Louisiana, 1997

Flooding in Louisiana, April 1 to 20, 1997

April 1 to 20, 1997 · NWS LIX · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

Flooding along the Mississippi River, which crested in March, slowly receded with nearly all forecast points in southeast Louisiana below floodstage by April 22, 1997. The Corps of Engineers began closing the gates on the Bonnet Carre Spillway by the middle of the month as water levels dropped.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$693,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS LIX wrote it up.

Flooding along the Mississippi River, which crested in March, slowly receded with nearly all forecast points in southeast Louisiana below floodstage by April 22, 1997. The Corps of Engineers began closing the gates on the Bonnet Carre Spillway by the middle of the month as water levels dropped. Throughout the episode of high water, the river remained confined within the river flood protection levees. The most significant structural damage occurred at the Louisiana State Penitentiary near Angola, West Feliciana Parish, where floodwaters damaged one outer levee. The high water levels and greater than normal flow, restricted barge and ship traffic, as well as contributing to several barge and ship accidents on the river. Damage reflects cost estimated by state and parish agencies.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Pointe Coupee

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Pointe Coupee forecast zone
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
30.709, -91.601 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, West Feliciana

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 12:00 AM CST
Where
West Feliciana forecast zone
Property damage
$475,000
Coordinates
30.880, -91.420 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, West Baton Rouge

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 12:00 AM CST
Where
West Baton Rouge forecast zone
Property damage
$84,000
Coordinates
30.463, -91.313 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, East Baton Rouge

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 12:00 AM CST
Where
East Baton Rouge forecast zone
Property damage
$132,000
Coordinates
30.538, -91.096 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Ascension

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Ascension forecast zone

Flood, St. James

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 12:00 AM CST
Where
St. James forecast zone
Coordinates
30.026, -90.796 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, St. John the Baptist

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 12:00 AM CST
Where
St. John the Baptist forecast zone
Coordinates
30.127, -90.471 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, St. Charles

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 12:00 AM CST
Where
St. Charles forecast zone

Flood, Iberville

When
April 1, 12:00 AM CST to April 20, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Iberville forecast zone
Coordinates
30.259, -91.349 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Louisiana in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Louisiana, April 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5602262, 5602263, 5602264, 5602265, 5602266, 5602267, 5602268, 5602269, 5602270.