This report is a compilation of the highest known discharges at most gaging stations in the United States and at several places on boundary streams in Canada and Mexico. In the design and operation of a variety of engineering works on rivers, such as dams, spillways, bridges, dikes, and floodways, it is important to know the flood flows for which provision should be made. This report makes available a summary of the records of flood discharges of the streams of the United States for thousands of drainage areas. Many of the records extend back scores of years, and a few extend back more than 100 years. The data concerning maximum known flood flows in this report form a basis of comparison for floods that may occur in the future.
The records in the annual surface water reports of the Geological Society provide the broad network on which this compilation is based.
","language":"English","publisher":"U.S. Government Printing Office","publisherLocation":"Washington, D.C.","doi":"10.3133/wsp847","collaboration":"Prepared in cooperation with the Research and Statistical Division of the Works Progress Administration for New York City and the Soil Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture","usgsCitation":"Williams, G.R., Crawford, L.C., and Eisenlohr, W.S., 1940, Maximum discharges at stream-measurement stations through December 31, 1937, with a supplement including additions and changes through September 30, 1938: U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 847, iii, 272 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/wsp847.","productDescription":"iii, 272 p.","numberOfPages":"276","costCenters":[{"id":154,"text":"California Water Science Center","active":true,"usgs":true},{"id":610,"text":"Utah Water Science Center","active":true,"usgs":true}],"links":[{"id":29759,"rank":300,"type":{"id":11,"text":"Document"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0847/report.pdf","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"}},{"id":139444,"rank":0,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0847/report-thumb.jpg"}],"country":"United States","noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","scienceBaseUri":"4f4e4a27e4b07f02db6100fa","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Williams, Gordon R.","contributorId":51729,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Williams","given":"Gordon","email":"","middleInitial":"R.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":146107,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1},{"text":"Crawford, Lawrence C.","contributorId":172475,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Crawford","given":"Lawrence","email":"","middleInitial":"C.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":146108,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":2},{"text":"Eisenlohr, William Stewart Jr.","contributorId":115220,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Eisenlohr","given":"William","suffix":"Jr.","email":"","middleInitial":"Stewart","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":146106,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":3}]}} ,{"id":2988,"text":"wsp846 - 1940 - Natural water loss in selected drainage basins","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2012-02-02T00:05:36","indexId":"wsp846","displayToPublicDate":"1994-01-01T00:00:00","publicationYear":"1940","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":18,"text":"Report"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":5,"text":"USGS Numbered Series"},"seriesTitle":{"id":341,"text":"Water Supply Paper","code":"WSP","active":false,"publicationSubtype":{"id":5}},"seriesNumber":"846","title":"Natural water loss in selected drainage basins","docAbstract":"Determinations of areal rainfall, run-off, and water loss, comprising largely evaporation from land surfaces and transpiration by vegetation, are essential in indicating the hydrologic characteristics of river basins. \r\n\r\nThis report is primarily a statistical study that presents the results of computations of annual water loss, or annual rainfall minus annual run-off, for river basins in the humid or semiarid regions east of the Rocky Mountains. The basic period for which the computations are made is the water year or year ending September 30. \r\n\r\nAs it is impractical to present in this report all the basic data used in arriving at the results, only sample computations are given. The various steps in the computations and the probable accuracy of the results are discussed. The drainage areas for which data are presented are those above river-measuring stations that have records for 3 years or more. For each area there are determinations of annual rainfall, annual run-off, and annual water loss for each year of record .as well as the means for the period of record. Results are given for about 200 drainage areas with an aggregate period of record of more than 2,000 years. As an illustration of the magnitude involved, the annual water loss from the eastern streams draining directly into the Atlantic Ocean varies more or less closely with latitude from about 20 inches as an average in northern New England to about 30 inches in Georgia. \r\n\r\nAs the annual water loss from a basin is affected by the temperature, a supplemental study was made of the relation between water loss and temperature. For 28 drainage areas selected in various parts 8f eastern and central United States, average temperatures were computed for each year of the period shown in table 1. The results indicate a relation between average annual water loss and average annual temperature.","language":"ENGLISH","publisher":"U.S. G.P.O.,","doi":"10.3133/wsp846","usgsCitation":"Williams, G.R., 1940, Natural water loss in selected drainage basins: U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 846, iv, 62 p. :ill., map ;24 cm., https://doi.org/10.3133/wsp846.","productDescription":"iv, 62 p. :ill., map ;24 cm.","costCenters":[],"links":[{"id":139445,"rank":0,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0846/report-thumb.jpg"},{"id":29760,"rank":300,"type":{"id":11,"text":"Document"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0846/report.pdf","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"}}],"noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","scienceBaseUri":"4f4e4a0ae4b07f02db5fba7f","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Williams, Gordon R.","contributorId":51729,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Williams","given":"Gordon","email":"","middleInitial":"R.