Prien Lake is a

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana Calcasieu Parish (; french: Paroisse de Calcasieu) is a parish located on the southwestern border of the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 216,785. The parish seat is Lake Charles. Calcasieu Parish is part ...

. It is located west of Prien, Louisiana, and south of the Israel LaFleur Bridge. The city of Lake Charles is located to the northeast.

History

Prien Lake was historically located along the

Calcasieu River The Calcasieu River ( ; french: Rivière Calcasieu) is a river on the Gulf Coast in southwestern Louisiana. Approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 20, ...

. Construction of the

Calcasieu Ship Channel The Calcasieu Ship Channel is a waterway that connects the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana, with the Gulf of Mexico. Its existence allows the Port of Lake Charles, which is more than 30 miles from the Gulf, to be the 11th largest seaport in the Un ...

was completed in 1941, and included the construction of the Rose Bluff Cutoff, northwest of Prien Lake. The cutoff enabled a more efficient navigational route, and isolated Prien Lake from the direct flow of the river. Prien Lake connects to the Calcasieu Ship Channel at three places on the north and west sides of the lake. The land is owned by the Fobbs family. The Fobbs family is in the process of getting their land back.

Characteristics

Development within the Prien Lake watershed is 36 percent commercial or residential, and 5 percent industrial. The lake has several wetlands which are considered sensitive environments. The lake's designated uses, according to the

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) (french: Département de Qualité Environnemental de Louisiane) is a state agency of Louisiana that monitors the environment of the state. It is headquartered in the Galvez Building in downto ...

, are recreation, and the propagation of fish and wildlife. Prien Lake supports both recreational and commercial fishing, and fish species include croaker, redfish, speckled trout, flounder, and black drum. Two public parks provide access to Prien Lake. Prien Lake Park has a public boat launch, parking, and picnic areas. LaFleur Park has a boat launch, beach for swimming, parking, and picnic areas.

References

{{authority control Bodies of water of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana Lakes of Louisiana Lake Charles, Louisiana