1964 — March 4-April 1, Flooding, Ohio River & tributaries, OH and esp. KY –15-18
–18 USGS (Beaber and Rostvedt). Floods of March 1964 Along the Ohio River. 1965, p. A1.
–15 U.S. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, 6/3, March 1964, pp. 15 and 17.
Kentucky (10)
–10 North and west KY, March 9-Apr 1. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, 6/3, March 1964, p. 15.
Ohio ( 5)
–5 Entire State, March 4-5. U.S. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, 6/3, March 1964, p. 17.
Narrative Information
NWS, Louisville KY, on Flood No. 6 of Top Ten Flood Events in service area: “The March 1964 flood was due to two heavy periods of rainfall. The first period of rainfall was no different than any other heavy March rainfall event; however the second period of rainfall was 6.97 inches in 24 hours which was the greatest 24 hour period of rainfall that had ever been recorded in the Louisville area up until that time. Combined rainfall of each storm was 12 inches which caused the Ohio River to raise a record of 4.7 feet in 12 hours and a total of 8.4 feet in 24 hours, and worst of all this occurred after the Ohio River was already flooded. Finally, the Ohio River crested at 73.46 ft on March 13. This heavy rainfall event also caused record flooding in Shepherdsville on the Salt River, in Cynthiana on the South Fork Licking River, in Frankfort on the Kentucky River, in Boston on the Rolling Fork River, and in Fredericksburg, Indiana on the Blue River.” (NWS, Louisville, KY. Top Ten Flood Events. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. Accessed 3-8-2019.)
USGS (Beaber and Rostvedt): “The floods of March 1964 in the Ohio River basin caused widespread damage in six States adjacent to the Ohio River main stem. Flood damage was estimated at over $100 million, of which about 75 percent was along the Ohio River main stem. Over 21,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, and more than 29,000 families suffered losses. Eighteen lives were reported lost.
“Floods were caused by two storms; the first occurred March 2-5, and the other March 8-10. Both storms approximately paralleled the Ohio River in a belt extending from western Kentucky through northern Kentucky, southern Indiana, and central Ohio, to western Pennsylvania. In most localities the storm of March 8-10 was the more severe. Total rainfall from the storms exceeded 14 inches in western Kentucky. Greatest 24-hour precipitation was 8.00 inches at Paducah, Ky., on March 4.
“Maximum discharges previously known were exceeded at many points in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Peak discharges of the March 1964 floods exceeded the 50-year flood at many localities. The Licking River at Catawba, Ky., reached the highest stage since 1888. The Ohio River in Kentucky reached stages which were second or third highest since the maximum known flood in
1937.” [p. A1.]
“According to the American Red Cross, 21,745 homes were damaged and 181 were destroyed in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Indiana. More than 29,000 families suffered losses of various kinds. Eighteen lives were lost in the March 1964 floods.” [p. A27.] (Beaber and Rostvedt, U.S. Geological Survey. Floods of March 1964 Along the Ohio River. 1965.)
Kentucky
Storm Data: “Kentucky…Northern and western areas…[March] 9-Apr 1…10 [killed]…Floods.
Heavy rains from the 8th through the 10th fell on areas which had had heavy rain on the 4th and 5th. Serious flooding occurred on the Ohio and its tributaries, with flood peaks exceeding peaks of record at a number of gaging stations. The Red Cross estimated that a total of 6100 Kentucky families were affected, 4970 homes, 100 house trailers, 315 farm buildings and 208 small businesses being damaged or destroyed. Many thousands of residents of flooded areas were evacuated; in excess of 100,000 acres were flooded. Parts of the State affected by the floods were declared disaster areas by President Johnson.” (U.S. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 6, No. 3, March 1964, p. 15.)
Ohio
Storm Data on OH, March 4-5: “….5 [killed]…Flash floods and High Winds. An intense storm passed over Ohio on March 4-5 resulting in heavy rainfall and strong winds. Rain started during the early morning of the 4th accompanied by heavy thunderstorms, and continued with few interruptions until mid-afternoon of the 5th. Most of the rain fell on the first day, while strongest winds occurred during the morning hours on the 5th. Largest amounts of rainfall–some in excess of 5 inches–fell in a band extending from the southwest across the middle of the state to the northeast. Flash flooding was common on smaller streams almost immediately; while their cumulative effect was not felt on the Ohio River until several days later.
“Most accounts of damage stated that strongest winds occurred near 8 AM on March 5. Measured gusts in the range from 50-100 mph were reported from several points in central and northern Ohio; and accounts of severe damage were received from all parts of the state. Trees, signs, roofs, utility lines, windows, and miscellaneous structures were destroyed on a grand scale. In Celina, for example, a commercial radio tower was buckled; and at Cedar Point destruction at the amusement park was estimated at $250,000. Since damage was so widespread, no attempt is being made to single out any specific place for individual description. While much of the damage appeared to be localized, there was no evidence of tornadic activity.” (U.S. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 6, No. 3, March 1964, p. 17.)
