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Calcasieu River near Oberlin

Highest listed crest 26.53 ftFlood stage 13.0 ft103 crests since 1923

The Calcasieu River near Oberlin crested at major flood stage 40 times among the 103 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1923 to 2023. The highest, 26.53 ft on May 19, 1953, was major flooding, 13.53 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Calcasieu River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 3 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
26.53 ft
May 19, 1953; 72,800 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
13.0 ft
Major flooding from 19.0 ft
Crests at major
40
1st of 107 gauges in Louisiana
Most recent flood crest
February 10, 2023
16.00 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Allen Parish
Louisiana

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Calcasieu River near Oberlin
Action stage12.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)13.010Apr 6, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage15.051Feb 10, 2023Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage19.040Oct 11, 2020Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

103 crests from 1923 to 2023. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Calcasieu River near Oberlin, 1923 to 2023 51015202530ft Flood stage 13.0 ftMajor 19.0 ft Apr 7, 1923: 21.00 ft, major flooding; 30,300 cubic feet per secondDec 24, 1923: 20.20 ft, major flooding; 27,300 cubic feet per secondJan 18, 1939: 17.60 ft, moderate flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondAug 9, 1940: 19.71 ft, major flooding; 19,200 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 1940: 19.39 ft, major flooding; 18,000 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 1941: 18.51 ft, moderate flooding; 14,600 cubic feet per secondMar 27, 1943: 13.56 ft, minor flooding; 3,230 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1944: 18.70 ft, moderate flooding; 15,300 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 1945: 20.00 ft, major flooding; 20,500 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 1946: 19.40 ft, major flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondJan 21, 1947: 19.90 ft, major flooding; 22,100 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1948: 15.56 ft, moderate flooding; 5,800 cubic feet per secondMar 31, 1949: 18.82 ft, moderate flooding; 16,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1950: 21.54 ft, major flooding; 33,200 cubic feet per secondJan 8, 1951: 17.83 ft, moderate flooding; 12,400 cubic feet per secondApr 27, 1952: 20.83 ft, major flooding; 28,200 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1953: 26.53 ft, major flooding; 72,800 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1954: 18.56 ft, moderate flooding; 16,300 cubic feet per secondAug 8, 1955: 18.76 ft, moderate flooding; 17,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 12, 1956: 16.47 ft, moderate flooding; 8,080 cubic feet per secondDec 25, 1956: 15.96 ft, moderate flooding; 6,870 cubic feet per secondNov 15, 1957: 19.98 ft, major flooding; 23,600 cubic feet per secondFeb 8, 1959: 16.71 ft, moderate flooding; 8,730 cubic feet per secondMar 4, 1960: 13.98 ft, minor flooding; 4,730 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 1961: 18.93 ft, moderate flooding; 17,700 cubic feet per secondDec 19, 1961: 19.15 ft, major flooding; 19,200 cubic feet per secondJan 20, 1963: 14.23 ft, minor flooding; 4,890 cubic feet per secondMar 8, 1964: 17.68 ft, moderate flooding; 10,400 cubic feet per secondMar 3, 1965: 17.89 ft, moderate flooding; 13,200 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 1966: 23.07 ft, major flooding; 42,400 cubic feet per secondApr 18, 1967: 19.40 ft, major flooding; 18,700 cubic feet per secondJan 12, 1968: 16.36 ft, moderate flooding; 7,870 cubic feet per secondMay 13, 1969: 16.70 ft, moderate flooding; 8,730 cubic feet per secondMay 4, 1970: 11.53 ft, below flood stage; 2,880 cubic feet per secondOct 