Historic Rain Brings Flooding To Ohio Valley

The Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Cumberland River Basin received a historic amount of rainfall the first week of April, with numerous locations shattering records with 10 to 15 inches of rain over just a handful of days.

Western Kentucky got walloped. Marshall County, Ky., received 15.86 inches of rain April 2–6. Trigg County received 14.3 inches of rain over the same period. The National Weather Service’s Paducah, Ky., office recorded at least six new records for three-day rain totals, with Benton and Greenville, Ky., both recording just shy of 13 inches of rain April 3–5, breaking records set in 2016 and 1960, respectively.

Historically, the state of Kentucky receives just 5 inches of rain in the month of April.

Other rainfall totals recorded across the mid-South and Ohio River Valley included 8.85 inches in Cincinnati, 10.63 inches in Southaven, Miss., 11.82 inches in Little Rock, Ark., 12.41 inches in Memphis, Tenn., 6.29 inches in Nashville, Tenn., and 10.98 inches in Ullin, Ill., north of Cairo, Ill.

All that rain has led to a rapid rise on the Ohio River and the other tributaries of the Mississippi River, with flood conditions moving down the Mississippi toward the Gulf by the end of the month.

The rapid rise on the Ohio led to widespread lock closures and restrictions on the system. Racine Lock at Ohio River Mile 237 was restricted to daylight only for southbound tows beginning April 7. The same restriction was in place at Greenup Lock at Mile 341. Markland Locks and Dam, located at Ohio River Mile 531.5, closed April 6, as did McAlpine Locks and Dam at Ohio River Mile 606.8. John T. Myers Locks and Dam at Mile 846 suspended operations in both chambers on April 8, while no impacts were expected at Smithland. The Corps of Engineers implemented minimum speed requirements at Olmsted Locks and Dam at Mile 964.4.

As of April 10, the Ohio River at Paducah, Ky., was at 46.32 feet, with the National Weather Service forecasting an April 17 crest of 48 feet. At Cairo, Ill., the Ohio River was at 52.11 feet April 10, less than a foot shy of major flood stage. To the north, in New Athens, Ill., the Kaskaskia River was already falling after cresting at 85.77 feet on April 9. The Ohio River in Cincinnati reached its highest point in 28 years. The same was true of the Ohio River in Louisville, Ky. According to Paducah Mayor George Bray, the flooding in that area had forced about 150 people from their homes.

On the Mississippi River at Hickman, Ky., the river was already at major flood stage April 10, with the National Weather Service forecasting a crest of 45.5 feet on April 12, followed by a slow fall. The Mississippi River is expected to crest at 36.5 feet in Osceola, Ark., on April 15. Tunica, Miss., is forecast to see a crest of 37 feet on April 16. A crest of 52 feet is expected to reach Greenville, Miss., on April 19. Vicksburg, Miss., will crest around April 21.

Beyond that, the National Weather Service forecast for the Mississippi River in Louisiana is unclear. Red River Landing, north of Baton Rouge, La., could crest at 57 feet around April 24. Baton Rouge could be at 40.5 feet, a half foot above major flood stage, on the same day. New Orleans is currently forecast to crest at 16.5 feet on April 26. Flood stage on the Mississippi River at the Carrollton Gage in New Orleans is 17 feet. With increased flows down the Mississippi River, the National Weather Service is also anticipating flood conditions on the Atchafalaya River between the Old River Control Complex and the Gulf.

With a rapid rise on the way toward the mouth of the Mississippi River, the Corps of Engineers is mobilizing the U.S. government hopper dredges Wheeler and and Newport to the vicinity of Southwest Pass, the main deep draft outlet for the river’s ship channel. According to an April 10 broadcast notice to mariners from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Wheeler and Newport are scheduled to work 24 hours a day around Head of Passes between April 12 and April 28.

Featured image caption: River Road and the boat dock at 4th Street in Louisville, Ky., were under about 4 feet of water April 5. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Air National Guard)