Calcasieu River
Template:Use American English Template:Infobox river
The Calcasieu River (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell; Template:Langx) is a river on the Gulf Coast in southwestern Louisiana.<ref>Template:Cite gnis</ref> Approximately Template:Convert long,<ref name=NHD>U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map Template:Webarchive, accessed June 20, 2011</ref> it drains a largely rural area of forests and bayou country, meandering southward to the Gulf of Mexico. The name "Calcasieu" most likely comes through French from the Atakapa language Template:Lang ('Crying Eagle'), the name of a local Atakapa leader.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Course
The Calcasieu rises in Vernon Parish, north of Leesville, and flows initially southeast, passing through the Kisatchie National Forest southwest of Alexandria. It then turns southwest, flowing past Oakdale and Lake Charles, the largest city on the river. It enters the north end of the brackish Calcasieu Lake, an estuary on the Gulf of Mexico approximately Template:Convert southwest of Lake Charles. The lake, which is referred to by locals as "Big Lake", is connected by a Template:Convert channel to the gulf on the south end. The lower portion of the river south of Lake Charles is paralleled by a navigable canal which connects to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
History
In the early 19th century, the area of present-day Louisiana and Texas west of the Calcasieu River extending roughly north-south to the Arroyo Hondo in Natchitoches Parish and east of the Sabine River was disputed between the United States and Spain. The dispute arose from differing interpretations of the western boundary of Louisiana under the terms of the Louisiana Purchase. The area became known as Neutral Ground and became a haven for privateers outside the legal jurisdiction of both nations.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="LFL">Template:Cite web</ref>
During the US Civil War, a naval engagement occurred on May 6, 1864 at Calcasieu Pass, with the Confederates capturing two Union gun boats.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Water quality
Because the river passes through areas with intensive petroleum refining and other industries, petrochemical wastes have been found contaminating the river and estuarine environment along the lower Calcasieu River. A 1993, a Condea Vista Chemical Company pipeline spill was reported by the company to have leaked Template:Convert of a highly toxic chemical known as ethylene dichloride. Mother Jones reported the spill as potentially discharging between Template:Convert, that would have spread throughout parts of the estuary.Template:Citation needed
Sasol Ltd purchased Condea Vista in 2000<ref>Sasol to purchase Condea Vista-(10-10-2000), Retrieved 10-2-2015 Template:Dead link</ref> inheriting the controversy. The site was designated a "super-fund site" and Sasol has been involved in long-term legal battles that have resulted in settlements, fines, and the clean-up of affected areas. A problem is that the chemical sinks in water and becomes covered by deposits of silt. Any clean-up would inevitably stir up the covered chemical, causing further ecological damage. The lower end of the estimated spill (Template:Convert) would be two times the 1988 US production of ethylene dichloride, which was 9,445,000 tons. 1.6 million tons were cleaned up.<ref>Condea Vista spill estimates- Retrieved 10-2-2015</ref> Any construction might disturb contaminated soil so would have to be constantly monitored.<ref>Condea Vista chemical spill- Retrieved 10-2-2015</ref>Template:Failed verification