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":146109,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1}]}} ,{"id":2962,"text":"wsp836E - 1940 - Local overdevelopment of ground-water supplies, with special reference to conditions at Grand Island, Nebraska","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2012-02-02T00:05:41","indexId":"wsp836E","displayToPublicDate":"1994-01-01T00:00:00","publicationYear":"1940","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":18,"text":"Report"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":5,"text":"USGS Numbered Series"},"seriesTitle":{"id":341,"text":"Water Supply Paper","code":"WSP","active":false,"publicationSubtype":{"id":5}},"seriesNumber":"836","chapter":"E","title":"Local overdevelopment of ground-water supplies, with special reference to conditions at Grand Island, Nebraska","language":"ENGLISH","publisher":"U.S. G.P.O.,","doi":"10.3133/wsp836E","usgsCitation":"Wenzel, L.K., 1940, Local overdevelopment of ground-water supplies, with special reference to conditions at Grand Island, Nebraska: U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 836, iii, p. 233-281, [6] folded leaves of plates :ill., maps ;24 cm., https://doi.org/10.3133/wsp836E.","productDescription":"iii, p. 233-281, [6] folded leaves of plates :ill., maps ;24 cm.","costCenters":[],"links":[{"id":139235,"rank":0,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0836e/report-thumb.jpg"},{"id":29686,"rank":300,"type":{"id":11,"text":"Document"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0836e/report.pdf","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"}}],"noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","scienceBaseUri":"4f4e4a68e4b07f02db63b215","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Wenzel, Leland Keith","contributorId":38134,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Wenzel","given":"Leland","email":"","middleInitial":"Keith","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":146053,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1}]}} ,{"id":4551,"text":"wsp883 - 1940 - Surface water supply of the United States, 1939 : Part 13 Snake River basin","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2012-02-02T00:05:51","indexId":"wsp883","displayToPublicDate":"1994-01-01T00:00:00","publicationYear":"1940","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":18,"text":"Report"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":5,"text":"USGS Numbered Series"},"seriesTitle":{"id":341,"text":"Water Supply Paper","code":"WSP","active":false,"publicationSubtype":{"id":5}},"seriesNumber":"883","title":"Surface water supply of the United States, 1939 : Part 13 Snake River basin","language":"ENGLISH","publisher":"Govt. Print. Off.,","doi":"10.3133/wsp883","usgsCitation":"Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, 1940, Surface water supply of the United States, 1939 : Part 13 Snake River basin: U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 883, viii, 315 p. :ill. ;24 cm., https://doi.org/10.3133/wsp883.","productDescription":"viii, 315 p. :ill. ;24 cm.","costCenters":[],"links":[{"id":139811,"rank":0,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0883/report-thumb.jpg"},{"id":31608,"rank":300,"type":{"id":11,"text":"Document"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0883/report.pdf","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"}}],"noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","scienceBaseUri":"4f4e4afee4b07f02db69750f","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey","contributorId":128075,"corporation":true,"usgs":false,"organization":"Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey","id":528249,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1}]}} ,{"id":1607,"text":"wsp881 - 1940 - Surface water supply of the United States, 1939 : Part 11. Pacific slope basins in California","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2012-02-02T00:05:14","indexId":"wsp881","displayToPublicDate":"1994-01-01T00:00:00","publicationYear":"1940","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":18,"text":"Report"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":5,"text":"USGS Numbered Series"},"seriesTitle":{"id":341,"text":"Water Supply Paper","code":"WSP","active":false,"publicationSubtype":{"id":5}},"seriesNumber":"881","title":"Surface water supply of the United States, 1939 : Part 11. Pacific slope basins in California","language":"ENGLISH","publisher":"U.S. G.P.O.,","doi":"10.3133/wsp881","usgsCitation":"Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, 1940, Surface water supply of the United States, 1939 : Part 11. Pacific slope basins in California: U.S. Geological Survey Water Supply Paper 881, xii, 446 p. :ill. ;23 cm., https://doi.org/10.3133/wsp881.","productDescription":"xii, 446 p. :ill. ;23 