Clear-Smithport Lake is set to undergo a significant water level reduction starting September 15, as the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), in partnership with the Bayou Pierre Game and Fish Preserve Commission, embarks on an initiative to control invasive species, reduce sediment, and enhance fish habitats, details provided by LDWF's official announcement.
The drawdown will target the aggressive expansion of giant salvinia, taking advantage of the plant's growth peak during late summer's warm temperatures, which is expected to decrease the water level by two to four inches daily—a strategy forming part of LDWF's integrated lake management plan designed to mirror natural lake overflow cycles, and accommodate seasonal recreational activities, such as fishing and boating despite the drawdown misjudging the sediment accumulation rate which could pose a risk of obstructing navigation routes and potential marine ecosystem disruption.
In an operation scheduled to last until December 15, with the goal of lowering the water by roughly four feet to a target level of 127.6 MSL, the initiative will leave an estimated 600-700 acres of water in open areas of the lake; a respite for boaters who, although encouraged to be cautious, will retain access to the main water body from the 509 Bridge DeSoto Parish Ramp with small craft, as the hidden underbelly of the lake—usually shrouded by water—reveals itself.
