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Mississippi River at New Orleans

Highest listed crest 21.27 ftFlood stage 17.0 ft160 crests since 1828

The Mississippi River at New Orleans crested at major flood stage 5 times among the 160 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1828 to 2020. The highest, 21.27 ft on April 25, 1922, was major flooding, 4.27 feet above flood stage. 9 other gauges on the Mississippi River crested above flood stage within a week of it.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
21.27 ft
April 25, 1922
Flood stage
17.0 ft
Major flooding from 20.0 ft
Crests at major
5
33rd of 107 gauges in Louisiana
Most recent flood crest
April 17, 2020
17.61 ft, minor flooding
Location
Orleans Parish
Near Gretna (5.3 mi), Kenner (8.8 mi), New Orleans (14.6 mi)
Identifiers
NWS NORL1
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, Mississippi River at New Orleans
Action stage17.00—The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)17.021Apr 17, 2020Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage19.010Feb 10, 1950Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage20.05May 18, 1927Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

160 crests from 1828 to 2020. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Mississippi River at New Orleans, 1828 to 2020 510152025ft Flood stage 17.0 ftMajor 20.0 ft Apr 1, 1828: 15.20 ft, below flood stageMar 11, 1849: 15.20 ft, below flood stageJan 21, 1850: 13.80 ft, below flood stageMar 27, 1851: 15.40 ft, below flood stageMay 30, 1852: 14.10 ft, below flood stageMay 30, 1853: 15.00 ft, below flood stageApr 14, 1854: 14.70 ft, below flood stageApr 7, 1855: 9.50 ft, below flood stageMay 10, 1858: 15.10 ft, below flood stageMay 2, 1859: 15.60 ft, below flood stageFeb 6, 1860: 13.40 ft, below flood stageMay 6, 1872: 12.30 ft, below flood stageJun 3, 1873: 12.93 ft, below flood stageApr 16, 1874: 15.70 ft, below flood stageMay 13, 1875: 11.30 ft, below flood stageMay 11, 1876: 12.70 ft, below flood stageJun 4, 1877: 11.10 ft, below flood stageMar 21, 1878: 11.30 ft, below flood stageFeb 20, 1879: 10.80 ft, below flood stageApr 22, 1880: 13.90 ft, below flood stageMar 12, 1881: 12.55 ft, below flood stageMar 27, 1882: 14.95 ft, below flood stageApr 7, 1883: 15.40 ft, below flood stageMar 18, 1884: 15.60 ft, below flood stageJan 22, 1885: 13.55 ft, below flood stageMay 31, 1886: 13.80 ft, below flood stageApr 6, 1887: 14.50 ft, below flood stageApr 26, 1888: 14.70 ft, below flood stageMar 13, 1889: 11.60 ft, below flood stageMar 13, 1890: 16.10 ft, below flood stageMar 16, 1891: 16.00 ft, below flood stageJun 10, 1892: 17.35 ft, minor floodingJun 22, 1893: 17.45 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1894: 13.50 ft, below flood stageApr 8, 1895: 10.15 ft, below flood stageApr 24, 1896: 13.70 ft, below flood stageMay 13, 1897: 19.17 ft, moderate floodingApr 25, 1898: 15.90 ft, below flood stageApr 21, 1899: 16.00 ft, below flood stageMar 27, 1900: 12.60 ft, below flood stageMay 17, 1901: 12.66 ft, below flood stageApr 14, 1902: 13.35 ft, below flood stageMar 29, 1903: 19.42 ft, moderate floodingApr 27, 1904: 16.15 ft, below flood stageJun 10, 1905: 14.02 ft, below flood stageMay 4, 1906: 16.00 ft, below flood stageFeb 16, 1907: 18.60 ft, minor floodingJun 18, 1908: 18.95 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 1909: 16.55 ft, below flood stageMar 29, 1910: 12.85 ft, below flood stageMay 15, 1911: 14.57 ft, below flood stageMay 11, 1912: 21.05 ft, major floodingMay 8, 1913: 19.28 ft, moderate floodingApr 30, 1914: 14.30 ft, below flood stageMar 5, 1915: 15.55 ft, below flood stageMar 3, 1916: 20.05 ft, major floodingMay 2, 1917: 16.90 ft, below flood stageMay 12, 1918: 11.75 ft, below flood stageApr 15, 1919: 15.70 ft, below flood stageMay 18, 1920: 19.15 ft, moderate floodingMay 12, 1921: 16.10 ft, below flood stageApr 25, 1922: 21.27 ft, major floodingApr 15, 1923: 18.06 ft, minor