Flood — Pulaski, Arkansas

2011-05-01 to 2011-05-09 · near Wye, Pulaski, Arkansas

Event narrative

Widespread areal flooding continued from April into May. On the morning of the 1st, Arkansas Highway 300 was closed just west of Arkansas Highway 10 due to a washed-out culvert. Also on the morning of the 1st, U.S. Highway 67/167 was closed by flooding near Little Rock Air Force Base. While this section of the highway reopened on the 2nd, a greater problem developed the same day when another section of the highway flooded between Jacksonville and Sherwood. Hours-long delays were created for motorists trying to travel to and from Little Rock. The section of Highway 67/167 that was closed typically carries about 70,000 vehicles each day. The highway reopened by the 4th. On the morning of the 2nd, six docks and more than two dozen boats broke loose from a marina on the Little Maumelle River. Much of the debris soon floated down into the Arkansas River and continued to the vicinity of Murray Lock and Dam. Pinnacle Mountain State Park was closed due to flooding. Homes were flooded in parts of Sherwood, including Indianhead Lakes and Gravel Ridge. Some homes also flooded in Jacksonville.

Wider weather episode

Areal flooding was widespread in Arkansas, beginning early in May. The flooding was caused by large amounts of rain on April 30th, and May 1st and 2nd; high water flowing down from Missouri; and backwater flooding from rivers and large creeks and bayous. The Mississippi River was also experiencing unusually high stages, causing the White and Arkansas Rivers to back up near the rivers' confluence. Arkansas Farm Bureau estimated that more than 1 million acres of farmland were under water in the state. The flooding lasted well into May in many counties, and even into June in some of the counties in eastern Arkansas.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.9300, -92.6400)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 309039. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.