data summary of june-july 1975 floods in eastern … · damage, mostly agricultural, was widespread...
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UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
DATA SUMMARY OF JUNE-JULY 1975FLOODS IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA
AND NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA
(200)R29o
I no.75-05651
M V Open-File Report 75-565
I I I I I I I
ON THE COVER
Floodwaters at intersection of U.S. Highway 75 with a
Clay County road near Kragnes, Minn. The photograph I
is by Colburn Hvidston III and appeared in the July 4,
1975 issue of the Fargo-Moorhead paper titled "The Forum". |
i i i i i i i i i
I I I I I
DATA SUMMARY OF JUNE-JULY 1975
FLOODS IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA
AND NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA
By K. L. LindskoviII . Open-File Report 75-565
i i i i i i
Bismarck, North Dakota
and
St. Paul, Minnesota
September 1975
i
I II
CONTENTS
Page
Conversion factors ........................................... V
Introduction. ................................................ 1
The storm. ................................................... 1
ILLUSTRATIONS Page
Summary of flood data ........................................ 3
J Peak stages and discharges .............................. 3
Sediment concentrations. ................................ 13
Remote-sensing data available from EROS Data Center..... 13
i i i
Figure 1. Isohyetal map of total rainfall during
I June 28-30 and July 1-2, 1975. .................. 2
2. Map showing locations of flood-measurement sites.. 4
I 3. Graph of June- July 1975 floods compared with
M maximum floods previously determined. ........... 11
4. Hydrographs of daily mean flow at selected
I locations. ...................................... 12
i ii i
III
I II Page
Table 1. Summary of flood stages and discharges............. 5
2. Summary of sediment data collected during the
flood............................................ 14
3. Summary of remote sensing data on 1975 Red
River of the North flood available through
EROS Data Center..............................'... 15
ii i i i i i i i i i i
CONVERSION FACTORS
The following factors may be used to convert the English units published herein to the International System of Units (SI).
Multiply English units
inches (in)
feet (ft) miles (mi)
square miles (mi 2 )
cubic feet (ft 3 )
cubic feet per second (ft 3/s)
cubic feet per second per square mile (ft 3/s-mi2 )
ton (short)
By
Length
25.4.0254.3048
1.609
Area
2.590
Volume
28.32.02832
Flow
28.3228.32
.02832
.01093
Mass
.9072
To obtain SI units
millimetres (mm) metres (m) metres (m) kilometres (km)
square kilometres (km2 )
cubic decimetres (dm3 ) cubic metres (m3 )
liters per second (1/s) cubic decimetres persecond (dm3/s)
cubic metres per second (m3/s) cubic metres per second per
square kilometre (m3/s-km2 )
tonne (t)
V
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
INTRODUCTION
Torrential rains during late June and early July 1975, combined with wet antecedent conditions, caused severe flooding, mainly along the lower reaches of the Sheyenne and Maple Rivers and their tributaries in North Dakota, and in the Buffalo and Wild Rice River basins in Minnesota. The Red River of the North from the Fargo-Moorhead area to the Halstad, Minnesota area was also severely flooded. Because much of the region is extremely flat, large areas of the two States were inundated by flood waters. Damage, mostly agricultural, was widespread and damage estimates exceeded a quarter of a billion dollars.
Local, State, and Federal officials need factual informa tion to evaluate, coordinate, and manage programs concerned with flood losses. The purpose of this report is to provide quickly a summary of some of the basic data collected on the June-July 1975 floods. Only a part of the information collected by the U.S. Geological Survey on the extent and magnitude of the floods is presented. This information includes the magnitude and fre quency of the instantaneous maximum stages (water-surface ele vations) and flow rates for 62 sites, measured sediment loads at 7 sites, and hydrographs of daily mean flow at 6 sites. Additional streamflow information associated with the floods will be provided subsequently in annual data releases of the Geological Survey. The report also describes availability of graphic or photographic data depicting the areal extent of in undation. Those data may be obtained from the Applications Assistance Branch, EROS Data Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Sioux Falls, S. Dak. 57198.
