Red River will remain high until end of July

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Shreveport, La. predicts “very high water stages” will continue on the Red River through at least the end of July.

The weather service issued a public information statement Sunday about the Red River stages.

“Nearly all of the Red River’s tributaries in Southern Oklahoma and North Texas remain above flood stage,” said the NWS report.

“The soils in the Red River basin remain saturated from the very wet spring of 2015. Lake Texoma on the Red River and tributary reservoirs to the Red River remain at extremely high water as well from stored flood waters,” said the report.

“After the Red River crests, very high water stages will continue on the Red River through at least the end of July due to very high flood control reservoir pool stages across much of the Red River basin,” said the NWS report.

The report also said the Red River flooding is “very similar” to the May, 1990 and will develop on the Red River through the first 10 days of June.

The Red River stages and forecast crest information includes:

7 a.m. Sunday stage of the Red River near DeKalb, Texas at Pecan Point was 34.6 feet. The river will rise slightly again and crest near 35.2 feet by Monday. The flood stage near DeKalb is 24 feet.

7 a.m. Sunday stage on the Red River at Index, Ark. north of Texarkana was 30.8 feet. The river will rise and crest near 31.2 feet by June 4. Flood stage

at Index is 25 feet.

7 a.m. Sunday stage on the Red River at Fulton was 27.9 feet. The river will rise and crest near 32.0 feet by June 4. Flood stage at Fulton is 27 feet.

9:30 a.m. Sunday stage at the Springbank Ferry in Southwest Arkansas was 38.6 feet. The Red River will rise and crest near 42.5 feet by June 5. Flood stage is 37 feet.

7 a.m. Sunday stage on the Red River at Shreveport, La. 30.3 feet. The river will rise and crest near 34 feet by June 6. Flood stage at Shreveport is 30 feet.

The following lists the crests and dates for the flood of May, 1990:

Pecan Point north of DeKalb, Texas 34.4 feet during May 6, 1990

Index, Ark. north of Texarkana 32.3 feet during May 10, 1990

Fulton, Ark. 34.3 feet during May 10, 1990

Shreveport, La. 34.5 feet during May 15, 1990