The Watershed

The Watershed is located in the Vermilion-Teche River Basin in south central Louisiana. It consists of 582 square miles and comprises St. Landry, St. Martin, Acadia, Lafayette, Vermilion and Iberia parishes.

Bayou Vermilion has headwaters that originate at the confluence of Bayou Bourbeaux and Bayou Fusilier, just south of Opelousas.

The river meanders 63 miles, including through the city of Lafayette, before entering Vermilion Bay (though during heavy periods of rain, portions of the river may flow north).

All but the southern portion of the Vermilion River’s watershed is covered by a large expanse of flat-grassland prairie and borders a large wetland system and alluvial plain.  To the south the prairie gives way to a band of marshland, which extends form east to west along the coastline.