U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Fact Sheet 2016–3048

July 2016

Prepared in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development 

Water Resources of Livingston Parish, Louisiana

Introduction

Information concerning the availability, use, and quality 

of water in Livingston Parish, Louisiana (fig. 1), is critical 

for proper water-resource management. The purpose of this 

fact sheet is to present information that can be used by water 

managers, parish residents, and others for stewardship of this 

vital resource. Information on the availability, past and current 

use, use trends, and water quality from groundwater and 

surface-water sources in the parish is presented. Previously 

published reports (see References Cited section) and data stored 

in the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Water Information 

System (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis) are the primary sources 

of the information presented here. 

In 2010, about 13.6 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) of 

water were withdrawn in Livingston Parish, almost all from 

groundwater sources1

 (table 1). Withdrawals for public-supply 

use accounted for nearly 87 percent (11.76 Mgal/d) of the total 

water withdrawn (table 2). Other categories of use included 

industrial, rural domestic, livestock, general irrigation, and 

aquaculture. Water-use data collected at 5-year intervals from 

1960 to 2010 (fig. 2) indicated that water withdrawals peaked 

in 2005 at about 13.9 Mgal/d. The general rise in groundwater 

withdrawals since 1975 is largely attributable to increasing 

withdrawals for public supply from 0.82 Mgal/d in 1960 to 

11.76 Mgal/d in 2010 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2016). 

1

Water-withdrawal data are based on estimated or reported site-specific data 

and aggregated data, which are distributed to sources. For a full description of 

water-use estimate methodology, see “Data Collection” in Sargent (2011). Tabulation of numbers across text and tables may result in different totals because of 

rounding; nonrounded numbers are used for calculation of totals. 

55

12

10

190

42

GULF OF MEXICO

LIVINGSTON

TEXAS

PARISH

ARKANSAS MISSISSIPPI

LOUISIANA

Baton Rouge

0 5 10 MILES

0 5 10 KILOMETERS

Chicot equivalent

aquifer system

Jasper

equivalent

aquifer system

EXPLANATION

Approximate altitude of base of fresh

 groundwater, in feet below National 

 Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 

 (modified from Smoot, 1988)—Deepest 

 freshwater contained within the Jasper

 equivalent aquifer system, except where

 noted

 600 to 699

 700 to 799

 2,500 to 2,999

 3,000 and deeper

Area where intermediate sands contain 

 saltwater

Approximate boundary of area showing

 deepest freshwater contained within

 overlying Chicot equivalent aquifer 

 system

Fault at ground surface (modified from 

 McCullo_h, 1991, and Tomaszewski, 2011)

River subbasin boundary

Line of section (see fig. 3)

Well for which hydrograph is shown

 (see fig. 4)

U.S. Geological Survey surface-water

 discharge site and number

U.S. Geological Survey surface-water

 quality site and number (see table 4)

A'A

Li-122

07376000

07376500

Base modified from U.S. Geological Survey digital data

Albers Equal-Area Conic projection

North American Datum of 1983

ST HELENA

PARISH

TANGIPAHOA

LIVINGSTON PARISH

PARISH

ST HELENA

PARISH

TANGIPAHOA

 PARISH

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST

PARISH

ST JAMES

PARISH

EAST FELICIANA PARISH

LIVINGSTON

PARISH

ASCENSION

PARISH

EAST BATON ROUGE

PARISH

90°45' 90°35' 90°55'

30°35'

30°25'

30°15'

30°45'

90°25'

DENHAM SPRINGS-SCOTLANDVILLE FAULT

BATON ROUGE FAULT

Lake

Maurepas

subbasin

Tickfaw subbasin

Amite subbasin

A

A'

Natalbany River

Colyell Bay

Amite River

Tickfaw

River

Natalbany River

Hog Branch

Grays Creek

Colyell Bay

Blind River

Lake

Maurepas

Amite River

Diversion Canal

Blood Rive

Li-122 r Li-52

Li-185

07380120

07376000

07376500

07378500

301500090300000

Denham

Springs Livingston

Port

Vincent

Holden

Baptist

Figure 1. Location of study area, Livingston Parish, Louisiana.
Table 1. Water withdrawals, in million gallons per day, by source 

in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, 2010 (Sargent, 2011; B.P. Sargent, 

U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2011).

