NATCHEZ — Members of the Lake Concordia Advisory Committee attended Monday’s meeting of the Concordia Parish Police Jury.

Committee member Johnny Patrick said heavy rains from one week ago raised the level of Lake Concordia dramatically.

Patrick said in a little over two hours, three inches of rain raised the level of the lake by more than half a foot.

“It was an overwhelming rain,” he said.

The torrent prompted Patrick and other committee members to take swift action.

Patrick said the lake’s two draining culverts had to be regularly cleaned to drop the level of the lake.

But as the culverts drained, they also became quickly filled with silt and debris.

“We had to clean a lot of logs out of there,” he said.

Patrick said he had not noticed such a quick rise in the lake since his joined the committee in 2006.

Since last week’s torrent, Patrick said lake residents have dropped the level of the lake by one foot to provide a buffer for the next heavy rain.

Jury President Melvin Ferrington thanked committee members for their hard work and dedication to the maintenance of the lake.

In other news, jury members appointed Hazel Dickson to the position of jury secretary-treasurer.

Dickson had previously served the in same position on an interim basis.

Ferrington said Dickson was a great asset to the jury and to the residents of Concordia Parish.

“We are lucky to have her,” he said.