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Atchafalaya River at Melville

Highest listed crest 46.98 ftFlood stage 34.0 ft142 crests since 1885

The Atchafalaya River at Melville crested above flood stage 61 times among the 142 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1885 to 2025. The highest, 46.98 ft on May 14, 1927, was moderate flooding, 12.98 feet above flood stage. 2 other gauges on the Atchafalaya River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 2 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
46.98 ft
May 14, 1927
Flood stage
34.0 ft
Major flooding from 50.0 ft
Crests at major
0
61 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
May 24, 2011
35.69 ft, minor flooding
Location
St. Landry Parish
Louisiana
Identifiers
NWS MLVL1
No USGS station

Flood stages

The thresholds the National Weather Service uses for this gauge today, and how many listed crests reached each.

Flood categories, Atchafalaya River at Melville
Action stage33.05Mar 28, 1997The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)34.057May 24, 2011Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage45.04Mar 5, 1950Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage50.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

142 crests from 1885 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Atchafalaya River at Melville, 1885 to 2025 1020304050ft Flood stage 34.0 ftMajor 50.0 ft Feb 2, 1885: 31.83 ft, below flood stageMay 28, 1886: 31.88 ft, below flood stageApr 8, 1887: 32.28 ft, below flood stageMay 3, 1888: 32.08 ft, below flood stageMar 13, 1889: 28.98 ft, below flood stageApr 27, 1890: 35.58 ft, minor floodingApr 9, 1891: 33.88 ft, action stageJun 25, 1892: 35.18 ft, minor floodingJun 25, 1893: 35.18 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1894: 32.38 ft, below flood stageApr 6, 1895: 28.08 ft, below flood stageFeb 27, 1896: 29.98 ft, below flood stageMay 15, 1897: 36.28 ft, minor floodingApr 29, 1898: 34.08 ft, minor floodingApr 21, 1899: 33.58 ft, action stageMar 28, 1900: 30.68 ft, below flood stageMay 16, 1901: 31.58 ft, below flood stageApr 19, 1902: 33.08 ft, action stageApr 4, 1903: 38.88 ft, minor floodingMay 2, 1904: 34.48 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 1905: 34.28 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 1906: 36.18 ft, minor floodingFeb 19, 1907: 37.88 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 1908: 39.88 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1909: 36.28 ft, minor floodingMar 29, 1910: 32.28 ft, below flood stageMay 12, 1911: 36.88 ft, minor floodingMay 6, 1912: 41.88 ft, minor floodingApr 24, 1913: 41.68 ft, minor floodingMay 1, 1914: 37.48 ft, minor floodingMar 7, 1915: 37.48 ft, minor floodingFeb 14, 1916: 43.18 ft, minor floodingApr 30, 1917: 39.78 ft, minor floodingMay 14, 1918: 32.88 ft, below flood stageApr 17, 1919: 37.58 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 1920: 42.68 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 1921: 38.08 ft, minor floodingMay 14, 1922: 46.08 ft, moderate floodingApr 16, 1923: 40.08 ft, minor floodingJan 31, 1924: 35.98 ft, minor floodingNov 28, 1925: 28.58 ft, below flood stageApr 30, 1926: 32.78 ft, below flood stageMay 14, 1927: 46.98 ft, moderate floodingJul 23, 1928: 37.78 ft, minor floodingJun 9, 1929: 42.38 ft, minor floodingFeb 7, 1930: 35.18 ft, minor floodingDec 31, 1931: 30.68 ft, below flood stageMar 5, 1932: 42.98 ft, minor floodingJun 13, 1933: 38.58 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1934: 32.38 ft, below flood stageJul 4, 1935: 39.78 ft, minor floodingMay 5, 1936: 34.18 ft, minor floodingMar 2, 1937: 44.98 ft, minor floodingApr 27, 1938: 38.68 ft, minor floodingApr 4, 1939: 39.28 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 1940: 32.98 ft, below flood stageNov 14, 1941: 28.58 ft, below flood stageApr 29, 1942: 34.88 ft, minor floodingJun 15, 1943: 38.28 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 1944: 41.58 ft, minor floodingApr 25, 1945: 45.88 