Historical Flooding

Click on an event name to access news, data, and resources for regional flood events that involved a national coordinated USGS response.

2022

Hurricane Ian

2021

Hurricane Ida - Hurricane Ida made U.S. landfall near Port Fourchon as a Category 4 hurricane on Aug. 29., 2021, second only to Hurricane Katrina in strength to make landfall in Louisiana. Ida weakened slowly as it moved inland over Mississippi and the Appalachians with heavy precipitation and tornadoes. It joined a frontal system as it moved over the Northeast U.S. with intensifying winds and rainfall leading to flash flooding in areas that were already saturated by previous storms. Hurricane Ida caused significant damage and 87 deaths along its path from Louisiana to Massachusetts.

2020

Hurricane Delta - Delta was the 10th named storm to make landfall in the U.S. - and the 4th in Louisiana - in a single year, both records. After an extremely fast intensification and then weakening, it made U.S. landfall near Creole, Louisiana, on Oct. 9, 2020, as a Category 2 hurricane.

Hurricane Sally - Sally first made landfall in Key Biscane, Florida, on Sept. 12, 2020, moving west into the Gulf of Mexico. Sally turned northeastward and intensified, making landfall again near Gulf Shores, Alabama, on Sept. 16.

Hurricane Laura - Laura passed over Puerto Rico on August 22, 2020, as a tropical storm, then rapidly intensified as it moved into the Gulf of Mexico. It made landfall near Cameron, Louisiana, on August 27 as a Category 4 hurricane and moved inland over Arkansas, Kentucky, and Maryland.

Hurricane Marco - Marco, a short-lived Category 1 hurricane, moved west along the Louisiana coastline on August 24, 2020.

Hurricane Isaias - Notable for its large tornado outbreak, Hurricane Isaias followed the eastern coast of Florida and Georgia until it made landfall near Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, as a Category 1 on August 4, 2020, and moved up the East Coast.

2019

Hurricane Dorian - Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 hurricane, took nearly two weeks (August 24 - Sept 7, 2019) to pass from the Caribbean to Canada.

2018

Hurricane Michael - Hurricane Michael made landfall near Panama City, Florida, on October 10, 2018, as a Category 5.  It caused catastrophic flooding and wind damage across Central America and the Southeastern U.S., particularly the Florida panhandle.

Hurricane Florence - Hurricane Florence's rains caused severe freshwater flooding as it stalled over North and South Carolina in September 2018.

2017

Hurricane Nate - Capping off an intense 2017 hurricane season, Nate made landfall on the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts on October 7.

Hurricane Maria - Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico as a strong category 4 hurricane, with winds of 155 mph that knocked out power for the entire island.

Hurricane Jose - Even though Hurricane Jose never made a direct impact on the United States in September 2017, it generated large waves along its entire path and coastal effects have been felt from Florida to New England.

Hurricane Irma - Hurricane Irma was the first major hurricane to hit Florida since Hurricane Wilma struck in 2005.

Hurricane Harvey - On August 25, 2017 Category 4 storm Hurricane Harvey struck Texas, causing an estimated $125 billion in damage.

Pacific Winter Floods - The 2017 flood season began with atmospheric rivers pouring rain over large areas of California, Nevada, and Oregon.

Midwest Spring Floods - Large portions of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Arkansas experienced widespread springtime flooding.

2016

2015/2016 Winter Floods - Widespread flooding from severe December 2015 rainfall affected large sections of the central and southern United States. Stress on the Nation's major rivers continued into 2016, as portions of the Ohio River, Missouri River, and Mississippi River threatened to match or exceed 2011 levels.

January Noreaster - A strong winter storm brings record-setting storm surge to the mid-Atlantic.

Southern Spring Floods - Spring rains cause flooding across areas of Texas, Louisiana Arkansas, and Mississippi.

August Louisiana Floods - Rainfall across Louisiana including amounts above 30 inches in some locations resulted in record-setting flooding.

September Northern Plains Floods - More than 12 inches of rain fell in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest Wisconsin during a 24-hour period on September 22 and 23, 2016. Wisconsin streamgages saw floods in the 10- to 100-year range.

Hurricane Matthew - A severe hurricane crossed Cuba and the Bahamas on its way toward the Florida coast. 

