LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE & FISHERIES

OFFICE OF FISHERIES INLAND FISHERIES SECTION

PART VI -A

WATERBODY MANAGEMENT PLAN SERIES

TCHEFUNCTE RIVER

LAKE HISTORY & MANAGEMENT ISSUES CHRONOLOGY

DOCUMENT SCHEDULED TO BE UPDATED ANNUALLY

June 2011 - Prepared by Melissa A. Kaintz, Biologist Manager, District 8 May 2012 – revised by Tim Ruth, Biologist Manager, District 8

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION...... 4 Impoundment ...... 4 Parish/s located...... 4 Border waters ...... 4 WATER AUTHORITY...... 5 Association ...... 5 Authorization ...... 5 ACCESS ...... 5 Boat Ramps (Appendix – Figures 2, 3, and 4)...... 5 Boat docks (Appendix – Figures 2, 3, and 4)...... 5 Piers (Appendix – Figures 2, 3, and 4)...... 5 State/Federal facilities...... 5 SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT...... 6 State/National Parks...... 6 Shoreline development by landowners ...... 6 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF RIVER...... 6 Shoreline length...... 6 Timber type...... 6 Natural seasonal water fluctuation...... 6 EVENTS / PROBLEMS ...... 6 Aquatic Vegetation ...... 6 MANAGEMENT ISSUES ...... 7

AQUATIC VEGETATION ...... 7 Treatment history by year available ...... 7 Type map ...... 8 Biomass...... 8 HISTORY OF REGULATIONS...... 8 Fish kills ...... 9 FISH KILLS / DISEASE HISTORY, LMBV...... 9 CONTAMINANTS / POLLUTION...... 10 Water quality ...... 11 Water level...... 11 BIOLOGICAL...... 12 Fish samples ...... 12 Lake records ...... 13 Stocking History ...... 13 Species profile ...... 14 Genetics ...... 17 CREEL SURVEYS ...... 17 HYDROLOGICAL CHANGES ...... 17 WATER USE...... 17 Hunting...... 17 Fishing...... 17 Trapping ...... 17 Skiing...... 17 Scuba Diving ...... 17 Swimming ...... 18 Irrigation ...... 18 REFERENCES ...... 19 APPENDIX ...... 20

3 GENERAL INFORMATION

The originates in Washington Parish and defines the boundaries between Tangipahoa, Washington, and St. Tammany Parishes. The river flows through two distinct ecological regions, the Mississippi Deltaic Plain and the upland Southeast Terraces, and is approximately 65 miles long ( Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) 1996; Appendix – Figure 1). In the 19th Century, the Tchefuncte River was used to transport building materials to for shipment to , LA. The Louisiana State Government designated the Tchefuncte River and two main tributaries, the River and the , as natural scenic rivers.

The following waterbody codes are used for the Tchefuncte River System: Headwaters to the Bogue Falaya: 40801 Bogue Falaya to LA-22: 40802 LA-22 to Lake Pontchartrain: 40803 Bogue Falaya: 40804

Impoundment

There are no impoundments, dams or other man-made structures that obstruct the flow of the Tchefuncte River.

Watershed

The Tchefuncte Watershed includes eastern portions of Tangipahoa Parish and western portions of Washington Parish and St. Tammany Parish. The Tchefuncte River is used to define part of the eastern boundary of Tangipahoa Parish and part of the western boundary of Washington and St. Tammany Parishes before turning southeastward into St. Tammany Parish where it flows into Lake Pontchartrain. The river has many small tributaries and the Bogue Falaya is the longest. The Abita River is a major tributary of the Bogue Falaya and flows into the Bogue Falaya approximately 10 miles north of the mouth of the Tchefuncte River at Lake Pontchartrain.

Parish/s located

Tangipahoa Parish, Washington Parish and St. Tammany Parish

Border waters

The Tchefuncte River is bordered by the Tangipahoa River and Bedico Creek to the west, Bayou Castine, Bayou Cane and Bayou Lacombe to the east, and Lake Pontchartrain to the south.

