Author

Dawn Davis

Publication Date

1994

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Changnon, David

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Geography

LCSH

Floods--Middle West

Abstract

The floods which occurred throughout the Midwest and along the upper Mississippi River during the summer of 1993 were the greatest of recorded history within the Midwest region. This study focused upon the extreme stream flow and precipitation amounts endured across the Midwest during the summer of 1993. Ten sample basins located in the Midwest were used to represent the entire region. Comparisons between flow magnitudes experienced during 1993 and similar flow magnitudes was conducted. Results indicated that stream flow recorded at the ten sample basins during the 1993 summer were, for the majority, one of the greatest five values ever experienced at these rivers. Across the Midwest region, no other seasonal floods were as spatially distributed as flooding events that occurred during the 1993 summer. Furthermore, extreme meteorological events dominated throughout the region, beginning the previous winter season. Monthly precipitation totals received across this region demonstrated very little monthly variation during the 1993 summer season, unlike any other summer on record. This indicated that anomalous general circulation patterns continued throughout the season. By the end of the summer of 1993, billions of dollars in damage had occurred throughout the Midwest due to extensive flooding caused in part by continuous extreme rainfall events occurring over the region.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [45]-46)

Extent

vi, 67 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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