This podcast will focus on a variety of water resources related topics and the interrelationship of water to our environment and society. The Podcast will be hosted by Tom Bellinger, and Joe Lyons. Dr. Thomas Bellinger, a professionally certified hydrologist and professor has over 40 years in the water science field with the Department of Interior and is currently on the faculty at the University of Colorado - Denver and the Metropolitan State University of Denver. Joe Lyons is an experienced Hydraulic Engineer/Hydrologist who has worked in the water science field with the Department of Interior. Tom and Joe have bee colleagues and friends for over 38 years. Podcasts will touch on issues such as climate change, water use and distribution, ground and surface water, water law, rivers, glaciers, snow, wetlands, etc. The Podcast format will vary from a host to host discussion to a discussion the between the co-hosts and invited guests with expertise on a variety of topics. Eventually, listeners may be invited to call in with questions. The podcast will run 25-40 minutes on a bi-weekly basis. Note that season one was a pilot season with Tom Bellinger as host. Season two began the co-hosting format with Tom Bellinger and Tom Cech. The third season in 2024 was be co-hosted by the ”two Toms” and Greg. Our 4th Season, starting in January 2025 will be hosted by Tom Bellinger, Joe Lyons with a variety of new topics on water. Stay Tuned! The co-hosts can be contacted through email at h2otalkpodcast@aol.com.
Listen on:
Joe Lyons is now a permanent co-host starting in Season 4. Tom Cech will be departing the podcast due to a heavy schedule. However from time to time Tom Cech and Greg Dewey may join in as guest hosts or as guests. We miss them both!
Sunday May 28, 2023
Sunday May 28, 2023
This episode will begin with weekly water news and continue with the first installment of a discussion on the relationship between forests and water.
Forests have an important role in watershed health, water supply, flood control, and water quality. This relationship and the importance of maintaining healthy forests for maintaining healthy watersheds will be a focus of this episode.
Sunday May 21, 2023
Sunday May 21, 2023
This episode will focus on the Aral Sea Disaster in Central Asia. The Aral Sea, once the 4th largest inland sea in the world is a mere shadow of its former self. The evolving disaster began in 1960 and continues to today. A history of this environmental event will be covered in this episode along with its consequences.
Sunday May 14, 2023
Sunday May 14, 2023
This episode will focus on ethics and the management of natural resources (such as water). A discussion of the concept of ethics will be followed by a discussion on how our natural resources ethical standards have evolved over time.
Sunday May 07, 2023
Sunday May 07, 2023
This episode will focus on "wicked" water problems, what defines "wickedness" and things to consider when trying to address them. Two water news items will also be discussed.
Sunday Apr 30, 2023
Sunday Apr 30, 2023
This episode will focus on the wide range of federal agencies that have an interest in water -- plus some water news!
Sunday Apr 23, 2023
Sunday Apr 23, 2023
This episode will focus on the "Irrigation Problem" one of the largest uses of water, especially in the Western US. Recent water news items will also be discussed.
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
Sunday Apr 16, 2023
This episode will begin with recent water news and then focus on ocean rise due to climate change - reasons, issues, and consequences.
Sunday Apr 09, 2023
Sunday Apr 09, 2023
This episode will focus on the water (hydrologic) cycle, its importance, its interpretation, and the influence of humans on this cycle.
Sunday Apr 02, 2023
Sunday Apr 02, 2023
This episode will focus the significance of April 1 and October 1 in the Water Year. This episode will also define the "water year" and the relevance of the existing snowpack to the water supply future (Western US) in 2023.
Sunday Mar 26, 2023
Sunday Mar 26, 2023
Today's episode will focus on the Colorado River - its importance as a natural resource, its management, and its issues and future.
Dr. Thomas (Tom) R. Bellinger is a certified Professional Hydrologist (Emeritus) through the American Institute of Hydrology. He was formerly a Visiting Professor and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Science at the Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS) and Engineering and Engineering Technology (EAET) Departments. He teaches Environmental Science, Planning, Environmental Policy, Water Resources, Snow Hydrology, Water Law, Engineered Water, Environmental Policy and Planning, and a Senior Design Project class. He is also a member of the Industry Advisory Board for the EAET Department.
