Geologic Publications for Mount Rainier

Flood characteristics for the Nisqually River and susceptibility of Sunshine Point and Longmire facilities to flooding in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

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Author(s): Leonard M. Nelson

Category: PUBLICATION
Document Type: Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4179
Publisher: United States Geological Survey
Published Year: 1987
Volume:
Number:
Pages: 22
DOI Identifier:
ISBN Identifier:
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Abstract:
Inundation from 25-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year floods at Sunshine Point and Longmire facilities and the Longmire visitors' center and ranger station generally is not a serious hazard as long as the existing dikes and banks of the Nisqually River and Tahoma Creek remain intact and flood capacities of the channels are maintained. However, average water velocities during floods are high (as much as 23 feet per second) and the channel, banks, and some dikes are composed of unstable materials. Sunshine Point campground is particularly susceptible to flooding and damage from Tahoma Creek, and to a lesser extent from the Nisqually River, if large amounts of debris or rock material accumulate in the channels and change the flood elevation or courses of either stream. At Longmire flood inundation or damage from the Nisqually River is much less, but flooding is still possible. There, high ridges upstream protect the several park facilities from the river, but accumulations of debris or rock in the channel could cause flooding from overtopping of dikes or riverbanks. Glacial outburst floods are a matter of serious concern at both Sunshine Point campground and Longmire. Glacial outbursts can and have produced very large flood discharges and transported large quantities of debris and rock materials. Although none have been known to transport these materials from Tahoma Glacier as far as Sunshine Point campground, one in 1955 from Nisqually Glacier (estimated at 70,000 cubic feet per second near the glacier) did appreciably increase the magnitude of the water discharge at Longmire. For safety, campers and visitors need to be advised about the potential flood hazards at both facilities.

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Suggested Citations:
In Text Citation:
Nelson (1987) or (Nelson, 1987)

References Citation:
Nelson, L.M., 1987, Flood characteristics for the Nisqually River and susceptibility of Sunshine Point and Longmire facilities to flooding in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington: Water-Resources Investigations Report 86-4179, United States Geological Survey, 22 p..