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Rainfall in southern ArizonaA Case of Famine and Feast
April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March
Precipitation Seasons in Southern Arizona
Monsoon Pacific storms
Pacific tropical storms
Digital Elevation Map
Mogollon Rim
ColoradoPlateau
Basin and Range
You are here.
General airflow from Pacific
Anatomy of River Valley• Main channel is normal course of river.• Floodplain is area covered during flood.• Over geologic time, river meanders over floodplain.
Flow Gauge Records, Santa Cruz River
More frequent record flows post 1960
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
Record Flows on Santa Cruz River
stre
am g
aug
ein
stal
led
191
31965 1977
1983
1983 flow = 53,000 cfs(Equivalent to 16 backyard swimming pools per second!)25% above previous 100-year flood estimates.
1914
Active river channel moves by bank erosion. This is principle flood hazard in Tucson.
Rillito Creek at First Avenue, Tucson, 1983
October, 1983 flood: 8 deaths, ~1000 injuries; $250 million damage.
Increased frequency of record Santa Cruz flows since 1960.A. Climatic effect? Global warming? Enhanced El Nino?B. Urbanization? Urbanized desert increases runoff by four times compared to undeveloped desert.
Effects of Urbanization on Stream FlowD
isch
arg
e
Time
Lag time
Rai
nfa
ll
Streamflow
TimeD
isch
arg
e
Lag time
StreamflowRai
nfa
llUrbanization decreases lag time and increases maximum flow.
Before After
Flood Forecasting
Recurrence Interval (yr)
1 10 10010
100
1000
10000S
trea
m D
isch
arg
e (
ft3 /
sec)
??
100-year flood projections depend on models of climate and hydrology.
Flood Control MeasuresA. Structural Dams Channelization Diversion channelsB. Nonstructural Zoning and land-use restrictions Land acquisition programs Flood forecasting Public education
Pima County
Q: How is a Tucson flood like a redneck divorce?
A: Sooner or later, someone’s going to loose a trailer.