Newspapers
March 11: “Louisville (UPI) — Thousands of persons living in suburban areas southwest of Louisville beyond the city’s floodwall were forced out of their homes today as the Ohio River rose toward the third highest flood crest in its history. The national Red Cross estimated that from 10,000 to 15,000 residents of the area between the city’s southwestern limits and the Salt River mouth 20 miles to the southwest would flee their homes by the time the Ohio crests early Friday [March 13]. Many persons in the area whose homes are not actually threatened will have to decide whether to stay home or be cut off from their work and schools by flooded roads.
“The U.S. Weather Bureau here stood by its predictions of a 73-foot crest on Louisville’s lower gauge and 46 feet on the upper gauge early Friday. This would be more than 12 feet below the record level of 85.44 feet recorded in the devastating flood of 1937, and 1.44 feet below the 1945 flood crest.
“As the flood menace grew for residents of the area along U.S. 31-W (Dixie Highway), Louisville itself and its eastern and southern suburbs were drying out from the floods which hit them after record-breaking rains Sunday and Monday. The city was high and almost dry today, and in no danger from the mounting crest on the Ohio.
“Also past the crisis was Falmouth in northern Kentucky, where the Licking River was falling rapidly after cresting 20 feet over flood stage Tuesday, forcing about two-thirds of its 2,800 residents out of their homes and inundating some of the houses to the rooftops.
“The hardest hit community today was West Point, a town of 2,375 population at the mouth of the Salt River, where a mass exodus began Tuesday night. More than 80 per cent of the community, many of its residents families of military personnel at nearby Ft. Knox, was expected to be moved out sometime today. Ft. Knox was using its motorized equipment to help in the evacuation, including the moving of many of the mobile homes which house military families in the area….” (United Press International. “Thousands Forced Out by Flooding in Louisville Area.” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 3-11-1964, p. 2.)
March 13: “The mighty and muddy Ohio River, swollen by record rains and teeming with debris, pushed downstream today toward its third highest crest of the century. Cincinnati and Louisville braced for the full fury of the runaway river while farmers and townfolk all the way to the Mississippi watched the rising water stream over their cropland and through their streets.
“Upstream the crisis was over but the damage was done. Displaces families started moving back into their water-logged homes in parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The American Red Cross said 110,000 persons had been affected by the flooding streams and rivers and a state-by-state check showed more than 47,000 had been driven from their homes. Army engineers said the flood damage could exceed $200 million.
“The Ohio was expected to crest at more than 14 feet above flood stage at Cincinnati early this morning. A peak of 18.3 feet above flood stage…was forecast for Louisville later in the day.
“At Cincinnati, a Red Cross disaster director said ‘it looks rather rough.’ About 700 persons were in Red Cross shelters and others sought refuge with friends and relatives.
“National Guardsmen and volunteers finished off the sealing of the massive floodwall at Louisville Thursday and helped scores of families from their river-threatened homes….
“In Washington, the Small Business Administration designated flood-ravaged sections of seven states as disaster areas, including parts of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Missouri….” (United Press International. “Swollen Ohio R. Surges.” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 3-13-1964, p. 2.)
Sources
National Weather Service, Louisville, KY. Top Ten Flood Events. National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Louisville, KY. Accessed 3-8-2019 at: https://www.weather.gov/lmk/toptenfloodevents
United Press International. “Swollen Ohio R. Surges.” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 3-13-1964, p.2. Accessed 3-8-2019: https://newspaperarchive.com/middlesboro-daily-news-mar-13-1964-p-2/
United Press International. “Thousands Forced Out by Flooding in Louisville Area.” Middlesboro Daily News, KY, 3-11-1964, p. 2. Accessed 3-8-2019 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/middlesboro-daily-news-mar-11-1964-p-2/
U.S. Geological Survey (H. C. Beaber and J. O. Rostvedt). Floods of March 1964 Along the Ohio River (Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1840-A). Washington, DC: U.S. GAO, 1965. Accessed 3-8-2019 at: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=2ahUKEwiKw-D96_PgAhXp7YMKHYLkB4sQFjAAegQICBAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpubs.usgs.gov%2Fwsp%2F1840a%2Freport.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2wLCBUVnnxwRW3-06–VQB
U.S. Weather Bureau. Storm Data, Vol. 6, No. 3, March 1964. Asheville, NC: Department of Commerce. Accessed 3-7-2019 at: https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/IPS/sd/sd.html