How to buy a recreation pass

Contact Info

Bayou Bodcau Field Office
1700 Bodcau Dam Road
Haughton, Louisiana  71037
(318) 949-1804 

Wallace Lake Location

We care...

     

 

Welcome to Wallace Lake

Wallace Lake Dam is managed by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.  It is located fourteen miles southeast of Shreveport on picturesque Cypress Bayou.  It is a wooded lake containing beautiful moss draped cypress trees and is considered to be one of the best crappie fishing lakes in the area. 


Find us on FaceBook!
 

Wallace Lake Info

Collapse All Expand All
 Flood Damage Reduction
Wallace lake protects 900,000 acres of rich farmlands and relieves the backwater effect on Bayou Pierre above the confluence of Cypress and Pierre Bayous by retaining flood waters. 
The reservoir is comprised of 15,476 acres of flowage easement.  The dam site consists of 283 acres of lands owned in fee by the U.S. Corps of Engineers.

Wallace Lake has prevented $24.7 million in flood damages over its life with $1.9 million of that accumulating in 2007.

 History

Wallace Lake is named after Mr. Thomas Wallace, the third son of an English family that migrated to Louisiana from Virginia in 1776. He was born in 1780 in Opelousas Louisiana and served as a guide in 1826 for the 1st Federal survey of the Sodo Lake Area. He also provided testimony concerning the head of the great Red River raft in relation to Lake Bodcau to Joseph Paxton. He purchased lands south of Shreveport (Wallace Lake Area) and built a house that later served as the first seat of justice for Caddo Parish in 1838.

The construction of Wallace Lake Dam began in July 1941 and was completed in December of 1946. The dam provides flood storage to improve protection of population in lands below the dam.

Project Authorization and Purpose – The Flood Control Act approved June 22, 1936 (Public Law 738, 74th Congress), as amended by acts approved June 28, 1938 (Public Law 761, 75 Congress, 3rd session) and June 28, 1939 (Public Law 154, 76th Congress, 1st session) authorized the construction of Wallace Lake Dam.

This original congressional authorization was limited to flood control only. Most recent authorization includes multi-purpose functions such as Natural Resource Management, Environmental Stewardship and Public Recreation as well as Flood Damage Reduction
 Interesting Facts

Natural and recreational resources at Wallace Lake provide social, economic and environmental benefits for all Americans. Following are facts related to the Corps' role managing natural and recreational resources at Wallace Lake.

Social Benefits

Facilities
  • 2 recreation areas
  • 0 picnic sites
  • 0 camping sites
  • 0 playgrounds
  • 0 swimming areas
  • 0 trail miles
  • 0 fishing docks
  • 0 boat ramps
  • 0 marinas
  • 0 marina slips

Visits (person-trips)

  • 27,236 in total
  • 1,806 picnickers
  • 0 campers
  • 0 swimmers
  • 0 water skiers
  • 0 boaters
  • 133 sightseers
  • 9,658 fishermen
  • 1,607 hunters
  • 16,453 others
Benefits in Perspective
By providing opportunities for active recreation, Corps lakes help combat one of the most significant of the nation's health problems: lack of physical activity.Recreational programs and activities at Corps lakes also help strengthen family ties and friendships; provide opportunities for children to develop personal skills, social values, and self-esteem; and increase water safety.


Economic Benefits

27,236 visits per year resulted in:

  • $0.49 million in visitor spending within 30 miles of the Corps lake.
  • 73%of the spending was captured by local economy as direct sales effects.

