Campers learn about Owl Pellets, Edible Aquifers and the IRWD Marsh

The Irvine Ranch Water District San Joaquin Marsh and Learning Center are humming with summer camp activity. Youngsters of all ages are enjoying camps hosted by Discovery Science Center and the Sea and Sage Audubon Society.

Discovery Science Center offers six one-week camp sessions for children ages five through 10. Five and six year old campers join the Summer Smiles Camp, where they investigate the world of frogs, butterflies and flora, and even get to play in the dirt. Older campers, ages seven through 10, participate in Project Discovery Camp, which caters to future engineers and builders by providing hands-on activities such as building wind-powered cars, dropping eggs without breaking them and constructing catapults. Campers even explore chemistry basics. Camps run from July through the middle of August.

On a recent day of camp the Discovery Room, Discovery Science Center instructor, Karyn Nagel, demonstrated to the Summer Smiles campers how to make an edible aquifer out of chocolate chips, lemon-lime soda and vanilla ice cream. The real challenge lay in convincing the youngsters not to touch their full cups, while Nagel explained what an aquifer is and what the various components represented. 

The Sea and Sage Chapter of the Audubon Society also hosts a variety of summer camps at the IRWD Marsh and Learning Center including Fledgling Camp for youngsters age seven and eight and Coastal Bird Camp and Advanced Bird Camp, for children 11 years and older. These popular camps sell out every year.

"We have been doing these camps since 1993, with our wonderful volunteers," said Trude Hurd, Sea and Sage Marsh Education Project Director. In all, 24 Audubon volunteers work throughout the year organizing the camps, which begin at the end of June and continue through the end of July.

Last week the nine through 12-year-olds in the Marsh Bird Camp were about to dissect owl pellets, which are not what you might think they are. Because owls don't chew their food, the soft portions of their prey are digested, while the harder materials such as bone, fur and hair congeal together in a mass, which is regurgitated. These masses are known as owl pellets. Volunteer Bev Spring gave the campers tips about effective dissection.

"I normally don't lead this camp, but I come in to teach the pellets section because no one else will do it," Spring said, laughing.

Please visit the Community Programs section of www.irwd.com for more information on summer camps at the Marsh and all the IRWD student and community education programs.

Customer Payment Drop Box Moved

Due to construction activities in the parking lot at the Irvine Ranch Water District office located at 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine, the customer payment drop box has been relocated to the Waterworks Way entrance. 

Ian Swift Oversees IRWD San Joaquin Marsh and Natural Treatment Systems

Ian Swift is the new Supervising Wetlands Biologist for the Irvine Ranch Water District. After spending two years working as the watershed biologist at the Los Vaqueros Reservoir, a drinking water, recreational and educational facility owned by the Contra Costa Water District, the Los Angeles native feels like he has come home.

 “Working in the San Joaquin Marsh on a daily basis is one of the best parts about coming to work at IRWD,” said Swift. “Its serenity and beauty enhance my new work experience.”

Swift joined the District in March and he oversees maintenance of the San Joaquin Marsh and all of the Natural Treatment System (NTS) sites. The San Joaquin Marsh encompasses more than 300 acres of coastal freshwater wetlands, half of which have been restored to a natural state.

NTS is a series of manmade wetlands which use the natural ecosystems to remove sediment, nutrients, pathogens and other contaminants from urban runoff. One of the largest and most visible sites is Quail Springs in Irvine, where Sand Canyon Avenue and Shady Canyon Drive meet.

Swift gives kudos to other wetlands employees for showing him around. The first day in the marsh, he spotted the resident bobcat.

Swift comes to IRWD with impressive credentials. Prior to Contra Costa, he spent eight years as a natural areas supervisor with the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. Additionally, he has traveled all over Central and South America hiking and studying insects. In 2006, he was in French Guiana assisting renowned documentary film maker David Attenborough on a project, “Life in the Undergrowth.”

In his new position, Swift supervises two Wetlands Specialists, coordinates the District’s wetlands operation with state and federal regulatory agencies and coordinates with county vector control to ensure a minimum of vector-related problems.

He is eager to become involved as the District moves forward with the construction of another 15 NTS sites throughout the San Diego Creek watershed.

“The new challenges we face are adapting to the new regulatory environment and the new NTS facilities being designed and engineered,” Swift said.

Please visit www.irwd.com/environment for more information about the San Joaquin Marsh and NTS.

Closure to Last up to Three Months

Beginning Tuesday, August 9, 2011 the Sand Canyon entrance to Irivne Ranch Water District Sand Canyon administrative office building will be closed and will remain closed for approximately three months due to construction activities.  

Anyone visiting IRWD's administrative building located at the corner of Sand Canyon and Waterworks Way should use the Waterworks Way entrance. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.  Please check the District's web site, www.irwd.com for further updates.