Aquifer system or

surface-water body Groundwater Surface water

Chicot equivalent

aquifer system

2.17

Evangeline equivalent 

aquifer system

4.92

Jasper equivalent

aquifer system

6.46

Miscellaneous streams 0.04

Total 13.55 0.04

Table 2. Water withdrawals, in million gallons per day, by use 

category in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, 2010 (Sargent, 2011).

Use category Groundwater Surface water Total

Public supply 11.76 0.00 11.76

Industrial 0.10 0.00 0.10

Rural domestic 1.40 0.00 1.40

Livestock 0.05 0.04 0.09

General irrigation0.06 0.00 0.06

Aquaculture 0.18 0.00 0.18

Total 13.55 0.04 13.59

1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

Year

Annual withdrawal, in million gallons per day

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Groundwater

Surface water

EXPLANATION

Figure 2. Water withdrawals in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, 

1960–2010 (Sargent, 2011).

Groundwater Resources

The primary sources of fresh groundwater (water with a 

chloride concentration of 250 milligrams per liter [mg/L] or 

less) in Livingston Parish are, from shallowest to deepest, the 

Chicot equivalent, Evangeline equivalent, and Jasper equivalent 

aquifer systems (fig. 3). The aquifer systems have similar 

characteristics: southerly dipping and thickening unconsolidated 

deposits of silt, sand, and gravel separated by discontinuous 

layers of clay and sandy clay. Recharge to the aquifer systems 

results primarily by infiltration of precipitation in a regional 

area that extends northward from northern Livingston Parish 

into southwestern Mississippi about 100 miles (mi) (Griffith, 

2003). The Denham Springs-Scotlandville Fault and the Baton 

Rouge Fault are east-west trending growth faults that extend EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIVINGSTON PARISH DENHAM SPRINGS- SCOTLANDVILLE FAULT BATON ROUGE FAULT LIVINGSTON PARISH EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH ASCENSION PARISH

“2,800-foot” sand

“2,400-foot” sand

“2,000-foot” sand

“2,400-foot” sand

“2,400-foot” sand

“1,500-foot” sand

“1,700-foot” sand

“2,000-foot” sand

“1,200-foot” sand

“1,000-foot” sand

“1,000-foot” sand

“1,200-foot” sand

“800-foot” sand

“600-foot” sand

“400-foot” sand

“600-foot” sand

“400-foot” sand

“1,500-foot” sand

“1,200-foot” sand

“800-foot” sand

“600-foot” sand

GonzalesNew Orleans

aquifer

Norco 

aquifer

“1,500-foot” sand

“1,000-foot” sand

“1,700-foot” sand

“2,000-foot” sand

“400-foot” sand

“2,800-foot”

sand

“2,000-foot” sand

“800-foot” sand

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

? ?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

BEND INSECTIONBEND INSECTIONBEND INSECTION

FEET

200

NGVD 29

-200

-400

-600

-800

-1,000

-1,200

-1,400

-1,600

-1,800

-2,000

-2,200

-2,400

-2,600

-2,800

-3,000

-3,200

400

FEET

200

NGVD 29

-200

-400

-600

-800

-1,000

-1,200

-1,400

-1,600

-1,800

-2,000

-2,200

-2,400

-2,600

-2,800

-3,000

-3,200

400 DENHAM

SPRINGS

A’

SOUTH

A

NORTH

Chicot equivalent

aquifer system

Evangeline equivalent aquifer system

Jasper equivalent aquifer system

0

5

5

0 10 KILOMETERS

10 MILES

VERTICAL SCALE GREATLY EXAGGERATED

EXPLANATION

Freshwater in sand

Saltwater in sand—Saltwater contains

 greater than 250 milligrams per liter chloride

Clay

Lithologic contact—Separates 

 clay and sand layers. Dashed where 

 approximate. Queried where uncertain

Hydrogeologic contact—Defines boundary

 between conjoined or merged aquifers

Fault

?

