CANCELLED: This event is cancelled due to the closure of Sierra College’s Nevada County Campus because of fire danger. The presentation will likely be rescheduled to the spring semester.
Mark your calendar for next Tuesday, October 10, 2017. Science Director Dr. Carrie Monohan will present at Sierra College for their Science Speaker Series, co-hosted by the college and local nonprofit Sierra Streams Institute. Dr. Monohan’s presentation will address opportunities to remediate Gold Rush-era sources of mercury and sediment, namely abandoned mines and downstream reservoirs.
Know & Go:
What: Sediment and Mercury Loads from Creeks to Reservoirs: A Golden Opportunity, a presentation by Dr. Carrie Monohan, Science Director, The Sierra Fund and Adjunct Professor, CSU Chico.
When: Tuesday, October 10, 2017 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Doors open at 6:00 pm for refreshments.
Where: Sierra College, Nevada County Campus, 250 Sierra College Drive, Grass Valley, CA 95945. Talk will take place in the Multipurpose Center Building (N-12).
Cost: Free and open to the public. Sierra College charges a $3 parking fee and permits may be purchased at the kiosk machine at the main entrance to the campus.
Find out about mercury in Sierra watersheds, a legacy of the California Gold Rush, during which time more than ten million pounds were applied at mining operations to aid in gold recovery. 10 to 30 percent of this mercury was lost to the environment, posing a threat to the environment and public health today.
The storm runoff from the Malakoff Diggins hydraulic mine discharges into nearby creeks, contributing significant loads of sediment and mercury as it flows into the Wild and Scenic South Yuba River. Mercury-contaminated sediment accumulates in reservoirs, and the Nevada Irrigation District’s project to remove this material from Combie Reservoir on the Bear River is an innovative approach to addressing legacy contamination.
Dr. Carrie Monohan will discuss how our state can address mercury left over from the Gold Rush, and will explore strategies and the multiple benefits associated with removing contaminated sediment to restore reservoirs across the Sierra Nevada. She is scheduled to present this material to staff of the California Department of Conservation the following day, demonstrating TSF’s strategic approach to educate both the public on matters that impact them as well as agency staff.