4 Water Authority

Association

The Little Tchefuncte River Association; President: Matthew Allen

Authorization

The State of Louisiana has authority of the state owned water bottom of the Tchefuncte River. The laws governing the natural and Scenic River systems regulate some land practices along the river and also protect the river from hydrologic alterations. The department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) regulates fisheries in all public waters that drain the Tchefuncte watershed, including the Bogue Falaya and Abita Rivers.

Access

Boat Ramps (Appendix – Figures 2, 3, and 4)

Madisonville at Lake Front: (N 30 22 42.85 W 90 09 39.17; Figure 3) T-Rivers: (N 30 22 59.11 W 90 09 35.55; Figure 3) Hwy 22: (N 30 24 16.12 W 90 09 13.95; Figure 3) Marina Del Ray: (N 30 24 17.61 W90 08 54.73; Figure 3) Three Rivers: (N 30 25 57.88 W 90 06 44.89; Figure 4) Azalea Estates: (N 30 27 24.33 W 90 06 48.26; Figure 4) Covington 4th Street: (N 30 27 21.51 W 90 06 18.19; Figure 4)

Boat docks (Appendix – Figures 2, 3, and 4)

There are small boat docks available at the following boat ramps: Madisonville at Lake Front T-Rivers Marina Del Ray Three Rivers Azalea Estates Covington 4st Street

Piers (Appendix – Figures 2, 3, and 4)

Fairview State Park Mouth of the Tchefuncte River at Lake Pontchartrain in Madisonville, LA 4th Street Boat Launch in Covington, LA

State/Federal facilities

Fairview State Park Coast Guard Facility at mouth of the Tchefuncte River at Lake Pontchartrain

5 Shoreline Development

State/National Parks

Fairview State Park

Shoreline development by landowners

The majority of Tchefuncte River shoreline development is located south of . Although there is shoreline development, approximately 90% of the corridor is still covered with natural vegetation (Herring et al. 1995).

Physical Description of River

Shoreline length

The Tchefuncte River is approximately 65 miles long (approximately 15 navigable miles). The Bogue Falaya River is approximately 23 miles long and the Abita River is approximately 18 miles long.

Timber type

Wooded swamp, bottomland hardwood, pine-hardwood, and pine plantations

Natural seasonal water fluctuation

The base flow is sustained by Lake Pontchartrain on the lower end and by the Alluvial and Southeast Louisiana Aquifers in the upper reaches (Herring et al. 1995).

Events / Problems

Aquatic Vegetation

There are currently no major issues with aquatic vegetation in the Tchefuncte River.

6 MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Aquatic Vegetation

Treatment history by year available

Biological

No biological controls have been used on the Tchefuncte River.

Chemical Herbicide applications are used annually to control emergent and floating vegetation including water hyacinth, alligatorweed, common salvinia and pennywort as seen in Table 1. Herbicide types and quantities sprayed by year are listed in Table 2.

Table 1. Area (acres) of aquatic nuisance vegetation sprayed by year (2007 – 2011) and species on the Tchefuncte River, LA.

Year Vegetation Acres (treated) 2007 Alligatorweed 9.24 2007 Pennywort 2.5 2007 Primrose 1.5 2007 Water Hyacinth 1.34 2007 Salvinia, Common 3.6 2007 Water Lettuce 16.28 Total 2007 34.46

2008 Alligatorweed 5.42 2008 Salvinia, Common 2.45 2008 Torpedo Grass 2.45 2008 Water Hyacinth 3.33 Total 2008 13.65

2009 Salvinia, Common 45.9 2009 Sedge 2.1 Total 2009 48

2010 Alligatorweed 2.6 2010 Pennywort 9.1 2010 Salvinia, Common 1.3 Total 2010 13

2011 Alligator Weed 28 2011 Pennywort 1 2011 Salvinia, Common 9 Total 2011 38

7 Table 2. Amount of chemical (gallons) used to treat aquatic nuisance vegetation by year on the Tchefuncte River, LA from 2007 – 2011.