Only a minimal amount of rainfall data are summarized in this report to aid in documenting the flood event. These data were provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis tration (NOAA), U.S. Department of Commerce, and by the Minnesota State Office of Climatology. This assistance in providing the data and in reviewing the form of its presentation is appreciated.
THE STORM
Two separate storms contributed to the June-July flooding. The first dumped more than 4 inches (102 millimetres) of rain during June 28-30 over an area extending from the Jamestown- La Moure area, North Dakota on the west, between Abercrombie and Fargo on the south and north, and to Detroit Lakes, Minn, on the east (fig. 1), about 6,000 square miles (16,000 square kilometres). Parts of La Moure, Barnes, Ransom, Cass, and Richland Counties in North Dakota, and Clay, Norman, Becker, and Otter Tail Counties in Minnesota received rainfall exceed ing 10 inches (254 millimetres) for the 3-day period. An unofficial gage near Leonard, N. Dak. registered 20 inches
I
I
I
I
I
I 98° 97° 96°
__I ________MANITOJBA_ __I ___ ___ ___ ° I MANITOBA _ ___ ___ I ___CANADA _T . NORTH" DAKOTA\"~~JT~ J^>rO^7~X"Z"jMiNN§soTA T ~'~^ UNITED" STATES~^\
lorthome
V--^ U . j Peters bur
* /» ^5j^Amenia_ I ' B5ldhill DamL
»»«<» , valley City
*.*rr^ RANSOM~ne^- a^V I- RICHLAND
; "SARGENT ( I X Mantador
Rutland* WCayJga o<=. __ ^^~x S^-» <or^?iVi -t.__J_iXl_NQRVH
SOUTHMDAKOTA
ROBERTS C.,,
48°
99°
Base by U. S. Dtpirtmmt of Commerce
^
Figure 1.--lsohyetal mapjof total rainfall (in inches) during the periods June 28-30 and July 1-2, 1975 (Based on data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U. S. Dept. of Commerce, and by Minnesota State Office of Climatology.)
96°
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
(508 millimetres) of rain. The first storm was responsible for flooding along the Red River of the North from the Fargo- Moorhead area to Grand Forks, N. Dak.
During July 1-2, a. second storm produced high rainfall along a wide band from Drayton, N. Dak. to Lower Red Lake, Minn. The July storm was not as severe as the June storm, al though 8,000 square miles (21,000 square kilometres), mostly in Minnesota, received more than 2 inches (51 millimetres) of rain (fig. 1). Holt, Minn., located north of Thief River Falls, re ported 8 inches (203 millimetres), the largest amount. The July storm caused significant flooding along tributaries enter ing the Red River of the North in the extreme northwestern part of Minnesota, including the Red Lake River basin.
SUMMARY OF FLOOD DATA
Peak stages and discharges
Peak stages and discharges were documented at 62 sites lo cated in areas of significant flooding. Locations of the sites are shown on figure 2. The stream basins exclusively in North Dakota that drain to the Red River include the Wild Rice, lower Sheyenne, and lower Maple. A few sites are in the James River basin which drains to the Missouri River. The Minnesota stream basins are mainly the Buffalo, Wild Rice, Marsh, Sandhill, Red Lake, and Snake. All gaging stations on the main stem of the Red River of the North from Wahpeton to Drayton, N. Dak. are included.
A summary of maximum flood stages and discharges at 47 sites (fig. 2) in the regular stream-gaging network and at 15 miscellaneous sites on smaller drainage areas is presented in table 1 for both the maximum flood previously known and the maximum experienced during the June-July 1975 floods. The relative magnitude of the 1975 floods compared to the maximums previously known are shown in figure 3. The 1975 floods ex ceeded the maximums previously known at 18 of 47 sites having 10 or more years of record, largely on tributary streams. The Red River of the North at Halstad, Minn. was the only main-stem station where the June-July floods exceeded the maximum pre viously known. The discharges for the 1975 peaks exceeded the 100-year flood (the flood expected to be equaled or exceeded f once every 100 years on the average) at three sites within the regular network.
