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At least 685 records · Page 38Linked to original sources
USGS1961

Hydraulic and hydrologic aspects of flood-plain planning

The valid incentives compelling occupation of the flood plain, up to and eve n into the stream channel, undoubtedly have contributed greatly to the development of the country. But the result has been a heritage of flood disaster, suffering, and enormous costs. Flood destruction awakened a consciousness toward reduction and elimination of flood hazards, originally manifested in the protection of existing developments. More recently, increased knowledge of the problem has shown the impracticability of permitting development that requires costly flood protect/on. The idea of flood zoning, or flood-plain planning, has received greater impetus as a result of this realization. This study shows how hydraulic and hydrologic data concerning the flood regimen of a stream can be used in appraising its flood potential and the risk inherent in occupation of its flood plain. The approach involves the study of flood magnitudes as recorded or computed; flood frequencies based1 on experience shown by many years of gaging-station record; use of existing or computed stagedischarge relations and flood profiles; and, where required, the preparation of flood-zone maps to show the areas inundated by floods of several magnitudes and frequencies. The planner can delineate areas subject to inundation by floods o* specific recurrence intervals for three conditions: (a) for the immediate vicinity of a gaging station; (b) for a gaged stream at a considerable distance from a gaging station; and (c) for an ungaged stream. The average depth for a flood of specific frequency can be estimated on the basis of simple measurements of area of drainage basin, width of channel, and slope of streambed. This simplified approach should be useful in the initial stages of flood-plain planning. Brief discussions are included on various types of flood hazards, the effects of urbanization on flood runoff, and zoning considerations.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS1961

Floods in the Skagit River basin, Washington

According to Indian tradition, floods of unusually great magnitude harassed the Skagit River basin about 1815 and 1856. The heights of these floods were not recorded at the time; so they are called historical floods. Since the arrival of white men about 1863, a number of large and damaging floods have been witnessed and recorded. Data concerning and verifying the early floods, including those of 1815 and 1856, were collected prior to 1923 by James E. Stewart. He talked with many of the early settlers in the valley who had listened to Indians tell about the terrible floods. Some of these settlers had referenced the maximum stages of floods they had witnessed by cutting notches at or measuring to high-water marks on trees. In order to verify flood stages Stewart spent many weeks finding and levelling to high-water marks such as drift deposits, sand layers in coves, and silt in the bark of certain types of trees. Gaging stations have been in operation at various locations on the Skagit River and its tributaries since 1909, so recorded peak stages are available at certain sites for floods occurring since that date. All peak discharge data available for both historical and recorded floods have been listed in this report. The types of floods as to winter and summer, the duration of peaks, and the effect of reservoirs are discussed. In 1899 Sterling Dam was constructed at the head of Gages Slough near Sedro Woolley. This was the beginning of major diking in the lower reaches of the Skagit River. Maps included in the report show the location of most of the dike failures that have occurred during the last 73 years and the area probably inundated by major floods. The damage resulting from certain floods is briefly discussed. The report is concluded with a brief discussion of the U.S. Geological Survey method of computing flood-frequency curves as applied to the Skagit River basin. The treatment of single-station records and a means of combining these records for expressing regional significance are exemplified. Historical data are used in the development of both the single-station and the regional curves.

Washington↗
USGS1961

Hydrology of the upper Cheyenne River basin: Part A. Hydrology of stock-water reservoirs in upper Cheyenne River basin; Part B. Sediment sources and drainage-basin characteristics in upper Cheyenne River basin

The objective of this investigation was to determine the effect on runoff of the many stock reservoirs in the Cheyenne River basin above Angostura Dam. As a first step it was necessary to determine, within reasonable limits of accuracy, the number of reservoirs in the basin, the storage capacity, the drainage area, and the water loss from each. A sampling method was adopted because the size of the basin, 9,100 square miles, prohibited examination of all reservoirs within the drainage area. Forty-nine sample areas of 9 square miles each were selected as a 5-percent sample of the 955 complete quarter townships within the basin above Angostura Dam. All reservoirs located within the sample quarter townships were surveyed.

