April 2011
Dick Lanyon, P.E., DEE, D.WRE, F.ASCE, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) retired on December 31, after nearly 50 years in the engineering profession. Dick's career at the MWRD spanned nearly 48 years. Dick Lanyon's career has spanned the issues of water resources engineering within the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (previously the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago). Dick has worked in many technical arenas including: waterway operations, industrial pollution enforcement, flood control, stormwater management, environmental regulation and research and development. His longest tenure has been his 30+ years in research and development during the times of rapid changes in both regulation and technology. He has led the district as they negotiated standards with state and federal regulatory agencies.
Dick has been involved in water quality planning for the northeastern Illinois region, dealt with combined sewer overflow issues, industrial pollution, chemical safety, water quality assessments, discharge qualities and regulations, pretreatment and use attainability for Chicago area streams. Dick has been a very active professional organization leader with numerous roles over decades of involvement and a host of leadership roles in ASCE, Illinois Section, Hydraulics Division, Environmental Engineering Division, various task forces and Urban Water Resources Research Council.
Among some of the notable recognitions that Dick has received in his career are receiving the Superior Public Service Award by City of Chicago, ASCE Illinois Section Government Civil Engineer of Year, American Society of Civil Engineers Zone III and Best Overall Government Civil Engineer of the Year, and Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumnus Award from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In May 2011 he received the American Academy of Environmental Engineers (AAEE) Edward J. Cleary Award for superior administrative and technical skills and public service in the conduct of environmental protection programs. He also received the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Distinguished Service Award for his dedication to the MWRD and to the clean water industry through his involvement in NACWA as an active member of the NACWA Board of Directors, standing committees, numerous initiatives and as the Chair of the National Biosolids Partnership.
Dick earned his Bachelor and Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign. He has been an AAWRE Diplomate since fall of 2006, an active member of the Water Environmental Federation and is also a Diplomate, Environmental Engineer of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers.
My source for inspiration:
I'm inclined to be optimistic for most endeavors and strive for a positive outcome. People are mostly sincere and their aims are based on what they believe will achieve a beneficial outcome. However, I've learned to accept the reality that some opposing views cannot be reconciled to mutual satisfaction. In these instances, I give my position the strongest and best showing and accept the outcome..
We know that you grew up in the Chicago area. What did you like most particularly about this great city and what was it like for you during your formative years?
DL: Chicago, like other big cities has so much to offer for individuals in cultural, family, school and social activities. I'm sure that visits to various museums and other cultural institutions gave me a well-rounded foundation. We lived two doors from the North Branch of the Chicago River and both my elementary and high schools were located near the North Branch. My first two years of college were spent at the Navy Pier U of I undergraduate Chicago campus. Navy Pier is over a half-mile long, jutting out in the Outer Chicago Harbor of Lake Michigan. Water played a subtle, but ever-present influence in my life.
When did you first know that you wanted to study civil engineering and what were your main influencing factors to go into civil engineering?
DL: It took time to find my interest and love of water. Through high school I had my sights on architecture, but after my first year in college my interest turned to the design of structures rather than spaces. I switched to civil engineering. This was while I was attending the undergraduate Chicago campus at Navy Pier. In my junior year at the Urbana-Champaign campus, I worked part-time in the fluid mechanics lab cleaning and repairing various equipment used for instruction and this allowed me to observe water close and personal. How this medium behaved and how it could be controlled to benefit society impressed me. Later, I worked in the Hydraulic Laboratory under Professor John C. Guillou on various research projects, both model and full scale size. I became aware of my affinity to water and instinctive ability to understand its behavior.
We know that you attended the University of Illinois at Urbana for both your undergrad and graduate studies in civil engineering. How did you enjoy attending U. of Illinois and what was the path like for you in your studies?
DL: In addition to the above, I learned to live on my own while at Urbana and my horizons were expanded. My associations with faculty members and engineering professionals in the community helped me see the value of engineering in meeting the needs of society. Urbana lacked the allure of more popular campus locations, but Illinois is my home and I found it a comfortable place to grow and learn.
We also know that in your career, you first worked for Harza Engineering (now MWH Americas) before your long productive career with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD). Please tell us about your first impressions and experiences working at Harza and transitioning to the MWRD.
