Louisiana’s Larto Saline Control Structure Fails

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries 01.29.13

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) personnel have confirmed that a portion of Cross Bayou Weir has failed. As a result, the Larto-Saline Complex in central Louisiana has begun to dewater and will soon become equal with the water level of Black River.

The Cross Bayou Weir is a low-water dam designed to allow inflow of beneficial Black River water. Current estimates suggest that the water level of the complex could fall an additional 6 feet without immediate repairs.

The Cross Bayou Weir and similar structures at Long Branch and Open Mouth Bayou are considered to be primarily responsible for the renovation of the Larto-Saline sport fishery. Waters previously impaired by flood control projects have provided excellent fishing since LDWF constructed the structures in the late 1980’s. LDWF staff recognize the urgency of the situation and are currently assessing damage to the structure and will initiate repairs as soon as possible.

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – Enforcement Division(LDWF) is the fish & game regulatory agency of Louisiana. It has jurisdictionanywhere in the state, and in state territorial waters. The agency enforces both state and federal laws dealing with hunting, fishing, and boating safety. The agency also enforces criminal laws in rural areas including DWI enforcement both on highways and waterways. Most of the Department’s Wildlife Agents also carry Federal law enforcement commissions issued from the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Department of Commerce - U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). These federal commissions allow these state officers to enforce federal migratory waterfowl laws and federal marine fisheries laws in state and federal waters off the coast of Louisiana. Besides their traditional role as a “game warden”, Louisiana Wildlife Enforcement Agents also have a number of other responsibilities, including conducting board of health inspections on some portions of the state’s commercial fishing industry. Agents are trained in and conduct numerous search and rescue operations, both in remote land areas and on the state’s waterways. Agents ensure that hunters, anglers, boaters, dealers, breeders, farmers, and transporters are in compliance with regulations governing equipment, quotas, licenses, and registrations. Agents also assist other State departments and law enforcement agencies in the coordination of educational and professional endeavors, as well as national and state emergency alerts by the Federal Office of Emergency Preparedness. In addition, agents perform search and rescue missions alone or in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies.