Lake Maurepas
Encyclopedia
Lake Maurepas is located in southeastern Louisiana
approximately halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge
directly west of Lake Pontchartrain
.
, an eighteenth-century French
statesman
, chief adviser to King Louis XVI.
tidal estuarine system. It is approximately 240 km2. in area and has a mean depth of about 3.0 meters. The lake receives freshwater input through four river systems: Blind River, Amite River
, Tickfaw River
, and the Natalbany River. The average freshwater input to Lake Maurepas from these rivers and other minor terrestrial sources is <3,400 cubic feet per second (CWPPRA Environmental Workgroup, 2001). At the northeast, Lake Maurepas is connected to Lake Pontchartrain
by two passes: Pass Manchac and North Pass. The land between these two passes forms Jones Island and the passes converge on the eastern side of the island into one unified Manchac Pass. Tidal exchange with Lake Pontchartrain through Pass Manchac is a more significant influence on Lake Maurepas’s volumetric and elevation characteristics than tributary freshwater discharge. The mean astronomical tide in Lake Maurepas is approximately 0.15 m (0.5 ft); however, greater tidal amplitudes are associated with meteorological events (i.e., winds) that influence both Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. This results in interesting patterns of tidal exchange and, presumably, in situ mixing on weekly and fortnightly
time scales. The lake’s salinity
is directly influenced by exchange with Lake Pontchartrain. Salinities in Lake Maurepas have been observed to range between 0 and 3 parts per thousand (Day et al., 2004). Typically, salinities are higher along the eastern shore, near Pass Manchac. Due to Lake Maurepas’s shallow depths, even relatively low energy wave action results in sediment resuspension
and, therefore, relatively high turbidities
and low transparencies which influence the degree to which primary production can occur in the water column and benthos
.
, and swim. There are two main events each year that happen in Lake Maurepas called "Lake Bash". This occurs around Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
approximately halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
directly west of Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
.
Namesake
Lake Maurepas was named for Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de MaurepasJean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de Maurepas
Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de Maurepas was a French statesman.He was born at Versailles, the son of Jérôme Phélypeaux, secretary of state for the marine and the royal household...
, an eighteenth-century French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
, chief adviser to King Louis XVI.
Characteristics
Lake Maurepas is a round-shaped, shallow, brackishBrackish water
Brackish water is water that has more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in estuaries, or it may occur in brackish fossil aquifers. The word comes from the Middle Dutch root "brak," meaning "salty"...
tidal estuarine system. It is approximately 240 km2. in area and has a mean depth of about 3.0 meters. The lake receives freshwater input through four river systems: Blind River, Amite River
Amite River
The Amite River is a tributary of Lake Maurepas in Mississippi and Louisiana in the United States. It is about long. It starts as two forks in southwestern Mississippi and flows south through Louisiana, passing Greater Baton Rouge, to Lake Maurepas. The lower of the river is navigable...
, Tickfaw River
Tickfaw River
The Tickfaw River runs from Amite County in southwest Mississippi to Livingston Parish in southeast Louisiana. Its mouth opens into Lake Maurepas, which conjoins with Lake Pontchartrain.Alternate/historical names and spellings:*Rio De San Vicente...
, and the Natalbany River. The average freshwater input to Lake Maurepas from these rivers and other minor terrestrial sources is <3,400 cubic feet per second (CWPPRA Environmental Workgroup, 2001). At the northeast, Lake Maurepas is connected to Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
by two passes: Pass Manchac and North Pass. The land between these two passes forms Jones Island and the passes converge on the eastern side of the island into one unified Manchac Pass. Tidal exchange with Lake Pontchartrain through Pass Manchac is a more significant influence on Lake Maurepas’s volumetric and elevation characteristics than tributary freshwater discharge. The mean astronomical tide in Lake Maurepas is approximately 0.15 m (0.5 ft); however, greater tidal amplitudes are associated with meteorological events (i.e., winds) that influence both Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. This results in interesting patterns of tidal exchange and, presumably, in situ mixing on weekly and fortnightly
Fortnight
The fortnight is a unit of time equal to fourteen days, or two weeks. The word derives from the Old English fēowertyne niht, meaning "fourteen nights"....
time scales. The lake’s salinity
Salinity
Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates...
is directly influenced by exchange with Lake Pontchartrain. Salinities in Lake Maurepas have been observed to range between 0 and 3 parts per thousand (Day et al., 2004). Typically, salinities are higher along the eastern shore, near Pass Manchac. Due to Lake Maurepas’s shallow depths, even relatively low energy wave action results in sediment resuspension
Suspension (chemistry)
In chemistry, a suspension is a heterogeneous fluid containing solid particles that are sufficiently large for sedimentation. Usually they must be larger than 1 micrometer. The internal phase is dispersed throughout the external phase through mechanical agitation, with the use of certain...
and, therefore, relatively high turbidities
Turbidity
Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality....
and low transparencies which influence the degree to which primary production can occur in the water column and benthos
Benthos
Benthos is the community of organisms which live on, in, or near the seabed, also known as the benthic zone. This community lives in or near marine sedimentary environments, from tidal pools along the foreshore, out to the continental shelf, and then down to the abyssal depths.Many organisms...
.
Interesting Facts
Lake Maurepas is a popular weekend getaway for local boaters. There are two shallow areas along the Western shoreline known as "the beach" or "the sandbar", which are popular locations to drop anchor and sunbathe, barbecueBarbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
, and swim. There are two main events each year that happen in Lake Maurepas called "Lake Bash". This occurs around Memorial Day and Labor Day.