floodingJan 29, 1924: 15.65 ft, below flood stageMar 13, 1925: 9.30 ft, below flood stageApr 29, 1926: 14.00 ft, below flood stageApr 25, 1927: 21.00 ft, major floodingMay 18, 1927: 20.50 ft, major flooding; 1,557,000 cubic feet per secondJul 19, 1928: 16.38 ft, below flood stageJun 8, 1929: 19.99 ft, moderate floodingFeb 4, 1930: 14.70 ft, below flood stageDec 31, 1931: 10.25 ft, below flood stageMar 5, 1932: 19.17 ft, moderate floodingJun 15, 1933: 17.46 ft, minor floodingApr 16, 1934: 12.48 ft, below flood stageJul 8, 1935: 17.38 ft, minor floodingMay 4, 1936: 14.57 ft, below flood stageFeb 28, 1937: 19.29 ft, moderate floodingApr 30, 1938: 16.71 ft, below flood stageApr 2, 1939: 17.45 ft, minor floodingMay 12, 1940: 13.72 ft, below flood stageNov 16, 1941: 10.88 ft, below flood stageApr 30, 1942: 14.69 ft, below flood stageJun 12, 1943: 18.17 ft, minor floodingMay 21, 1944: 19.38 ft, moderate floodingMay 1, 1945: 19.78 ft, moderate floodingFeb 1, 1946: 17.15 ft, minor floodingMay 9, 1947: 16.00 ft, below flood stageApr 21, 1948: 16.50 ft, below flood stageFeb 24, 1949: 18.35 ft, minor floodingFeb 10, 1950: 19.98 ft, moderate floodingMar 11, 1951: 15.80 ft, below flood stageApr 12, 1952: 15.99 ft, below flood stageMay 29, 1953: 14.40 ft, below flood stageMay 16, 1954: 7.70 ft, below flood stageApr 13, 1955: 15.42 ft, below flood stageMar 3, 1956: 13.20 ft, below flood stageJun 10, 1957: 15.72 ft, below flood stageMay 25, 1958: 14.94 ft, below flood stageMar 5, 1959: 11.83 ft, below flood stageApr 26, 1960: 12.26 ft, below flood stageJun 3, 1961: 16.35 ft, below flood stageApr 17, 1962: 15.79 ft, below flood stageApr 6, 1963: 13.18 ft, below flood stageMay 12, 1964: 15.37 ft, below flood stageApr 27, 1965: 13.93 ft, below flood stageSep 9, 1965: 12.41 ft, below flood stageMar 3, 1966: 14.83 ft, below flood stageJun 3, 1967: 12.38 ft, below flood stageApr 16, 1968: 13.14 ft, below flood stageFeb 22, 1969: 14.52 ft, below flood stageMay 19, 1970: 14.54 ft, below flood stageMar 14, 1971: 13.65 ft, below flood stageDec 30, 1972: 14.15 ft, below flood stageApr 7, 1973: 18.47 ft, minor floodingFeb 16, 1974: 16.92 ft, below flood stageApr 14, 1975: 17.99 ft, minor floodingMar 16, 1976: 11.45 ft, below flood stageApr 21, 1977: 12.64 ft, below flood stageApr 12, 1978: 13.94 ft, below flood stageApr 17, 1979: 17.35 ft, minor floodingApr 13, 1980: 16.30 ft, below flood stageJun 18, 1981: 11.66 ft, below flood stageDec 28, 1982: 15.12 ft, below flood stageMay 22, 1983: 17.42 ft, minor floodingMay 30, 1984: 17.36 ft, minor floodingMar 20, 1985: 16.20 ft, below flood stageDec 23, 1986: 13.45 ft, below flood stageMar 17, 1987: 14.05 ft, below flood stageJan 9, 1988: 13.10 ft, below flood stageMar 13, 1989: 14.77 ft, below flood stageJun 11, 1990: 15.65 ft, below flood stageJan 24, 1991: 17.05 ft, minor floodingDec 30, 1992: 12.04 ft, below flood stageMay 22, 1993: 15.25 ft, below flood stageMay 11, 1994: 16.73 ft, below flood stageJun 17, 1995: 17.09 ft, minor floodingJun 8, 1996: 14.66 ft, below flood stageMar 20, 1997: 16.96 ft, below flood stageMar 26, 1997: 16.89 ft, below flood stageMay 19, 1998: 14.58 ft, below flood stageFeb 18, 1999: 15.13 ft, below flood stageApr 20, 2000: 8.57 ft, below flood stageMar 12, 2001: 14.31 ft, below flood stageJun 5, 2002: 15.49 ft, below flood stageJun 2, 2003: 14.31 ft, below flood stageDec 26, 2004: 13.88 ft, below flood stageFeb 2, 2005: 16.31 ft, below flood stageAug 29, 2005: 15.24 ft, below flood stageMar 30, 2006: 9.77 ft, below flood stageFeb 1, 2007: 12.97 ft, below flood stageApr 18, 2008: 16.80 ft, below flood stageJun 1, 2009: 16.49 ft, below flood stageFeb 12, 2010: 14.26 ft, below flood stageMay 19, 2011: 17.38 ft, minor floodingMar 21, 2016: 15.23 ft, below flood stageMay 31, 2017: 16.48 ft, below flood stageMar 19, 2018: 16.99 ft, below flood stageMay 10, 2019: 17.25 ft, minor floodingApr 17, 2020: 17.61 ft, minor flooding Highest, 21.27 ft, Apr 25, 1922 18401880192019602000

