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Red River at Alexandria

Highest listed crest 45.23 ftFlood stage 32.0 ft121 crests since 1872

The Red River at Alexandria crested at major flood stage 10 times among the 121 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1872 to 2024. The highest, 45.23 ft on April 17, 1945, was major flooding, 13.23 feet above flood stage. 1 other gauge on the Red River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 1 at its own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
45.23 ft
April 17, 1945; 233,000 cubic feet per second
Flood stage
32.0 ft
Major flooding from 40.0 ft
Crests at major
10
17th of 107 gauges in Louisiana
Most recent flood crest
May 20, 2019
34.36 ft, minor flooding
Location
Rapides Parish
Near Alexandria (2.1 mi), Pineville (3.0 mi)
Identifiers
NWS AEXL1
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, Red River at Alexandria
Action stage28.023Jun 12, 2024The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)32.031May 20, 2019Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage36.016Mar 19, 2016Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage40.010May 12, 1958Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

121 crests from 1872 to 2024. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Red River at Alexandria, 1872 to 2024 1020304050ft Flood stage 32.0 ftMajor 40.0 ft Apr 29, 1872: 33.30 ft, minor flooding; 127,000 cubic feet per secondJun 19, 1873: 30.20 ft, action stage; 104,000 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1874: 34.90 ft, minor flooding; 140,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1876: 32.80 ft, minor flooding; 123,000 cubic feet per secondMar 17, 1882: 34.85 ft, minor flooding; 139,000 cubic feet per secondMay 30, 1884: 35.25 ft, minor flooding; 142,000 cubic feet per secondJan 25, 1885: 34.30 ft, minor flooding; 135,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 13, 1889: 31.50 ft, action stage; 113,000 cubic feet per secondMay 19, 1890: 36.80 ft, moderate flooding; 157,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 17, 1891: 30.00 ft, action stage; 103,000 cubic feet per secondJun 12, 1892: 38.25 ft, moderate flooding; 175,000 cubic feet per secondJan 7, 1893: 32.25 ft, minor flooding; 118,000 cubic feet per secondApr 12, 1894: 35.15 ft, minor flooding; 142,000 cubic feet per secondMar 28, 1903: 36.05 ft, moderate flooding; 149,000 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1905: 35.55 ft, minor flooding; 145,000 cubic feet per secondJun 17, 1907: 32.50 ft, minor flooding; 120,000 cubic feet per secondJul 6, 1908: 41.84 ft, major flooding; 205,000 cubic feet per secondApr 22, 1912: 33.56 ft, minor flooding; 108,000 cubic feet per secondApr 15, 1914: 34.75 ft, minor flooding; 117,000 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1915: 36.08 ft, moderate flooding; 129,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 16, 1916: 36.89 ft, moderate flooding; 136,000 cubic feet per secondJun 2, 1920: 37.15 ft, moderate flooding; 152,000 cubic feet per secondMay 6, 1921: 32.70 ft, minor flooding; 103,000 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1922: 37.40 ft, moderate flooding; 130,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 11, 1923: 30.10 ft, action stage; 84,000 cubic feet per secondJan 2, 1924: 37.10 ft, moderate flooding; 139,000 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1927: 42.35 ft, major flooding; 173,000 cubic feet per secondMay 2, 1928: 31.80 ft, action stage; 93,000 cubic feet per secondMay 27, 1929: 33.30 ft, minor flooding; 103,000 cubic feet per secondJun 3, 1930: 41.20 ft, major flooding; 151,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 5, 1932: 43.65 ft, major flooding; 186,000 cubic feet per secondJun 4, 1935: 41.22 ft, major flooding; 151,000 cubic feet per secondDec 14, 1935: 26.50 ft, below flood stageFeb 2, 1937: 33.02 ft, minor flooding; 107,000 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1938: 39.77 ft, moderate flooding; 143,000 cubic feet per secondMar 5, 1939: 31.80 ft, action stage; 91,500 cubic feet per secondJul 10, 1940: 29.10 ft, action stageMay 15, 1941: 38.04 ft, moderate flooding; 132,000 cubic feet per secondMay 9, 1942: 40.65 ft, major flooding; 156,000 cubic feet per secondMay 21, 