Red River Parish, LA Environment & Hazard Risk
Very Low natural hazard risk, led by strong wind. 391 storm events since 1996.
- Expected yearly loss
- $4.02M
- Very Low nationally
- Storm events since 1996
- 391
- Most often thunderstorm wind
- Flood insurance policies
- 31
- 0.9% of homes
- Hurricanes nearby
- 1
- 5 tropical storms or stronger since 1865
Natural hazard risk
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Overall risk
Very Low
Score 16.7 of 100
Social vulnerability
Very High
Score 96.8 of 100
Community resilience
Relatively Moderate
Score 51.2 of 100
Community resilience runs the other way: a higher rating means a community can recover faster.
Building value exposed: $1.64B · Agriculture value exposed: $22.72M · Risk-adjusted yearly loss: $6.72M
Risk by hazard
- Strong windRelatively Moderate$932K/yr expected annual loss, about 5.4 events a year
- HurricaneRelatively Low$196K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 15 years
- Ice stormRelatively Moderate$87.75K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.4 events a year
- Heat waveRelatively Low$320K/yr expected annual loss, about 21 events a year
- DroughtRelatively Low$128K/yr expected annual loss, about 32 events a year
- HailRelatively Low$144K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.4 events a year
- TornadoRelatively Low$662K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
- EarthquakeVery Low$66.19K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 786 years
- LightningRelatively Low$62.47K/yr expected annual loss, about 68 events a year
- WildfireVery Low$3,794/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3,132 years
- Winter weatherVery Low$8,692/yr expected annual loss, about 2.7 events a year
- Cold waveVery Low$56.35K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
- LandslideVery Low$16/yr expected annual loss, about once every 13 years
Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.
Flood risk and insurance
National Flood Insurance Program and FEMA flood maps
Check the flood zone for an address
- Homes with flood insurance
- 31 of 3,331 (0.9%)
- Homes in high-risk flood zones
- 0
- Flood claims since 1978
- 16
- Claims paid since 1978
- $382K
Flood claims paid per year
- Hurricane Harvey$114K · 2 claims
- Late winter severe storms$72.96K · 2 claims
- Flooding$12.39K · 1 claim
Storm history
Since 1996: 391 events, 1 death, $8.83M in damage
- Thunderstorm Wind106 · 1 death
- Heat67
- Hail49
- Drought47
- Flash Flood30
- Excessive Heat25
- Tornado19
- Winter Weather11
- Flood7
- Cold/Wind Chill6
Events per year
24 tornadoes on record (EF0 5, EF1 7, EF2 2, F0 3, F1 3, F2 3, F3 1).
Most damaging storms
Since 1996, ranked by deaths, injuries and damage
- Thunderstorm Wind65 kt wind05/29/2017
Springville, Red River Parish
1 death, 1 injured
What happened
A 66 year-old female and her dog were killed when a large tree fell on her home near the 100 block of Esperanza Road in Coushatta. Another person in the home sustained minor injuries.
- Thunderstorm Wind100 kt wind02/10/1998
Coushatta, Red River Parish
$6M damage
What happened
Almost every highway and road in the area was blocked by fallen trees and powerlines. Pine, hickory and oak trees, some over 200 years old toppled onto residences, yards and fences. Powerlines were knocked down and virtually every house and business was without power for two or more days. Over 600 residences suffered various kinds of damage. The Red Cross and local power companies were called in to distribute nearly 30,000 pounds of dry ice and over 1500 five gallon bottles of distilled water.
- Flood10/15/2009
Magnolia, Red River Parish
$1M damage
What happened
Excessive heavy rainfall throughout the month of October resulted in the Red River at Coushatta to go above its 31 foot flood stage not once but twice. The first crest was recorded on the 20th of the month with the river reaching a crest of 32.5 feet. The second crest did not occur until the month of November and will be included in the November publication of Storm Data. Minor lowland flooding occurred and lowland flooding occurred between the levees. High water conditions also resulted in severe backwater flooding of Loggy Bayou. Many structures in these lowland areas were flooded from the high water conditions. The Red River across northwest Louisiana during the month of October certainly rose to its highest stages and streamflows on record for any October. The lock channels between Shreveport and Coushatta, Louisiana had to be closed due to the high water conditions. This has never occurred since the Lock and Dams were completed back in 1995.
- TornadoF3, 7 mi path, 200 yd wide04/24/2000
Coushatta, Red River Parish
$500K damage
What happened
A high precipitation supercell produced a tornado as part of a tornado outbreak across the region. Damage consisted of large pine trees snapped and oak trees blown down. Most damage to residences were from fallen trees. A number of outbuildings were damaged by either fallen trees or wind. This tornado entered from De Soto Parish, LA and exited into Natchitoches Parish, LA.
- Wildfire10/15/2015
Red River
$400K damage
What happened
With D4 Exceptional Drought conditions ongoing across Red River Parish during the middle of October, the wildfire danger was very high. A wildfire began in the Martin Community during the afternoon of October 15th and quickly spread to near 500 acres. The fire consumed grassland and timberland. The location was north of Hwy. 155 between St. Mary Church Road and LA. Hwy. 507. Five structures were lost including one inhabited dwelling but there were no injuries. One tractor was also lost. The fire was 100% contained as of 7 pm on October 16th.
