th and New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas County, not till 11 a. m. of the 27th. At Canal 
 Dover, the highest water, 16.1 feet, was at noon of the 28th, although it stood at 15 feet from 
 4 p. m. of the 26th to 9 p. m. of the 27th. 
 
 Coshocton, Coshocton County, is situated on the east bank of the Tuscarawas River, at its 
 junction with the Walhonding River. The city is built on the flood plain, which is compara- 
 tively low and level. It has a population of about 10,000. The river gage was on one of the 
 piers of the railroad bridge that crosses both rivers about 1,500 feet above their confluence. 
 The pier stood in the Tuscarawas River. The two streams at that point are about 100 feet apart 
 and the intervening space is overflowed with an 8-foot stage of water. 
 
 By the morning of the 25th the Walhonding River had overflowed the lowlands between 
 the two rivers and caused a stage of 11 feet on the gage. At 2 p. m. the gage showed 14.5 feet 
 and by 5 p. m. of the 25th the water had reached 20 feet, most of the water coming from the 
 Walhonding River. 
 
 No more readings were possible, and before the flood subsided the bridge and river gage 
 were Avashed away, 250 residences were flooded, 16 houses were Avashed aAvay, and 4 people 
 Avere drowned. The water rose to the second floor in 40 or 50 of the houses. Subsequent 
 measurements determined that the highest Avater was 27.5 feet at 3 or 4 a. m. of the 26th. This 
 was 5.5 feet higher than any previous record. 
 
 Approximately one-half of the village of Dresden, situated about 15 miles below Coshocton 
 and containing some 1,600 inhabitants, was under water. The river here was 11.6 feet higher 
 than in 1898. Several houses were Avashed away. 
 
 Zanesville is situated on the Muskingum RiA^er at the confluence of the Licking River. 
 It has a population of about 29,000. Part of the city, including most of the business district, 
 lies on the east bank of the Muskingum River, and another part west of the Muskingum, 
 between that river and the Licking RiA^er. 
 
 The Licking River began rising on the 24th, and caused a rise in the lower pool of the 
 Muskingum River from 9.9 feet in the morning to 11 feet by 6 p. m. At 7 a.m. of the 25th the 
 gage in the lower pool was at 21.2 feet, and at 6 p. m. it Avas 28 feet, most of the water up to 
 this time coming from the Licking River. The Avater began to pour clown thje Muskingum 
 River by this time, and) at 2 a. m. of the 26th the Avater at the lower gage was 35 feet, and 
 rising at the rate of 10 inches an hour. 
 
 The water reached 39 feet at 6 a. m., 42 feet at 10 a. m., 45 feet at 2 p. m., and 48 feet at 
 6 p. m. At 6 a. m. of the 27th it Avas at 49.3 feet, and from 10 p. m, of the 27th until 3 a. m. 
 of the 28th it stood at 51.8 feet, 15 feet higher than was registered in 1898 and 17.7 feet higher 
 than was reached in 1884. By 7 a. m. of the 28th the Avater had fallen to 50.3 feet and then 
 lowered steadily. 
 
 The river gage in the upper pool shoAved 39.1 feet at 6 p. m. of the 27th. Unofficial marks 
 show that the water in the upper pool Avas 17 feet higher than in 1898. 
 
 At least 40 per cent of the built-up portion of Zanesville Avas flooded. The Avater was 20 
 feet deep at the corner of North and Third Streets. 17 feet at North and Fourth Streets, 15 
 feet at Market and Second Streets, and 17 feet at West Main and Luck Streets. 
 
 to 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 61 
 
 The business portion of the city was entirely in the flooded district. Five of the seven 
 bridges in the city were carried out. The famous " Y" bridge, a concrete structure, was over- 
 topped, but withstood the terrific strain, although part of the superstructure was carried away. 
 
 As the Muskingum Hirer makes a bend to the westward around the business portion of the 
 city there was a tendency of the flood waters to cut a new channel across the land through the 
 heart of the business portion. The current there was exceedingly swift and destructive. 
 
 An interesting phase of the flood was the damming of the Licking River and the actual 
 flooding upstream of this river from the Muskingum when the flood in the latter was at its 
 height. The Licking River, which at its own flood crest was 18 inches higher than in 1898, 
 Avas buried beneath the water of the Muskingum on the 27th, and the water from the Musk- 
 ingum backed up the valley of the Licking for a distance of 9 miles and spread out at two points 
 to a width of 21 miles. This spreading out of the Muskingum in this valley, as well as in several 
 other smaller ones, was, indeed, fortunate for Zanesville. 
 
 There were 3,111 buildings in Zanesville under water. 157 of which were entirely swept 
 away, moved from their foundations or badly wrecked. The losses on buildings and contents 
 at Zanesville has been estimated at $2,795,792. The loss to bridges, railroads, and telegraph and 
 telephone companies was nearly as much more. 
 
 Zanesville was much more fortunate than many other cities in Ohio, however, because 
 there were only 2 lives lost in the flood in this city out of nearly 15,000 which were in the 
 flooded district. In one case a woman refused to leave her house when boatmen called to 
 rescue her, and the other, a man, had ample time in which to save himself but delav'ed too long. 
 There were many daring rescues, however. 
 
 A careful record was kept on Market Street by an interested resident, and he states that 
 the river rose there at the rate of 6 inches an hour between 1 and 7 p. m. on the 26th, 1 inches 
 an hour between 7 and 9 p. m., 2-| inches an hour from 9 p. m. till midnight, 1 inch an hour 
 from midnight until 1.30 a. m. the 27th, and less than three-fourths inch an hour from that 
 time until 9 a. m., when the crest was reached. 
 
 It was noticed in a number of cases that small frame houses that had a slate roof were 
 overturned in the water and floated bottom up. 
 
 The relief work of the Boy Scouts in Zanesville deserves special mention. Mr. Thomas 
 TV. Lewis in his report of the flood states that every boy of the troop was on duty 21 days 
 during the flood. 
 
 Immense damage was done in the narrow Muskingum River Valley below Zanesville. 
 Farm buildings were destroyed and many acres of rich farming land actually washed away 
 or covered with gravel. Out of a total of 31 houses between Zanesville and McConnelsville 
 only 13 were left standing. 
 
 At Philo the river stage was 41.9 feet in the upper pool and 50.6 feet in the lower pool, 
 16 feet higher than ever before recorded. Bridges and four dwellings were swept away. 
 
 About 25 miles below Zanesville the towns of McConnelsville and Malta are located. 
 McConnelsville has a population of nearly 2,000 and is situated on the east bank, and Malta, 
 with about 1,000 population, is directly opposite. The river here reached a stage of 10.8 feet, 
 or 14.1 feet higher than any previous record. The water reached a depth of 30 feet in the 
 parts of McConnelsville nearest the river, and 28 buildings were washed away, but the greater 
 part of this town is well up on the hillside out of flood danger. 
 
 Malta, however, is located down near the river, and 60 per cent of its was flooded and the 
 property damage was very great. The following notes are furnished by Mr. C. H. Morris, the 
 cooperative observer at McConnelsville : 
 
 " No ; there isn't anybody worrying down the river about high water so far as I know." Thus spoke the 
 agent on the Baltimore & Ohio northbound train from Marietta on Tuesday night, March 25, which train 
 came in one and a half hours late, and which, incidentally, was the last train we saw for nearly three weeks. 
 It began raining on Sunday and the rainfall was pretty continuous until Thursday morning, when it 
 totaled 4.43 inches. On Tuesday afternoon at 5 o'clock a message came from Zanesville stating that they 
 expected there 10 feet more water than had ever before been recorded. We, figuring from our past experience 
 
62 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 that the broad bottoms of the Muskingum Valley which had taken care of so much of the flood water hereto- 
 fore and would do it again, counted on probably 5 feet more water here than in 1898. Well, we got it, and to 
 spare. All day Tuesday the river rose steadily, but not alarmingly, until at dark it began rising in earnest. 
 reaching the gage mark of 19 feet at 11 p. m. Then the people along the river front who had decided to await 
 that morning for developments got busy, and drays, wagons, and all available persons were requisitioned 
 for aid. 
 
 On Wednesday morning by 7 o'clock the gage showed 25 feet, being within a foot and a half of the 1898 
 rise, and the angry waters were piling up as never before, for at 10 a. m. they passed the former record of 
 2G.4 feet and continued to swell at a greater rate than ever. From now until the middle of the afternoon 
 the rale of rise was 13 inches to the hour, and at 9 p. m. the stage of water showed 36.4 feet, which was 
 exactly 10 feet in 11 hours. At half past 12 noon the big middle span of the bridge, struck by a heavily 
 timbered building, turned gracefully over and sank quietly in the yellow torrent. An hour later the Malta 
 span similarly met its fate. 
 
 During the afternoon an unending procession of mills, bridges, railroad cars, barns, dwellings, everything 
 that is indispensable to civilization, went pell-mell down the still rising waters, and darkness came again — 
 but no sleep. Hundreds of people began making their second move. As the flood swiftly encroached upon 
 streets heretofore far removed from the hungry river, and with all gage marks gone, Thursday morning, the 
 27th, dawned cold and cheerless with snow in the air. 
 
 The river now had reached a height of 39 feet, and was rising a bare 2 inches per hour, and at 9 p. m. 
 touched its highest point, 40.8 feet, where it stood until early Friday morning. All day on Thursday the 
 turgid Muskingum was the mecca of the inhabitants of the Twin Cities, now as far removed from each other 
 as though in separate States, seeing each other from the hillsides, yet having no communication, and hearing 
 nothing from the outside world either. 
 
 Malta was much more sorely hurt than McConnelsville. Not a single business there but was put out of 
 commission. The mantel and canning factories each were carried aw r ay, the latter dropping a line of canned 
 goods for a good mile. Parts of the main buildings of both the Hoffman tannery and the B. M. plow company 
 drifted off. The Eogers Building — one of the landmarks of the valley — having borne the onslaughts of the 
 ice and water for almost three-quarters of a century, and having four prosperous places of business within 
 its walls, floated off with all its contents. The Elk Eye flouring mill — the largest building in the valley and 
 one of oldest — lost its north wing on Thursday forenoon and went sailing away, crushing giant trees and 
 leveling a brick house in its wake ere it got out into the river: $10,000 would not cover this one loss. 
 
 Altogether the loss of the two towns and vicinity will reach almost $500,000 in denuded farms, buildings 
 destroyed and wrecked, and the unparalleled loss in personal effects. 
 
 The river hills at the upper end of McConnelsville closely approach the river at a point almost midway of 
 Malta opposite, where the hill likewise juts well over the bottom land, so that when 30 feet of water is 
 reached in the valley the current between the two towns is of tremendous swiftness. It is a curious fact 
 that the Muskingum River floods in the past have averaged, with one exception. 14-year intervals, each 
 exceeding the other by about 2 feet. 
 
 Beverly and Lowell, both small villages in northern Washington County, were badly 
 flooded and much damage was done by the high water. No lives were lost. The water reached 
 46.5 feet at Beverly at 2 a. m., March 28, being 15.5 feet higher than ever before recorded. 
 
 Marietta is on the Ohio Biver at the mouth of the Muskingum Biver. The latter stream 
 divides the city into two sections and enters the Ohio Biver at right angles. During this flood 
 the Muskingum Biver rose rapidly for almost 48 hours before the Ohio Biver reached flood 
 stage. The water in the Muskingum Biver was 6 feet higher than during the previous high- 
 water mark of 1884, and most of the damage in Marietta was from the Muskingum. 
 
 The territory flooded in Marietta includes an area of 3.5 square miles, which was 66 per 
 cent of the total area of the city. The flood covered the entire business portion of the city 
 and extended to the Marietta College buildings. Sixty-seven per cent of the total number of 
 houses in the city were flooded, with 33 per cent flooded to or above the second floor. Of this 
 number 120 were destroyed and about 200 others were so badly damaged that thej^ were unin- 
 habitable. Two bridges were carried out near the mouth of the Muskingum Biver in Marietta 
 at a loss of $150,000. 
 
 • Some of the small towns on the Ohio Biver were completely submerged by the water, not 
 a house showing above the water line. 
 
 Tables of hourly precipitation, daily and special river-gage readings, flood loss by counties, 
 etc.. follow : 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 
 
 Table 1. — Hourly rainfall by au tomatic (/ages at the ret/alar Weather Bureau stations in the affected district during the 
 
 Mar. 2S-S6, 1918. 
 
 63 
 
 •period 
 
 Date. 
 
 Rainfall by automatic gages for the hour ending 
 
 l a. in. 
 
 2 a. m. 
 
 3 a. m. 
 
 4 a. in. 
 
 5 a. ni. 
 
 6 a. m. 
 
 7 a. m. 
 
 s a. in. 
 
 9 a. in. 
 
 10a. in. 
 
 ii a. in. 
 
 Noon. 
 
 Mar. 23, 1913. 
 Fort Wayne. Ind 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.05 
 .32 
 
 0.26 
 .05 
 
 0. 30 
 
 T. 
 .08 
 .09 
 
 T. 
 .01 
 .28 
 
 0. 33 
 .06 
 .26 
 .16 
 
 0. 19 
 
 Indianapolis. Ind 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.33 
 
 .02 
 
 Toledo, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .25 
 
 Davton, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T. 
 T. 
 
 .23 
 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .23 
 .16 
 
 T. 
 
 .38 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T. 
 
 .09 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 . 14 
 
 Mar. 24, 1913. 
 Fort Wayne, Ind 
 
 
 
 0.10 
 
 T. 
 .10 
 .02 
 .01 
 .17 
 
 0.30 
 .02 
 .10 
 .01 
 .09 
 
 T. 
 
 0.20 
 .06 
 .03 
 .01 
 .15 
 .04 
 .02 
 
 O.OS 
 .25 
 .09 
 
 T. 
 .16 
 .08 
 .04 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Tndianfipnlis, Tnd 
 
 T. 
 
 0.01 
 
 T. 
 
 0.12 
 
 T. 
 
 .12 
 .10 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 .08 
 .03 
 .03 
 
 .11 
 .12 
 .63 
 
 T. 
 .02 
 
 T. 
 .08 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 
 .08 
 
 .02 
 
 .04 
 
 .01 
 
 Toledo, Ohio 
 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 
 
 .18 
 .35 
 .09 
 .49 
 .05 
 
 .IS 
 .30 
 .07 
 . 12 
 .14 
 
 .09 
 .16 
 T. 
 .15 
 .06 
 
 .08 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 
 .07 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 
 
 T. 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 
 
 .26 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio 
 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 
 
 T. 
 
 Parkersburg, W. Va 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Erie, Pa 
 
 
 
 
 
 .02 
 
 .02 
 
 T. 
 
 .01 
 T. 
 
 .10 
 .02 
 
 .07 
 
 .09 
 
 Pittsburgh , Pa 
 
 
 
 
 
 T. 
 
 Mar. 25, 1913. 
 Fort Wayne, Ind 
 
 .10 
 
 .22 
 
 .33 
 
 ' .02 
 
 .18 
 .18 
 .23 
 .04 
 
 .02 
 .05 
 .42 
 .58 
 .10 
 .32 
 
 .02 
 .19 
 .02 
 .21 
 .01 
 .25 
 .06 
 .27 
 
 .14 
 .36 
 .01 
 .15 
 .09 
 .12 
 .40 
 .24 
 
 .14 
 .06 
 .18 
 .16 
 .01 
 .12 
 .05 
 .12 
 
 .02 
 .02 
 .23 
 .30 
 .41 
 .20 
 .07 
 .11 
 
 T. 
 .17 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 
 
 Indianapolis, Ind 
 
 
 .04 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 
 Toledo, Ohio 
 
 .04 
 .24 
 .46 
 .14 
 .18 
 .27 
 T. 
 ' .11 
 
 T. 
 .06 
 .15 
 .07 
 .13 
 .14 
 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 
 
 .04 
 .13 
 T. 
 .16 
 .06 
 
 .20 
 .30 
 
 .06 
 T. 
 
 . 12 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 .04 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 .36 
 .01 
 .18 
 
 .24 
 
 T. 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 .15 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio 
 
 .28 
 
 .26 
 
 T. 
 
 Parkersburg, W. Va 
 
 .18 
 
 Erie, Pa 
 
 .13 
 
 .10 
 
 .27 
 
 .25 
 
 .22 
 
 .18 
 
 .10 
 
 .18 
 
 .18 
 T. 
 
 .08 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 .OS 
 
 Mar. 26, 1913. 
 Toledo, Ohio 
 
 .01 
 .11 
 
 T. 
 .17 
 .05 
 
 T. 
 .12 
 .25 
 
 .01 
 .05 
 
 T. 
 .16 
 
 T. 
 .04 
 .05 
 .07 
 
 T. 
 .02 
 .02 
 .04 
 
 T. 
 .22 
 .08 
 .33 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 .02 
 
 T. 
 .03 
 
 T. 
 .24 
 .02 
 .18 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T. 
 
 .03 
 
 .11 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 .05 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Parkersburg, W '. Va 
 
 .18 
 T. 
 .14 
 
 .09 
 .01 
 .18 
 
 .02 
 .02 
 .02 
 
 .01 
 .02 
 
 T. 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 
 .01 
 T. 
 
 .04 
 
 Erie, Pa 
 
 .01 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Rainfall by automatic gages for the hour ending — 
 
 Date. 
 
 lp. m. 
 
 2 p. m. 
 
 3 p. m. 
 
 4 p. m. 
 
 5 p. m. 
 
 6 p. m. 
 
 7 p. m. 
 
 8 p. m. 
 
 9 p. m. 
 
 10p.m. 
 
 11p.m. 
 
 Mid- 
 night. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Mar. 23, 1913. 
 Fort Wayne, Ind. 
 
 0.25 
 .01 
 .16 
 
 0.28 
 .02 
 .20 
 
 0.20 
 .33 
 .28 
 
 0.10 
 .11 
 .18 
 
 0.11 
 
 0.01 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.08 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T. 
 
 0.02 
 
 1.27 
 
 Toledo, Ohio 
 
 .20 
 
 .09 
 
 0.20 
 
 T. 
 
 
 
 1.90 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 .48 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 T. 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 .30 
 T. 
 
 .28 
 T. 
 T. 
 
 .30 
 
 .29 
 
 .19 
 
 .23 
 
 .12 
 
 .14 
 
 0.01 
 
 
 
 
 
 2.20 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 
 
 
 
 .53 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio 
 
 .31 
 .08 
 .09 
 T. 
 
 .37 
 
 .19 
 
 .21 
 
 .15 
 
 .09 
 
 .20 
 
 T. 
 
 
 
 
 1.94 
 
 Parkersburg, W. Va 
 
 
 
 
 .08 
 
 Erie, Pa 
 
 .17 
 
 .08 
 
 .25 
 .10 
 
 .15 
 .02 
 
 .08 
 
 .04 
 
 .17 
 
 0.11 
 
 0.13 
 
 0.09 
 
 
 1.28 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 .20 
 
64 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Table 1. — Hourly rainfall by automatic gages at the regular Weather Bureau stations in the affected district during the 
 
 period Mar. 23-26, 1912— Continued. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Mar. , 
 
 1913. 
 
 Fort Wayne, Ind 
 
 Indianapolis, Ind 
 
 Toledo, Ohio 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio 
 
 Parkersburg, W. Va 
 
 Erie, Pa 
 
 Pittsburgh , Pa 
 
 Mar. 25, 1913 
 
 Fort Wayne, Ind 
 
 Indianapolis, Ind 
 
 Toledo, Ohio 
 
 Dayton, Ohio 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio 
 
 Parkersburg, W. Va 
 
 Erie, Pa 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 Mar. 26, 1913. 
 
 Toledo, Ohio 
 
 Cincinnati, Ohio 
 
 Sandusky, Ohio 
 
 Columbus, Ohio 
 
 Cleveland, Ohio 
 
 Parkersburg, W. Va 
 
 Erie, Pa 
 
 Pittsburgh, Pa 
 
 Rainfall by automatic gages for the hour ending- 
 
 ] p.m. 
 
 T. 
 0.23 
 
 T. 
 
 .03 
 T. 
 
 .02 
 T. 
 T. 
 T. 
 
 .12 
 T. 
 
 .07 
 T. 
 
 .03 
 
 .02 
 
 .05 
 .01 
 .04 
 
 2 p.m. 
 
 0.17 
 
 .03 
 
 .02 
 
 .07 
 
 .01 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 .01 
 .04 
 .05 
 
 T. 
 
 .01 
 
 .03 
 
 .02 
 .01 
 .04 
 
 3 p.m. 
 
 0.07 
 .16 
 .06 
 .01 
 
 .09 
 .03 
 .02 
 .05 
 
 .01 
 
 T. 
 .01 
 .01 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 
 .02 
 
 .19 
 T. 
 
 .02 
 .11 
 .02 
 .03 
 .09 
 .02 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 
 4 p.m. 
 
 5 p.m. 
 
 0.01 
 
 .17 
 .09 
 .58 
 
 .18 
 T. 
 
 .16 
 T. 
 
 .16 
 
 T. 
 .01 
 .01 
 .07 
 .02 
 
 T. 
 .04 
 
 . 00 
 
 .10 
 .07 
 .05 
 .19 
 .12 
 .02 
 T. 
 .01 
 
 0.10 
 
 .08 
 .02 
 .14 
 .67 
 .15 
 .17 
 .07 
 
 .01 
 .02 
 .02 
 
 i .04 
 .03 
 .01 
 .03 
 
 T. 
 .06 
 
 T. 
 
 .10 
 .10 
 .11 
 .04 
 .07 
 .01 
 .12 
 
 6 p.m. 
 
 0.07 
 .02 
 .05 
 .10 
 .25 
 .06 
 .37 
 .22 
 
 .02 
 
 .17 
 .02 
 
 .18 
 T. 
 
 .05 
 T. 
 
 .05 
 .06 
 .11 
 .01 
 
 .12 
 .05 
 
 ' p. m. 
 
 0.20 
 .33 
 .07 
 .49 
 
 T. 
 .09 
 .10 
 .04 
 
 .16 
 T. 
 
 .02 
 
 .17 
 .01 
 
 1.12 
 .02 
 
 .28 
 .04 
 
 .04 
 
 8 p.m. 
 
 0.22 
 .22 
 
 .03 
 .05 
 .02 
 
 .19 
 
 .03 
 
 9 p.m. 
 
 0.09 
 .18 
 .14 
 .14 
 
 T. 
 T. 
 .05 
 
 .23 
 
 .05 
 .29 
 .21 
 
 T. 
 
 T. 
 .01 
 
 .03 
 .16 
 .14 
 .08 
 .04 
 .21 
 .06 
 .04 
 
 10 p.m. 
 
 0.07 
 .16 
 .24 
 
 .01 
 
 .10 
 
 11p.m. 
 
 0.22 
 
 .21 
 .19 
 T. 
 
 .02 
 
 .21 
 .01 
 .15 
 .11 
 .07 
 .05 
 T. 
 
 .03 
 
 T. 
 .06 
 .05 
 .18 
 .12 
 .05 
 .06 
 
 Mid- 
 night. 
 
 0.08 
 .21 
 .20 
 .07 
 
 .20 
 
 T. 
 
 .02 
 
 .21 
 
 T. 
 .15 
 .17 
 
 T. 
 .09 
 .21 
 
 .03 
 .01 
 .06 
 .11 
 .03 
 .09 
 .06 
 .04 
 
 Total. 
 
