Ouachita River Discharge Measurements

Background data on the Ouachita River discharge comes from a December 13, 2001 report by USGS employee J.S. Wallace. They are provided for your optional review.

DISCHARGE MEASUREMENTS: Wading measurements up to about 3.6 ft gage Datum can be made under bridge to another 200-300 ft. downstream at lower stages. Medium- to high-stage measurements are made from the cableway at the gage, and extreme events are measured from the downstream side of U.S Hwy. 270 bridge. FLOODS.--Flood of Dec. 10, 1971, Reach ed a stage of 38.62 ft, discharge 95,500 cfs, from floodmarks. The flood of Dec. 3, 1982, Reach ed a stage of 39.78 ft, discharge, 102,000 cfs, from floodmarks. POINT OF ZERO FLOW.--0.4 ft. WINTER FLOW.--Seldom affected by ice.

REGULATIONS AND DIVERSIONS: As of August, 1977, flow from 34.3 mi above this station is controlled by one floodwater-detention reservoir with a capacity of 15,661 acre-ft, of which 9,726 acre-ft is flood detention, 4,600 acre-ft is water supply, and 1,335 acre-ft is sediment storage. No known diversions.

DISCHARGE & FORM 9-207: 90% of my measurements are made by wading just below the bridge. The river takes a turn under the bridge (in low-water) and forms a narrow sluice on the left side of the cobble island. The water is usually around 1.5-feet deep, 25-30 feet wide, and moving between 2- to 5-feet per second. Sometimes it's hard to stand up in that! Technically, it's a measurement made above critical flow, but it's all that's available. Above 3.6 feet in stage, water flows around both sides of the island, and it's too deep and swift anywhere near the gauge to wade. Above 3.6 feet, I measure by cableway.

Image courtesy of USGS