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Water-Supply Paper 2502

Summary of Significant Floods in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, 1970 Through 1989

Summary of Significant Floods, 1970 Through 1989, by State or Territory

In addition to the specific flood data, this section provides a description of the hydroclimatology and a summary of significant floods for each State or territory in the United States. The summary of significant floods includes those with loss of life or excessive damage during the period 1970 through 1989. The floods that were in the top 5 percent of each streamflow-gaging station's record during this period are tabulated, and an estimated recurrence interval is provided along with other pertinent data. A map of each State or territory is supplied to locate the streamflow-gaging stations.

Alabama

Hydroclimatology

Alabama is located in the southeastern United States and is bordered on the south by the Gulf of Mexico. The principal sources for the State's moisture are the Gulf of Mexico and the subtropical Atlantic Ocean (Paulson and others, 1991). Winter precipitation results from frontal systems and cyclone development in the Gulf. Summer precipitation results from thunderstorms and, occasionally, tropical storms and hurricanes. Mean annual precipitation ranges from about 50 in. in the northern part of the State to about 65 in. in the southern part. The statewide mean annual rainfall is about 55 in. (Paulson and others, 1991).

Significant floods in Alabama typically result from precipitation and high coastal waters associated with hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions; thunderstorms; and slow-moving or stationary frontal systems. The chance for flooding increases in the spring when the ground is already saturated with previous rain causing the runoff to be greater.

On the basis of regionalization procedures that relate flood characteristics to watershed and climatic characteristics, the magnitude of maximum discharges for rural Alabama streams is dependent on drainage area and storage, which is the percentage of the basin occupied by swamps, ponds, or reservoirs. For urban areas, maximum discharge depends on drainage area and percentage of the basin underlain by impervious surface (Jennings and others, 1994).

Significant Floods

The flood of March and April 1979 was the most extensive in Alabama during 1970-89. Twenty-eight percent of the streamflow-gaging stations in the State recorded significant discharges at this time. Central Alabama was the most severely affected. The flooding was caused by a series of early spring storms in the region that produced extremely moist soil conditions. The average rainfall during the flood was more than 8 in. in the Tombigbee River Basin, and the maximum was 17.3 in. at Pickensville (Paulson and others, 1991). The combined flow of the Tombigbee and the Black Warrior Rivers produced the largest known flood since 1874. Maximum discharges were the largest of record on the Sucarnoochee River at Livingston (station 2467500, fig. 23).

Torrential rains during a 48-hour period produced the flood of 1973. Eleven percent of the streamflow-gaging stations recorded significant discharges. This flood caused severe flooding in the upper Tombigbee and Tennessee River Basins. Rainfall was greatest in northwestern Alabama, as Hamilton received 10.5 in. (Paulson and others, 1991). This flood was the largest of record for the Flint River near Chase (station 3575000, fig. 23). Maximum discharges had greater than the 100-year recurrence interval on the Buttahatchee River, a major tributary to the upper Tombigbee River.

The location of streamflow-gaging stations in Alabama that had significant floods for 1970-89 is shown in figure 23 by station number. The specific data for each significant flood are listed in table 2. A significant flood is one that ranks in the top 5 percent of all annual maximum discharges for that station's period of record.

References

Jennings, M.E., Thomas, W.O., Jr., and Riggs, H.C., 1994, Nationwide summary of U.S. Geological Survey regional regression equations for estimating magnitude and frequency of floods for ungaged sites: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-4002, 196 p.

Paulson, R.W., Chase, E.B., Roberts, R.S., and Moody, D.W., compilers, 1991, National water summary, 1988-89-Hydrologic events and floods and droughts: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2375, 591 p.

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