2015

Summer Central Floods -  Repeated high-intensity storms wiped out drought conditions across much of Texas while Oklahoma experienced the single largest month of rainfall ever recorded. Soon after, farm-belt States and the Ohio River valley endured an unusually wet summer.

Autumn Appalachian Floods and Hurricane Joaquin - While Hurricane Joaquin threatened from the South Atlantic Ocean, weeks of persistent and sometimes heavy rain soaked the Appalachian States. USGS crews prepared for the double-threat of inland flooding and potential coastal flooding and damage from the Hurricane. Joaquin eventually passed by with moderate effects on the coast while USGS crews remained occupied with the inland floods.

2015/2016 Winter Floods - Widespread flooding from severe December 2015 rainfall affected large sections of the central and southern United States. Stress on the Nation's major rivers continued into 2016, as portions of the Ohio River, Missouri River, and Mississippi River threatened to match or exceed 2011 levels.

2014

April floods in Alabama and Florida - Heavy rains over Southern Alabama and the Florida panhandle brought peak-of-record flooding on Bayou Marcus Creek and over $21 million in damage to Escambia County infrastructure.

June floods in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa - Peak-of-record flows in northern Minnesota's Rainy River Basin kept USGS crews busy while record floods further south in the Big Sioux River Basin left their mark in South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.

August-September Southwest flood events - Heavy August rains followed by remnants of Hurricane Odile in September brought major flooding to parts of Arizona.

December Pacific Coast flood events - Regional flooding, including flash floods, heavy snows in the mountains, high winds, and mudslides visited Oregon, Washington, and California. Although widespread rain provided much-needed water, it did not alleviate the long-term drought in California.

2013

September Southwest Floods - Heavy mid-September rains brought major flooding to parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah.

May-June Midwest Floods - Late May and early June brought additional flooding to Iowa, Missouri Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

April-May Midwest Floods - Heavy rainfall (locally as much at 8 inches in some locations) fell across parts of Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana in mid-April, resulting in major flooding on several rivers. Late snow-melt in the northern midwest added to the flooding in late April and early May.

2012

Hurricane Isaac - USGS scientists, engineers, and technicians worked along the Gulf coast in response to Hurricane Isaac, deploying and maintaining 188 storm tide sensors and real-time streamgages in anticipation of Isaac's arrival. The USGS, in concert with our partners, is providing scientific assessments of the challenges wrought by Isaac.

Hurricane Sandy - Following on the heels of Hurricane Isaac, Hurricane Sandy gave USGS scientists, engineers, and technicians another opportunity to deploy storm tide sensors and real-time streamgages, this time, in over 224 locations.

2011

April 2011 Arkansas Flood - The summer of 2011 brought historic flooding to Arkansas. In addition to the massive floodwaters that coursed down the Mississippi River, unusually heavy rainfall caused backwater flooding and levee failure along the Black and White Rivers as well.

April 2011 North Dakota Flood - On April 6, 2011, warmer-than-expected temperatures, combined with some light rain, initiated the melt process. Soon, record-breaking floodwaters came coursing down the Missouri, Red, and Souris Rivers, leading to massive flooding and even forcing some North Dakotans to flee their homes.

May 2011 New Madrid Floodway - In response to dangerous flood levels near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) activated the Birds Point-New Madrid floodway (New Madrid Floodway in USGS literature) at 10:03 pm on May 2, 2011 by detonating explosives along a stretch of the Mississippi River levee just downstream of Cairo, Illinois.

May 2011 Louisiana flood - USGS crews from the Louisiana Water Science Center deployed stage sensors and rapid deployment real-time streamgages in the Morganza floodway in anticipation of the operation of the floodway, which was opened May 14, 2011 at 3:00pm. The USGS also made streamflow, water quality, and sediment concentration measurements in association with the Bonnet Carre' spillway upstream of New Orleans.

May 2011 Memphis, Tennessee flood - The USGS Tennessee Water-Science Center worked in cooperation with FEMA, USACE, National Weather Service, and local agencies to provide emergency real-time surface-water stage gages at critical locations in Shelby County.