Hydrogeologic contact—Defines boundary

 between aquifers or aquifer systems

Figure 3. Generalized north-to-south hydrogeologic section 

through parts of western Livingston Parish, Louisiana (modified 

from Griffith, 2003). Trace of section shown on figure 1. 
across the parish (fig. 1). There is little evidence that the Denham 

Springs-Scotlandville Fault affects groundwater hydrology in 

the parish, but the Baton Rouge Fault generally coincides with 

an abrupt change in water quality and potential changes in water 

levels in aquifers underlying the parish. North of the fault, 

freshwater is found consistently from the shallowest aquifers 

to the base of freshwater; south of the fault, many intermediate 

aquifers contain saltwater (water with a chloride concentration 

greater than 250 mg/L) (Griffith, 2003). 

Chicot Equivalent Aquifer System

The primary aquifers composing the Chicot equivalent 

aquifer system in Livingston Parish are, from shallowest 

to deepest, the shallow sands of the Baton Rouge area, the 

Gonzales-New Orleans aquifer, the Upland terrace aquifer, and 

the “400-foot” and “600-foot” sands of the Baton Rouge area 

(Griffith, 2003). A clay layer is generally present at or near land 

surface in Livingston Parish (Tomaszewski, 1988). The bottom of 

the aquifer system reaches depths of about 1,200 feet (ft) below 

the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) near 

the southern parish line (Griffith, 2003). 

In 2014–15, water levels in the Chicot equivalent aquifer 

system in Livingston Parish ranged from a high of about 75 ft 

above NGVD 29 along the northern parish line to a low of near 

the NGVD 29 south of the Baton Rouge Fault. The general 

direction of groundwater flow was southward (R.B. Fendick,

U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2015). Water levels

in the “400-foot” sand declined about 8 ft during 1990–2015 at 

well Li-122 (fig. 4), which is located in east-central Livingston 

Parish (fig. 1). 

State well-registration records listed 2,638 active water 

wells screened in the Chicot equivalent aquifer system in 

Livingston Parish in 2015, including 2,410 domestic, 115 public 

supply wells, 98 irrigation wells, and 15 industrial wells. Depths 

of these wells ranged from 11 to 928 ft below land surface, 

with reported yields ranging from 2 to 500 gallons per minute 

(gal/min) (Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, 2015). 

In 2010, withdrawals from the Chicot equivalent aquifer system 

in Livingston Parish totaled about 2.17 Mgal/d (table 1) and 

included about 0.49 Mgal/d for public supply, 0.09 Mgal/d for 

industry, 1.40 Mgal/d for rural-domestic use, 0.04 Mgal/d for 

livestock, 0.05 Mgal/d for general irrigation, and 0.10 Mgal/d 

for aquaculture (B.P. Sargent, U.S. Geological Survey, written 

commun., 2015). 

The Evangeline Equivalent Aquifer System

The Evangeline equivalent aquifer system in Livingston 

Parish comprises the “800-foot,” “1,000-foot,” “1,200-foot,” 

“1,500-foot,” and “1,700-foot” sands of the Baton Rouge area 

(fig. 3). These aquifers are generally composed of fine- to 

coarse-grained sand, with the altitude of the base of the aquifer 

system ranging from about 1,200 ft below NGVD 29 near the 

northern parish line to about 2,800 ft below NGVD 29 near the 

southern parish line (Griffith, 2003). 

