March 1913 Flood

[Chicago WX]

Not sure if it's ever been really discussed here, but the Lafayette newspaper has been running stories about it for the past couple of days. It is the greatest flood on record for Lafayette. The flood knocked out or severely damaged the bridges that connect Lafayette and West Lafayette...disconnecting the two cities. I can't imagine that happening in this day and age.

 

Historical crests at the Wabash River Lafayette gauge:

1) 32.90 feet on March 26, 1913

2) 31.10 feet on February 17, 1883

3) 29.50 feet on August 3, 1875

4) 28.47 feet on May 19, 1943

5) 28.00 feet on June 11, 1858 and August 5, 1878

 

Some recent high marks for comparison:

11) 25.05 feet on July 11, 2003

12) 25.03 feet on January 14, 2005

14) 24.31 feet on February 7, 2008

 

For those that know the area, here's how the flood levels would impact Lafayette and West Lafayette today.

 

32.1
Massive flooding in progress affecting extensive commercial...residential and agricultural areas. Float of river monitoring equipment in well house approaching the shelf. Warning...river level may be incorrect. Get confirmation from March 1913 high water mark on RR Bridge over US 231. Wire weight gage on Brown Street Bridge abutment likley inacessible. Note high water mark for historic reasons.
32
Water level approaches a record flood. Only new US 231, Harrison St and US 52 connect Lafayette and West Lafayette. In West Lafayette entire Levee Plaza and nearby business district are underwater. This includes the area south and west of SR 26 along River Road. Water is nearing the second floor in Williamsburg Apartments. In Lafayette, water is several feet deep in commercial and industrial areas along Canal and Sycamore Street. Flood waters are up to 4th St., less than 2 blocks for the courthouse.
30
Water level is approaching a record flood in Lafayette and West Lafayette. Levee Plaza and nearby businesses in West Lafayette is underwater. In Lafayette...water is up to 4th Street. Business and industry along Canal Street underwater. Large business area in West Lafayette flood, including Levee Plaza, lower levels of Hilton Garden Inn and Wabash Landing Apts. Water begins to flow over State and Brown Streets. Water is several feet deep in Williamsburg Apartments. In Lafayette, 1st Street floods.

 

 

Here's a website with a great bit of information about the March 1913 flood: http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/1913Flood/

 

It goes into detail about all of the cities, in Indiana and Ohio, that flooded. http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/1913Flood/communities/index.shtml

 

Of course, it was topped off by a snowstorm on March 27 that hit MO, IL, IN, MI, and OH.

[Indystorm]

Allan Eckert's book A Time Of Terror is a good read on this flood, although it centers on the impacts around Dayton Ohio.

[Hoosier]

Maybe one of the most underrated natural disasters in U.S. history. That high water mark for LAF is just unimaginable to me, but notice how the top levels are from the distant past.

[Fickle Heights]

Here's my story from that package. Kind of a general overview. http://www.jconline.com/article/20130323/NEWS/303230033/No-ordinary-flood-River-volume-swelled-in-1913-after-months-of-rainy-mild-winter?gcheck=1

[oldlogin]

Dayton flood videos

• Great Dayton Flood of 1913, pt 1

• Great Dayton Flood of 1913, pt 2

Great Dayton Flood of 1913, pt 3

DAYTON: 100 year anniversary of the Great Dayton Flood

[IWXwx]

The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette did a feature story on the flood, which devastated a portion of the city:

 

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130325/LOCAL/303259963/0/SEARCH

 

 

 

[Chicago WX]

This photo with the horses on the front porch in Peru is kinda neat, not to make light of the situation. Still, different times. Also note the snow on the trees and roof tops.

 

[Indystorm]

I'm thankful for the reservoirs built on the upper Wabash, Salamonie, and Mississinewa which will hopefully prevent another flood of this historic magnitude for LAF again.

[B-Rent]

I've read that it's nearly impossible for the White River to reach those levels, due to modifications to the river. Does the same hold true for the Wabash?

[Geos]

This photo with the horses on the front porch in Peru is kinda neat, not to make light of the situation. Still, different times. Also note the snow on the trees and roof tops.

 

Overview_Horse.png

 

That's a unique picture. Snow above the flood waters. Must have been chilly times during the flooding then. Would your location be underwater in that flood?

[Chicago WX]

That's a unique picture. Snow above the flood waters. Must have been chilly times during the flooding then. Would your location be underwater in that flood?

 

There was a snowstorm on March 27 that dropped 6-10" across Indiana, to "top" off the flooding. And no, I live "far enough" from the Wabash River. 

[Hoosier]

For LAF, the thing that might even be more amazing than the high water mark is that the river supposedly reached 3 miles wide.