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1973 Map of Barataria

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Barataria
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1976
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1976

About this map

The settlement of Barataria sits at the northern edge of this coastal landscape, marked by local community landmarks like St Anthony Ch and St John Ch. This 1970s orthophotomap reveals a transition in the Louisiana wetlands where natural bayous meet an extensive industrial infrastructure of the mid-20th century. The complex web of the Intracoastal Waterway and various man-made canals, such as the Paillet Canal and Dry Cypress Canal, segments the marshland to facilitate maritime transport and resource extraction.

Energy production dominates the interior reaches, with widespread operations visible across the South Barataria Oil and Gas Field and the Lake Salvador Oil Field. Numerous platforms and drill holes are scattered throughout the wetlands and the open waters of Lake Salvador. This survey documents a critical period of coastal development where the boundaries between Jefferson, Lafourche, and St. Charles Parishes intersect amidst a labyrinth of waterways like Bayou Perot and Rigolettes Bayou.