In addition to inundation of large areas, the duration of flooding was long, magnifying the damage. The Red River of the North at Fargo and Grand Forks, N. Dak. and at Halstad, Minn. remained above flood stage for about 10 days, as shown on fig ure 4. The duration of flooding for smaller streams like the South Branch Buffalo River at Sabin, Minn. was about 3 days.
990 (K
o__I________M̂ N|JP_BA__ ___INORTH DAKOTA
L___CANADA__ f UNITED STATES X
NORTH/DAKOTA SOUTHMDAKOTA
48°
EXPLANATION
Continous-record gaging station Partial-record gaging station (floods)
A Miscellaneous siteDiscontinued gaging station
V" Sediment-measurement site also
SCALE99°
0_____0_____10
Base by U. S. Department of Commerce
Figure 2.--Locations of flood-measurement sites.
Cont
rib
uting
Site
No. S
tati
on
Stream and place o
f de
term
inat
ion
drainage
on f
ig-
No.
area
ur
e 2
(mi2
)
Tabl
e 1.
--Su
mmar
y of
flo
od s
tage
s an
d di
scha
rges
Maxi
mum
floo
d previously known
Maximum du
ring
Jun
e-Ju
ly 1
975
floods
Peri
od o
f Ga
ge
Disc
harg
e known
Date
height
floo
ds(f
t)
ft3/
s ft
Vs-
mi
Recu
r -Gage
Discharge
renc
e Da
te
heig
ht
interval
(ft)
ft
3/s
ftVs
-mi
2 (y
ears
)
Red River
of t
he N
orth b
asin
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
05051500
0505
1600
0505
1700
05052000
05052500
05053000
0505
4000
05058500
d464702
0975
8560
0
d464058
098032300
d463254
0975
6020
0
d463233
0975
0510
0
0505
8700
Red River of t
he N
orth a
t Wahpeton,
N. Dak.
Wild
Ric
e River near
Rutl
and,
N.
Da
k.
Wild
Rice
River near
Cayuga,
N. Dak.
Wild
Rice
River near
Mant
ador
, N.
Dak.
Antelope C
reek
at
Dwig
ht,
N. Dak.
Wild
Rice
River
near
Abercrombie
, N. Da
k.
Red
River
of t
he N
orth
at
Fargo, N. Dak.
Shey
enne
Riv
er a
t Valley C
ity,
N.
Dak.
Shey
enne
Riv
er t
ribu
tary
near K
athr
yn,
N. Da
k.
Spri
ng Creek a
t Cl
ause
n Springs, N.
Da
k.
Shey
enne
Riv
er t
ributary
near F
t. Ra
nsom
, N.
Da
k.
Shey
enne
Riv
er t
ribu
tary
No
. 2 near F
t. Ra
nsom
, N. Da
k.
Shey
enne
River a
t
4,010
296
565
790
278
1,49
0
6,80
0
2,11
0 3.0
87.0
14.2 7.0
2,490
1897,
1942
-74
1960
-74
1957
-74
1944-73
1944
-47,
1949-73
1897,
1932
-74
1882,
1897,
1902
-74
1919,
1938
-74
e e e e
1957
-74
1897
4-10-69
4- 8-69
4- 7-
69
4-12-69
4-13-69
4-10-69
1897
4-11-69
1897
4-15-69
4-28-48
4-19-69
-- -- -- --
4-24-69
17.0
16.34
a8.78
alO.
90
9.32
10.8
8
17.8
2
27.5
24.5
8
39.1
37
.34
17.51
17.6
2
-- -- -- --
16.54
9,20
0 2.
3
1,270
4.3
1,71
0 3.0
2,360
3.0
9,00
0 32.4
9,54
0 6.4
b25,
000
25,3
00
3.7
4,580
2.2
4,520
--'
-- -- --.
4,380
1.8
July
4
June 30
July
1
July
2
July
3
July
4
July
4
June 30
June 30
June 29
June 29
June 29
July
1
10.8
0 3,
800
4.40
130
7.71
47
0
9.70
1,100
15.0
0 1,
800
19.16
3,60
0
33.36
13,200
10.2
7 2,
040
420
540
"
5,30
0
2,840
19.0
7 5,700
- 0.
