Characteristics of peak streamflows and extent of inundation in areas of West Virginia and southwestern Virginia affected by flooding, June 2016

Samuel H. Austin; Kara M. Watson; R. Russell Lotspeich; Stephen J. Cauller; Jeremy S. White; Shaun Wicklein

doi:10.3133/ofr20171140

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Characteristics of peak streamflows and extent of inundation in areas of West Virginia and southwestern Virginia affected by flooding, June 2016

Samuel H. Austin·Kara M. Watson·R. Russell Lotspeich·Stephen J. Cauller·Jeremy S. White·Shaun Wicklein

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Abstract

Heavy rainfall occurred across central and southern West Virginia in June 2016 as a result of repeated rounds of torrential thunderstorms. The storms caused major flooding and flash flooding in central and southern West Virginia with Kanawha, Fayette, Nicholas, and Greenbrier Counties among the hardest hit. Over the duration of the storms, from 8 to 9.37 inches of rain was reported in areas in Greenbrier County. Peak streamflows were the highest on record at 7 locations, and streamflows at 18 locations ranked in the top five for the period of record at U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations used in this study. Following the storms, U.S. Geological Survey hydrographers identified and documented 422 high-water marks in West Virginia, noting location and height of the water above land surface. Many of these high-water marks were used to create flood-inundation maps for selected communities of West Virginia that experienced flooding in June 2016. Digital datasets of the inundation areas, mapping boundaries, and water depth rasters are available online.

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Source-reported bounding extent: 37° to 39° latitude; -82° to -79.5° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Samuel H. Austin, Kara M. Watson, R. Russell Lotspeich, Stephen J. Cauller, Jeremy S. White, Shaun Wicklein. 2017-11-17. Characteristics of peak streamflows and extent of inundation in areas of West Virginia and southwestern Virginia affected by flooding, June 2016. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20171140

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