Flooding in Arkansas, June 1 to 30, 2015

Excessive heavy rainfall during the month of May resulted in very high water on the Red River bordering Little River, Hempstead, Miller and Lafayette Counties in Southwest Arkansas as well as Bowie County in Northeast Texas during the entire month of June. Rainfall amounts during the month of May across the Upper and Middle Red River basins of Southern Oklahoma and Northern Texas totaled over 20 inches of rain. The Oklahoma state climatologist reported that May of 2015 was the all time wettest month of any month in state history. Lake Texhoma, a flood control reservoir to the Red River upstream of Arthur City, Texas rose to its highest pool stage on record early on June 1st at 645.66 feet with peak releases of around 140,000 CFS. The Muddy Boggy Creek tributary to the Red River rose to near its flood of record cresting near 55 feet earlier on May 29th with inflows upwards of 70,000 CFS into the Red River. Muddy Boggy Creek crested just shy of the 1990 flood of record with 55.27 feet near Unger, Oklahoma. Other tributaries of the Red River also crested at very high levels during the final week of May and early in June, 2015 below Lake Texhoma including Bois D'Arc and Bokchito Creeks. Finally the Kiamichi River at Hugo Reservoir crested just below a new pool stage record after May 25th and contributed peak releases of near 60,000 CFS as well to the Red River. This excessive heavy rainfall and inflow into the Red River resulted in river levels that eclipsed the flood of May of 1990 at Pecan Point and was just shy of the Red River flood of May of 1908 at Pecan Point. The Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went above the 24 foot flood stage on May 10th, 2015 and remained above that flood stage through the entire month of June and did not fall below flood stage until until July, 2015. The Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went above the 30 foot major flood stage on May 24th, 2015 and crested at a stage of 35.0 feet on June 2nd, 2015. This is the 3rd highest crest in recorded history at the gauging location, eclipsed only by the flood of record of 36.0 feet in 1938 and 35.5 feet in 1908. The river fell below the 30 foot major flood stage on June 10th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went back above the 30 foot major flood stage on June 22nd and crested at a stage of 32.5 feet on June 24th. The Red River then fell below the 30 foot major flood stage on June 28th. Below Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas, the Red River at Index, Arkansas crested at 31.4 feet on June 3rd. This was the 3rd highest flood at Index, Arkansas in recorded history at the gauging location, eclipsed only by the flood of record of 34.4 feet in 1938 and 32.3 feet in 1990. The river fell below the 28 foot major flood stage on June 8th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Index, Arkansas crested again at 26.6 feet on June 27th and fell below the 25 foot flood stage on June 29th. Bank erosion was extreme on the Little River County side of the Red River with nearly 100 thousand acres of farmland and pastureland inundated. Additional acres flooded by high levels on the Little River and Millwood Lake areas totaled 56,000 acres. Nearly 10 thousand heads of cattle had to be relocated with some lost. The United States Highway 259 bridge, Hwy 8 bridge and the Hwy. 71 bridge going over the Red River were closed. Highway 41 Section 3 at the junction of Hwy. 32 to the Red River Bridge was closed as was Hwy. 108, Section 1 near Foreman. As many as 80 homes were affected by flood waters with 28 homes inundated. A Federal Disaster Declaration was issued for Little River and Miller Counties in Southwest Arkansas for the Red River flooding event of 2015.

