1979 Map of Floating Turf Bayou

About this map

Rockefeller State Wildlife Refuge and Game Preserve dominates the southern reaches of this coastal landscape, protecting a complex network of marshes and water bodies along the Gulf coast. In the late 1970s, this area of Vermilion Parish and Cameron Parish was characterized by its intricate hydrology, where the namesake Floating Turf Bayou winds through wetlands toward the massive expanse of White Lake. The presence of several Oil Wells and a prominent Lookout Tower speaks to the region's dual identity as a managed conservation area and a site for industrial extraction. Navigation through this water-logged terrain relied on established channels like Big Pecan Bayou and named island landmarks such as Long Island, while smaller bodies like Grande Volle Lake and Bear Lake pockmark the transitional zone between open water and marsh.