The Calcasieu River ( ; ) is a river on the Gulf Coast in southwestern

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

. Approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data
The National Map
, accessed June 20, 2011 it drains a largely rural area of forests and bayou country, meandering southward to the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...

. The name "Calcasieu" most likely comes through French from the Atakapa language ('Crying Eagle'), the name of a local Atakapa leader.

Course

The Calcasieu rises in Vernon Parish, north of Leesville, and flows initially southeast, passing through the Kisatchie National Forest southwest of

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

. It then turns southwest, flowing past Oakdale and Lake Charles, the largest city on the river. It enters the north end of the brackish Calcasieu Lake, an

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime enviro ...

on the Gulf of Mexico approximately southwest of Lake Charles. The lake, which is referred to by locals as "Big Lake", is connected by a channel to the gulf on the south end. The lower portion of the river south of Lake Charles is paralleled by a navigable canal which connects to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

History

In the early 19th century, the area of present-day Louisiana and

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

west of the Calcasieu River extending roughly north-south to the Arroyo Hondo in Natchitoches Parish and east of the Sabine River was disputed between the United States and

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. The dispute arose from differing interpretations of the western boundary of Louisiana under the terms of the

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...

. The area became known as Neutral Ground and became a haven for privateers outside the legal jurisdiction of both nations. During the US Civil War, a naval engagement occurred on May 6, 1864 at Calcasieu Pass, with the Confederates capturing two Union gun boats.

Water quality

Because the river passes through areas with intensive

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring un ...

refining and other industries, petrochemical wastes have been found contaminating the river and estuarine environment along the lower Calcasieu River. A 1993, a Condea Vista Chemical Company pipeline spill was reported by the company to have leaked of a highly toxic chemical known as ethylene dichloride. '' Mother Jones'' reported the spill as potentially discharging between , that would have spread throughout parts of the estuary. Sasol Ltd purchased Condea Vista in 2000 inheriting the controversy. The site was designated a "super-fund site" and Sasol has been involved in long-term legal battles that have resulted in settlements, fines, and the clean-up of affected areas. A problem is that the chemical sinks in water and becomes covered by deposits of silt. Any clean-up would inevitably stir up the covered chemical, causing further ecological damage. The lower end of the estimated spill () would be two times the 1988 US production of ethylene dichloride, which was 9,445,000 tons. 1.6 million tons were cleaned up. Any construction might disturb contaminated soil so would have to be constantly monitored.Condea Vista chemical spill
Retrieved 10-2-2015

References

{{authority control * Rivers of Louisiana Drainage basins of the Gulf of Mexico Intracoastal Waterway Rivers of Vernon Parish, Louisiana Rivers of Allen Parish, Louisiana Rivers of Cameron Parish, Louisiana Rivers of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

Course

History

Water quality

See also

References