Rigolets

Rigolets
The abandoned West Rigolets Light in 2004. It was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
NOAA Coast Survey nautical map 2016
Rigolets is located in Louisiana
Rigolets
Location
CountryUnited States
StateLouisiana
Physical characteristics
SourceLake Pontchartrain
 • coordinates30°10′40″N 89°44′40″W / 30.177778°N 89.744444°W / 30.177778; -89.744444
MouthLake Borgne
 • coordinates
30°09′16″N 89°37′31″W / 30.154444°N 89.625278°W / 30.154444; -89.625278
Length8 mi (13 km)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftOld Pearl River
 • rightSawmill Pass

Rigolets is a 12.9-kilometre-long (8.0 mi) deepwater strait in Louisiana. "Rigolets" comes from the word rigole, French for 'trench' or 'gutter'. The name is now locally pronounced "RIG-uh-leez".

The strait begins at 30°10′40″N 89°44′40″W / 30.17778°N 89.74444°W / 30.17778; -89.74444 and follows a generally eastward course to Lake Borgne, a lagoon in the Gulf of Mexico, and finally to the Gulf of Mexico, where it ends at 30°09′16″N 89°37′31″W / 30.15444°N 89.62528°W / 30.15444; -89.62528. Along with nearby Chef Menteur Pass, the Rigolets connects Lake Pontchartrain and Lake St. Catherine in Louisiana to Lake Borgne, and then to the Gulf of Mexico.[1][2] It forms the boundary between New Orleans (Orleans Parish) and St. Tammany Parish.

  1. ^ "The Rigolets". USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archived from the original on 2024-04-24. Retrieved 2006-04-17.
  2. ^ "Comprehensive Habitat Management Plan for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin" (PDF). Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. 2005-11-18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-03-16. Retrieved 2006-04-15.