2012 Map of Ellerslie

About this map

The coastal wetlands of St. Mary Parish define this landscape, where the settlements of Ellerslie and South Bend sit protected behind an extensive levee system. This 2012 survey illustrates the critical infrastructure of the region, specifically the W Bayou Sale Levee and E Bayou Sale Levee that guard these communities from the encroaching waters of West Cote Blanche Bay. The area is a complex network of natural bayous and industrial channels, including the Williams Storage Canal and the British-American Canal. Industrial activity is central to the local economy, marked by the expansive Garden City Gas and Oil Field and the Bayou Carlin Oil and Gas Field. From the banks of Bayou Sale to the interior of Fresh Water Lake, the map documents a delicate balance between human settlement, petroleum extraction, and the shifting marshlands of southern Louisiana.