Year Chemical Amount (Gal.) Acres (Sprayed) 2007 2,4-D 5 10 2007 Aquamaster 9.5 12.46 2007 Aquastar 2.5 3 2007 Reward 7 9 Total 2007 24 34.46

2008 Aquastar 10 13.65 Total 2008 10 13.65

2009 Aquastar 15 20 2009 Knockout 20.5 28 Total 2009 35.5 48

2010 Knockout 10 13 Total 2010 10 13 2011 Aquamaster 28 38

Type map

There is no type map available for the Tchefuncte River.

Biomass

There are no biomass estimates for aquatic nuisance vegetation in the Tchefuncte River.

History of Regulations

LDWF administers the Louisiana Natural and Scenic Rivers System, established in 1970 for the purpose of preserving, developing, reclaiming and enhancing the wilderness qualities, scenic beauty and ecological regime of designated free-flowing water bodies. A natural and scenic river is defined by law as a river, stream, or bayou that is in a free-flowing condition and has not been channelized, cleared or snagged within the past 25 years, realigned, inundated or otherwise altered, has a shoreline covered by native vegetation and has no or few manmade structures along its banks. LDWF considers the following factors for each stream: fish and wildlife habitat, typical fish and wildlife species, protected/rare/endangered/ threatened species (PRETS), geological/hydrological features, water quality, historical/archaeological, wilderness quality/scenic value and recreation (Herring et al. 1995).

The Tchefuncte River was deemed a “Natural and Scenic River” by LDWF on July 21, 1982 (Louisiana Revised Statue 56:1847). Louisiana legislation Revised Statutes 56:405 prohibits the use of certain fishing gear in the Tchefuncte River: A. The use of seines, nets, webbing, or traps of any and all types, including slat traps, for the taking of fish in the Tchefuncte River or its tributaries from its origin in

8 Washington Parish to where it empties into Lake Pontchartrain in the parish of St. Tammany, Louisiana is hereby prohibited.

Fish species which may be taken with legal recreational and commercial gears in the Tchefuncte River and its tributaries is found in Table 3 below.

Table 3. Statewide recreational and commercial fishing regulations for freshwater species in Louisiana in 2012.

STATEWIDE REGULATIONS BY SPECIES RECREATIONAL Crappie 50 daily per person; no size restriction Largemouth Bass 10 daily per person; no size restriction Catfish 100 daily per person, with the following mins: Note: A maximum of 25 undersize fish of a single or combination of all 3 may be kept within the 100 fish daily creel limit Channel Catfish 11" minimum TL Blue Catfish 12" minimum TL Flathead Catfish 14" minimum TL Striped Bass 5 daily per person; no more than 2 bass >30” Lepomis (all sunfish No limit species) White Bass 50 daily per person; no size restriction Freshwater Drum 25 daily per person; 12” minimum TL Buffalo Fish 25 daily per person; 16” minimum TL Bowfin No limit; 16” minimum TL COMMERCIAL Blue Catfish 12 inches minimum total length Buffalo 16 inches minimum total length Channel Catfish 11 inches minimum total length, 8 inches collar boned Flathead Catfish 14 inches minimum total length Freshwater Drum 12 inches minimum total length Bowfin 22 inches minimum total length. Fishermen are prohibited, while on the water, from possessing bowfin eggs (roe) that are not naturally connected to a whole fish. The taking of bowfin with nets or bowfin body parts, including eggs (roe), is prohibited during the months of December, January and February.

Fish kills

Fish kills / disease history, LMBV

There is no record of a major fish kill in the Tchefuncte River.

9 Contaminants / Pollution

The following fish consumption and swimming advisories (Tables 4 and 5) can be found on the Department of Environmental Quality/Mercury Initiative website:

http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/default.aspx?tabid=1631

Table 4. The fish consumption advisory for the Bogue Falaya and Tchefuncte Rivers, Louisiana as of 2012.