 1.98 
 
 2.76 
 1.82 
 2.95 
 2.21 
 1.58 
 2.14 
 1.46 
 
 .05 
 1.38 
 
 .72 
 
 1.56 
 
 1.74 
 
 2 2. 27 
 
 4.15 
 2.05 
 2.89 
 2.66 
 
 .80 
 .212 
 
 .55 
 
 1.11 
 .95 
 
 1.40 
 .91 
 
 1.84 
 .91 
 
 1.66 
 
 1 Clock on triple register stopped at 4.30 p. m. 
 
 2 Total to 4.30 p. m. 
 
 Table 2. — Average daily rainfall and the total rainfall for the period Mar. 23-27, 1913, arranged by watersheds; also the 
 area of the watersheds, and the total fall in cubic feet per square mile. 
 
 Watersheds. 
 
 "Rainfall for 24 hours ending 7 p. m. 
 
 23d. 
 
 24th. 
 
 2.5th. 
 
 26th. 
 
 27th. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Areas of 
 water- 
 sheds in 
 square 
 miles. 
 
 Total fall in 
 cubic feet per 
 square mile. 
 
 Sandusky 
 
 Mahoning 
 
 Great Miami, above Dayton.. 
 
 Great Miami, total 
 
 Little Miami 
 
 Scioto, above Columbus 
 
 Scioto, total 
 
 Muskingum, above Zanesville 
 Muskingum, total 
 
 2.02 
 1.26 
 .92 
 .66 
 .32 
 1.16 
 .71 
 .66 
 .55 
 
 1.56 
 1.36 
 1.94 
 2.22 
 2.09 
 1.90 
 1.52 
 1.26 
 1.17 
 
 2.92 
 2.90 
 3.82 
 3.82 
 2.54 
 3.25 
 2.48 
 2.62 
 2.22 
 
 0.91 
 1.10 
 1.41 
 1.50 
 2.07 
 1.76 
 2.00 
 1.73 
 1.87 
 
 0.81 
 .71 
 .48 
 .42 
 .51 
 .60 
 .62 
 .65 
 .63 
 
 8.22 
 7.33 
 8.57 
 8.62 
 7.53 
 8.68 
 7.33 
 6.92 
 6.44 
 
 1,554 
 1,025 
 2,558 
 5,400 
 1,709 
 1,567 
 6,301 
 6,509 
 7,693 
 
 19, 096, 000 
 17, 029, 000 
 19, 920, 000 
 20, 026, 000 
 17, 494, 000 
 20, 065, 000 
 17, 029, 000 
 16,076,000 
 14,961,000 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 
 
 65 
 
 Table 3. — Daily river-gage readings during the period Mar. 24-28, 1913, and the highest stage reached with the hour and 
 date of its occurrence, the flood stage, the highest previous stage and the month and year of its occurrence, and the amount 
 in feet and tenths of feet that the stage in 1913 exceeded the highest previous stage. 
 
 [All daily readings were made at 7 a. m., except where marked with a star (*).] 
 
 Stations. 
 
 Sandusky River: 
 
 Upper Sandusky 
 
 Tiffin 
 
 Fremont 
 
 Great Miami: 
 
 Piqua 
 
 Dayton 
 
 Hamilton 
 
 Little Miami: 
 
 Oregonia 
 
 Kings Mills 
 
 Scioto: 
 
 Prospect 
 
 Delaware 
 
 Columbus Reservoir. 
 
 Columbus 
 
 Circleville 
 
 Chillieothe 
 
 Muskingum: 
 
 Canal Dover 
 
 Coshocton 
 
 Zanesville 
 
 McConnelsville 
 
 Beverljj 
 
 Mar. 24. 
 
 Mar. 25. 
 
 16.8 
 
 7.0 
 9.4 
 
 8.7 
 7.0 
 4.8 
 
 7.0 
 3.3 
 
 *8.5 
 5.5 
 1.8 
 6.2 
 
 1.6 
 
 2.3 
 2.5 
 9.9 
 
 *19.0 
 12.5 
 13.5 
 
 23.7 
 24.0 
 19.6 
 
 18.0 
 17.8 
 
 *27.5 
 9.3 
 21.9 
 11.6 
 11.9 
 
 7.0 
 11.0 
 21.2 
 
 16.6 
 
 Mar. 26. 
 
 17.6 
 
 19.4 
 
 *21.5 
 
 15.0 
 
 28.1 
 
 *34.6 
 
 21.1 
 33.7 
 
 10.4 
 
 20.9 
 
 24.2 
 
 *37.8 
 
 13.0 
 *27.5 
 *39.0 
 
 24.3 
 
 Mar. 27. 
 
 Mar. 28. 
 
 16.0 
 16.0 
 21.5 
 
 12.0 
 
 22.2 
 
 *25.0 
 
 8.9 
 19.7 
 20.3 
 
 15.0 
 
 *51.8 
 *40.8 
 
 13.5 
 12.0 
 14.3 
 
 10.3 
 
 15.7 
 
 *19. 2 
 
 6.6 
 17.4 
 16.2 
 
 16.1 
 50.3 
 
 *46.5 
 
 High- 
 est 
 
 stage. 
 
 19.0 
 19.4 
 21.5 
 
 24.0 
 29.0 
 34.6 
 
 21.1 
 
 33.7 
 
 20.0 
 27.5 
 12.8 
 22.9 
 24.2 
 37.8 
 
 16.1 
 27.5 
 51.8 
 40.8 
 46.5 
 
 Date. 
 
 Hour. 
 
 9 a. m. 
 
 6 a. m. 
 
 About noon. 
 
 10 a. m. 
 12 midnight. 
 
 3 a. m. 
 
 11 p. m. 
 3.50 a. m. 
 
 Noon. 
 
 2.30 p. m. 
 
 11 a. m. 
 
 3 a. m. 
 11 a. m. 
 
 Noon. 
 
 4 a. m. 
 10 p.m. 
 
 9 p. m. 
 2 a. m. 
 
 Flood 
 
 stago. 
 
 13.0 
 7.0 
 10.0 
 
 12.0 
 18.0 
 12.0 
 
 10.0 
 17.0 
 
 9.0 
 
 9.0 
 
 17.0 
 12.0 
 14.5 
 
 9.0 
 8.0 
 25.0 
 15.0 
 25.0 
 
 High- 
 est, pre- 
 vious 
 read- 
 ing. 
 
 16.0 
 11.4 
 
 17.8 
 
 16.0 
 21.3 
 23.3 
 
 20.4 
 27.2 
 
 15.5 
 16.3 
 5.5 
 21.3 
 19.3 
 28.3 
 
 12.0 
 22.0 
 36.8 
 26.4 
 35.0 
 
 Year. 
 
 Month. 
 
 1883 
 
 Feb. 
 
 1904 
 
 Apr. 
 
 1884 
 
 Feb. 
 
 1866 
 
 Sept. 
 
 1898 
 
 Mar. 
 
 1897 
 
 Mar. 
 
 1897 
 
 Mar. 
 
 1904 
 
 Apr 
 
 1904 
 
 Apr. 
 
 1909 
 
 Feb. 
 
 1898 
 
 Mar. 
 
 1884 
 
 July 
 
 1898 
 
 Mar. 
 
 1898 
 
 Mar. 
 
 1898 
 
 Mar. 
 
 1898 
 
 Mar. 
 
 1898 
 
 Mar. 
 
 Excess 
 in 1913. 
 
 3.0 
 8.0 
 3.7 
 
 8.0 
 7.7 
 11.3 
 
 .7 
 6.5 
 
 4.5 
 11.2 
 7.3 
 1.6 
 4.9 
 9.5 
 
 4.1 
 5.5 
 15.0 
 14.4 
 15.5 
 
 Table 4. — Special river gage readings of rivers in Ohio, Mar. 24-27, 1913. 
 
 Date. 
 
 1 a. m. 
 
 2 a. <n. 
 
 3 a. m. 
 
 4 a. m. 
 
 5 a. m. 
 
 6 a. m. 
 
 7 a. m. 
 
 8 a. m. 
 
 9 a. m. 
 
 10 a.m. 
 
 11a.m. 
 
 Noon. 
 
 Sandusky River: 
 Tiffin- 
 Mar. 24 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7.0 
 12.5 
 19.4 
 
 9.4 
 13.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14.0 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Fremont — 
 
 Mar. 24 • 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10.5 
 
 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14.7 
 
 15.2 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21.5 
 
 Great Miami River: 
 Piqua — 
 
 Mar. 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8.7 
 23.7 
 
 7.0 
 24.0 
 28.1 
 
 4.8 
 19.6 
 
 8.9 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 25.. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 24.0 
 
 
 24.0 
 
 Dayton — 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 11.6 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Hamilton — 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8.8 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 18.8 
 
 20.5 
 
 21.7 
 
 22.2 
 
 24.8 
 
 
 Mar. 26.. 
 
 
 
 34.6 
 
 
 
 
 Little Miami River: 
 King Mills — 
 Mar. 24. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3.3 
 17.8 
 33.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 6.3 
 
 Mar. 25... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 19.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14584°— 13- 
 
66 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Table 4. — Special river gage readings of rivers in Ohio, Mar. 24-27, 1913 — Continued. 
 
 Date. 
 
 1 a. m. 2 a.m. 
 
 3 a. m. 
 
 4 a. m. 
 
 5 a. m. 
 
 6 a.m. 
 
 7 a.m. 
 
 8 a.m. 
 
 9 a. m. 
 
 10a.m. 
 
 11a.m. 
 
 Noon. 
 
 Scioto River: 
 Delaware — 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 5.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar.25 
 
 16.8 
 
 18.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 27.5 
 
 Columbus Reservoir — 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 
 
 
 
 1.8 
 9.5 
 10.4 
 8.9 
 
 6.2 
 21.9 
 20.9 
 19.7 
 17.4 
 14.7 
 
 11.9 
 
 
 
 
 2.8 
 12.5 
 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8.9 
 
 
 10.7 
 
 11.7 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 8.4 
 
 
 
 Columbus— 
 
 Mar.24 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21.5 
 21.0 
 
 21.9 
 20.8 
 
 22.2 
 20.7 
 19.6 
 
 22.6 
 20.5 
 
 22.9 
 20.2 
 
 22.9 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 21.5 
 
 21.3 
 
 21.0 
 
 21.0 
 
 21.0 
 
 20. 1 
 
 Mar.27 
 
 
 Mar. 28 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 17.1 
 
 16.9 
 
 Mar. 29 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14.6 
 
 14.5 
 
 
 14.2 
 
 Chillicothe— 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 18.0 
 
 
 
 
 35.0 
 
 
 
 
 37.8 
 
 
 MuskingumRiver: 
 Canal Dover — 
 
 Mar.25 
 
 
 
 
 
 7.0 
 13.0 
 15.0 
 16.1 
 
 2.5 
 11.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar.27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 28 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 16.1 
 
 Coshocton — 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar.25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 27.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Zanesville — 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 21.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 35.0 
 
 
 
 
 39.0 
 49.3 
 
 
 
 42.0 
 
 
 
 Mar.27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 28 
 
 
 51.8 
 
 
 
 50.3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 McConnelsville — 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 • 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 25.0 
 
 
 
 26.4 
 
 
 
 Mar. 27 ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Date. 
 
 1 p. m. 
 
 2 p. m. 
 
 3 p. m. 
 
 4 p. m. 
 
 5 p. m. 
 
 6 p. m. 
 
 7 p. m. 
 
 8 p. m. 
 
 9 p. m. 
 
 10 p. m. 
 
 11p.m. 
 
 Mid- 
 night. 
 
 Sandusky River: 
 Tiffin- 
 Mar. 24 
 
 7.8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Fremont — 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 11.5 
 
 
 11.8 
 17.5 
 21.5 
 
 
 
 
 12.4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar.25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 21.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Great Miami River: 
 Piqua — 
 
 Mar. 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 5.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 24 . . 
 
 
 
 
 
 11.0 
 
 
 
 14.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 24.0 
 12.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dayton — 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 
 
 12.2 
 
 
 
 
 14.2 
 
 
 15.3 
 
 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 29.0 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Hamilton — 
 
 Mar.24 
 
 9.8 
 
 10.6 
 
 11.0 
 
 11.7 
 
 12.0 
 25.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Mar.26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PRECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 
 Table 4. — Special river gage readings of rivers in Ohio, Mar. 24-27, 1918 — Continued. 
 
 67 
 
 Date. 1p.m. 
 
 2p.m. 
 
 3 p.m. 
 
 4 p.m. 
 
 5 p. m. 
 
 6 p.m. 
 
 7 p.m. 
 
 8 p.m. 
 
 9 p.m. 
 
 10 p.m. 
 
 11 p.m. 
 
 Mid- 
 night. 
 
 Little Miami River: 
 Kings Mills— 
 
 Mar.24 10.7 
 
 22.0 
 
 13. 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Scioto River: 
 Delaware— 
 
 Mar.24 
 
 
 8.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 13.8 
 
 14.5 
 
 14.9 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Columbus Reservoir — 
 
 Mar.24 
 
 
 3.3 
 9.4 
 
 12.8 
 
 4.3 
 
 12.7 
 9.3 
 7.8 
 
 14.2 
 22.0 
 
 4.8 
 12.4 
 9.3 
 
 
 6.0 
 11.7 
 
 
 6.4 
 
 
 6.7 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 12.7 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Columbus- 
 Mar. 24 
 
 8.8 
 22.2 
 20.1 
 
 
 
 13.8 
 22.0 
 
 15.0 
 22.0 
 
 15.5 
 22.0 
 
 16.1 
 22.2 
 
 16.8 
 22.2 
 
 17.6 
 22.0 
 
 18.4 
 21.7 
 
 18.8 
 21.5 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 22.1 
 20.1 
 
 22.0 
 
 20.0 
 
 Mar. 27 
 
 18.5 
 16.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 j 
 
 
 Mar. 28 
 
 16.8 
 13.9 
 
 16.7 
 13.4 
 
 16.6 
 13.9 
 
 16.4 
 13.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar.29 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chfflicothe— 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Muskingum River: 
 Canal Dover — 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 10.6 
 
 
 Mar. 26 ". 
 
 
 
 
 15.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 15.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Coshocton — 
 
 Mar. 24 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 20.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Zanesville — 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 28.0 
 48.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 45.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 51.8 
 
 
 
 Mar. 28 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 McConnelsville — 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 19.0 
 
 
 Mar. 26 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 27 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 40.4 
 
 
 
 40.8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Table 5. — Monetary loss to highways and bridges, buildings and personal property, cost of cleaning and repairing basements 
 and machinery, damage to crops and live stock, and number of lives lost. 
 
 Counties. 
 
 Adams 
 
 Allen 
 
 Ashland... 
 Ashtabula. 
 
 Athens 
 
 Auglaise. . . 
 Belmont... 
 
 Brown 
 
 Butler 
 
 Carroll 
 
 Champaign 
 
 Damage to 
 public 
 
 highways 
 
 and 
 bridges. 
 
 $8,000 
 81,600 
 
 110,000 
 80,000 
 30,000 
 58,000 
 5,500 
 15,000 
 
 600,000 
 
 
 
 70,000 
 
 Damage to 
 buildings 
 
 and 
 personal 
 property. 
 
 Cost of 
 cleaning 
 
 basements, 
 repairing 
 
 machinery 
 and other 
 
 equipment. 
 
 $73, 850 
 
 100. 000 
 
 Small. 
 
 10,000 
 
 10,000 
 
 $100 
 
 Small. 
 
 2,000 
 
 500 
 
 15, 000, 000 
 
 
 300,000 
 
 
 Crops 
 destroyed 
 
 or 
 damaged. 
 
 Loss of live 
 stock. 
 
 
 
 $500 
 
 
 
 .50.000 
 
 
 $4,200 
 
 3,200 
 
 1,100 
 
 400 
 
 
 
 650 
 
 7,000 
 
 100 
 
 3,100 
 
 Number 
 lives 
 lost. 
 
 98 
 
 
68 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Table 5. — Monetary loss to highways and bridges, buildings and personal property, cost of cleaning and repairing base- 
 ments and machinery, damage to crops and live stock, etc. — Continued. 
 
 Clark 
 
 Clermont 
 
 Clinton 
 
 Columbiana . 
 Coshocton. .. 
 
 Crawford 
 
 Cuyahoga 
 
 Darke 
 
 Defiance 
 
 Delaware 
 
 Erie 
 
 Fairfield 
 
 Fayette 
 
 Franklin 
 
 Fulton 
 
 Gallia 
 
 Geauga 
 
 Green 
 
 Guernsey 
 
 Hamilton 
 
 Hancock 
 
 Hardin 
 
 Harrison 
 
 Henry 
 
 Highland 
 
 Hocking 
 
 Holmes 
 
 Huron 
 
 Jackson 
 
 Jefferson 
 
 Knox 
 
 Lake 
 
 Lawrence 
 
 Licking 
 
 Logan 
 
 Lorain 
 
 Lucas 
 
 Madison 
 
 Mahoning.. . 
 
 Marion 
 
 Medina 
 
 Meigs 
 
 Mercer 
 
 Miami 
 
 Monroe 
 
 Montgomery. 
 
 Morgan 
 
 Morrow 
 
 Muskingum.. 
 
 Noble 
 
 Ottawa 
 
 Paulding 
 
 Perry 
 
 Pickaway. . . 
 
 Pike 
 
 Portage 
 
 Preble 
 
 Putman 
 
 Richland 
 
 Ross 
 
 Counties. 
 
 Damage to 
 public 
 
 highways 
 
 and 
 bridges. 
 
 $100, 000 
 25,000 
 
 2,700 
 200,000 
 45,000 
 200, 000 
 
 90,000 
 424,000 
 
 5,500 
 55,000 
 15,000 
 1,550,000 
 20,000 
 30,000 
 21,000 
 40, 000 
 10,000 
 1.000,000 
 
 9,700 
 45, 264 
 
 2,500 
 20,000 
 
 Damage to 
 buildings 
 
 and 
 personal 
 property. 
 
 875,000 
 
 200,000 
 
 25,000 
 
 300, 000 
 
 350,000 
 
 355,000 
 
 
 
 20,000 
 
 10,000 
 
 15, 000. 000 
 
 Small. 
 
 500 
 
 350, 000 
 
 1,000,000 
 
 5,000 
 
 1,500 
 
 5,000 
 
 Cost of 
 cleaning 
 
 basements, 
 repairing 
 
 machinery 
 and other 
 
 equipment. 
 
 $5,000 
 6,000 
 5,000 
 
 10.000 
 
 
 
 1,000 
 
 5,000 
 
 
 
 100, 000 
 
 5,000 
 Small. 
 
 Crops 
 destroyed 
 
 or 
 damaged. 
 
 Small. 
 
 ?50,000 
 
 3.000 
 
 10.000 
 
 
 
 2,000 
 
 40.000 
 
 Small. 
 
 6,000 
 10. 000 
 
 25, 000 
 Small. 
 
 Loss of live 
 stock. 
 
 si. ooo 
 
 500 
 
 1,000 
 
 Small. 
 
 610 
 
 400 
 
 1,200 
 
 1,300 
 
 3,150 
 
 
 
 1,300 
 
 500 
 
 3,800 
 
 
 
 213 
 
 
 
 10, 400 
 
 725 
 
 7,100 
 
 1,500 
 
 1,000 
 
 300 
 
 Number 
 lives 
 lost. 
 
 22 
 
 
 
 93 
 2 
 
 15,600 
 
 39, 500 
 
 52,000 
 
 
 
 41,000 
 
 150, 000 
 
 2,000 
 
 10,000 
 
 31,800 
 
 38,500 
 
 65,000 
 
 75,000 
 
 85, 000 
 
 46, 000 
 
 65,000 
 
 75,000 
 
 20,000 
 
 7,600 
 
 550, 000 
 
 7,000 
 
 1,350,000 
 
 175,000 
 
 75,000 
 
 450, 000 
 
 
 
 2,000 
 
 25,000 
 
 15,000 
 
 400, 000 
 
 97,700 
 
 42,500 
 
 41,000 
 
 1, 150 
 
 150,000 
 
 314,325 
 
 100. 000 
 
 1,000 
 
 1,000 
 
 20,000 
 1,000 
 
 15.000 
 500 
 
 5.000 
 200 
 
 10,000 
 Small. 
 30,000 
 50,000 
 1,000 
 125, 000 
 
 3,000 
 Small. 
 Small. 
 
 5,000 
 
 
 
 50,000 
 
 5.000 
 7.000 
 2.000 
 
 Small. 
 1,000 
 
 15. 000 
 
 1,000.000 
 
 
 
 2, 000, 000 
 
 12,000 
 
 32, 000, 000 
 
 434, 800 
 
 25,000 
 
 2,700,000 
 
 100.000 
 
 
 
 60,000 
 
 1,000 
 
 2. 500, 000 
 
 4,000 
 
 100, 000 
 
 
 
 60.000 
 
 
 
 250, 000 
 
 30, 000 
 
 10,000 
 
 250,000 
 
 75. 000 
 
 2,000 
 
 50, 000 
 350, 000 
 200.000 
 
 2,000 
 2,000 
 10,000 
 
 15,000 
 40,000 
 100.000 
 
 100,000 
 1.340.000 
 
 50,000 
 30,000 
 
 25,000 
 20.000 
 
 100 
 150 
 
 750 
 
 
 500 
 300 
 
 1,075 
 
 900 
 
 600 
 
 Small. 
 
 
 
 1.000 
 
 525 
 
 10. 000 
 
 
 
 2,800 
 
 25 
 
 50,000 
 
 400 
 
 100 
 
 200 
 
 2,000 
 
 200 
 
 750 
 
 750 
 
 1,000 
 
 12, 025 
 
 5,000 
 
 700 
 
 4.100 
 
 300 
 
 19.200 
 
 
 60 
 
 97 
 
 4 
 3 
 
PBECIPITATION AND FLOODS IN OHIO, MARCH, 1913. 
 
 69 
 
 Table 5. — Monetary loss to highways and bridges, buildings and personal properly, cost of cleaning and repairing base- 
 ments and machinery, damage to crops and live stock, etc. — Continued. 
 
 Counties. 
 
 Damage to 
 public 
 
 highways 
 . and 
 bridges. 
 
 Sandusky . . 
 
 Scioto 
 
 Seneca 
 
 Shelby 
 
 Stark 
 
 Summit 
 
 Trumbull... 
 Tuscarawas. 
 
 Union 
 
 Van Wert . . 
 
 Vinton 
 
 Warren 
 
 Washington 
 
 Wayne 
 
 Williams... 
 
 Wood 
 
 Wyandotte. 
 
 Total. 
 
 865, 500 
 325, 000 
 300, 000 
 120, 000 
 225. 000 
 240. 000 
 125, 000 
 200, 000 
 225,000 
 7,000 
 100 
 300,000 
 180, 000 
 100, 000 
 5,000 
 70, 000 
 60. 000 
 
 12,031.039 
 
 Damage to 
 buildings 
 
 and 
 personal 
 property. 
 
 1300, 000 
 
 702, 737 
 
 35,000 
 
 300, 000 
 
 100, 000 
 
 000,000 
 
 50,000 
 
 Small. 
 
 25,000 
 
 
 
 400,000 
 
 2, 000, 000 
 
 25, 000 
 
 20.000 
 
 
 78, 072, 387 
 
 Cost of 
 cleaning 
 basemen Is, 
 repairing 
 machinery 
 and other 
 equipment. 
 