1943: 26.90 ft, below flood stageMay 14, 1944: 38.51 ft, moderate flooding; 146,000 cubic feet per secondApr 17, 1945: 45.23 ft, major flooding; 233,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 24, 1946: 35.93 ft, minor flooding; 137,000 cubic feet per secondNov 17, 1946: 30.40 ft, action stageMar 8, 1948: 28.80 ft, action stageFeb 4, 1949: 34.60 ft, minor flooding; 145,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1950: 38.00 ft, moderate flooding; 157,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 27, 1951: 28.50 ft, action stageMay 2, 1952: 33.80 ft, minor floodingMay 19, 1953: 42.05 ft, major flooding; 193,000 cubic feet per secondMay 17, 1954: 26.60 ft, below flood stageMar 28, 1955: 24.60 ft, below flood stageFeb 25, 1956: 20.70 ft, below flood stageMay 7, 1957: 40.70 ft, major flooding; 197,000 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1958: 40.18 ft, major flooding; 200,000 cubic feet per secondFeb 21, 1959: 17.80 ft, below flood stageDec 23, 1959: 22.70 ft, below flood stageApr 5, 1961: 29.30 ft, action stageDec 21, 1961: 27.00 ft, below flood stageMay 5, 1963: 15.70 ft, below flood stageMay 1, 1964: 26.30 ft, below flood stageFeb 16, 1965: 23.70 ft, below flood stageMay 10, 1966: 35.40 ft, minor floodingJun 7, 1967: 25.20 ft, below flood stageApr 11, 1968: 32.68 ft, minor flooding; 159,000 cubic feet per secondMay 14, 1969: 28.70 ft, action stageMay 3, 1970: 25.80 ft, below flood stageNov 3, 1970: 13.80 ft, below flood stageMay 1, 1972: 33.30 ft, minor flooding; 127,000 cubic feet per secondMay 8, 1973: 35.80 ft, minor floodingDec 9, 1973: 31.30 ft, action stage; 142,000 cubic feet per secondMay 12, 1975: 30.60 ft, action stageMar 17, 1976: 20.50 ft, below flood stageApr 7, 1977: 25.60 ft, below flood stageApr 1, 1978: 15.30 ft, below flood stageApr 7, 1979: 29.70 ft, action stageApr 19, 1980: 19.40 ft, below flood stageJun 12, 1981: 26.00 ft, below flood stageMar 19, 1982: 34.85 ft, minor flooding; 139,000 cubic feet per secondJan 3, 1983: 30.00 ft, action stage; 129,000 cubic feet per secondApr 3, 1984: 20.10 ft, below flood stageMar 28, 1985: 24.70 ft, below flood stageJun 12, 1986: 22.30 ft, below flood stageMar 9, 1987: 25.80 ft, below flood stageJan 3, 1988: 31.80 ft, action stageJul 7, 1989: 33.70 ft, minor flooding; 141,000 cubic feet per secondMay 20, 1990: 39.30 ft, moderate flooding; 182,000 cubic feet per secondMay 10, 1991: 35.10 ft, minor flooding; 161,000 cubic feet per secondJun 13, 1992: 38.25 ft, moderate flooding; 175,000 cubic feet per secondMar 6, 1993: 25.62 ft, below flood stageMar 10, 1994: 25.60 ft, below flood stageApr 27, 1995: 26.10 ft, below flood stageDec 6, 1996: 25.90 ft, below flood stageMar 10, 1997: 32.50 ft, minor floodingJan 18, 1998: 32.30 ft, minor floodingFeb 4, 1999: 27.40 ft, below flood stageApr 6, 2000: 22.80 ft, below flood stageMar 13, 2001: 35.52 ft, minor floodingApr 15, 2002: 29.00 ft, action stageFeb 27, 2003: 24.50 ft, below flood stageDec 9, 2004: 30.71 ft, action stageJan 10, 2005: 26.20 ft, below flood stageMar 25, 2006: 23.22 ft, below flood stageJan 22, 2007: 30.53 ft, action stageMar 25, 2008: 26.33 ft, below flood stageNov 5, 2009: 32.15 ft, minor flooding; 185,751 cubic feet per secondFeb 15, 2010: 26.32 ft, below flood stageMay 9, 2011: 23.36 ft, below flood stageMar 27, 2012: 26.91 ft, below flood stageDec 27, 2013: 22.59 ft, below flood stageMay 17, 2014: 22.35 ft, below flood stageJun 16, 2015: 36.10 ft, moderate flooding; 184,000 cubic feet per secondMar 19, 2016: 38.32 ft, moderate flooding; 196,455 cubic feet per secondSep 2, 2017: 24.81 ft, below flood stageMar 7, 2018: 34.74 ft, minor floodingMay 20, 2019: 34.36 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 2020: 30.20 ft, action stageJun 2, 2021: 28.03 ft, action stageMay 2, 2022: 22.95 ft, below flood stageFeb 14, 2023: 27.05 ft, below flood stageJun 12, 2024: 30.36 ft, action stage Highest, 45.23 ft, Apr 17, 1945 18801900192019401960198020002020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Red River at Alexandria 1870s: 3 1880s: 3 1890s: 4 1900s: 4 1910s: 4 1920s: 6 6 1930s: 5 1940s: 6 1950s: 5 1960s: 2 1970s: 2 1980s: 2 1990s: 5 2000s: 2 2010s: 4 2020s: 0 1870s1890s1910s1930s1950s1970s1990s2010s
  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 121 listed crests.

