Lake Peigneur Depth: Louisiana’s Deepest Lake Unveiled

Lake Peigneur: A Geological Marvel in Southern Louisiana

Lake Peigneur, tucked in southern Louisiana near Delcambre, reaches a maximum depth of 200 feet, making it the deepest lake in the state. This striking depth is a dramatic contrast to its pre-1980 status, when the lake was relatively shallow and used for recreation. Before the incident, the lake was known for its picturesque views and recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming, attracting both locals and tourists alike.^[3]^[7]

A Geological Twist that Reshaped a Lake and Its Surroundings

In November 1980, an oil exploration well drilled into a salt mine beneath Lake Peigneur, triggering a seismic collapse that caused the lake to drain into the mine and then reflood in a reverse flow. The event created a braided, funnel-like basin and left the lake with a depth of up to 200 feet at its deepest point, a transformation that stunned locals and researchers alike. This unexpected geological event not only altered the physical characteristics of the lake but also had significant implications for the surrounding environment, impacting local wildlife and the ecosystem.^[5]^[7]

What This Depth Means for the Lake Today

Today, Lake Peigneur maintains its brackish profile, with salinity levels influenced by its unique hydrogeology and the surrounding Vermilion Bay watershed. The depth figure of 200 feet anchors its distinction among Louisiana’s water bodies and contributes to ongoing interest from geologists, historians, and outdoor enthusiasts seeking to understand how dramatically a man-made accident can reshape a landscape. This depth also affects the types of fish and other aquatic life that can thrive in the lake, making it a subject of study for biologists and ecologists.^[7]^[3]

By the Numbers: Quick Facts on Lake Peigneur

Feature	Measurement
Maximum depth	200 feet (61 meters).^[1]^[3]
Surface area	approximately 1,125 acres (455 hectares), situating the lake as a sizable feature in the Acadiana region.^[3]
Location	about 1.2 miles north of Delcambre and roughly 9.1 miles west of New Iberia, placing it near Vermilion Bay in southern Louisiana.^[7]

Cultural and Educational Significance

The depth and history of Lake Peigneur offer a compelling case study in geology, hydrology, and disaster anthropology. Its 1980 disaster underscores how subsurface features, such as salt mines, can dramatically alter surface water bodies, transforming a shallow recreational lake into a deep, brackish expanse with a lasting legacy on local communities and land use. This transformation has led to increased educational opportunities, with schools and organizations using the lake as a real-world example of geological processes and their impacts on human activity.^[5]^[7]

Where to Learn More

For readers seeking detailed timelines and visualizations of the 1980 event and the lake’s depth profile, reputable sources and encyclopedic entries provide comprehensive overviews, including maps showing the lake’s altered basin and cross-sectional depth data. Primary references include historical summaries and geological analyses from encyclopedic and regional history sources. Additionally, documentaries and local historical societies often offer insights into the lake's transformation and its significance in the broader context of Louisiana's geological history.^[1]^[7]