Search USGS⌕ Search

Geology topics

J.O. Rostvedt

Publications and source records attributed to J.O. Rostvedt.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS1972

Summary of floods in the United States during 1967

This report describes the most outstanding floods in the United States during 1967. The two most destructive floods occurred in August in east-central Alaska and in September and October in southern Texas. In east-central Alaska, heavy rain on August 8-17 produced record-breaking floods near Fairbanks. Peak discharges on some streams in the area were from two to four times the 50-yea.r flood. Flood damage was estimated to have been $85 million, and six lives were lost. Torrential rains produced by Hurricane Beulah caused record-breaking floods on many streams in a 50,000-square-mile area in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico in September and October. As much as 25.5 inches of rain was measured at ESSA Weather Bureau stations in the period September 19-25. Major flooding occurred in the basins of the Guadalupe, San Antonio, Mission, Arkansas, and Nueces Rivers and in many small coastal basins in Texas ; on the Rio Grande and its floodways ; and in the Rio Alamo and Rio San Juan basins in Mexico. Peak discharges at several sites in Texas were more than three times the magnitude of a 50-year flood. Total damage in Texas due to wind, rain, stream flooding, sheet flow, ponding, and tidal flooding was $167 million. In addition to the two floods mentioned above, 27 others of lesser magnitude are considered important enough to be included in this annual flood summary.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1971

Summary of floods in the United States during 1966

This report describes the outstanding floods in the United States during 1966. The four most destructive floods occurred during March-April in the Red River of the North basin in northwestern Minnesota, during April-May in northeastern Texas, in August, in east-central Nebraska, and in December, in the Southwestern United States. For the second consecutive year, there was severe flooding in the Red River of the North basin in Minnesota during ,the spring snowmelt period. Unseasonally warm temperature caused rapid melting of a heavy snow cover, with water equivalent ranging from 5 to 7 inches, which covered .the northern two-thirds of the basin. Peak discharges were maximum of record at three gaging sites having periods of record ranging from 20 to 30 years, ,and peak discharges exceeded 50-year floods at nine sites. Damage from the flood was estimated at $10 million. In the period April 22-29, from 20 to 26 inches of rain fell in parts of the Sabine River basin in northeastern Texas. and high rates of runoff occurred from the headwaters of the Sulphur River southward .to the Trinity River basin. Flood damage was estimated at $12 million, and at least 25 persons lost their lives. Severe floods occurred along the Loup River ,and its tributaries in east-central Nebraska on August 12-14. The .peak discharge at nearly all gaging stations in the flood area exceeded the previous maximum of record. The floods we re caused by heavy rains of from 13 to 17 inches in about 24 hours. The storm was the most widespread in the area since 1896 and may have exceeded the area of the 1896 storm. The floods were unusual because of the consistently high discharges throughout a large flood area. Flood damage was estimated at $11 million. In early December a storm moved eastward from the Pacific coast in southern California into Southwestern United States. Intense precipitation occurred around the mountain ranges of south-central California and in and extending from southeastern Nevada across the southwestern corner of Utah to the Grand Canyon and southward to the mountains of central Arizona. Discharges on many streams exceeded the previous maximums known, and the flood was particularly damaging because of the large area involved. In .addition to these four floods, 19 others of lesser magnitude are considered important enough to be included in this annual summary.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1970

Summary of floods in the United States during 1964

This report describes the most outstanding floods in the United States during 1984. The four most damaging floods during the year were in December in the Far Western States, in March along the Ohio River, in September in central and northern Florida and southern Georgia, and in June in northwestern Montana. The floods of December in the Far Western States were the most damaging in the history of the area. Record-breaking discharges occurred in an unusually large area Oregon, northern California, western Nevada and Idaho, end southern Washington. Forty-seven lives were lost, and damage amounted to several hundred million dollars. Two storms in early March along the Ohio River caused maximum discharges of record on many streams in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana and also high dis- charges in parts of Illinois, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Eighteen lives were lost, and flood damage was about /$100 million. In September, Hurricane Dora, the first hurricane of record to cross north- eastern Florida from the Atlantic Ocean, caused outstanding floods in northern Florida and southern Georgia. Flood damage exceeded $100 million. The most severe floods of record in northwestern Montana occurred on both sides of the Continental Divide following heavy rains in early June. Thirty lives were lost, and flood damage was about /$55 million. About /$6 million damage resulted from severe flooding in a small area in the Papillion Creek basin, in eastern Nebraska, in early June. In the last half of September, floods from torrential rains in three areas in Texas caused about $1 million damage. In addition to the floods mentiond above, 21 others of lesser magnitude are considered important enough to be included in this annual summary

