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12/22/2023

WT Staff

Floods and Flows
as of December 22, 2023



Active flooding:
0 USGS streamflow gages reporting above flood stage

Flows above 99th percentile at risk of flooding:
0 USGS streamflow gage above 99th percentile high flow or action stage

Drought and Low Flow
7 USGS streamflow gages are rated low
  • Region 3 Chemin-au-Haut Bayou is flowing 2.38 percentile NW of Jones - running 6.88 ft deep at .01 cubic feet per second after draining 289 square miles in Arkansas
  • Region 3 Bayou Bartholomew is flowing 2.38 percentile NW of Jones - running .75 ft deep at 21.9 cubic feet per second after draining 1187 square miles in Arkansas
  • Region 3 Tensas River is flowing 1.15 percentile at Tendal - running 5.8 ft deep at 1.05 cubic feet per second after draining 309 square miles
  • Region 4 Bayou Toro is flowing 1.37 percentile at Toro - running 2.67 ft deep at 5.21 cubic feet per second after draining 365 square miles
  • Region 4 Sabine River is flowing 1.56 percentile near Ruliff TX - running 13.5 ft deep at 676 cubic feet per second
  • Region 6 Bayou Teche is flowing 1.37 percentile at Keystone Lock and Dam near St Martinville - running 9.94 ft deep at 141 cubic feet per second
  • Region 7 Tangipahoa River is rated low at Robert - running 6.82 ft deep at 272 cubic feet per second after draining 646 square miles upstream area

  • Drought Map from the USGS WaterWatch seven-day average streamflow compared with historic streamflow

    Extreme hydrologic drought conditions:
    • watershed Region 3 east of the Tensas River including East Carroll, Madison and Tensas Parishes

    Severe hydrologic drought
    • watershed Region 1 Saline Bayou channel including central Bienville Parish and the border of Natchitoches and Winn Parishes
    • watershed Region 2 Grant and LaSalle Parishes
    • watershed Region 3 Morehouse Parish, Richland and Franklin, Grant and Lasalle Parish
    • watershed Region 4, parts of deSoto and Sabine Parish, Vernon, Beauregard, Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes
    • watershed Region 5 including Rapides, Vermilion, Abbeville, Lafayette Parishes
    • watershed Region 5 including most of Cameron and all of Vermilion Parish
    • watershed Region 7 following the Tangipahoa River in Tangipahoa Parish
    • watershed Region 4 Calcasieu River channel including parts of Vernon, central Allen Parish, northwest Jefferson Davis, northeast Calcasieu, southeast Beauregard Counties

    Moderate drought
    • watershed Region 3
    Below normal moisture ratings
    • watershed Region 1 Caddo, East Bossier, DeSoto, Sabine and Natchitoches Parishes
    • watershed Region 7 west of the Tangipahoa River from Pointe Coupee and Iberville Parishes, St Helena, Livingston, St Tammany and Washington

    Upstream Mississippi Basin flow news

    Prolonged and severe drought poses serious challenges to drinking water facilities to maintain supply of quality water. Note BWA's caused by water line breaks occuring in the areas with prolonged and severe drought. Lower water flow and depth levels in the streams and rivers contribute to increased water temperature, concentration of contaminants, lower dissolved oxygen levels and higher stress in the aquatic habitat. Saltwater incursion threatens drinking water as lower levels in the rivers invite sea water further inland to level the estuary channels.


    See WTOH.us, WTNY.us and WTGA.us for a snapshot of Upper Mississippi streamflows measured and rated by the United States Geological Survey that indicate conditions upstream of Louisiana today.

    As sourced from USGS Waterwatch Current Streamflow


    FLOOD SAFETY


    FLOOD SAFETY


    What is the difference between a Flood Watch and a Flood Warning issued by the National Weather Service?

    • Flash Flood Warning: Take Action! A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. If you are in a flood prone area move immediately to high ground. A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain.

    • Flood Warning: Take Action! 

      A Flood Warning is issued when the hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. A Flood Warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring.

    • Flood Advisory: Be Aware:

      A Flood Advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance.

      A Flood Advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.

    • Flood Watch: Be Prepared:

      A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur.

      A Flood Watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.

    Be prepared, stay safe through flood events

    March 13, 2023

     

    Did you know,

    6 inches of moving water can knock an adult down

    And 12 inches of flowing water can carry a car away!

    (From ready.gov)

     

     

    Stay safe during flood events, watch for flood alerts in your area, here in BLACK.

    Avoid driving into flooded areas, and take caution trying to drive out of a flood zone.

    Avoid using bridges over high flowing rivers.

    If possible, move to higher ground, get uphill, or move to a higher floor in your building or home,

    leaving yourself an exit to the roof if necessary. Do not become trapped in an attic!

     

    Keep dry food, bottled water, flashlight and extra batteries, cell phone charger packed in go bags for all of your household and pets.

    Have flotation devices accessible for every member of your household in case you need to evacuate on foot.

     

    If you must drive to get out of a flood zone,

    have a high-quality window breaking/seatbelt cutting device in your vehicle, secured to your rearview mirror for fast retrieval.

    You may not be able to reach your car’s glove box in an emergency situation.

    The contents of seat and door storage compartments and center console may become displaced in an emergency,

    causing you to lose track of items that are not secured.

     

    Even if your vehicle has rolled or tipped over, as long as you are still belted in, you should be able to reach the rear-view mirror to retrieve your emergency tool.

    Keep your seatbelt on until the vehicle has made impact with the water body.  It will often float on the surface for a short time.

    There is time to get out through an open side window.  Act calmly, deliberately and quickly, without hesitation.

     

    Use your tool to cut your seatbelt if the buckle will not release in the normal way.

    Use your window breaking device toward a corner of your side window to break the safety glass. 

    Attempting to break the window at the center may not work.

    Windshields and rear windows are reinforced and will not break as easily as the side windows.

    If your vehicle is in any danger of becoming submerged, you need to get out before it goes underwater.

    Submerged vehicles may roll over or invert underwater, disorienting you and others inside. 

     

    Get familiar with your local streams and rivers, know your normal flow levels and check the USGS Waterwatch Current Streamflow for the real time flow volume and depth.

    Find the monitoring sites upstream and downstream nearest your home and sign up for high flow alerts.

    https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/









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