South Dakota, Wyoming↗
USGS1966

Effects of agricultural conservation practices on the hydrology of Corey Creek basin, Pennsylvania, 1954-60

Analyses of data collected from two small basins in northern Pennsylvania during the period May 1954 to September 1960 indicated that changes in land use and land treatment have affected suspended- sediment discharge from the basins. Extensive land use and land-treatment changes have taken place in the 12.2-square-mile Corey Creek study basin, whereas such changes in the 10.2-square-mile Elk Run basin, which is adjacent to the northeast, have been relatively slight. Elk Run basin, which is topographically and hydrologically similar to Corey Creek basin, was used as an external control for the Corey Creek basin study. Multiple-regression analysis showed that of all the variables, runoff correlated most highly with the sediment yield of each basin. Surveys at selected cross-sections of the two streams indicated that most channel changes were in the banks rather than in the bed. At points where the stream channel slope was greater than 70 feet per mile, the average annual change in cross-sectional area at the measured ranges was less than +--2.5 square feet. Filling of the stream channel occurred where the slope was 70 feet per mile or less, and such filling was greater in Corey Creek than in Elk Run. Trend analyses of data from both basins indicated no persistent changers in quantity of runoff, precipitation, or runoff intensity (peakedness), although similar analyses indicated significant changes in the rate of suspended-sediment discharge from both basins. During the period September 1957 to September 1960, sediment discharge from Corey Creek basin decreased by 11 percent relative to the sediment discharge from Elk Run. All, or most, of this decrease was the result of a decrease in sediment discharge during the May to October growing seasons. No significant trends were detected in data collected d-ring the November to April dormant season. A factor, termed the relative erosion potential, was formulated for evaluating the effects of changes in the hydrologic cover conditions. This factor was adjusted for- the effects of diversion terrace construction in the Corey Creek basin. A rank correlation test of the adjusted relative erosion potential versus the growing season Corey Creek-Elk Run suspended-sediment discharge ratio resulted in a correlation coefficient, r=0.71, significant at the 3 percent level. The least-squares regression equation derived from the .same data. was Y=0.276 X - 6.89. where Y was the Corey Creek-Elk Run sediment-discharge ratio and X was the adjusted relative erosion potential. The correlation coefficient was 0.65. significant at the 12 percent level. Standard error of estimate was 0.44. or about ?20 percent of the observed variation in the sediment-discharge ratio.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1971

Hydrology and sedimentation of Corey Creek and Elk Run basins, north-central Pennsylvania

Analysis of data collected from two small agricultural basins in northcehtral Pennsylvania during the period May 1954 to September 1967 indicates that conservation measures reduced the quantity of suspended sediment leaving the Corey Creek basin as a result of frequent storms during the growing season. Extensive soil conservation treatments were applied in the 12.2-squaremile Corey Creek basin, but only minor treatments were applied in the adjacent 10.2-square-mile Elk Run basin. These treatments included the construction of ponds and diversion terraces and altering land use by such measures as establishing permanent hay land and changing marginal pasture land to wood lands. Elk Run basin, which is topographically and hydrologically similar to the Corey Creek basin, was used as an external control to assist in detecting and evaluating the hydrologic changes in Corey Creek. Trend analyses of data from both basins indicate a 47-percent decrease in sediment discharge from Corey Creek during the frequent storms that occur in the May to October growing season. Six percent of the sediment discharged from Corey Creek during the period of this investigation (1954-67) was discharged during these frequent growing-season storms. The remaining 94 percent of the sediment was discharged during the November to April dormant season and during two major events during the growing season, one October 1955 and one May 1961. No decrease in sediment discharge was observed for these events or for this period. The adjacent basin of similar size, topography, and hydrologic characteristics, Elk Run, was not scheduled for extensive conservation treatment; it was selected as a control for this study "because of the assumption that any changes in precipitation and runoff patterns would affect both basins in a similar manner. Rainfall, runoff, sediment, and stream-channel data are used in this report to estimate the probable hydrologic behavior of the Corey Creek basin provided the intensive conservation program had not been undertaken.~

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1972

Appraisal of stream sedimentation in the Susquehanna River basin

The Susquehanna River presently transports about 3.0 million tons of sediment annually (110 tons per square mile). Only about 1.8 million tons of sediment enters the head of Chesapeake Bay annually because some sediment is trapped behind the power dams on the lower Susquehanna. Measured annual sediment yields from subbasins in the Susquehanna range from 40 to 440 tons per square mile. The highest yields are from parts of the glaciated section of the basin, in the anthracite coal region, and the Piedmont province. The lowest yields are from parts of the glaciated section of the basin and the Appalachian high plateau. Available data indicate that there has been a downward trend of sediment discharge in recent years. In the future, the high sediment yields associated with urbanization may offset this present downward trend.

Susquehanna River↗
USGS1974

Sediment transport by streams draining into the Delaware Estuary

The quantity of sediment transported by streams draining into the Delaware estuary from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware varies areally according to geology, physiography, and land use. Of the estimated total sediment load of 1.6 million tons entering the Delaware estuary annually, about 48 percent is contributed by the Delaware River main stem at Trenton, NJ; 34 percent by Pennsylvania tributaries; and 18 percent by New Jersey and Delaware tributaries.

Water Supply Paper↗