Overview

Bayou D'Arbonne Lake (Lake D'Arbonne) is a roughly 15,280-acre reservoir on Bayou D'Arbonne in Union and Lincoln parishes near Farmerville—the largest man-made lake in northern Louisiana. A dam and spillway built by the Louisiana Department of Public Works in the early 1960s created the pool for recreation and future water supply. The Bayou D'Arbonne Lake Watershed District oversees lake governance, while fisheries are managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

The lake covers about 15 miles of length with more than 100 miles of shoreline, an average depth near 6 feet, and deeper channel holes approaching 40 feet. Corney and Little Corney bayous are major inflows alongside Bayou D'Arbonne itself, producing a broad, shallow north Louisiana reservoir with timbered edges, creek arms, and open main-lake water.

D'Arbonne is a regional draw for largemouth bass, crappie, bream, and catfish, with numerous public ramps and commercial landings. Lake D'Arbonne State Park on the western shore provides cabins, camping, and a boat launch that anchor visitor access.

Normal pool stage is about 80 feet above mean sea level. The Watershed District and LDWF periodically use drawdowns and spillway operations to manage vegetation and habitat, and high-water events can linger on this large, shallow basin—so monitoring current lake levels helps with boating, fishing, and shoreline access. Sister north Louisiana reservoirs include Lake Claiborne and Caney Lake.

Bayou D'Arbonne Lake Right Now

Bayou D'Arbonne Lake is currently 0.75 feet below full pool and has fallen 0.12 feet over the past week. Today's forecast calls for sunny with a high around 87°F.

About This Lake

Learn how this lake is managed, what affects its water level, and where Lake Insights gets its data.

Bayou D'Arbonne Lake is a 15,280-acre reservoir on the Bayou D'Arbonne managed by Bayou D'Arbonne Lake Watershed District / Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (fisheries).

On the Lake

Find key access points and services around Bayou D'Arbonne Lake.

Ads and analytics are not optional. You can still choose optional functional cookies. Essential cookies stay on so the site works.

  • Essential

    Required for sign-in, security, and core site features. These cannot be turned off because the service would not work without them.

  • Functional & preferences

    Remembers optional choices such as display preferences beyond what essential cookies require. Most preference storage today is essential for signed-in features.