SANTA CRUZ, CA––An expert panel will provide a perspective on saltwater intrusion during the annual Ken Norris Memorial Lecture at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center on Wednesday, October 23, from 7-8:30 PM. Doors open at 6 PM for this free event.
The Seymour Center will host a lively and informative panel discussion about the pressing and imminent problem of saltwater intrusion along the Monterey Bay coastline.
For years, groundwater levels in our region have been dropping to record-level lows at such a rate that our aquifers are no longer being naturally replenished by rainfall. As groundwater levels fall, salty ocean water infiltrates inland. The aquifers become contaminated with seawater causing wells to become too salty and unusable. Saltwater intrusion is potentially irreversible and can result in costly changes for the end users. What does this mean for the future? Join us as we reveal the complexities of saltwater intrusion and explore viable solutions with our expert panel.
The 2019 Ken Norris Memorial Lecture will be moderated by Cynthia Chase, former Santa Cruz Mayor and City Councilmember, and will host a panel of experts:
Ron Duncan, General Manager, Soquel Creek Water District
Andy Fisher, Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, UC Santa Cruz
Meredith Goebel, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Stanford University
Sponsored by Naomi Kirschenbaum
ABOUT THIS ANNUAL LECTURE: The Kenneth Norris Memorial Lecture is named after acclaimed scientist, naturalist, teacher, and conservationist, Kenneth S. Norris. Norris was a professor of natural history at UC Santa Cruz for 18 years. His legacy includes helping to found UC Santa Cruz’s Long Marine Laboratory and the campus’s Institute of Marine Sciences. He is nationally known for his pioneering research with dolphins and his efforts to establish the University of California’s Natural Reserve System. He was a key author of the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The lecture is sponsored by Naomi Kirschenbaum.
ABOUT THE SEYMOUR CENTER: Overlooking the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the Seymour Center is a “living classroom” featuring exhibits, aquariums, touch pools, whale skeletons, full-scale elephant seal models, the Ocean Discovery Shop, and unsurpassed ocean vistas. The aquariums and exhibits feature the everyday tools of ocean exploration and focus on research conducted by scientists locally and around the world. Interactive stations provide hands-on learning experiences, and docents lead tours and bring marine science to life.
WHAT: Ken Norris Memorial Lecture at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center: “Saltwater Intrusion along the Monterey Bay: Is Our Groundwater Too Salty?”
WHEN: Wednesday, October 23, 2019, 7-8:30 PM
WHERE: Seymour Marine Discovery Center, UC Santa Cruz Coastal Science Campus, 100 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
ADMISSION and SEATING: The Ken Norris Memorial Lecture is free. Recommended for ages 12 and older. Seating may be limited and is first-come, first-served.
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No late seating (no entry after 7 PM)
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Doors open to the lecture hall at 6:30 PM
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Seymour Center opens to the public, with lecture passes available at 6 PM
INFORMATION: (831) 459-3800 or seymourcenter.ucsc.edu
