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1973 Map of Catahoula

Name: 1973 Topographic Map of Catahoula
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1994
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1994

About this map

The West Protection Levee serves as a stark dividing line in this St. Martin Parish landscape, separating the structured Rice Field agricultural zones to the west from the wild, water-dominated Atchafalaya Basin Floodway to the east. Along the western edge, settlements like Catahoula and Coteau Holmes follow the winding banks of Catahoula Coulee, a pattern typical of Cajun prairie and bayou country where higher ground dictated human habitation. The Our Lady of the Lake Cem provides a local genealogical anchor for these communities.

To the east of the levee, the basin is a complex network of waterways including Crocodile Bayou, Bayou Toni, and Haha Bay. This area also shows industrial activity within the swamp, specifically at the Lake La Rose Gas Field. The contrast between the controlled drainage of Veillon Bayou and the seasonal overflow of the floodway illustrates the constant management of water in the Louisiana wetlands.