Lake Pontchartrain, Estuary in southeastern Louisiana, United States.
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary in southeastern Louisiana connected to the Gulf of Mexico through narrow waterways. The shallow body of water spans a wide area and is lined with marshy shores, residential neighborhoods, and small harbors.
French explorers reached the estuary in the late 1600s and named it after a minister at the court of Louis XIV. Over the centuries, the shoreline was settled and the connection to the Gulf shaped the development of New Orleans.
Residents simply call it
A long causeway crosses the water and links the north shore to the New Orleans area. Visitors who drive to the shoreline will find parks and boat launches that can experience wind-driven waves and strong currents.
The water often appears brown due to sediments from rivers and swamps, not pollution. Under certain weather conditions, the surface can look as smooth as glass, while on other days waves form that challenge small boats.
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