DL: I worked for Harza for one summer before my full-time experience. My summer experience helped me to decide that Harza was where I wanted to start my career. Harza's President, Calvin V. Davis, gave a lecture at the Urbana campus in my senior year and I was very impressed with Mr. Davis and the company he led. Due to newspaper stories about scandals at the MWRD (Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago at that time) I didn't have a favorable impression of it as a place to work. In my final year at Urbana, Professor Guillou had me assist another graduate student with a hydraulic model study of the MWRD Lockport Powerhouse. I began to learn a little of the workings of the MWRD. While at Harza, I was assigned to the team who was providing expert testimony for the MWRD in the Lake Diversion litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court (Wisconsin, et al vs. the MWRD). This exposed me to some of the professional staff at MWRD and my impressions changed. I learned more about the MWRD infrastructure and history and how it meets the needs of the metropolitan area. Harza also assigned me to work on projects in foreign countries. I found this fascinating, but I had two disappointing experiences with prospects for travel that were cancelled at the whim of the client. My work on projects closer to home was more rewarding. In October 1962, Vinton Bacon was appointed as a reform candidate to lead the MWRD. In February 1963 I began employment at MWRD was counted as one of the "new breed." I came into an organization that was in transition, reform and modernization. While at Harza, an experience I will never forget occurred. E. Montford Fucik was then the President and he happened to be by my drafting table one day. I was working on a planning study to determine the maximum probable flood for the Brokopondo Dam in Surinam. Mr. Fucik asked me about what I was doing and in the process I explained that the elevation of the crest of the dam would be set at one meter above the maximum flood level. He looked at me and stated "One meter? You have scant data and this is based on a hypothetical storm? Young man, I suggest that you increase the margin of safety and raise the crest another meter."
How did you respond to Mr. Fucik's suggestion?
DL: By the time Mr. Fucik had concluded his remarks it had attracted a few more ears. While I was speechless for a moment, my project manager chimed in and said "We will take care of that." By that time, Mr. Fucik had a smile on his face and said "Good work" and I felt relieved.
Can you share with us some of your most memorable projects and experiences? What was unique or challenging about them?
DL: (1) Operational recordkeeping was all manual at the MWRD. I learned the difficulty of change when I began to develop algorithms and use the computer to convert raw operating data into final results for reporting. It was a challenge to demonstrate labor and time savings and accuracy of results to the older staff members. (2) The powerhouse mentioned above was a costly operation. I was assigned to work with electrical engineers to introduce automation to reduce labor costs, challenging those who couldn't believe that automation would work. (3) The powerhouse was in the next county and the MWRD was paying taxes to the county for the powerhouse. I worked on an economic analysis which led to the decision to appeal the tax assessment. The savings realized in automation and tax payment reduction made the powerhouse more than pay for itself. (4) There was no collection of data on the 77-mile waterway system that the MWRD operated other than water levels. I worked with others on the design of remote water quality monitors reporting to a central location. Decisions on water flow and quality could now be based on data never before available. (5) Mr. Bacon had ordered a new flood control program be developed based on watersheds and managing excess stormwater locally rather than sending it downstream faster. When I was appointed to lead flood control planning and design, I began studies for each watershed utilizing the Soil Conservation Service (now the NRCS), hence matching local funds with federal funds. The result was the first set of watershed protection plans and numerous projects to reduce floodwater damages. The MWRD eventually built 30 projects from these plans. (6) More recently, I've led the effort to use computer modeling to analyze the man-made and artificially-controlled waterway system, to understand its complex behavior and to determine if proposed improvements will actually provide beneficial results. (7) I also initiated studies to determine the need for public health protection for recreational users of the waterway system. MWRD undertook a microbial risk assessment and an epidemiological study to determine if the practice of costly disinfection will provide an actual public health benefit. The challenge is always to provide needed and effective public service at the least cost to the tax or rate payer. We also examined some of the environmental downsides to the practice of disinfection, such as, increased demand for non-renewable energy and transporation of hazardous chemicals.
What were some of your other personal activities that got you involved in public service?
DL: In 1983 I was appointed to the Evanston Public Library Board by the Mayor. I found this non-engineering experience invaluable and was able to use my management skills effectively. Planning had begun on a new main library for this city of 75,000, the first suburb north of Chicago and home to Northwestern University. My five years on the library board ended with me being president in the last year. By then, we had a plan to rebuild an expanded library at the same site, initiated acquisition of an adjoining property for the larger library and initiated a competition to select the architect and design. The competition was controversial and faced resistance from local architects. We soothed their concerns by requiring the winning architect to align with a local firm. In 1983 I was appointed to the Evanston Public Library Board by the Mayor. I found this non-engineering experience invaluable and was able to use my management skills effectively. Planning had begun on a new main library for this city of 75,000, the first suburb north of Chicago and home to Northwestern University. My five years on the library board ended with me being president in the last year. By then, we had a plan to rebuild an expanded library at the same site, initiated acquisition of an adjoining property for the larger library and initiated a competition to select the architect and design. The competition was controversial and faced resistance from local architects. We soothed their concerns by requiring the winning architect to align with a local firm.
