TWENTIETH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART VIII 701 



INTENSE RAIN STORM AND FRESHET, DUBUQUE, IOWA, 



JULY, 9, 1919 



J. H. Spencer. 



(75th Meridian Mean Time Used Herein.) 



The rain storm of July 9, 1919, was the worst at this station since July 4, 

 1876, when 40 persons were drowned at Rockdale, on the outskirts of Du- 

 buque. In the storm of July 9 seven persons were drowned in freshets 

 caused by the torrential rains and great damage resulted to streets in all 

 portions of the city lying below the bluffs. Although three houses were 

 struck by lightning, thunder and lightning were rather less severe than in 

 some of the storms of the past eight years; damage from lightning was 

 slight, probably due to the heavy rainfall, which prevented serious fires. 

 Wind velocity was light, and therefore the crop damage was comparatively 

 small, except on flooded lowland, where they were ruined. 



At no time during the hours that preceded the period of heaviest rain- 

 fall was there much indication of a severe storm, although the weather in 

 the morning quickly changed to warm and sultry. Rain began as a light 

 thundershower from 11.25 a. m. to 11:55 a. m. Rain began again at 12.15 

 p. m. and was moderately heavy until 2:50 p. m. Then followed the 

 great downpour of 2.64 inches from 2:51 p. m. to 3:36 p. m. Hourly 

 amounts for the entire storm were as follows: 



11 a. m. to noon .06 



Noon to 1 p. m. _, .44 



1 p. m. to 2 p. m .34 



2 p. m. to 3 p. m .80 



3 p. m. to 4 p. m 2.23 



After 4 p. m. .01 



Total 3.87 Inches 



Rainfall was excessive from 2.51 p. m. until 3:36 p. m., and accumulated 

 amounts were as follows for this period: 



5 minutes _. .17 30 minutes 2,16 



10 " 51 35 " 2.40 



15 " 1.17 40 " 2.51 



20 " 1.71 45 " - - -2.64 



25 " 1.91 



The following are the greatest amounts during the entire storm in — 



5 minutes .80 30 minutes 2.23 



12 " -.1.20 One hour 2.70 



15 " 1.52 Two hours 3.03 



Union Park, a pleasure resort on the outskirts of the city to the north- 

 west, is a narrow valley only a few hundred feet wide in places, with steep 

 hills on either side. Running through the valley is a creek, which is prac- 

 tically dry except during wet periods. During the period of excessive 

 rainfall on July 9th this creek became a raging torrent many feet deep, 

 overflowing its banks, and destroying park property of all kinds. A num- 

 ber of picnickers took shelter from the rain in a pavilion near the creek. 

 The rising waters quickly flooded the building and finally swept it away, 

 precipitating its occupants into the freshet. In spito of heroic deeds upon 

 the part of the park employees and others, five persons were drowned 

 here or elsewhere in the park. They were: Mrs. Chris Wagner, age 38; 

 Blanche Wagner, age 10; Edmund Wagner, age 3; Sarah Sezer, age 6; 



