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2020 Map of Empire

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of Empire
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

The Mississippi River carves through the heart of Plaquemines Parish on this 2020 map, flanked by a complex system of levees and relief structures. Along the river's western bank, the settlements of Empire, Tropical Bend, and Nairn represent the resilient human footprint on this delta landscape. These communities are defined by their proximity to the water, linked by roads like Levee Rd and Hwy 11. The mapping of several small burial grounds, including Nairn Cem, Cannon Cem, and Mackey Cem, provides essential points of reference for genealogical research in this shifting coastal environment.

East of the river, a labyrinth of bays and passes such as Auguste Bay, Spanish Pass, and California Bay illustrates the encroaching influence of the Gulf. Civil engineering features like the Pointe A La Hache Relief Outlet and various canals, including the Doullut Canal and Ballandock Canal, reveal the ongoing efforts to manage water flow and navigation in a region where land and sea are constantly in flux.