The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has scheduled a drawdown for Nantachie Lake in Grant Parish to manage aquatic vegetation and improve fisheries habitat. The drawdown will begin on September 4, 2023. The lake will be dewatered at a rate of 2 to 4 inches per day until it reaches 4 feet below pool stage.
The drawdown gates are scheduled to be closed on January 8, 2024, to allow the lake to refill. During the drawdown, caution is advised when on the water as numerous obstructions that are normally not seen are present.
The last drawdown conducted on Nantachie Lake occurred in 2012. While drawdowns are considered an inconvenience by some and are not expected to completely eradicate problematic vegetation, they are a critical component of an integrated strategy to manage vegetation. Drawdowns also benefit sportfish populations by exposing the bottom to air and temporarily making baitfish more available to predators. Exposing the bottom to the air accelerates the decomposition of organic matter that builds up on the bottom over time. This cycles nutrients and improves the spawning habitat in shallow areas where sportfish typically spawn.
Drawdowns are timed to take advantage of prevalent late summer, fall, and winter weather patterns. If favorable weather patterns do not occur, the effectiveness of the drawdown is reduced. For this reason, some drawdowns are very successful, while others can be less effective.
For more information about Nantachie Lake, see LDWF’s Nantachie Lake Management Plans: Lake History and Management Issues and the Waterbody Evaluation and Recommendations, updated in 2020.
For further information regarding the drawdown, contact Richard McGuffee, LDWF Biologist Manager, at (318) 487-5307 or at rmcguffee@wlf.la.gov.