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Calcasieu River at Saltwater Barrier

Highest listed crest 13.00 ftFlood stage 4.0 ft81 crests since 1913

The Calcasieu River at Saltwater Barrier crested at major flood stage 6 times among the 81 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1913 to 2025. The highest, 13.00 ft on October 1, 1913, was major flooding, 9.00 feet above flood stage.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
13.00 ft
October 1, 1913
Flood stage
4.0 ft
Major flooding from 8.0 ft
Crests at major
6
28th of 107 gauges in Louisiana
Most recent flood crest
April 20, 2025
5.26 ft, minor flooding
Location
Calcasieu Parish
Near Lake Charles (3.8 mi), Sulphur (8.4 mi)
Identifiers
NWS LCHL1
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, Calcasieu River at Saltwater Barrier
Action stage4.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)4.058Apr 20, 2025Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage6.07May 22, 2021Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage8.06Jan 9, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

81 crests from 1913 to 2025. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Calcasieu River at Saltwater Barrier, 1913 to 2025 2468101214ft Flood stage 4.0 ftMajor 8.0 ft Oct 1, 1913: 13.00 ft, major floodingApr 5, 1968: 3.60 ft, below flood stageApr 17, 1969: 3.75 ft, below flood stageApr 19, 1970: 3.40 ft, below flood stageOct 29, 1970: 3.90 ft, below flood stageOct 29, 1971: 3.90 ft, below flood stageDec 10, 1971: 4.70 ft, minor floodingOct 27, 1972: 3.75 ft, below flood stageSep 6, 1973: 5.45 ft, minor floodingJun 1, 1974: 4.25 ft, minor floodingJan 10, 1975: 5.05 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 1976: 3.80 ft, below flood stageSep 1, 1977: 3.95 ft, below flood stageAug 29, 1978: 4.20 ft, minor floodingSep 20, 1979: 5.55 ft, minor floodingMay 18, 1980: 7.45 ft, moderate floodingJun 13, 1981: 4.25 ft, minor floodingDec 31, 1982: 8.95 ft, major floodingOct 25, 1984: 4.95 ft, minor floodingNov 3, 1985: 5.80 ft, minor floodingNov 25, 1986: 4.05 ft, minor floodingFeb 28, 1987: 4.60 ft, minor floodingSep 4, 1988: 3.90 ft, below flood stageJul 3, 1989: 9.40 ft, major floodingJan 27, 1990: 3.80 ft, below flood stageMay 15, 1991: 4.85 ft, minor floodingJan 20, 1992: 4.22 ft, minor floodingJun 20, 1993: 4.57 ft, minor floodingMar 14, 1995: 4.45 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 1995: 5.90 ft, minor floodingJul 31, 1995: 4.20 ft, minor floodingOct 26, 1996: 4.40 ft, minor floodingNov 8, 1996: 4.05 ft, minor floodingApr 5, 1997: 4.15 ft, minor floodingJan 15, 1998: 4.42 ft, minor floodingSep 12, 1998: 5.92 ft, minor floodingSep 2, 2001: 4.50 ft, minor floodingDec 3, 2001: 5.58 ft, minor floodingOct 31, 2002: 6.00 ft, moderate floodingNov 8, 2002: 6.60 ft, moderate floodingJul 15, 2003: 4.90 ft, minor floodingMay 19, 2004: 5.60 ft, minor floodingSep 24, 2005: 9.43 ft, major floodingOct 29, 2006: 6.35 ft, moderate flooding; 63,927 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 2007: 4.18 ft, minor flooding; 16,946 cubic feet per secondOct 18, 2007: 4.22 ft, minor flooding; 17,659 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2008: 4.18 ft, minor flooding; 16,946 cubic feet per secondAug 5, 2008: 4.40 ft, minor flooding; 21,142 cubic feet per secondSep 3, 2008: 4.69 ft, minor flooding; 26,714 cubic feet per secondSep 13, 2008: 11.00 ft, major floodingApr 27, 2009: 4.24 ft, minor flooding; 18,029 cubic feet per secondOct 22, 2009: 4.16 ft, minor flooding; 16,604 cubic feet per secondOct 29, 2009: 4.40 ft, minor flooding; 21,142 cubic feet per secondNov 9, 2009: 4.35 ft, minor flooding; 20,141 cubic feet per secondDec 13, 2009: 4.01 ft, minor flooding; 14,157 cubic feet per secondFeb 4, 2010: 4.02 ft, minor flooding; 14,315 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2012: 4.13 ft, minor flooding; 16,091 cubic feet per secondMar 21, 2012: 5.18 ft, minor flooding; 36,692 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2013: 4.67 ft, minor flooding; 26,345 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 2013: 4.24 ft, minor flooding; 18,029 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 2013: 4.65 ft, minor flooding; 25,977 cubic feet per secondJun 28, 2014: 4.27 ft, minor flooding; 18,585 cubic feet per secondAug 30, 2014: 4.60 ft, minor flooding; 25,054 cubic feet per secondApr 20, 2015: 4.15 ft, minor flooding; 16,434 cubic feet per secondSep 29, 2015: 4.50 ft, minor flooding; 23,300 cubic feet per secondNov 1, 2015: 5.85 ft, minor flooding; 52,180 cubic feet per secondDec 28, 2015: 5.09 ft, minor flooding; 34,814 cubic feet per secondJan 9, 2016: 4.66 ft, minor flooding; 26,161 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 2016: 5.54 ft, minor flooding; 44,808 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 2016: 4.24 ft, minor flooding; 18,030 cubic feet per secondAug 14, 2016: 4.59 ft, minor flooding; 24,880 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 2017: 6.82 ft, moderate floodingAug 30, 2017: 7.34 ft, moderate flooding; 86,537 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 2018: 5.54 ft, minor floodingMay 13, 2019: 5.50 ft, minor floodingJan 9, 2020: 9.85 ft, major floodingMay 22, 2021: 6.05 ft, moderate floodingDec 20, 2022: 4.90 ft, minor floodingDec 1, 2023: 4.60 ft, minor floodingNov 17, 2024: 5.00 ft, minor floodingApr 20, 2025: 5.26 ft, minor flooding Highest, 13.00 ft, Oct 1, 1913 192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Calcasieu River at Saltwater Barrier 1910s: 1 1920s: 0 1930s: 0 1940s: 0 1950s: 0 1960s: 0 1970s: 6 1980s: 8 1990s: 11 2000s: 19 2010s: 20 20 2020s: 6 1910s1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 81 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Calcasieu River at Saltwater Barrier
1Oct 1, 191313.00+9.00Major—
2Sep 13, 200811.00+7.00Major—
3Jan 9, 20209.85+5.85Major—
4Sep 24, 20059.43+5.43Major—
5Jul 3, 19899.40+5.40Major—
6Dec 31, 19828.95+4.95Major—
7May 18, 19807.45+3.45Moderate—
8Aug 30, 20177.34+3.34Moderate86,537
9May 4, 20176.82+2.82Moderate—
10Nov 8, 20026.60+2.60Moderate—
11Oct 29, 20066.35+2.35Moderate63,927
12May 22, 20216.05+2.05Moderate—
13Oct 31, 20026.00+2.00Moderate—
14Sep 12, 19985.92+1.92Minor—
15Apr 15, 19955.90+1.90Minor—
16Nov 1, 20155.85+1.85Minor52,180
17Nov 3, 19855.80+1.80Minor—
18May 19, 20045.60+1.60Minor—
19Dec 3, 20015.58+1.58Minor—
20Sep 20, 19795.55+1.55Minor—
21Mar 10, 20165.54+1.54Minor44,808
22Apr 3, 20185.54+1.54Minor—
23May 13, 20195.50+1.50Minor—
24Sep 6, 19735.45+1.45Minor—
25Apr 20, 20255.26+1.26Minor—
26Mar 21, 20125.18+1.18Minor36,692
27Dec 28, 20155.09+1.09Minor34,814
28Jan 10, 19755.05+1.05Minor—
29Nov 17, 20245.00+1.00Minor—
30Oct 25, 19844.95+0.95Minor—
31Jul 15, 20034.90+0.90Minor—
32Dec 20, 20224.90+0.90Minor—
33May 15, 19914.85+0.85Minor—
34Dec 10, 19714.70+0.70Minor—
35Sep 3, 20084.69+0.69Minor26,714
36Jan 13, 20134.67+0.67Minor26,345
37Jan 9, 20164.66+0.66Minor26,161
38Sep 21, 20134.65+0.65Minor25,977
39Feb 28, 19874.60+0.60Minor—
40Aug 30, 20144.60+0.60Minor25,054
41Dec 1, 20234.60+0.60Minor—
42Aug 14, 20164.59+0.59Minor24,880
43Jun 20, 19934.57+0.57Minor—
44Sep 2, 20014.50+0.50Minor—
45Sep 29, 20154.50+0.50Minor23,300
46Mar 14, 19954.45+0.45Minor—
47Jan 15, 19984.42+0.42Minor—
48Oct 26, 19964.40+0.40Minor—
49Aug 5, 20084.40+0.40Minor21,142
50Oct 29, 20094.40+0.40Minor21,142

