question regarding Lake Ponchartrain

[RobertN]

I had a question about Lake Ponchartrain, next to New Orleans. I have never been there, so I don't know anything about it.

How is the lake controlled, what feeds it, and what is it's outlet?

I am curious, because if one of the dykes on Folsom Lake(1million acre foot lake in Sierra foothills near Sacramento) were to breach or leak, I'm sure they would drop the level of the lake by opening up gates and increasing flows out of the lake. Since it is part of a bigger control system, other dams upstream could help regulate water going in to Folsom Lake.

This does not appear to have happened with Lake Ponchartrain. I am curious as to how that lake is controlled.

 

[slowrev]

Not sure, but I believe it is controlled by the height of the misissippi river, with no way to lower the lake level. A Natural lake ?

Ben

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue"> I had a question about Lake Ponchartrain </font>
Might want to try a Google on Lake Pontchartrain (note correct spelling). Here's one of the links I found. Click Here

 

[MossRoad]

USGS map of the area.

Encyclopedia entry.

 

[RobertN]

Interesting. It appears to be a natural lake, fed by some small nearby lakes and the Mighty Miss. It has no controlled outlet, ie a dam. It is a salt water tidal lake, which is interesting too.

That explains why it could not be lowered to slow the water flow into N.O.

 

[Bird]

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is one long bridge. And when they talk about fog, crosswinds, and thunderstorms, they ain't kiddin'. I drove across it in 1973 in a little 18' Winnebago Brave and was certainly glad when I got off of it. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Now who remembers the name of the blonde actress who was killed in an automobile accident on the bridge?

 

[johnday]

Jane Mansfield? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[RonL]

Bird

Would that be Jane Mansfield?

RonL

 

[johnday]

/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

Yep, that's right. I couldn't remember (old timers disease, I guess), but right after I posted that, I asked my wife and she promptly responded, "Jayne Mansfield".