 $5, 000 
 
 70, 000 
 30, 000 
 50, 000 
 Small. 
 
 10, 000 
 
 
 15, 000 
 
 
 50.000 
 
 2. 000 
 
 5, 000 
 
 
 3,762.100 
 
 Crops 
 destroyed Loss of live 
 
 or stock, 
 
 damaged. 
 
 15. 000 
 
 50, 000 
 40, 000 
 10, 000 
 Small. 
 
 40. 000 
 
 
 
 20,000 
 
 100 
 
 50,000 
 
 300,000 
 
 10,000 
 
 Small. 
 
 5,000 
 
 1,412,800 
 
 SI, 800 
 
 1,200 
 1,200 
 
 350 
 1,200 
 3, 500 
 8,000 
 
 925 
 
 500 
 
 
 
 30,000 
 
 200 
 
 1,250 
 
 Small. 
 
 2,500 
 
 1,100 
 
 234, 953 
 
 Number 
 lives 
 lost. 
 
 
 
 467 
 
FLOOD IN THE WHITE RIVER OF INDIANA, MARCH, 1913. 
 
 By C. E. Norquest, Acting Section Director. 
 
 The flood of March, 1913, is without a parallel in the history of Indiana. Water stages 
 reached were from 2 to 8 feet higher than those recorded in any previous flood; the loss of life 
 and property was unprecedented ; thousands were driven from their homes, fleeing for their 
 lives; transportation lines were helpless through loss of track and bridges;- telephone and tele- 
 graph lines were crippled; communities were cut off from communication with the outside 
 word for from 24 to 48 hours ; cities were deprived of light and power by the flooding of power 
 plants; isolated towns were threatened with famine; and for a period of three days or more 
 the great commercial enterprises of the State were at a standstill. To this stupendous toll of 
 loss by flood the White River watershed contributed a large share. The East and West Forks 
 of the White River flow through a populous and prosperous section of the State, and many 
 thriving towns and cities are situated along their banks and on their tributary streams. It 
 follows that flood stages must be attended by property loss, and when the streams rise so much 
 higher than could be reasonably expected, in the light of past experience such unusually high 
 water must be attended by enormous destruction of property. 
 
 THE WHITE RIVER VALLEY. 
 
 The basin of the White River comprises more than one-third the total area of the State. 
 The drainage area is approximately 11,300 square miles, about equally divided between the 
 East and West Forks. The valleys of the two forks are of nearly equal length, about 275 miles, 
 and their topography is somewhat similar, both valleys being flat and broad and subject to 
 overflow ; the West Fork has an average fall of 3 feet per mile, the East Fork a little less. Both 
 streams flow through an excellent farming region, and the bottom lands comprise some of the 
 most valuable farm land of the section. The East Fork, because it has the less fall, has a greater 
 tendency to meander in its course, and also to change its course during high water, a tendency 
 that proved particularly destructive to farm land during the recent flood. The tributaries of 
 these main streams are generally short and rapid streams that rise quickly after heavy rains 
 and subside with equal rapidity. 
 
 THE HEAVY RAINFALL OF MARCH 23-2T, 1913. 
 
 The immediate cause of the great flood of March. 1913, was the unprecedentedly heavy 
 rainfall of March 23 to 27. Contributory causes, such as the obstruction or narrowing of 
 channels, no doubt added to the disastrous results in some communities. 
 
 The meteorological records for this region show isolated cases where at a single station 
 a greater amount of rainfall has occurred in an equal period of time, but never before in the 
 history of the State, as far back as records extend, has so great a depth of precipitation occurred 
 so uniformly over the entire watershed in so short a period of time. The worst previous flood 
 of the White River was that of March, 1904. The rain causing that flood began on March 24 
 and continued for two days, heavy rainfall extending generally over the entire watershed. The 
 average rainfall for seven stations, about equally distributed over the watershed of the West 
 
 71 
 
72 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Fork, was 4.97 inches, as against 7.81 inches recorded during the recent flood. The average for 
 eight stations distributed over the watershed of the Elast Fork was 4.19 inches for the flood of 
 1904, as compared with 8.41 inches for the flood of 1913. It is also worthy of note that at most 
 of these stations more rain fell within 24 hours during the 1913 flood than was recorded in 48 
 hours during the flood of 1904. This tremendous downpour occurred over a drainage basin 
 the soil of which was already well saturated by previous rains, and whose streams were already 
 carrying their normal spring flow. 
 
 Stations reporting precipitation in excess of 5 inches for 2J/ consecutive hours (see also Taole 2). 
 
 Station. 
 
 Amount. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Rlnnmmgtnn 
 
 6.56 
 7.00 
 6.10 
 5.59 
 6.01 
 5.43 
 6.66 
 6. 10 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 Columbus 
 
 Do 
 
 Elliston 
 
 Do 
 
 Mauzy 
 
 Do. 
 
 Nashville 
 
 Do. 
 
 Seymour 
 
 Do. 
 
 Shoals 
 
 
 Washington 1 
 
 Mar. 25 
 
 
 
 The average precipitation for the White River watershed, as determined from 20 stations, 
 on March 24 was 2.42 inches; on the 25th, 4.05 inches. 
 
 RIVER STAGES. 
 
 The Weather Bureau maintains regular gaging stations on the White River at Anderson, 
 Indianapolis, Shoals, and Elliston. At each of these stations the stages reached during the 
 flood of 1913 are the highest ever recorded, and from other towns and cities along the rivers it 
 is generally reported that the stages reached are the highest ever known. 
 
 Crest stages as compared with previous highest water. 
 
 
 Flood 
 stage. 
 
 Previous highest stage. 
 
 1913 
 
 Station. 
 
 Height. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Highest. 
 
 Date. 
 
 Com- 
 pared 
 with pre- 
 vious 
 highest. 
 
 Anderson 
 
 Indianapolis 
 
 Elliston 
 
 Shoals 
 
 9 
 
 12 
 21 
 20 
 
 18.8 
 19.5 
 29.6 
 34.1 
 
 Mar. 23,1904 
 Apr. 1,1904 
 Mar. 5, 1897 
 Mar. 30,1904 
 
 22.1 
 25.7 
 31.3 
 42.2 
 
 Mar. 25 
 ...do 
 
 Mar. 27 
 Mar. 28 
 
 +3.3 
 
 + 6.2 
 + 1.7 
 +8.1 
 
 
 
 
 The crest of the flood passed along, the upper reaches of the streams during the 25th and 
 26th, along the middle courses on the 26th and 27th, and along the lower courses on the 27th 
 and 28th. 
 
 The following records of daily gage readings taken at 7 a. m., ninetieth meridian time, show 
 admirably the rapid rate at which the rivers rose. The sharp rise caused by the excessive pre- 
 cipitation of the night of the 24th-25th is noteworthy. 
 
 Station. 
 
 22d. 
 
 23d. 
 
 21th. 
 
 25th. 
 
 26th. 
 
 27th. 
 
 28th. 
 
 29th. 
 
 
 4.3 
 
 4.7 
 
 3.S 
 
 ll.S 
 11.0 
 11.8 
 8.8 
 
 17.6 
 18.0 
 23. S 
 21.6 
 
 20.6 
 (>) 
 27.8 
 29.5 
 
 14.0 
 
 10.2 
 
 7.8 
 
 
 
 Elliston 
 
 31.3 
 
 37.0 
 
 30.4 
 42.2 
 
 2S.6 
 
 Shoals 
 
 7.4 
 
 8.0 
 
 41.7 
 
 
 
 The Indianapolis gage was washed away during the night of 25th-26th. 
 

 n 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 1 
 I 
 
 14 
 
 Iff* 
 
 §■ 
 
 
 < 
 
 ■ft 
 
 [ii'M ! 
 
 i'H 1 f 
 
 x'l 
 
 
 ■h 
 
 i sfegli 1 «J ' 
 
 
 
 
 
 " P Mb 
 
 '■ 
 
 
 - : 'i "" 
 
 
 HI' 
 
 
 
>5 
 
 crt- 
 
 o 
 
 iiJll 
 CDCC 
 
 I 111 
 HO 
 
FLOOD IN THE WHITE RIVER OF INDIANA, MARCH, 1913. 73 
 
 FLOOD SUMMARY. 
 
 Frequent moderate rains had been general over the State from the beginning of the month, 
 and on the 20th and 21st heavy rains occurred. As a result the soil was pretty thoroughly 
 saturated and the streams carrying a considerable volume of water when the storms of the 
 23d to 27th set in. 
 
 Rain began in the early morning of the 23d and continued almost unceasingly until the 
 26th. when the steady downpour gave way to showery conditions. By the evening of the 24th 
 the smaller streams tributary to the White River were overflowing into the lowlands. At 
 Elwood, in Madison County, Duck Creek was 30 inches higher than in 1904; one-third of the 
 town was inundated, and over 100 families had been rescued from flooded homes. At Broad 
 Ripple, a suburb of Indianapolis, White River was spreading over the lowlands, and many 
 families were abandoning their homes. Fall Creek was out of its banks in northeastern 
 Indianapolis, and families in that part of the citj^ were moving out. Eagle Creek on the west 
 side was far beyond its banks, and people were moving to higher ground as rapidly as con- 
 veyances could be secured. The White River was out over the bottoms along its upper reaches 
 in Randolph and Madison Counties, and farmers were driving their stock to higher ground. 
 
 During the night of the 24th-25th the rainfall was the heaviest of the flood period. Its 
 effect is apparent in the river stages recorded on the morning of the 25th. The White River 
 was out of its banks throughout its entire course and rising rapidly. By 9 a. m. the river at 
 Indianapolis had reached 19.6 feet, passing the mark of 19.5 feet set by the flood of 1904. At 
 Muneie the high water of 1904 was exceeded by 1 foot; 400 dwellings were surrounded by 
 water; city water service was cut off; all railway communication discontinued. One hundred 
 families had been driven from their homes at Johnstown. At Anderson 1,000 persons had been 
 routed from their homes by water, Martinsville was cut off by washouts on steam and electric 
 lines and many houses were under water. At Tipton more than 100 families had moved to 
 higher ground; the city was in darkness, the light and power plant being under water. At 
 Petersburg the White River rose 8 feet during the night ; every house in the western part of 
 the city was flooded; mines and factories all closed. In Indianapolis the West Washington 
 and West New York Street lowlands were inundated, and from these flooded districts the 
 rising waters were spreading into the bottom lands of West Indianapolis behind the levee ; by 
 noon the fires under the boilers in the power houses of the Indianapolis Water Co. and the 
 street railway company were drowned, leaving the city without water for fire protection and 
 without street-car service. Steam roads and trolley lines throughout the flood district were 
 tied up by washouts and unsafe or down bridges ; towns were isolated ; the wildest rumors were 
 rife of entire communities being swept away by constantly rising waters. The local office 
 of the Weather Bureau issued the following warning : 
 
 Below Indianapolis the river will rise rapidly and the public should prepare for higher stages than have 
 been experienced for many years. Every precaution should be taken by those living along the lower course 
 of the river, as the rise will be unusually rapid and will reach a point several feet above the danger line. 
 
 The crest of the flood passed Indianapolis on the morning of the 26th. The Washington 
 Street highway bridge, Indianapolis & Vincennes Railroad Bridge, Vandalia Railroad Bridge, 
 and a private bridge belonging to Kingan & Co., no longer able to withstand the force of the 
 water and the pounding of debris hurled against them, gave way during the clay. The levee 
 along the west bank of the river, built to protect West Indianapolis from high water, began to 
 crumble and give way at 10 a. m., allowing a great volume of water to rush into that portion 
 of the city, but, as the people had been amply warned of the weakened condition of the levee 
 and the probability of a break, none was taken unaware and few lives were lost, although 
 many who refused to give heed to the warnings had to be rescued from the windows and roofs 
 of houses and from trees and telephone poles. Many weird and pitiful stories are told of the 
 suffering and privations of those who were obliged to spend the night perched on a roof or in 
 trees. 
 
74 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Reports during the day gave the assurance that on the upper reaches of the river the flood 
 was subsiding rapidly, though along the lower courses the river continued to rise, the crest not 
 passing at Elliston until the 27th. 
 
 The morning of the 28th broke bright and clear; no more rain fell during the rest of the 
 month and the flood waters on the White River watershed continued to recede, rapidly in the 
 upper courses of the streams and more slowly along the lower reaches. 
 
 LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY WHITE RIVER WATERSHED. 
 
 When the high stages and rapid rise of streams are considered the loss of life is surprisingly 
 small; only 12 deaths, 5 of which occurred in Indianapolis, being due directly to the flood. 
 
 The property loss, while heavy and beyond question the greatest flood loss ever experienced 
 in this district, is not nearly so great as at first estimated. The heaviest loss was suffered in 
 the city of Indianapolis, where an area of approximately C square miles was inundated. This 
 area comprised park, residence, and factory districts. Four thousand families were driven 
 from their homes bj the water, and a majority of these suffered practically a total loss of their 
 household goods. 
 
 Crop losses for the district would have been much larger had the flood occurred during the 
 crop season; as it was the damage was confined to winter wheat and hay crops. Great damage 
 resulted from erosion and the deposit of sand and gravel over areas that had been fertile farm 
 soil. In some localities whole farms were covered with sand to such a depth as to render the 
 land worthless for farm purposes for many years; in others the top soil was washed away to 
 such an extent that the land is now unfit for farming. Damage of this character occurred 
 chiefly along the lower courses of the rivers. 
 
 The values given in the following table have been secured from reliable sources and are 
 believed to be a fair and conservative estimate of the losses sustained over the White River 
 watershed : 
 
 Money value of property destroyed or damaged, including public highways and bridges, also the 
 
 cost of cleaning up basements and putting machinery and equipment in serviceable condition $1. 659, 855 
 
 Money value of crops destroyed, or amount of damage thereto 262, 500 
 
 Money value of live stock or other farm products lost 51, 150 
 
 Money value of losses occasioned by enforced suspension of business through flood, including wages 
 
 of employees 622. 600 
 
 Loss in the State to railroads and trolley lines 4,807,555 
 
 Loss in Wabash Valley 10.000.000 
 
 Total loss in Indiana, all classes 20.103.660 
 
FLOOD ON THE WABASH RIVER IN MARCH, 1913. 
 
 By W. R. Cade, Observer, United States Weather Bureau. 
 
 On Sunday morning, March 23, river-gage readings from the different stations on the 
 Wabash River indicated a stage of water somewhat below the normal height for the time of 
 year. Bluffton reported a stage of 2.5 feet; Logansport, 3.8; Attica, 6.8, and at Terre Haute 
 the stage was 7 feet. The river was falling at all points, and no one entertained the idea that 
 within three or four days the greatest flood on record in the Wabash Valley would have reached 
 its climax. A heavy rain fell on March 23 over the entire district drained by the river, and at 
 7 o'clock the following morning 3.80 inches was measured at Bluffton, 2.82 at Logansport, 2.80 
 at Attica, and 0.99 inch at Terre Haute. This heavy rain caused the river to rise at a record- 
 breaking rate, and at 7 o'clock Monday morning, March 24, the river had risen to a stage of 
 12.3 at Bluffton, 12.1 at Logansport, 15.9 at Attica, and 14.5 feet at Terre Haute. This meant 
 a river above flood stage (12 feet) at Bluffton, Logansport, and Attica, and rapidly approaching 
 the flood stage of 16 feet at Terre Haute. 
 
 The heavy rain continued and the amounts on Tuesday were equally as large as those of 
 Monday. The amount of rain over the valley during this period ranged from 2 to 3 inches, 
 and the river continued to rise very rapidly. At 7 a. m. Tuesday, March 25, the following river 
 stages were observed: Bluffton, 17. 5-; Attica, 24.6; Terre Haute, 19.5. During the afternoon 
 of the preceding clay (Mar. 24) the bridge on which the river gage at Logansport was installed 
 was washed away, so that further readings from this point were impossible. 
 
 The next day, Wednesday, March 26, the rain was only slight, but the river continued 
 rising. The crest of the flood passed Bluffton and Logansport on this date, Bluffton recording 
 a stage of 20 feet and the Logansport's observer being unable to make a reading. 1 
 
 During the 24 hours ending March 27 about half an inch of rain fell over the valley, which, 
 fortunately, was the last measurable quantity of precipitation until March 31. On the 27th 
 the crest of the flood reached Attica, a stage of 33.4 feet being reached, which was 21.4 feet 
 above the flood stage, the highest water ever recorded. The highest water at Terre Haute was 
 also recorded on this date. At 10 a. m. a stage of 31.3 feet was reached, and the water remained 
 at this point for 4 hours, at the end of which time it began to fall slowly. 
 
 When the river at Terre Haute reached a stage of 19 feet the residents of a little settlement 
 of about 400 inhabitants, known as Taylorville, on the west side of the river, began to leave 
 their homes. Within a day after they left their houses the entire place was submerged. The 
 people living in Taylorville and in West Terre Haute were advised through the newspapers by 
 the local office to prepare for a high river which was fast approaching the city. West Terre 
 Haute, also on the west side of the river, suffered considerable damage during the flood. For 
 the first time in the history of this town, which has a population of 4,000, the water covered 
 its main street, and was several inches high on the floors of the stores and other business houses 
 on this street. 
 
 1 Later it was determined that the river reached a stage of 22.5 feet. 
 
 75 
 
76 . THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 By Tuesday morning, March 25, the water had driven the Taylorville people from their 
 houses, and the next day the lower parts of West Terre Haute were inundated'. It was on this 
 day, March 26, that the river began its work of destruction on the Terre Haute side. The 
 water, gas, electric, and other plants, including four large distilleries, along the river fought 
 the rising water with sandbags, pumps, and other means. On the evening of March 26 a levee 
 north of Terre Haute broke and a large section of the north end of town was covered with a 
 foot or two of water. 
 
 The river stage on Thursday morning, March 27, was 31.2 feet, and the water was rising 
 slowly. A few hours after this reading the crest of the flood was reached, 31.3 feet. The water 
 remained at this height for several hours and then began to slowly recede. At 8 a. m., this date, 
 the city gas plant shut down, and the electric plant discontinued operations about 45 minutes 
 later. The water had been bravely fought at 'these places, but when the river reached 31 feet 
 it was necessary to abandon further efforts in this direction. 
 
 Of course, with the shutting down of the electric plant, the street-car service of the city 
 was stopped, and on the night of March 27 the city was wrapped in darkness. Very few 
 business houses generated their own electricity, and business on this night was conducted in 
 candle and lamp light. People walking along the main street of the city carried lanterns, and 
 the streets in the resident parts of town were illuminated only by the faint beams from a candle 
 or a lamp coming through an open window. The city was without electricity until early in 
 the morning of the 28th, and gas was not supplied until nearly 24 hours later. 
 
 After the water reached the 27-foot stage the city was practically cut off from the rest of 
 the country. Railroad bridges were rendered unserviceable, and the telegraph companies 
 would not promise to get a message off in any direction. The new bridge connecting Terre 
 Haute with the town of West Terre Haute, on the other side of the river, was closed to traffic 
 for two days, March 28 and 29. However, this bridge sustained only slight damage. On the 
 west side of the river, the Vandalia and Big Four tracks were under water for a distance of 
 a mile or more, and considerable damage was done railroad property in this place. 
 
 Fortunately, the city was not afflicted as were some other places on the river in having the 
 water cut off. While the water company could not keep its water up to the standard, it did not 
 find it necessary to close clown. 
 
 The damage, inconvenience, and suffering resulting ' from the flood at Terre Haute, was 
 experienced at all other places along the river. At Logansport, La Fayette, and Clinton bridges 
 were washed away. At most places the water, gas, and electric plants were stopped, which, 
 coupled with the other afflictions that came upon the people as a result of the flood, made the 
 situation most acute. 
 
 At Logansport the bridge on which the Weather Bureau gage was installed was washed 
 away, and the water rose to such a high point in this town that most of it was under water for a 
 while. The rain gage was carried away, and also some of the records in the possession of the 
 river observer. 
 
 The water, gas, and electric plants of La Fayette had to discontinue operations ; the traffic 
 on all steam and electric lines entering the city was suspended ; the heating plant was closed ; 
 the fuel supply became exhausted, and one bridge was washed away and another condemned. 
 
 Peru was the most demoralized of any town in the Wabash Valley. At that point three 
 persons were drowned, and the suffering was most intense. All public buildings were turned 
 into commissaries or dormitories. The water rose so rapidly and high that it caught people 
 in their places of business and elsewhere. The people in the town of Peru, and elsewhere in 
 the valley, expected the water to reach only the usual flood stage, and consequently the flood 
 proved disastrous to many who thought they were safe. 
 
 It is estimated that the property loss in the Wabash Valley will aggregate $10,000,000. 
 
A REPORT ON THE FLOOD IN THE ILLINOIS RIVER IN MARCH, APRIL, 
 
 AND MAY, 1913. 
 
 By Montrose W. Hayes. Local Forecaster. 
 
 A joint resolution of the Illinois Legislature, passed in May, 1889, relative to constructing 
 a waterway from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, refers to the Illinois River in the 
 following language : 
 
 The Illinois River from La Salle to Grafton is the remnant of an ancient stream bed, bordered by wide 
 and low bottom land, much cut up by lake, bayou, and marsh: and an alluvial stream of small low-water 
 volume and sluggish current, with a declivity of only 2G feet in 225 miles, a declivity so small as to require 
 a large volume of water to maintain an effective channel ; a stream which in its natural condition is able 
 to maintain but a small depth through the deposits with which the tributaries constantly tend to choke 
 the channel, a tendency ever increasing with the inhabitation of the watershed and the cultivation and 
 reclamation of lands. 
 
 It is quite probable that this alluvial stretch of the Illinois, which really begins at Utica, 
 6 miles above La Salle and 230 miles above Grafton, has less slope than any other stream in 
 the upper three-fourths of the Mississippi River drainage area. It naturally follows, on account 
 of the slight slope, that the run-off is slow and the gradual rises and falls cause the stream to 
 remain out of its banks or bank full after other watercourses flooded by the samfe storms have 
 fallen to normal stages. 
 
 The beginning of spring almost always finds the Illinois nearly or quite bank full, even 
 though the winter precipitation may have been less than the normal. This, is due to the effect 
 of cold weather on the water flow. The river freezes over, friction caused by the ice covering- 
 decreases the discharge, and the fall in the stages is not proportional to the decrease in the 
 tributary increment that follows the freezing of the small streams. When the ice begins to 
 move the small slope causes it to gorge and still further decrease the discharge, and the tributary 
 water released as the weather grows milder runs into a trunk stream that is almost or altogether 
 full. It is evident, therefore, that the spring precipitation does not have to be especially heavy 
 or long continued to give flood stages. 
 
 A study of gage readings, in connection with precipitation charts, shows that the stretch 
 of river below the mouth of the Sangamon is, at high stages, influenced materially by the stage 
 of the Mississippi at Grafton. (The Sangamon flows into the Illinois 98 miles above Grafton.) 
 This influence, of course, is felt throughout the extent of the alluvial stretch, but above the 
 mouth of the Sangamon it is not sufficient^ pronounced to show itself in a casual investigation 
 of the gage readings and precipitation charts. 
 
