Rivers in Louisiana
Tensas River at Clayton
Below flood stage
34.43ftStage
Observed Wed, Sep 23, 10:00 PM CDT
- Flood stage
- 55.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 34.50 ftThu, Sep 24, 1:00 AM CDT
- Record crest
- 60.10 ft1945
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 65.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 58.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 55.00 ft |
| Action | 54.00 ft |
- 65.00 ftThe town of Clayton and several hundred thousand acres of farm and agricultural land are underwater.
- 55.00 ftLowland and agricultural flooding is occurring in areas not protected by 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
18 crests on NOAA’s list since 1944.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | April 26, 1945 | 60.10 ft |
| 2 | May 17, 1973 | 60.00 ft |
| 3 | May 18, 1991 | 58.10 ft |
| 4 | March 6, 1950 | 57.71 ft |
| 5 | May 25, 1953 | 56.95 ft |
| 6 | May 11, 1975 | 56.10 ft |
| 7 | April 1, 2016 | 55.89 ft |
| 8 | January 9, 1983 | 55.40 ft |
| 9 | May 24, 1944 | 55.20 ft |
| 10 | May 22, 2019 | 55.03 ft |
| 11 | February 2, 1974 | 54.90 ft |
| 12 | June 1, 1958 | 54.86 ft |
| 13 | March 31, 1949 | 54.70 ft |
| 14 | April 25, 1979 | 54.10 ft |
| 15 | April 15, 1962 | 51.05 ft |
| 16 | January 27, 2016 | 50.24 ft |
| 17 | November 10, 2009 | 49.63 ft |
| 18 | May 26, 2011 | 48.56 ft |
Most recent crests
- May 22, 2019: 55.03 ft
- April 1, 2016: 55.89 ft
- January 27, 2016: 50.24 ft
- May 26, 2011: 48.56 ft
- November 10, 2009: 49.63 ft
- May 18, 1991: 58.10 ft
- January 9, 1983: 55.40 ft
- April 25, 1979: 54.10 ft
- May 11, 1975: 56.10 ft
- February 2, 1974: 54.90 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. Streamflow and the daily record from the U.S. Geological Survey.