The Summer of 1993 Floods Lower Missouri River

Espey, William H.; Beard, Leo R.; Reinfurt, John E.; ,

The Summer of 1993 Floods Lower Missouri River

by William H. Espey, Jr., (M.ASCE), Resource Management Intl, Inc, Austin, United States,
Leo R. Beard, (M.ASCE), Resource Management Intl, Inc, Austin, United States,
John E. Reinfurt, Resource Management Intl, Inc, Austin, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Hydraulic Engineering

Abstract:

Throughout the State of Missouri from November 1992 through July 1993, precipitation set new records, in some cases ranging as high as 200 - 400 percent of normal rain fall. Missouri precipitation combined with heavy rains upstream resulted in record setting flood crests on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. The Missouri River experienced three flood events during the months of July and August from Kansas City to St. Charles. The Missouri River crested at the St. Charles gage (RM 28.2) located near St. Louis, Missouri on August 1st at an estimated peak of 700,000 cfs. This peak discharge was based on USGS flood discharge measurements near the peak of the flood. A series of levee failures resulted in major damages on the Missouri flood plain. The 1993 flood crest at the St. Charles gage is less than a tenth of a foot below the 1844 record crest (maximum of record). Flood frequency analysis of the St. Charles gage and the Hermann gage (RM 97) were performed to determine the impact of the 1993 flood on the flood frequency characteristics for the lower Missouri River and the ramifications on the FEMA flood frequency criteria.

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