The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has scheduled a drawdown on Lake Martin in St. Martin Parish for nuisance aquatic vegetation control, organic bottom-layer compaction and fish habitat improvement. The drawdown is designed with a primary goal of reducing the amount of aquatic vegetation in the lake, according to LDWF.
The water control structure is scheduled to open on September 2, 2025. The lake will be lowered two to three feet below normal pool stage of 10.5 feet mean sea level (MSL) and should dewater at a rate of one to two inches per day. The Lake Martin control gates are scheduled to close on December 31, 2025, to allow the lake to refill for winter and early spring recreational activities. The lake is scheduled to return to pool stage by January 31, 2026, by pumping in water from Ruth Canal. Filling the lake at this time will ensure adequate water levels for spring spawning.
During the drawdown, lake users are advised to use caution, as numerous obstructions normally not visible are present.
While the drawdown may impact navigation in parts of the southern end of the lake for duck hunters in late fall and winter, it is anticipated that hunting and fishing on the majority of the lake will not be affected. The lake will remain open to fishing during this time.
This action is a necessary component of LDWF’s integrated management plan to control overabundant aquatic vegetation growth and to improve access for recreational activities. An annual cycle of high and low water fluctuation can provide beneficial effects similar to a natural overflow lake system.