Bogue Falaya and Mercury Advisory fish Women of childbearing age and children Issued: Tchefuncte consumption less than seven years of age SHOULD 5/29/03 Rivers NOT CONSUME largemouth bass and LA040804_00 crappie and should consume no more than LA040801_00 ONE MEAL PER MONTH of freshwater LA040802_00 drum, spotted bass, or catfish combined LA040803_00 from the advisory area. Other adults and (Washington, St. children seven years of age and older Tammany, should consume no more than TWO Tangipahoa) MEALS PER MONTH of largemouth bass and crappie and no more than FOUR MEALS PER MONTH of freshwater drum, spotted bass, or catfish combined from the advisory area. Unless the fish species is specifically addressed in the details of the advisory, please limit consumption of all species in an advisory area to FOUR MEALS PER MONTH.

Table 5. Recommended swimming advisories for the Tchefuncte River, the Bogue Falaya River, and adjacent waters, for Louisiana 2012.

Swimming advisories related to FECAL COLIFORM pollution. Name Recommendations Area Date Established Tchefuncte River Avoid swimming and other 18 miles 02/04/91 primary contact water sports Bogue Falaya Avoid swimming and other 12 miles 02/04/91 primary contact water sports Lake Pontchartrain Avoid swimming and other South 06/01/85 primary contact water sports shore beaches Tangipahoa River Avoid swimming and other 79 miles 03-22-88 primary or secondary contact water sports

10 Water quality

The following water quality description is from a LDEQ Louisiana water quality inventory, Section 305(b) report, Appendix G: Descriptions of Louisiana’s Natural and Scenic Rivers (LDEQ 1996). A 2002 description of Louisiana’s Natural and Scenic Rivers was written; however, it is not available online at this time.

Tchefuncte River:

Water quality assessments for sub segments 040801 and 040802 indicate that the sub segments are not supporting water uses for primary and secondary contact recreation (Table 5). Fish and wildlife propagation for 040801 is fully supported but threatened, while for 040802 it is partially supported. The reason cited for these ratings is the presence of pathogen indicators, possibly from municipal point sources, small package plants, inflow and infiltration, pasture land, storm sewers and septic tanks. Overall water use for sub segments 040801 and 040802 are partially and not supported, respectively.

Bogue Falaya River:

Sub segment 040804 has a water quality monitoring station (58010411 at Covington, Louisiana) on this sub segment. Fish and wildlife propagation and primary contact recreation uses are not supported. Outstanding natural resource and secondary contact recreation uses are fully supported. Impairments are listed as chloride and total fecal coliform (Table 5). Sources are identified as drought-related impacts, on-site treatment systems (septic systems and similar decentralized systems), package plants or other permitted small flows discharges, and sanitary sewer overflows (collection system failures).

Water level

Water level data (Tables 6 and 7) was provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and can be found at the following website: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/la/nwis/current/?type=flow

Table 6. Mean monthly discharge (cubic feet per second, cfs) for water years 1944-2009 with maximum and minimum mean monthly discharge for the Tchefuncte River at Folsom, LA (7375000).

STATISTICS OF MONTHLY MEAN DATA FOR WATER YEARS 1944-2009, BY WATER YEAR (WY) Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Jul Aug Sept Mean 77.5 112 174 233 280 248 227 156 101 103 92.4 95.1 Max 608 800 866 1,630 1,257 621 1,227 853 373 845 426 444 (WY) 2003 1962 1954 1993 1961 1973 1983 1953 1959 2003 1983 2002 Min 27.6 39 51.3 53.8 47.9 51.5 42.5 32 35.5 30.7 28.8 29.3 (WY) 2001 2000 1970 2006 2000 2000 2000 2001 1968 2000 2000 2000

11 Table 7. Mean monthly gage height (feet) for calendar years 1988-2009 for the Tchefuncte River at Covington, LA (7375000), Bogue Falaya at Camp Covington (7375105), and Bogue Falaya at Covington (7375175).