 In 1913 the precipitation over the Illinois watershed was about normal in January and 
 somewhat less than normal in February. When March opened the river was bank full through 
 most of the alluvial stretch, as is usual for the season, and frequent moderate rains caused a 
 gradual rise until the latter third of the month, when the passage of a phenomenal procession 
 of storms began. These storms were not productive of as much precipitation as they were in 
 Indiana and Ohio and in that portion of Illinois drained by streams that enter the Mississippi 
 
 77 
 
78 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 south of Grafton, but they were heavy enough to cause a rise to begin simultaneously in all 
 stretches of the river. Eain fell on March 20 and 21, and from the 23d to 27th, inclusive. The 
 combined amounts for the two periods ranged between 2 and 4 inches over the watershed above 
 the mouth of the Sangamon and between 4 and 6 inches over the remaining or lower part of 
 the watershed. The precipitation in the country, receiving between 2 and -t inches, was note- 
 worthy more because it was so general and uniform than because it was excessive. It was not 
 nearly so heavy as the rainfall of September, 1911. 
 
 At La Salle the rise was comparatively rapid, as this station is only 6 miles below the upper 
 extremity of the alluvial stretch, and the crest, 28 feet, occurred on March 29; but with the 
 entire river from Utica to the mouth overflowing the fall naturally was much slower than the 
 rise, and the stream was not within its banks until April 18. 
 
 At Peoria, 62 miles below La Salle and 162 milas above the mouth of the river, the highest 
 stage was reached on March 30 and prevailed until April 2. Peoria is at the foot of Peoria 
 Lake, which is a succession of three expanses of a total length of 17 miles, in which the river 
 spreads in places to a width of a mile and a half when the stages are normal. This lake, as it 
 is termed, has a reservoir effect that gives, even for the Illinois River, very gradual fluctuations 
 in stage at Peoria. There was practically a continuous fall after the maximum, which was 22.3 
 feet, occurred, but it was the latter part of April before the stream was in its banks. 
 
 Beardstown is 135 miles below La Salle and 89 miles above the mouth of the river. At 
 that station the highest stage was 21.8 feet which prevailed on April 5 and 6. The crest of the 
 flood at Beardstown did not have the same form the crest at Peoria had, as it was materially 
 changed by the volume of water contributed by the Sangamon River, which flows into the 
 Illinois 9 miles above Beardstown. After the passage of the crest there w T ere heavy rains over 
 the lower part of the Illinois watershed, and the river was bank full at Beardstown until 
 May 13. 
 
 This flood was an unusualty high one, but none of the stages was unprecedented. Most 
 of the conditions were favorable for a record-breaking high-water level, but one very important 
 requisite was missing; that was a high stage in the Mississippi at the mouth of the Illinois. 
 All of the floods that were greater than this one have been coincident with a flood in the Mis- 
 sissippi at Grafton, but at no time in the spring of 1913 was the Mississippi stage more than 
 what may be termed bank full at Grafton, and on this account there was a good current in the 
 Illinois even when the water was highest. This comparatively rapid discharge, it is believed, 
 prevented the river from reaching a record-breaking height, at least in its lower reaches, where 
 the influence of the Mississippi stages is most pronounced. 
 
 Levees broke at Hennepin, 208 miles above the mouth, at Meredosia, 71 miles above the 
 mouth, and at Naples, 65 miles above the mouth. At Beardstown the levee protecting the 
 Combes addition to the town broke. All of these breaks caused considerable property loss, 
 and inconvenience and suffering to those who were compelled to abandon their homes. At 
 Meredosia the Wabash Railroad crosses the river, and the railroad approaches or embankments 
 were damaged to such an extent that traffic had to be suspended. 
 
 Along the entire alluvial stretch of the river the water was high enough to damage road- 
 ways of all kinds, bridges, buildings, etc., but the greatest damage was on agricultural lands. 
 The tributaries were carrying a large volume of water which could not be discharged and 
 cross levees were washed out or damaged. Considerable corn had been left in the field and 
 most of this was lost. Some farm buildings and machinery were damaged or entirely ruined, 
 and some wheat was lost by being covered by water; however, from the reports received, it is 
 not thought that the loss to growing crops was large. 
 
 The slow fall of the flood water caused considerable anxiety to farmers; it was feared 
 that the ground could not be put in condition soon enough to enable a crop of corn to be put, 
 in, and in most sections along the river the planting was, necessarily, late, but not too late 
 for the crop to give a good yield, provided favorable weather prevails during the remainder 
 of the season. 
 
FLOOD IN THE ILLINOIS EIVEB IN MARCH, APRIL, AND MAY, 1913. 79 
 
 There was no direct loss of life in the Mood: that is to say, the Weather Bureau corre- 
 spondents along the river reported none, and no newspaper accounts of any were seen. Many 
 families were driven from their homes by breaks in the levees, or overflows, or through fear 
 of the water coming in, and it is quite probable that there were deaths from exposure, which 
 should be termed deaths caused by the flood, but there appears to be no way of obtaining sta- 
 tistics of this. In fact, all the statistics of losses are quite unsatisfactory, and in reality mean 
 very little. To obtain figures that could be considered authentic, as well as complete, would 
 be an expensive and tedious task, probably out of proportion to the value of the information. 
 And when the losses in Illinois are compared to those in Indiana and Ohio they become so 
 insignificant they are of minor importance. 
 
THE FLOOD IN THE OHIO, IN THE LOUISVILLE DISTRICT. 
 
 By F. J. Walz, Professor of Meteorology. 
 
 The flood was caused by excessive rains over the entire drainage basin during the period 
 March 23-27, 1913. The rainfall was much greater over the drainage areas of the northern 
 tributaries of the Ohio than over the southern tributaries of that stream, the reverse of the 
 distribution that produced the floods in January last. The flood waters, therefore, in the 
 smaller streams and in the main tributaries flowing through Kentucky, except over the Ken- 
 tucky River section, were not so high or so destructive as they were in January. The heaviest 
 rains in Kentucky, 6 to 7 inches, fell over the upper watershed of the Kentucky River, most 
 of it in about 48 hours, hence the greater flood in that stream in comparison with other streams 
 in the State. Also between 6 and 7 inches of rain fell in about the same period of time over 
 the upper watershed of the Cumberland and Barren Rivers, causing floods of large propor- 
 tions in sections of those streams. In other than the above-mentioned sections, the flood 
 damage, while large, was not extraordinarj' except from the overflow of the Ohio River itself. 
 Away from the Ohio, while damage to property runs high yet there was comparatively little 
 suffering or distress and losses were mostly from interruption to traffic and business. 
 
 (The daily amounts of precipitation that occurred over Kentucky during the period 
 Mar. 23-27, 1913, will be found in Table 2, p. 22.) 
 
 At Pikeville, Ky., on the Big Sandy River, the crest of the flood was reached at 2 p. m., 
 March 27, 39 feet. At Louisa, Ky., on the same stream the crest Avas reached at 12 noon 
 March 28, 44.8 feet. While this stage is 15.3 feet higher than the stage reached in January, 
 the location here is such that stages in the Big Sandy above 20 feet are due almost entirely to 
 backwater from the Ohio River. 
 
 At Falmouth, Ky., on the Licking River., a crest of 34.1 feet Avas reached at 1.30 p. m. 
 March 27. This was 0.3 foot below the reading reached January 12, 1913. 
 
 At Rumsey, Ky. (Lock No. 2), on the Green River, the flood in January reached a crest 
 of 35.5 feet, while the highest reached in this flood was 31.2 feet, April 5. 
 
 At Burnside, Ky., on the upper Cumberland RiA^er, the crest reached in January and that 
 in March were exactly the same, 61.5 feet. The high flood stage reached at Burnside in the 
 March flood Avas due to the fact that the northern headAvater tributaries of the Cumberland 
 drain an area visited by the hea\*y rains Avhich also extended over the upper tributaries of the 
 Kentucky River. 
 
 KENTUCKY RIATEK. 
 
 The Kentucky River was above flood stage (30 feet) at Beattyville on two days, the 27th 
 and 28th, reaching a crest at 2 a. m. of the 28th of 39.9 feet which is 7.9 feet above the January 
 stage. The estimated damage in Beattyville and vicinity is only about $5,000 from all causes. 
 The money value of property saved by moving and protection is about $10,000. 
 
 At High Bridge the Kentucky River Avas above flood stage (27 feet) from the 27th to 
 the 31st, inclusive, and reached a crest of 34.6 feet on the 27th. This is 1.6 feet abo\ v e the 
 crest reached in January. The damage was inconsiderable, in fact about $1,000, mostly from 
 14284°— 13 6 81 
 
82 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 loss of saw logs which were carried away. The flood stage at High Bridge has since been 
 raised to 30 feet. 
 
 At Frankfort the Kentucky River was above flood stage from the 27th to 31st, inclusive, 
 and reached a crest of 3S.3 feet at 5 a. m. on the 28th, which was 4.5 feet above the crest of 
 January 12, 1913. The highest water known at Frankfort, 44.5 feet, occurred in February. 
 1878. The waterworks pumps at Frankfort were again put out of commission, and there was 
 some inconvenience and suffering from the water famine; also there was considerable damage 
 from landslides on steep banks in that vicinity. Train service was interrupted for a few days, 
 otherwise the damage there was inconsiderable and not any greater than in January last. 
 Flood warnings were issued to the river observer at Frankfort, beo-innino- with the 26th, and 
 from there widety distributed by telephone, and also through the Louisville newspapers which 
 circulate largely in all parts of the State. These warnings enabled a number of families to 
 leave their homes and remove their belongings before the water reached them. 
 
 OHIO RIVER. 
 
 At Madison, Ind., the river was above flood stage — 46 feet — from the afternoon of March 26 
 to the early morning of April 8. The crest of the flood reached a stage of 62.8 feet, which is 
 the highest on record and was 1 foot above the record of February, 1884. This was the only 
 station in the Louisville district on the Ohio River where the stage of 1884 was exceeded and 
 was no doubt due to the coming together of the extraordinary flood waters of the Great Miami 
 and those of the Kentucky. At Cincinnati, Ohio, a crest of 70 feet was reached, which is 1.1 
 feet below the crest of the 1884 flood. 
 
 At Louisville. Ky., a crest of 44.9 feet was reached about 2 a. m. of April 2, which is 1.8 
 feet below the 1884 flood crest. Here the Ohio River was above flood stage from the afternoon 
 of March 26 to the early morning of April 9. For the second time this year the river 
 completely submerged Shippingport, a small section of the city lying between the river and 
 the Louisville and Portland Canal and containing 78 families, also a section of the city below 
 what is Itnown as the " cut-off," where some 1.700 families were rendered homeless. The flood 
 water spread over quite a large area bordering on the river, including a part of a section 
 known as Parkland and sections along Bear Grass Creek. The backwater up this creek 
 flooded several of the principal streets, inundating bridges, which caused a disarrangement 
 and partial suspension of street-car and other traffic. Also, there were a number of factories 
 and mills of various kinds that were flooded and had to suspend business for a week or ten 
 days at considerable loss. A large whisky warehouse containing 3.690 barrels of whisky 
 collapsed on account of being undermined by high water, and the barrels of whisky were 
 plunged into the river. Most of them were finally recovered. 
 
 Railroad and mail services were badly hampered. All roads from Louisville to Chicago, 
 except the Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railroad (Monon), had to suspend business, 
 and all train service ceased for several days on lines leading north and east except the 
 Louisville & Xashville to Cincinnati. Roads from Louisville to St. Louis also suspended 
 train service for several days. 
 
 In Louisville and vicinity it is estimated that 2.000 persons were thrown out of employment 
 on account of the flooding of factories. Damage to factories and business houses in the 
 flooded district together with the loss in wages and from suspension of business is estimated 
 at half a million dollars. River navigation was practically suspended on account of the 
 high water making it impossible for the larger boats to pass under the bridges. The Union 
 Railroad Station at the foot of Seventh Street was abandoned March 30, the water being over 
 the tracks and in the lower story of the building, and all the railroad yards on the river front 
 were for the most part under water for about a week. 
 
 The city authorities were advised well in advance of the overflow and inundation of the 
 two sections of the city where danger was greatest, namely. Shippingport and the Point 
 
THE FLOOD IN THE OHIO, IN THE LOUISVILLE DISTRICT. 83 
 
 (or section below* the "cut-off"). As the flood waters were coming on so rapidly the mayor 
 was advised by personal call over the telephone to get the people out of those sections without 
 any delay or loss of time. With the aid of the police and fire departments all the families 
 and their household goods were removed to places of safety before the flood waters enveloped 
 their homes. 
 
 One of the most critical and dangerous situations developed by the flood was the condition 
 at Jeffersonville, Ind., across the Ohio River from Louisville. Ky. The city is protected by a 
 levee in front and by an embankment or fill under the tracks of the Pennsylvania Railroad at 
 the lowest point between the city and New Albany. The levee was not high enough to resist 
 the stage of 45 feet and was strengthened at many places with bags of sand, cement, dirt, etc.; 
 while across several of the streets where the levee was low, timber barricades were built and 
 filled in with dirt to bring the height above the expected crest stage. But the hardest struggle 
 was necessary at the Pennsylvania fill. As the water rose at this point the embankment began 
 to slip away and leak. Electric lights were strung along the fill and a guard established; 
 also about 200 of the convicts at the Indiana reformatory, a few hundred feet away, were 
 pressed into service, and with their help about 170,000 sacks of sand and cement, great 
 quantities of dirt and other material were used to reenforce and strengthen the weak places, 
 the fight going on both day and night until the crest was passed and the water receding. About 
 100 tarpaulins were loaned by the Jeffersonville depot of the Quartermaster's Department and 
 were spread on the side of the fill next the river, materially assisting in preventing the water 
 from cutting through the embankment. If this fill had broken, nearly every business house 
 in the city and probably 2,400 homes would have been flooded, with enormous damage. On 
 account of the close proximitjr of the local office of the Weather Bureau the city officials and 
 citizens were able to obtain warnings at all times and made their desperate fight against the 
 rising waters on the basis of the information furnished. The loss to property located outside 
 the district protected by the levee is estimated at about $40,000, and as that part of the city is 
 relatively small it is estimated that the value of property' saved by the work on the levee and 
 fill is at least $1,000,000. 
 
 Flood information and warnings were issued from the Louisville office from time to time, 
 beginning March 26, 1913, of which the first and last only are given below: 
 
 March 26 (10 a. m.). — Excessive rainfalls, ranging in amount from 2 to 5 inches and more, have fallen 
 during the past 24 hours over the entire watershed. The river has risen 21 feet since yesterday morning at 
 Cincinnati, and is now above flood stage at that point. It. had risen 16 feet at Madison and nearly 11 feet at 
 Louisville at 7 a. m.. and 2 feet at Louisvile from 7 to 10 a. m. It is now rising at the rate of nearly one-half 
 foot per hour. It will pass the flood stage early to-night and continue rising rapidly during several days. 
 
 Special bulletin (9 p. m.). — At 7 p. m. the river stage at Cincinnati was 54. S feet and rising at the rate 
 of three-tenths of a foot per hour. It was rising steadily above Cincinnati, but in the stretch from Catletts- 
 burg to Maysville it was 15 to 20 feet below flood stage, while at Pittsburgh it was 3 feet above flood stage. 
 At 9 p. m. the stage at Louisville was 30 feet, and the river was rising at the rate of five-tenths of a foot per 
 hour. A stage of near 33 feet or more is expected by 7 or S o'clock Thursday morning. It will continue rising 
 during Thursday, but the rate of rise will probably decrease somewhat, and from present indications the crest 
 will be between 35 and 36 feet at Louisville. 
 
 April 7, 1913. — The river this morning has passed below the flood stage at Maysville and was only 0.5 foot 
 above that stage at Cincinnati, where the fall since Saturday morning has been nearly 13 feet. The decliue 
 in this section will from now on be rapid. 
 
 The bulletins were given wide dissemination through the local press and over the telephone. 
 In addition a bulletin giving the river stages at the various stations reporting, at stated times, 
 was issued daily in postal-card form and mailed to persons interested. This bulletin also con- 
 tained a statement as to expected heights as far as they could be anticipated. Thousands of 
 inquiries were received over the telephone, many of them long distance. In fact, at points from 
 the mouth of the Kentucky Eiver to Tell City, Ind., a distance of nearly 200 miles, the people 
 were kept directly informed and warned through the medium of the telephone. 
 
 It is needless to say that the services of the Weather Bureau proved of inestimable value 
 to the flooded sections and those threatened by flood. Many commendations of the value and 
 accuracy of the warnings and forecasts have been received. 
 
OHIO FLOOD— EVANSVILLE, IND., DISTRICT. 
 
 By Ax. Brand, Local Forecaster. 
 
 Continued heavy rains over most of the Ohio and its tributary valleys during March 24, 25, 
 26, and 27 started a rapid rise along this stretch of the Ohio River on March 25 from stages 
 ranging between 24 and 27 feet. Within 48 hours after the rise began flood stages were reached 
 and passed at Evansville, Henderson, and Mount Vernon, and devastating, record-breaking 
 flood conditions prevailed in most of the Evansville River district from March 26 to April 18, 
 inclusive. 
 
 At Evansville, Ind., the rise began on March 25, from a stage of 26 feet. The rise was 
 especially rapid during the first 48 hours, amounting to 10.6 feet ; river reached and passed the 
 flood stage, 35 feet, sometime during the hour ending at midnight of March 26. The greatest 
 24-hour rise, 6-5 feet, occurred during the period ending at 7 a. m., March 27. From 7 a. m., 
 March 27, to 7 a. m., April 1, inclusive, the 24-hour rises diminished gradually from 3.8 feet to 
 1 foot. After 7 a. m. of April 1 the 24-hour rises were less than 1 foot until about 9 a. m. of 
 April 3, when the river came to a stand with the gage indicating a stage of 47.9 feet; river 
 remained stationary at a stage of 47.9 feet until shortly after 12 noon of April 3, when a second 
 creeping rise set in as a result of a heavy rain which had set in over this section of the Ohio 
 and Green River Valleys, combined with a fresh to brisk wind blowing directly onto the gage. 
 The second rise terminated shortly after 12 noon of April 5, with a crest stage of 48.3-}- feet. 
 This crest stage of 48.3-(- feet is the highest stage ever recorded at Evansville in the history of 
 the station. River remained stationary at 48.3+ feet until about 6 p. m. of April 5, when it began 
 to fall slowly ; the slow fall, amounting to less than 1 foot in 24 hours, continued until 7 a. m. 
 of April 10, after which the 24-hour rate of fall increased slowly, but gradually, from 1.4 to 
 2.5 feet ; river was falling at the latter rate when it dropped below the flood stage, 35 feet, at 
 about midnight of April 15. Since that time the river has continued falling at a rate averaging 
 slightly over 1.5 feet in each 24 hours. 
 
 At Henderson, Ky., where the rate of rise and fall was again very similar to that experi- 
 enced at Evansville (the greatest 24-hour rise, 6.5 feet, being the same and occurring on the 
 same date as that at Evansville), the rise started on March 25 from a stage of 24 feet; river 
 reached and passed the flood stage, 33 feet, shortly before daybreak of March 27; river came 
 to a stand during the afternoon of April 5, with a crest stage of 47.9 feet. The crest at Hender- 
 son was, it is believed, materially raised by backwater from the Wabash. River remained 
 stationary at Henderson with a stage of 47.9 feet until sometime during the night of April 5 
 and 6, when it began to fall slowly; river fell below the flood stage, 33 feet, at 11.30 a. m., 
 April 16. 
 
 At Mount Vernon, Ind., the rise began on March 25, from a stage of 26.3 feet. During the 
 first 24 hours ending at 7 a. m., March 26, the rise amounted to 2.7 feet, while the greatest 24- 
 hour rise, 5.3 feet, occurred during those ending at 7 a. m., March 27. River reached and passed 
 the flood stage, 35 feet, at 11 a. m., March 27. From 7 a. m., March 27, to 7 a. m., March 30, 
 inclusive, the 24-hour rises gradually diminished from 3.9 to 2.7 feet. As a result of the 
 destructive flood wave which began surging into the Ohio from the Wabash during the night of 
 
 85 
 
86 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 March 29 and 30. the rate of rise at Mount Vernon again increased quite suddenly during the 
 morning of March 30, due to backwater, and amounted to 3.5 feet during the 24 hours ending 
 at 7 a. m. of March 31 ; after this time the rate of rise diminished materially, the river coming 
 to a stand at 9 a. m. of April 5, with a crest stage of 52.9 feet, scant. River remained stationary 
 at a stage of 52.9 feet, scant, until sometime during the night of April 6, when it began to fall 
 -lowly ; the 24-hour rate of fall amounted to less than 1 foot until after 7 a. m., April 10, when it 
 increased gradually from 1.7 to 3.5 feet; river was falling at the latter rate when it dropped 
 below the flood stage, 33 feet, at 4 a. m., April 18. Since falling below the flood stage, the decline 
 has continued steadily, mostly at a decreasing rate. 
 
 ACTION BEFORE AND DURING FLOOD. 
 
 The first reference to the rapid rise expected along this stretch of the river was made in 
 the regular river forecast published on March 25, which read as follows: 
 
 The Ohio. — As a result of the heavy rains during the past 48 hours, a rise will set in at Evansville, 
 Henderson, and Mount Vernon this afternoon or to-night. The rate of rise will increase rapidly during the 
 next 48 hours. Sufficient water now in sight to raise the present stages in the lower part of the Evansville 
 district 3 or 4 feet by Wednesday night or Thursday morning. 
 
 At 8.40 a. m. on March 26 (Wednesday), the following flood warning was issued by the 
 official in charge of the local office and disseminated as widely as possible throughout the 
 Evansville River district by means of the local press, river bulletins, telegraph, and telephone : 
 
 Flood warning. — Stages of 35. 33, and 35 feet will he reached and passed at Evansville, Henderson, and 
 Mount Vernon, respectively, Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Notify interests. 
 
 From time to time additional warnings Avere issued as conditions of the weather demanded. 
 Only the initial and final warnings are here given. The latter, under date of April 4, 1913, 
 follows: 
 
 April J/. — The Ohio River continues falling at all upriver points. The rain during the past 24 hours, 
 combined with backwater and brisk wind, has caused additional slight rises on all gages in the lower part of 
 the district. While the river is now on a stand at Evansville, additional rises of a tenth or so may occur at 
 these points due to the rain, backwater, and wind. At Mount Vernon it will come to a stand to-night or 
 Saturday morning, with a stage of about 53 feet. 
 
 In addition to the flood warnings and river forecasts published and distributed by every 
 possible means from day to clay, the official in charge of the local office furnished by telephone 
 and telegraph advisory and timely information to all applicants from outlying districts and 
 neighboring river towns; when the water began to encroach upon Water Street he also per- 
 sonally called on the merchants on that street and advised them to make use of splashboards 
 and sand bags in order to keep the water from getting into their basements and first floors. 
 
 The March-April, 1913, flood was, at least in the lower part of the Evansville River district, 
 the greatest and also the most devastating flood in the history of this station, as well as in the 
 memory of the oldest inhabitant. All of the lowlands and most of the river towns and cities in 
 the district contributed toward making up the enormous losses experienced in the Ohio Valley 
 from Louisville, Ky.j down to the mouth of the "Wabash River. The flood water rendered 
 homeless thousands of people and made prisoners of many others in their homes for clays, in 
 some instances without food. Thousands of buildings, consisting of houses, barns, outbuildings, 
 tool sheds, corncribs, etc., with most of their contents, were completely washed away, while a 
 great many that were left were thrown or moved from their foundations or otherwise dis- 
 arranged ; hundreds of thousands of bushels of corn and immense quantities of cured hay and 
 other foodstuffs were lost, and large tracts of growing wheat, clover, timothy, etc., were com- 
 pletely destroyed. Some, in fact most all, of the rural districts were deprived for days of all 
 means of outside communication, while some of the smaller river towns were without mails for 
 a week or 10 days. Enterprise. Tell City, and Cannelton, Ind., and Hawesville and Uniontown, 
 Kv.. were, it is believed, the heaviest sufferers among the towns affected by the flood in this 
 district. 
 