- TornadoEF2, 8.9 mi path, 1,800 yd wide04/07/2018
Magnolia, Red River Parish
$225K damage
What happened
This is a continuation of the tornado from Eastern Desoto Parish. This tornado quickly widened and intensified to EF-2 with estimated maximum winds of 125 mph shortly after crossing Bayou Pierre and entering Red River Parish, where it produced significant tree damage with numerous snapped and uprooted trees along and near Highway 177. It also snapped a few utility poles and caused significant damage to a large metal structure where it buckled the support beams as it crossed Highway 177. The tornado continued east where it paralleled Highway 371 and snapped numerous trees. The tornado was at its strongest and widest as it crossed Highway 84 near the Armistead community, where it destroyed a metal building and a few smaller metal structures along with snapping numerous utility poles. It continued to parallel Highway 84 east where it destroyed several more metal outbuildings, a farm irrigation system, and snapped more utility poles. It caused additional tree damage and snapped more utility poles along Riverfront Road before crossing the Red River and entering the south side of Coushatta. The tornado moved more east southeast where it crossed Clark Street resulting in more...
Latest storm reports
Newest first
- Heat07/27/2026
Red River
- Excessive Heat07/22/2026
Red River
- Heat07/20/2026
Red River
- Drought07/01/2026
Red River
- Flash Flood06/20/2026
Springville, Red River Parish
- Drought06/01/2026
Red River
- Drought05/01/2026
Red River
- Drought04/01/2026
Red River
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Storms whose track crossed Red River Parish, with the wind when it passed
- Hurricane Barry (2019)07/10/2019 · Landfall: LA · 993 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby
- Hurricane Gustav (2008)08/25/2008 · Landfall: LA · 941 mbTropical storm46 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1938)08/10/1938 · Landfall: LATropical storm40 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1886)10/08/1886 · Landfall: LACategory 175 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1865)09/06/1865 · Landfall: LATropical storm58 mph nearby
Drinking water
11 community water systems serve about 12,339 people. Violations since 2021.
8 systems had health-based violations, such as a contaminant over the legal limit or a missed treatment step. 6 systems had a violation of any kind still open at last report.
- Town of Coushatta Water SystemServes 3,300 · Groundwater · Local government7 health violations
- Fairview Union Water SystemServes 2,346 · Surface water · Private44 health violations+16 monitoring or reporting
- Bayou Pierre Water SystemServes 1,371 · Groundwater · Private9 health violations+5 monitoring or reporting
- Martin Water SystemServes 1,350 · Groundwater · PrivateNo health violations+2 monitoring or reporting
- Village of Hall Summit Water SystemServes 756 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
- Social Springs Water System NorthServes 744 · Groundwater · Private5 health violations
- Social Springs Water System SouthServes 576 · Groundwater · Private1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
- Hickory Grove Water SystemServes 570 · Purchased surface water · Private4 health violations+6 monitoring or reporting
Largest systems by population served. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or notices were late or missing, not that the water was unsafe.
Climate
1991-2020 normals at Ashland, 13 mi from the county center
Summer highs peak around 93°F in Aug and winter lows bottom out near 34°F in Jan. About 56.7 inches of rain falls in a typical year, with 0.5 inches of snow.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 34°F | 5.38 in | 0.1 in |
| Feb | 62°F | 38°F | 5.24 in | 0.3 in |
| Mar | 69°F | 45°F | 5.56 in | - |
| Apr | 76°F | 51°F | 5.25 in | - |
| May | 83°F | 61°F | 4.63 in | - |
| Jun | 89°F | 67°F | 4.00 in | - |
| Jul | 92°F | 71°F | 3.81 in | - |
| Aug | 93°F | 70°F | 3.18 in | - |
| Sep | 88°F | 63°F | 3.92 in | - |
| Oct | 78°F | 52°F | 4.56 in | - |
| Nov | 68°F | 42°F | 4.99 in | - |
| Dec | 59°F | 36°F | 6.18 in | 0.1 in |
| Year | 64°F average | 56.7 in | 0.5 in | |
Pollution sites
0 Superfund sites and 2 toxic release facilities in Red River Parish
Superfund sites
None in this parish.
Toxic release facilities
- ARQ Solutions (Operations) LLC173,220 lbs released, Coushatta
- Coushatta Forest Products Inc.53.1 lbs released, Coushatta
Total: 173,273 lbs in 2024, 127,008 lbs to air.
Superfund sitesToxic release facilitiesEPA inspections and enforcementAir toxics cancer risk2 historic places
Frequently asked questions
- How risky is Red River Parish for natural disasters?
- FEMA rates Red River Parish very low for overall natural hazard risk, with expected losses of $4.02M a year. The highest-rated hazards are strong wind (relatively moderate), hurricane (relatively low), ice storm (relatively moderate).
- What storms are most common in Red River Parish?
- Since 1996, NOAA recorded 391 storm events affecting Red River Parish, most often thunderstorm wind (106), heat (67), hail (49).
- How many tornadoes have hit Red River Parish?
- 24 tornadoes have been recorded in Red River Parish since 1950, including 1 rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
- How many homes in Red River Parish have flood insurance?
- 31 residential flood insurance policies are in force in Red River Parish, covering about 0.9% of homes. The program has paid $382K on 16 claims here since 1978.
- What is the weather like in Red River Parish?
- At Ashland, average highs reach 93°F in Aug and lows fall to 34°F in Jan, with 56.7 inches of rain a year (1991-2020 normals).
Source: FEMA (National Risk Index, NFIP), NOAA (Storm Events, HURDAT2, Climate Normals), EPA · Last updated 08/01/2026 · Storm counts include events in forecast zones that touch the county. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.