2015 Floods on the Arkansas River

"Museum Updates"

August 12, 2015

June 3, 2015

Summer 2015, Oklahoma had one of the wettest periods since 1921.  Much of that water from Oklahoma ended up in the Arkansas River.

June 3, 2015, not much of a bank left.

The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum has been located on the Arkansas River for 10 years.  In that time we have not seen the river as high as it got this June.  June 3, 2015 the Arkansas River crested in North Little Rock at 23.0 feet.  For the area this was a Minor flood category.  

June 3, 2015, the main entrance was completely underwater.

The Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum did have to close for almost three weeks due to our entrance being underwater.  Thankfully there were minimal damages to the museum facility.

June 7, 2015

Once the river levels fell below the entrance, the museum staff was able to put the gangway back together.  There was also a lot of mud that had to be removed from the ramp leading to the museum.

In the middle of the summer when temperatures began to rise, the museum staff began repairing the geothermal air conditioning units.  These units had some minimal damage from the high river flow and debris coming down river.  Air conditioning was restored just in time for Arkansas's 100 degree weather.

At the end of July the river level finally fell back to normal depths and the river's flow slowed down enough for clean up to begin.  During these floods there are many things that end up in the river.  Today, August 12, 2015, the museum staff worked to remove a large log that was stuck among the facility.

August 12, 2015

This log was stuck between our open barge and the submarine.  Thankfully the submarine was built well and no damage was done to its hull.

August 12, 2015

The image above was about half of the log once it was removed.  

The museum is finally returning to normal and clean up is continuing from the 2015 floods.  All that is left is repainting and replacing signage that was underwater.

Please share if these floods affected you!

Author: Allison Hiblong