By Bob Difley
Thursday’s torrential rainfall and flash flooding of two rivers in the forests of western Arkansas killed at least sixteen campers with three dozen or more still missing. The Caddo and Little Missouri rivers rose after 7.6 inches of rainfall fell overnight and by early morning the Little Missouri River had risen to more than 20 feet, engulfing campers along the rivers in the isolated Ouachita Mountains.
Local authorities say the flash flood engulfed the U.S. Forest Service’s primitive 54-site Albert Pike campground 75 miles west of Little Rock and as of Friday afternoon the area still remained flooded and difficult to get to. More deaths are expected, though it’s difficult to determine how many people were actually in the wide-spread area. The Red Cross says there could have been as many as 300. Sixty have been rescued with two dozen hospitalized. Since the rains and flooding came quickly overnight there was little time to warn campers of the possibilities of flooding.
Questions will undoubtedly arise as to whether this tragedy could have been avoided. Was heavy rainfall predicted? Is rain of such proportions common in this area at this time of year? Were there any past instances of flooding in the area during heavy rains? Were the forest service rangers aware of the weather prediction and the possible danger ? Could the campers have been warned, even if it was in the middle of the night (a flash flood warning was issued by the National Weather Service at 2 AM–high water came at 5:30 AM)? Should the campers have known about the rain prediction and avoided that campground?
As in most catastrophes, hindsight is 20-20. But it also raises the question of what, if any, precautions we RVers should take when selecting a camping area. Do we depend on the ability of already spread-thin authorities to warn us? How much research can we be expected to do when RVing in unfamiliar areas and changing campgrounds often as we wander about the country?
The question also arises whether historical records are good enough to predict what the weather will be today or tomorrow. Is climate change causing such unpredictable weather patterns that those records are irrelevant?
It would be in our own best interests, given this unpredictability and the possibility of authorities being unable to warn us in time in the event of a problem, that we spend a bit more time assessing where we camp and when, as well a being especially informed about the weather and local conditions.
- Is it prudent taking a chance if storms are predicted–or even possible as summer storms often are in mountainous areas–and camping by a river that flows through a steep sided canyon?
- Is the entry road to a campground vulnerable to flooding or washout, preventing your departure?
- Is your campsite over-hung with heavy tree limbs that could come crashing through your roof in the event of heavy winds, or nearby dead trees that could topple?
- Did you get the latest updated weather forecast before entering the forest since reception of all your communication devices may be limited by the terrain?
It would be a wise decision to take the responsibility for your own safety and those in your care, rather than depend on authorities and the unpredictable nuances of an unsettled climate. It might save your life.
For more on boondocking and public lands camping, check out my ebook, BOONDOCKING: Finding the pPerfect Campsite on America’s Public Lands.