WFO Lake Charles Lead Forecaster Joe Rua Presents Southern Region Hydrologic Services Branch Chief Ben Weiger with a certificate of appreciate for his presentation on Flood Inundation mapping (Photo: WFO Lake Charles)
(May 28, 2008) -- The National Weather Service forecast office in Lake Charles, in partnership with the NOAA Office of Coastal Survey, hosted the Bayou Vermilion River Conference in Lafayette, La.
Intended to seek ways to enhance public services along the river basin, the conference was attended by dozens of local, state and federal officials with interests along the river, which runs through portions of South Central Louisiana.
As conceived by Lake Charles Service Hydrologist Jonathan Brazzell and Lead Forecaster Joe Rua, the conference was designed to share information on the history and issues facing this important waterway. In addition to WFO Lake Charles and NOAA's Coastal Survey, participants included representatives from the U.S. Office of Geologic Survey, Lafayette television meteorologists and a host of state and local emergency managers.
Following welcoming addresses from Lake Charles Meteorologist-in-Charge Andy Patrick and NOAA Costal Survey Navigation Field Manager Tim Osborn, hydrologists from National Weather Service Southern Region headquarters, WFO Lake Charles and the Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center provided presentations on the Vermilion River Basin.
WFO Lake Charles Meteorologist-in-Charge Andy Patrick welcomes conference attendees (Photo: WFO Lake Charles)