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Nevada Water Science Center


Nevada Flood Chronology

 

Contact Information

Toby Welborn
Geographer
Phone: (775) 887-7671
Email: tlwelbor@usgs.gov

 

Mailing Address
USGS
Nevada Water Science Center
2730 N. Deer Run Rd.
Carson City, NV 89701

Nevada Water Science Center Home Page

 

 

Carson River Basin

December 1937

Rain-on-Snow Event

Flooding was caused by warm rain that melted the snowpack at higher altitudes. Rain began on the evening of December 9, then intensified the following day, and continued until December 11. Most of the snowpack at higher elevations melted. The Douglas Power (Ruhenstroth) Dam on the East Fork Carson River upstream of Gardnerville was severely damaged. Flooding started in southern Carson Valley on December 10. Along the West Fork Carson River, parts of State Route 88 flooded to a depth of 14 inches. Highway 395 between Carson City and Gardnerville was closed due to Cradlebaugh bridge which was under about 18 inches of water from the Carson River. A total of 3.7 inches was recorded for the storm period at both the National Weather Service precipitation gages for Carson City and Minden (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1973).

Selected Streamflow Peaks

Site ID Gaging Station Peak (cubic feet per second)
10309000 East Fork Carson River near Gardnerville, Nev. 10,300
10310000 West Fork Carson River at Woodfords, Calif. 3,500
10312000 Carson River at Fort Churchill, Nev. 5,500

Photos

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URL: http://nevada.usgs.gov/water/Historic_Floods/Carson/december_1937.htm
Page Contact Information: Nevada Water Science Center Web Team
Page Last Modified: January 3, 2014