9
0.4
0.8
1.4
6.5
2.4
1.9
1.0
140 6.
2
373
406 2.
3
4 3 4 10 7 9 22 c - - - - cLisbon,
N. Da
k.
Tabl
e 1.
--Su
mmar
y of
flo
od s
tages
and
disc
harg
es--
Cont
inue
d
Maximum- flo
od pre
viou
sly known
Cont
rib
uting
:e N
o. St
atio
n fig-
No.
5 2
14
d461832
0973
9230
0
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
05059000
0505
9500
d463917
0974
0470
0
d463634
0973
6150
0
05059700
d464
119
097231200
05060000
05060500
0506
0800
0506
1000
0506
1200
Stream and place o
f determination
drai
nage
Pe
riod
of
Gage
Discharge
area
known
Date
height
(mi2
) floods
(ft)
ft
3/s
ft3/
s-i
Red River
of t
he N
orth
bas
in --C
onti
nued
Dead Col
t Creek near
Gwin
ner,
N. Dak.
Shey
enne
Riv
er near
Kindred, N.
Dak.
Shey
enne
River a
t West F
argo,
N. Dak.
Maple
Rive
r tr
ibut
ary
near E
nder
lin,
N.
Da
k.
South
Branch Maple R
iver
at E
nderlin, N
. Dak.
Maple
Rive
r ne
ar
Enderlin,
N. Dak.
Maple
Rive
r tr
ibut
ary
near L
eonard,
N. Dak.
Maple
Rive
r ne
ar
Maple t
on,
N. Da
k.
Rush
Riv
er a
tAm
enia
, N. Da
k.
Buff
alo
River ne
ar C
all away,
Minn
.
Buffalo
Rive
r near
Hawl
ey,
Minn.
Whisky C
reek a
t
~ 34.3
e--
.
3,020
1947
or
48,
1947 o
r 48
22.1
1950-74
4-15-69
21.03
3,09
0 42.4
36.6
796 32.4
1,379
116 94.5
322 25.3
1903-06,
1919
, 1930-74
e e
1957-74
e
1944-74
1947-74
1960
-74
1921,
1945-74
1961
-74
4- 4-
66
4-16
-69
f21.
70
-- --
4-11
-69
13.55
--
4-11
-69
14.0
0
3-23-66
a!2.
154-
10-6
9 11
.41
4-10
-69
al5.ll
1921
11
.3
4- 9-69
9.07
4- 9-69
6.85
--
3,600
4,690
1.6
3,11
0 1.0
-- --
5,75
0 7.
2
--
7,000
5.1
__
1,69
0 14
.6
446
4.7
1,88
0 5.8
570
22.5
Maxi
mum du
ring
Jun
e-Ju
ly 1
975
floods Re
cur-
Gage
Discharge
rence
Date
he
ight
in
terv
al
(ft)
ft
3/s
ftVs-mi
2 (y
ears
)
June 3
03,890
113
July
6
21.6
6 4,700
1.6
July
3
21.75
2,850
0.9
July
5 22.25
June 2
9
June 2
9
June
30
June 29
15
.68
620
3,21
0
6,390
7,80
0
2,12
0
1,600
.450
620
2,05
0
610
75.7
175 9.
8
65.4 8.4
3.9
6.6
6.4
24.1
-- -- 25 -- 50 3 20 30 >30
Barn
esvi
lle,
Minn.
Site N
o. Station
on f
ig-
No.
ure.
2 26
05061400
27
05061500
28
0506
2000
29
05062280
30
05062470
31
05062500
32
05062700
33
05062800
34
05062900
35
0506
3200
36
05063400
37
05063500
38
05063800
39
05063810
Contrib
utin
gSt
ream and pla
ce o
f determinatio
n dr
aina
ge
Period of
area
know
n (mi2
) fl
oods
Tabl
e 1.--Summary of f
lood s
tage
s an
d discharges--Contin
ued
Maxi
mum
flood pr
evio
usly
known
Gage
Di
scharg
e Da
te
height
(ft)
ft3/s
ft3/s-mi
2
Red Ri
ver
of t
he Nor
th bas
in--
Cont
inue
d
Hay Creek
above
Downer,
Minn.
