Graphs Show Vermilion River Rainfall, Flooding So Far In 2019

The Vermilion River has been a critical part of the conversation regarding drainage in Lafayette parish and surrounding areas. One group has made dredging the river a major issue in the ongoing debate. The topic has also been discussed in the Lafayette Mayor President's race. Dave Dixon joined The Ross Report on Monday and talked about two graphs that show how the river is affected by heavy rainfall.

In the image below, you can see peaks in the river level in April, June and in July when the remnants of Hurricane Barry moved into Acadiana.

The spikes in Vermilion River flooding correspond pretty closely to the amount of rainfall measured at Lafayette Regional Airport.

Flooding on streets and in neighborhoods has become more frequent in recent years. Lafayette Consolidated Government says its public works department has been working to clear debris from problem areas. The issue is likely to be central in the campaign for Lafayette Mayor-President. Four people have announced they are running for the seat: Carlee Alm-Labar, Josh Guillory, Nancy Marcotte and Simone Champagne.

You can hear what they had to say about the issues on the KPEL Candidate Series.