Catahoula Lake
Encyclopedia
Catahoula Lake is a large freshwater
lake
located in La Salle Parish
and Rapides Parish
of central Louisiana
, United States
.
Catahoula Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in the state covering just over 46 square miles (119.1 km²). It is owned by the State of Louisiana and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
.
Catahoula is a shallow, and poorly drained wetland supported by the Little River
and several creeks
. It was drained by the Old River
, French Fork and a number of bayou
s until several flood control
projects changed the lake's drainage characteristics.
It is known as the largest moist soil unit in North America
and supports a variety of waterfowl
including geese, duck
, and wading birds and is a recreational area for hunting, fishing, hiking, sight seeing, and bird watching.
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located in La Salle Parish
La Salle Parish, Louisiana
La Salle Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of 2000, the population was 14,282. The parish seat is Jena.-Geography:The parish has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
and Rapides Parish
Rapides Parish, Louisiana
-Military Installations:*Camp Beauregard *Esler Airfield *England Air Force Base *Camp Claiborne *Camp Livingston -Demographics:...
of central Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Catahoula Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in the state covering just over 46 square miles (119.1 km²). It is owned by the State of Louisiana and managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is a state agency of Louisiana that maintains state parks and wildlife and fishery areas. The agency has its headquarters in Baton Rouge.-External links:*...
.
Catahoula is a shallow, and poorly drained wetland supported by the Little River
Little River (Louisiana)
The Little River is a tributary of the Ouachita River in central Louisiana in the United States. Via the Ouachita and Red rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River...
and several creeks
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
. It was drained by the Old River
Old River (Louisiana)
Old River, or Raccourci Old River, is a long ox-bow lake located in northern Pointe Coupee Parish and western West Feliciana Parish in Louisiana, USA. It encompassess approximately ....
, French Fork and a number of bayou
Bayou
A bayou is an American term for a body of water typically found in flat, low-lying areas, and can refer either to an extremely slow-moving stream or river , or to a marshy lake or wetland. The name "bayou" can also refer to creeks that see level changes due to tides and hold brackish water which...
s until several flood control
Flood control
In communications, flood control is a feature of many communication protocols designed to prevent overwhelming of a destination receiver. Such controls can be implemented either in software or in hardware, and will often request that the message be resent after the receiver has finished...
projects changed the lake's drainage characteristics.
It is known as the largest moist soil unit in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and supports a variety of waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
including geese, duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
, and wading birds and is a recreational area for hunting, fishing, hiking, sight seeing, and bird watching.