Summer Missouri River Basin flood - USGS crews from Montana to Missouri watched closely as a higher-than-average snowmelt runoff combined with heavy spring rains advanced down the Missouri River system. Large reservoirs managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are carefully managed with the help of data from the USGS streamgaging network to control flood levels.

Hurricane Irene - The USGS deployed stage sensors and rapid deployment real-time streamgages along the East Coast in anticipation of Hurricane Irene. USGS measurements and geospatial products are valuable tools for providing scientific assessments to decision makers both during the event and for future planning after the event.

Tropical Storm Lee - USGS personnel respond to the second major storm in 2 months as Tropical Storm Lee adds 20 inches of rain to an already wet season.

Flood Publications for Events Prior to 2011

The USGS National Flood Hazard Coordinator began documenting large-scale flood events in 2011. For events prior to 2011, the curated list below includes reports about many events, large and small, from the early 20th century through the present day. Users may also wish to consult the USGS Publications Warehouse for an exhaustive search of particular events that may be missing from this list.

General interest flood publications:

• A history of flooding in the Red River Basin (USGS GIP 55; 2007)

• 10th anniversary of the 1997 Red River flood (USGS GIP 49; 2007)

• Significant Floods in the United States During the 20th Century-USGS Measures a Century of Floods (USGS Factsheet 024-00; 2000)

• The World's Largest Floods, Past and Present: Their Causes and Magnitudes (USGS Circular 1254; 2004)

• Large Floods in the United States: Where They Happen and Why (USGS Circular 1245; 2003)

• Effects of Urban Development on Floods (USGS Fact Sheet 076-03; 2003)

• 100-Year Flood--It's All About Chance (USGS General Information Product 106)

• List of State-based flood frequency publications (USGS National Streamflow Statistics website)

• Tracking change over time: river flooding (USGS General Information Product 133-A)

• The coming megafloods (Scientific American)

• NWS Atlas and Hydrometeorological Reports Archive (NOAA National Weather Service)

2010:

• Floods of September 2010 in Southern Minnesota (USGS SIR 2011-5045)

• Floods in Central Texas, September 7-14, 2010 (Texas Water Journal)

• Flood of August 11–16, 2010, in the South Skunk River Basin, central and southeast Iowa (USGS OFR 2012-1202)

• Flood of June 11, 2010 in the Upper Little Missouri Watershed, Arkansas (USGS SIR 2011-5194)

  • Indirect Measurements for SIR 2011-5194

• Simulation of the June 11, 2010, flood along the Little Missouri River near Langley, Arkansas, using a hydrologic model coupled to a hydraulic model (USGS SIR 2013-5056)

• Two-dimensional simulation of the June 11, 2010, flood of the Little Missouri River at Albert Pike Recreational Area, Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas (USGS SIR 2012-5274)

• NOAA Service Assessment: Record Floods of Greater Nashville: Including Flooding in Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky, May 1-4,2010

• Simulated and observed 2010 flood-water elevations in selected river reaches in the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket River Basins, Rhode Island (USGS SIR 2013-5191)

• Simulated and observed 2010 floodwater elevations in selected river reaches in the Pawtuxet River Basin, Rhode Island (USGS SIR 2013-5192)

• Simulated and observed 2010 floodwater elevations in the Pawcatuck and Wood Rivers, Rhode Island (USGS SIR 2013-5193)

2000 to 2009: Reports for floods

2009:

• Magnitude and Extent of Flooding at Selected River Reaches in Western Washington, January 2009

• Flash Floods of August 10, 2009, in the Villages of Gowanda and Silver Creek, New York

• Epic Flooding in Georgia, 2009

• Historic Flooding in Northern Georgia, September 16–22, 2009

• 2009 Spring Floods in North Dakota, Western Minnesota, and Northeastern South Dakota

2008:

• Flooding in the United States Midwest, 2008

• Flood of September 13-16, 2008, in northeastern Illinois (USGS Data Series 726)

• Flood of September 2008 in Northwestern Indiana

• Flood of June 2008 in Southern Wisconsin

• Flood of June 7–9, 2008, in Central and Southern Indiana

• Floods of May 30 to June 15, 2008, in the Iowa River and Cedar River Basins, Eastern Iowa

2007:

• Floods from Record Rains in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, August 17-30, 2007

