September 15 Meeting – Dr. Harry Lyons

Dr. Harry Lyons – “Lessons from Green Water”Harry Lyons

 Yuba College Emeritus Professor, Dr. Harry Lyons, weaves the stories of two nutrient-rich aquatic ecosystems, the Hudson River and Clear Lake, in addressing the problems and promises of such rich biological communities. Although differing in their geological and hydrologic histories, the two systems face similar problems with over-enrichment and point-source pollution.

Most feel the biological condition of the Hudson has improved; some feel the biological condition of Clear Lake has not. Can the political action taken on behalf of the Hudson River serve as a model for pushing improvement of water quality in Clear Lake? How is the chance of success through political action dependent on the type of pollution and its causes?

Dr. Lyons grew up swimming and fishing in the Hudson. His life-long interest in water led him to pursue his PhD in oceanography from the Scripps Institution of the University of California after academic work at Rutgers and Stanford. He has lived by, sampled from, and swum in Clear Lake for over thirty-five years. His talks are always peppered with the spirit of relevant songs.