Lake Peigneur

Lake Peigneur is a shallow freshwater lake located in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States. It covers an area of about 1,295 acres and has a maximum depth of approximately 20 feet. The lake gained notoriety on November 20, 1980, when a drilling rig operated by Texaco accidentally punctured the Diamond Crystal Salt Company salt mine located beneath the lake. The puncture created a whirlpool that sucked in the drilling rig and 11 barges, along with a tugboat, several trees, and acres of surrounding terrain. Miraculously, none of the 55 workers in the mine or on the barges were killed. As a result of the accident, the freshwater Lake Peigneur quickly became a saltwater lake, and the water level dropped from 10 feet to 1,300 feet deep. The accident also resulted in the destruction of the Diamond Crystal Salt Company's drilling operations, and the lake's ecology was changed permanently. In recent years, a public recreational area has been established on the shores of the lake, offering beautiful views, fishing, and boating opportunities to visitors. The lake is also used for research into the effects of saltwater intrusion into freshwater habitats.