• Characteristics of the April 2007 Flood at 10 Streamflow-Gaging Stations in Massachusetts

2005:

• Flood of April 2-3, 2005, Neversink River Basin, New York

• Flood of April 2-3, 2005, Esopus Creek Basin, New York

• Environmental Chemical Data for Perishable Sediments and Soils Collected in New Orleans, Louisiana, and along the Louisiana Delta following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 2005

• Peak Discharge, Flood Profile, Flood Inundation, and Debris Movement Accompanying the Failure of the Upper Reservoir at the Taum Sauk Pump Storage Facility near Lesterville, Missouri

• Effects of the Upper Taum Sauk Reservoir Embankment Breach on the Surface-Water Quality and Sediments of the East Fork Black River and the Black River, Southeastern Missouri—2006–07

• Flooding and Streamflow in Utah during water year 2005

2000 to 2002:

• June 2002 Floods in the Red River of the North Basin in Northeastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota

• Flooding in Illinois, April-June 2002

• 2001 floods in the Red River of the North basin in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota (USGS OFR 2001-169, 2001)

• Sparta, New Jersey, Flood of August, 11-14,2000

1990 to 1999: Reports for floods

• Two Months of Flooding in Eastern North Carolina, September - October 1999: Hydrologic Water-Quality, and Geologic Effects of Hurricanes Dennis, Floyd, and Irene

• Summary of Significant Floods in the United States and Puerto Rico, 1994 Through 1998 Water Years

• 1997 flood tracking chart for the Sheyenne River basin (USGS OFR 97-177, 1997)

• 1997 flood tracking chart for the Red River of the North basin (USGS OFR 97-193, 1997)

• 1997 floods in the Red River of the North and Missouri River basins in North Dakota and western Minnesota (USGS OFR 97-575, 1997)

• Flood of January 1997 in the Truckee River Basin, Western Nevada

• Effects of August 1995 and July 1997 Storms in the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina

• Peak discharges and flow volumes for streams in the Northern Plains (USGS Circular 1185-B, 2001)

• Flood of October 1996 in Southern Maine

• Aftermath of Hurricane Fran in North Carolina--Preliminary Data on Flooding and Water Quality

• Flood of 1993-Mississippi River near the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Arch), St. Louis, Missouri

• Upper Mississippi River Floods of 1993: USGS Flood Circular 1120

  • Circular 1120-A: Flood discharges in the upper Mississippi River basin, 1993

  • Circular 1120-B: Precipitation in the upper Mississippi River basin, January 1 through July 31, 1993

  • Circular 1120-C: Occurrence and transport of agricultural chemicals in the Mississippi River basin, July through August 1993

  • Circular 1120-D: Major ions, nutrients, and trace elements in the Mississippi River near Thebes, Illinois, July through September 1993

  • Circular 1120-E: Effects of reservoirs on flood discharges in the Kansas and the Missouri River basins, 1993

  • Circular 1120-F: Propagation and composition of the flood wave on the upper Mississippi River, 1993

  • Circular 1120-G: Postflood occurrence of selected agricultural chemicals and volatile organic compounds in near-surface unconsolidated aquifers in the upper Mississippi River basin, 1993

  • Circular 1120-H: Flood volumes in the upper Mississippi River basin, April 1 through September 30, 1993

  • Circular 1120-I: Sediment transport in the lower Missouri and the central Mississippi rivers, June 26 through September 14, 19933

  • Circular 1120-J: Geomorphic changes on the Mississippi River flood plain at Miller City, Illinois, as a result of the flood of 1993

  • Circular 1120-K: Effects of the 1993 flood on the determination of flood magnitude and frequency in Iowa

  • Circular 1120-L: Physical and chemical data on sediments deposited in the Missouri and the Mississippi River flood plains during the July through August 1993 flood

• Delineation of flooding within the upper Mississippi River Basin, 1993-flood: USGS Hydrologic Atlas 735

  • Hydrologic Atlas: 735-A: Flood of July 30, 1993, in Jefferson City and vicinity, Missouri

    • Plate 1

  • Hydrologic Atlas: 735-B: Flood of June 29-September 18, 1993, in Iowa City and vicinity, Iowa

