Black Lake (Louisiana)
Encyclopedia
Black Lake is a reservoir
located between Creston and Campti
in northern Louisiana
. Water feeds into Black Lake from Black Lake Bayou
, a watershed that extends from north of Gibsland
in Bienville Parish and south to Clarence
in Natchitoches Parish. through the parishes of Claiborne
, Webster, Bienville, Red River and Natchitoches. The elevation of the lake is 102 feet (31.1 m). Louisiana Highway 9
runs across Black Lake. On the west side of Hwy 9 the body of water is called Black Lake—the east is called Clear Lake or Clear Lake Bayou. The Clear Lake side is near another body of water: Saline Lake. Between Clear Lake and Saline Lake is the Alan Chiverly Dam, constructed in 1934. Road 1226 also extends between the lakes.
People who reside around Black Lake use the Campti
and Clarence ZIP Code
s which are 71411 and 71414 and are in the Lakeview Jr/Sr school district. There are also boat launches and campgrounds for fishing and recreation. Bell's Camp, founded in 1936 by the late Albert and Eva Bell, is still operated by their daughter, Joy Bell Wimberly (born 1924). Nearby is a catfish
and steak restaurant
known as Sea and Sirloin, which opened in the early 1980s.
trees. There are channels cut into the lake that allow clearance for boats. Boats stay in the channels or risk grounding the bottom of the boat on tree stumps. The aquatic vegetation such as moss
, seaweed
and algae
are also visible at surface level.
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
located between Creston and Campti
Campti, Louisiana
Campti is a town in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,057 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statistical Area. Campti is a flat area of mostly farmland. It sets on the eastern bank of the Red River...
in northern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. Water feeds into Black Lake from Black Lake Bayou
Black Lake Bayou
Black Lake Bayou is a waterway in northwest Louisiana, USA, that extends from north of Gibsland and travels south to Clarence. The watershed covers much of northwest Louisiana. The bayou meanders its way through Claiborne Parish, Webster, Bienville, Red River and Natchitoches parishes...
, a watershed that extends from north of Gibsland
Gibsland, Louisiana
Gibsland is a town in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, United States. Conveniently near Interstate 20 and less than an hour from both Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana, Gibsland offers small town living with access to urban amenities...
in Bienville Parish and south to Clarence
Clarence, Louisiana
Clarence is a village in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 499 at the 2010 census. It is located some seven miles east of the parish seat of Natchitoches and is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statistical Area....
in Natchitoches Parish. through the parishes of Claiborne
Claiborne Parish, Louisiana
Claiborne Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Homer and as of 2000, the population is 16,851.-History:The parish is named for the first Louisiana governor, William C. C. Claiborne....
, Webster, Bienville, Red River and Natchitoches. The elevation of the lake is 102 feet (31.1 m). Louisiana Highway 9
Louisiana Highway 9
Louisiana Highway 9 is a state highway that serves Natchitoches Parish, Bienville Parish, and Claiborne Parish in north Louisiana. It spans , running a north–south route.-Route description:...
runs across Black Lake. On the west side of Hwy 9 the body of water is called Black Lake—the east is called Clear Lake or Clear Lake Bayou. The Clear Lake side is near another body of water: Saline Lake. Between Clear Lake and Saline Lake is the Alan Chiverly Dam, constructed in 1934. Road 1226 also extends between the lakes.
People who reside around Black Lake use the Campti
Campti, Louisiana
Campti is a town in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,057 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Natchitoches Micropolitan Statistical Area. Campti is a flat area of mostly farmland. It sets on the eastern bank of the Red River...
and Clarence ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
s which are 71411 and 71414 and are in the Lakeview Jr/Sr school district. There are also boat launches and campgrounds for fishing and recreation. Bell's Camp, founded in 1936 by the late Albert and Eva Bell, is still operated by their daughter, Joy Bell Wimberly (born 1924). Nearby is a catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
and steak restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
known as Sea and Sirloin, which opened in the early 1980s.
Landscape
Black Lake is wide in some places such as at the Hwy 9 bridge and tight in other places because of the growth of cypressCypress
Cypress is the name applied to many plants in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is a conifer of northern temperate regions. Most cypress species are trees, while a few are shrubs...
trees. There are channels cut into the lake that allow clearance for boats. Boats stay in the channels or risk grounding the bottom of the boat on tree stumps. The aquatic vegetation such as moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
, seaweed
Seaweed
Seaweed is a loose, colloquial term encompassing macroscopic, multicellular, benthic marine algae. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae...
and algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
are also visible at surface level.