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2020 Map of Lake Athanasio

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

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

Lake Athanasio and its surrounding wetlands define this coastal landscape near the boundary of St. Bernard Parish and Plaquemines Parish. The area is characterized by a complex network of bays, such as Saint Helena Bay, and connecting waterways like Pass Fernandez and Bayou Frenepiquant. This environment is significantly influenced by the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet Canal, which bisects the northern reaches of the map, altering the flow between the open waters and the interior marshes.

Small landmasses including Gardner Island, Grassy Island, and Deadman Island are scattered throughout the shallows, while coastal features like Fiddler Point and Point Eloi mark the irregular shoreline. The map illustrates the fragile state of these Louisiana wetlands, showing the vast expanse of open water in Lake Eloi and Lake Fortuna that borders the shrinking marshland. For researchers, this survey documents the specific hydrology of the Breton Sound region in the early 21st century.