The Deepest Lake in Louisiana Isn’t the One Most People Guess
(999 KTDY) - Louisiana boasts multiple beautiful lakes, but its deepest lake may not be the one most people would think it is.
Louisiana is home to countless lakes, perfect for fishing trips, weekend camping getaways, or simply soaking in the views. But as you look out across those waters, have you ever stopped to wonder just how deep they run?
If someone asked you to name the deepest lake in the state, Toledo Bend might come to mind first. Others may guess Lake Pontchartrain, or perhaps one tucked away in central Louisiana. But the real answer might surprise you.
Grand Lake, How Deep Is It?
Grand Lake in Cameron Parish is impressive on a map, covering over 42,000 acres. Did you know that Grand Lake is only about 8 miles across? Another interesting fact is that Grand Lake sits about 12 feet above sea level. As far as depth, while its name is grand, its depth is not. Grand Lake, at its deepest, is about 15 feet deep.
Toledo Bend, Is This Louisiana's Deepest Lake?
Did you know that Toledo Bend is the 5th-largest man-made lake in the country? According to officials, Toledo Bend is one of the largest lakes in America. As for Toledo Bend's dimensions, it is 10 miles across and 6 times as long as it is wide, coming in at a whopping 65 miles.
In our quest, though, we are trying to answer which lake is the deepest, and Toledo Bend is not in the top spot. It's estimated that Toledo Bend is only around 24 feet deep, which doesn't make it the deepest in our state.
Sabine Lake, Is This The Lake That Can Claim The Title Of Deepest Lake?
If you are familiar with Sabine Parish and Louisiana's border with Texas, then you likely know all about the Sabine River. If you know about Sabine River, you likely know about Sabine Lake, but is it the biggest in the state of Louisiana?
READ MORE: THESE ARE THE MOST SNAKE-FILLED LAKES IN LOUISIANA
When you look at Sabine Lake, this beautiful lake surely is a contender for being the deepest possible, but it falls short. Sabine Lake is only about 10 feet deep, which is pretty short of the record. The lake may not be the deepest, but it's home to beautiful wildlife.
Calcasieu Lake Is Beautiful, But How Deep Does It Go?
Not all that far from the Sabine Lake is Calcasieu Lake. This lake is a beautiful area that actually spans 76 square miles! You'll have plenty of space to spread out. If you are not as familiar with Calcasieu Lake, it's close to Lake Charles.
But, how deep is the water in Calcasieu Lake? Not very deep at all. The average depth of Calcasieu Lake is only around 3.3 feet!
Lake Pontchartrain Is Great For Fishing, But How Deep Is It?
Could the deepest lake be Lake Pontchartrain? Anyone who has ever traveled the Bonnet Carre spillway between Baton Rouge and New Orleans might automatically assume it's the deepest. Lake Pontchartrain is a big lake.
There is plenty of space in Lake Pontchartrain for you not to bump into others when you are on the lake. It's 40 miles in length and 25 miles wide. Lake Pontchartrain is deep, but not our winner. Lake Pontchartrain can range from 12 to 14 feet deep in some areas, but it can reach 65 feet deep.
So, at 65 feet at its deepest, this makes Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana's SECOND DEEPEST lake.
So, what is the deepest lake in Louisiana? First, let's take a little history lesson. The deepest lake in Louisiana wasn't always the deepest. At one time, it was "just another lake", until one fateful day in 1980. That gave it away, didn't it?
The Lake With the Deepest Depth Is In Iberia Parish
On November 20th, 1980, Delcambre's Lake Peigneur was the location of a drilling rig incident that would forever change the landscape of that lake. If you recall, a Texaco oil rig was doing some exploratory drilling in Lake Peigneur, looking for oil.
The oil company was using a technique called "directional drilling", which allowed them the option of drilling at an angle, not just straight down from the oil rig. Under Lake Peigneur, though, there was more than just oil; there was salt.
A salt mine company had been pulling salt out of caverns below Lake Peigneur since 1919, and, for reasons still claimed to be a mystery today, one of the caverns was pierced, eventually sending a cascade of water into the salt mine.
Amazingly, no lives were lost in the tragedy, but the resulting sinkhole swallowed acres of land, several barges, one tugboat, and the drilling platform itself. Several documentaries about the tragedy have been produced, offering a pretty good idea of the dangers the salt miners faced that day.
As a result of the incident, Lake Peigneur in Iberia Parish went from a maximum depth of around 10 feet to its current maximum depth of about 200 feet, making it Louisiana's deepest lake.
LOOK: Must-do activities at every national park
Gallery Credit: Angela Underwood
More From 92.9 The Lake
