1994 Map of Star Lake

About this map

The Mc Faddin National Wildlife Refuge dominates this coastal Jefferson County landscape, where the managed wetlands of the Salt Bayou Marsh meet the Gulf of Mexico. Industrial and environmental interests coexist across the terrain, notably at the Big Hill Strategic Petroleum Reserve and the adjacent Big Hill Oil Field. A complex network of engineering features, including the Intracoastal Waterway, various Spoil Areas, and an extensive system of Levees, dictates the movement of water through the Spindletop Marsh. These structures protect critical infrastructure like the Big Reservoir and various pumping stations from the tidal influences of the Gulf. For researchers, the map provides a clear record of the intersection between federal energy reserves and large-scale coastal conservation efforts during the mid-1990s.