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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 Year
This section includes brief descriptions of selected signficant interstate and intra-state
floods in yearly accounts. Floods described in this section were those with excessive loss of
life, excessive damage, extreme discharge or gage height, or those regional in extent.
References are provided for these as well as other selected significant floods that occurred
during the year. Figures 3-22 in this section
depict widespread regional flooding by giving the percentage of streamflow-gaging stations in
each State or territory recording greater than the approximate 20-year recurrence-interval
flooding during the calendar year.
1972
The first significant floods of 1972 occurred in the Pacific Northwest. Flooding was
persistent in the region as many streams were above flood stage from January until March.
Flooding extended from central Washington to northern California but was most severe in
western Oregon (fig. 5). The Nehalem and
Wilson Rivers in Oregon had discharges that were maximums of record. Three counties in
west-central Washington were declared Federal disaster areas as a result of the February
floods.
The Buffalo Creek flash flood, one of the worst human-induced disasters in history, occurred
February 26 in West Virginia. A makeshift dam on Buffalo Creek failed during excessive rains.
The rushing waters from the dam failure swept away houses and cars. The flood caused 125
fatalities and $100 million in damages (Paulson and others, 1991).
One of the earliest ice breakups in history in North and South Dakota contributed to flooding
along the Little Missouri River from snowmelt and ice jams. The U.S. Geological Survey
streamflow-gaging station on the Little Missouri River at Medora, North Dakota (station
06336000, table 35), recorded a discharge with a 25-year recurrence interval.
The most devastating local flood in South Dakota's history occurred in Rapid City, South
Dakota, on June 10, 1972. An almost stationary group of thunderstorms formed over the eastern
Black Hills and produced rainfall amounts of 15 in. in 6 hours northwest of Rapid City
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1972). Rapid Creek at Rapid City (station
06414000, table 43), had a maximum discharge of 50,000 ft³/s, which was more than
seven times greater than the discharge having a 100-year recurrence interval. The flood
resulted in 237 deaths and caused $160 million in damages (Paulson and others, 1991).
During June 20 through 25, 1972, Hurricane Agnes traveled over the eastern United States with
an unusually extended trajectory, and its combination with an extratropical system produced
some of the worst flooding in the area's history. The storms produced torrential rains and
significant flooding, particularly in Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, and Virginia.
Hurricane Agnes was one of the most destructive hurricanes in history, claiming 117 lives and
causing $3.1 billion in damages (Bailey and others, 1975).
On July 21, 1972, the largest 24-hour rainfall recorded in Minnesota resulted in major flash
flooding in central Minnesota (Paulson and others, 1991). Thirteen counties were declared
disaster areas.
On August 27, locally intense thunderstorms produced excessive rainfall over central Utah.
The discharge of Vernon Creek at Vernon, Utah (station 10172700, table 46), was greater than
the 100-year recurrence interval for the area (Paulson and others, 1991).
Three flash floods in 1972 occurred in Duluth, Minnesota. The largest flash flood hit the
area on September 20 and caused two deaths and $1 million in damages (Paulson and others,
1991).
Widespread flooding occurred from October 5 to 10 in Virginia and North Carolina. The
Meherrin and Nottoway Rivers in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina had
discharges that were near record stages.
- Bailey, J.F., Patterson, J.L., and Paulhus, J.L.H., 1975, Hurricane Agnes rainfall
and floods, June-July 1972: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 924, 403 p.
- Boone, C.F., 1972, The Richmond flood: Lubbock, Texas, C.F. Boone Publ. Co., 63 p.
- Burford, J.B., Delashmutt, J.L., and Roberts, R.T., 1981, Hydrologic data for
experimental agricultural watersheds in the United States, 1972: U.S. Department of
Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication 1412, 433 p.
- Bryant, W.C., 1972, Report on Bakersfield storm, June 7, 1972: Bakersfield,
California, Kern County Water Agency, 39 p.
- Carter, C.H., 1973, The November 1972 storm on Lake Erie: State of Ohio,
Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geological Survey Information Circular 39,
12 p.
- Colwick, A.B., McGill, H.N., and Erichsen, F.P., 1973, Severe floods at New
Braunfels, Texas, May 1972: U.S. Soil Conservation Service Paper 73-206, 29 p.
- Erikson, K.T., 1976, Everything in its path, destruction of community in the
Buffalo Creek Flood: New York, Simon and Schuster, 284 p.
- Darmer, K.I., 1973, Flood of June 1972 at Corning, New York: U.S. Geological
Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas HA-519, 1 sheet, scale 1:18,000.