Excessive heavy rainfall during the month of May resulted in very high water on the Red River bordering Little River, Hempstead, Miller and Lafayette Counties in Southwest Arkansas as well as Bowie County in Northeast Texas during the entire month of June. Rainfall amounts during the month of May across the Upper and Middle Red River basins of Southern Oklahoma and Northern Texas totaled over 20 inches of rain. The Oklahoma state climatologist reported that May of 2015 was the all time wettest month of any month in state history. Lake Texhoma, a flood control reservoir to the Red River upstream of Arthur City, Texas rose to its highest pool stage on record early on June 1st at 645.66 feet with peak releases of around 140,000 CFS. The Muddy Boggy Creek tributary to the Red River rose to near its flood of record cresting near 55 feet earlier on May 29th with inflows upwards of 70,000 CFS into the Red River. Muddy Boggy Creek crested just shy of the 1990 flood of record with 55.27 feet near Unger, Oklahoma. Other tributaries of the Red River also crested at very high levels during the final week of May and early in June, 2015 below Lake Texhoma including Bois D'Arc and Bokchito Creeks. Finally the Kiamichi River at Hugo Reservoir crested just below a new pool stage record after May 25th and contributed peak releases of near 60,000 CFS as well to the Red River. This excessive heavy rainfall and inflow into the Red River resulted in river levels that eclipsed the flood of May of 1990 at Pecan Point and was just shy of the Red River flood of May of 1908 at Pecan Point. The Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went above the 24 foot flood stage on May 10th, 2015 and remained above that flood stage through the entire month of June and did not fall below flood stage until until July, 2015. The Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went above the 30 foot major flood stage on May 24th, 2015 and crested at a stage of 35.0 feet on June 2nd, 2015. This is the 3rd highest crest in recorded history at the gauging location, eclipsed only by the flood of record of 36.0 feet in 1938 and 35.5 feet in 1908. The river fell below the 30 foot major flood stage on June 10th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went back above the 30 foot major flood stage on June 22nd and crested at a stage of 32.5 feet on June 24th. The Red River then fell below the 30 foot major flood stage on June 28th. Below Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas, the Red River at Index, Arkansas crested at 31.4 feet on June 3rd. This was the 3rd highest flood at Index, Arkansas in recorded history at the gauging location, eclipsed only by the flood of record of 34.4 feet in 1938 and 32.3 feet in 1990. The river fell below the 28 foot major flood stage on June 8th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Index, Arkansas crested again at 26.6 feet on June 27th and fell below the 25 foot flood stage on June 29th. Below Index, Arkansas, the Red River at Fulton, Arkansas crested at 32.12 feet on June 5th. This was the 11th highest flood at Fulton, Arkansas in recorded history at the gauging location with the record crest of 37.40 having occurred in 1945. The river fell below the 27 foot flood stage on June 10th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Fulton, Arkansas crested again at 25.1 feet on June 27th which was nearly two feet short of the 27 foot flood stage at Fulton, Arkansas. Bank erosion was extreme on the Miller County side of the Red River with thousands of acres of farmland and pastureland inundated. Monetary damage from the agricultural land inundated was $840,000. Hundreds of head of cattle had to be relocated. There were 26 homes damaged by the flooding totaling $191,000 in damages. The United States Highway 259 bridge, Hwy 8 bridge and the Hwy. 71 bridge going over the Red River were closed. Mandatory, emergency evacuations were ordered by the Miller County Emergency Management officials for the small community of Garland City, Arkansas. Backwater flooding was excessive in the community and the Army Corps of Engineers found a weak spot in the city's levee leading to the mandatory, emergency evacuation of the town. The river runs close to the small town of about 240 residents. A Federal Disaster Declaration was issued for Little River and Miller Counties in Southwest Arkansas for the Red River flooding event of 2015.

Excessive heavy rainfall during the month of May resulted in very high water on the Red River bordering Little River, Hempstead, Miller and Lafayette Counties in Southwest Arkansas as well as Bowie County in Northeast Texas during the entire month of June. Rainfall amounts during the month of May across the Upper and Middle Red River basins of Southern Oklahoma and Northern Texas totaled over 20 inches of rain. The Oklahoma state climatologist reported that May of 2015 was the all time wettest month of any month in state history. Lake Texhoma, a flood control reservoir to the Red River upstream of Arthur City, Texas rose to its highest pool stage on record early on June 1st at 645.66 feet with peak releases of around 140,000 CFS. The Muddy Boggy Creek tributary to the Red River rose to near its flood of record cresting near 55 feet earlier on May 29th with inflows upwards of 70,000 CFS into the Red River. Muddy Boggy Creek crested just shy of the 1990 flood of record with 55.27 feet near Unger, Oklahoma. Other tributaries of the Red River also crested at very high levels during the final week of May and early in June, 2015 below Lake Texhoma including Bois D'Arc and Bokchito Creeks. Finally the Kiamichi River at Hugo Reservoir crested just below a new pool stage record after May 25th and contributed peak releases of near 60,000 CFS as well to the Red River. This excessive heavy rainfall and inflow into the Red River resulted in river levels that eclipsed the flood of May of 1990 at Pecan Point and was just shy of the Red River flood of May of 1908 at Pecan Point. The Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went above the 24 foot flood stage on May 10th, 2015 and remained above that flood stage through the entire month of June and did not fall below flood stage until until July, 2015. The Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went above the 30 foot major flood stage on May 24th, 2015 and crested at a stage of 35.0 feet on June 2nd, 2015. This is the 3rd highest crest in recorded history at the gauging location, eclipsed only by the flood of record of 36.0 feet in 1938 and 35.5 feet in 1908. The river fell below the 30 foot major flood stage on June 10th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went back above the 30 foot major flood stage on June 22nd and crested at a stage of 32.5 feet on June 24th. The Red River then fell below the 30 foot major flood stage on June 28th. Below Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas, the Red River at Index, Arkansas crested at 31.4 feet on June 3rd. This was the 3rd highest flood at Index, Arkansas in recorded history at the gauging location, eclipsed only by the flood of record of 34.4 feet in 1938 and 32.3 feet in 1990. The river fell below the 28 foot major flood stage on June 8th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Index, Arkansas crested again at 26.6 feet on June 27th and fell below the 25 foot flood stage on June 29th. Below Index, Arkansas, the Red River at Fulton, Arkansas crested at 32.12 feet on June 5th. This was the 11th highest flood at Fulton, Arkansas in recorded history at the gauging location with the record crest of 37.40 having occurred in 1945. The river fell below the 27 foot flood stage on June 10th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Fulton, Arkansas crested again at 25.1 feet on June 27th which was nearly two feet short of the 27 foot flood stage at Fulton, Arkansas. Bank erosion was extreme on the Hempstead County side of the Red River with hundreds of acres of farmland and pastureland inundated. Cattle had to be relocated. Only one home suffered flood damage but Hempstead County loses mainly from roads, levees and pumps totaled $770,000. The United States Highway 259 bridge, Hwy 8 bridge and the Hwy. 71 bridge going over the Red River were closed.