STATISTICS OF MONTHLY MEAN GAGE HEIGHT (FEET; CALCULATED FROM 1988-2009) Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June Jul Aug Sept 7375000 10.26 10.3 10.87 11.23 11.71 11.7 10.67 10.51 10.18 10.59 10.04 10.59 7375105 34.48 34.49 34.86 34.97 35.11 35.17 34.74 34.75 34.56 34.69 34.71 34.7 7375175 1.55 1.13 0.83 1.01 1.00 1.15 1.03 1.18 1.16 0.92 1.08 1.79

Biological

Fish samples

Note: All standardized sampling data collected by Inland Fisheries from 1965 through present are computerized. Any data prior to 1965 in the form of paper documents or reports are listed below:

Pre 1965 - NONE

Standard sampling is scheduled for the Tchefuncte River every other year (Table 8). The next scheduled sample will be collected in 2012/2013.

Table 8. LDWF historical and planned sampling efforts in the Tchefuncte River system, Louisiana from 1990 till 2014.

TCHFUNCTE RIVER FISH SAMPLING 1990 Electrofishing – 4-15 minute samples (spring) 2- 15 minute samples (fall)

1994 Electrofishing – 4-15 minute samples (spring) 5-15 minute samples (fall) 2- 7.5 minute forage samples (fall)

1998 Gill nets 11- 12 hours samples; Seine 4 – 50 feet samples (summer); 2- frame or wing nets samples ( summer)

1999 Electrofishing – 8-15 minute samples (summer) 4- 15 minute samples (fall) 21- 12 hour gill net samples

2000 Electrofishing – 2-15 minute samples (spring) 7- 15 minute samples (summer) 2- 15 minute samples (winter) 23-21 hour gill net samples

2001 Gill nets 10- 12 hours samples

2003 Electrofishing – 4-15 minute samples (spring)

2006 Electrofishing – 16-15 minute samples (spring) 8- 15 minute samples (fall) 1- 7.5 minute forage samples (spring)

2007 Electrofishing – 6-15 minute samples (fall)

12 2008 Electrofishing – 4-15 minute samples (fall)

2009 Electrofishing – 8-15 minute samples (spring) 12- 15 minute samples (fall) 4- 15 minute samples (winter) 3- 7.5 minute forage samples (fall) seine 4 – 50 feet samples (summer) 2-lead net samples (spring) 2- hoop net samples (spring)

2010 Gill nets 12- 12 hours samples (winter)

2011 Electrofishing - 12-15 minute samples (spring and fall) 3-7.5 minute forage samples (fall) 4-50 foot seine samples (summer) 2-lead net samples (spring) 2-hoop net samples (spring)

2012 Gill nets 12-12 hours samples (winter)

2013 Electrofishing - 12-15 minute samples (spring and fall) 3-7.5 minute forage samples (fall) 4-50 foot seine samples (summer) 2-lead net samples (spring) 2-hoop net samples (spring)

2014 Gill nets 12- 12 hours samples (winter)

Lake records

There are no lake records for individual species available for the Tchefuncte River; however, the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association maintains a Louisiana fish records database. The following is a link to the LOWA records website: http://www.laoutdoorwriters.com/Records/LouisianaFishRecords/tabid/87/Default.aspx

Stocking History

The stocking history for the Tchefuncte River by species, year, size and number is found in Table 9 below.

Table 9. Stocking history in the Tchefuncte River, Louisiana from 2001 – 2011.