The “1,500-foot” and “1,700-foot” sands typically 

have similar water levels, indicating that these sands are 

hydraulically connected. In 2003, water levels in the “1,500-

foot” and “1,700-foot” sands north of the Baton Rouge Fault 

ranged from about 115 ft above NGVD 29 in the extreme 

northeastern corner of the parish to about 45 ft below NGVD 29 

in western Livingston Parish. The direction of groundwater flow 

was generally to the southwest (Prakken, 2004). Water levels in 

the “1,700-foot” sand declined about 14 ft during 1990–2015 

at well Li-52 (fig. 4), located north of Highway I-12 in eastern 

Livingston Parish (fig. 1). 

State well-registration records listed 74 active water 

wells screened in the Evangeline equivalent aquifer system in 

Livingston Parish in 2015, including 39 domestic, 28 public 

supply, 5 irrigation, and 2 industrial wells. Depths of these wells 

ranged from 315 to 2,300 ft below land surface, with reported 

yields ranging from about 10 to 1,900 gal/min (Louisiana 

Department of Natural Resources, 2015). In 2010, withdrawals 

from the Evangeline equivalent aquifer system in Livingston 

Parish were about 4.92 Mgal/d (table 1) and included about 

4.89 Mgal/d for public supply, 0.01 Mgal/d for industrial 

use, 0.01 Mgal/d for livestock, and less than 0.01 Mgal/d for 

general irrigation (B.P. Sargent, U.S. Geological Survey, written 

commun., 2015). 

Year

1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016

Water level, in feet

-50

-25

0

25

50

75

100

Well: Li-52

Aquifer: "1,700-foot" sand of the Baton Rouge area

Aquifer system: Evangeline equivalent

Altitude of land surface: 46 ft above NGVD 29

Well depth: 1,865 ft below land surface 

Well: Li-122

Aquifer: "400-foot" sand of the Baton Rouge area

Aquifer system: Chicot equivalent

Altitude of land surface: 11 ft above NGVD 29

Well depth: 500 ft below land surface 

Well: Li-185

Aquifer: "2,400-foot" sand of the Baton Rouge area

Aquifer system: Jasper equivalent

Altitude of land surface: 37 ft above NGVD 29

Well depth: 2,611 ft below land surface 

Figure 4. Water levels in 

well Li-122 screened in the 

Chicot equivalent aquifer 

system, well Li-52 screened 

in the Evangeline equivalent 

aquifer system, and well 

Li-185 screened in the Jasper 

equivalent aquifer system in 

Livingston Parish, Louisiana 

(see fig. 1 for well locations; 

U.S. Geological Survey, 2015a). 

Altitudes of land surface and 

water level are measured in 

feet (ft) relative to the National 

Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 

(NGVD 29).
The Jasper Equivalent Aquifer System

The Jasper equivalent aquifer system in Livingston Parish 

comprises the “2,000-foot,” “2,400-foot,” and “2,800-foot” 

sands of the Baton Rouge area (fig. 3), which are generally 

composed of fine- to coarse-grained sand (Griffith, 2003). The 

altitude of the base of the aquifer system is not well defined but 

is probably about 2,000 ft below NGVD 29 near the northern 

parish line to over 3,400 ft below NGVD 29 near the southern 

parish line (Griffith, 2003). Saltwater is present in the lower 

sands of the aquifer system in the southern part of the parish. 

Groundwater in the “2,000-foot,” “2,400-foot,” and 

“2,800-foot” sands in Livingston Parish generally flows 

westward towards withdrawal centers at or near the city of 

Baton Rouge in neighboring East Baton Rouge Parish (fig. 1) 

(Martin and others, 1988). In 2006, water levels in the “2,800-

foot” sand north of the Baton Rouge Fault ranged from about 

60 ft above NGVD 29 in the northeastern corner of the parish to 

less than 10 ft below NGVD 29 near Denham Springs (Fendick, 

2007). Water levels in the “2,400-foot” sand declined about 20 

ft during 1990–2015 at well Li-185 (fig. 4), located in western 

Livingston Parish (fig. 1). 

