2020 Map of Main Pass

About this map

Spoonbill Bend and Tessiers Bend define the northern reaches of this coastal landscape in Plaquemines Parish, where the Mississippi River delta meets the Gulf of Mexico. The area is a complex network of wetlands and tidal passes, including Cottam Pass and Delta Pass, which navigate between shifting landmasses. The map documents numerous named ponds such as Blackbird Pond, Piling Pond, and Flatboat Pond, illustrating the high degree of fragmentation in the marsh. Isolated land features like Gaspar Island and Timber Island rise above the surrounding waters, connected by waterways such as Gaspar Bayou and Battery Bayou. This 2020 survey provides a recent look at the hydrological patterns of the lower delta, tracing the named channels and passes like Octave Pass and Scarabin Pass that are vital to local navigation and ecosystem management.