13, 1970: 18.25 ft, moderate flooding; 13,100 cubic feet per secondDec 8, 1971: 18.77 ft, moderate flooding; 16,100 cubic feet per secondMar 25, 1973: 19.98 ft, major flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondJan 30, 1974: 17.82 ft, moderate flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondMay 7, 1975: 20.25 ft, major flooding; 25,000 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 1976: 16.85 ft, moderate flooding; 7,770 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 1977: 16.55 ft, moderate flooding; 7,100 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 1977: 17.46 ft, moderate flooding; 9,610 cubic feet per secondSep 21, 1979: 20.70 ft, major flooding; 27,700 cubic feet per secondMar 30, 1980: 20.04 ft, major flooding; 23,700 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1981: 16.68 ft, moderate flooding; 7,660 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1982: 15.26 ft, moderate flooding; 5,600 cubic feet per secondDec 30, 1982: 24.33 ft, major flooding; 51,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1984: 19.49 ft, major flooding; 20,400 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 1984: 20.42 ft, major flooding; 26,100 cubic feet per secondNov 2, 1985: 20.81 ft, major flooding; 28,400 cubic feet per secondNov 30, 1986: 18.30 ft, moderate flooding; 13,700 cubic feet per secondNov 20, 1987: 17.97 ft, moderate flooding; 11,700 cubic feet per secondJul 2, 1989: 24.70 ft, major flooding; 54,000 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1990: 19.75 ft, major flooding; 21,900 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1991: 19.00 ft, major flooding; 17,400 cubic feet per secondDec 15, 1991: 19.88 ft, major flooding; 22,700 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1993: 16.06 ft, moderate flooding; 7,740 cubic feet per secondFeb 1, 1994: 20.11 ft, major flooding; 24,200 cubic feet per secondMar 11, 1995: 20.18 ft, major flooding; 24,600 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1995: 20.16 ft, major flooding; 24,500 cubic feet per secondApr 28, 1995: 17.84 ft, moderate flooding; 11,200 cubic feet per secondDec 21, 1995: 14.34 ft, minor flooding; 4,700 cubic feet per secondFeb 19, 1997: 16.86 ft, moderate flooding; 8,230 cubic feet per secondMar 2, 1997: 17.81 ft, moderate flooding; 11,000 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 1998: 19.99 ft, major flooding; 23,400 cubic feet per secondDec 17, 1998: 17.68 ft, moderate flooding; 10,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 2, 1999: 17.23 ft, moderate flooding; 10,900 cubic feet per secondMar 10, 1999: 18.54 ft, moderate flooding; 18,100 cubic feet per secondMay 5, 2000: 9.83 ft, below flood stage; 2,070 cubic feet per secondMar 9, 2001: 16.44 ft, moderate flooding; 8,310 cubic feet per secondJun 14, 2001: 17.00 ft, moderate flooding; 10,800 cubic feet per secondOct 16, 2001: 15.93 ft, moderate flooding; 8,680 cubic feet per secondDec 2, 2001: 19.13 ft, major flooding; 18,200 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 2002: 20.17 ft, major flooding; 24,500 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 2004: 17.75 ft, moderate flooding; 12,000 cubic feet per secondMay 16, 2004: 20.87 ft, major flooding; 28,800 cubic feet per secondMay 22, 2004: 15.91 ft, moderate flooding; 8,650 cubic feet per secondNov 29, 2004: 18.96 ft, moderate flooding; 17,300 cubic feet per secondOct 23, 2006: 18.44 ft, moderate flooding; 14,305 cubic feet per secondJan 5, 2007: 18.96 ft, moderate flooding; 17,215 cubic feet per secondFeb 28, 2008: 16.45 ft, moderate flooding; 7,454 cubic feet per secondSep 6, 2008: 16.65 ft, moderate flooding; 7,839 cubic feet per secondSep 16, 2008: 17.84 ft, moderate flooding; 11,310 cubic feet per secondApr 21, 2009: 15.71 ft, moderate flooding; 8,311 cubic feet per secondNov 1, 2009: 13.21 ft, minor flooding; 5,118 cubic feet per secondNov 5, 2009: 16.54 ft, moderate flooding; 10,046 cubic feet per secondDec 22, 2009: 14.87 ft, minor flooding; 7,035 