Fort Lewis College to host scientific panel on metal and sediments in the Animas
Fort Lewis College will host the Forum on Metals & Sediments in the Animas River on Friday, November 13 at 5:15 p.m. The community is invited to the Student Union Ballroom for this free forum.
“So many Fort Lewis College students, faculty and staff came to Durango because of this area's natural beauty, including the Animas River,” says Dr. Heidi Steltzer, FLC associate professor of biology. “The feeling on campus following the Gold King Mine Spill was to figure out ways we can help our neighbors. The forum is an opportunity for the FLC, Durango and other Four Corners and Colorado communities to gather together to learn about the science related to metals in the Animas River that will inform our decisions now and in the future.”
Scientists from the University of Colorado, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory will join experts from Fort Lewis College in discussing how metals and sediments move in bodies of water, how those materials are monitored, and what we can and can’t know about the impacts of the Gold King Mine Spill. This presentation is general in nature, but will aim to increase the community’s understanding of the Animas River.
A panel of experts will speak and answer questions from the community at the forum, including:
- Joe Ryan, Ph.D., Professor of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder
- Ken Williams, Ph.D., Earth Systems Scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Department of Energy
- Rob Runkel, Ph.D., Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey
- Callie Cole, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Fort Lewis College
- Gary Gianniny, Ph.D., Professor of Geology, Fort Lewis College
- Heidi Steltzer, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biology, Fort Lewis College
The Forum on Metals & Sediments in the Animas River is sponsored by Fort Lewis College, the University of Colorado at Boulder, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the San Juan Basin Health Department.
For more information, contact Dr. Heidi Steltzer at 970-247-7450.