Historical Disaster Related Events

View More In This Section
RETURN TO FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT HOME

Historical Disaster Related Events

FLOODS

Chronology of major and other memorable floods in Alabama, 1886-1988

[Recurrence interval: The average interval of time within which streamflow will be greater than a particular value for floods.

Sources: Recurrence intervals calculated from U.S. Geological Survey data: other information from U.S. Geological Survey, State and local reports, and newspapers]

Flood or drought Date Area affected (fig. 2) Recurrence interval (years) Remarks
 Flood  Apr. 1886  Southwest  >100  Highest stage on Alabama River at Montgomery since 1814.
 Flood  Sept. 1906  Coastal  Unknown  Hurricane. Rain, 11 inches.
 Flood  July 1916  Coastal  Unknown  Hurricane. Maximum winds, 128 miles per hour. Record tide, 10.8 feet; rain, 19 inches. Damage, $3.5 million.
 Flood  Sept. 1926  Coastal  Unknown  Hurricane. Rain, 19 inches.
 Flood  Mar. 1929  Southeast  25 to >100  Damage, $9 million.
 Flood  1936  West  10 to 50
 Flood  Feb-Mar. 1961  West-central  25 to >100  Record-breaking discharges and stages; record duration. Damage, $36 million.
 Flood  Aug. 1969  Coastal  Unknown  Hurricane Camille.
 Flood  Mar. 1970  Central  10 to 50  Isolated in greater Birmingham area.
 Flood  Mar.-Apr. 1973  Northwest  25 to >100  Covered about one-third of State.
 Flood  Mar.-Apr. 1979
 Central
 25 to >100  Severe in Tombigbee River basin. Some peak discharges were twice that of 100-year recurrence interval. Damage, $75 million.
 Flood  Sept. 1979  Coastal  Unknown  Hurricane Frederic. Damage, $2 billion.

Hurricane Frederic, in September 1979, was one of the more intense hurricanes of record to enter the United States mainland. In terms of property damage, Hurricane Frederic was by far the most destructive; total damage was about $2 billion (Scott and Bohman, 1980a,b).

 

Maps

May 2003 Historical Flooding in Birmingham

September 2003 Historical Flooding in Birmingham

February 2004 Historical Flooding in Birmingham

September 2004 Historical Flooding in Birmingham