Sout
h Branch Buf
falo
Riv
er
at S
abin
, Mi
nn.
Buff
alo River ne
ar D
ilworth, Minn
. 1,040
Mosquito C
reek
near
Bagley,
Minn
.
Mars
h Cr
eek
trib
utar
y near
Mahn
omen
, Mi
nn.
Wild
Rice
Rive
r at
Twin Val
ley,
Mi
nn.
Wild
Ric
e River
tributary
near
Twin Valley,
Minn.
Coon
Creek near Tw
in Val
ley,
Minn
.
Wild
Ric
e Ri
ver
above
Ada,
Mi
nn.
1,050
Spring C
reek
tributary nea
r Og
ema, Mi
nn.
Sout
h Branch Wild
Rice R
iver
ne
ar P
elton, Mi
nn.
Sout
h Branch Wil
d Rice
River
near
Bor
up,
Minn
.
State
ditc
h 45 n
ear
Pelton,
Minn.
State
ditc
h 45 n
ear
Boru
p, Mi
nn.
5.81
522
,040 3.
98
11.9
888 2.
16
50.8
,050 4.
99
£180 254
g29.4
__
1961
-74
1945
-74
1931-74
1961
-74
1961
-74
1909-17,
1931
-74
1961-74
1962-74
e
1963-74
e
1944-49,
1972
-74
e e
6- 8-
62
4-10-69
4-11
-69
4-17-67
4-11-69
7-22
-09
6-16-70
4- 9-
69
--
4- 9-
69
--
3-19
-46
4-13-47
-- --
13.46
18.12
25.5
5
9.72
13.7
6
i20.
0
14.7
6
a!3'
.42
-- 8.68 --
a!3.60
i!2.86 -- --
g 6,410
10,4
00 68 436
9,20
0
324
1,520
-- 115
-- 950
1,150
--
-- 12.3
10.0
17.1
36.6
10.4
150 29.9 --'
23.0 -- 4.5
--
. --
Maximum during June-July 1
975
floo
ds Recur-
Gage
Discharge
renc
e Da
te
height
interval
(ft)
ft
3/s
ft3/s-
mi2
(yea
rs)
June 29
13.5
2 1,460
.251
>100
July
2
19.9
0 8,
500
16.3
60
July
2 27
.06
13,600
13.1
90
July
2
h7.9
4 9.
4 2.
4 <2
July
2 10
.47
119
10.0
3
July
1
11.29
3,66
0 4.
1 12
July
2 12.39
90
41.7
2
June 29
14.59
2,70
0 53
.1
>50
July
1
J24.
34
k5,850
5.6
June 29
8.44
10
1 20.2
7
June 3
0 J1
5.53
7,610
42.3
July
1
20.59
3,70
0 14.6
>100
June 29
J9.95
1,02
0 34.7
June 30
J94.10
810
Site N
o. Station
on f
ig-
No.
ure
2 40
0506
4000
41
05064500
42
05067500
43
0506
9000
44
0507
3600
45
0507
3750
46
05073800
47
05075000
48
05076000
49
0507
7700
50
0507
8000
51
05078200
Contrib
utin
gStream, and pl
ace
of d
eter
mination
drai
nage
Period of
area
kn
own
(mi2
) fl
oods
Tabl
e 1.
--Su
mmar
y of f
lood s
tage
s and discharges--Cont
inue
d
Maxi
mum
floo
d previously kno
wn
Gage
Da
te
height
Discharge
(ft)
ft3/s
ft3/s-
mi:
Wild Rice
Rive
r at
He
ndru
m, Minn.
Red River
of t
he N
orth
at
Hals
tad,
Minn.
Mars
h River near
Shelly,
Minn
.
Sandhill River
at
Climax,
Minn
.
South Branch Battle
Rive
r at N
orthome, Mi
nn.
Red River
of t
he N
orth bas
in--
Cont
inue
d'
1,600
1944-74
4-15
-69
31.42
8,300
£21,800
1897,
1897
38.5
1936
-37,
4-18-69
38.29
35,700
1942-74
151
1944-74
5-11-50
21.96
4,66
0
1943-74
4-14
-65
i!7.