At the end of my five years, I was not able to continue due to a term limit. The opportunity presented itself to run for a seat on the city council. With the encouragement of my wife, I gathered petition signatures and was placed on the ballot. Next, the campaign, gathering a committee, printing literature, developing a platform, raising funds and going door-to-door December through March in the 9,000 population ward. In a three-way race, including the incumbent, I won. I couldn't believe it at first and didn't have time to dwell on a victory because I was sworn, seated and began work.
My four-year term was a great experience working with the other council members and city staff. I couldn't get used to being called "Honorable" or "Alderman" by city staffers that I knew and had worked with for several years. I learned much that I used in the remainder of my career, dealing with public input, finding compromise between opposing factions, responding to citizens and finding solutions to their problems and working with city staff to improve services for the ward. The city was in the midst of a massive sewer capital improvement program and I was looked to by my colleagues for guidance. Best of all, I was able to see the public library project continue and construction begin before I left the council. I chose not to run for another term because our children were in elementary school at that time and I found it difficult to balance my time between my family, a career at the MWRD and many evenings needed for the city council.
What were the influencing factors in achieving your D.WRE and how did you hear about the program?
DL: When AAWRE began the program, I was invited to apply for Diplomate status. Having already become Board certified by the AAEE, I realized the value of this qualification. I completed the D. WRE application and was accepted and certified.
What types of services or initiatives would you like to see AAWRE pursue?
DL: Public education about water is very important because as a society, we in the USA take plentiful water for granted. Even in areas where water is in short supply, the general public frequently appears unconcerned. In areas like Chicago where water is plentiful, conservation is a hard sell. This is one area where AAWRE can focus its efforts. Another is the concept of the water footprint. Industry uses this effectively, but a model for the public needs to be developed and used in public education.
In your retirement from public service, you shared with us previously:
The last experience at Harza opened my eyes to the opportunities at the MWRD; that its infrastructure and operations were one of the Seven Modern Wonders of Engineering with a vital mission of environmental protection. I switched jobs, never envisioning what my future would be. After nearly 48 years of service, I look back on a rewarding career, making contributions to outstanding engineering projects, witnessing management innovations, transitioning from paper to electronic communications, implementing automated control systems for more efficient use of resources and realizing progress in a number of human resource and management initiatives.
How far do you think that the way civil engineering is done today has come, compared to the decades past?
DL: The practice of civil engineering is progressing with advances in technology. The computer and programs has relieved some of the grunt work, but the need to think through and problem and solution hasn't changed. In fact, it is more important because of the complexity of regulations, the need for innovation and increased concern for sustainable solutions that weigh economy, environment and social considerations.
In looking back over your illustrious career with the MWRD, would you share with us about some experiences that truly stand out?
DL: (1) Stormwater management in urban areas was lacking in the post WWII demand for housing. Urban sprawl was rampant in many urban centers where economic development and growth was a common goal for many suburban municipalities. In the Chicago area growing municipalities were competitive, not cooperative. The MWRD had no authority for zoning or land development, but did regulate the expansion of the public sewerage system through connection permits. Suburban municipalities and developers resisted MWRD attempts to require stormwater management techniques in planning for growth. For two years the controversy over the proper approach went on and finally MWRD adopted the requirement that either municipalities join cooperatively and develop stormwater management plans for each watershed OR the MWRD would impose floodplain protection and stormwater detention requirements on each permit. In variably the latter was the course chosen by developers and municipalities. Eventually the MWRD, a regional authority had to undertake the planning. (2) For Chicago and older suburbs using combined sewers the problem was to address the frequent overflow during wet weather. Sewer separation was found to be too costly, disruptive and did not address the poor quality of urban stormwater runoff. Additional storage and treatment was needed and out of this came the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP). Approved at the local level, the pollution control aspect qualified for federal construction grant funding under the 1972 Clean Water Act (CWA). With plans and funding in hand, construction started in 1975 and completed portions were placed in operation in 1985. Tunneling technology was an innovation in Chicago that is now being employed in many combined sewer urban areas. Despite the limitations of the point-source and command-and-control focus of the CWA, the Chicago experience demonstrated that flood and pollution control in combined sewer areas are inseparable. (3) MWRD is now challenging the accepted practice of effluent disinfection as a means to protect public health for recreational users in effluent dominated waters. The use of indicator bacteria as a measure doesn't accurately determine what pathogens are present and at what concentration they are a threat. This false dependence on indicator bacteria, used because analysis is less expensive than pathogen analysis, is not real protection.
What do you personally feel are the biggest challenges that are on the horizon for the civil engineering profession?
