Louisiana’s Five Most Flood Prone Towns

Living in Louisiana, there's no doubt that at some point you've had to deal with flooding. But, are there cities and towns in Louisiana that flood more than others? Yep...

Why Does It Flood So Much In Louisiana?

Louisiana is an amazing place to live. The culture, the food, the people all combine for an experience you just can't find anywhere else.

However, we do have our issues when it comes to hurricanes and flooding.

Much of Louisiana's land is at or below sea level, making it highly susceptible to flooding. The state's coastal areas, especially New Orleans, are situated in low-lying areas and are surrounded by water bodies like the Mississippi River, Lake Pontchartrain, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Then, there's Coastal Erosion.

As a result, natural buffers like marshes and barrier islands that once absorbed storm surges and provided flood protection have been reduced, leaving the state more vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding.

Where Does It Flood The Most In Louisiana?

The folks over at a-z-animals.com have recently taken a look at what cities and towns across Louisiana flood the most and here are the top 5.

1. Baton Rouge - With Baton Rouge being located right along the banks of the Mississippi River, flooding has been an issue for the capitol city for decades.

From a-z-animals.com -

"In 1983, heavy rainfall resulted in severe flooding, damaging homes and infrastructure across the city.

Similarly, in 2016, Baton Rouge experienced a catastrophic flood after intense rainfall. The precipitation caused rivers and creeks to overflow, affecting thousands of residents and causing extensive damage."

2. New Orleans - Obviously being that New Orleans is below sea level and surrounded by the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, they are going to have serious flooding issues.

From a-z-animals.com -

"Its location below sea level and proximity to water makes it prone to storm surges during hurricanes and heavy rainfall.

The city’s aging drainage system, originally designed to accommodate a smaller population, further adds to the risk of flooding."

3. Lafitte - Lafitte is a small fishing village south of New Orleans and is unfortunately one of quite a few Louisiana towns and communities facing serious coastal erosion problems.

Because of coastal erosion from hurricanes and other factors, Lafitte is facing significant land loss and disappearing wetlands at an alarming rate.

From a-z-animals.com -

"Lafitte faces the constant threat of flooding due to its low-lying coastal location and its proximity to bodies of water, including Barataria Bay and Bayou Barataria.

Tropical storms and hurricanes that make landfall near Lafitte can result in significant storm surges, which can inundate the village and surrounding areas."

4. Morgan City - Morgan City's location near where the Atchafalaya and Vermilion Rivers merge, in addition to Lake Palourde and Flat Lake, flooding is an unavoidable reality.

From a-z-animals.com -

"When these rivers experience high water levels simultaneously, the risk of flooding intensifies.

In addition, the threat of storm surge from hurricanes and tropical storms poses an additional risk to the community, as the city is situated along the Gulf Coast."

5. Cameron - With it's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, Cameron is a sitting duck for strong storms and hurricanes. Hurricane Rita caused massive flooding and widespread destruction.

From a-z-animals.com -

"Another devastating flood event occurred in 2017 when Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas coast, causing heavy rainfall and intense storm surges.

The town experienced extensive flooding as the storm surge breached coastal defenses, inundating homes and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake."