Few People Know One Of Louisiana's Most Popular Rivers Is Hiding A Dark And Terrifying Secret
By Jackie Ann|Published September 19, 2022
×
Jackie Ann
Author
Louisiana native and LSU Alum (Geaux Tigers!), Jackie has lived in Louisiana for over three decades and currently lives in New Orleans. She's been writing for OnlyInYourState since 2016 and can often be found with a coffee at her side, dreaming of her next adventure.
Louisiana’s endless waterways are just one of the many reasons this state is so naturally beautiful. Of course, the Mighty Mississippi is the queen of the rivers in Louisiana, but one of its offshoots is another popular river for many locals to spend their days fishing, boating, and even swimming. What many don’t realize when they get into the water is that the Amite River is one of the most dangerous rivers in Louisiana, and there are some things you should know before diving in.
Stretching for roughly 112 miles, the Amite River is one of the most beautiful rivers in Louisiana, but it's also one of the most deadly.
On the surface, it looks calm and peaceful, but just underneath the surface is where the danger lies. Keep in mind you can't see the bottom. The visibility of many Louisiana rivers is very low... think inches rather than feet. And if the current is really moving, then the silt is kicked up resulting in even less visibility.
Since the lower 37 miles of the river is navigable, it's a popular river for boaters and fishermen hoping to reel in a prize-winning largemouth bass or catfish.
And if you stay in the boat, there's much less danger. It's when you get out of the boat or into a less sturdy (inflatable) vessel that's the real threat.
Advertisement
There's a stretch of river near Watson/Denham Springs that's also a popular spot for tubing during the summer months, and this is one of the most dangerous stretches of the river.
Overall, the river has an average depth of 3-4 feet, but some areas can be as deep as 10 feet, which can be deceiving. The river is also prone to flooding, which brings even stronger currents and silt deposits to portions of the river that are just disasters waiting to happen.
But even long before the stretch of river near Watson became a popular place for tubing, there used to be a private waterpark nearby called Thunderbird Beach that was equally as dangerous. There were seven drownings there between 1960-1989.
Not only is the swift current extremely dangerous, but what lurks at the bottom of the river is the real danger.
It's always what you can't see that becomes the real threat. Dangerous undertows, especially further downstream are the cause of many of the deaths. Pictured above is an excursion steamer on the Amite River roughly around 1895 when the river was more navigable.
The river hasn't been dredged since 1956, which means there is a lot of debris at the bottom of the river.
The 2016 flood only added more debris to the river, resulting in even more dangerous undertows that even the strongest of swimmers struggle with. These undertows can quickly pull you below the surface, and with the strong current plus debris that can easily trap you, it's just overall a deadly combination.
If you do decide to go swimming or tubing down the Amite River, it’s always a good idea to wear a life jacket. There are plenty of bodies of water in Louisiana that are much safer to splash around in, maybe consider one of those instead.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
