Lake Size: 15,550 acres

Information: Bistineau was formed in 1800, when several thousand acres of land flooded because of a major log jam in the Red River, a hindrance later eliminated by Captain Henry Miller Shreve, for whom Shreveport is named.[3]As the area was dredged, the lake began to drain. In 1935, a permanent dam built across Loggy Bayou created the modern lake. The dam has since been enlarged. The reservoir has a surface area of 26.9 square miles, with an average depth of seven feet ranging to a maximum of twenty-five feet. Early settlers used Loggy Bayou, Lake Bistineau, and Dorcheat Bayou as a route to a new home, often having remained temporarily on the banks of the streams before planting permanent habitations. The Dorcheat was primarily populated by yeoman farmers seeking fertile soil in which to plant their crops. Few adventure seekers came into the back country. Lake Bistineau remains a popular recreational site in north Louisiana. In 1942, a large dam and spillway were completed at the southern end of the lake in an effort to maintain a constant water level.