OHIO FLOOD EVANSVILLE, IND., DISTRICT. 87 
 
 At Enterprise, Ind., a small village, all the inhabitants. 30 families, or about 120 people, 
 were driven from their homes, as every house was more or less flooded. 
 
 At Tell City, Ind., a thriving and prosperous manufacturing town, with a population of 
 about 4,000, all of the factory district as well as a large portion of the residence section was 
 flooded, and about 300 families were compelled to abandon their homes. 
 
 At Cannelton. Ind., and Hawesville. Ky.. two small towns on nearly opposite sides of the 
 river, each with a population of about 1.000. the greater portion of each town was flooded, and 
 about 75 families of each place were required to seek temporary homes elsewhere. 
 
 At Uniontown, Ky., 13 miles below Mount Vernon, Ind., and about G miles above the 
 mouth of the Wabash River, with a population of about 2.000, where the suffering, as a direct 
 result of the flood, is believed to have been infinitely worse than at any other point along the 
 Ohio, not excluding Shawneetown, 111., every house in the city was flooded to such an extent 
 as to make it absolutely uninhabitable, and all residents were compelled to leave their homes 
 and seek shelter at the fair grounds, back on the hills. A member of a relief party sent out 
 from this city (Evansville) stated that the actual suffering at Uniontown during the first three 
 or four days after the residents of that place were compelled to leave their homes was inde- 
 scribable; rich and poor alike Avere compelled by necessity to huddle together in stalls and in 
 such other improvised shelters as were offered by the flimsy and insecure structures at the 
 fair grounds, without the necessary food, bedding, or clothing. 
 
 The publisher of the Telegram at Uniontown, Ky., states that the losses to city property 
 at Uniontown, Ky., will amount to at least $200,000; that there was a loss of about 60,000 
 bushels of wheat and about 75,000 bushels of corn in that immediate vicinity, and that the 
 losses occasioned by enforced suspension of business, including loss of wages by employees, were 
 estimated to amount to another $50,000. 
 
 At the present market value of wheat and corn the losses at Uniontown, Ky., and vicinity 
 would in the aggregate amount to fully $33G,500. The publisher of the Telegram also stated 
 that — 
 
 Possibly half of this loss would have been avoided if the people had heeded the warnings sent out by 
 the Weather Bureau. Most of the people prepared for an 1S84 water only, and when the crest reached 27 
 inches higher the greatest part of the damage was suffered. 
 
 From information obtained from other sources it appears that most of the residents of 
 Uniontown, Ky., notwithstanding the warnings sent out by the local office. AVeather Bureau. 
 Evansville, Ind., believed that they would be able to escape flood water by scaffolding about 
 1 inch higher than what would have been necessary to escape the last January water. As a 
 result the upriver water, reenforced by the flood wave which began surging out of the Wabash 
 during the night of March 29-30, caught them unprepared for the sudden rise which occurred 
 at Uniontown on March 30 and 31. The sudden rise, clue largely to backwater from the Wabash, 
 prevented the removal of the merchandise in the stores, as well as the furniture, etc., from the 
 houses ; it also prevented rescaffolding of same to raise it above flood water. The losses resulting 
 from the flood will be a serious blow to the merchants of Uniontown. 
 
 The main cause of the destructive flood wave which swept things clean throughout the lower 
 White and Wabash Valleys on March 28, 29. and 30 appears to have been the breaking away 
 of about 1,400 feet of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad embankment, located in the 
 White River Valley, between Decker and Hazelton, Inch, and about 18 miles above the mouth 
 of the White River. This embankment, which is about 4 or 5 miles long, acts as an immense dam 
 in times when the White River is in flood ; in consequence of this, when it broke late Friday 
 afternoon or evening, March 28, a perfect wall of water was suddenly released and allowed to 
 sweep everything before it in the lower White and Wabash Valleys. 
 
 At Evansville, Ind., the flood caused but little damage but considerable inconvenience. 
 All of the main portion of the city was high and dry, the only districts flooded being those 
 along the eastern and southeastern edges of the city known as Oakdale, Crofton Place, Maple 
 Place. Maple Grove, and Garden Acres ; some of the low-lying sections along Pigeon Creek, and 
 
88 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Water Street, between Vine and Locust Streets, were also flooded. The suburb of Oakdale, 
 which is believed to be the lowest section of the city, is composed of 400 or 500 modest houses, 
 averaging in value between $900 and $1,000, and begins to flood when the river passes the 
 42-foot stage on the local gage. "When the water was at the maximum stage the flooded districts 
 along the eastern and southeastern edges of the city, as well as those along Pigeon Creek, were 
 flooded to a depth ranging between 2 and 61- feet, the latter depth being confined almost entirely 
 to the lowest sections of Oakdale. At a stage of 46.5 feet the water begins encroaching upon 
 Water Street adjoining the public levee. When the flood was at its highest all of the business 
 portion of Water Street, between Division and Locust Streets, was flooded to a depth of about 
 6 inches, the water reaching almost to the top of the curbing along the outer edge of the side- 
 walks; some of the merchants along this street made use of splashboards and sandbags to 
 prevent the water from being splashed into their first floors and cellars by the high wind. All 
 railroads and some of the suburban electric lines entering this city, as well as the city street car 
 lines in outlying sections, were seriously interfered with; all of the railroads, except those leav- 
 ing and entering the city by way of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Bridge, were com- 
 pelled to suspend all through business to northern, eastern, and western points. This interrup- 
 tion in railway traffic, which was general throughout most of the States bordering on the Ohio 
 River, had a far-reaching effect, as it continued for about two weeks, and brought about an 
 unusual sluggishness in all lines of trade in every city in this district ; it also interfered to a 
 great extent with the prompt movement of mails throughout all of southern Indiana. 
 
 The flood caused but little damage at Mount Vernon, Ind., and at Henderson. Ky., as both 
 of these towns are located well above the flood line; they were, however, affected and incon- 
 venienced by the interrupted mail and railway services. 
 
 Local, State, and Federal aid in the way of tents, food, clothing, medicine, and feed for 
 live stock was furnished to flood refugees at nearly all towns and cities in this district. 
 
 Very little drift was left on the lands flooded, and most of the bottoms that were over- 
 flowed were materially benefited by a deposit of silt in the nature of a rich loam, ranging between 
 2 and 6 inches in depth. Spring plowing, it is believed, was not delayed by the flood. 
 
FLOOD IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, APRIL, 1913, CAIRO, ILL., TO 
 
 HELENA, ARK. 
 
 By S. G. Emery, Local Forecaster. 
 
 Following the rise in the Mississippi River that culminated on February 3, with a stage 
 of 40.5 feet on the Memphis gage, the river fell rapidly, reaching 16.1 feet at New Madrid on 
 February 26 and 17.3 feet at Memphis on February 27. Then, as a result of heavy rains in 
 Tennessee and Kentucky and general though moderate rains over the northern watershed of 
 the Ohio River during the last two days in February, the morning reports on March 1 showed 
 rising stages in the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to Cairo and in the Mississippi from St. Louis 
 to Memphis. In this district the total increase on river stages, due to the rains above men- 
 tioned, was about 9 feet, the rise occupying the period March 1 to 10. This rise did not greatly 
 affect the lower reaches of the Mississippi River, the increase at Vicksburg being only 1.4 feet, 
 but inasmuch as they had not then regained normal conditions following the February rise it 
 caused the abnormal stage to be sustained until the arrival of the southwest storm that swept 
 over this section on March 26 and 27, attended by a heavy downpour of rain that caused an 
 additional rise that continued until the Ohio flood waters began to enter the Delta country. In 
 other words, the lower river was well filled before the real flood entered the head of the valley, 
 a condition that usually attends all severe floods in the lower Mississippi. 
 
 On March 15 the rise that had been in progress in the upper Mississippi and Missouri 
 Rivers for some days began to be felt at Cairo, and, being augmented by a heav}^ downpour of 
 rain an March 14, the rise was very rapid, as much as 15 feet being added to the Cairo gage 
 in eight days. 
 
 At Memphis the rise began on March 18, with a stage of 20.7 feet, and in the next eight 
 days 11 feet was added to the gage reading. At Helena the stage increase in the first 11 days 
 was 14 feet. Flood stage (35 feet) was reached at Memphis on March 30, the increase in 13 
 days being 14.8 feet. The rise in the lower river up to this time was caused by a storm that 
 passed northeastward over the Central Valley region on March 13 and 14, causing heavy rains 
 and snows in the Missouri and upper Mississippi watersheds and general rains in the Ohio 
 Valley from below Pittsburgh to Cairo. The principal flood waters from the Ohio River, those 
 caused by the remarkable rainfalls in the States of Indiana and Ohio and which resulted in 
 severely inundating several cities in those States, had not yet reached as far south as Memphis. 
 After reaching flood stage at Memphis the rise was less rapid for a day or two, but when the 
 first effects of the Ohio flood began to be felt the rate of rise increased to over a foot per day, 
 and on April 7 reached 44.9 feet. At 8 a. m., April 8, the river stood three-tenths of a foot 
 above the record for 1912, which was 45.3 feet. On the following clay, April 9, four-tenths of 
 a foot had been added to the Memphis gage, and at 7 a. m., April 10, the gage reading was 46.5 
 feet, with indications that a very slight fall had occurred between 5 a. m. and 7 a. m., estimated 
 at less than a tenth of a foot. This stage, 46.5 feet, is 1.3 feet above the 1912 record and 9.4 feet 
 above that of 1897, which up to that time was the greatest flood on record. A further rise 
 at Memphis was prevented by a break in the levee at 5.30 p. m., March 9, at Golden Lake, Ark., 
 38 miles by river above Memphis, and near the scene of the Wilson break in 1912. Also by a 
 break in the levee near Graves Bayou, Ark., 23 miles below Memphis. The latter occurred at 
 2 a. m., April 10, and was the direct cause of the fall shown on the Memphis gage of 1.8 feet 
 on April 11. Following this decided drop, the next seven days showed a decline of less than 
 
 SO 
 
90 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 2 feet. At the time the breaks in the levee occurred the river at Memphis was rising at the 
 rate of about one-half foot per day, and notwithstanding the fact that Cairo had reported a 
 stationary or falling stage during the six preceding days the river continued rising at Cotton- 
 wood Point. Mo.. 116 miles above Memphis, up to the 10th, and on the same day at Fulton, 
 Tenn.. 57 miles above Memphis, showed a rise of one-tenth of a foot, and the next day, AjDril 
 11. a fall of seven-tenths of a foot, which fall was clearly due to the break in the levee at Golden 
 Lake. 20 miles below. From the fact that rising stages continued at all points south of Xew 
 Madrid. Mo., until the levee gave way it is fair to assume that had no break occurred the river 
 at Memphis would have continued rising at least two or three days longer and carried the 
 stage to 47.5 feet. The conditions affecting the stage of the river at Cairo in 1913 were prac- 
 tically the same as obtained in 1912; that is, the levees in that vicinity broke in the same places, 
 and yet with only eight-tenths of a foot increase in stage height above 1912 at Cairo the gage 
 at Memphis showed 1.2 feet more in 1913 than in 1912. This may be accounted for in part by 
 the fact that only one break in the levee occurred below "Wilson, Ark., this year against two in 
 
 1912. namely. St. Clair and Wyanoke. 
 
 At Xew Madrid. Mo., the river reached flood stage. 34 feet, March 27, and the crest stage, 
 44.5 feet. April 9. It was above flood stage 30 days, and above 40 feet 21 clays. In 1912 it 
 was above flood stage 34 days and above 40 feet 23 days. 
 
 At Memphis the river reached flood stage on March 30, and the crest stage, 46.5 feet, 
 April 10. It was above flood stage 30 days, and above 40 feet 20 days. In 1912, it was above 
 flood stage 56 days, and above 40 feet 23 clays. 
 
 At Helena it reached flood stage on April 1. and the crest stage. 55.2 feet. April 21. It 
 was above flood stage 34 days, and above 50 feet 24 clays. In 1912 it was above flood stage 62 
 days, and above 50 feet 29 days. 
 
 The 1912 record was exceeded at Xew Madrid, Mo., 0.5 foot; Memphis. 1.2 feet: Helena. 
 Ark., 0.8 foot. 
 
 The long continued rise at Helena was due to the water that escaped through the several 
 breaks in the Arkansas levee, returning by way of the St. Francis River which joins the main 
 stream 8 miles above Helena, Ark. Conditions somewhat similar obtained at Xew Madrid 
 where the river rose for five days after it became stationary at Cairo and showed no material 
 change for six clays thereafter. 11 days in all. This was caused by the overflow water from 
 breaks in levees opposite and above Cairo passing south via St. Johns Bayou and the swamp 
 region in southeast Missouri and rejoining the Mississippi above Xew Madrid. 
 
 A matter of special interest in connection with floods in the section of the river between 
 Cairo and Helena is the change in gage relation between Cairo and stations north of Helena. 
 At the time of the great flood of 1882, the excess in gage height at Cairo, above Memphis, was 
 16.8 feet, this being near the average difference between the two gages previous to the con- 
 traction of the protecting levees in this district. In 1897 this difference was reduced to 14.5 
 feet; in 1903. the difference was 10.5; in 1907, 10; in 1912, it had dropped to 8.7 feet, and in 
 
 1913, to 8.2 feet. While it is possible that had no break occurred in the levee, the river at 
 Memphis would have reached a foot higher than it actually did, it is equally possible, had no 
 break occurred at Cairo, that gage would have indicated a higher stage, therefore it seems 
 probable that under present conditions the difference between Cairo and Memphis will continue 
 close to 8 feet. 
 
 At Helena the effect of levee construction in Mississippi was first seen in 1897, when the 
 difference between that station and Cairo was changed from —4.6 feet to +0.2 feet, an elevation 
 of the flood plane of practically 5 feet. Since that time Helena has ranged from one to five- 
 tenths above the Cairo reading. 
 
 Crevasses. — On March 31. at 5 p. m.. the levee at Columbus. Ky.. gave way and caused 
 that city to be flooded to a depth of from 5 to 10 feet. As all hope of saving the levee had 
 been abandoned early in the day. the people were warned to leave and as a result only a few 
 families remained when the flood waters entered the town. 
 
FLOOD IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, APRIL, 1913, CAIRO, ILL., TO HELENA, ARK. 91 
 
 On April 4, at 12.40 p. m. the levee protecting West Hickman, Ivy., gave way and in an 
 hour and a half all of that portion of Hickman was flooded to a depth of from 4 to 15 feet. 
 In hundreds of houses the water reached to the top of the windows and every store building had 
 water halfway to the ceiling. About 2,000 residents of the city took refuge on the high ground 
 near by. 
 
 On April 5, at 8 a. m., a portion of the levee in North Memphis bordering Bayou Gayoso 
 gave way and later on other portions of the same levee went out, resulting in severely flooding 
 about 20 city blocks and drove 1,000 or more families from their homes and caused many of 
 the manufacturing concerns to close. Owing to the alertness on the part of the city officials 
 in warning people in the threatened district, there was no loss of life, and much valuable 
 property was saved. 
 
 On April 9, at 5.30 p. m., the St. Francis levee near the town of Wilson, Ark. (at a place 
 called Golden Lake), broke after two Aveeks of the most persistent high-water fight on record. 
 At the time the break occurred the water was splashing over the sandbag topping at intervals 
 of 500 feet for about three-fourths of a mile. Following this break, another occurred at 
 Random Shot, 4 miles below Golden Lake. This occurred at about 11 p. m., April 9. 
 
 On April 10, at 2 a. m., a break occurred in the Arkansas levee near Graves Bayou, Ark., 
 23 miles below Memphis. The two breaks in the levee near Wilson, Ark., and the one at 
 Graves Bayou, relieved the strain on the whole St. Francis system and prevented breaks in 
 other portions of the levee that at the time were in great danger. The waters escaping through 
 these crevasses, as they moved southward through the St. Francis River and the bayous and 
 swamps draining into it by which they would eventually, reach the Mississippi River near 
 Helena, flooded to some degree parts of seven counties in Arkansas. The northeastern portion 
 of Crittenden County was saved from overflow from the Wilson breaks by a low ridge near 
 its northern boundary. This entire county was inundated in 1912. The eastern portion of 
 Mississippi County, Ark., was also saved from overflow, but with these exceptions, the inunda- 
 tion in that portion of the St. Francis Basin lying in Arkansas was as complete as in any 
 previous high water in recent years. The counties of Poinsett and Cross suffered severely, 
 the water being from 2 to 3 feet higher in some sections than in 1912, while in St. Francis, 
 Lee, and the greater portion of Crittenden Counties the flood was about one-half foot below 
 1912. The St. Francis River at Madison, St. Francis County, Ark., came to a stand on April 
 22 at a stage of 40.9 feet, which is 0.9 foot below the 1912 record at that place. 
 
 The St. Francis levee district, which comprises the St. Francis Basin proper, extends from 
 Point Pleasant, Mo., southward to Helena, Ark., being bounded on the east by the Mississippi 
 River and on the west by Crawleys Ridge. In this district there are 3,200 squares miles subject 
 to overflow, 2.500 square miles being in Arkansas and TOO in Missouri. It is estimated that 75 
 per cent of the Arkansas lands in this district subject to overflow were flooded, and those 
 located in Missouri comprise about 20 per cent of the 700 square miles, making a total in the 
 St. Francis Basin of 2,015 square miles of flooded land. This is about 705 square miles less 
 than in 1912. 
 
 The overflowed territory in Missouri from the high ground near New Madrid, Mo., to 
 about opposite Cairo, 111., comprises 439 square miles, making a total area on the right bank of 
 the Mississippi River, between Cairo and Helena, directly flooded from that stream of 2,454 
 square miles, an area 400 square miles greater than the State of Delaware. Fortunately at 
 the beginning of the flood period the St, Francis River was at a low stage, which permitted 
 much of the overflow water from the upper districts to be carried off before the crevasses lower 
 down occurred. Then again the recently constructed drainage canals in the northern portion 
 of the basin aided materially in carrying off the waters, especially those that found their way 
 into the basin through the crevasses in the vicinity of Cairo. Considering the great volume of 
 water that entered the St. Francis Basin the land was cleared in a remarkably short time. 
 Before the end of April farming operations were well under way in most of the northern 
 counties, and by May 5 practically all portions of the basin were free of water. 
 
92 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Flood warnings. — On March 26 the public was advised by a special warning issued by the 
 local office of the Weather Bureau to prepare for a severe flood, and the statement was made 
 that a stage exceeding 40 feet was certain at Memphis, and that the stage at Helena would 
 exceed 50 feet. On the following day, March 27, the following bulletin was issued and widely 
 distributed throughout this district: 
 
 The river at Memphis will reach flood stage (35 feet) hy Saturday or Sunday, and 40 feet in the next 
 five or six days. The water now in sight is sufficient to give Memphis considerably more than 40 feet, and it 
 is possible the maximum stage may approximate the 1912 record of 45.3 feet. At Helena a stage considerably 
 above 50 feet is indicated. 
 
 Immediately following the publication of these warnings the several levee boards, Gov- 
 ernment engineers in charge of river improvement under the Mississippi River Commission, 
 and the city of Memphis began to prepare for the expected flood. The writer of this report 
 can confidently state that during no previous flood period during the past 20 years or more 
 have the preparations for a high-water fight been as carefully planned or more successfully 
 carried out than during the flood of 1913. Much credit is due Maj. E. M. Markham, in charge 
 of the first and second districts, Mississippi River Commission, and his assistants, and Mr. B. G. 
 Covington, chief engineer for the St. Francis levee board, in holding the levees intact when 
 the river had reached a stage from 1 to 2 feet above the grade they were intended to withstand, 
 and in not relaxing their efforts until all danger had passed. 
 
 As soon as this office announced that the flood would probably approximate the one that 
 occurred in 1912, the St. Francis levee board immediately dispatched crews of men to Wilson, 
 Ark., to strengthen the levee at that place, a crevasse having occurred there in 1912, and a 
 weakness had developed during the January rise of this year. Also men and teams were 
 distributed at convenient localities along the entire line. Government steamers and quarter 
 boats were ordered assembled and supplied with stores, bags, and other material in order to be 
 ready for an emergency call. In Memphis every available man in the city service was set at 
 work strengthening and enlarging the levee bordering Bayou Gayoso. This levee is for the 
 protection of north Memphis from back water in Wolf River, which in turn causes the bayou 
 to overflow and flood that portion of the city whenever the Mississippi reaches a stage of 40 
 feet or over on the Memphis gage. At this time telephone and telegraph messages were pour- 
 ing into this office from all directions and in great numbers. Many of these messages contained 
 requests for information in regard to the advisability of moving stock and other property from 
 certain localities; others inquiring the date the river would reach a certain stage in order that 
 they could arrange for moving before the water reached them. Railroad officials, both in 
 Memphis and in distant cities, sent in requests to be daily advised as to conditions in this 
 district and future prospects. 
 
 On April 2 an additional warning was issued that the river at Memphis would reach 46 feet, 
 and 55 feet or over at Helena. As the North Memphis levee was built to withstand only 42 
 feet on the Memphis gage, the city engineer department was strongly advised to prepare 
 for 46 feet in the next 10 days. Accordingly hundreds of men and teams were set at work 
 in night and day shifts in an effort to raise the levee to the proper grade. The Memphis 
 Light & Power Co. and the Memphis Gas & Electric Co. began raising their private levees to 
 higher levels. On April 7 the prediction was made that the stage at Memphis would exceed 
 46 feet, the amount depending on the stability of the Arkansas levee. On April 11 the city 
 of Helena was advised that the maximum stage at that place would be 55.5 feet. The levee 
 at that place had been raised to a grade that it was thought would stand 56 feet. On April 22 
 the river at Helena came to a stand at a stage of 55.3 feet, 0.2 of a foot below the estimate 
 made 11 days previous. 
 
 Owing to the fact that the water along the Arkansas front was somewhat above the stage 
 the .levees were built to withstand, and in several long stretches the water was being held back 
 by bags of sand, it was not possible to make an exact forecast as to the ultimate height of the 
 flood at Memphis. However, the estimate of 46 feet made on April 2 was given 8 days in 
 advance of the crest stage of 46.5 feet, and with the estimate of 45 feet 12 days in advance 
 gave the people reasonable time in which to prepare for the coming flood. 
 
REPORT ON FLOODS OF 1913— VICKSBURG RIVER DISTRICT. 
 
 By William E. Barron. Section Director. 
 
 The floods during the spring of 1913 in the Vicksburg River district consisted of two 
 distinct rises, the second of which was the more important. 
 
 The Mississippi River began to rise in this district on January 6 with comparatively low 
 stages prevailing, in which respect this rise was much like the rises of February-March, 
 1909, and of January-February, 1910. Flood stages were passed at Arkansas City, Ark., 
 47 feet, on January 30; at Greenville, Miss., 42 feet, on February 2; and at Vicksburg, 45 
 feet, on February 1. The maximum stages were 50 feet at Arkansas City and 43.7 feet at 
 Greenville on February 11 and 12, and 49 feet at Vicksburg on February 16-18, inclusive. 
 The river fell below flood stage at Arkansas City on February 19, at Greenville on February 18, 
 and at Vicksburg on February 26. 
 
