Albert J. Heinitz Oscar G. Lara 1976 <p>On June 27, 1975, the city of Ames and vicinity sustained severe flooding from Squaw creek and the south Skunk River. The storm which preceded the flood was net particularly outstanding in its intensity or duration. However, antecedent conditions plus the timing and direction of the storm were "ideally tuned" to cause the flood.</p> <p>In terms of magnitude of discharge as well as of damages this was the most severe flood on record, with losses estimated by city and Iowa State University officials at over a million dollars. The most unfortunate loss involved the drowning of a young person.</p> <p>The peak discharge at the Squaw Creek station, 206 mi² (534 km²), was measured at 11,300 ft³/s (320 m³/s), which is 1.6 times the 100-year flood. The south Skunk River above the confluence with Squaw creek, 315 mi² (816 km²), peaked at 5,330 ft³/s (151 m³). The recurrence interval of this discharge is 6.0 years. The peak discharge on the South Skunk River below the confluence with Squaw creek, 556 mi² (1440 km²), was 14,700 ft³/s (416 m³/s), which is 1.1 times the 100-year flood.</p> application/pdf 10.3133/ofr76728 en U.S. Geological Survey Flood of June 27, 1975, in City of Ames, Iowa reports