Tom retired as Principal Hydrologist with the Department of Interior Bureau of Reclamation. Prior to this position, he served as a hydrologist/ Branch Chief of Refuge Hydrology for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Since retiring, Tom has remained active in the water resources community. He currently serves as a Technical Advisor (Hydrology) with the Department of Interior/USAID International Technical Assistance Program (ITAP). He was a team member working with the Lao PDR government in the Mekong River Valley.
Tom is Past President/ Board Member of NecroSearch International (NSI) a non-profit multi-disciplinary forensic group that assists law enforcement on cases with a focus on the location of clandestine evidence and graves. He currently serves as a hydrologist with NSI. His specialty is in hydrologic forensic analysis. Tom is an Affiliate with the Organization of Scientific Area Committees for Forensic Science (OSAC) and is a member of the newly formed Aquatic Scene Processing Standards Task Group.
Tom is a former member of the Metro Basin Roundtable, a collaborative team assisted in developing the Colorado State Water Plan. He recently retired from the Board of Directors (3 terms) for the Metro Waster Recovery District, an entity serving nearly 2 million wastewater customers in the Denver Area. Tom also recently retired from the Board of Directors for the Bancroft-Clover Water and Sanitation District in Lakewood, CO (2 terms), which serves over 65,000 customers.
Tom holds a B.S. (Resources Management/Environmental Science) from the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF)/Syracuse University and M.S. (Hydrologic Sciences/Forest Influences) degrees from SUNY ESF. He holds a doctorate in Organizational Management /Leadership from the University of Phoenix with an emphasis/ dissertation on collaborative processes in the water resources field. Tom has authored a variety of journal articles, research papers, and government reports on several aspects of the water sciences.
A “mustang” naval officer, Tom served in both the enlisted and officer ranks of the US Navy retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He specialized in the analysis of operational intelligence.
Tom is an emeritus member of the American Institute of Hydrology, and a current member of the American Geophysical Union and the Explorers Club (National Fellow).
One of Tom’s passions is music – he is a mandolinist with the Denver Mandolin Orchestra, played bass and mandolin for the Bluegrass Bandwagon, and mandolin/fiddle for various local jam bands. Tom also played bagpipes with Michael Collins Pipes and Drums. Tom and his wife Anita reside in Colorado.
Joe Lyons is an experienced hydrologist/hydraulic engineer with over 30 years experience. A graduate of Colorado State University and the Oregon State University Joe's career has covered several years with the Department of the Interior (Bureau of Reclamation and the US Fish and Wildlife Service).
Joe is joined the Podcast in Season 4.
Tom Cech is an experienced water resources professional with over 40 years of experience. Tom was born and raised on a farm near Clarkson, Nebraska, graduated from Kearney State College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Math Education, and later received a Master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning (MCRP) from the University of Nebraska –Lincoln. He was Executive Director of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District in Greeley, taught water undergraduate and graduate level water resources courses at the University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University, and is the founding Director of the One World One Water (OWOW) Center at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Tom has and continues to author a variety of books. He authored “Principles of Water Resources: History, Development, Management and Policy,” published by John Wiley & Sons - currently in its 4th edition and translated into Portuguese. Tom also recently published “Introduction to Water Resources and Environmental Issues,” (co-author Dr. Karrie Pennington) with Cambridge University Press and translated into Arabic, and “Colorado Water Law for Non-Lawyers,” (co-author P. Andrew Jones) with the University Press of Colorado. He has also completed histories of the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Colorado State Engineer’s Office with Bill McDonald and Dick Stenzel, respectively. Tom is currently co-authoring a book and big data and water.
Tom is semi-retired – and continues to remain active in water and environmental resources. He resides in Colorado.
Greg Dewey PE, is an experienced engineer and water manager who has worked for the the federal government (Bureau of Reclamation), as a consultant, and for the City of Loveland, CO. Greg is currently an engineer with Northern Water, a key water purveyor in northeastern Colorado.
Greg joined the Podcast in seasons 2 and 3 and will be an occasional guest/collaborator in the future.