- Darmer, K.I., and Wagner, L.A., 1973, Flood of June 1972 at Elmira, New York: U.S.
Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas HA-518, 1 sheet, scale 1:18,000.
- Davies, W.E., Bailey, J.F., and Kelly, D.B., 1972, West Virginia's Buffalo Creek
flood-a study of the hydrology and engineering geology: U.S. Geological Survey Circular
667, 32 p.
- DeAngelis, R.M., 1972a, Hurricane Agnes June 14-23, 1972: National Oceanic and
Atmosphic Administration, Climatological Data, National Summary, June 1972, p. 312-317.
- ____1972b, North Atlantic tropical cyclones, 1972: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Climatological Data, National Summary, p. 62-69.
- DeAngelis, R.M., and Hodge, W.T., 1972, Preliminary climatic data report,
Hurricane Agnes, June 14-23, 1972: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Technical Memorandum EDS NCC-1, 62 p.
- Dennis, S.A., Schlensener, R.A., Hirsch, J.H., and Koscielski, A., 1973,
Meteorology of the Black Hills flood of 1972: South Dakota School of Mines and
Technology, Institute of Atmospheric Science Report 73-4, 41 p.
- Elmira Star Gazette, 1972, The great flood of 1972: Elmira, New York, Twin Tiers
Star Gazetta, 63 p.
- Flippo, H.N., Jr., 1975, Flood of June 22-23, 1972, at Lock Haven, Pennsylvania:
U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas HA-541, 1 sheet, scale 1:12,000.
- Flippo, H.N., Jr., and Lenfest, L.W., Jr., 1973, Flood of June 1972 in
Wilkes-Barre area, Pennsylvania: U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas
HA-523, 1 sheet, scale 1:24,000.
- Greenhow, W.H., 1972, Flood, The Southern Tiers [New York], June 1972, disaster, a
pictorial review: Hornell, New York, W.H. Greehow, 81 p.
- Heinitz, A.J., 1973, Flood of August 2, 1972, in Little Maquokata River Basin,
Dubuque County, Iowa: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 73-107, 31 p.
- Hershfield, D.M., 1961, Rainfall frequency atlas of the United States:
U.S. Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau Technical Paper 40, 115 p.
- Hjalmarson, H.W., 1990, Flood of October 1983 and history of flooding along the
San Francisco River, Clifton, Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources
Investigations Report 85-4225-B, 42 p.
- Kuehnast, E.L., Baker, D.G., and Zandlo, J.A., 1988, Sixteen year study of
Minnesota flash floods: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Waters,
State Climatology Office and University of Minnesota Soil Science Department, 72 p.
- Larimer, O.J., 1973, Flood of June 9-10, 1972, at Rapid City, South Dakota: U.S.
Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas HA-511, 1 sheet, scale 1:18,000.
- Maddox, R.A., Hoxict, L.R., Chappell, C.F., and Caracena, F., 1977, Identifying
meteorological potential for flash floods along the East Slopes of the Rocky Mountains,
in 10th Conference on Severe Local Storms, October 18-21, 1977, Omaha, Nebraska:
American Meteorological Society, p. 364-372.
- Miller, E.M., and Walker, P.N., 1973, Flood of October 1972 at Petersburg and
Colonial Heights, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas
HA-505, 1 sheet, scale 1:24,000.
- Mussari, A.J. 1974, Appointment with disaster, volume 1, The swelling of the
flood, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylavania, before and after the Agnes flood of June 1972: Wilkes
Barre, Pennsylvania, Northeast Publ., 158 p.
- Namias, Jerome, 1973a, Birth of Hurricane Agnes-triggered by the transequatorial
movement of a mesoscale system with a favorable large-scale environment: Monthly Weather
Review, v. 101, p. 177-179.
- ____1973b, Hurricane Agnes-an event shaped by large-scale air-sea systems
generated during antecedent months: Royal Meterological Society Quarterly Journal, v.
99, p. 506-519.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1972, Climatological data (by
State): Ashville, North Carolina, National Climatic Data Center, (various months).
- ____1973a, Hurricane Agnes, June 14-23, 1972: National Weather Service,
Preliminary Reports on Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, p. 13-193.
- ____1973b, Final report of disaster survey team on the events of Agnes: National
Weather Service, Natural Disaster Survey Report 73-1, 45 p.
- National Weather Service, 1972, Black Hills flood of June 9, 1972: Natural
Disaster Survey Report 72-1, 20 p.
- Nugent, Tom, 1973, Death at Buffalo Creek, the 1972 West Virginia flood disaster:
New York, W.W. Norton and Co., Inc., 191 p.
