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Floods of April 1979, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia

Professional Paper 1319
By: , , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/pp1319

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Abstract

A major storm April 11-13, 1979, following a series of storms in March and April, brought large amounts of rainfall over southeastern United States. Heaviest rain fell over north-central Mississippi and Alabama. A maximum of 21.5 inches was observed at Louisville, 14 SE, Mississippi. Floods in Mississippi and Alabama were the maximum of record at 60 streamflow gaging stations in the Coosa, Alabama, Tombigbee, Chickasawhay, Pearl, and Big Black River basins. On the Pearl River, peak discharges at main stem gaging stations generally approached or exceeded those of the great flood of 1874, and recurrence intervals generally were greater than 100 years. Nine lives were reported lost. Estimated damages totaled nearly $400 million. Seventeen thousand people were driven from their homes in Jackson, Mississippi. This report presents analyses of the meterological settings of the storms, summaries of flood stages and discharges at 221 streamflow gaging stations, stages and contents of 10 reservoirs, flood-crest stages and hydrograph data consisting of gage height, discharge, and accumulated runoff at selected times, at 46 gaging stations, groundwater fluctuations in 11 observation wells, and water salinity and temperature at 22 sites along the Intracoastal Waterway in Mobile Bay. (USGS)

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Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Floods of April 1979, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia
Series title Professional Paper
Series number 1319
DOI 10.3133/pp1319
Edition -
Year Published 1986
Language ENGLISH
Contributing office(s) South Atlantic Water Science Center
Description 212 p.
Country United States
State Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi
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