 The river continued falling until March 4, when a slow rise set in that gave stages of 35.5 
 feet at Arkansas City and of 29.2 feet at Greenville on March 12 and 13, and of 38.3 feet at 
 Vicksburg on March 14, after which the river again declined to 31.1 feet at Arkansas City, 
 March 19; 25.1 feet at Greenville, March 20; and 34 feet at Vicksburg, March 22, by which time 
 the Ohio at Cairo, 111., had been rising for a full week prior to the phenomenal rains of March 
 23-27 over the Ohio watershed. 
 
 The rise in the Vicksburg district was continuous from this time until the stages began to 
 be affected by breaks in the levees. Flood stages were reached at Arkansas City April 5, and 
 at Greenville and Vicksburg April 8. The maximum stages were as follows: Arkansas City 
 55.1 feet, April 21-25, inclusive ; Greenville, 50.4 feet, April 21 ; Lake Providence, La., 48 feet, 
 on the same date: and Vicksburg, 52.3 feet, April 27 and 28. These stages are three-tenths, 
 two-tenths, and one-tenth of a foot, respectively, less than the record-breaking stages of 1912 
 at Arkansas City, Greenville, and Lake Providence. At Vicksburg the crest exceeded that of 
 1912 by two-tenths of a foot, but was two-tenths lower than the high-water mark of 1897. The 
 decline was rapid, and the river passed below flood stage at Arkansas City May 9, at Green- 
 ville May 8, and at Vicksburg during May 15. 
 
 Frequent rains during January caused a gradual rise in the Yazoo River. At Swan Lake, 
 Tallahatchie County, Miss., it passed above flood stage, 24 feet, on January 16, and reached a 
 maximum stage of 29.3 feet January 30-February 5. As the country drained by the upper 
 Yazoo is flat, and as there were copious rains from time to time, the fall was slow, and by 
 February 26 the water had only receded to 26.8 feet, 2.8 above flood stage. For the next four 
 weeks the stage fluctuated slowly between 27.2 and 26.5 feet. Beginning with the latter 
 reading on March 25, as a result of rains over the watershed on March 20 and 21 and March 
 23-27, there was another rise to 29.3 feet on April 7 and 8, after which there was a slow fall, 
 the river finally going below flood stage during May 7. 
 
 At Greenwood, Leflore County, Miss., on the Yazoo, the highest stage reached on the first 
 rise was 35.6 feet, 2.4 feet below the established flood stage, February 12. The highest stage 
 on the second rise was 33.3 feet, April 16 and 17. 
 
 At Yazoo City, Yazoo County, Miss., on the Yazoo, the river passed above flood stage, 25 
 feet, during February 6, and reached a maximum stage of 28.9 feet, February 19-23, inclusive. 
 
94 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 The river fell below flood stage at this point on March 27. over a month after the Mississippi 
 passed below flood stage at Vicksburg. The water had only fallen to a stage of 24.3 feet on 
 April 3, when the second rise set in. Flood stage was reached again on April 5, and the maxi- 
 mum stage. 29.8 feet, occurred May 2-4, inclusive. From this time the river fell and passed 
 below flood stage during May 19. 
 
 The Yazoo was above flood stage at Swan Lake continuously for 112 days, and at Yazoo 
 City at or above flood stage a total period of 93 days, although not continuous. 
 
 There were five crevasses in the Vicksburg district. One, the break in the levee near 
 Beulah, Bolivar County, Miss., occurred during the first rise, and the others during the second 
 rise. 
 
 The most important crevasse of the second rise in the Vicksburg district was the one in the 
 Skipworth levee, about 3^ miles north of Mayersville, Issaquena Count}'. Miss. The water from 
 the Skipworth crevasse passed out along Steels Bayou and Deer Creek and overspread an area 
 of 308 square miles that otherwise would not have suffered in Issaquena, Sharkey, and Wash- 
 ington Counties, and increased the depth of overflow in the lower portion of the delta where the 
 lands were already covered with backwater that had come in between the lower end of the levee 
 system at Eagle Bend, Warren County, and the mouth of the Yazoo at Vicksburg. The total 
 area flooded in the lower Yazoo district from backwater and the Beulah and Skipworth 
 crevasses was 2,235 square miles, as against 2.723 square miles in 1912. 
 
 The overflow from Beulah crevasse was 702 square miles as compared with 1.498 square 
 miles in 1912. 
 
 Three breaks occurred in the levees along the right bank of the Mississippi in the Vicksburg 
 district. The effect of these breaks was merely to increase the depth and extent of the back- 
 water overflow above the mouths of the White and Arkansas Rivers and Cypress Creek. The 
 total area flooded* in the White River district, above the mouth of the White River, was 300 
 square miles, out of 910 square miles subject to overflow. 
 
 On the right bank south of the Arkansas River the whole of this district is protected by 
 levees, with the exception of a gap of 2.9 miles between the levees of the Arkansas and those of 
 the Mississippi, through which Cypress Creek flows into the Mississippi. South of Cypress 
 Creek there is a ridge of comparatively high ground, about 12 miles long, known as Amos 
 Bayou Ridge. Under present conditions water begins to flow over this ridge into the upper 
 Tensas Basin at a stage between 51 and 52 feet on the Arkansas City gage. It is estimated that 
 this discharge, both in 1912 and 1913, reached as much as 200,000 cubic feet per second. The 
 water discharged over this ridge spread southward between the Mississippi River levees and 
 the McGehee and Alexandria line of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway, follow- 
 ing the courses of the Boeuf River and Bayou La Fourche into the Ouachita, and of the Bayou 
 Macon into the Tensas, and thence into the Black and lower Red Rivers. At Arkansas City, 
 Ark., the water from this overflow reached a height equivalent to a stage of 47 feet on the river 
 gage at that point. The total area overflowed along the right bank in this district south of the 
 mouth of the Arkansas River was 1,591 square miles, as compared with 2,270 square miles 
 submerged in 1912. 
 
 The public in this district was kept advised of the stages of water to be expected at the 
 several stations, even prior to the issuing of warnings of flood stages. Flood warnings were 
 issued for Arkansas City and Vicksburg on January 18, and for Greenville on January 23, 10 
 to 14 daj's in advance, and further advice was furnished during the progress of the rise. The 
 occurrence of the crevasse at Lake Beulah on January 25, before flood stages were reached, 
 presented a problematical condition and at first it was difficult to tell just what the effect would 
 be. The crevasse reduced the flood height but slightly at Arkansas City and Greenville, and 
 prolonged the rise at Vicksburg about three days on account of the return of the crevasse water 
 through the lower Yazoo, and a forecast was made on January 30 covering the situation. 
 
 On March 27, as soon as it was seen that the heavy rains of March 23-27 over the Ohio 
 watershed would produce a marked rise in the Mississippi, warnings were issued that flood 
 stages would be reached in this district April 5 to 8. This forecast was verified to the day. 
 
REPORT ON FLOODS OF 1913 VICKSBURG RIVER DISTRICT. 95 
 
 During the early part of the rise the stages forecast were modified as conditions warranted, 
 but it was not believed that the stages of 1912 were probable in this district on account of the 
 lower initial stages. By April 1 the prediction was made that a stage of 54 to 55 feet would 
 be reached at Arkansas City, 48 to 49 feet at Greenville, and 51 to 52 feet at Vicksburg if the 
 levees held. On April 7, owing to the prolonged high stage of 54.7 feet at Cairo, 111., the fore- 
 cast was changed to 55.5 to 56 feet at Arkansas City April 17 to 18, 49 to 50 feet at Greenville 
 April 18 to 19, and 52 to 53 feet at Vicksburg April 23 to 24. On April 10 the public was 
 informed that the recent heavy rains over Arkansas would intensify flood conditions, but that 
 the crest would be delayed b} ? crevasses that had occurred in the St. Francis levees. On April 
 13 the crevasse water from the St. Francis Basin began to return to the main stream at 
 Helena. Ark. The effect that this amount of water would have on the stages below Helena was 
 considered and the following special warning was issued : 
 
 The Mississippi will pass 55 feet at Arkansas City, 50 feet at Greenville, and 50.5 feet at Vicksburg by 
 April 17 or IS, after which a slow rise will continue till late in April or early in May, due to the return of the 
 crevasse water from the St. Francis Basin, reaching 56.5 to 57 feet at Arkansas City, 51.5 to 52 feet at 
 Greenville, and 53 to 54 feet at Vicksburg if levees hold. 
 
 On April 21, on account of breaks that had occurred in the White River district, which 
 caused an increase in the discharge of water over Amos Bayou Ridge, the estimate was changed 
 to 55.5 to 56 feet at Arkansas City, 51 to 51.5 feet at Greenville, and 52.5 to 53 feet at Vicks- 
 burg, providing that there were no further breaks in the levees. 
 
 The crevasse in the Skipworth levee occurred that afternoon, and as soon as definite infor- 
 mation was received at this office a special forecast was issued that the effect of this crevasse 
 would be to relieve Greenville and Arkansas City and to bring temporary relief to Vicksburg. 
 By the next morning the gage at Lake Providence, La., 12 miles below the crevasse, showed a 
 fall of 1.2 feet, while at Greenville, 52 miles above it, there was a fall of two-tenths of a foot, 
 and at Arkansas City and Vicksburg the rise had been checked, although the river was still 
 rising at Helena, Ark. The fall was continuous after the 21st at Greenville and after the 25th 
 at Arkansas City. By the latter date, as a result of heavy rains in the Aucinity and because 
 of the return of the crevasse water, the river was again rising at Vicksburg. and a forecast 
 was issued that a stage of 52.5 feet would be reached. As a restdt, however, of the crevasse 
 that had occurred in the levee at Lake St. John. La., on the night of April 26, the river was 
 stationary at Vicksburg at a stage of 52.3 feet from the morning of the 27th to the evening of 
 the 28th, and then began to fall slowly. 
 
 After the river began to fall the vital question was when the water would pass beloAv 
 flood stage. On May 5 the public was informed that the Mississippi River would pass below 
 flood stage at Arkansas City and Greenville on the 8th or 9th. and at Vicksburg by Maj^ 18, 
 barring heavy rains. On May 7 further advice was issued that the Mississippi River would 
 pass below flood stage at Vicksburg by Ma} 7 15 and that the Yazoo River at Yazoo City would 
 pass below flood stage by May 22 or 23, barring heavy rains. All of these predictions were 
 verified. In fact, it Avas possible on the 17th to advance the date at Yazoo City to May 20. 
 
 During both rises ample warnings were issued for points on the Yazoo River as occasion 
 required. 
 
 The warnings and other information relative to the flood issued at this office were given 
 wide distribution. During the critical period the River Bulletin reached a circulation of 1,100 
 copies. The river conditions were also transmitted by telegraph and telephone without expense 
 to the Government to the levee boards at Greenville, Miss., Tallulah, Lake Providence, and 
 St. Joseph, La., to the Cotton & Merchants Exchange, at Natchez, Miss., and to other interested 
 parties over the district. The board of commissioners of the fifth Louisiana levee district at 
 Tallulah duplicated the river bulletin thus given to them and circulated it to 20 addresses along 
 the line of the St. Louis. Iron Mountain & Southern Railway. 
 
 The losses to residents of the districts submerged during the first rise were not great, 
 because the overflow occurred after last year's crops had been nearly gathered and before 
 planting had begun, because the waters came up gradually, as the only levee break, that at 
 
96 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Beulah, occurred before the river had reached a height sufficient to cause a current of great 
 force, and because the people knew they were unprotected and were expecting this overflow. 
 
 The largest losses fell on the railroad companies. The Riverside division of the Yazoo 
 & Mississippi Valley Railroad Co. was out of commission between Benoit and Beulah, Miss., 
 from January 26 to February 26, practically the entire roadbed being washed from under the 
 track between those places. The main line of the same railroad sustained a bad washout 
 between Valley Park and Smedes, Miss., and was closed to all traffic from February 19 to 22, 
 inclusive, while service on the branch line from Kelso to Silver City was discontinued on Jan- 
 uary 31. The main line of the Southern Railway was under water between Holly Ridge 
 and Elizabeth, Miss., from January 29 to March 5. The Napanee branch was also put out 
 of commission for some time, as was also the Richey branch from Delta City to Richey, Miss. 
 
 The loss from the second rise was much greater, owing- to its later occurrence, to the 
 higher stages, and to the consequent wider extent of the overflow. When the crevasse occurred 
 in the Skipwith levee, couriers were sent in all directions to warn the inhabitants of the terri- 
 tory in advance of the flood waters. The United States Army relief forces that were stationed 
 in readiness at Vicksburg dispatched boats, men, and provisions to the scene, and heroic efforts 
 were put forth to protect human life and care for live stock. It is estimated that there were 
 10,000 people rendered homeless by this disaster, but it is believed that there were no lives lost, 
 although at first it was reported that there were two. There was much exposure to refugees 
 on account of heavy rains on April 23-24. Buildings on the immediate front of the wave were 
 carried away, as were practically all the bridges over Steels Bayou in Issaquena County. The 
 more important towns and villages affected were Mayersville, Rolling Fork, Grace, Blanton, 
 and Carey. Regular train service on the main line and on the Riverside division of the 
 Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad was discontinued on April 22. The entire line between 
 Vicksburg and Kelso and the east side of the embankment between Kelso and Rolling Fork 
 was already covered with backwater, which acted as a buffer, and the railroad company was 
 able to hold most of their track in place when the crevasse water came, so that they were able 
 to effect an early resumption of service on May 12. Service on the Silver City branch of this 
 railroad, discontinued January 31, was not resumed until June 2. 
 
 While some of the lands were damaged by erosion, particularly in the immediate vicinity 
 of the crevasse, where a deep hole covering 102 acres was washed out, many planters believe 
 the overflow a benefit on account of the soil-enriching sediment, which in many places was 
 deposited 2 to 5 inches deep. As the water receded, the planting of cotton was begun on May 
 15 with favorable prospects. 
 
 The most important towns affected by the backwater in Arkansas and Louisiana, were 
 Arkansas City and Lake Village, both in Arkansas. In this territory there were about 10,000 
 people who were temporarily forced from their homes. 
 
 Reports of money losses have been furnished from portions of the flooded districts only, 
 and these vary with the viewpoint and temperament of the persons reporting. Conservative 
 figures based on all these reports, giving the losses exclusive of those to railroads, telegraph 
 and telephone companies, are submitted. The figures given include losses in Vicksburg along 
 the river front, where no permanent levees are maintained, and where the losses to buildings 
 and contents are placed at $15,000, loss by suspension of business, $11,000, and where the warn- 
 ings were undoubtedly instrumental in saving $200,000 worth of property. Probably $15,000 
 to $20,000 were expended for local protection. 
 
 The cost of high-water protection over the district will amount to hundreds of thousands 
 of dollars, to say nothing of the cost of building and maintaining the levees. Had it not been 
 for the long vigil and the tireless efforts kept up throughout the critical period, the losses 
 would have been multiplied many times. A grave disaster was narrowly averted at Greenville, 
 Miss., as late as April 30. 
 
 The loss to prospective crops may hardly be computed with any certainty. If the season 
 is otherwise favorable, the loss may be inconsiderable, while, if unfavorable, it may be even 
 greater than the amount estimated! 
 
COMPARATIVE STAGES IN THE ARKANSAS AND WHITE RIVERS IN 
 CONNECTION WITH THE SPRING FLOODS OF 1912 AND 1913 IN THE 
 MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 
 
 By H. F. Alciatore. Section Director, Little Rock, A rk. 
 
 In 1912 the spring rise in the Mississippi River at Arkansas City, Ark., about 37 miles 
 below the mouth of the Arkansas River, began about March 21. The flood stage was reached 
 eight days later, and the crest stage, 55.4 feet, on April 12. 
 
 The volume of water _that passed from the Arkansas River into the Mississippi River is 
 indicated by the stages in the Arkansas River at Pine Bluff, Ark., during March and the first 
 week in April. Pine Bluff is 109 miles from the mouth of the river. The Arkansas began to 
 rise on March 23 ; the stage was then 14.6 feet. There was a continuous rise until April 4. The 
 flood stage was reached on April 3 (25.7 feet) , and the crest of the flood occurred on the 4th, the 
 gage reading being 26.2 feet, which was 1.5 feet above the flood level. After the 4th the water 
 receded steadity until the 26th. when the gage read 12.5 feet. As the crest of the flood in the 
 Mississippi did not pass Arkansas City until April 12 (8 days after the Arkansas River flood 
 had passed Pine Bluff) it is evident that the waters from the Arkansas had some bearing on 
 the flood in the Mississippi below Helena. Ark. 
 
 As to the amount of water contributed by the White River in 1912 in Arkansas the stages 
 recorded at Clarendon, Ark. (75 miles from the mouth), may be taken as an index. Relatively 
 high stages (27.9 to 28.3 feet) prevailed during the latter half of March. On April 1, the river 
 began to rise. The stage was then 28.6 feet. The flood stage was passed on April 6 (stage, 
 30.1 feet), and the crest of the flood passed Clarendon on April 14. The stage was 32.6 feet, or 
 2.6 feet above the flood plane. After that date the river fell steadily at the rate of one or two 
 tenths foot each day. The combined waters of the White and Arkansas Rivers must have had 
 appreciable effect on the flood situation in the Mississippi below Helena, Ark., during the early 
 part of April, 1912. 
 
 In 1913. the Arkansas River was not so high during March and April as it was during the 
 same months of 1912. From the 1st to the 26th of March, 1913, the stages at Pine Bluff, Ark., 
 were relatively low, ranging from 8.9 feet on the 21st to 14.4 feet on the 3d. An 8-foot rise 
 occurred between the 26th and 31st, the extreme stages recorded being 11.9 feet and 20 feet, 
 respectively. 
 
 The torrential rains that occurred in the lower part of the drainage basin of the Arkansas 
 (from Little Rock, southward) on April 8 and 9 did not cause floods in any part of the river. 
 At Pine Bluff there was a rise of 7.5 feet between the 9th and 14th, the highest stage reported 
 being 20.4 feet on the 14th. This was 4.6 feet below the flood stage. It will be seen that in 1913 
 the volume of water that passed out of the Arkansas into the Mississippi was relatively small. 
 
 As to the White River, the Clarendon. Ark., records show that there was a steady fall 
 during the first 21 days of March, the river reaching a minimum stage of 19.5 feet on the 21st. 
 14284°— 13 7 97 
 
98 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 On the 22d, the White began to rise. The stage was then 19.8 feet. The flood stage (30 feet) 
 was reached on April 13. and the flood crested on the following day (14th), with a stage of 
 30.4 feet, which was 0.4 foot above the flood plane. The river remained stationary during the 
 loth and began to fair on the 16th. It fell slowly, however, the total fall during the last 15 
 days of the month having been only 1.7 feet. 
 
 The spring rise in the Mississippi at Arkansas City in 1913 began about March 20. but 
 the flood stage was not reached until April G, 17 days later. The crest of this flood occurred 
 April 22, with a maximum stage of 55.1 feet. 
 
 It will be noted that prior to the occurrence of the spring flood of 1912 in the Mississippi 
 both the Arkansas and White Rivers had reached higher stages than during the corresponding 
 period preceding the 1913 flood, the high-water stages for those years being 26.2 and 20.4 feet, 
 respectively, at Pine Bluff, on the Arkansas, and 32.6 and 30. 4 feet, respectively, at Clarendon, 
 on the White River; yet the high-water stages recorded at Arkansas City, on the Mississippi, 
 were practically the same — i. e.. 55.4 and 55.1 feet, respectively. 
 
 NOTES ON THE SPRING FLOOD OF 1913 ON THE ARKANSAS SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI RTVER. 
 
 In extent and severity the flood of April, 1913, on the Arkansas side of the Mississippi 
 River differed but little from that of 1912. This year the warnings of the Weather Bureau 
 regarding the flood were heeded without question, and as they proved both timely and accurate 
 there was no loss of life. 
 
 The first effects of the flood were felt on April 9. The flood w-aters passing through breaks 
 in the levees near Graves Bayou and Wilson, Ark., covered portions of Mississippi County and 
 spread southward over parts of Poinsett, Crittenden, St. Francis, and Lee Counties. Press 
 dispatches stated that on April 9 several refugees had sought shelter on higher ground at 
 Forrest City, St. Francis County, and in neighboring towns. Railroads west of Bridge 
 Junction. Ark. (opposite Memphis, Tenn.), were practically out of business. Mails from the 
 East were being transferred across the Mississippi River at Helena, Ark. By the 11th the 
 flood had spread over the lower St. Francis Basin, and was making its way toward the 
 Mississippi through the St. Francis River. About 2,000 refugees were camping on high ground 
 near Wilson. Mississippi County. On the 12th, Marked Tree, Poinsett County, was flooded to 
 a depth of 2 to 5 feet. The flood had reached Deckerville and Turrell, Ark. About 1.000 
 flood sufferers were being cared for at Marianna, Ark. On the 13th the towns of Shawnee 
 Village, Joiner, Bassett, Lepanto, Tyronza, and Deckerville, Ark., were submerged, and the 
 water was higher than in 1912. The St. Francis River at Marked Tree had risen 19 inches 
 in the last 24 hours. About 200 negroes were rescued at Watson. About 2,000 refugees from 
 the eastern portions of Crittenden County were camped at Wynne. Edmonson, Manila, and 
 Clarksdale were under water. A telegram was sent from Osceola, Ark., on April 14 to the 
 governor of Arkansas that the flood waters from the breaks in the levee at Wilson were about 
 10 feet in depth in the southern. part of Mississippi County, and almost reached Osceola; great 
 suffering and destruction were reported in that section. On the 15th the Laconia Circle levee 
 in Desha County, near the mouth of the White River, broke and soon afterwards about 18.000 
 acres of farming lands were under water. 
 
 The flood near Wilson, Mississippi County, was said to be about 2 feet higher than ever 
 known. Marked Tree was still under water. On the 16th backwater from the Laconia Circle 
 break covered the streets of Arkansas City to a depth of several inches, but the levee at that 
 place was intact. Railroad traffic to the south had been suspended, the tracks near Valley 
 and Lake Village being under water. The northeastern part of Chicot County was submerged 
 by the waters flowing through a gap in the levee on Amos Bayou. The road between Luna 
 and Lake Village was flooded. By the 19th the St. Francis section was under water from 
 Hulbert. Crittenden County, westward to Madison, St. Francis County, a distance of about 30 
 miles. The Rock Island trains were running through water ranging; from 3 to 20 inches in 
 
COMPARATIVE STAGES IN THE ARKANSAS AND WHITE RIVERS. 99 
 
 depth. The water from the L'Anguille River was running over the Rock Island Railroad trestle 
 near Palestine. Ark., and was overflowing the "dump" to a depth of 12 to 14 inches. On 
 April 20 the railroad tracks near Forrest City were submerged. At the L'Anguille River 
 crossing trains were running through water for a distance of about 1 mile, the car steps 
 being hidden under the water. At TIeth, on the 21st, the railroad tracks were 2 feet under 
 water, and the station platform had floated away. The Rock Island tracks from Round Pond 
 to Proctor were under water, and the Iron Mountain tracks between Felton and Canaan were 
 submerged to a depth of more than 2 feet in some places. The city authorities at Lake Village 
 had issued a call for rations for 1.000 refugees. The St. Francis levee had broken at a point 
 about 3 miies below Whitehall, and the water inside of the levee was only about 3 inches 
 below the water on the river side. Many telegraph and telephone poles along the Rock Island 
 road had been damaged or swept away. 
 
