Loading map...

1983 Map of Mississippi River Delta

Name: 1983 Topographic Map of Mississippi River Delta
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1983
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1983

About this map

The Mississippi River winds through the heart of the lower delta, flanked by a narrow ribbon of development along La 23 that includes Port Sulphur, Buras, and Venice. This 1983 topographic-bathymetric study reveals the complex relationship between industrial utility and environmental conservation in the wetlands. The vast Sulphur Mining Area sits adjacent to sensitive coastal habitats like the Delta National Wildlife Refuge and the Bohemia State Wildlife Management Area.

Mapping the seafloor depths of the Gulf of Mexico, the survey details the shifting shoals and passes that define the river's mouth, including Pass a Loutre and Southwest Pass. From the Grand Terre Islands to the Breton Islands, the map documents a landscape of fragile barrier islands and tidal bays like Barataria Bay and California Bay, providing a clear view of the deltaic plain before decades of further coastal change.