State well-registration records listed 49 active water wells 

screened in the Jasper equivalent aquifer system in Livingston 

Parish in 2015, including 33 public supply, 10 domestic, 

4 irrigation, and 2 industrial. Depths of these wells ranged 

from 1,540 to 3,081 ft below land surface, with reported yields 

ranging from about 10 to 1,934 gal/min (Louisiana Department 

of Natural Resources, 2015). In 2010, withdrawals from the 

Jasper equivalent aquifer system in Livingston Parish were 

about 6.46 Mgal/d (table 1) and included about 6.39 Mgal/d for 

public supply and 0.08 Mgal/d for industrial use (B.P. Sargent, 

U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2015). 

Groundwater Quality

Analyses of water samples from the Chicot, Evangeline, 

and Jasper equivalent aquifer systems in Livingston Parish 

indicated that freshwater from these aquifer systems is generally 

soft,2 with median values within U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency’s Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCLs)3

for color, pH, chloride, and dissolved solids (table 3). Median 

values for temperature generally increased with depth, whereas 

median color values remained constant. Locally, concentrations 

of iron and manganese can greatly exceed SMCLs. 

Surface-Water Resources 

Surface-water resources in Livingston Parish are present 

in the regional Lake Maurepas Basin, which is divided into 

three subbasins in Livingston Parish. The Lake Maurepas Basin 

(Hydrologic Unit Code [HUC] 080702) comprises the Amite 

subbasin (HUC 08070202) which drains much of the western 

2

Hardness ranges, expressed as milligrams per liter of calcium carbonate, are 

as follows: 0–60, soft; 61–120, moderately hard; 121–180, hard; greater than 

180, very hard (Hem, 1985). 3

The SMCLs are nonenforceable Federal guidelines regarding cosmetic 

effects (such as tooth or skin discoloration), aesthetic effects (such as taste, 

odor, or color), or technical effects (such as damage to water equipment or 

reduced effectiveness of treatment for other contaminants) of drinking water. 

SMCLs were established as guidelines by the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (2016).

half of the parish (fig. 1), the Tickfaw subbasin (HUC 08070203) 

which drains much of the eastern half of the parish, and the Lake 

Maurepas subbasin (HUC 08070204) which drains the southern 

tip of the parish. Streams in Livingston Parish generally flow in 

a southerly or easterly direction, receive flow from groundwater 

discharge and runoff, and eventually discharge into Lake 

Maurepas. In 2010, about 0.04 Mgal/d of surface water were 

withdrawn from miscellaneous streams (table 1) in Livingston 

Parish for livestock (table 2). 

Amite Subbasin

The Amite subbasin extends from southern Livingston 

Parish northward into Mississippi about 30 mi. The Amite River 

forms near the border of St. Helena and East Feliciana Parishes 

and the State of Mississippi and flows along the majority of the 

western borders of St. Helena and Livingston Parishes. Amite 

River tributaries in Livingston Parish include Grays Creek, 

Colyell Bay, and other small streams (fig. 1). During 1913–2013, 

the annual average streamflow for the Amite River near Denham 

Springs (site number 07378500; fig. 1) was 2,069 cubic feet per 

second (ft3/s) from a drainage area of 1,280 square miles (mi2) 

(U.S. Geological Survey, 2015b). 

Tickfaw Subbasin

The Tickfaw subbasin extends from the northern shore of 

Lake Maurepas northward into Mississippi about 11 mi. The 

Tickfaw subbasin is drained primarily by the Tickfaw River 

(fig. 1), which originates in Mississippi. Tributaries of the 

Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish include Hog Branch, Blood 

River, Natalbany River, and other small streams. The annual 

average streamflow of the Tickfaw River at Holden (site number 

07376000) was 373 ft3/s during 1941–2014 from a drainage 

area of about 247 mi2. The annual average streamflow of the 

Natalbany River at Baptist (site number 07376500) was 116 ft3/s 

during 1943–2014 from a drainage area of about 80 mi2 (U.S. 