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 2010: 15.68 ft, moderate flooding; 8,262 cubic feet per secondFeb 6, 2012: 19.05 ft, major flooding; 17,648 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2012: 19.94 ft, major flooding; 23,123 cubic feet per secondJan 15, 2013: 18.20 ft, moderate flooding; 14,725 cubic feet per secondFeb 20, 2013: 13.11 ft, minor flooding; 5,013 cubic feet per secondJan 13, 2015: 14.14 ft, minor flooding; 5,094 cubic feet per secondMay 29, 2015: 13.68 ft, minor flooding; 4,610 cubic feet per secondNov 6, 2015: 19.22 ft, major flooding; 18,243 cubic feet per secondMar 14, 2016: 22.88 ft, major flooding; 39,346 cubic feet per secondApr 6, 2017: 22.16 ft, major floodingApr 2, 2018: 20.74 ft, major floodingJan 7, 2019: 18.90 ft, moderate floodingApr 6, 2020: 14.77 ft, minor floodingOct 11, 2020: 21.88 ft, major flooding; 29,693 cubic feet per secondMar 26, 2022: 15.26 ft, moderate floodingFeb 10, 2023: 16.00 ft, moderate flooding Highest, 26.53 ft, May 19, 1953 19401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Calcasieu River near Oberlin 1920s: 2 1930s: 1 1940s: 10 1950s: 10 1960s: 10 1970s: 9 1980s: 10 1990s: 15 2000s: 18 18 2010s: 12 2020s: 4 1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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 103 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Calcasieu River near Oberlin
1May 19, 195326.53+13.53Major72,800
2Jul 2, 198924.70+11.70Major54,000
3Dec 30, 198224.33+11.33Major51,000
4Feb 14, 196623.07+10.07Major42,400
5Mar 14, 201622.88+9.88Major39,346
6Apr 6, 201722.16+9.16Major—
7Oct 11, 202021.88+8.88Major29,693
8Feb 16, 195021.54+8.54Major33,200
9Apr 7, 192321.00+8.00Major30,300
10May 16, 200420.87+7.87Major28,800
11Apr 27, 195220.83+7.83Major28,200
12Nov 2, 198520.81+7.81Major28,400
13Apr 2, 201820.74+7.74Major—
14Sep 21, 197920.70+7.70Major27,700
15Oct 23, 198420.42+7.42Major26,100
16May 7, 197520.25+7.25Major25,000
17Dec 24, 192320.20+7.20Major27,300
18Mar 11, 199520.18+7.18Major24,600
19Nov 6, 200220.17+7.17Major24,500
20Apr 12, 199520.16+7.16Major24,500
21Feb 1, 199420.11+7.11Major24,200
22Mar 30, 198020.04+7.04Major23,700
23Apr 6, 194520.00+7.00Major20,500
24Jan 13, 199819.99+6.99Major23,400
25Nov 15, 195719.98+6.98Major23,600
26Mar 25, 197319.98+6.98Major23,400
27Mar 26, 201219.94+6.94Major23,123
28Jan 21, 194719.90+6.90Major22,100
29Dec 15, 199119.88+6.88Major22,700
30Jan 25, 199019.75+6.75Major21,900
31Aug 9, 194019.71+6.71Major19,200
32Feb 16, 198419.49+6.49Major20,400
33Jan 12, 194619.40+6.40Major18,100
34Apr 18, 196719.40+6.40Major18,700
35Nov 29, 194019.39+6.39Major18,000
36Nov 6, 201519.22+6.22Major18,243
37Dec 19, 196119.15+6.15Major19,200
38Dec 2, 200119.13+6.13Major18,200
39Feb 6, 201219.05+6.05Major17,648
40May 9, 199119.00+6.00Major17,400
41Nov 29, 200418.96+5.96Moderate17,300
42Jan 5, 200718.96+5.96Moderate17,215
43Jan 12, 196118.93+5.93Moderate17,700
44Jan 7, 201918.90+5.90Moderate—
45Mar 31, 194918.82+5.82Moderate16,600
46Dec 8, 197118.77+5.77Moderate16,100
47Aug 8, 195518.76+5.76Moderate17,200
48May 8, 194418.70+5.70Moderate15,300
49May 4, 195418.56+5.56Moderate16,300
50Mar 10, 199918.54+5.54Moderate18,100

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.

May 19, 1953: 26.53 ft here, major flooding

  • KinderLA · May 19, 1953 · 32.00 ft · Major · its highest
  • OakdaleLA · May 19, 1953 · 27.62 ft · Major · its highest
  • GlenmoraLA · May 19, 1953 · 21.55 ft · Major · its highest
  • Sam Houston Jones State ParkLA · May 22, 1953 · 12.75 ft · Major

July 2, 1989: 24.70 ft here, major flooding

December 30, 1982: 24.33 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 BarrierLA4.013.00 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
Oberlin this gaugeLA13.026.53 ft, May 19, 195340

Other gauges in Allen Parish

Flood gauges in Allen Parish
Kinder16.032.00 ft, May 19, 19538
Oakdale17.027.62 ft, May 19, 19531
Mittie15.032.80 ft, May 18, 195312

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge OBCL1, 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.