LDWF Schedules Drawdown for John K. Kelly, Grand Bayou Reservoir

Baton Rouge, Aug 11, 2026 - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), in cooperation with the John K. Kelly Grand Bayou Reservoir District, has scheduled a drawdown of Grand Bayou Reservoir (Red River Parish) for fisheries habitat improvement and giant salvinia control. The drawdown is designed to improve fisheries habitat along the water’s edge by reducing organic build-up on the lake bed, reduce nuisance aquatic vegetation, and allow for physical repairs to structures on the lake.

The water control structure is scheduled to open on September 8, 2026, and the lake should dewater at a rate of 4-10 inches per day. The water level will be lowered to a maximum drawdown level of 4 feet below normal pool stage to a target level of 134.5 feet above mean sea level (MSL). The Grand Bayou Reservoir control gates are scheduled for closure on January 4, 2027, to allow the lake to refill for early-spring recreational activities.

During the drawdown, an estimated 2,100 acres of water will remain in open areas of Grand Bayou Reservoir. Boaters may still access the reservoir from Grand Bayou Resort, located on the Southwest side of the Hwy 784 Bridge. Caution is also advised when on the water as numerous obstructions that are normally not seen are present. Vessels will likely have to idle several hundred yards from the Grand Bayou Resort ramp before accessing deeper water.   

Periodic reservoir drawdowns have several benefits including reduction of organic layers on the lake bed to improve areas for fish spawning activity. Drawdowns also help to reduce nuisance aquatic vegetation, recycle nutrients, and allow for shoreline terrestrial plant growth resulting in increased fisheries habitat once the water returns.

The current LDWF Grand Bayou Reservoir Management Plans may be found here:  

https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/resources/category/freshwater-inland-fish/

For additional information regarding the drawdown, contact Villis Dowden, LDWF Biologist Manager, at vdowden@wlf.la.gov or (318) 357-3214.