Geological Survey, 2015b). 

Lake Maurepas Subbasin

The Lake Maurepas subbasin is mostly composed of 

wetlands and Lake Maurepas in Livingston Parish. Water in this 

subbasin drains into Lake Maurepas through Blind River, which 

receives flow from the Amite River Diversion Canal (fig. 1), and 

other small creeks. Lake Maurepas is a shallow lake with mild 

tidal effects, a surface area of 91 mi2, and an average depth of 

about 7 ft (Shampine, 1971). 

Surface-Water Quality

Analyses of water samples from the Amite River at Port 

Vincent (site number 07380120) and from the Tickfaw River at 

Holden (site number 07376000) (fig. 1) indicated that samples 

from these rivers are generally soft with respect to hardness (table 

4) and median values do not exceed SMCLs for concentrations of 

chloride, sulfate, and iron. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations were 

generally greater than 5 mg/L, which is considered the minimum 

value for a diverse population of fresh, warmwater biota, 

including sport fish (Louisiana Department of Environmental 

Quality, 2008). 
Table 3. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for freshwater in the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper equivalent aquifer 

systems in Livingston Parish, Louisiana (U.S. Geological Survey, 2015c).

[Values are in milligrams per liter, except as noted. °C, degrees Celsius; PCU, platinum cobalt unit; μS/cm, microsiemen per centimeter; SU, standard unit; CaCO3, 

calcium carbonate; μg/L, microgram per liter; <, less than; SMCL, Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level established by the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (2016); NA, not applicable]

Temperature (°C)Color,

(PCU)

Specific 

conductance, field 

(μS/cm at 

25 °C)

pH,

field

(SU)

Hardness 

(as CaCO3

)

Chloride,

filtered

(as Cl)

Iron,

filtered 

(μg/L as Fe)

Manganese, 

filtered

(μg/L as Mn)

Dissolved 

solids, 

filtered

Chicot equivalent aquifer system, 1940–2005 (46 wells)

Median 21.5 5 234 6.8 38 6.4 400 180 167

10th percentile 20.0 0 99 5.9 14 4.5 20 <10 77

90th percentile 23.4 23 387 7.7 57 13 2,000 450 285

Number of samples 39 18 37 34 38 44 27 22 23

Percentage of samples that 

do not exceed SMCLs

NA 83 NA 68 NA 100 41 23 100

Evangeline equivalent aquifer system, 1940–2005 (52 wells)

Median 27.0 5 253 7.9 5 3.9 120 30 193

10th percentile 25.0 0 191 7.0 0.5 2.0 20 20 173

90th percentile 30.4 10 287 8.5 20 6.1 1,100 260 212

Number of samples 32 37 41 43 46 50 34 28 36

Percentage of samples that 

do not exceed SMCLs

NA 95 NA 91 NA 100 65 54 100

Jasper equivalent aquifer system, 1949–2005 (50 wells)

Median 31.5 5 261 8.2 7 4.0 150 40 197

10th percentile 28.0 0 216 7.2 0.6 2.7 10 <10 172

90th percentile 34.8 27 648 8.9 21 10 850 230 345

Number of samples 31 34 39 34 37 50 23 17 30

Percentage of samples that 

do not exceed SMCLs

NA 79 NA 71 NA 100 74 59 90

SMCLs

NA 15 NA 6.5–8.5 NA 250 300 50 500

Water samples analyzed during 1975–81 indicated that 

samples from the center of Lake Maurepas (site number 

301500090300000; fig. 1) generally do not exceed SMCLs 

for pH and concentrations of chloride, sulfate, and iron 

(table 4). Although generally below SMCLs, the maximum 

chloride concentration of these samples was 1,200 mg/L (U.S. 