- Park, W.R., Blankenship, J.C., Jr., Cook, J.O., Herndon, J.R., and Shumate, J.L.,
1972, Interim report of retaining dam failure, No. 5 Preparation Plant, Buffalo Mining
Company, Division of the Pittston Company, Saunders, Logan County, West Virginia,
February 26, 1972: Mount Hope, West Virginia, U.S. Bureau of Mines, 12 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.
- Robison, F.L., 1976, Floods in New York, 1972, with special reference to Tropical
Storm Agnes: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 34-75, 91 p.
- Runner, G.S., 1974, Flood on Buffalo Creek from Saunders to Man, West Virginia:
U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Investigations Atlas HA-547, 2 sheets, scale 1:12,000.
- Schwarz, F.K., Hughes, L.A., Hansen, E.M., Petersen, M.S., and Kelly, D.B., 1975,
The Black Hills-Rapid City flood of June 9-10, 1972-a description of the storm and flood:
U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 877, 47 p.
- Simpson, R.H., and Herbert, P.J., 1973, Atlantic hurricane season of 1972: Monthly
Weather Review, v. 101, p. 325-331.
- St. Amand, P., Davis, R.J., and Elliot, R.D., 1972, Report of Rapid City flood of
9 June 1972: Pierre, South Dakota, Report to South Dakota Weather Control Commission, 37
p.
- Thomas, W.O., Jr., and Corley, R.K., 1973, Floods of 1971 and 1972 on Glover Creek
and Little River in southeastern Oklahoma: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources
Investigations 5-73, 2 sheets.
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1972a, Flood-damage report on flood of July 1972,
Puerco River at Gallup, New Mexico: Los Angeles District, California, 3 p.
- ____1972b, Flood of 3 September, 1972, Hillsboro, New Mexico: Albuquerque
District, New Mexico, 15 p.
- ____1972c, Flood report, Cheyenne River Basin, South Dakota Black Hills area,
flood of June 9-10, 1972: Omaha District, Nebraska, various pages.
- 1972d, Interim flood report, 4th incident 28 May through 7 July, 1972, Washington
and Montana: Seattle District, Washington, 33 p.
- ____1972e, Public meeting, 11 August,1972, for citizens of South Boston, Virginia,
on Tropical Storm Agnes, 20-27 June, 1972: Wilmington District, Maryland, 16 p.
- ____1972f, Report on flood of 1-7 March 1972, western New York, in Buffalo
District: Buffalo District, New York, 33 p.
- ____1972g, Report on flood of 12 June, 1972, Phoenix metropolitan area, Arizona:
Los Angeles District, California, 57 p., 19 pl.
- ____1972h, Tropical Storm Agnes-Operation Noah 2, after action report: Harrisburg,
Susquehanna District, Pennsylvania.
- ____1973a, Flood damage report, storm and flood of 17-21 October, 1972, Gila River
Basin above San Carlos Reservoir, Arizona and New Mexico: Los Angeles District,
California, 32 p.
- ____1973b, Floods of January 1972, Johnson Creek, Oregon: Portland District,
Oregon, Post Flood Report, 11 pl.
- ____1973c, Flood report of June 1972, Tropical Storm Agnes-summary report: New
York District, 132 p.
- ____1973d, Hurricane Agnes rainfall and floods, June-July 1972: Philadelphia
District, Pennsylvania, 403 p.
- ____1973e, Reconnaissance study, Hurricane Agnes: Philadelphia District,
Pennsylvania, 46 p.
- ____1973f, Report on floods of October 1972 and January 1973 in Colma Creek Basin,
California: San Francisco District, California, 10 p., 5 pl.
- ____1973g, Tropical Storm Agnes: North Atlantic Division, Hydrologic Study,
Reports 1, 2, 3, various pagination.
- ____1974a Final report Schuylkill River Basin post Hurricane Agnes: Philadelphia
District, Pennsylvania, 12 leaves.
- ____1974b, Nishnabotna River Basin, Iowa, report on flood of September 1972: Omaha
District, Nebraska, 32 p., 12 pls.
- U.S. Department of the Interior, Task Force to Study Coal Waste Hazards, 1972,
Preliminary analysis of the coal refuse dam failure at Saunders, West Virginia, February
26, 1972: Washington, D.C., 42 p.
- Waite, L.A., 1973, Flood of July 17, 1972, in Gallup, New Mexico: U.S. Geological
Survey Water-Resources Investigations 43-73, 8 p.
Top of Page ||
Contents ||
Significant Floods, by Year ||
Significant Floods, by State or Territory ||
Figures ||
Tables ||
Glossary ||
Conversion Factors
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U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
