The Vermilion River gauge at Surrey Street crested at 17.62 feet on 15 August 2016, against a minor flood stage of 10 feet. A gauge reading describes the river at one point. It does not describe the water inside a building, which depends on the ground, the threshold and the structure.
Key takeaways
- The Surrey Street gauge on the Vermilion River crested at 17.62 feet on 15 August 2016.
- The minor flood stage at that gauge is 10 feet, so the crest was more than seven feet above it.
- A flood stage is a reference level on a gauge. It is not a measure of the depth of water in any one house.
- The water in a building is measured from its floor, its threshold and its walls, not from the river reading.
- Photographs of the water line, taken before anything is moved, are the best record of how high the water reached inside.
- A crew measures the building and records the readings, and those readings decide the work.
What did the Vermilion River crest at Surrey Street?
The Vermilion River at Surrey Street crested at 17.62 feet on 15 August 2016. The minor flood stage at that point is 10 feet, so the crest stood more than seven feet above it, according to a regional news report of the event.
A crest is the highest level a river reaches at a point during a rise. At Surrey Street the crest came three days after the rain of 11 and 12 August was recorded at the Lafayette station. The gauge reading is the number the river reached, not the depth of water anywhere else.
The number matters because it tells you how far the river rose above the level at which problems begin. It does not tell you how much water came into a particular building, how fast it arrived or how long it stood. Those are separate questions, and they are answered on site.
What is flood stage, and why does it matter?
Flood stage is a reference level set on a river gauge. It marks the height at which the river is expected to begin causing problems, and the minor flood stage at Surrey Street is 10 feet. Reaching it is a warning sign, not a measure of damage.
A river can be above flood stage without flooding a single building, if the water stays in the channel and the land beside it. Equally, a building can take water well below the crest if it sits low or if rain is coming in from another direction. Flood stage is a tool for the emergency response, and it does not translate directly into a number of wet homes.
For a homeowner, the value of the number is that it shows the scale of the river's rise. The owner can compare that scale with what they saw, and the photographs and readings then show what reached their own building.
| Reading | What it describes | What it does not describe |
|---|---|---|
| 17.62 feet at Surrey Street | The river's crest at one gauge point | The water depth in any building |
| 10 feet (minor flood stage) | The reference level where problems begin | A measure of damage |
| Water line on a wall | How high water stood in that room | How fast the water rose, or the river level |
| Moisture readings | How far the water traveled into materials | The cause of the water |
How does a river reading differ from rain at a house?
A river reading measures the water in the channel. Rain at a house measures what falls on the roof and the yard. Water in a building can come from either or from both, and a crew sorts out which one it was.
River water can enter a building through a low door, a ditch that backs up or ground that stays saturated, even when the rain has stopped. Rain can enter through a roof, a garage or a window. The two leave different marks, and the crew reads those marks to decide the source.
The source decides the category of the water. River water is treated as the most contaminated category, and that changes how the removal and the protection are planned. Rain entering through a roof is usually handled differently, and the owner should know which applies.
What should I measure and photograph at home?
Photograph the water line on the walls, the rooms and the entry points before anything is moved. Note the time the water was seen and the height of the line above the floor. Those simple records make the crew's work and any insurance review easier.
Photographs should be taken from the same position twice, once before the water is moved and once after. A set of matched photographs shows the change, which a single picture cannot. Keep the originals with their dates.
Do not wade into the water to measure it. Measure from a dry spot, or from the photograph later, and leave the height reading for the crew's first visit if the water is still standing.
- The water line on each wall, photographed with a ruler or coin for scale
- The entry point, such as a door, a window, a vent or a drain
- The time you first saw the water and the time you last saw it rising
- The rooms and items that were under water, one by one
Why do the crew's readings matter more than the gauge?
The gauge describes the river. The crew's readings describe your building: the moisture in the floor, the wall and the framing, measured at the same points on each visit. Those readings decide what is removed and when the drying is finished.
A reading is a measurement of moisture in a material, compared with a dry reference taken from an unaffected part of the building. The crew records the reading, the location and the time, so the next visit can be compared with the first. That comparison is the evidence of progress.
A flood that reaches the building's framing needs more drying than a flood that stays on the floor. The gauge cannot show that difference. The readings can, and they are the reason a crew measures before it plans.
What happens when the river is still high?
When water is still standing outside or the river is still high, the building cannot be fully dried, because the water keeps coming in. The first task is to find out whether the source is still open, and the crew explains what must be closed or blocked before the drying can work.
Pumping out water that is still entering only buys a short time. The crew can remove what has come in, but the drying cannot finish until the entry is closed, so the owner should report any continuing inflow at the first call.
Safety comes first while the river is high. Do not enter water that is near the electrical panel or outlets, and do not drive through flooded streets to reach a building. Wait for the water to fall to a safe level before the crew enters the lowest rooms.
How should I explain the river reading to an insurer?
Explain the river reading as background for the event, and rely on the building's own records for the loss. The insurer will want to see the water line, the readings and the photographs, along with the date and the source of the water.
A claim turns on what happened to the property. The river reading explains why the event was large, but it does not establish how much water reached the house. Give the insurer the building's records, and cite the gauge reading only as context, with its date and its source.
If the insurer disputes the cause, keep your records together and ask for the reasons in writing. The Louisiana Department of Insurance accepts consumer complaints about claims, and the insurance guide on this site explains how that route works.
How does the river reading affect the timing of a cleanup?
The river reading affects timing mainly by showing whether water can still reach the building. While the river is high and the ground is saturated, water can keep coming in, and the cleanup has to wait for the source to be closed or for the water outside to fall.
A crew cannot finish the drying of a building that is still taking water from outside. The first visit tells the crew whether the water is still coming in, and the readings show whether the building is drying. A cleanup started while the river is still rising may have to be repeated, so the crew plans the sequence with the outside water in mind.
Once the water outside has fallen, the crew can measure the building and remove the wet material that cannot be dried. The timing is a judgment made on site, and the crew explains it to the owner so that the wait is understood rather than unexplained.
What should a homeowner do while the river is still high?
Stay out of standing water, keep the power to the wet area off, move valuable items to higher ground in the building if it is safe, and keep a record of the water's height and the time. Call the restoration line as soon as water is found in the building.
Keep watch on the water line on the outside of the house and on the inside walls, and write down the height and the time at regular intervals. Those notes show whether the water is rising or falling, which the crew will need when it arrives.
Do not drive into floodwater to reach the house, and do not walk through moving water. If the water is rising quickly, leave the building by a safe route and call the emergency number. Property can be replaced; a life cannot, and that comes first.
Frequently asked questions
What was the Vermilion River crest at Surrey Street?
The gauge crested at 17.62 feet on 15 August 2016. The minor flood stage at that point is 10 feet.
Does a crest of 17.62 feet mean my house flooded to that height?
No. The gauge reading describes the river at one point. The water in a house depends on its ground, its threshold and its structure, and the crew measures the water in your building.
What is flood stage?
Flood stage is a reference level on a river gauge that marks where problems are expected to begin. It is an emergency measure, not a measure of damage.
How can I tell if river water or rain came into my house?
The entry point, the water line and the source of the water usually show it, and the crew reads those marks on the first visit. Tell the operator where you saw the water first.
Should I measure the water myself?
Photograph the water line from a dry spot, with a ruler or a coin for scale. Do not wade into the water to measure it, and leave the detailed readings to the crew.
Who can I ask about river levels now?
Local emergency management and the weather services publish current river levels. This site cannot give a current reading, and the crew works from the building's readings, not the river's level alone.
Sources
This guide is general information for Lafayette Parish homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.