PART IV: HYDROGRAPHIC DATA 



9. Figures 2 and 3 show the locations of hydrographs covering the 

 reach of coastline from Pensacola, Fla., to Cedar Key, Fla., the area signifi- 

 cantly affected by Kate. The hydrographs are contained in Plates 1-10. The 

 hydrographs obtained at Pensacola, Destin, and Panama City (Plates 1, 2, 

 and 3, respectively) show a gradual rise and fall of water levels characteris- 

 tic of the left side of a landf ailing hurricane. With the exception of the 

 hydrograph obtained at Cedar Key, the remaining hydrographs show the sudden 

 rise and fall of water levels characteristic of the right side of a land- 

 falling hurricane. Table 2 contains a listing of the maximum gage elevations 

 recorded during Kate. 



10. Preliminary surge estimates as large as 12 ft in the vicinity of 

 Cape San Bias, Fla., were reported shortly after Kate made landfall. However, 

 these estimates included the effects of wave runup. The hydrograph obtained 

 at Apalachicola, approximately 24 miles east of Cape San Bias and 30 miles 

 southeast of Mexico Beach, recorded a maximum elevation of 7.2 ft NGVD. The 

 highest recorded gage level was 7.9 ft MSL (approximately 8.8 ft NGVD) at 

 Shell Point, Fla. (Plate 8), near Oyster Bay. This value is in excellent 

 agreement with a reliable high-water mark of 8.3 ft NGVD obtained nearby. 



11. The peak of the surge at Apalachicola coincided with predicted low 

 tide. However, since the predicted tide range on 21 November was only 0.9 ft 

 (see Plate 5), the contribution of the tide to the surge at this location was 

 not particularly significant. At Turkey Point and Shell Point, the surge peak 

 coincided with predicted mean tide level (see Plates 7 and 8); consequently, 

 the peak surge value can be considered to be a good estimate of the 

 hurricane-generated surge with little tide or wave effects. The hydrograph 

 obtained at Cedar Key indicates an increase in local water level which corre- 

 sponds to the approximate time Kate entered the Gulf of Mexico and continues 

 until shortly after landfall. During the period from approximately noon on 



20 November to noon on 22 November, measured water levels at Cedar Key were 

 about 2 ft higher than predicted. 