Geological Survey, 2015c). There are areal variations in the 

salinity of the lake because of the influx of brackish water at the 

eastern end of the lake and inflows of freshwater at the western 

and northern ends of the lake (Shampine, 1971). 

References Cited

Fendick, R.B., Jr., 2007, Louisiana ground-water map no. 22—Generalized 

potentiometric surface of the Amite aquifer and “2,800-foot” sand of the Baton 

Rouge area in southeastern Louisiana, June–August 2006: U.S. Geological Survey 

Scientific Investigations Map 2984, 1 sheet, accessed March 2, 2012, at http://

pubs.usgs.gov/sim/2984/.

Griffith, J.M., 2003, Hydrogeologic framework of southeastern Louisiana: Louisiana 

Department of Transportation and Development Water Resources Technical 

Report no. 72, 21 p., 18 pls. 

Hem, J.D., 1985, Study and interpretation of the chemical characteristics of natural 

water (3d ed.): U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 2254, 264 p., 

accessed February 20, 2013, at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/wsp2254.

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, 2008, Environmental Regulatory 

Code, Title 33, Part IX, Subpart 1: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Department of 

Environmental Quality, accessed June 9, 2009, at http:www.deq.louisiana.gov/

portal/tabid/1674/Default.aspx.

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, 2015, Strategic Online Natural Resources 

Information System (SONRIS): Louisiana Department of Natural Resources 

database, accessed July 23, 2015, at http://sonris.com/.

Martin, Angel, Jr.; Whiteman, C.D., Jr.; and Becnel, M.J., 1988, Generalized 

potentiometric surfaces of the upper and lower Jasper and equivalent aquifers 

in Louisiana, 1984: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 

Report 87–4139, 2 sheets, accessed February 24, 2012, at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/

publication/wri874139.

McCulloh, R.P., 1991, Surface faults in East Baton Rouge Parish: Baton Rouge, La., 

Louisiana Geological Survey Open-File Series 91–02, 25 p.

Prakken, L.B., 2004, Louisiana ground-water map no. 17—Generalized potentiometric 

surface of the Kentwood aquifer system and the “1,500-foot” and “1,700-foot” 

sands of the Baton Rouge area in southeastern Louisiana, March–April 2003: U.S. 

Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 2862, 2 sheets, accessed February 

24, 2012, at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/sim2862.

Sargent, B.P., 2011, Water use in Louisiana, 2010: Louisiana Department of 

Transportation and Development Water Resources Special Report no. 17, 135 p. 

Shampine, W.J., 1971, Chemical, biological, and physical data for the major lakes 

and reservoirs in Louisiana: Louisiana Department of Public Works Basic Records 

Report no. 5, 98 p. 

Smoot, C.W., 1988, Louisiana hydrologic atlas map no. 3—Altitude of the base of 

freshwater in Louisiana: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations 

Report 86–4314, 1 sheet, accessed November 2, 2011, at http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/

publication/wri864314.
Table 4. Summary of selected water-quality characteristics for the Amite and Tickfaw Rivers and Lake Maurepas, Livingston Parish, 

Louisiana (U.S. Geological Survey, 2015c).

[Values are in milligrams per liter, except as noted. μS/cm, microsiemen per centimeter; °C, degrees Celsius; SU, standard unit; CaCO3, calcium carbonate; μg/L, 

microgram per liter; SMCL, Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2016); NA, not applicable]

Specific

conductance,

field

(μS/cm at 

25 °C)

Oxygen,

dissolved

pH,

field

(SU)

Hardness 

(as CaCO3

)

Calcium,

filtered

(as Ca)

Magnesium,

filtered

(as Mg)

Sodium,

filtered

(as Na)

Chloride,

filtered

 (as Cl)

Sulfate,

filtered

(as SO4

)

Iron,

filtered

(μg/L as 

Fe)

