Flood in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana

Excessive heavy rainfall during the month of October resulted in two crests above flood stage on the Red River near Grand Ecore, Louisiana. The first crest of 34.8 feet occurred on the evenings of the 20th and 21st of October. Minor low land flooding occurred during the middle part of the month in and around Grand Ecore. The second crest did not occur until the month of November and the crest information will be included in the November publication of Storm Data. The river was near 36 feet by the end of the month and at that stage, extensive lowland flooding of thousands of acres was ongoing. Also, extensive backwater flooding of contributing bayous was reported within 12 miles of the gauge site at Grand Ecore, Louisiana. Several dwellings in the lowland areas of Grand Ecore were flooded during the month of October. The Red River of northwest Louisiana certainly rose to its highest stages and streamflows on record for any October. Natchitoches Parish was declared a Federal Disaster Area because of the flash flooding, river flooding and wind damage that the area received during the month of October.

Excessive heavy rainfall resulted in the Red River at Grand Ecore, Louisiana to go above the 33 foot flood stage not once but twice during the month. The river remained above flood stage through the end of the month and the secondary crest information will be contained in the November publication of Storm Data.