Species Date Size Total Striped Bass 2001 Fingerlings 15,000 Gulf Striped Bass 2003 Phase II 53,768 Striped Bass 2004 Phase II 7,796 Florida Largemouth Bass 2005 Phase II 2,500 Gulf Striped Bass 2005 Phase II 1,630 Bluegill 2006 Fingerlings 23,336 Red Ear Sunfish 2006 Fingerlings 47,232 Florida Largemouth Bass 2006 Fingerlings 100,133 Florida Largemouth Bass 2006 Phase II 500 Gulf Striped Bass 2006 Phase II 2,450

13 Bluegill 2008 Fingerlings 15,734 Florida Largemouth Bass 2008 Fingerlings 54,720 Florida Largemouth Bass 2008 Phase II 866 Gulf Striped Bass 2009 Phase II 4,601

Species profile

Fish and mussel species collected by LDWF, Vidrine (1993) or known to occur in the Tchefuncte River drainage are found in Tables 10 and 11 below.

Table 10. Fish species list for the Tchefuncte River, LA drainage compiled by Fishnet2 and LDWF sampling efforts.

Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi gulf sturgeon Adinia xenica diamond killifish Alosa chrysochloris skipjack herring Ambloplites ariommus shadow bass Ameiurus natalis brown bullhead Amia calva bowfin Anchoa mitchilli bay anchovy Anguilla rostrata American eel Aphredoderus sayanus pirate perch Ariopsis felis saltwater catfish Atractosteus spatula alligator gar Brevoortia patronus gulf menhaden Cyprinella venusta blacktail shiner Cyprinodon variegates sheepshead minnow Dasyatis sabina Atlantic stingray Dorosoma petenense threadfin shad Dorosoma cepedianum gizzard shad Elassoma zonatum banded pigmy sunfish Erimyzon oblongus creek chubsucker Erimyzon tenuis sharpfin chubsucker Esox americanus vermiculatus grass pickerel Esox niger chain pickerel Etheostoma chlorosomum bluntnose darter Etheostoma proeliare cypress darter Etheostoma stigmaeum speckled darter

14 Etheostoma swaini gulf darter Etheostoma zonale banded darter Fundulus chrysotus golden topminnow Fundulus grandis gulf killifish Fundulus jenkinsi saltmarsh topminnow Fundulus notatus blackstripe topminnow Fundulus notti bayou topminnow Fundulus olivaceus blackspotted topminnow Gambusia affinis mosquitofish Gobiondellus shufeldti freshwater goby Gobiosoma bosc naked goby Heterandria formosa least killifish Hybognathus nuchalis Mississippi silvery minnow Hybopsis winchelli clear chub Ictalurus furcatus blue catfish Ictalurus punctatus channel catfish Ichthyomyzon gagei southern brook lamprey Labidesthes sicculus brook silverside Leiostomus xanthurus spot Lepisosteus oculatus spotted gar Lepisosteus osseus longnose gar Lepomis cyanellus green sunfish Lepomis gulosus warmouth Lepomis macrochirus bluegill Lepomis marginatus dollar sunfish Lepomis megalotis longear sunfish Lepomis microlophus redear sunfish Lepomis miniatus red spotted sunfish Lepomis symmetricus bantam sunfish Lucania parva rainwater killifish Luxilus chrysocephalus striped shiner Lythrurus roseipinnis cherryfin shiner Membras martinica rough silverside Menidia beryllina inland silverside Micropterus salmoides largemouth bass Micropterus punctulatus spotted bass

15 Morone chrysops white bass Morone mississippiensis yellow bass Morone saxatilis striped bass Mugil cephalus striped mullet Opsopoeodus emiliae pugnose minnow Notemigonus crysoleucas golden shiner Notropis longirostris longnose shiner Notropis roseipinnis cherryfin shiner Notropis texanus weed shiner Notropis venustus blacktail shiner Noturus gyrinus tadpole madtom Noturus leptacanthus speckled madtom Noturus miurus brindled madtom Noturus nocturnes freckled madtom Paralichthys lethostigma southern flounder Percina nigrofasciata black-banded darter Percina sciera dusky darter Poecilia latipinna sailfin molly Pomoxis annularis white crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus black crappie Pylodictis olivaris flathead catfish Sciaenops ocellatus red drum Trinectes maculates hogchoker

