LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE & FISHERIES OFFICE OF FISHERIES INLAND FISHERIES SECTION PART VI -A WATERBODY MANAGEMENT PLAN SERIES ATCHAFALAYA BASIN LAKE HISTORY & MANAGEMENT ISSUES 1 CHRONOLOGY October, 2009 – Prepared by Mike Walker, Biologist Supervisor, District 9 July, 2011 – Updated by Mike Walker, Biologist Manager, District 9 February, 2014 – Updated by Brac Salyers, Biologist Manager, District 9 September, 2014 – Updated by Brac Salyers, Biologist Manager, District 9 September, 2015 – Updated by Brac Salyers, Biologist Manager, District 9 September, 2016 – Updated by Brac Salyers, Biologist Manager, District 9 September, 2017 – Updated by Brac Salyers, Biologist Manager, District 9 September, 2018 – Updated by Brac Salyers, Biologist Manager, District 9 September, 2019 – Updated by Brac Salyers, Biologist Manager, District 9 September, 2020 – Updated by Brac Salyers, Biologist Manager, District 9 The remainder of this page intentionally left blank. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS LAKE HISTORY ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 GENERAL INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................. 5 History ................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Size ......................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Watershed .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 Pool Stage .............................................................................................................................................................. 8 Location ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Border Waters........................................................................................................................................................ 8 LAKE AUTHORITY .............................................................................................................................................. 8 Association ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 Authorization ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 ACCESS ................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Boat Launches ....................................................................................................................................................... 8 State/Federal Facilities ......................................................................................................................................... 8 SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT............................................................................................................................ 9 State/National Parks .............................................................................................................................................. 9 Shoreline Development by Landowners................................................................................................................. 9 PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF LAKE ................................................................................................................ 9 Timber Type ........................................................................................................................................................... 9 Average Depth ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 Maximum Depth .................................................................................................................................................... 9 Natural Seasonal Water Fluctuation ..................................................................................................................... 9 EVENTS/ PROBLEMS ......................................................................................................................................... 10 MANAGEMENT ISSUES ........................................................................................................................................ 11 AQUATIC VEGETATION ................................................................................................................................... 11 Biomass ................................................................................................................................................................ 11 Chemical Control ................................................................................................................................................ 12 Biological Control ............................................................................................................................................... 17 HISTORY OF REGULATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 17 Recreational......................................................................................................................................................... 17 Commercial ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 FISH KILLS, DISEASE HISTORY, LMBV ................................................................................................................ 18 CONTAMINANTS / POLLUTION ..................................................................................................................... 19 Water Quality ...................................................................................................................................................... 19 BIOLOGICAL ....................................................................................................................................................... 20 Fish Samples Taken by LDWF............................................................................................................................. 20 Lake Records ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 Stocking History .................................................................................................................................................. 21 Species Profile ..................................................................................................................................................... 22 Largemouth Bass Genetics .................................................................................................................................. 26 Age and Growth ................................................................................................................................................... 26 Threatened/Endangered Species .......................................................................................................................... 26 Exotic Species ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 Mussel Sampling .................................................................................................................................................. 26 CREEL SURVEYS ................................................................................................................................................ 27 Historic Information ............................................................................................................................................ 27 Recent Methods.................................................................................................................................................... 28 HYDROLOGICAL CHANGES ........................................................................................................................... 29 Atchafalaya Basin Levees .................................................................................................................................... 29 Dredging .............................................................................................................................................................. 30 Water Control Structures, etc. ............................................................................................................................. 31 Improvements for Access, Fish and Wildlife, and Recreation ............................................................................. 35 WATER USE ........................................................................................................................................................