cm.","costCenters":[],"links":[{"id":137136,"rank":0,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0881/report-thumb.jpg"},{"id":26672,"rank":300,"type":{"id":11,"text":"Document"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0881/report.pdf","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"}}],"noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","scienceBaseUri":"4f4e4afee4b07f02db697505","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey","contributorId":128075,"corporation":true,"usgs":false,"organization":"Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey","id":527970,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1}]}} ,{"id":55536,"text":"ofr409 - 1940 - Water-power resources of Sandy River Basin, Oregon","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2012-02-02T00:11:58","indexId":"ofr409","displayToPublicDate":"1994-01-01T00:00:00","publicationYear":"1940","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":18,"text":"Report"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":5,"text":"USGS Numbered Series"},"seriesTitle":{"id":330,"text":"Open-File Report","code":"OFR","onlineIssn":"2331-1258","printIssn":"0196-1497","active":true,"publicationSubtype":{"id":5}},"seriesNumber":"40-9","title":"Water-power resources of Sandy River Basin, Oregon","language":"ENGLISH","doi":"10.3133/ofr409","usgsCitation":"Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey, 1940, Water-power resources of Sandy River Basin, Oregon: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 40-9, NA, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr409.","productDescription":"NA","costCenters":[],"links":[{"id":181105,"rank":0,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/thumbnails/usgs_thumb.jpg"}],"noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","scienceBaseUri":"4f4e49e6e4b07f02db5e72ed","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey","contributorId":128075,"corporation":true,"usgs":false,"organization":"Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey","id":532360,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1}]}} ,{"id":34937,"text":"b901 - 1940 - Clay investigations in the southern states 1934-35","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2025-05-07T20:29:07.873995","indexId":"b901","displayToPublicDate":"1994-01-01T00:00:00","publicationYear":"1940","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":18,"text":"Report"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":5,"text":"USGS Numbered Series"},"seriesTitle":{"id":306,"text":"Bulletin","code":"B","active":false,"publicationSubtype":{"id":5}},"seriesNumber":"901","title":"Clay investigations in the southern states 1934-35","docAbstract":"No abstract available.
","language":"English","publisher":"U.S. Geological Survey","doi":"10.3133/b901","usgsCitation":"Lang, W., King, P.B., Bramlette, M., McVay, T.N., Bay, H.S., Munyan, A.C., and Mansfield, G.R., 1940, Clay investigations in the southern states 1934-35: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 901, Report: x, 346 p.; 1 Plate: 32.42 × 26.40 inches, https://doi.org/10.3133/b901.","productDescription":"Report: x, 346 p.; 1 Plate: 32.42 × 26.40 inches","costCenters":[],"links":[{"id":485527,"rank":8,"type":{"id":36,"text":"NGMDB Index Page"},"url":"https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_21073.htm","text":"Preliminary investigations of Florida bleaching clays","linkFileType":{"id":5,"text":"html"}},{"id":485526,"rank":7,"type":{"id":36,"text":"NGMDB Index Page"},"url":"https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_21075.htm","text":"The bleaching clays of Georgia","linkFileType":{"id":5,"text":"html"}},{"id":485525,"rank":6,"type":{"id":36,"text":"NGMDB Index Page"},"url":"https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_21074.htm","text":"Some ceramic clays in Alabama","linkFileType":{"id":5,"text":"html"}},{"id":403428,"rank":5,"type":{"id":36,"text":"NGMDB Index Page"},"url":"https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_21072.htm","text":"Clay deposits of the San Antonio area and Morris County, Texas","linkFileType":{"id":5,"text":"html"}},{"id":485524,"rank":4,"type":{"id":36,"text":"NGMDB Index Page"},"url":"https://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Prodesc/proddesc_21076.htm","text":"The sedimentary kaolinitic clays of South Carolina","linkFileType":{"id":5,"text":"html"}},{"id":93004,"rank":3,"type":{"id":17,"text":"Plate"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0901/plate-2.pdf","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"}},{"id":162962,"rank":1,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0901/report-thumb.jpg"},{"id":93005,"rank":2,"type":{"id":11,"text":"Document"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0901/report.pdf","linkFileType":{"id":1,"text":"pdf"}}],"noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","scienceBaseUri":"4f4e49d6e4b07f02db5de280","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Lang, Walter B.","contributorId":27507,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Lang","given":"Walter B.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":213841,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1},{"text":"King, Philip Burke","contributorId":15607,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"King","given":"Philip","email":"","middleInitial":"Burke","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":213840,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":2},{"text":"Bramlette, M. N.","contributorId":105727,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Bramlette","given":"M. N.