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1987 Map of Saranac

Name: 1987 Topographic Map of Saranac
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1987
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1987

About this map

The low-lying wetlands and alluvial plains of Tensas Parish are defined here by a dense network of meandering waterways and drainage systems typical of the Mississippi Delta. Newellton stands as the primary hub of activity in the east, supported by the Newellton Airport, while the smaller settlement of Saranac anchors the southwestern reaches near Big Choctaw Bayou. The landscape is a complex of oxbow remnants and swampy depressions, including Saddletree Lake, Brushy Lake, and Molen Lake.

Evidence of long-term human habitation is visible at the Indian Mounds near a small Cem, suggesting the area's significance well before modern surveying. Extensive water management is marked by the Levee systems and Routh Ditch, which work to control the flow of Clark Bayou and Palmetto Slough. This environment illustrates the persistent effort to reconcile agricultural and settlement needs with the natural hydrological cycles of the Louisiana bottomlands.