L. Cataouatche at Whiskey Canal S of Waggaman Water Level
Live lake level, flow, historical records and forecast for L. Cataouatche at Whiskey Canal S of Waggaman in LA, United States, built from official government gauge data.
- Location LA, United States
- Watershed east central louisiana coastal
- Primary gauge 2951190901217 (USGS)
About L. Cataouatche at Whiskey Canal S of Waggaman
What the record shows
L. Cataouatche sits in the East Central Louisiana Coastal watershed in Louisiana.
The record high is 8.72 ft (2.66 m), set in September 2024. The record low is 2.06 ft (0.63 m), set in January 2003. That span is the range this lake has already shown it can reach, and it is the number that matters for docks, pump intakes, and shallow access.
Seasonally, the typical high point is May at 4.72 ft (1.44 m), while the typical low point is January at 3.86 ft (1.18 m). The typical annual swing is 10.3 in (26.2 cm). For someone using the water, that means the lake’s normal movement is modest compared with its extremes, but it still shifts enough to change shoreline exposure and boat clearance through the year.
In Gulf lowland settings, water can stay high for days after rain or surge events. On this lake, that is the kind of setting where a higher reading deserves attention even if the change is not fast.
The watershed
This station is part of the East Central Louisiana Coastal watershed, and the gauge record reflects what reaches this point upstream of the station, not the full larger area on a map.
With 26 years on record, the gauge has enough history to show the difference between seasonal pattern and true extremes. May is the typical high month, January the typical low month. That rhythm matters for cottagers, anglers, and anyone drawing water: the lake is usually a little higher in late spring and a little lower in midwinter, but the record also shows much larger departures when conditions line up.
The record low in January 2003 and the record high in September 2024 show that the lake can reach both ends of its range in different seasons. The seasonal swing is smaller than those extremes, so day-to-day use should be planned around the ordinary range first, then the record range for safety margin.
Reading the hero number
The hero number on this page is best read against the median for this calendar day, not as a stand-alone elevation. That comparison shows whether today is typical for this date, running high, or running low.
This station is published by the U.S. Geological Survey. With more than 26 years on record, the calendar-day median gives more useful context than a raw height alone, because it puts today beside what this lake usually does at this time of year.
How this page is built
Readings come from official government gauges and are rolled into daily records: the daily mean, high and low for every day on record. Each calendar day gets its own baseline from the full history, so the level you see is compared against what this specific date usually looks like rather than an annual average.
How Nibi Metrics works · Water stories
Nibi Metrics - live water levels, flow, and forecasts for lakes and rivers across Canada, the US and the UK
Real-time water levels, forecasts, and alerts for lakes and rivers across Canada, the US and the UK. Built on official government data.
Nibi Metrics tracks more than 13,000 gauged lakes and rivers across Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, reading directly from official federal monitoring networks: the Water Survey of Canada, the United States Geological Survey, Quebec's provincial hydrometric network, and the Environment Agency for England. Every number on the platform is measured, not modelled - taken from a government gauge on the water itself and compared against that location's own historical record for this exact date.
What you can see for any monitored lake or river
The level right now, in feet or metres, updated as the source agency publishes new readings - for many stations that is every five to fifteen minutes. How today compares to typical: every location carries its own typical-for-this-date band built from its historical record, so a reading is never just a number - it is above, below, or near what this water usually does on this calendar day. Which way it is moving: a measured RISING, FALLING, or STEADY verdict computed from the gauge's own recent readings, with the rate of change - the difference between a flood ending and one beginning. What comes next: level forecasts up to 72 hours ahead, driven by the gauge's recent behaviour, upstream water, and quantitative precipitation forecasts, alongside live radar, lightning, and weather for the surrounding region.
Alerts that watch the water for you
Set a threshold on any location - a level, a distance above typical, or a rate of climb - and Nibi emails or notifies you the moment the gauge crosses it. Cottagers use it for spring freshet, anglers for river conditions, marinas and municipalities for operations. The scanning runs around the clock against the same measured data shown on every page.
Where Nibi comes from
Nibi means water in Anishinaabemowin. The platform began at a family cottage on Lake Muskoka, Ontario, where the spring melt floods the shoreline most years and the only forecast was standing on the dock, looking, and guessing. It grew into an independent, member-funded platform run by Muskoka Research Inc. - no investors, no data resale, and a privacy policy shorter than most cookie banners. The core data is free for everyone, forever; paid plans add automation like multi-location alerts, deep history, and reports.
Coverage
Nibi spans the continent: every Canadian province and territory with active federal gauges - from Vancouver Island rivers to the Muskoka lakes, prairie reservoirs, and Quebec's hydrometric network - and the United States from Maine to the Texas Hill Country, the Ohio Valley, and the Pacific Northwest. Coverage grows where the water news is: when a basin floods, its gauges join the platform with their full historical records attached. Many stations report every five to fifteen minutes; most report at least hourly; every page states exactly when its gauge last spoke.
Free forever, funded by members
The core promise is simple: the water data is free, for everyone, forever. Live levels, maps, radar, and recent history never sit behind a paywall. Paid plans fund the platform by adding automation - multi-location alerts, decades of history, longer forecasts, and PDF reports - so the people who need more carry the cost for everyone who just needs to check the lake before driving up. There are no investors and no advertising deals shaping what the data says.
Water Stories
Field notes and explainers from the Nibi desk - how to read a staff gauge, what a 100-year flood actually means, how snowpack becomes summer water.
For five years, spring 2019 was the mark every Lake Muskoka decision answered to. In April 2026 the lake went two centimeters higher - and the official books have not caught up yet.
Inside the freshet cycle that puts Manitoba shorelines at risk each year - and why 2026 broke the script.
The science of snow water equivalent and why it drives the season ahead.
What the numbers on the measuring stick actually tell you.
Why Central and South Texas rivers go from gravel beds to fifty-year records in an afternoon - including July 2026 on the Nueces.
One percent, every year, forever - unwrapping hydrology's most misunderstood phrase, and how it differs from our own percentiles.
How every number is computed - About the platform
