Flood Warning Issued for Ouachita River Affecting Bradley, Calhoun, and Union Counties
Weather Alerts high NOAA · · Bradley, Calhoun, and Union Counties, Arkansas
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Ouachita River at Thatcher L&D, with minor flooding expected to impact south-central Arkansas through Sunday morning.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Little Rock, AR, has issued a Flood Warning for the Ouachita River at Thatcher L&D. The warning is in response to forecasted minor flooding and is effective from Wednesday evening, February 18, until Sunday morning, February 22.
Affected Areas
This alert specifically impacts the following regions in Arkansas:
- Counties: Calhoun, Bradley, and Union Counties.
- Specific Locations: Areas along the Ouachita River at Thatcher L&D, including Jones Mill DCP, Arkadelphia, Camden, and Thatcher L&D.
What You Should Do
Residents and motorists in the warning area should take immediate safety precautions:
- Turn around, don’t drown: Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Do not attempt to drive around barricades or through flooded areas.
- Protect Property: Property in low-lying areas should be removed.
- Infrastructure: Levee gates should be closed before the river reaches 80 feet to prevent the river from backing into Calion Lake.
- Avoid Waterways: Do not attempt to cross water-covered bridges, dips, or low water crossings. Never try to cross a flowing stream on foot. To escape rising water, find an alternate route over higher ground.
Expected Conditions
Minor flooding is forecast for the Ouachita River at Thatcher L&D:
- Current Status: As of 8:30 AM CST Monday, the river stage was 77.8 feet.
- Flood Stage: 79.0 feet.
- Forecasted Crest: The river is expected to rise above flood stage late Wednesday evening, reaching a crest of 79.5 feet on Thursday evening.
- Impacts: At 79.0 feet, access roads to oil and gas rigs may be flooded. If the river reaches 80.0 feet, access to timber is flooded and wide coverage of flooding occurs in the river bottoms.
Timeline
- Onset: The river is expected to rise above flood stage late Wednesday evening, February 18.
- Duration: The river is forecast to remain above flood stage until early Saturday morning.
- Expiration: The Flood Warning is currently set to expire at 6:00 AM CST on Sunday, February 22.
Source: NOAA Official Notice