Predicted High-Water Elevations for Selected Flood Events at the Albert Pike Recreation Area, Ouachita National Forest

This study was undertaken to accurately determine the elevations of selected flood events within the Albert Pike Recreation Area (APRA) near Langley, AR. The APRA consists of four separate campground areas designated as Loops A, B, C, and D (fig. 1). On June 11, 2010, a flash flood occurred on the Little Missouri River (LMR) that damaged or destroyed much of the campground developments in the APRA and killed 20 campers. Using observations of the high-water marks produced by this flash flood (hereafter referred to as the “11 June event” or “11 June flood”), along with detailed measurements of the terrain and ground cover, the hydraulic variables that determine the high-water elevation (HWE) can be quantified and used to predict the HWE for any other flood discharge.