| dc.description.abstract | Hurricane Paine, extending across the Central Plains of the United States, caused
flooding of unprecedented proportions in the Caney River. This storm produced a rainfall
varying from 20 to 30 inches in Oklahoma during September 29 through October 4, 1986.
Because of the severity of this extreme event, local residents questioned the
adequacy of the bridges on the Caney River at U.S. 75. As a result, the Oklahoma
Department of Transportution (ODOT) initiated this research investigation as an
objective study of the hydraulic capacity of the bridges to convey floodwaters and the
policies and procedures used in the design. This report presents hydrologic data, flood
analysis, water surface profiles for 50-, I 00-year, and the 1986 Flood due to the old
bridge and new bridge, and hydraulic damage analysis.
Computer analysis indicates that the construction of the new bridge causes
backwater effect in the range of I to 2 feet and maximum velocity between 6 to 8 feet
per second for 50- and I 00- year floods. The computer analysis further indicates that
construction of the new bridge has resulted in lowering the water surface elevation by 2
to 3 feet when compared to the old bridge without Hulah and Copan Lakes, a condition
that existed in 1930 at the time of construction of the old bridge. In addition, a review
of policies and procedures of ODOT and the new bridge design on U.S. 75 on the Caney
River shows that the design is within the guidelines. A second report, Volume II,
containing hydrologic and computer analyses accompanies this report. | |