    • Plate 1

  • Hydrologic Atlas: 735-C: Flood of June 19-July 31, 1993, in Davenport, Iowa and vicinity

    • Plate 1

  • Hydrologic Atlas: 735-D: Flood of June 18 through August 4, 1993, in Des Moines and vicinity, Iowa

    • Plate 1
    • Plate 2

  • Hydrologic Atlas: 735-E: Flood of July 10 and 27, 1993, in Kansas City Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, and vicinity

    • Plate 1
    • Plate 2
    • Plate 3

  • Hydrologic Atlas: 735-F: Flood of August 1-3, 1993, in St. Louis and vicinity, Missouri

    • Plate 1
    • Plate 2
    • Plate 3
    • Plate 4
    • Plate 5

• The 1903 and 1993 floods in Kansas--the effects of changing times and technology (Fact Sheet 019-03; 2003)

• Summary of floods in the United States, January 1992 through September 1993

• Summary of floods in the United States during 1990 and 1991

1970 to 1989: Reports for Floods

• National Water Summary 1988-89: Hydrologic Events and Floods and Droughts

• Flood of April 1987 in Maine

• Floods of September 26-October 4, 1986, and August 14-17, 1987, in Illinois

• Flood of August 1, 1985 in Cheyenne, Wyoming

  • (Click here for the USGS WY-MT Water Science Center website for the 1985 flood.

• Floods of December 1982 and January 1983 in Central and Southern Mississippi River Basin

• Floods of December 1982 in southeastern Missouri

• Floods of March 1982 in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois

• Floods in Kansas City, Missouri and Vicinity, August 12-13, 1982

• Floods of June 13-14, 1981, and December 2-12, 1982, in Illinois

• Floods of Winter-Spring 1982 in Illinois

• Floods of February 1980 in Southern California and Central Arizona

• Floods of May 1978 in Southeastern Montana and Northeastern Wyoming

  • Data for floods of May 1978 in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana

• Erosional and depositional changes wrought by the flood of May 1978 in the channels of Powder River, southeastern Montana (USGS SIR 2013-5035)

• Floods in Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas, September 12-13, 1977

• 1976 Big Thompson Flood, Colorado-Thirty Years Later

• Storm and Flood of July 31-August 1, 1976, in the Big Thompson River and Cache la Poudre River Basins, Larimer and Weld Counties, Colorado

  • A Brief Hydrologic Appraisal of the July 3-4, 1975, Flash Flood in Las Vegas Valley, Nevada

  • The 1973 Mississippi River Basin Flood: Compilation and Analyses of Meterologic, Streamflow, and Sediment Data

  • Map: Flood of June 9-10, 1972, at Rapid City, South Dakota

  • The Black Hills-Rapid City Flood of June 9-10, 1972: A Description of the Storm and Flood

  • The 1972 Black Hills-Rapid City Flood Revisited

  • Floods of August and September 1971 in Maryland and Delaware

1950 to 1969: Reports for floods

• Flood surge on the Rubicon River, California -- Hydrology, hydraulics, and boulder transport

• Floods of December 1964 and January 1965 in the Far Western States; Part 1 Description

• Floods of December 1964 and January 1965 in the far Western States; Part 2 Streamflow and Sediment Data

• 1964 Northwestern Montana Floods - 50-Year Anniversary

• Floods of June 17th and 18th, 1964 in Jefferson, Ste. Genevieve, and St. Francois Counties, Missouri

• Snowmelt Floods of March-April 1960, Missouri and Upper Mississippi Basins

  • Figure 3: Date of Snow Cover Disappearance, March to April 1960 (not currently available on NOAA website)

  • Figure 10: Climatological and Hydrologic Stations in the Snowmelt Flood Area, Spring 1960 (not currently available on NOAA website)

• Rainfall and Floods of April, May, and June 1957 in the South-Central States

• Floods of October 1954 in the Chicago Area, Illinois and Indiana

1900 to 1949: Reports for floods

• The floods of May 1943 in Illinois

• Floods of Ohio and Mississippi Rivers January-February 1937, with a Section on the Flood Deposits of the Ohio River, January-Febuary 1937

• The 1903 and 1993 floods in Kansas--the effects of changing times and technology (Fact Sheet 019-03; 2003)