 On April 22 the writer left Memphis, Tenn.. about 7 a. m. on a Rock Island train bound 
 for Little Rock, Ark. From Hulbert, Ark., a few miles west of the Mississippi River, to Pales- 
 tine, Ark., a distance of about 50 miles, he observed that the tracks were under water to a 
 depth ranging from a few inches to more than 2 feet over the greater part of the distance. A 
 number of telegraph and telephone poles had been washed away and were floating upon the 
 water on each side of the railroad track. In some places the flood water had almost reached 
 the lower cross-arms on poles that were still standing. Xearlleth a high-water mark which had 
 been painted upon a telegraph pole in 1912 w T as only 5 or G inches above the flood waters of 
 1913 on April 22. Press reports of that date indicated that the bottom lands between the 
 Mississippi River and the LAnguille River, 1 a distance of 25 to -10 miles, were under water. 
 At Marianna. Ark., on the St. Francis, the river gage at 7 p. m. showed a stage of 47.4 feet. 
 which was about one-half foot below the high-water mark of 1912. 
 
 On April 23, 00,000 rations were distributed by the Federal Government among 3,000 
 refugees at Forrest City. The St. Francis River at Madison had fallen about 2 inches, the 
 stage being 40.7 feet. The LAnguille River at Palestine had come to a stand. The flood 
 situation was beginning to show improvement everywhere. On the 24th the backwater at 
 Arkansas City had risen about 3 inches, but half of this rise was due to excessive rains. The 
 water was 6 to 8 inches higher than it was in 1912 during the spring flood. At Madison, on 
 St. Francis, the flood had receded about 2 inches. All trains over the Rock Island, except Xos. 
 45 and 4G, were in operation, but all trains were late. By the 28th the water in the streets of 
 Arkansas City had fallen about 4 inches. Near McGehee, Desha County, the flood waters had 
 receded about 3 inches. On that date the territory under water in eastern Arkansas was to 
 13 miles wide and 30 to 40 miles long. 
 
 At the close of April the rivers were falling at all points in the flooded districts, and the 
 situation was improving rapidly. Railroad traffic on lines in eastern Arkansas were running 
 practically on schedule time. Large areas were still submerged, but the flood waters were 
 receding rapidly, and many flood refugees were returning to their homes. 
 
 The most expensive features of this flood were the strengthening of the levees, the cleaning 
 and repairing of stores, dwellings, and farm buildings, and the losses incident to the suspension 
 of business throughout the flooded areas. It is impracticable to make a correct estimate of 
 the losses at this time, but it is probable that these will exceed $2,000,000. exclusive of the 
 damages to the railroads. 
 
 *A tributary of the St. Francis River flowing southward through Poinsett, Cross, and Si. Francis Counties. 
 
FLOODS IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BELOW VICKSBURG AND IN THE 
 ATCHAFALAYA RIVER IN APRIL AND MAY, 1913. 
 
 By I. M. Clink, District Forecaster. 
 
 Stages in the Mississippi River, below Vicksburg and in the Atchafalaya River, on March 
 31, 1913. were as follows: Natchez, Miss., 39.2; flood stage, 40 feet. Baton Rouge, 29.2; flood 
 stage, 35 feet. Donaldsonville, 22.7; flood stage, 28 feet. New Orleans, 14.5; flood stage. 18 
 feet. Melville, 35.3 ; flood stage, 37 feet. Morgan City, 3.7 ; flood stage, 8 feet. On account of 
 the high water in the Ohio River and its tributaries flood warnings as follows were issued on 
 March 31 : 
 
 If levees bold, the water now in sight indicates 50.5 to 51.5 feet at Natchez, 40 to 41 feet at Baton Rouge, 
 32.3 to 33.3 feet at Donaldsonville. and 10.(5 to 20.(5 feet at New Orleans, between April 20 and 30, 1913. 
 
 On account of the changing conditions, such as the fall of rain and the breaking of the 
 levees, it was necessary to modify and alter the warnings from time to time during the con- 
 tinuance of the flood. Warnings were issued on April 4, 9, 10, 21, 23, and 25, and on May 9, 
 12, and 14. the last warning issued, viz, that of May 14, follows: 
 
 The Mississippi River below Vicksburg will fall, but below the mouth of the Red River and in the 
 Atchafalaya the changes will be slight for a few days. The water will fall below the flood stage at Natchez 
 by May 20. and water will probably cease flowing through the Take St. John crevasse by May 25. 
 
 If no breaks had occurred in the levees below Vicksburg, the maximum stage forecast for 
 this district would have been reached. At Natchez a stage of 52.4 feet was reached on April 26 
 and 27. which is the highest stage ever recorded at that place. The highest stages at other 
 points were as follows: Baton Rouge, 41.3 feet, on May 9; Donaldsonville, 32.7 feet, on May 8 
 and 9 ; New Orleans, 20.5 feet, on May 8 ; Simmesport, 40.9 feet, on May 9 : and Melville, 41.7 
 feet, on April 24. 
 
 The water was rising rapidly at Natchez when the levee broke 26 miles above that place on 
 April 27. and but for that break there would have been a further rise of at least 2 feet which 
 would have given the stage forecast. If southerty instead of northerly winds had prevailed 
 stages below the mouth of Red River would have been 1 to 2 feet higher than occurred, because 
 southerly winds would have retarded the discharge and delayed the flood crest until the 
 crevasse water would have returned and united with the flood crest in the main stream. 
 However, the prevailing northerly winds caused the flood crest in the river proper to pass out 
 into the Gulf of Mexico before the crevasse, water returned through the Red River. 
 
 The following table shows the period during which the water was at or above the flood 
 stage: 
 
 Natchez 
 
 Baton Kouj;o-- 
 Donaldsonville 
 New Orleans . . 
 Simmesport. . . 
 Melville 
 
 Period above flood 
 stage. 
 
 Apr. 11 to May 18. 
 Apr. 14 to May 25 . 
 Apr. 15 to May 22. 
 Apr. 17 to May 24. 
 Apr. 17 to May 25. 
 Apr. 9 to May 26.. 
 
 Totalnum- 
 ber of days 
 above flood 
 
 37 
 41 
 37 
 37 
 38 
 47 
 
 101 
 
102 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Action taken as a result of the warnings. — Warnings were distributed to all post offices in 
 the lower Mississippi Valley regularly, by mail, and when changes were made they were 
 telegraphed to localities affected. When the first warnings were issued on March 31. five weeks 
 before the passage of the flood crest, representatives of all interests likely to be affected' by 
 high water took prompt and vigorous measures to combat the coming flood. Levees were 
 raised and weak places strengthened ; barges and railroad cars were loaded with materials for 
 making repairs and placed in convenient locations ready to be rushed on short notice to any 
 weak spot which might develop. These precautionary measures proved to be of great value and 
 many threatened breaks in the main levees were stopped by prompt and decisive action, thus 
 preventing more extensive destruction than occurred. Planters raised and strengthened the 
 protection levees around their plantations in anticipation of a possible break in the main levees. 
 This action on the part of the planters enabled several of them to save their plantations from 
 being flooded. A large percentage of stock was driven out of the bottoms to high ground 
 when the warnings were first issued and action was taken to protect household goods and farm 
 products which had been housed. 
 
 A special to the Daily Picayune, New Orleans, La., dated Jackson, Miss.. April 11. 1913, 
 in speaking of the flood says : 
 
 Because his warnings in previous years have been so accurate, the people residing in the low lands are 
 giving heed promptly to the special flood forecast issued by District Observer Cline, of the Weather Bureau, at 
 New Orleans. La., and are preparing to get live stock to the hills and otherwise safeguard themselves against 
 loss. 
 
 When the warning for 54.5 feet was issued for Natchez on April 25, planters, believing 
 that the levees could not be held against such a. flood, moved out the remainder of their live stock 
 so that when the crevasse occurred on April 27 nearW all live stock were out of danger and other 
 precautions had been taken, which resulted in the saving of property of great value which 
 otherwise would have been destroyed by the crevasse water. 
 
 Crevasses in the New Orleans district. — Only two crevasses in the main levees occurred 
 in this district. 
 
 April 25 a crevasse occurred on the left bank of the Atchafalaya River about 8 miles below 
 Melville. No attempt was made to close the crevasse. The water from this crevasse returned to 
 the Atchafalaya River below the end of the levee line. The water from the crevasse overflowed 
 parts of Pointe Coupee and Iberville Parishes. 
 
 April 27 a crevasse occurred on the right bank of the Mississippi River at Lake St. John, 
 about 26 miles above Natchez and near the south end of Tensas Parish. The water from this 
 crevasse overflowed Concordia and parts of Tensas, Catahoula. Rapides, and Avoyelles Parishes. 
 Water ceased flowing through the crevasse May 23, and the crevasse water disappeared by 
 June 20. 
 
 A break occurred in a private levee opposite Briers, La., on the left bank of the Mississippi 
 River on April 1C, flooding about 3,500 acres of farming land with back water. 
 
 April 24. a break was barely averted at Remy, La., about 40 miles above New Orleans. The 
 old levee caved rapidly, and for a time it appeared that the new levee could not be gotten into 
 shape to prevent a bad crevasse. By having materials at hand, and by hard work da}^ and night, 
 a crevasse was prevented. (See fig. 13.) 
 
 May 1 a cave occurred in the main levee at Poydras Plantation, on the left bank of the 
 Mi-sissippi River, about 10 miles below New Orleans. Prompt action in this case also prevented 
 a serious crevasse. 
 
 Area -flooded and damage resulting therefrom. — About 1,026,000 acres of land was flooded. 
 of which 255.400 acres is agriculture land. Growing crops were destroyed, and the overflow 
 made it necessaiy to replant all crops. Cotton, cane, and gardens have been, or will be. 
 replanted. Houses, farm buildings, household effects, "public roads and bridges, and railroads 
 suffered damages in varying degrees. No lives were lost as a direct result of the flood, but 
 several lives were lost in accidents indirectly due to the flood. The steamer Concordia, while 
 

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FLOODS IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER UELOW VICKSBURC, 1913. 103 
 
 engaged in rescue work on May 1, struck the drawbridge of the New Orleans & Northwestern 
 Railroad across the Tensas River at Clayton, La., and sank in the river, drowning 22 persons, 
 of which number 20 were negroes, mostly women and children. 
 
 From the best source of information available up to the present time the damage resulting 
 from the flood is approximately as follows: 
 
 ] rem No. 1 : 
 
 (a) Damage to buildings and residences $7,500 
 
 (&) Damage to public roads and bridges G, 250 
 
 Item No. 2 includes farm property, and is to be staled under — 
 
 (a) Loss of crops which may or may not have been housed 240,000 
 
 (6) Loss of prospective crops (255,400 acres 1 ) 225,000 
 
 (c) Loss of live stock and other movable property 12,000 
 
 Item No. 3. Loss due to suspension of business, including wages of employees 75,000 
 
 Item No. 4. Money value of property saved by warnings (actually reported) 015,000 
 
 The money value of property saved by the warnings actually reported does not represent 
 more than half the savings as a result of the flood warnings because many correspondents do not 
 give amounts. 
 
 There have been no extensions of the levee systems since the flood of 1912. 
 
 1 Not all in cultivation ; planting had been delayed as a result of flood warnings. 
 
FLOOD IN THE HUDSON RIVER, MARCH 27-28, 1913. 
 
 By George T. Todd, Local Forecaster. 
 
 Flood warnings were issued ar 9 a. m. March 26, 1913,. for Albany, Troy, and vicinity, and 
 a forecast was made that the water would reach the flood stage (12 feet) that day and probably 
 reach a height of 15 to 1C feet within the next 24 to 36 hours at Albany and a height of 19 to 
 20 feet at Troy. A cautionary warning was also given the American Locomotive Works and 
 the General Electric Co., at Schenectady. 
 
 On March 27, the heavy rains having continued in the upper tributaries, a second flood 
 warning was issued for Albany and Troy, and a forecast was made that the water would 
 reach a height of 20 to 21 feet at Albany and 24 to 25 feet at Troy within the next 24 to 30 
 hours, and a special forecast was made for the press that the water would reach 19 feet at 
 Albany at about 6 p. m. that night. 
 
 The Water at Albany reached a height of 16.8 feet at 8 a. m. on the 27th ; 19 feet at <'» 
 p. m., and at 1 p. m. March 28th a maximum stage of 22.4 feet was reached. 
 
 Except for the flood of February 9, 1857, when the water reached a stage of 22.49 feet, 
 according to the present datum, and there was a strong ice gorge in the Hudson River just 
 below this city, this is the highest stage of which there is any record. 
 
 Before noon of the 27th the rising water had put out the fire in the heaters in the United 
 States post-office building in which the Weather Bureau is quartered and the electric current 
 for lights and power was shut off about the same time. The office force were compelled to work 
 in the rooms without any heat till Monday morning, March 30. 
 
 So far as known, there was only one human life lost during this flood. 
 
 The greatest loss from the flood was occasioned by persons Avho, though doing business near 
 the river, were unable to believe that their property would be flooded. When warned they 
 would say that the firm had been in business in that section or store for 50, 75, or 100 years 
 and that their building had never been flooded before except when there was an ice gorge; 
 that they thought this office must be mistaken, and that they did not believe it was possible for 
 the water to reach a height of 21 feet or more without the help of an ice gorge. There was 
 also a considerable loss through the scarcitj^ of help and the comparatively short time allowed 
 for the moving of such a large amount of goods. 
 
 FLOODS IN NEW YORK. 
 
 Mr. Robert E. Horton, consulting hydraulic engineer, Albany, N. Y., in the Engineering 
 Record of April 5, 1913, describes the floods in the State elsewhere than in the Hudson water- 
 shed. He says: 
 
 Heavy rains which were general throughout the State on March 25, 26, and 27 caused floods of unusual 
 magnitude on nearly all streams in New York. Streams in eastern New York reached their highest stages 
 early on the morning of March 28. Wherever reliable reports can be obtained the volume of discharge at 
 
 105 
 
10() THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 the Mood crest was very much greater than for any preceding floods for which there are authentic records. 
 The Hood was due to rainfall alone, coming at a time when the rivers were already swollen, the ground 
 saturated, and lakes and marshes full. The height of water was not accentuated either by ice gorges or by 
 the failure Of dams or reservoirs, yet the stages reached in most places were higher than any hitherto known. 
 
 The average rainfall throughout eastern New York from the morning of March 24 to the morning of 
 March 28 was about 1 Inches. The amount varied in different localities from 2 and 2.2 inches at Albany to 
 5 inches or more In the southern Adirondack slope. The discharge of the Hudson River increased in 48 hours, 
 between the morning of .March 26 and the morning of March 28, from 40,000 to 120.000 second-feet. This was 
 at Mechanicsvllle, 18 miles above Albany, where the drainage area is 4,500 square miles. The maximum dis- 
 charge of the Mohawk River, which is the chief tributary to the Hudson, is not yet known, but may be safely 
 estimated al from 75,000 to 100,000 second-feet, so that the combined flow of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers 
 past Albany was approximately equal in volume to the Niagara River. 
 
 The greatest flood hitherto recorded on the Hudson River, in 1857, reached a volume of 70,000 second-feet 
 at Mechanicsvllle, and a stage of 21. 10 feet above mean tide at Albany. The maximum stage at Albany in 
 the present flood was 22.4 feet above mean tide at 1 p. m. March 28. Large areas were overflowed in the 
 most populous and built-up districts at Albany. Troy, Watervliel, and Green Island on the Hudson River and 
 at Schenectady, Fonda. Amsterdam, St. .Tohnsville, and other towns along the Mohawk River. The entire 
 Mohawk River Hats from Little Falls to Schenectady, a distance of GO miles, were submerged to the greatest 
 depth ever known. 
 
 The present Erie Canal, the four-track system of the New York Central Railroad, trunk telephone and 
 telegraph lines, an important State highway, the West Shore Railroad, and for a large portion of the distance 
 a double-track trolley system traverse this valley. In addition there are eight locks and movable dams 
 recently completed for the canalization of the Mohawk River. Traffic of all kinds was interrupted and con- 
 siderable damage was done locally to railroad roadbeds and to the present Erie Canal. All of the new 
 Barge Canal locks in this district were completely submerged, but so far as can be learned the Barge Canal 
 structures here and elsewhere in the State suffered but little damage. The gates of one of the movable dams 
 at Fonda were bent and injured. This was probably due to drift coming down against the gates, making it 
 impossible to raise them. 
 
 In the cities and towns great inconvenience was caused to people located within the flooded districts. 
 Timely warnings, however, were issued by the local forecaster, Mr. George T. Todd, of the Albany station. 
 Many persons heeded these warnings and avoided injury to their property as much as possible. Others refused 
 to believe that a flood greater than that of 1857 was coining upon them. They did not clear their cellars or 
 move their perishable goods, and suffered serious consequences. In the Hudson River there are many water- 
 power dams, some of them constructed of timber or cribwork and a number very old. All of these withstood 
 the flood in safety. 
 
 Many bridges were destroyed, including a highway bridge at Glens Falls across the Hudson River, the 
 Erie Canal bridge across the Hudson River at Northumberland, the highway bridge across the Hudson River 
 at Amsterdam, the highway bridge across the Mohawk River at Herkimer, and the highway bridge across 
 West Canada Creek at Trenton Falls. 
 
 Damage to the banks of the Erie Canal in different parts of the State is reported by the department of 
 public works as follows: About 100 feet of canal bank washed out at a point opposite the cemetery road 
 between Albany and Watervliel : a considerable length of canal bank washed out west of Schenectady, near 
 Patersonville ; about 50 feet of canal bank washed out between Locks 35 and 3G, just east of Little Falls; 
 about 150 feet of canal bank washed out on the Cayuga and Seneca Canal at Seneca Falls. The last-mentioned 
 washout caused the shutting down of various mills in Seneca Falls. 
 
 A number of Erie Canal bridges were injured or destroyed and many of the smaller canal aqueducts were 
 damaged. The flood on the Mohawk River reached a stage :> feet above the bottom of the trunk of the main 
 Erie Canal Aqueduct crossing the Mohawk River at Crescent. This is a very old stone aqueduct, but in spite 
 of the high stage and large volume of water it withstood the flood in safety 
 
 Contractors on the Barge Canal in the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers had their concrete and structural 
 work mostly completed and their plants removed from the river sflme time ago. There were many dredges in 
 these rivers, but with one exception all kept their anchorages. One dredge, which broke loose from its moor- 
 ings drifted downstream about 1 mile and stranded upon an island. Contractors lost considerable property in 
 t he way of pipe and other equipment, but the loss is very much less than would have been the case had the flood 
 occurred a year or two sooner. 
 
 In view of the Large industrial developments in the valleys of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, and in 
 view of the sudden rise and unprecedented height reached by this flood, it is extremely remarkable that the 
 amount of damage done was not very much greater. The fact that there were so few great individual calami- 
 ties is also notable. The damage, great as it is, was very widely distributed, and is made up of an enormous 
 number of relatively small items. It is impossible to estimate its amount with any degree of certainty. 
 
 The Oswego River, according to the best reports obtainable, did not suffer so severe a flood as was 
 experienced elsewhere in the State. This was undoubtedly due to the great natural storage furnished by the 
 
FLOODS IN THE HUDSON RIVER, MARCH 27-28, 1913. 107 
 
 finger lakes in central Now York, which are tributary to the Oswego River through the Oneida and Seneca 
 Rivers. 
 
 The Genesee River rose to a greater height than has hitherto been known, flooding a large district of the 
 city of Rochester and causing extensive damage. The greatest floods of the Genesee River in past years 
 were in 1865 and in 1894. The discharge at Rochester during these floods is estimated at about 40,000 second 
 feet from a drainage area of 2.3G5 square miles. The discharge in the present flood can not yet be estimated. 
 It is probable that the extensive damage and high stage readied in Rochester are due iu part to constriction of 
 the channel, as the Genesee River flows through the heart of the city, and, in fact, passes underneath the main 
 business street in the heart of the commercial district, where the river is covered over by buildings for a 
 considerable distance. Just above this street is located the Erie Canal Aqueduct, the obstruction of which 
 has hitherto been a prolific source of trouble in causing floods. 
 
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON FREQUENCY OF RECURRENCE OF HUDSON 
 
 RIVER FLOODS. 
 
 By Robkrt E. Horton, Consulting Hydraulic Engineer. 
 
 The question of the frequency with which a flood of a given magnitude may be expected 
 to occur is probably of fully as great importance as the physical data relative to the flood 
 itself; yet this matter of flood frequency seems to have been generally overlooked. The enthu- 
 siastic advocate of storage for flood control or the man whose property has recently suffered 
 damage from a severe flood is not apt to stop to think that the particular flood under considera- 
 tion may not occur again in 100 years. The man who has been injured knows that the flood has 
 occurred and apparently can occur again, and he naturally wants a remedy applied at once, if 
 possible. The question of average frequency of recurrence of great floods is, however, of much 
 importance. The question arises: Is the expenditure of large sums of money for the construc- 
 tion of storage reservoirs justifiable to control floods which will occur on an average not oftener 
 than once in say 100 years? There are few instances in which any reliable deductions as to the 
 probable frequency of recurrence of great floods can be made. Since floods are generally due to 
 excessive rains, the problem may be attacked by studying the frequency of recurrence of great 
 storms. This is a valuable aid to the study for the reason that records of rainfall are available 
 which are much more complete and of very much longer duration than records of the flood stages 
 of streams. There is great lack of consistency in the practice of engineers in regard to provision 
 for floods in engineering structures. On a given stream we will find one structure with flood 
 provision adequate to withstand floods of the greatest intensity which will occur on an average 
 once in 100 years, other structures, which are liable to injury by flood as often as once in 
 10. 20, or 30 years on an average. 
 
 The late George W. Rafter suggested to the writer in 1896 the possibility of the applica- 
 tion of the theory of probabilities to the analysis of flood records, rainfall records, and other 
 hydrological data. The object in view w'as the development of a consistent method for the 
 design of engineering structures dependent for their success on hydrological phenomena of 
 more or less periodic occurrence. Following this suggestion, the writer has developed and 
 applied methods of analysis of such data by the theory of probabilities, utilizing in some 
 instances the ordinary Gaussian law and in some instances developing special probability curves, 
 formulas, and diagrams similar to those here given for the Hudson River. 1 The above state- 
 ment is made in order to give Mr. Rafter credit for the first suggestion of the method in its 
 broadest sense and also because the method has been used by the writer for more than 10 years 
 
 1 Not reproduced. 
 
 109 
 
110 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 iii connection with the design of structures aggregating several millions of dollars in cost, and 
 the further application of this method seems to be justified by actual experience. 
 
