Loading map...

2016 Map of Big Hill Bayou

Name: 2016 Topographic Map of Big Hill Bayou
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2016
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2016

About this map

Big Hill Reservoir and the surrounding coastal wetlands dominate this portion of Jefferson County, where the landscape is defined by a complex network of managed and natural waterways. The southern portion of the map is bisected by the Intracoastal Waterway, a vital artery for Gulf Coast transit that cuts through extensive marshlands like Willow Slough Marsh and past isolated landforms such as Hog Island and Gum Island.

Hydrological engineering is evident throughout the terrain, specifically in the construction of the Taylor Bayou Outfall Canal and the containment of Big Hill Bayou. These features illustrate the area's transition from a wild deltaic environment into a highly regulated industrial and drainage corridor. Scattered natural bodies of water, including Shallow Prong Lake, Johnson Lake, and Cabin Lake, persist among the man-made channels, offering a look at the original coastal prairie and marsh geography before modern infrastructure reshaped the drainage of Taylor Bayou.