USGS - science for a changing world

Kansas Water Science Center

Homehome Sudieswater data & studies Research Labresearch lab Pubspublications Floodflood Droughtdrought Contactcontact
Contract All | Expand All
PUBLICATIONS
DATA CENTER
WATER DATA & STUDIES
Surface Water
Ground Water
Water Quality
Sediment
Water Supply/Use
Watershed Assessment
Streamflow Flood/Drought
INFORMATION CENTER
ABOUT KANSAS WSC
USGS IN YOUR STATE

USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

There is a USGS Water Science Center office in each State. Washington Oregon California Idaho Nevada Montana Wyoming Utah Colorado Arizona New Mexico North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas Minnesota Iowa Missouri Arkansas Louisiana Wisconsin Illinois Mississippi Michigan Indiana Ohio Kentucky Tennessee Alabama Pennsylvania West Virginia Georgia Florida Caribbean Alaska Hawaii New York Vermont New Hampshire Maine Massachusettes South Carolina North Carolina Rhode Island Virginia Connecticut New Jersey Maryland-Delaware-D.C.
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.

Arizona

Hydroclimatology

Located in the southwestern part of the United States, Arizona's climate ranges from periods of excessive regional flooding to very dry periods. The moisture in Arizona is provided mainly by the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico (Paulson and others, 1991). Due to Arizona's position in a transitional region of general atmospheric circulation, the sources of moisture shift during the year. The principal sources of moisture are the Gulf of Mexico in the summer and the Pacific Ocean in the winter. The moisture supply generally is small because Arizona is close to a semipermanent, subtropical high-pressure zone.

Typically, half of Arizona receives less than 10 in. of mean annual precipitation in about equal quantities during the summer and winter. Annual precipitation in Arizona increases with elevation. Most of the Central Highlands and some mountain tops in the Basin and Range Lowlands receive more than 25 in. of mean annual precipitation (Paulson and others, 1991).

Regional flooding is most severe in Arizona when strong Pacific storms are diverted south in the fall and winter and the subtropical jetstream supplies moisture from the Pacific Ocean. Localized but intense flash flooding can occur during the summer monsoon period from strong thunderstorms. Occasionally, remnants of strong hurricanes moving from the Pacific Ocean produce flooding in Arizona. On the basis of regionalization procedures that relate flood characteristics to watershed and climatic characteristics, the magnitude of maximum discharges for streams in Arizona is dependent on drainage area of the basin, mean basin elevation, and mean annual precipitation (Jennings and others, 1994).

Significant Floods

The most extensive flood during 1970-89 was the flood of October 1983. Twenty-five percent of the streamflow-gaging stations in the State recorded significant discharges during this time. The areas affected were in southeastern Arizona, particularly the Santa Cruz and San Francisco River Basins. The flood was caused by the remnant moisture from dissipated Tropical Storm Octave. The most intense rainfall was concentrated in a narrow band from south of Tucson to Clifton. Maximum discharges on the Santa Cruz River at Tucson (station 09482500, figure 25 and 25a) and on Aravaipa Creek (station 09473000, figure 25 and 25a) were more than twice those recorded in the previous 65 years. Large, flat areas northwest of Tucson were inundated with floodwaters when the Santa Cruz and Gila Rivers overflowed their banks and spread across the flat land.

During 1979, 13 percent of the streamflow-gaging stations recorded significant discharges. This flood affected the upper Salt and Verde Rivers, and it filled reservoirs upstream from Phoenix.

The third-most extensive flood in Arizona occurred during the fall of 1970. Twelve percent of the gaged streams recorded signifcant discharges. The flooding occurred on Tonto Creek and the Hassayampa River in central Arizona.

The location of streamflow-gaging stations in Arizona that had significant floods for 1970-89 is shown in figure 25 and 25a by station number. The specific data for each significant flood are listed in table 4. 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.

Top of Page || Contents || Significant Floods, by Year || Significant Floods, by State or Territory || Figures || Tables || Glossary || Conversion Factors

USGS Home Water Resources Biology Geography Geology Geospatial

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices

Take Pride in America logo USA.gov logo U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: /pubs/reports/wsp.2502.az.html
Page Contact Information: GS-W-KS_info@usgs.gov
Page Last Modified:Wednesday, 17-Sep-2008 13:02:42 CDT