 It is certainly in the line of making the best possible use of the available information. 
 This method has been applied to flood discharges of the Hudson River at Mechanicsville. Table 
 1 shows the date in each year on which the maximum flood discharge has occurred at Mechanics- 
 ville during the past 26 years. The quantity of discharge given is the greatest average for one 
 day. The absolute maximum for less than one day's time was somewhat greater in each instance. 
 In applying this method to the Hudson River the data have been arranged in the order of 
 magnitude shown in column 2 of Table 2. Column 3 shows the number of observed floods equal 
 to or greater than a given magnitude. Column 1 contains the reciprocals of the numbers in 
 column 3 and shows the probable average interval of recurrence in years of floods equal to or 
 greater than the corresponding quantities in column 2. The data from column 2 have been 
 plotted as ordinates and those from column 3 as abscissas on the accompanying diagram. 1 Loga- 
 rithmic cross-section paper was used for plotting, and the ordinates were adjusted by the use 
 of an addition constant, so as to reduce the line of plotted points substantially to a straight 
 line. A straight line drawn through the plotted points represents empirically the law of 
 relation between magnitude and frequencj^ of recurrence of floods within the range of observa- 
 tion. By the extension of this line or by deduction of the corresponding formula the probable 
 frequency of recurrence of floods greater than any hitherto observed can be inferred. In making 
 such inferences it must of necessity be assumed that the same laws govern the frequency of 
 recurrence of greater floods. Two formulas for this special probabilit}' curve are given on the 
 diagram. One formula shows the magnitude " Q " of floods which will probably be equaled or 
 exceeded once in " I " years on an average ; the other shows the average interval of years " I " 
 at which the flood of a given magnitude " Q " will probably be equaled or exceeded. 
 
 I _/Q + 50,000\7.14 
 V 80,000 / 
 
 Q = 80,000 I - 14 -50,000 
 
 For example: In order to determine the probable average interval of recurrence of a flood as 
 great as that of March, 1913. we have 
 
 j /l 13,500 + 50,000y 14 
 
 Solving by logarithms, we get 
 
 80,000 / 
 
 1=165 vears. 
 
 Here we have a flood magnitude which will apparently only be equaled or exceeded once 
 in 1G5 years on an average, but which has actually been observed once in a period of 26 years. 
 There are a number of ways in which data similar to that here given may be plotted to deduce 
 a special probability curve. It may be plotted either as a direct or as an inverse probability 
 curve and either on logarithmic, semilogarithmic, or plain paper. It is often desirable to plot 
 the data by two or more methods in order to fix the best position of the curve. This was done 
 in the present instance. 
 
 If the occurrence of floods of different magnitudes was a matter of pure chance, then their 
 relative frequenc)' of recurrence could be determined by the ordinary Gauissian law of error. 
 In cases where the available records are of short duration the cleriviation of a special probability 
 curve by the method which has been given is impracticable. In such cases the Gaussian law of 
 error properly applied is a valuable aid in the interpretation of the data. As a rule, however, 
 the writer has found that large floods occur with much greater frequency than the Gaussian 
 law would indicate. This is accounted for in part by the fact that in the derivation of the 
 
 1 Not reproduced. 
 
FREQUENCY OF RECURRENCE OF HUDSON RIVER FLOODS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 Gaussian law, phis and minus departures from the mean of the observed phenomena, are 
 assumed to be equally probable. Obviously a flood can not very well be as much as 100 per 
 cent smaller than the mean flood, while it may exceed the mean flood by '200 or 300 per cent 
 or even more. It follows that in a given record there are usually more floods below tbe mean 
 than there are above. The average maximum yearly discharge of the Hudson River at 
 Mechanicsville for the past 26 years has been 41,870 second feet. In 17 out of the 26 
 years the maximum discharge was less than this, and it was greater in only !> years. As a 
 result of this condition, the Gaussian law indicates departures above the mean having con- 
 siderably less than the observed or actual frequency. This error may be partly eliminated in 
 applying the Gaussian law by considering only departures above the mean; but even so. (he 
 Gaussian law indicates a probable flood interval of recurrence for a flood on Hudson River 
 as great as that of 1913 of 667 years, as compared with an average interval of 105 years deduced 
 from a special probability curve. 
 
 Without going into detail, the writer would say that the analysis of many of the longest 
 rainfall and flood records throughout the world points strongly to the conclusion, tentatively 
 at least, that floods of very great intensity actually occur with considerably more frequency 
 than the laws of occurrence of floods of ordinary intensity would indicate should be the case. 
 To what this is due can not at present be stated. The suggestion is inevitable, however, that 
 conditions come into play in the production of heavy rainfalls which are not ordinarily in 
 operation. The ultimate causes of rainfall are much less fully understood to-day than was 
 supposed to be the case 10 or 20 years ago. Recent investigations of molecular physics, con- 
 densation on electrons and ions, electrification, surface tension,. and the possibility of supersatu- 
 ration at high altitudes suggest a number of ways in which excessive rainfalls may be produced 
 at rare intervals from causes which are not ordinarily in operation. Owing to this apparent 
 tendency for abnormally great floods and rainfalls to occur with greater frequency than the laws 
 of occurrence of lesser floods would indicate should be the case, the waiter is of the opinion that 
 floods of this magnitude in the Hudson River may probably be expected to recur at average 
 intervals less than 165 years. That a flood as great as this, exceeding the average flood for 
 26 years by 170 per cent and exceeding the greatest flood hitherto recorded by 62 per cent, will 
 be of rare occurrence seems obvious. 
 
 Table 1. — Maximum discharge of Hudson River at Mechanicsville, JV. Y., for 26 years. 
 
 [Drainage area 4,500 square miles. Maximum given is greatest average flow for 24 hours.] 
 
 Date. 
 
 Discharge 
 (cubic feet 
 per second) 
 
 Apr. 7, 1888. 
 May 1, 1889. 
 May 27, 1890 
 Apr. 20, 1891 
 Apr. 25, 1892 
 Apr. 15, 1893 
 Mar. 24, 1894 
 Apr. 10, 1895 
 Apr. 19, 1896 
 Dec. 16, 1897 
 Mar. 14, 1898 
 Apr. 26, 1899 
 Apr. 23, 1900 
 Apr. 24, 1901 
 Mar. 3, 1902. 
 
 31, 130 
 22, 400 
 24, 300 
 33, 120 
 30, 110 
 25. 460 
 25, 560 
 49, 630 
 67.000 
 35, 700 
 39, 231 
 41,475 
 43, 546 
 54, 862 
 41.362 
 
 Cubic feet 
 
 per second 
 
 per square 
 
 mile. 
 
 6.93 
 4.99 
 5.40 
 7.14 
 6.69 
 5.66 
 5.68 
 11.0 
 14.9 
 7.93 
 8.72 
 9.22 
 9.68 
 12.2 
 9.19 
 
 Mar. 25, 1903. 
 Apr. 11, 1904. 
 Apr. 1, 1905. . 
 Apr. 6, 1906. . 
 Apr. 1, 1907.. 
 Apr. 28, 1908. 
 Apr. 16, 1909. 
 Apr. 3, 1910. . 
 May 3, 1911 . . 
 Apr. 8, 1912. . 
 Mar. 28, 1913. 
 
 Average . 
 Spring, 1869.... 
 
 Date. 
 
 Discharge 
 (cubic feet 
 per second) 
 
 56, 283 
 36,305 
 48, 877 
 40,279 
 36, 672 
 34,335 
 46, 299 
 37,809 
 26, 241 
 47. 275 
 113,510 
 
 41,875 
 70. 000 
 
 Cubic feet 
 
 per second 
 
 per square 
 
 mile. 
 
 12.5 
 8.07 
 
 10.9 
 8.95 
 8.15 
 7.63 
 
 10.3 
 8.41 
 5.83 
 
 10.5 
 
 25.2 
 
 15.6 
 
112 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 Table 2.— Floods of Hudson River at Meclianicsvillc N. Y., arranged in order of magnitude, ivith average 
 interval of recurrence and departures from the mean for each flood. 
 
 Number. 
 
 Discharge 
 (cubic feet 
 per second). 
 
 Average 
 interval 
 (years). 
 
 Departure from the 
 mean. 
 
 Departures for floods 
 
 exceeding 41,876 cubic 
 
 feet-seconds. 
 
 
 Excess. Deficiency. 
 
 Excess. 
 
 Deficiency. 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 5 
 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 1 
 
 22.400 
 
 1.00 
 1.04 
 
 
 19. 474 
 17.574 
 16.414 
 16.314 
 
 
 
 2 
 
 24.300 
 
 
 
 
 • 
 3 25. 460 1. 09 
 
 
 
 
 4 25. 560 1. 13 
 
 
 
 
 
 26,241 1.18 15.633 
 
 30,110 1.24 11.764 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 31.130 1.30 
 
 10. 744 
 8,754 
 7,539 
 6,174 
 5,569 
 5,202 
 4,065 
 2,643 
 1.595 
 
 
 
 s 
 
 33.120 1.37 
 34. 335 1. 45 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ill 
 
 35. 700 
 
 1.53 
 1.62 
 
 
 
 11 36 305 
 
 
 
 
 12 . 
 
 36, 672 
 
 1.73 
 1.86 
 2.00 
 2.17 
 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 37.809 
 39.231 
 
 40.279 
 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 41,362 2.36 
 41.475 2.60 
 43.546 2.89 
 46.299 l 3.25 
 47,275 1 3.71 
 4S.877 ; 4.33 
 49. 630 5. 20 
 54. 862 6. 50 
 56, 283 8. 67 
 67.000 , 13.00 
 113.510 26.00 
 
 
 512 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 
 400 
 
 
 
 IS 
 
 1,672 
 4, 425 
 
 
 15.041 
 
 19 
 
 
 
 11. 2^S 
 
 20 
 
 5.401 
 7.003 
 7, 756 
 12,988 
 14.409 
 25, 126 
 71.636 
 
 
 
 11.312 
 
 21 
 
 
 
 
 9,710 
 
 2' 
 
 
 8,957 
 
 23 
 
 
 
 3.725 
 
 24 
 
 
 
 2.304 
 
 25.. . 
 
 
 8,413 
 
 
 26 
 
 
 54. 923 
 
 
 Mean 
 
 
 
 41.876 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Flood record rainfall at Conservation Commission stations in New York State. 
 
 Date. 
 
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 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 .1 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 15 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 18 
 
 19 
 
 1913. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Mar. 22 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.16 
 .28 
 
 0.25 
 
 0.35 
 1.41 
 
 0.60 
 1.94 
 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0. 75 
 
 0.06 
 
 
 
 
 
 0.41 
 
 0.70 
 
 0.50 
 
 0.50 
 
 0.19 
 
 0.38 
 
 
 
 24 
 
 0.25 
 
 0. 15 
 
 0.45 
 
 .70 
 
 .18 
 
 0.77 
 
 .18 
 
 1.35 
 
 .99 
 
 1.03 
 
 .97 
 
 1.68 
 
 1.03 
 
 .S3 
 
 .40 
 
 .S5 
 
 2.00 
 
 0.41 
 
 25 
 
 1.2S 
 
 1.10 
 
 .67 
 
 .61 
 
 1.41 
 
 .99 
 
 2.00 
 
 .70 
 
 .58 
 
 1.30 
 
 .60 
 
 .42 
 
 .91 
 
 1.17 
 
 1.20 
 
 .70 
 
 1.05 
 
 1.10 
 
 26 
 
 .61 
 
 .36 
 
 1.31 
 
 .25 
 
 .99 
 
 . 58 
 
 1.25 
 
 1.70 
 
 1.24 
 
 
 
 1.18 
 
 1.13 
 
 2.20 
 
 .42 
 
 .23 
 
 .90 
 
 1.79 
 
 .S2 
 
 27 
 
 1.17 
 .21 
 
 
 1.52 
 
 
 .26 
 
 
 1.30 
 
 
 .24 
 T. 
 
 1.29 
 
 .OS 
 
 1.55 
 
 
 .06 
 
 
 
 .06 
 
 .11 
 
 T. 
 
 .02 
 
 
 
 .50 
 
 
 1.00 
 
 28 
 
 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 22-2^ 
 
 3.52 
 
 3. 13 
 
 2.69 
 
 3.61 
 
 2.88 
 
 3.71 
 
 4. 9S 
 
 4.22 
 
 3.51 
 
 2.^9 
 
 3. 30 
 
 3. (17 
 
 4.41 
 
 4. IS 
 
 4.47 
 
 3.14 
 
 5. 22 
 
 3.33 
 
FLOODS IN THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY AND IN VERMONT, MARCH 
 
 25-31, 1913. 
 
 By W. W. Netfert, Local Forecaster, Hartford, Conn. 
 
 The mild rainy weather of March 20-22 reduced to water the small amount of snow and 
 ice remaining in the woods and mountains of the extreme upper watershed. Under usual sea- 
 sonal conditions this small quantity of snow and ice would not have resulted in great floods; 
 but the fact that considerable frost yet remained in the ground and the thoroughly saturated 
 condition of the soil, made conditions favorable for a rapid run-off. The small streams soon 
 filled to overflowing, breaking up the ice and causing gorges. These conditions being aug- 
 mented two days later by heavy rains, a sharp rise in the larger streams quickly followed. The 
 ice gorges and overflowing streams caused a moderate amount of damage in the small streams 
 at Montpelier, Barre, Lancaster, Littleton, Lyndonville, and St. Johnsbury, Vt. Moreover, by 
 reason of the fact that the initial stages of the larger streams were relatively high, a large 
 volume of water was soon sweeping down the upper Connecticut with irrsistible force, 
 inundating thousands of acres of land, and doing damage of such extent that it can not be 
 accurately estimated in a monetary sense. The flood was due chiefly to heavy rain falling on 
 thoroughly saturated soil, which was only partly free from frost, and consequently many of the 
 washouts and landslides occurred on frost formations. The absence of the usual spring covering 
 of snow with its considerable water content, surely minimized the losses which occurred.. How- 
 ever, the flood over the upper valley was the greatest since 1869, while in the lower valley it 
 brought the highest water since 1896. 
 
 On the headwaters of the Connecticut, as at Wells River, Vt., the river was at a relatively 
 high stage on the morning of the 25th. It rose 3 feet, viz, from 27 to 30 feet during that 
 clay, and this rise, in connection with the rains which had fallen over the watershed, was the 
 first intimation of a flood throughout the course of the river in Massachusetts and Connecticut. 
 
 At White River Junction, 46 miles below Wells River, the Connecticut River at 8 a. m. 
 March 25, stood at 14.6 feet, and at 4 p. m. of that date it had risen to 20.3 feet ; it reached a 
 maximum height of 30 feet at 9 p. m. of the 27th, thus overtopping all previous high records 
 back to f 869. While no precise measurements of the stages of the river at White River Junc- 
 tion during the memorable floods of 1869 and 1862 are at hand, a reliable witness of both floods 
 is authority for the statement that the 1913 flood exceeded both of the earlier floods. 
 
 The breaking of a big log boom at Sharon, Vt. (on White River), by which 2,500,000 to 
 3,000.000 feet of logs were set adrift, was the cause of the loss of the highway bridge at White 
 River Junction, and the placing in jeopardy of the Boston & Maine Railway bridge across the 
 White River. 
 
 At Holyoke, Mass., the river was at a stage of 5.9 feet at 8 a. m. of the 26th, 9.2 at the cor- 
 responding hour of the 27th, and crested at a stage of 12 feet at 7 p. m. of the 28th, continuing 
 at that stage practically all of that night, The high water not only flooded many of the 
 cellars in the lower portions of the city, but also caused the suspension of power plants and 
 manufacturing concerns during the continuance of the flood. 
 
 14284°— 13 8 113 
 
114 
 
 THE FLOODS OF 1913. 
 
 At Springfield, Mass., the highest stage readied was 20.8 feet, or nearly 2 feet below high 
 water of 1854. At this stage cellars were flooded, streets and railways and low-lying truck 
 farms were submerged, and in some cases persons were compelled to move to the upper stories of 
 their houses in order to escape the water. The same experience was had at Thompson ville and 
 Windsor Locks, points farther down river. 
 
 At Hartford persons along the river front began moving their belongings to places of 
 safety as soon as a flood stage was forecast; when 20 feet of water on the Hartford gage was 
 assured an immense amount of movable property was transferred to higher levels; nevertheless, 
 much damage to buildings and other immovable property resulted. 
 
 Below is a comparative table of 1913 maximum stages as compared with earlier records. 
 
 Comparative table of flood stages. 
 
 Station. 
 
 Wells River, Vt 
 
 White River Junction, Vt 
 
 White River June! ion (White River) 
 
 Bellows Falls, Vt 
 
 Holyoke, Mass 
 
 Springfield, Mass 
 
 Hartford, Conn 
 
 Highest 
 stage on 
 record. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 
 35.0 
 
 1909 
 
 26.3 
 
 1895 
 
 25.7 
 
 1895 
 
 19.4 
 
 1895 
 
 12.7 
 
 1869 
 
 22.2 
 
 1854 
 
 '29.8 
 
 1854 
 
 Highest 
 stage 1913. 
 
 Feet. 
 
 36.0 
 30.0 
 29.4 
 19.0 
 12.0 
 20.8 
 26.3 
 
 i The 1869 (lood made a mark of 26.7 feet. 
 
 The loss to railroads in connection with this flood is estimated at $200,000. As there ai'e 
 many things that can not be reduced to dollars and cents which are really of considerable 
 damage to railroad and other interests, it is impossible to furnish exact data as to losses. In 
 Hartford the loss ranges from $50 in some cases to $1,000 in others, and likewise in the various 
 towns the losses range from $100 in one town to $2,000 in others. 
 
 Note. — Loss of bridge at White River Junction amounts to $37,000; value of logs of Sharon boom actually 
 lost, $10,000; loss to Hartford tobacco firms, $2,000; value of freight house at Middletown, $7,000: loss to 
 steamboat company at Hartford, $2,500. 
 
 The fatalities were : A man drowned at Highgate Springs, Vt. ; a boy drowned while pleasure 
 boating at Hartford; and at East Putney, Vt., a railway employee was drowned when a freight 
 train slid into the river. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 A. 
 
 Acknowledgments 9 
 
 Alciatore, II. F., report of flood by 5] 
 
 Alps, II. F., report of flood by 97 
 
 Atchafalaya River, report of flood in 101 
 
 15. 
 
 Brand, Al., report of flood by 85 
 
 Barron, W. E. , report of flood by 93 
 
 C. 
 
 Cade, W. R., report of flood by '. 75 
 
 Connecticut River, report of flood in 1 13 
 
 Crest stages in the Ohio in floods of 1884-1913 30 
 
 ( 'revasses 40, 90, 94, 96, 1 02 
 
 Crevasse near — 
 
 Beulah, Miss 40 
 
 Briers, La 102 
 
 Columbus, Ky 90 
 
 Graves Bayou, Ark 91 
 
 Lake St. John, La 102 
 
 North Memphis, Tenn 91 
 
 Poydras, Miss 102 
 
 Skipworth, Miss 91 
 
 West Hickman, Ky 91 
 
 Wilson, Ark 91 
 
 D. 
 
 Dayton, Ohio, flood at 51 
 
 Devereaux, W. C. , explanation by 25 
 
 E. 
 
 Emery, S. O, report of floods by 89 
 
 Evansville district, Ohio River, report of flood in 85 
 
 F. 
 
 Flood in the Ohio : 
 
 At Cairo 26 
 
 Cincinnati to Louisville 26 
 
 Compared with previous floods 30 
 
 January and February, 1913 : 15 
 
 Louisville to Cairo 26 
 
 March and April, 1913 15 
 
 Parkersburg to Cincinnati 25 
 
 Flood stages 12 
 
 Floods : 
 
 Classification of 12 
 
 Contributing causes of 11 
 
 Frequency of — 
 
 By periods 36 
 
 In the Ohio River 1 . 33 
 
 In Hudson River, frequency of recurrence of 1 09 
 
 In Illinois, report on 77 
 
 In Indiana rivers, report on 49, 7 1. 75 
 
 In October, 1910 '..... 32 
 
 115 
 
116 INDEX. 
 
 Floods — Continued. 
 
 I n Ohio— p age . 
 
 Before systematic observations began 14 
 
 During period 1870-1910 15 
 
 Five feet or more above flood stage 13 
 
 Of 1806 14 
 
 Of 1832 14 
 
 Of 1847 14 
 
 In Ohio River — 
 
 By groups 14 
 
 During last 40 years 12 
 
 In Ohio rivers, report on 45 
 
 In the lower Mississippi River, March, 1913 39 
 
 Duration of, as compared with 1912 " 40 
 
 Midsummer 33 
 
 Midwinter 32 
 
 Probable maximum in the Ohio River at Pittsburgh 37 
 
 G- 
 
 Gauge readings: ' 
 
 Hourly at Parkersburg. W. Va., Mar. 26-31, 1913 25 
 
 In the Ohio watershed 27-28 
 
 Great Miami River, hydrograph of 1913 flood 51 
 
 H. 
 
 Hamilton, Ohio, flood at 55 
 
 Hayes, Montrose W. . report of flood by 77 
 
 Hocking River, report of flood in 49 
 
 Horton, Robert E.: 
 
 Flood report by 105 
 
 Report on frequency of recurrence of Hudson River floods 109 
 
 Hudson River, flood in 105 
 
 Hudson River floods '. . . 109 
 
 Hydrographs for floods of 1913 105 
 
 Hydrographs of Great Miami flood 51 
 
 I. 
 
 Illinois River, report on flood in 77 
 
 Indiana: 
 
 Floods in rivers of 49 
 
 Flood in — 
 
 White River '. 71 
 
 Wabash River 75 
 
 L. 
 
 Land overflowed 40, 41 
 
 Loss due to floods 41, 42 
 
 M. 
 
 Marietta, Ohio, flood at 29 
 
 Memphis, Tenn., report of flood at 89 
 
 Meteorological condition as affecting floods 11, 12 
 
 Mahoning River, flood in ] 47 
 
 Manmee River, flood in 47 
 
 Xeifert , W. W. . report on flood in Vermont and Connecticut Rivers, by. 113 
 
 Norquest, C. E. . report on flood in White River, by 77 
 
 New Orleans district, report of flood in 101 
 
 O. 
 Ohio River: 
 
 Cincinnati to Louisville 26 
 
 Comparison of 1913 flood with previous floods 29-30 
 
INDEX. 117 
 
 Ohio River — -Continued. 
 
 Flood in — Page. 
 
 January, 1913 15 
 
 March-April, origin of 16 
 
 Floods in, 1870-1913 11 
 
 Louisville to Cairo 26 
 
 Parkersburg to Cincinnati 25 
 
 Physical features of the basin 11 
 
 Pittsburgh to Parkersburg 24 
 
 Precipitation: P. 
 
 Charts of — 
 
 Mar. 23-27, 1913 28 
 
 Jan. 1-13, 1913 28 
 
 Oct. 3-6, 1910. . 28 
 
 Feb. 4-7, 1884 28 
 
 Daily amounts of, in Ohio watershed — 
 
 Mar. 23-27, 1913 20-23 
 
 Feb . 4-14, 1884 31 
 
 Excessive, at Cincinnati 16 
 
 In Ohio- 
 Charts of 45 
 
 Mar. 23-27 45 
 
 Progressive averages of 35 
 
 Secular variation in 35 
 
 S. 
 
 Smith, Prof. J. Warren, report on floods by 45 
 
 Snow, on ground in February, 1884 31 
 
 T. 
 
 Temperature, daily record of, in Ohio watershed, Feb. 1-15, 1884 30 
 
 Todd, G. T., report on flood in Hudson River by 105 
 
 U. 
 
 XJniontown, Ky. , loss at 87 
 
 V. 
 
 Vicksburg, river district, floods in 93 
 
 W. 
 
 "Wabash River, Ind., flood in 75 
 
 Walz, Prof. F. .1. . report on floods in Ohio by , 81 
 
 Warnings - 42, 73, 83, 86, 92, 101, 105 
 
 White River, flood in 71 
 
 o 
 
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