1998 Map of North Islands

About this map

Breton National Wildlife Refuge encompasses the fragile, shifting crescent of the Chandeleur Islands in this late-20th-century topographic record. Located in St. Bernard Parish, this maritime landscape is defined by the transition from the relatively protected waters of Chandeleur Sound and Shoalwater Bay to the open Gulf of Mexico. The map details the intricate network of tidal flats, marsh, and sand spits that form these barrier islands, providing a baseline for studying coastal erosion and hurricane impacts on Louisiana's outer defenses. Unlike mainland maps, this sheet focuses entirely on the hydrographic and topographic relationship between the barrier chain and the deep Smack Channel, offering essential data for maritime historians and environmental researchers interested in the evolution of the Mississippi River delta's eastern perimeter.