Lake Palourde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Palourde |
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 Lake Palourde
Location in Louisiana
Lake Palourde
Location in the United States
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| Location | St. Mary, St. Martin, and Assumption Parishes, Louisiana, US |
| Coordinates | 29°43′27″N 91°08′31″W / 29.7242°N 91.1420°W |
| Type | impounded lake |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 4,660 ha (11,520 acres) |
| Average depth | 1.8 m (6 ft) |
| Max. depth | 2.7 m (9 ft) |
| Shore length1 | 27.183 km (16.891 mi) |
| Settlements | Morgan City |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Lake Palourde, also known as Palourde Lake, is a large lake in Louisiana, USA. It covers about 11,520 acres (4,662 hectares) and is located right next to the city of Morgan City in St. Mary Parish.
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Exploring Lake Palourde's Location
Lake Palourde is located in Louisiana, USA. The city of Morgan City is right next to its southwest side. Important roads like US Route 90 (south), Louisiana Highway 70 (west), and Louisiana Highway 662 (southeast) run around the lake.
How Water Flows In and Out
A waterway called the Avoca Island Cut-off goes around the north and east sides of the lake. Other lakes, like Lake Verret and Grassy Lake, send their water into Lake Palourde through this cut-off. Another lake, Flat Lake, used to be connected to Lake Palourde. However, a levee built for Highway 70 now separates it.
Lake Palourde's Parishes
Lake Palourde stretches across three different parishes (like counties) in Louisiana.
- A small part of the eastern side is in Assumption Parish. This area goes from Bayou Cherami to where the water flows into Bayou Boeuf.
- The northern half and part of the eastern side are in St. Martin Parish.
- St. Mary Parish covers the southern area and the southwestern half of the lake. These parishes meet near Bayou Boeuf.
Bayou Boeuf then turns west. It also splits into other waterways, like Bayou Chene and Bayou Black.
The History Behind the Name
Early French settlers gave the lake its original name, Lac Palourde. In English, "Palourde" means "clam." They named it this because there were so many clams found along the lake's shores. Lake Palourde is also part of the huge, one-million-acre river swamp known as the Atchafalaya Basin.
Fun Parks by the Lake
Lake Palourde is a great place for outdoor activities. It is home to two parks:
- Victor Guarisco Lake End Park: This park offers a nice spot to enjoy the lake.
- Brownell Memorial Park & Carillon Tower: This park is about 9.6 acres (3.9 hectares) in size. It features a special tower called a Carillon Tower.
What is a Carillon Tower?
The Carillon Tower at Brownell Memorial Park is 106 feet (32 meters) tall. It has 61 bronze bells that were made in the Netherlands. These bells can play five octaves of music, and they range in weight from 18 pounds (8 kg) to a massive 4,730 pounds (2,145 kg)!
