Caddo Lake

Caddo Lake Facts

• The intriguing title of Caddo Lake serves as the most frequently employed common name for this captivating creation of natural processes. Yet, it does have several other general titles. These include such terms as Big Cypress Bayou, Ferry Lake, and Saw Mill Pond, among others.
• Regardless of which of these monikers one chooses to use, the site stands out, both in the minds of many individuals, and officially. Its borders contain one of the largest flooded cypress forests in its region. It’s also one of the few natural non-oxbow lakes in the generally arid area.
• The local Indigenous Peoples long knew of the existence of this stunning natural marvel, of course. Archaeological evidence indicates that the ancestors of the Caddo people, the most recent to inhabit the region, lived in the area for centuries, utilizing the lake and its resources.
• European exploration of the area began in the 18th and early 19th centuries. While there isn’t a single figure credited with discovering the remarkable natural feature, both Spanish and French explorers in the region likely encountered the lake during their various expeditions.
• Its incredible and unique natural beauty and distinctive attributes continue to serve Caddo Lake well today, however. Due to these, the amazing feature now holds several formal distinctions which provide it with a certain degree of protection from the depredations of man.
• The site now represents part of an internationally protected wetland under the Ramsar Convention. It also serves as the linchpin component of the aptly-named Caddo Lake State Park and Wildlife Management Area. Efforts to protect and maintain its pristine state continue.

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Caddo Lake Physical Description

Most notably, the fabulous Caddo Lake represents a comparatively large example of its uniquely specific type of geological feature. That holds true due to the fact that the impressive site actually has a total surface area measuring around 26,810 acres (10,850 ha).

In addition, the remarkable location actually sits at a surprisingly low elevation. In fact, the surface of the lake sits at an average altitude above sea level of only 161 ft (49 m). However, the precise altitude naturally varies slightly due to such factors as rainfall and evaporation.

But, quite surprisingly, the average depth of the bayou portion of the fascinating Caddo Lake remains different than that of the lake itself. The lake itself has an average depth ranging from 8 – 10 ft (2.4 – 3.0 m). Meanwhile, the bayou actually averages a depth of roughly 20 ft (6.1 m).

Caddo Lake Formation, History, and Ecology

Firstly, the truly incredible Caddo Lake formed in a unique location. That’s because the site now straddles the border between two states in the United States, in North America. Secondly, and more specifically, this marvel of Nature sits on the border between the states of Louisiana and Texas.

However, the exact time period in which the lake formed, as well as the manner in which it formed, remains a subject of debate. Firstly, the legends of the Caddo state that it formed as a result of a series of powerful earthquakes, that occurred between the years 1811-1812.

But secondly, some experts think it formed in an entirely different manner, and at a slightly later date. That’s because these experts believe it formed due to the occurrence of a gargantuan log jam. This log jam, which blocked a 100-mile (160 km) stretch of the Red River, occurred in the 1830’s.

Further, the local Native Americans used the lake for their purposes for untold centuries, perhaps longer. Commercial development, however, began in earnest in the 19th century. This happened subsequent to the invention of the steamboat, and the acquisition of the region by the United States.

Not surprisingly, in addition to its own natural beauty, Caddo Lake also serves as home to an impressive array of plant and animal life. Most notably among the flora is the extensive cypress swamp. Yet, the area also hosts large numbers of eagles, frogs, bobcats, otters, alligators, and North American Beaver, to name just a few species.

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