With multiplier effects, visitor trip spending resulted in:

  • $0.60million in total sales.
  • $0.26 million in value added (wages & salaries, payroll benefits, profits and rents and indirect business taxes).
Supported 7 jobs in the local community surrounding the lake.
Benefits in Perspective
The money spent by visitors to Corps lakes on trip expenses adds to the local and national economies by supporting jobs and generating income. Visitor spending represents a sizable component of the economy in many communities around Corps lakes.
 Natural Resource Management
The US Army Corps of Engineers is the steward of nearly 12 million acres of public lands and waters. The mission of our program is to manage and conserve natural resources consistent with ecosystem management principles, while providing quality public outdoor recreation experiences to serve the needs of present and future generations. The management of natural resources by utilizing a stewardship concept ensures the conservation, preservation, or protection of Corps land and water resources
 Recreation

Boating

Boating is limited to small bateau boats and bass boats because of the wooded nature of the Lake. Canoe enthusiast’s enjoy the scenic beauty of the towering, moss draped bald cypress trees. A boat launch is located at Milton James “Hookie” Cameron Memorial Park. This one-acre park located at the south end of Wallace Lake Road provides a large parking area, a boat ramp and picnic tables. It is primarily used by outdoorsmen to launch boats.

Times of Operation: 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., 7 days a week. Open to fishermen 24 hours a day.

Admission: Free

The majority of people who were involved in fatal boating accidents never took a boating education course. In Louisiana, all persons born after January 1, 1988, must complete a boating education course and carry proof of completion to operate a motorboat in excess of 10 horsepower. The person may operate the boat if accompanied by someone over 18 years of age who if required has completed the course. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries offers courses throughout the year.

Day Use

A recreational facility is located at the Dam Site that offers visitors the opportunity to fish, hunt, picnic, hike, sight see or just relax and enjoy the day outdoors. Fishing is available to the public year-round in the outlet channel below the dam. Facilities consist of a large parking area and a large open field that visitors may utilize for their enjoyment. Hunting is permitted in designated safety zones only.
Milton James “Hookie” Cameron Memorial Park is a one-acre park located at the south end of Wallace Lake Road. It provides a large parking area, a boat ramp and picnic tables.

Fishing

One of the most popular activities at Wallace Lake Dam is fishing. Visitors can catch their limit of Black Bass, Crappie, Catfish and various species of bream and sunfish. Other non-game fish include Buffalo, Carp, Gar, Bowfin and Jackfish.

Safety…. In times of high water, the currents of the bayou are extremely swift and strong. We advise all fishermen to stay a safe distance away from the channel and do not walk the baffle blocks to access the other side of the channel. For boaters approaching the dam from the lake side, please follow warning signs and stay a safe distance away from the dam.

Hunting

Hunting is permitted on 108 acres of the 283 acres at the dam site. Safety zone signs and boundary paint designate the hunting area. Target practicing is not permitted. For questions or maps, please contact a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Park Ranger at 318-949-1804.

 Resource Conservation

The Army Corps of Engineers is the steward of the lands and waters at Corps water resources projects. Its Natural Resource Management Mission is to manage and conserve those natural resources, consistent with ecosystem management principles,
while providing quality public outdoor recreation experiences to serve the needs of present and future generations.

In all aspects of natural and cultural resources management, the Corps promotes awareness of environmental values and adheres to sound environmental stewardship, protection, compliance and restoration practices. The Corps manages for long-term public access to, and use of, the natural resources in cooperation with other Federal, State, and local agencies as well as the private sector.

The Corps integrates the management of diverse natural resource components such as fish, wildlife, forests, wetlands, grasslands, soil, air, and water with the provision of public recreation opportunities. The Corps conserves natural resources and provides public recreation opportunities that contribute to the quality of American life. To enhance the blue bird population in the area, Corps of Engineers Biologists and Park Rangers maintain blue bird boxes along the toe of Wallace Lake Dam.  An annual survey is conducted to ensure that the blue bird populations are healthy and thriving.

Wallace Lake Dam timberlands are managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in accordance with Public Law 86-717. The law states that project lands “shall be developed and maintained so as to encourage, promote, and assure fully adequate and dependable future
resources of readily available timber through sustained yield programs, reforestation, and accepted conservation practices, and to increase the value of such areas for conservation, recreation, and other beneficial uses compatible with other uses of the projects. Project lands
will also provide for the protection and development of forest or other vegetative cover and the establishment and maintenance of other conservation measures so as to yield the maximum benefit and otherwise improve such areas.”