Streams Institute and Sierra College will host a discussion “Sediment and Mercury Loads from Creeks to Reservoirs: A Golden Opportunity,” a presentation by Dr. Carrie Monahan, science director at The Sierra Fund, on Tuesday, Oct. 10.

Monahan will speak about the impact of mercury in waterways as a result of hydraulic and hard-rock mining. During the California Gold Rush era, over 10 million pounds of mercury were used in mining, and it is estimated that 10-30 percent of liquid mercury was lost to the environment, according to a news release. (read more)