ft, moderate floodingMar 3, 1946: 37.88 ft, minor floodingMay 8, 1947: 36.11 ft, minor floodingApr 21, 1948: 37.51 ft, minor floodingFeb 22, 1949: 40.18 ft, minor floodingMar 5, 1950: 45.00 ft, moderate floodingMar 15, 1951: 36.68 ft, minor floodingApr 18, 1952: 37.60 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 1953: 37.09 ft, minor floodingMay 17, 1954: 27.07 ft, below flood stageApr 14, 1955: 37.24 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 1956: 34.33 ft, minor floodingJun 13, 1957: 38.71 ft, minor floodingMay 26, 1958: 37.84 ft, minor floodingMar 3, 1959: 30.80 ft, below flood stageApr 26, 1960: 32.43 ft, below flood stageMay 31, 1961: 39.48 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1962: 38.68 ft, minor floodingApr 7, 1963: 34.78 ft, minor floodingApr 1, 1964: 31.58 ft, below flood stageApr 21, 1965: 33.18 ft, action stageMay 17, 1966: 31.78 ft, below flood stageJun 4, 1967: 29.08 ft, below flood stageApr 18, 1968: 32.38 ft, below flood stageFeb 23, 1969: 32.88 ft, below flood stageMay 19, 1970: 32.98 ft, below flood stageMar 16, 1971: 29.88 ft, below flood stageDec 31, 1972: 31.18 ft, below flood stageMay 14, 1973: 44.43 ft, minor floodingFeb 8, 1974: 35.78 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1975: 40.80 ft, minor floodingMar 17, 1976: 27.40 ft, below flood stageApr 23, 1977: 24.80 ft, below flood stageApr 11, 1978: 27.62 ft, below flood stageApr 29, 1979: 36.00 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1980: 29.91 ft, below flood stageJun 14, 1981: 22.30 ft, below flood stageDec 27, 1982: 30.30 ft, below flood stageMay 31, 1983: 36.10 ft, minor floodingMay 29, 1984: 31.20 ft, below flood stageMar 21, 1985: 29.30 ft, below flood stageDec 20, 1986: 23.80 ft, below flood stageMar 14, 1987: 24.40 ft, below flood stageJan 9, 1988: 25.20 ft, below flood stageMar 11, 1989: 28.10 ft, below flood stageJun 12, 1990: 29.40 ft, below flood stageJan 25, 1991: 30.70 ft, below flood stageDec 31, 1992: 22.60 ft, below flood stageMay 2, 1993: 28.06 ft, below flood stageMay 10, 1994: 29.10 ft, below flood stageJun 17, 1995: 30.40 ft, below flood stageMay 30, 1996: 25.89 ft, below flood stageJun 8, 1996: 27.90 ft, below flood stageMar 28, 1997: 33.13 ft, action stageMay 16, 1998: 27.15 ft, below flood stageJan 16, 1999: 28.50 ft, below flood stageFeb 17, 1999: 28.50 ft, below flood stageApr 17, 2000: 19.07 ft, below flood stageMar 6, 2001: 26.20 ft, below flood stageMar 11, 2001: 27.89 ft, below flood stageJun 7, 2002: 27.63 ft, below flood stageMar 12, 2003: 26.79 ft, below flood stageDec 20, 2004: 24.67 ft, below flood stageFeb 3, 2005: 29.29 ft, below flood stageMar 29, 2006: 18.89 ft, below flood stageJan 25, 2007: 24.80 ft, below flood stageApr 28, 2008: 32.45 ft, below flood stageMay 28, 2009: 30.46 ft, below flood stageFeb 10, 2010: 25.44 ft, below flood stageMay 24, 2011: 35.69 ft, minor floodingJan 2, 2012: 21.87 ft, below flood stageMay 22, 2013: 25.31 ft, below flood stageApr 24, 2014: 22.65 ft, below flood stageApr 6, 2015: 26.26 ft, below flood stageJan 19, 2016: 32.63 ft, below flood stageMay 29, 2017: 29.91 ft, below flood stageMar 19, 2018: 32.88 ft, below flood stageMar 15, 2019: 32.90 ft, below flood stageApr 13, 2020: 31.07 ft, below flood stageApr 16, 2021: 27.39 ft, below flood stageMar 24, 2022: 24.61 ft, below flood stageMay 1, 2025: 30.23 ft, below flood stage Highest, 46.98 ft, May 14, 1927 1900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Atchafalaya River at Melville 1880s: 0 1890s: 5 1900s: 7 1910s: 8 8 1920s: 8 1930s: 8 1940s: 8 1950s: 8 1960s: 3 1970s: 4 1980s: 1 1990s: 0 2000s: 0 2010s: 1 2020s: 0 1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  1. These are the crests the local National Weather Service office lists for the gauge: the highest on record and recent crests. Lesser floods between them may be missing, so counts by decade are a floor.
  2. Categories use today's flood stages. Levees, dams and channel changes since a crest can make old and new stages not directly comparable.