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":213846,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":3},{"text":"McVay, Thomas Newkirk","contributorId":75199,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"McVay","given":"Thomas","email":"","middleInitial":"Newkirk","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":213842,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":4},{"text":"Bay, Harry S.","contributorId":89191,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Bay","given":"Harry","email":"","middleInitial":"S.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":213844,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":5},{"text":"Munyan, Arthur Claude","contributorId":105353,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Munyan","given":"Arthur","email":"","middleInitial":"Claude","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":213845,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":6},{"text":"Mansfield, George Rogers","contributorId":75506,"corporation":false,"usgs":true,"family":"Mansfield","given":"George","email":"","middleInitial":"Rogers","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":213843,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":7}]}} ,{"id":38013,"text":"wl170 - 1940 - The annual fur catch of the United States","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2012-02-02T00:16:00","indexId":"wl170","displayToPublicDate":"1972-01-01T12:27:00","publicationYear":"1940","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":18,"text":"Report"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":1,"text":"Federal Government Series"},"seriesTitle":{"id":98,"text":"Wildlife Leaflet","active":false,"publicationSubtype":{"id":1}},"seriesNumber":"170","title":"The annual fur catch of the United States","language":"ENGLISH","publisher":"U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service","usgsCitation":"Division Of Wildlife Research, 1940, The annual fur catch of the United States: Wildlife Leaflet 170, 21 p.","productDescription":"21 p.","costCenters":[],"links":[{"id":112355,"rank":9999,"type":{"id":10,"text":"Digital Object Identifier"},"url":"https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015006161924?urlappend=%3Bseq=641"},{"id":204459,"rank":0,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg"}],"noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","scienceBaseUri":"505ba9c0e4b08c986b3224b0","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Division Of Wildlife Research","contributorId":128086,"corporation":true,"usgs":false,"organization":"Division Of Wildlife Research","id":529806,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1}]}} ,{"id":70206794,"text":"70206794 - 1940 - Stratigraphic measurements in parallel folds","interactions":[],"lastModifiedDate":"2019-11-21T15:20:35","indexId":"70206794","displayToPublicDate":"1940-12-31T15:10:03","publicationYear":"1940","noYear":false,"publicationType":{"id":2,"text":"Article"},"publicationSubtype":{"id":10,"text":"Journal Article"},"seriesTitle":{"id":1786,"text":"Geological Society of America Bulletin","active":true,"publicationSubtype":{"id":10}},"title":"Stratigraphic measurements in parallel folds","docAbstract":"Folded rocks having bedding surfaces which are approximately parallel are said to lie in parallel folds. Utilizing the principle of evolutes and involutes, the author offers a more precise definition of parallel folds and points out inconsistencies in other concepts. With the idea of classifying parallel folds and possibly of deducing the mechanics of their formation, methods are presented for obtaining the differential equations of the families of involutes which, in certain cross sections, represent the traces of stratigraphic surfaces; and for obtaining the equations of the corresponding evolutes. Geometric methods are also given. These equations and geometric constructions may be deduced either from assumed structural postulates or from actual field data. Another part of the paper deals with the application of mean trigonometric functions to the measurement of thickness of strata, depth and distance to a stratum, and other stratigraphic dimensions in sections oblique to the strike of the rocks. This topic is considered under two headings: (1) where such measurements can be made from data collected at several stations along a line of traverse, and (2) where they must be made from a series of structural observations, considered in pairs. In the first case, no assumption is made regarding the curvature of the strata, but instead the mean values of the required functions are derived by mechanical integration. In the second case, the usual assumption of circular curvature is made, and the necessary functions are obtained by the use of definite integrals. Tables of the logarithms of these mean functions, with an increment of 5 degrees for the argument, are also presented. © 1940 Geological Society of America.
","language":"English ","publisher":"Geological Society of America","doi":"10.1130/GSAB-51-1107","issn":" 00167606","usgsCitation":"Mertie, J., 1940, Stratigraphic measurements in parallel folds: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 51, no. 8, p. 1107-1134, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSAB-51-1107.","productDescription":"28 p. ","startPage":"1107","endPage":"1134","costCenters":[],"links":[{"id":369416,"type":{"id":24,"text":"Thumbnail"},"url":"https://pubs.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg"}],"volume":"51","issue":"8","noUsgsAuthors":false,"publicationStatus":"PW","contributors":{"authors":[{"text":"Mertie, J.B. Jr.","contributorId":29383,"corporation":false,"usgs":false,"family":"Mertie","given":"J.B.","suffix":"Jr.","affiliations":[],"preferred":false,"id":775763,"contributorType":{"id":1,"text":"Authors"},"rank":1}]}} ]}