Highest listed crests, Red River at Alexandria
1Apr 17, 194545.23+13.23Major233,000
2Feb 5, 193243.65+11.65Major186,000
3May 8, 192742.35+10.35Major173,000
4May 19, 195342.05+10.05Major193,000
5Jul 6, 190841.84+9.84Major205,000
6Jun 4, 193541.22+9.22Major151,000
7Jun 3, 193041.20+9.20Major151,000
8May 7, 195740.70+8.70Major197,000
9May 9, 194240.65+8.65Major156,000
10May 12, 195840.18+8.18Major200,000
11Mar 5, 193839.77+7.77Moderate143,000
12May 20, 199039.30+7.30Moderate182,000
13May 14, 194438.51+6.51Moderate146,000
14Mar 19, 201638.32+6.32Moderate196,455
15Jun 12, 189238.25+6.25Moderate175,000
16Jun 13, 199238.25+6.25Moderate175,000
17May 15, 194138.04+6.04Moderate132,000
18Feb 21, 195038.00+6.00Moderate157,000
19May 10, 192237.40+5.40Moderate130,000
20Jun 2, 192037.15+5.15Moderate152,000
21Jan 2, 192437.10+5.10Moderate139,000
22Feb 16, 191636.89+4.89Moderate136,000
23May 19, 189036.80+4.80Moderate157,000
24Jun 16, 201536.10+4.10Moderate184,000
25May 17, 191536.08+4.08Moderate129,000
26Mar 28, 190336.05+4.05Moderate149,000
27Feb 24, 194635.93+3.93Minor137,000
28May 8, 197335.80+3.80Minor—
29Jun 17, 190535.55+3.55Minor145,000
30Mar 13, 200135.52+3.52Minor—
31May 10, 196635.40+3.40Minor—
32May 30, 188435.25+3.25Minor142,000
33Apr 12, 189435.15+3.15Minor142,000
34May 10, 199135.10+3.10Minor161,000
35May 8, 187434.90+2.90Minor140,000
36Mar 17, 188234.85+2.85Minor139,000
37Mar 19, 198234.85+2.85Minor139,000
38Apr 15, 191434.75+2.75Minor117,000
39Mar 7, 201834.74+2.74Minor—
40Feb 4, 194934.60+2.60Minor145,000
41May 20, 201934.36+2.36Minor—
42Jan 25, 188534.30+2.30Minor135,000
43May 2, 195233.80+1.80Minor—
44Jul 7, 198933.70+1.70Minor141,000
45Apr 22, 191233.56+1.56Minor108,000
46Apr 29, 187233.30+1.30Minor127,000
47May 27, 192933.30+1.30Minor103,000
48May 1, 197233.30+1.30Minor127,000
49Feb 2, 193733.02+1.02Minor107,000
50Apr 17, 187632.80+0.80Minor123,000

The worst floods along the Red River

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

April 17, 1945: 45.23 ft here, major flooding

  • Grand EcoreLA · Apr 10, 1945 · 44.70 ft · Major · its highest

February 5, 1932: 43.65 ft here, major flooding

May 8, 1927: 42.35 ft here, major flooding

Gauges on the Red River

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

Flood gauges on the Red River
Red River Lock 1LA53.058.33 ft, Mar 21, 20160
Alexandria this gaugeLA32.045.23 ft, Apr 17, 194510
Arthur CityOK27.043.20 ft, May 28, 19088
CoushattaLA31.039.90 ft, Apr 7, 19456
FultonAR27.037.40 ft, Apr 2, 19453
Grand EcoreLA33.044.70 ft, Apr 10, 194511
IndexAR25.034.40 ft, Feb 23, 19388
ShreveportLA30.045.90 ft, Aug 10, 184937
Spring Bank FerryAR37.044.23 ft, Jun 7, 20151
Dekalb - Pecan PointTX24.036.00 ft, Feb 15, 19388

Other gauges in Rapides Parish

Flood gauges in Rapides Parish
Clearwater19.026.72 ft, May 18, 19533
Glenmora12.021.55 ft, May 19, 195317

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

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge AEXL1, 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.