Table 11. Freshwater mussel species list for the Tchefuncte River compiled by Vidrine 1993. Utterbackia imbecillis Paper Pondshell Strophitus subvexus Southern Creekmussel Pleurobema beadleanum Mississippi Pigtoe Uniomerus declivus Tapered Pondhorn Villosa lienosa Little Spectaclecase Anodontoides radiatus Rayed creekshell Quadrula refulgens Purple Pimpleback Fusconaia cerina Gulf Pigtoe Lampsilis claibornensis Southern Fatmucket Villosa vibex Southern Rainbow

16 Genetics

No genetic data has been collected on largemouth bass inhabiting the Tchefuncte River. However, given the number of Florida bass fingerlings that have been stocked over the years (Table 9), a genetic sample will be collected in 2013 to determine the success and influence of those introductions.

Threatened/endangered/exotic species

The following are species of conservation concern in the Pontchartrain Basin which includes the Tchefuncte River drainage: Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi), paddlefish (Polyodon spathula), flagfin shiner (Pteronotropis signipinnis), river redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum), and the Gulf logperch (Percina suttkusi) as listed in the LDWF State Wildlife Action Plan (Lester et al. 2005).

Creel Surveys

No creel surveys have been conducted on the Tchefuncte River.

Hydrological changes

There have been no hydrological changes to the Tchefuncte River. Louisiana RS 56:1853 prohibits the channelization, clearing and snagging, channel realignment, and reservoir construction on the Tchefuncte River.

Water use

Hunting

The Tchefuncte River is not generally used for hunting water fowl or other game species.

Fishing

The Tchefuncte River is popular for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Spotted bass are often targeted in the upper reaches of the river.Largemouth bass, catfishes, and crappies are targeted in the lower reaches.Spotted sea trout and red drum are targeted species at the mouth of the river.

Trapping

The Tchefuncte River is not generally used for trapping.

Skiing

The lower Tchefuncte River is a popular destination for recreational boaters, skiers, and jet- ski enthusiasts.

Scuba Diving

The Tchefuncte River is not generally used for scuba diving. The water visibility is low

17 and boat traffic is heavy.

Swimming

There are several swimming holes on the upper Tchefuncte River and residents and boaters also swim in the lower Tchefuncte River.

Irrigation

Water withdrawals are prohibited, except for withdrawals made by an individual, adjacent property owner for residential purposes only (LAC Title 76:Part IX 117)

18 REFERENCES

Herring, J.L., M.B. Watson, and D. Mire. 1995. Louisiana natural and scenic river system. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA.

Lester, Gary D., S. G. Sorensen, P. L. Faulkner, C. S. Reid, and I. E. Maxit. 2005. Louisiana Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Baton Rouge. 455 pp.

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. 1996. Louisiana water quality inventory, Section 305(b) report. Water Quality Management Division, Planning and Assessment Section, Baton Rouge, LA. 122pp.

Vidrine, Malcolm. 1993. The Historical Distributions of Freshwater Mussels in Louisiana. Division of Sciences, Louisiana State University at Eunice, PO Box 1129 Eunice, La. 70535. 249pp.

19 APPENDIX

Figure 1. Aerial view of the Tchefuncte, Bogue Falaya, and Abita Rivers throughout the Florida Parishes in Southeastern Louisiana. Photo from Google Earth 2010.

20 Figure 2. Locations of boat ramps (boat symbol) and fishing piers (fish symbol) on the Tchefuncte, Bogue Falaya, and Abita Rivers from Covington, LA to Madisonville, LA. Photo from Google Earth 2010.

21 Figure 3. Locations and names of boat ramps (boat symbol) and fishing piers (fish symbol) located along the lower Tchefuncte River south of Interstate I-12 in Madisonville, LA. Photo from Google Earth 2010.

22 Figure 4. Locations and names of boat ramps (boat symbol) and fishing piers (fish symbol) located along the upper Tchefuncte and Bogue Falaya Rivers north and south of Interstate I-12 near Covington, LA. Photo from Google Earth 2010.

23