Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Pearl River at Ratliff's Ferry

Highest listed crest 313.10 ftFlood stage 303.0 ft21 crests since 1979

The Pearl River at Ratliff's Ferry crested above flood stage 11 times among the 21 crests the National Weather Service lists from 1979 to 2022. The highest, 313.10 ft on April 14, 1979, was moderate flooding, 10.10 feet above flood stage. 6 other gauges on the Pearl River crested above flood stage within a week of it, 6 at their own highest listed crest.

The gauge

Highest listed crest
313.10 ft
April 14, 1979
Flood stage
303.0 ft
Major flooding from 315.0 ft
Crests at major
0
11 above flood stage
Most recent flood crest
August 27, 2022
308.48 ft, minor flooding
Location
Madison County
Near Canton (11.2 mi)

Flood stages

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

Flood categories, Pearl River at Ratliff's Ferry
Action stage302.02Dec 16, 2008The level at which the NWS or its partners begin to take action
Flood stage (minor)303.010Aug 27, 2022Minimal or no property damage, but possibly some public threat
Moderate flood stage310.01Apr 14, 1979Some inundation of structures and roads near the stream
Major flood stage315.00—Extensive inundation of structures and roads

Every listed crest

21 crests from 1979 to 2022. Filled: at or above flood stage. Hover a crest for its date and stage.

Listed crests at the Pearl River at Ratliff's Ferry, 1979 to 2022 295300305310315ft Flood stage 303.0 ftMajor 315.0 ft Apr 14, 1979: 313.10 ft, moderate floodingApr 7, 2000: 303.03 ft, minor floodingMar 6, 2001: 301.74 ft, below flood stageMar 18, 2001: 300.38 ft, below flood stageApr 8, 2001: 303.01 ft, minor flooding; 30,100 cubic feet per secondSep 30, 2002: 299.97 ft, below flood stageFeb 26, 2003: 306.67 ft, minor floodingFeb 10, 2004: 302.55 ft, action stageDec 13, 2004: 301.95 ft, below flood stageFeb 28, 2006: 301.66 ft, below flood stageDec 16, 2008: 302.51 ft, action stageOct 17, 2009: 301.33 ft, below flood stageSep 8, 2011: 303.01 ft, minor floodingMar 26, 2012: 301.16 ft, below flood stageJan 20, 2013: 303.07 ft, minor floodingApr 11, 2014: 305.50 ft, minor flooding; 48,558 cubic feet per secondMay 3, 2014: 300.65 ft, below flood stageMar 15, 2016: 305.96 ft, minor floodingApr 6, 2017: 304.06 ft, minor flooding; 36,920 cubic feet per secondFeb 14, 2020: 309.37 ft, minor floodingAug 27, 2022: 308.48 ft, minor flooding Highest, 313.10 ft, Apr 14, 1979 19801990200020102020

Crests at or above flood stage, by decade

Crests at or above flood stage per decade, Pearl River at Ratliff's Ferry 1970s: 1 1980s: 0 1990s: 0 2000s: 3 2010s: 5 5 2020s: 2 1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
  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, Pearl River at Ratliff's Ferry
1Apr 14, 1979313.10+10.10Moderate—
2Feb 14, 2020309.37+6.37Minor—
3Aug 27, 2022308.48+5.48Minor—
4Feb 26, 2003306.67+3.67Minor—
5Mar 15, 2016305.96+2.96Minor—
6Apr 11, 2014305.50+2.50Minor48,558
7Apr 6, 2017304.06+1.06Minor36,920
8Jan 20, 2013303.07+0.07Minor—
9Apr 7, 2000303.03+0.03Minor—
10Apr 8, 2001303.01+0.01Minor30,100
11Sep 8, 2011303.01+0.01Minor—
12Feb 10, 2004302.55−0.45Action—
13Dec 16, 2008302.51−0.49Action—
14Dec 13, 2004301.95−1.05Below flood stage—
15Mar 6, 2001301.74−1.26Below flood stage—
16Feb 28, 2006301.66−1.34Below flood stage—
17Oct 17, 2009301.33−1.67Below flood stage—
18Mar 26, 2012301.16−1.84Below flood stage—
19May 3, 2014300.65−2.35Below flood stage—
20Mar 18, 2001300.38−2.62Below flood stage—
21Sep 30, 2002299.97−3.03Below flood stage—

The worst floods along the Pearl River

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

April 14, 1979: 313.10 ft here, moderate flooding

  • JacksonMS · Apr 17, 1979 · 43.28 ft · Major · its highest
  • RockportMS · Apr 18, 1979 · 42.83 ft · Major · its highest
  • MonticelloMS · Apr 20, 1979 · 34.08 ft · Major · its highest
  • LenaMS · Apr 17, 1979 · 32.70 ft · Major · its highest
  • CarthageMS · Apr 14, 1979 · 28.74 ft · Major · its highest
  • Philadelphia/at BurnsideMS · Apr 13, 1979 · 23.60 ft · Major · its highest

February 14, 2020: 309.37 ft here, minor flooding

  • RockportMS · Feb 21, 2020 · 39.16 ft · Major
  • JacksonMS · Feb 17, 2020 · 36.67 ft · Major
  • EdinburgMS · Feb 13, 2020 · 28.09 ft · Moderate
  • CarthageMS · Feb 14, 2020 · 26.45 ft · Moderate
  • Philadelphia/at BurnsideMS · Feb 12, 2020 · 18.55 ft · Moderate
  • LenaMS · Feb 14, 2020 · 28.83 ft · Minor

August 27, 2022: 308.48 ft here, minor flooding

  • JacksonMS · Aug 29, 2022 · 35.38 ft · Moderate
  • MonticelloMS · Sep 1, 2022 · 27.89 ft · Moderate
  • RockportMS · Aug 31, 2022 · 34.13 ft · Minor
  • EdinburgMS · Aug 26, 2022 · 24.64 ft · Minor
  • CarthageMS · Aug 25, 2022 · 23.77 ft · Minor
  • ColumbiaMS · Sep 3, 2022 · 21.63 ft · Minor

Gauges on the Pearl River

In USGS station-number order, which runs downstream within a river basin.

Flood gauges on the Pearl River
Philadelphia/at BurnsideMS13.023.60 ft, Apr 13, 19791
EdinburgMS20.028.35 ft, May 22, 19830
CarthageMS17.028.74 ft, Apr 14, 19793
LenaMS24.032.70 ft, Apr 17, 19792
Ratliff's Ferry this gaugeMS303.0313.10 ft, Apr 14, 19790
JacksonMS28.043.28 ft, Apr 17, 19798
RockportMS25.042.83 ft, Apr 18, 19794
MonticelloMS22.034.08 ft, Apr 20, 19791
ColumbiaMS17.027.80 ft, Apr 22, 19795
BogalusaLA18.023.23 ft, Apr 24, 19791
Pearl RiverLA14.021.05 ft, Apr 9, 198315
SlidellLA10.011.12 ft, Mar 15, 20160

Other gauges in Madison County

Flood gauges in Madison County
Bentonia22.032.48 ft, May 23, 198313

Madison County: every hazard · River floods across the country · Mississippi

NOAA National Water Prediction Service, gauge RATM6, 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.