81
4,56
0 4-17-69
f28.32
2.80
1960-74
4-13-69
a!6.43
109
Spring C
reek
near
Blackduck,
Minn.
7.96
1960-74
5-23-62
16.54
346
1.14
1960-74
4-13-69
m8.0
5 76
Perr
y Creek
trib
utar
y near
Shocks,
Minn
.
Red
Lake R
iver
at High L
andi
ng
near
Goodridge,
Minn
.
Thie
f River near Thi
ef River
Fa
lls,
Mi
nn.
Ruff
y Brook ne
ar G
onvi
ck,
Minn.
Clea
rwat
er R
iver
at
Plum
mer,
Minn.
Silver C
reek
tri
buta
ry a
t Clearbrook,
Minn
.
2,300
1930-74
5-11
-50
13.42
3,720
959
1909
-17,
5-
13-5
0 17
.38
5,61
0 1919-26,
1929-74
1960
-74
3-30
-67
6.35
4- 9-
67
a6.6
245
.2
512 6.
02
1960-74
9- 2-
73
16.11
453
1939
-74
6- 9-
62
11.9
0 3,
640
4-10
-69
a!2.
31
152
5.2
1.6
30.9
43.5
66.7 1.6
5.8
10.0 7.1
25.2
Max
imum
dur
ing
Jun
e-Ju
ly 1
975
floo
ds Rec
ur-
Gag
e D
isch
arge
re
nce
Dat
e hei
ght
inte
rval
(f
t)
ft3/
s ft
Vs-
mi2
(y
ears
)
July
5
f30.
95
7,66
0
4.8
35
July
9
f32.
05
July
10
38.6
0 41
,000
1.
9
July
3
13.1
5 1,
170
7.7
July
11
f!3.5
4
July
8
-
369
July
11
f24.
84
38.9
Ju
ly
2 15
.09
126
45.0
July
2
16.8
5 89
6 11
3
July
2
9.91
14
0 12
3
July
3
n!3.
44Ju
ly
7 13
.39
4,06
0 1.
8
July
2
14.1
7 3,
260
3.4
40
3 <2
10 >50
>100 25 10
July
2
4.78
26
9 6.
0 2
July
4
11.1
9 2,
960
5.8
9
July
2
hll
.85
68
11.3
3
Table
1.--
Summ
ary of f
lood s
tage
s and
disc
harg
es--
Cont
inued
Maxi
mum fl
ood pr
evio
usly
known
Co
ntri
b
uting
Maximum du
ring
Jun
e-Ju
ly 1
975
floo
ds Recur-
:e No
. St
atio
n fig-
No.
( 2 52
05078230
53
0507
8500
54
05079000
55
0508
2500
56
0508
5500
57
0508
7500
58
0509
2000
Stre
am and pla
ce o
f de
term
inat
ion
Lost
Riv
er a
t Ok
lee,
Minn.
Clea
rwat
er R
iver
at
Red
Lake
Fal
ls,
Minn
.
Red La
ke R
iver a
t Crooks to
n,
Minn
.
Red Ri
ver of t
he N
orth
at
Gran
d Fo
rks,
N. Dak.
Snak
e Ri
ver
at Warren,
Minn
.
Middle R
iver a
t Argyle,
Minn
.
Red Ri
ver
of t
he N
orth
at
Dray to
n, N.
Da
k.
drainage
area
(mi2
) Red
266
1,370
5,280
£30,
100
g!75 265
£34,800
Period of
known
floo
ds
Gage
Date
height
(ft)
Disc
harge
ft3/s
ftVs-mi
2Date
Gage
height
(ft)
Disc
harg
e
ft3/s
ft3/s-
mi2
rence
inte
rva
(yea
rs
River
of t
he N
orth
basin- -Continued
1950,
1960
-74
1909
-17,
19
34-7
4
1901
-74
1882
-197
4
1945
, 1950,
1953
-56
1945,
1950-74
1936
-37,
19
41-7
4
4-21
-50
018.39
4-11
-69
14.91
4-15
-13
ai!7.5
4-12
-69
11.8
2
4-12
-69
27.33
1897
i5
0.2
Apr.
