| Catahoula Lake | |
|---|---|
  Catahoula Lake  Catahoula Lake | |
 | |
| Location | LaSalle /Rapides parishes,Louisiana, United States |
| Coordinates | 31°30′45″N092°06′26″W / 31.51250°N 92.10722°W /31.51250; -92.10722 |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 30,000 acres (12,000 ha) |
| Designated | 18 June 1991 |
| Reference no. | 523[1] |
Catahoula Lake (French:Lac Catahoula) is a largefreshwaterlake located inLaSalle Parish andRapides Parish of centralLouisiana,United States.
Catahoula Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in the state covering just over 46 square miles (120 km2). It is owned by the State of Louisiana and managed by theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers, theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and theLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Catahoula is a shallow, and poorly drained wetland supported by theLittle River and severalcreeks. It was drained by the Old River,French Fork and a number ofbayous until severalflood control projects changed the lake's drainage characteristics.
It is known as the largest moist soil unit inNorth America and supports a variety ofwaterfowl includinggeese,duck, andwading birds and is a recreational area for hunting, fishing, hiking, sight seeing, andbird watching. Access to the lake is limited on the western shores due to private and corporate fencing.
There has been controversy over the classification of Catahoula Lake. The area is considered a "salt lake" that was created when seismic activity caused the land to sink. The area has dry and wet periodic cycles, flooding annually from theLittle,Red,Ouachita (Black) River, andMississippi River. To advance the wildlife ecosystem, including ducks, control structures were built to enhance this annual flooding. Every year after June, most of the water is drained. This action facilitates plant growth, especially ofChufa, also called yellow nutsedge.[2] A lawsuit and district court ruling determined that the area is not a lake but a river. The ramifications of this ruling, which has been appealed to TheThird Circuit Court of Appeals, are that, as a river, it may not be managed for public use.[3]
