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1973 Map of Bastian Bay

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Bastian Bay
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1989
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1989

About this map

Bastian Bay and the surrounding marshlands of Plaquemines Parish appear here as a complex network of wetlands and industrial infrastructure in the early 1970s. This orthophotomap, derived from 1971 aerial photography, reveals the intensive footprint of energy extraction within the coastal landscape. A widespread Oil and Gas Field dominates the interior, crisscrossed by numerous pipelines and dotted with features like a Gas Well and a Drill Hole.

Coastal geography is defined by the fragile barrier of Bastian Island and Shell Island, separating the inner bays from the Gulf of Mexico. The map details the aquatic arteries of the region, from the wide reach of Lake Washington and Adams Bay to the narrow Meyers Canal. Industrial utility is further evidenced by the Pumping Station near Bay Chaland, highlighting the managed nature of this tidal environment during a period of significant offshore and coastal development.