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Phoenix flood of 1891

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Phoenix flood of 1891
Photo of a flooding river, with a railroad bridge broken in a number of places. Men are sitting and standing on portions of the bridge that aren' damaged.
Damage to a railroad bridge over the Salt River in Tempe, Arizona during the flood
DateFebruary 19–26, 1891 (1891-02-19 – 1891-02-26)
LocationPhoenix, Arizona and the surrounding Salt River Valley
Deaths0
Property damage$125,000 (equivalent to $4,238,889 in 2023)

The Phoenix flood of 1891 was the largest recorded flood of the Salt River, occurring from February 19 to February 26.[1][2] It affected most of the Salt River Valley in Maricopa County, Arizona, and caused damaged to the cities of Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa.[3][4][5] The river swelled to over 3 miles wide and caused significant damage, including the destruction of a railroad bridge.[1] The flood was a major precursor to the formation of the Salt River Project.[6]

View of a flooded Phoenix neighborhood in February 1891

References

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  1. ^ a b Burkitt, Bree (October 1, 2018). "Tropical Storm Rosa reminds Arizona of its history of jaw-dropping flash floods". Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. ^ Johnson, Weldon (May 14, 2015). "10 wildest Arizona weather events". Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  3. ^ "With a Crash". The Arizona Republic (clipping). February 20, 1891. p. 1. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "A Deluge of Rain". The Scranton Times-Tribune (clipping). February 23, 1891. p. 1. Archived from the original on March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Flood Damages". The Richmond Item (clipping). February 23, 1891. p. 2. Archived from the original on September 3, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Honker, Andrew (2002). "A Terrible Calamity Fallen Upon Phoenix": The 1891 Flood and Salt River Valley Reclamation". The Journal of Arizona History. 43 (2). Arizona Historical Society: 109–132. JSTOR 41696696. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2022.