Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Snake Stewart on July 15, 2008 at 14:18

Hello Scott, Would you please expound on the 148.6' contour line and what it means as I have found people with questions about it ?

Permalink Reply by Taylor on July 15, 2008 at 14:31

My parents are in the same boat. Eventhough they have a little over an acre on the lake. They can only get royalties for 1/4 of the acre. The state claims the rest because of the contour line. It stinks!

Permalink Reply by Scott W. on July 16, 2008 at 2:48

Snakestewart; This controversy has been going on for 70 or eighty years...or longer. It stems from the boundaries of the lake when LA became a state in 1812. This is/was artificially high due to the great log raft on the Red River that Capt Shreve cleared from 11838 thru 1873. The state of LA and the Feds are in litigation over ownership of bodies of water. Basically a long story, but the court date is Nov 2009 (finally). I spoke to the trial lawyer for the state last week, and in his words, "this should have nothing to do with royalties...". He is to contact me this week with a follow up - hopefully good news. I can send more specific verbage on the controversy if you need it.
Scott

Permalink Reply by Snake Stewart on July 19, 2008 at 0:56

You sound as on top of this as a cherry on a ice cream sunday ! Please post any addition info that you can. Their are many in this area affected by this. Thanks for the post.

Permalink Reply by V.P. on July 23, 2008 at 7:37

Hey Scott, talked to someone yesterday about the contour line and he was under the impression that when they give a number in feet as in 148.6 that number applies from sea level and up... anyone have any idea how bistineau sits compared to sea level? Or am I way off base here? How do we measure the contour line? Thanks - VP

Permalink Reply by Scott W. on July 23, 2008 at 7:46

You are correct. Contour lines are lines of elevation above mean sea level. Lake B sits (now) just below the 148.6. The high contour is what the controversy is about - that was the lake boundary as flooded/swollen by the log raft.

Permalink Reply by Coach on July 22, 2008 at 7:39

I live west of State Park with what i believe to be Clark's bayou (running south) across the road from my home. Neighbors to the south of me (towards the lake) have been told they do not own the rights due to the State owning/claiming land that "at one time" was the park. They showed an old utility map with a government property line well below their property, but the O&G firm that wrote them a check, stopped payment on that check sionce it turned out the state owned a "patent" on the rights, even if the land wasn't in the park anymore.

Can anyone make heads or tails out of this? Do I have any recourse other than paying for a title search all the way back to God?

If this is true, many more folks are going to discover they never owned what they thought.

Permalink Reply by Scott W. on July 22, 2008 at 8:36

As I said above, it all stems from the high water boundary of Lake Bistineau at the time of LA statehood in 1812. This boundary was artificially high due to the 'great log raft' on the Red River. This raft was cleared By Captain Shreve during the years 1838 thru 1873. Once cleared, the lake receeded to its present +/- boundary. The State contends the high level was at the 148.6' contour at the time of statehood and therefore is the original and official boundary - meaning the state owns the land around the lake below the 148.6' contour line ( like a donut ring around the lake at that level). The State is in litigation with the Federal Government over this and the court date is Nov 2009. If anyone has any more info, let me know. If the state claims the land and it is upheld in court, then I want back taxes and interest paid to me and my family for the last 100 years or so on the land they steal from us. Currently we have royalties being withheld pending the outcome of the litigation.

Permalink Reply by Dorcheated A1 on July 22, 2008 at 8:38

Scott, What about Dorcheat do you have any information on that.

Permalink Reply by Scott W. on July 22, 2008 at 9:00

Pat; The way I understand it, Lake Bistineau is a 'raft lake', ie formed by the great log raft as a result of the impoundments of Loggy Bayou and Bayou Dorcheat - both tributaries of the Red River. It would be my non-lawyer opinion that Dorcheat may well be affected by this. We ALL need to fight this!!

Permalink Reply by Dorcheated A1 on July 22, 2008 at 9:04

Scott, thank you for your reply. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out.

Permalink Reply by V.P. on July 23, 2008 at 7:38

Could you please send a link as to the paperwork about the contour line? Thanks, VP

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