Excessive heavy rainfall during the month of May resulted in very high water on the Red River bordering Little River, Hempstead, Miller and Lafayette Counties in Southwest Arkansas as well as Bowie County in Northeast Texas during the entire month of June. Rainfall amounts during the month of May across the Upper and Middle Red River basins of Southern Oklahoma and Northern Texas totaled over 20 inches of rain. The Oklahoma state climatologist reported that May of 2015 was the all time wettest month of any month in state history. Lake Texhoma, a flood control reservoir to the Red River upstream of Arthur City, Texas rose to its highest pool stage on record early on June 1st at 645.66 feet with peak releases of around 140,000 CFS. The Muddy Boggy Creek tributary to the Red River rose to near its flood of record cresting near 55 feet earlier on May 29th with inflows upwards of 70,000 CFS into the Red River. Muddy Boggy Creek crested just shy of the 1990 flood of record with 55.27 feet near Unger, Oklahoma. Other tributaries of the Red River also crested at very high levels during the final week of May and early in June, 2015 below Lake Texhoma including Bois D'Arc and Bokchito Creeks. Finally the Kiamichi River at Hugo Reservoir crested just below a new pool stage record after May 25th and contributed peak releases of near 60,000 CFS as well to the Red River. This excessive heavy rainfall and inflow into the Red River resulted river levels that eclipsed the flood of May of 1990 at Pecan Point and was just shy of the Red River flood of May of 1908 at Pecan Point. The Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went above the 24 foot flood stage on May 10th, 2015 and remained above that flood stage through the entire month of June and did not fall below flood stage until until July, 2015. The Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went above the 30 foot major flood stage on May 24th, 2015 and crested at a stage of 35.0 feet on June 2nd, 2015. This is the 3rd highest crest in recorded history at the gauging location, eclipsed only by the flood of record of 36.0 feet in 1938 and 35.5 feet in 1908. The river fell below the 30 foot major flood stage on June 10th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas went back above the 30 foot major flood stage on June 22nd and crested at a stage of 32.5 feet on June 24th. The Red River then fell below the 30 foot major flood stage on June 28th. Below Pecan Point north of Dekalb, Texas, the Red River at Index, Arkansas crested at 31.4 feet on June 3rd. This was the 3rd highest flood at Index, Arkansas in recorded history at the gauging location, eclipsed only by the flood of record of 34.4 feet in 1938 and 32.3 feet in 1990. The river fell below the 28 foot major flood stage on June 8th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Index, Arkansas crested again at 26.6 feet on June 27th and fell below the 25 foot flood stage on June 29th. Below Index, Arkansas, the Red River at Fulton, Arkansas crested at 32.12 feet on June 5th. This was the 11th highest flood at Fulton, Arkansas in recorded history at the gauging location with the record crest of 37.40 having occurred in 1945. The river fell below the 27 foot flood stage on June 10th. A secondary rise on the Red River developed because of excessive heavy rainfall once again in the middle Red River Basin from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. As a result, the Red River at Fulton, Arkansas crested again at 25.1 feet on June 27th which was nearly two feet short of the 27 foot flood stage at Fulton, Arkansas. Bank erosion was extreme on the Lafayette County side of the Red River with 43 thousand acres of farmland and pastureland inundated. 600 head of cattle were lost and hundreds of others had to be relocated. Total crop loss including corn, mixed forage, rice, soybean, wheat and warn season grasses was estimated to be near 13 million dollars. There were near 200 farms that suffered some physical damage from flooding with damage to those structures totaling near 500 thousand dollars. Farm equipment damage totaled near 20 thousand dollars. The United States Highway 259 bridge, Hwy 8 bridge and the Hwy. 71 bridge going over the Red River were closed. Highway 360 Section 0A at log mile 4 west of Bradley, Arkansas was also closed.