The worst floods along the Calcasieu River

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

September 13, 2008: 11.00 ft here, major flooding

September 24, 2005: 9.43 ft here, major flooding

July 3, 1989: 9.40 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Calcasieu River

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

Flood gauges on the Calcasieu River
Goos Ferry RoadLA2.07.46 ft, Oct 14, 20201
Saltwater Barrier this gaugeLA4.013.00 ft, Oct 1, 19136
Sam Houston Jones State ParkLA5.014.40 ft, Dec 29, 19828
White Oak ParkLA2.09.61 ft, Sep 2, 20175
GlenmoraLA12.021.55 ft, May 19, 195317
KinderLA16.032.00 ft, May 19, 19538
OakdaleLA17.027.62 ft, May 19, 19531
OberlinLA13.026.53 ft, May 19, 195340

Other gauges in Calcasieu Parish

Flood gauges in Calcasieu Parish
Lorrain Park4.07.51 ft, Aug 17, 20161
Alligator Park20.023.74 ft, Apr 29, 20200
Goos Ferry Road2.07.46 ft, Oct 14, 20201
Sam Houston Jones State Park5.014.40 ft, Dec 29, 19828
White Oak Park2.09.61 ft, Sep 2, 20175
Dave Dugas Road5.013.15 ft, Jan 14, 20161
Common Street8.011.53 ft, May 1, 20162
Anthony Ferry Road4.57.47 ft, Oct 13, 20200
Coffey Road13.016.01 ft, Jun 4, 20160
Tide Station (LCH) at Lake Charles3.09.50 ft, Sep 13, 20082
Dunn Ferry Road5.014.86 ft, Aug 31, 20172

Calcasieu Parish: every hazard · River floods across the country · Louisiana

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge LCHL1, 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.