Rivers in Louisiana
Calcasieu River at Saltwater Barrier
Below flood stage
2.80ftStage
Observed Thu, Sep 24, 5:00 AM CDT
- Flood stage
- 4.00 ft
- Forecast crest
- 2.90 ftTue, Sep 29, 1:00 AM CDT
- Record crest
- 13.00 ft1913
Flood stages and impacts
| Category | Stage |
|---|---|
| Major flood | 8.00 ft |
| Moderate flood | 6.00 ft |
| Minor flood | 4.00 ft |
| Action | 4.00 ft |
- 13.00 ftThe river is at its flood of record. Over half of the city of Lake Charles is flooded.
- 11.00 ftMajor flooding occurs. These water levels are near those reached during the storm surge of Hurricane Ike in 2008. Major flooding can be expected in Westlake and Lake Charles with numerous homes inundated.
- 10.00 ftBackwater flooding in the north and east portions of Lake Charles will occur.
- 8.00 ftMajor flooding of residential areas near the barrier will occur.
- 6.00 ftSignificant flooding of numerous recreational camps and homes will occur. River Road and much of Mims Road are impassable.
- 5.50 ftAccess roads including River Road in North Lake Charles and Mims Road in Westlake become impassable to some vehicles. In addition flooding of roads along the West Fork of the Calcasieu can be expected. Including South Perkins Ferry Road.
- 5.00 ftRiver Road in North Lake Charles and Mims Road in Westlake are flooded. Extensive marshland flooding will occur.
- 4.50 ftWater covers portions of River Road in north Lake Charles.
- 4.00 ftMinor marshland flooding occurs. Flooding also begins on River Road in north Lake Charles.
Flood outlook
Chance of flooding, September to November
| Category | Chance |
|---|---|
| Minor flooding | 23% |
| Moderate flooding | 10% |
| Major flooding | Under 5% |
The three-month chances are the River Forecast Centers’ long-range flood outlook, issued September 16, 2026.
Crest history
78 crests on NOAA’s list since 1913.
| # | Date | Stage |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 1, 1913 | 13.00 ft |
| 2 | September 13, 2008 | 11.00 ft |
| 3 | September 24, 2005 | 9.43 ft |
| 4 | July 3, 1989 | 9.40 ft |
| 5 | December 31, 1982 | 8.95 ft |
| 6 | January 1, 1983 | 8.20 ft |
| 7 | May 18, 1980 | 7.45 ft |
| 8 | August 30, 2017 | 7.34 ft |
| 9 | May 4, 2017 | 6.82 ft |
| 10 | November 8, 2002 | 6.60 ft |
| 11 | October 29, 2006 | 6.35 ft |
| 12 | October 31, 2002 | 6.00 ft |
| 13 | September 12, 1998 | 5.92 ft |
| 14 | April 15, 1995 | 5.90 ft |
| 15 | November 1, 2015 | 5.85 ft |
| 16 | November 3, 1985 | 5.80 ft |
| 17 | May 19, 2004 | 5.60 ft |
| 18 | December 3, 2001 | 5.58 ft |
| 19 | September 20, 1979 | 5.55 ft |
| 20 | March 10, 2016 | 5.54 ft |
| 21 | September 6, 1973 | 5.45 ft |
| 22 | March 21, 2012 | 5.18 ft |
| 23 | December 28, 2015 | 5.09 ft |
| 24 | January 10, 1975 | 5.05 ft |
| 25 | October 25, 1984 | 4.95 ft |
Most recent crests
- August 30, 2017: 7.34 ft
- May 4, 2017: 6.82 ft
- August 14, 2016: 4.59 ft
- June 3, 2016: 4.24 ft
- March 10, 2016: 5.54 ft
- January 9, 2016: 4.66 ft
- December 28, 2015: 5.09 ft
- November 1, 2015: 5.85 ft
- September 29, 2015: 4.50 ft
- April 20, 2015: 4.15 ft
Nearby
Upstream, downstream and the gauges around this one.
- UpstreamCalcasieu River at Sam Houston Jones State Park
- DownstreamTide Station (LCH) at Lake Charles
- West Fork Calcasieu River at Gahgan Boat Launch
- Contraband Bayou at Common Street
- Calcasieu River at Goos Ferry Road
- Houston River at Anthony Ferry Road
- Indian Bayou at Coffey Road
- Calcasieu River at White Oak Park
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 48 hours into the future from the forecast issuance time.
Sources
Stage, flood stages, impacts and crest history from NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service.