Rivers in Arkansas
White River at Des Arc
Below flood stage
6.59ftStage
Observed Mon, Sep 21, 9:00 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 24.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 6.90 ftTue, Sep 22, 1:00 AM CDT
- Record crest
- 39.43 ft2011
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 30.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 26.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 24.00 ft |
| Action | 23.00 ft |
- 39.00 ftSimilar conditions to record flood event in May 2011 when river crested at 39.43 feet. Very serious situation with numerous homes, roads, and buisnesses inundated.
- 37.00 ftExtensive flooding similar to conditions in February 1949 when the river rose to 37.45 feet, with numerous roads closed and homes in and near Des Arc flooded.
- 33.50 ftHomes and highways at Des Arc and nearby are flooded. River crested at 33.7 feet in March and again in April 2008. Very serious flooding. State Highways 33, 38, and 11 all flooded.
- 32.00 ftFlood of December 1982 crested at 32.1 ft. Third highest crest since upstream reservoirs completed. Extensive flooding in the river valley with numerous roads flooded and some structures flooded north of Des Arc along Highway 11 and near Spring Lake. A high Mississippi River level can raise and prolong flooding along the lower White River as far upstream as Des Arc.
- 30.00 ftNumerous county roads and bridges inundated. Many dollars in damages in Prairie County. Extensive farmland and timberland flooded. Backwater flooding of Wattensaw Bayou and Bayou Des Arc. Patrolling of Kitty Barnes Levee on East Bank begins.
- 28.00 ftMany roads are likley impacted by high water including Horshoe Lake Road and Hill Lake Road north of Des Arc.
- 27.00 ftWater is backing up Bayou Des Arc and Cypress Bayou. West Park Drive is inundated.
- 24.00 ftMany acres of farmland flooded within the levees. Water is backing up Bayou Des Arc and Cypress Bayou.
- 21.00 ftMinor flooding of farmlands within the levees.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | Under 5% |
| Moderate flooding | Under 5% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 16, 2026.
Crest history
42 crests on NOAA’s list since 1945.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 7, 2011 | 39.43 ft |
| 2 | February 2, 1949 | 37.35 ft |
| 3 | April 3, 1945 | 35.60 ft |
| 4 | May 9, 2017 | 35.53 ft |
| 5 | April 28, 1973 | 34.20 ft |
| 6 | April 17, 2008 | 33.78 ft |
| 7 | March 26, 2008 | 33.74 ft |
| 8 | April 13, 2025 | 33.10 ft |
| 9 | December 10, 1982 | 32.05 ft |
| 10 | April 3, 1975 | 31.60 ft |
| 11 | January 4, 2016 | 31.50 ft |
| 12 | February 21, 1989 | 30.34 ft |
| 13 | December 28, 2009 | 28.90 ft |
| 14 | March 3, 2018 | 28.07 ft |
| 15 | November 7, 2009 | 27.91 ft |
| 16 | April 1, 2023 | 27.85 ft |
| 17 | November 9, 2009 | 27.68 ft |
| 18 | April 2, 2002 | 27.68 ft |
| 19 | April 7, 1985 | 26.80 ft |
| 20 | April 8, 1997 | 26.76 ft |
| 21 | January 23, 2007 | 26.74 ft |
| 22 | April 29, 1991 | 26.65 ft |
| 23 | February 20, 2025 | 26.45 ft |
| 24 | February 19, 2023 | 26.43 ft |
| 25 | May 16, 1983 | 26.30 ft |
Most recent crests
- April 13, 2025: 33.10 ft
- February 20, 2025: 26.45 ft
- February 9, 2024: 24.33 ft
- April 1, 2023: 27.85 ft
- February 19, 2023: 26.43 ft
- May 13, 2022: 23.39 ft
- April 17, 2022: 25.92 ft
- March 7, 2022: 24.63 ft
- May 12, 2019: 26.12 ft
- March 3, 2018: 28.07 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
What this means
Forecasts by the Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center. Forecasts are issued routinely year-round. River forecasts for this location take into account past precipitation and the precipitation amounts expected approximately 24 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service.