10
May
1950
18.42
Apr.
19
50
15.2
5 4- 3-
66
a!6.00
5-12
-50
i41.58
2,79
0 3,210
9,74
0
28,4
00
80,0
00
3,51
0
2,790
86,5
00
12.1 7.1
5.4
2.7
20.1
10.5 2.5
July
3
July
4
July
5
July
14
July
3
July
3
July
19
13.4
0
8.76
20.48
43.08
17.7
3
16.59
39.1
0
1,71
0
5,130
13,500
42,700
2,080
4,26
0
38,0
00
,6.4 3.7
2.6
1.4
11.9
16.1 1.1
3 5 6 10 '" 35 5
Jame
s River basin
59
d463150
098321700
60
06470500
61
d463150
0981
3450
0
62
d460818
098042100
Bone
Hil
l Creek near
Dickey,
N. Dak.
Jame
s Ri
ver
at L
a Mo
ure,
'
N. Da
k.
Bear
Cre
ek t
ribu
tary
nea
r Mari
on,
N. Dak.
Bear
Creek n
ear
Glover,
N. Dak.
71.0
1,790 80.0
437
e
1950
-74
e e
--
4-14
-69
16.1
7
-- ._
--
6,80
0
-- --
-- 3.8
-- --
June 29
July
1
June 30
July
1
--
12.76
-- --
1,02
0
2,900
1,270
4,590
14.4 1.6
15.9
10.5
.
c -- --
FOOTNOTES TO TABLE 1
> Greater than.
< Less than.
a Backwater fr
om ic
e.b
At site 1.
5 mi
les
down
stre
am.
c Not
computed,
partially regulated.
d Latitude-longitude identifier,
no downstream or
der
number as
sign
ede Miscellaneous site,
peak discharge av
aila
ble
for
1975 flood
only.
f Backwater fr
om Red
or Maple Ri
vers
.g
Revised.
h Higher stage
and
disc
harg
e during April
1975.
i At
different site or
da
tum.
j U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers
gage
datum.
k In
clud
es diversion fl
ow to Marsh River.
£ Approximately.
m Backwater fr
om debris.
n.Backwater fr
om tributary
ditc
hes.
o Channel
dred
ged
8 feet in 1964.
100.0001
CO
NTR
IBUTIN
G
DR
AINAG
E AREA.
IN
SQU
ARE KILO
METR
ES
ioe tooo
10,000100,000
EXPLANATIO
N
M
aximum
floo
d-Ju
ne
-July. 1975
o P
reviously know
n m
aximum
flood
at sam
e site
1000oLLJ C
O
CO
100«O
C
O
TO
100 1000
CO
NTR
IBUTIN
G D
RAIN
AGE AR
EA, IN SQUARE M
ILES
10,000100.000
Figure 3.--C
omparison of the June-July, 1975
floods with m
aximum
floods previously determ
ined at the
same
sites.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
5O.OOO
OzOuIU 0)K. UJ Q.
IL
y(D
oz010o: <o(0o
UJ
>< o
20,000
of the North at HalstadOXLLLJ
Red RK/er of the North at Grand Forks H
Buffab River near Dilworth
Red River of the North at Fargo
Maple River near Mapleton
Buffalo River at Sabinffl
South Branch
22 24 26
July
1975
Figure 4. Flood hydrographs at selected locations.
12
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
Sediment concentrations
Sediment data were collected at four sites in North Dakota and three sites in Minnesota during the June-July 1975 floods. Available data for evaluating the sediment loads of the major rivers draining the areas flooded are summarized in table 2. A comparison of the discharges listed in table 2 with the peak discharges listed in table 1 shows that all of the sediment data were obtained near the crests of the floods. The sediment concentrations measured during the June-July 1975 floods are not exceptionally high and have been exceeded numerous times in the past.