Highest crests

The 50 highest of 142 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Atchafalaya River at Melville
1May 14, 192746.98+12.98Moderate—
2May 14, 192246.08+12.08Moderate—
3Apr 25, 194545.88+11.88Moderate—
4Mar 5, 195045.00+11.00Moderate—
5Mar 2, 193744.98+10.98Minor—
6May 14, 197344.43+10.43Minor—
7Feb 14, 191643.18+9.18Minor—
8Mar 5, 193242.98+8.98Minor—
9May 20, 192042.68+8.68Minor—
10Jun 9, 192942.38+8.38Minor—
11May 6, 191241.88+7.88Minor—
12Apr 24, 191341.68+7.68Minor—
13May 20, 194441.58+7.58Minor—
14Apr 17, 197540.80+6.80Minor—
15Feb 22, 194940.18+6.18Minor—
16Apr 16, 192340.08+6.08Minor—
17Jun 22, 190839.88+5.88Minor—
18Apr 30, 191739.78+5.78Minor—
19Jul 4, 193539.78+5.78Minor—
20May 31, 196139.48+5.48Minor—
21Apr 4, 193939.28+5.28Minor—
22Apr 4, 190338.88+4.88Minor—
23Jun 13, 195738.71+4.71Minor—
24Apr 27, 193838.68+4.68Minor—
25Apr 16, 196238.68+4.68Minor—
26Jun 13, 193338.58+4.58Minor—
27Jun 15, 194338.28+4.28Minor—
28May 12, 192138.08+4.08Minor—
29Feb 19, 190737.88+3.88Minor—
30Mar 3, 194637.88+3.88Minor—
31May 26, 195837.84+3.84Minor—
32Jul 23, 192837.78+3.78Minor—
33Apr 18, 195237.60+3.60Minor—
34Apr 17, 191937.58+3.58Minor—
35Apr 21, 194837.51+3.51Minor—
36May 1, 191437.48+3.48Minor—
37Mar 7, 191537.48+3.48Minor—
38Apr 14, 195537.24+3.24Minor—
39May 29, 195337.09+3.09Minor—
40May 12, 191136.88+2.88Minor—
41Mar 15, 195136.68+2.68Minor—
42May 15, 189736.28+2.28Minor—
43Apr 6, 190936.28+2.28Minor—
44May 4, 190636.18+2.18Minor—
45May 8, 194736.11+2.11Minor—
46May 31, 198336.10+2.10Minor—
47Apr 29, 197936.00+2.00Minor—
48Jan 31, 192435.98+1.98Minor—
49Feb 8, 197435.78+1.78Minor—
50May 24, 201135.69+1.69Minor—

The worst floods along the Atchafalaya River

For this gauge's highest crests, the other gauges on the Atchafalaya River that crested above flood stage within a week.

May 14, 1927: 46.98 ft here, moderate flooding

  • SimmesportLA · May 16, 1927 · 59.13 ft · Major · its highest
  • Krotz SpringsLA · May 15, 1927 · 38.50 ft · Minor · its highest

May 14, 1922: 46.08 ft here, moderate flooding

April 25, 1945: 45.88 ft here, moderate flooding

Gauges on the Atchafalaya River

Flood gauges sharing the river's name, linked within 80 miles of one another.

Flood gauges on the Atchafalaya River
Butte La RoseLA20.027.28 ft, May 23, 19730
Bayou Sorrel LandsideLA6.07.80 ft, Aug 17, 20160
Bayou Sorrel LockLA12.018.10 ft, May 23, 19730
Krotz SpringsLA29.038.50 ft, May 15, 19270
Melville this gaugeLA34.046.98 ft, May 14, 19270
Morgan CityLA6.010.53 ft, May 28, 19730
SimmesportLA40.059.13 ft, May 16, 192715

Other gauges in St. Landry Parish

Flood gauges in St. Landry Parish
Krotz Springs29.038.50 ft, May 15, 19270
Drainage Structure19.020.60 ft, Feb 7, 19740
Washington28.035.29 ft, May 22, 19531
Eunice16.022.37 ft, Aug 15, 20167
Palmetto26.027.55 ft, Jul 19, 20190

St. Landry Parish: every hazard · River floods across the country · Louisiana

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge MLVL1, retrieved October 30, 2026. Stages in feet on the gauge's own datum, not elevation. Crests are as the National Weather Service lists them; preliminary values may be revised.