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Mississippi River at New Orleans 1820s: 0 1830s: 0 1840s: 0 1850s: 0 1860s: 0 1870s: 0 1880s: 0 1890s: 3 1900s: 3 1910s: 3 1920s: 6 6 1930s: 5 1940s: 5 1950s: 1 1960s: 0 1970s: 3 1980s: 2 1990s: 2 2000s: 0 2010s: 2 2020s: 1 1820s1840s1860s1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
  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 160 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Mississippi River at New Orleans
1Apr 25, 192221.27+4.27Major—
2May 11, 191221.05+4.05Major—
3Apr 25, 192721.00+4.00Major—
4May 18, 192720.50+3.50Major1,557,000
5Mar 3, 191620.05+3.05Major—
6Jun 8, 192919.99+2.99Moderate—
7Feb 10, 195019.98+2.98Moderate—
8May 1, 194519.78+2.78Moderate—
9Mar 29, 190319.42+2.42Moderate—
10May 21, 194419.38+2.38Moderate—
11Feb 28, 193719.29+2.29Moderate—
12May 8, 191319.28+2.28Moderate—
13May 13, 189719.17+2.17Moderate—
14Mar 5, 193219.17+2.17Moderate—
15May 18, 192019.15+2.15Moderate—
16Jun 18, 190818.95+1.95Minor—
17Feb 16, 190718.60+1.60Minor—
18Apr 7, 197318.47+1.47Minor—
19Feb 24, 194918.35+1.35Minor—
20Jun 12, 194318.17+1.17Minor—
21Apr 15, 192318.06+1.06Minor—
22Apr 14, 197517.99+0.99Minor—
23Apr 17, 202017.61+0.61Minor—
24Jun 15, 193317.46+0.46Minor—
25Jun 22, 189317.45+0.45Minor—
26Apr 2, 193917.45+0.45Minor—
27May 22, 198317.42+0.42Minor—
28Jul 8, 193517.38+0.38Minor—
29May 19, 201117.38+0.38Minor—
30May 30, 198417.36+0.36Minor—
31Jun 10, 189217.35+0.35Minor—
32Apr 17, 197917.35+0.35Minor—
33May 10, 201917.25+0.25Minor—
34Feb 1, 194617.15+0.15Minor—
35Jun 17, 199517.09+0.09Minor—
36Jan 24, 199117.05+0.05Minor—
37Mar 19, 201816.99−0.01Below flood stage—
38Mar 20, 199716.96−0.04Below flood stage—
39Feb 16, 197416.92−0.08Below flood stage—
40May 2, 191716.90−0.10Below flood stage—
41Mar 26, 199716.89−0.11Below flood stage—
42Apr 18, 200816.80−0.20Below flood stage—
43May 11, 199416.73−0.27Below flood stage—
44Apr 30, 193816.71−0.29Below flood stage—
45Apr 6, 190916.55−0.45Below flood stage—
46Apr 21, 194816.50−0.50Below flood stage—
47Jun 1, 200916.49−0.51Below flood stage—
48May 31, 201716.48−0.52Below flood stage—
49Jul 19, 192816.38−0.62Below flood stage—
50Jun 3, 196116.35−0.65Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Mississippi River

