What does Atchafalaya mean in English?

“Atchafalaya” (uh-CHA-fuh-lie-uh) is an American-Indian word meaning long river. Established in 2006, the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area stretches across 14 parishes in south-central Louisiana.

Is the Whiskey Bay Pilot Channel man made?

The system is surrounded by levees that direct water from the Mississippi River through the Basin to the Gulf of Mexico. The river’s new main passage, for example, follows the man-made Whiskey Bay Pilot Channel, while the previous channel through Butte La Rose is silting in.

How deep is the Atchafalaya Swamp?

12 feet
The Atchafalaya River is maintained at a depth of 12 feet by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. At the port, the channel is approximately 1,000 feet wide, providing ample clearances for anchorage and fleeting. The Port is located adjacent to State Hwy. 105 and one mile south of U.S. Hwy 190.

Where is the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana?

south-central Louisiana
The Atchafalaya Basin is located in south-central Louisiana and is bounded by the Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR) system levees. The basin encompasses approximately 374,000 acres of fresh marsh, bottomland hardwoods, cypress swamps, and open water.

How long is Atchafalaya Basin Bridge?

96,096′Atchafalaya Basin Bridge / Total length
The Atchafalaya Basin Bridge on I-10 is 18.2 miles (or 96,100 feet) in length. Also known as the Louisiana Airborne Memorial Bridge, the bridge is a pair of parallel structures that carry traffic over the Atchafalaya Basin between Baton Rouge and Lafayette.

Are there alligators in the Atchafalaya Basin?

Alligators range from central Texas eastward to North Carolina. Of the almost 4.5 million acres of alligator habitat available in Louisiana, coastal marshes account for more than 3 million, followed by cypress-tupelo swamp (750,600 acres), Atchafalaya Basin swamp (207,000 acres), and lakes (32,105 acres).

What is the scariest bridge in Louisiana?

The Calcasieu River Bridge in Louisiana is one of the most dangerous bridges in the entire state, but there does look like there’s hope for a plan of attack for repairs.

What is the problem with the Atchafalaya River?

Throughout the Atchafalaya Basin, we’re seeing degraded water quality, reduced forest health, and damaged habitat for wildlife. In some places, water flows the wrong way, causing semi-permanent flooding that hurts forests.

Why is the Atchafalaya Basin so low?

Oil and gas pipelines disrupt the natural movement of flow and sediment within the wetlands. The development of the Lower Atchafalaya River, from a tidal to a riverine system, has created natural levees along the banks of the river, disrupting the movement of flow and sediment into the wetlands.

What towns are in the Atchafalaya Basin?

The area between Lafayette and Baton Rouge offers a number of Atchafalaya Basin swamp tours, operating from communities such as Breaux Bridge, Henderson, St. Martinvile and Plaquemine (see map below).

What is there to do in Atchafalaya Basin?

Exhibits and movie inside portray the history and lifestyles of the Atchafalaya Basin. Statues of birds and animals commonly found in the area on display, along with a flat-bottomed crawfishing boat. Prehistoric Park and more.

Where is the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area?

The Atchafalaya National Heritage Area Stretches far… Well into the Gulf of Mexico! In the heart of Louisiana lies a vast natural wonder with a storied past. Welcome to America’s largest freshwater swamp: the Atchafalaya River Basin.

How do I get to the Atchafalaya Welcome Center?

Follow signs to parking. From the East, take exit 121, curved ramp to LA 3177, Atchafalaya River Highway. Turn right. Pass two entrances to truck parking; cross under Interstate; pass entrance to boat ramp (unless you are fishing) entrance to Welcome Center is to the right.

How do I get to Atchafalaya River Highway?

From the West, take exit 121 ramp to La 3177, Atchafalaya River Highway. Turn left, then left again at the Atchafalaya sign. Follow signs to parking. From the East, take exit 121, curved ramp to LA 3177, Atchafalaya River Highway. Turn right.