Little River (Louisiana): Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Tributary of Ouachita River in Louisiana, USA}}

{{Infobox river

| name = Little River

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| map = {{maplink|from=Little River (Louisiana).map |type=line |frame=yes |plain=yes |frame-align=center |frame-width=270 |frame-height=200}}

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| map_caption = Little River

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| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = [[United States]]

| subdivision_type2 = State

| subdivision_name2 = [[Louisiana]]

| subdivision_type3 = Parishes

| subdivision_name3 = {{hlist |[[Grant Parish, Louisiana|Grant]] |[[LaSalle Parish, Louisiana|LaSalle]] |[[Rapides Parish, Louisiana|Rapides]] |[[Catahoula Parish, Louisiana|Catahoula]]}}

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| length = {{convert |96|mi|km}}

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| source1 = Confluence of [[Dugdemona River]] and [[Castor Creek (Little River)]]

| source1_location = Near [[Georgetown, Louisiana]]

| source1_coordinates= {{coord |31.7966|N|92.3627|W|format=dms}}

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| mouth = [[Ouachita River]]

| mouth_location = [[Jonesville, Louisiana|Jonesville]]

| mouth_coordinates = {{coord |31.6273|N|91.8091|W|format=dms}}

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| city = [[Jonesville, Louisiana|Jonesville]]

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The '''Little River''' is a {{convert|96|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}}<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. [http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ The National Map] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329155652/http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/ |date=2012-03-29 }}, accessed June 3, 2011</ref> [[tributary]] of the [[Ouachita River|Ouachita (Black) River]] in central [[Louisiana]] in the [[United States]].<ref>[http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/L/L05061-little-river.html Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry for Little River] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929121816/http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/L/L05061-little-river.html |date=2007-09-29 }}</ref> Via the Ouachita and [[Red River of the South|Red]] rivers, it is part of the [[drainage basin|watershed]] of the [[Mississippi River]]. According to the [[Geographic Names Information System]], the Little River has also been known historically as "Bayou Des Nacitoches," "Catahoula Bayou," and "Catahoula River."<ref>{{Gnis|555092|Little River}}</ref>

The Little River is formed about {{convert|3|mi|0}} northeast of [[Georgetown, Louisiana|Georgetown]] by the confluence of the [[Dugdemona River]] and [[Castor Creek (Little River)|Castor Creek]]. It flows initially southeastwardly along the boundaries of [[Grant Parish, Louisiana|Grant]], [[LaSalle Parish, Louisiana|LaSalle]], and [[Rapides Parish, Louisiana|Rapides]] parishes, before turning east-northeastwardly into LaSalle Parish through [[Catahoula Lake]], which is bordered by the [[Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge]]. In the twentieth century the waste from the oil production and exploration damaged the riparian lands in LaSalle Parish.<ref>Arnold, John, and Andrew Jacoby. (2017). “Examining the Public Trust Doctrine’s Role in Conserving Natural Resources on Louisiana’s Public Lands.” ''Tulane Environmental Law Journal'', vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 181-182, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/90008696 JSTOR website] Retrieved 10 December 2021.</ref> After passing through the lake, the Little River continues east-northeastwardly into [[Catahoula Parish, Louisiana|Catahoula Parish]], where it joins the Ouachita River from the west at [[Jonesville, Louisiana|Jonesville]], just downstream of the mouth of the [[Tensas River]].<ref>[[DeLorme]] (2003). ''Louisiana Atlas & Gazetteer''. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. {{ISBN|0-89933-286-2}}</ref> (Below the mouth of the Tensas, the Ouachita River is sometimes known as the "Black River."<ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/69/40/O03240.html Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry for Ouachita River] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041121133105/http://www5.bartleby.com/69/40/O03240.html |date=2004-11-21 }}</ref>)

The Little River, as measured at the USGS station at [[Rochelle, LA]], has a mean annual discharge of 2,260 cubic feet per second.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://waterdata.usgs.gov/la/nwis/annual/?format=sites_selection_links&search_site_no=07372200&agency_cd=USGS&amp;referred_module=sw |title = USGS Surface Water data for Louisiana: USGS Surface-Water Annual Statistics}}</ref>

The state government of Louisiana has designated the uppermost {{convert|53|mi}} of the Little River (above Catahoula Lake) as a "Natural and Scenic River." This portion of the river flows through a mixed [[oak]]-[[Black Tupelo|gum]] bottomland forest interspersed with stands of [[Taxodium distichum|bald cypress]]. The Kisatchie Wold is a natural ridge which borders the north side of the stream.<ref>Delcourt, Hazel R. “Presettlement Vegetation of the North of Red River Land District, Louisiana.” ''Castanea'', vol. 41, no. 2, 1976, pp. 122–39. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4032662 JSTOR website] Retrieved 1 July 2023.</ref> Sixty prehistoric [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] archaeological sites have been identified along this stretch of the river.<ref>Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (2002). [http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/tabid/2200/Default.aspx State of Louisiana Water Quality Management Plan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061009220958/http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/tabid/2200/Default.aspx |date=2006-10-09 }}: [http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/Portals/0/planning/305b/2002/pdf/305b-AppenidixB.pdf Appendix B: Descriptions of Louisiana's Natural and Scenic Rivers (PDF)]</ref>

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://www.fws.gov/catahoula/ Catahoula National Wildlife Refuge]

{{coord|31.62823|N|91.81013|W|source:GNIStemplate_region:US-LA|display=title}}

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[[Category:Rivers of Catahoula Parish, Louisiana]]

[[Category:Rivers of Grant Parish, Louisiana]]

[[Category:Rivers of LaSalle Parish, Louisiana]]

[[Category:Rivers of Rapides Parish, Louisiana]]

[[Category:Tributaries of the Red River of the South]]

[[Category:Ouachita River]]