THE CLOVER LEAF" DREDGE HOLE IN LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN
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~ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM Captain Paul ~

After being stumped by not knowing where the “CLOVER LEAF” was located in LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN and with the help of “TARPON TOM,” one of our readers, I researched the dredging that was done in Lake Pontchartrain. I found a location that was used to build the levee and fill the Little Woods Canal along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain from South Point ~ Point aux Herbes to Little Woods.

This dredging resulted in one of the four dredge holes located near the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

The University of New Orleans Coastal Research Laboratory (UNOCRL) and the USGS formed a joint partnership in 1998 to collect hydrographic data along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain to document bathymetric change since the early 1900's. The data they collected was processed and computer generated to create a bathymetric map of Lake Pontchartrain.

That data according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) ~ UNO in their joint survey, which was conducted in 2002, indicated that the bathymetric data (water depth measurement) of the SOUTH POINT hole is approximately 55.8 feet deep.

“The hole,” again according to USGS, “was created when sand was pumped from the Lake bottom to fill the Little Woods Canal, which ran parallel to the shoreline. Information from Orleans Levee District suggests that the sand was used to fill the canal prior to building the hurricane protection levee. Records show that clay from a borrow area near Howze Beach on the north shore was transported to the same site to cap the sand layer. This work took place in the 1970's. Since their excavations, the pits have essentially become giant sediment traps, slowly accumulating sediment from the surrounding Lake bottom.”

These dredge holes may not now be as pronounced or even be noticeable with normal consumer depth finding equipment, but I have located an APPROXIMATE position for the hole(s).

I suggest that you use these positions as a starting point and, while using your depth finder, search the area between the three listed positions. If they have not been entirely filled in by sediment, you should notice a difference in the lake bottom around the area.

The large dredge hole that resembles a three leaf CLOVER was reported to be located about 1.5 miles from South Point at a bearing of 241° (mag) and about .75 miles from the shore line at the rail road tracks.

These Dredge holes are West-Southwest of South Point~ Point aux Herbes.

The NORTHERN most part of the hole is / was located at or about 30°08.522’ N. Latitude ~ 89°54.306’W. Longitude.
The hole extends from this point towards the South west for about .6 of a mile and to the Southeast for about .5 of a mile.

The SOUTH EASTERN most part of the dredge hole is / was located at or about 30° 08.136’ N. Latitude ~ 89°54.035’W. Longitude. It is about .5 miles from the northern most location of the hole.

The SOUTH WESTERN most part of the hole is / was located at or about
30° 08040’ N. Latitude ~ 89°54.429’W. Longitude. It is about .6 miles from the northern point and .4 of a mile from the south eastern point. This part of the Clover leaf pattern is shown to be the deepest part of the three part hole.

Thanks again “TARPON TOM” for bring the location to the attention of our readers.

Unless otherwise specified, all positions are stated as H,DDD,MM.mmm and were determined using WGS 84 DATUM; All Headings/bearings/courses are in Magnetic Degrees and STATUTE miles.

~ Captain Paul ~
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