Design of Water Storages, Etc

There had been considerable development in hydrometeorology during Gerry's absence. Len Dwyer's reorganisation had created the positions of Assistant Directors which John Lillywhite (Services) and I (Research) had filled. The Research Division covered a very broad field and although I had responsibility for Hydrometeorology it was just one of a number of internal and external activities in which I was engaged. A Cooperative Studies group was formed under Harry Ashton with Hydrometeorological Section as part of that group and Harry attended and participated in discussions with other State and Commonwealth agencies. Harry, with Neil Body and Colin Hounam, participated in meetings of the Institution of Engineers concerned with water resources and hydrology. Harry also attended a WMO/ECAFE meeting in Bangkok in July 1959.

Allan Rainbird recalls that there were many players on the hydrometeorological and hydrology fields at that time including the Commonwealth Department of Works, SMHEA, the State Electricity Commission (SEC) and the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission (SRWSC) of Victoria, the Tasmanian Hydroelectricity Commission (HEC) and various State and regional water authorities. In New South Wales Jack Beale, an engineer who was a member of the NSW Parliament, had launched the Water Research Foundation (WRF) at a conference in the University of NSW where Crawford Munro was Professor of Engineering with a strong interest in hydrology and Jack Wiesner, formerly a member of the Bureau's Sydney Divisional Office, was also a member of the staff of the WRF.

Bureau of Meteorology