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

April 25, 1922: 21.27 ft here, major flooding

May 11, 1912: 21.05 ft here, major flooding

April 25, 1927: 21.00 ft here, major flooding

  • GreenvilleAR · Apr 21, 1927 · 65.40 ft · Major · its highest
  • Arkansas CityAR · Apr 21, 1927 · 59.20 ft · Major · its highest
  • HelenaAR · Apr 27, 1927 · 56.75 ft · Major
  • OsceolaAR · Apr 24, 1927 · 45.80 ft · Major
  • MemphisTN · Apr 23, 1927 · 45.80 ft · Moderate
  • St. LouisMO · Apr 26, 1927 · 36.10 ft · Moderate
  • AitkinMN · Apr 25, 1927 · 14.50 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Mississippi River

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

Flood gauges on the Mississippi River
TiptonvilleMO37.048.35 ft, May 5, 20112
Alma - Pool 5MN672.0672.13 ft, Apr 16, 20010
AltonIL21.039.55 ft, Aug 1, 19937
Baton RougeLA35.047.28 ft, May 15, 192731
BellevueIL17.023.51 ft, Apr 26, 196511
BrainerdMN16.017.61 ft, Jun 28, 20120
BrownsvilleMN635.0640.20 ft, Apr 22, 19650
BurlingtonIL15.025.73 ft, Jun 17, 200836
CamancheIA17.024.65 ft, Apr 28, 196520
Canton Lock and Dam 20MO15.027.88 ft, Jul 9, 19933
Cape GirardeauMO32.048.86 ft, Jan 2, 201615
CaruthersvilleMO32.047.61 ft, May 7, 20112
ChesterIL27.049.74 ft, Aug 7, 19939
Clarksville Lock and Dam 24MO25.037.73 ft, Jul 29, 199310
ClaytonIA620.0627.28 ft, Apr 24, 19650
DakotaMN644.0649.08 ft, Apr 21, 19650
DonaldsonvilleLA27.036.01 ft, May 15, 19273
Dubuque (LD11)IA16.025.69 ft, Apr 26, 196513
Dubuque (Railroad Bridge)IA17.026.81 ft, Apr 26, 196518
Fort RipleyMN10.514.15 ft, Apr 8, 19970
Fridley abv 37th Ave NEMN16.020.00 ft, Apr 17, 19656
FultonIL16.024.75 ft, Apr 28, 196513
GladstoneIL10.022.46 ft, Jun 17, 200824
GraftonIL20.038.17 ft, Aug 1, 199315
Gregory LandingMO15.028.49 ft, Jul 9, 19934
HannibalMO17.031.80 ft, Jul 15, 199310
HelenaAR44.060.21 ft, Feb 12, 19374
HerculaneumMO26.029.79 ft, Jul 10, 20240
HickmanKY34.054.29 ft, May 2, 20113
Hwy 169 at ChamplinMN12.017.96 ft, Apr 12, 19653
Hwy 610 in Brooklyn ParkMN12.019.53 ft, Apr 17, 19654
Illinois CityIA15.024.10 ft, Jul 9, 199321
KeithsburgIA14.024.49 ft, Jun 17, 200822
KeokukIA16.027.58 ft, Jul 10, 199324