Remote-sensing data available from EROS Data Center
The data collected by the EROS Data Center, summarized in table 3, document the areas flooded during June-July 1975. Aerial photography and LANDSAT data are being evaluated for use as a tool for mapping the areas inundated. Beyond the evalua tion of short-term flood effects, the LANDSAT data may be useful for studying possible long-term effects like increased soil salinity, erosion, and deposition.
13
Tabl
e 2.
--Su
mmar
y of
sed
imen
t data c
ollected during
the
floo
d Susp
ende
d sediment
Site N
o.St
atio
n on
fig
- No.
ure
2
0505
3000
05054000
05059000
15
05062000
28
05062500
31
05083500
55A
Stream a
nd pla
ce o
f determin
atio
n
Wild Rice
Rive
r ne
ar
Abercrombie, N. Dak.
Red Ri
ver
of t
he North
at F
argo
, N.
Da
k.
Sheyenne R
iver
nea
r Ki
ndre
d, N.
Dak.
Mapl
e River ne
ar
Mapleton,
N. Da
k.
Buff
alo
Rive
r ne
ar
Dilworth,
Minn
.
Wild Rice
Rive
r at
Twin Val
ley, Mi
nn.
Red Ri
ver
of t
he N
orth
at
Oslo, M
inn.
Date
07-0
4-75
07-03-75
07-03-75
07-0
3-75
07-02-75
07-0
1-75
07-1
5-75
Time
1215
1400
1530
1115
1400
1600
0940
Water
temp
er
ature
(°C)
27.0
23.0
23.5
22.0
24.5
19.0
22.0
Disc
harg
e ft
3/s
3,46
0
12,5
00
4,200
11,600
13,6
00
3,66
0
43,000
Conc
en
trat
ion
(mgA)
199
141
822
120 88 193
156
Sedi
ment
discharge
(tons per
day)
1,86
0
4,76
0
9,320
3,76
0
3,30
0
1,910
18,1
00
Perc
e:
finer
0.06
2 :
siev 92 98 90 96 -- -- 92
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
Table 3.--Summary of remote sensing data on 1975 Red River of the North flood available through EROS Data Center (furnished by Applications Assistance Branch, EROS Data Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.)
May 12, 1975
1. LANDSAT 2 Overpass 0$ Cloud CoverIdentification: E-2110-16370 Fargo-Moorhead area
E-2110-16364 St. Vincent to N. Grand Forks area E-2110-16373 Wahpeton-Breckenridge area
June 26, 1975
1. LANDSAT 1 Overpass 70$ Cloud Cover, Mapleton visible Identification: E-5068-16260 Mapleton area
July 5, 1975
1. LANDSAT 1 Overpass 10$ Cloud CoverIdentification: E-2164-16372 Fargo-Moorhead area
E-2164-16365 St. Vincent to N. Grand Forks area E-2164-16374 Wahpeton-Breckenridge area
2. EDC 35mm, color and color infrared oblique low-altitude aerial slides of West Fargo, Mapleton, and Kindred area.
July 10, 1975
1. NASA RB-57 Overflight Mission 315X 1:116,000 scale, metric color infrared imagery, Breckenridge to Canadian Border. Fifty frames of coverage. Frame 1-D. Roll 8, Frames 019 to 092.
2. EDC 35mm color and color infrared ground slides, Fargo-Moorhead, West Fargo area.
July 13, 1975
1. EDC Contract Overflight, 1:48,000 scale color infrared imagery. EDC 001, Rolls 1 and 2. Grand Forks to Breckenridge; 205 frames.
July 14, 1975
1. LANDSAT 1 Overpass - Cloud Cover 10$, Red River Valley visible. Identification: E-5086-16250 Fargo to Grand Forks
E-5086-16243 Grand Forks to Canadian Border E-5086-16252 Kindred to Watertown
July 17, 1975
1. EDC Contract Overflight, 1:24,000 scale color infrared imagery. EDC 001, Roll 3, Breckenridge to Grand Forks, along the Red River; 81 frames.
July 25, 1975
1. EDC 35mm color, and color infrared oblique low-altitude slides of Halstad, West Fargo, Mapleton areas.
September 15, 1975
1. EDC Contract Overflight identical to July 13th and 17th Missions.
15