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Ouachita River at Columbia Lock and Dam

Highest listed crest 72.37 ftFlood stage 65.0 ft28 crests since 1973

The Ouachita River at Columbia Lock and Dam crested at major flood stage 2 times among the 28 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1973 to 2019. The highest, 72.37 ft on May 5, 1991, was major flooding, 7.37 feet above flood stage. 4 other gauges on the Ouachita River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
72.37 ft
May 5, 1991
Flood stage
65.0 ft
Major flooding from 70.0 ft
Crests at major
2
55th of 107 gauges in Louisiana
Most recent flood crest
May 24, 2019
68.20 ft, moderate flooding
Location
Caldwell Parish
Louisiana

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Ouachita River at Columbia Lock and Dam
Action stage62.02Apr 8, 1990The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)65.01May 30, 2009Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage67.010May 24, 2019Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage70.02May 5, 1991Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

28 crests from 1973 to 2019. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Ouachita River at Columbia Lock and Dam, 1973 to 2019 505560657075ft Flood stage 65.0 ftMajor 70.0 ft May 13, 1973: 70.65 ft, major floodingFeb 2, 1974: 67.00 ft, moderate floodingMay 17, 1975: 67.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 25, 1976: 54.30 ft, below flood stageApr 25, 1977: 52.96 ft, below flood stageMay 20, 1978: 55.40 ft, below flood stageMay 13, 1979: 67.40 ft, moderate floodingApr 25, 1980: 60.50 ft, below flood stageJun 14, 1981: 50.00 ft, below flood stageDec 31, 1982: 67.70 ft, moderate floodingJan 9, 1983: 69.10 ft, moderate floodingMar 12, 1984: 58.00 ft, below flood stageFeb 27, 1985: 51.90 ft, below flood stageDec 28, 1986: 54.20 ft, below flood stageApr 1, 1987: 57.20 ft, below flood stageFeb 2, 1988: 61.20 ft, below flood stageApr 18, 1989: 62.90 ft, action stageApr 8, 1990: 64.67 ft, action stageMay 5, 1991: 72.37 ft, major floodingMar 28, 1992: 56.80 ft, below flood stageApr 21, 1993: 55.20 ft, below flood stageMar 16, 1994: 60.30 ft, below flood stageMar 19, 2001: 68.30 ft, moderate floodingMay 30, 2009: 65.30 ft, minor floodingNov 12, 2009: 69.30 ft, moderate floodingMar 28, 2016: 68.40 ft, moderate flooding; 102,000 cubic feet per secondMar 18, 2018: 68.90 ft, moderate flooding; 105,000 cubic feet per secondMay 24, 2019: 68.20 ft, moderate flooding; 101,000 cubic feet per second Highest, 72.37 ft, May 5, 1991 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Ouachita River at Columbia Lock and Dam 1970s: 4 4 1980s: 2 1990s: 1 2000s: 3 2010s: 3 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s
  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

Highest listed crests, Ouachita River at Columbia Lock and Dam
1May 5, 199172.37+7.37Major—
2May 13, 197370.65+5.65Major—
3Nov 12, 200969.30+4.30Moderate—
4Jan 9, 198369.10+4.10Moderate—
5Mar 18, 201868.90+3.90Moderate105,000
6Mar 28, 201668.40+3.40Moderate102,000
7Mar 19, 200168.30+3.30Moderate—
8May 24, 201968.20+3.20Moderate101,000
9Dec 31, 198267.70+2.70Moderate—
10May 13, 197967.40+2.40Moderate—
11May 17, 197567.10+2.10Moderate—
12Feb 2, 197467.00+2.00Moderate—
13May 30, 200965.30+0.30Minor—
14Apr 8, 199064.67−0.33Action—
15Apr 18, 198962.90−2.10Action—
16Feb 2, 198861.20−3.80Below flood stage—
17Apr 25, 198060.50−4.50Below flood stage—
18Mar 16, 199460.30−4.70Below flood stage—
19Mar 12, 198458.00−7.00Below flood stage—
20Apr 1, 198757.20−7.80Below flood stage—
21Mar 28, 199256.80−8.20Below flood stage—
22May 20, 197855.40−9.60Below flood stage—
23Apr 21, 199355.20−9.80Below flood stage—
24Mar 25, 197654.30−10.70Below flood stage—
25Dec 28, 198654.20−10.80Below flood stage—
26Apr 25, 197752.96−12.04Below flood stage—
27Feb 27, 198551.90−13.10Below flood stage—
28Jun 14, 198150.00−15.00Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Ouachita River

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

May 5, 1991: 72.37 ft here, major flooding

November 12, 2009: 69.30 ft here, moderate flooding

January 9, 1983: 69.10 ft here, moderate flooding

  • MonroeLA · Jan 5, 1983 · 47.20 ft · Major

Gauges on the Ouachita River

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

Flood gauges on the Ouachita River
ArkadelphiaAR17.030.30 ft, Mar 30, 194513
CamdenAR26.043.87 ft, May 5, 19586
Columbia Lock and Dam this gaugeLA65.072.37 ft, May 5, 19912
Felsenthal Lock and DamAR70.086.40 ft, May 10, 19915
MonroeLA40.048.60 ft, May 4, 192717
Moro Bay State ParkAR82.089.95 ft, May 21, 19687
Thatcher L&DAR79.096.30 ft, Apr 6, 19452

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge COLL1, 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.