Amite River at Port Vincent, 1958–981

Median 105 7.8 6.8 19 5.0 1.8 11 14 3.8 270

10th percentile 68 5.1 6.1 13 3.4 0.8 6.6 7.0 1.6 150

90th percentile 265 9.9 7.3 33 9.1 2.7 37 65 7.8 430

Number of samples 76 41 83 76 76 76 75 82 81 35

Percentage of samples that 

do not exceed SMCLs

NA NA 69 NA NA NA NA 100 100 69

Tickfaw River at Holden, 1955–762

Median 35 8.5 6.4 8 1.7 0.8 3.5 4.5 1.0 110

10th percentile 32 7.2 5.9 6 1.1 0.5 3.2 3.9 0.2 9

90th percentile 40 10.2 6.9 9 2.3 1.0 4.0 5.4 2.4 290

Number of samples 44 16 44 44 44 44 43 44 44 14

Percentage of samples that 

do not exceed SMCLs

NA NA 39 NA NA NA NA 100 100 86

Lake Maurepas in middle near Manchac, 1975–813

Median 281 7.8 7.2 44.5 7.2 5.8 25 59.5 17 140

10th percentile 109.2 6.8 6.8 22 4.3 2.6 10.6 17 6.8 20

90th percentile 1,676 10.2 7.5 160 17.1 31.1 174 464 65 320

Number of samples 139 134 140 140 140 140 87 140 139 140

Percentage of samples that 

do not exceed SMCLs

NA NA 99 NA NA NA NA 84 100 88

SMCLs

NA NA 6.5–8.5 NA NA NA NA 250 250 300

1

Site number 07380120.

2

Site number 07376000.

3Site number 301500090300000.

Tomaszewski, D.J., 1988, Ground-water hydrology of Livingston, St. Helena, and 

parts of Ascension and Tangipahoa Parishes, southeastern Louisiana: Louisiana 

Department of Transportation and Development Water Resources Technical Report 

no. 43, 54 p. 

Tomaszewski, D.J., 2011, Water-level surface in the Chicot equivalent aquifer system 

in southeastern Louisiana, 2009: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations 

Map 3173, 2 pls.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2016, Secondary Drinking Water Standards: 

Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals, accessed April 13, 2016, at https://www.epa.gov/

dwstandardsregulations/secondary-drinking-water-standards-guidance-nuisancechemicals.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2015a, Ground-water levels for Louisiana: National Water 

Information System Web Interface, accessed July 28, 2015, at http://nwis.waterdata.

usgs.gov/la/nwis/gwlevels.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2015b, National Water Information System Web Interface: 

U.S. Geological Survey Web page, accessed July 28, 2015, at http://waterdata.usgs.

gov/nwis.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2015c, Water-quality samples for Louisiana: National Water 

Information System Web Interface, accessed June 16, 2015, at http://nwis.waterdata.

usgs.gov/la/nwis/qwdata/.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2016, Groundwater withdrawals in Louisiana by parish and 

source, 1960–2010: U.S. Geological Survey Web page, accessed April, 22 2016, at 

http://la.water.usgs.gov/WaterUse/gw_sw_html/gw_sheets/groundwaterHome7.asp.

This fact sheet was published by the U.S. Geological 

Survey in cooperation with the Louisiana Department 

of Transportation and Development (DOTD). 

Thanks are given to Zahir “Bo” Bolourchi, Director, 

Water Resources Programs, Louisiana DOTD, who 

contributed to the content of the fact sheet.

By Vincent E. White and Lawrence B. Prakken

For additional information, contact: 

Director, USGS Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center

3535 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Suite 120

Baton Rouge, LA 70816

E-mail: gs-w-lmg_center_director@usgs.gov

Fax: (225) 298–5490

Telephone: (225) 298–5481

Home Page: http://la.water.usgs.gov

ISSN 2327-6916 (print) ISSN 2327-6932 (online) http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/fs20163048