History of major floods in Moapa valley and adjacent washes, after 1945

NOTE: The accompanying map indicates roughly the source of most menacing floods since the advent of the Union Pacific RailRoad 1902-3. HISTORY OF MAJOR FLOODS I MEADOW VALLEY WASH 1910 - 10,000 c.f.s. at Caliente (January) 1925 - 8,000 c.f.s. at Glendale (September) 1958 - 20,000 c.f.s. at Caliente (January) The major portions of flood flows of the 1910 and the 1938 flood originated in the (1) Mathews and the (2) Pine Canyons. Major flows of several other intervening floods of From 6,000 to 8,000 c.f.s. flows had their origin in these two drainage areas. 1945 - 7,500 c.f.s. below Caliente (October) II UPPER MUDDY RIVER Previous to 1935 intermittent floods of from 500 to 5,000 c.f.s. flows almost yearly; an occasional flood about every five to ten years flood flows of from 4,000 to 6,000 c.f.s.. 1937-1959 two flood flows of approximately 5,000 and 7,500 c.f.s. from August-September Flash Storms. III CALIFORNIA WASH Menacing floods of from 1,000 to 5,000 c.f.s. every two to three years. 1945-10,000 c.f.s. at the junction of the California Wash and the Muddy River. Damages in sum total from these floods have been estimated for (1) Railroads and Railroad Services, over $6,000,000.00; (2) Farm lands, homes, highways and roads, irrigation structures and Ranch operations, over $700,000.00 since 1900. As may be fully understood, with increase in improvements, developments, population, property valuations, business, mining, transportation and agricultural activities, risks to further property losses and danger to human life, make for ever increasing dangers to community interests involved. (WS) MOAPA VALLEY'S SIDE-WASH FLOOD MENACE 1. Show map of Sand Hollow Wash as an example 2. Indicate that there are four other side-washes in the Lower Valley at,? C. A. Lewis Ranch Kaolin Overton Logandale Mills three in the Upper Moapa Valley at,? R. A. West Ranch California Alamo Besides the Arrowhead Canyon 3. An attempt is being made to secure the cooperation of the U. S. Land Management Bureau and the Soil Conservation Service with local interests toward over coming this side-wash Flood Menace which is "too small" for the U. S. Army Engineers but which could come well within the Land Management and the Soil Conservation Service regime, since its improvement of Range use through water-hole development and flood control would benefit both Farm and Range. 4. Effort toward effecting a practical solution of the problem is being attempted through local groups of people concerned with respective washes.