La Crosse - Pool 8WI12.017.89 ft, Apr 22, 19654
LaGrangeMO17.030.00 ft, Jul 13, 19934
Lake CityWI16.022.18 ft, Apr 19, 19653
Lansing - Pool 9IA17.022.50 ft, Apr 24, 19651
LeClaireIA11.017.75 ft, Apr 28, 196516
LouisianaMO15.028.40 ft, Jul 28, 19934
McGregorIA16.025.38 ft, Apr 24, 19653
Mel Price (Alton) Lock and DamIL21.042.72 ft, Aug 1, 19938
MemphisTN34.048.70 ft, Feb 10, 19372
MuscatineIA16.025.61 ft, Jul 9, 199321
NatchezMS48.061.95 ft, May 19, 20116
New BostonIL15.025.90 ft, Jul 9, 199322
New MadridMO34.048.35 ft, May 6, 20114
New Orleans this gaugeLA17.021.27 ft, Apr 25, 19225
OsceolaAR28.050.90 ft, Feb 7, 193742
QuincyIL19.032.13 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Quincy Lock and Dam 21IL18.031.30 ft, Jul 13, 19937
Red River LandingLA48.063.39 ft, May 18, 20110
Red WingMN14.020.70 ft, Apr 18, 19659
ReserveLA22.026.00 ft, Jun 11, 19291
Rock IslandIL15.022.70 ft, May 2, 201920
Saverton Lock and Dam 22MO16.029.58 ft, Jul 25, 19939
St. CloudMN9.011.44 ft, Apr 8, 19971
St. LouisMO30.049.58 ft, Aug 1, 19939
St. PaulMN14.026.01 ft, Apr 16, 196516
ThebesIL33.047.74 ft, Jan 2, 201612
Tunica Mhoon LandingMS30.053.20 ft, Feb 10, 19375
VicksburgLA43.057.10 ft, May 19, 201112
Wabasha - Pool 4MN12.020.05 ft, Apr 19, 19657
Winfield Lock and Dam 25MO26.039.62 ft, Aug 1, 19939
Winona - Pool 6MN13.020.77 ft, Apr 19, 19655
Lock and Dam 10 - GuttenbergIA15.023.65 ft, Apr 24, 19652
Lock and Dam 2 - HastingsMN15.025.90 ft, Apr 17, 196512
Lock and Dam 3 - Red WingMN680.5687.77 ft, Apr 19, 19658
Lock and Dam 4 - AlmaWI16.019.78 ft, Apr 19, 19652
Lock and Dam 5 - Minnesota CityMN660.0667.85 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 5a - WinonaMN655.0663.35 ft, Apr 19, 19654
Lock and Dam 6 - TrempealeauMN647.0653.02 ft, Apr 21, 19654
Lock and Dam 7 - La CrescentMN641.0647.38 ft, Apr 21, 19652
Lock and Dam 8 - GenoaWI631.0638.40 ft, Apr 22, 19653
Lock and Dam 9 - LynxvilleWI625.0633.16 ft, Apr 24, 19653
AitkinMN13.022.49 ft, May 20, 195011
Arkansas CityAR37.059.20 ft, Apr 21, 192715
GreenvilleAR48.065.40 ft, Apr 21, 192718

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge NORL1, 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.