DL: Is the Clean Water Act (CWA) relevant any longer? Through the command-and-control point source focus of the CWA, many of the problems affecting our Nation's water have been put behind us. The CWA cannot address watershed problems like stormwater runoff and agriculture drainage. We need a new approach based on the watershed and a means to prioritize problems in each watershed. Society must address necessary tradeoffs in environmental protection. Can society bare the cost of returning lakes and rivers to a pristine state? Does every "water" have to be swimmable? Swimming pools are an acceptable and perhaps safer and less costly alternative. Do the "dead zones" have to be eliminated? Most fish consumed are raised in fish-farms.
As you may know, there has been a huge push in recent years in campaigns from professional engineering societies to educate the public on what civil engineering is and to get kids (K-12) interested in civil engineering. What would be your personal pitch to kids to get them interested in civil engineering?
DL: This has to be on a personal level. Having engineers participate in science fairs, career days, competitive engineering and science events at elementary and high schools, etc., is in my opinion the best way to educate young minds about technology and technical issues. Rather than sponsor dinners, luncheons and receptions at engineering society events, engineering organizations, private and public, should invest their sponsorship cash on the young minds. Adopt a school, give scholarships, sponsor a competitive event, treat the science fair winners and their dads and moms to a boat ride, baseball game, etc.
What would be the 5 things that you would tell young students and kids out there whom are interested in pursuing a career in civil engineering? (it can be advice on how to get there, what to look out for as an engineer, advice on how to be successful)
DL: I thought of six. First, find your grove, your passion, what gives you the most satisfaction. It may not be found early, but keep looking. Finding your passion will be the key to your satisfaction in life. Second, don't just go through the routine of your job, add value to what you do. Think of a better way. Third, be committed to what you do, be proactive, dedicate your life to a better world and want it. Speak out in what you believe. Others want to hear you and though they may not agree, they will respect you. Fourth, think ahead, where do I want to be in five or ten years. Then strive toward that goal. Be aware that you may find your goals need to be reset. Fifth, always take applause or recognition of your accomplishments. Don't be bashful, you have earned it. Share your pride with those you love. Realize that your best work may not be recognized, but find your own satisfaction and don't be discouraged if others are not cheering. Sixth, take care of yourself. You are of no value to others if you pursue bad habits, abuse your personal health and are financially careless.
Can you share with us your personal vision on leadership and management?
DL: Management: Rules are necessary. An organization must have rules and procedures that are consistently and fairly administered. A clearly understood and followed chain of command is essential. Responsibilities must be clearly defined and individuals must be held accountable. Leaders must be honest, fair, consistent, have vision, and articulate goals. The vision can be far ahead, but the goals must be reasonably achievable, even though it make take personal efforts or prodding to reach the goal. Leaders must be people oriented. Say hello, remember names, recognize effort and work, smile. Leaders must uphold and show pride in the organization. Treat all equally, don't show favoritism. Administer discipline without fear, being consistent and candid.
They say that behind every successful person, there are countless number of people in their lives that helped shaped that person to become the person they are and influenced them to become successful. For you, who are the people that helped shape your life- professionally and personally? If you can say thank you to those people- what would you say?
DL: To my dad and mom, thanks for giving me my bearing in life and for your love and care in my upbringing. To my wife and kids, thanks for the love of family and my satisfaction in watching you grow and succeed. To adult neighbors when I was a kid, thanks for watching out for me and your occasional guidance. To teachers and professors, K through 18, thanks for the wisdom you imparted to me, your patience in my learning and help when I needed it. To professional colleagues and co-workers for the past half-century thanks for friendship, my benefitting from your wisdom and experience, your cooperation in achieving success, your interest and support in what I was doing and for being there when I needed you.
What are some of your personal hobbies and interests?
DL: I'm handy with my hands and like to do projects in the home. I like biking, hiking and reading. Marsha and I are and will be doing more traveling. There is a lot of places in the USA I would like to visit again or for the first time. I've kept in touch with professional colleagues and continue to be active in some Chicago area water issues. I'm also working to finish up a history on the reversal of flow in the Calumet and Chicago Rivers.
Since your retirement from public service at MWRD, how have you been enjoying life and how have you kept yourself busy?
DL: I retired from the service of the MWRD, but I don't consider myself to be retired from public service. I continue to pursue professional interests, such as, the need for sensible and sustainable water management in urban areas, Chicago in particular. I have been authorized to continue as the MWRD representative on the advisory committee of a study of watershed separation sponsored by interests outside the Chicago area. There must be clarity on the need for drainage, stormwater management and the protection of Lake Michigan, the source water for the metropolitan area. I've also become more active in my home community, Evanston, where I serve on the Utility Commission and are a member of a citizen committee considering a wind farm in Lake Michigan for renewable energy generation. My wife and I share an automobile and I've resisted the temptation to have my own vehicle, believing that each of us must demonstrate in our own way how we can reduce our dependence on non-renewable sources of energy. In short, I walk, ride my bicycle or ride the bus more often whenever possible.