News
Updated as of April 20, 2002.

Study Area
Lots of pictures, maps, and background info on our hydrology, ecology and environment, land and resources uses, and selected sites.

Studies and Surveys
Descriptions of our projects and studies.

Publications and Data

• Publications
• Hydrologic and Chemical Data
• Maps and Geographic (GIS) Data
• Ecological Data

Personnel and Links
Have a question? Talk to us, or find other online locations of Louisiana information.

Site Map
And accessibility features.

For more information on USGS activities in Louisiana and the Nation, please visit the following websites:

NAWQA Home
Louisiana District
Water Resources Division
U.S. Department of the Interior

The Acadian-Pontchartrain Study Unit is located in the southern half of Louisiana, encompassing non-Mississippi-mainstem drainages, and Mississippi distributaries. This area includes the Calcasieu, Mermentau, Vermilion-Teche, Grosse Tete/Verret, Terrebonne, Barataria, and Pontchartrain basins. Land uses include a mixture of urban and rapidly urbanizing/industrial areas, large areas of mixed forest and pasture, and areas of rice and sugarcane crops.

Because much of the water in the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers originates outside of the study area, this project does not directly address water-quality issues concerning these two rivers or the underlying alluvial aquifers. Other programs within the USGS, such as the National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN), monitor the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers.

The following sections describe the various physical characteristics and resource uses of southern Louisiana:

• Surface- and Ground-water Hydrology
• Major Ecosystems and Regions
• Land and Resource Uses
• Basin and Site Information - coming soon!