Flood in Izard County, Arkansas

Heavy rain caused the White River at Calico Rock to go well above major flood level. The river crested less than a foot lower than the December, 1982 flood crest, but there has been substantial development in the floodplain during the last 25 years. Water was covering Arkansas Highways 5 and 56. The foot bridges that crossed Calico Creek were washed out. Water got into the lower units of a motel, into a business in Peppersauce Alley, buildings on Chesmond Landing, and many houses. At least 20 homes in Mt. Olive and 13 in Guion were flooded or totally washed away. Over 40 homes sustained some degree of damage and about 20 were washed away by the floodwaters. There was a fishing outfitting businesses that was destroyed, with the business and the dock with boats and equipment torn away by the swift waters. There were also reports of large round hay bales and cattle, both alive and dead, in the river.

Very heavy rain began developing late on the 17th in northern and western Arkansas, and continued on the 18th and early on the 19th as a powerful storm system approached from Texas. The system dredged copious moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and sent it toward Arkansas with a deep southerly wind flow. Well above normal precipitable water was noted, which enhanced rainfall efficiency across the region.