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Floods of April 1983 in southern Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana

Open-File Report 83-685
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr83685

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Abstract

Extreme flooding occurred in April 1983 in southern Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana. The floods resulted from a near-stationary cold front, which moved slowly across Louisiana and Mississippi. Flood heights and discharges of many streams exceeded previously known maximums of record, and for many the recurrence interval of peak discharge exceeded 100 years. On Black Creek, near Brooklyn, Miss., the previous maximum stage (since 1961) was exceeded by 4.26 ft, and the April 7 peak discharge of 42,500 cu ft/sec was about two times the previous maximum discharge. This flood exceeded the 100-yr event. In southeastern Louisiana, the area with the most severe flooding was in the Bogue Chitto basin. At the Franklinton, LA, Station, the April 7 peak discharge of 125,000 cu ft/sec was more than two times the previous maximum discharge. In April 1900 the stage at this site was 29.6 ft, 4.9 ft higher than the April 1981 peak. An extreme event also occurred on the Tchefuncta River near Franklinton, LA. The previous maximum stage (since 1949) was exceeded by 3.75 ft, and the April 6 discharge of 26 ,900 cu ft/sec is more than three times the previous maximum. This discharge also exceeded the 100-yr event. Combined flood damages for both States totaled in the hundred of millions of dollars. (Lantz-PTT)

Suggested Citation

Carlson, D.D., Firda, G.D., 1983, Floods of April 1983 in southern Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 83-685, v, 37 p., 2 over-size sheets, ill., maps ;28 cm., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr83685.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Floods of April 1983 in southern Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 83-685
DOI 10.3133/ofr83685
Year Published 1983
Language ENGLISH
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey,
Description v, 37 p., 2 over-size sheets, ill., maps ;28 cm.
Additional publication details