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1968

Summary of floods in the United States during 1962

This report describes the most outstanding floods in the United Spates during 1962. The most damaging floods during the year occurred in February in southern Idaho and northern Nevada and Utah, and during the latter part of February and the early part of March in Kentucky and in the Cumberland River basin in Tennessee. The floods in Idaho and adjacent areas of Nevada and Utah resulted from a combination of prolonged low-intensity rainfall, moderate amounts of snow on low-altitude areas, a period of high temperatures, and a glaze of ice over deeply frozen ground. The floods affected some of the most valuable agricultural land in the region and some of the most heavily populated areas in Idaho. Damage in Idaho was estimated at more than \$7 million. The floods in Kentucky and Tennessee were caused by two storms; precipitation exceeded 7 inches at places during the second storm. Damage in Kentucky totaled about \$7 million. Recordbreaking snowmelt floods occurred in March and April in southeastern South Dakota and adjacent areas. Many peak discharges were much greater than those that can be expected to occur on an average of once in 25 years. Peak discharges on the Floyd River and the Big Sioux River were the greatest snowmelt floods since 1881. Damage in South Dakota was estimated at \$4 million. Heavy rains during May and intense rains in early June caused flooding in Minnesota on tributaries of the Red River of the North. Peak discharges exceeded previous maximums at some areas in the basins of the Buffalo, Clearwater, and Wild Rice Rivers. Damage from the floods of May and June in Minnesota was about \$5 million. The greatest flood since 1920 in Rapid City, S. Dak., caused at out $600,000 damage in July. The great runoff of 3,300 cubic feet per second, from a relatively small area downstream from Pactola Reservoir, resulted from rainfall having an intensity greater than that for a 100-year recurrence interval. Floods caused almost \$3 million damage in three river basins' in western Florida in September. The greatest damage was in Sarasota where from 3 to 7 feet of water flooded homes and stores. About 70,000 acres of farmland and woodland was inundated. Unusual floods of September in southern Arizona flooded areas up to 10 miles wide. Damage, which totaled about \$3 million, was almost entirely to farms, as the flood area is sparsely populated. In addition to the floods just mentioned, 15 others of lesser magnitude are considered outstanding enough to be included in this annual summary.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1968

Summary of floods in the United States during 1963

This report describes the most outstanding floods in the United States during 1963. The three most destructive floods occurred in March from Alabama to West Virginia and Ohio, in June in Nebraska, and in August in Buffalo, N.Y. Widespread disastrous floods struck the western slopes of the Appalachian Mountains from Alabama to West Virginia and Ohio as a result of three storms moving over the area during March 4-19. Precipitation during the first storm period, March 4-6, caused some major stream overflows and produced conditions favorable for high runoff from subsequent rainfall. Heavy rainfall on March 11-13 produced record-breaking floods on many streams in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia. Noteworthy floods occurred in the bordering States of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Ohio. The third storm on If arch 16-19 was .significant because it prolonged the period of flooding and produced high-volume runoff in some areas. Twenty-six lives were lost, and more than 30,000 persons were forced from their homes. Damage to highways, railroads municipal and private property amounted to approximately \$98 million. Floods of June 24 in small basins in east-central Nebraska were the most severe known in the area. Discharges in many streams greatly exceeded the 50-year flood. Twenty-five cities and villages and more than 600 families suffered property loss. Three lives were lost. Property loss was about \$13 million. On July 29 the most severe rainstorm in 18 years occurred in western New York. On August 7, rains of near-record magnitude again fell over western New York, and record intensities were recorded in Buffalo for 1-, 2-, and 6-hour storms. The resulting floods on Scajaquada Creek were the highest recorded in a short period of record, and flood damage in Buffalo was estimated at \$35 million. In addition to the three floods mentioned above, 21 others of lesser magnitude are considered important enough to be included in this annual summary.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1965

Summary of floods in the United States during 1960

This report describes the most outstanding floods in the United States during 1960. No major floods occurred during the year, although two floods caused severe damage the first in March and April in eastern Nebraska and adjacent areas, and the second in September in Puerto Rico. Unseasonal rains in mid-March caused extensive flooding in north-central Florida. Several thousand persons were evacuated from their homes, and damage to homes, roads, and crops was extensive. The most widespread flooding ever known in Nebraska occurred late in March and early in April as a result of rapid melting of a heavy snow cover. Most of the flood damage, estimated at about $3 million, was to roads and bridges. The flood area extended into South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Snowmelt in April supplemented by rains and later heavy rains in early May caused severe flooding in northern Wisconsin and in Michigan Upper Peninsula. The most destructive flood of the year was in eastern Puerto Rico as the result of hurricane Donna. More than one hundred persons died, and considerably more than one hundred persons were injured; property damage was f.bout $7 million. Hurricane Donna also caused severe flooding as it passed over Florida and along the Atlantic coastline. In addition to these floods mentioned, 31 others of lesser magnitude were significant enough to report in this annual summary.

Water Supply Paper↗
USGS1965

Summary of floods in the United States during 1961

This report describes the most outstanding floods in the United States during 1961. The most damaging floods during the year were those caused by snowmelt in March and April in the upper Mississippi River basin and those accompanying Hurricane Carla in September. Hurricane Carla traveled northward along the east edge of Texas and then northeastward through southeastern Oklahoma, northwestern Arkansas, southeastern Missouri, and central Illinois. Heavy rains and floods occurred east of the hurricane's path in Texas and west of its path for the remainder of its journey. Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia had moderate to severe floods in February and March from a series of large-area rainstorms. Many maximum peak discharges occurred, and streams remained at high stages for periods longer than any known before. Property damage was high and four lives were lost. Extensive flooding took place in May from southeastern Kansas and northeastern Oklahoma through northern Arkansas, southern Missouri, northern Kentucky, and the southern parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Maximum discharges occurred at many sites throughout the area. Heavy flooding was experienced on Kootenai River at Bonners Ferry, Idaho, in May and June. These floods were noteworthy for their duration. The most tragic flood of the year was in July in Charleston, W. Va. A small area cloudburst flood caused 22 deaths and damage of more than \$1 million. Severe flooding occurred in December in the Tombigbee River, Pearl River, and Pascagoula River basins in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. Much damage resulted, and from two to three thousand persons were evacuated from large flooded areas. In addition to the floods mentioned above, 19 others of lesser magnitude are considered important enough to be included in this annual summary.

Water Supply Paper↗