1942 Map of Lake Cataouatche West

About this map

Lake Cataouatche and Lake Salvador dominate this coastal Louisiana landscape, illustrating the intricate hydrology of the St. Charles Parish wetlands in the early 1940s. The map reveals an era of significant environmental modification, most notably through the New Orleans Netherlands Drainage District and the industrial infrastructure of the Louisiana Cypress Lumber Canal. These man-made channels intersect a network of natural watercourses including Bayou Cypriere Longue, Bayou Bois Piquant, and Bayou de Sauce. The terrain is characterized by expansive marshlands occasionally broken by features such as Bouquet des Chenes. This survey reflects the intersection of natural deltaic bayous with the deliberate efforts of the drainage and timber industries to navigate and manage the watery terrain south of the Mississippi River.