Color Galore

Spring is the perfect time to transform your yard into an Always Water Smart landscape and Irvine Ranch Water District can help.

“Landscape water use can account for up to 70 percent of residential water use, with nearly half of this water being wasted through overwatering, runoff and evaporation,” said Nathan Adams, IRWD Water Efficiency Analyst.

By planting a water-efficient landscape, residents can reduce their water bills and have a healthier and attractive landscape.

There’s no need to constrain your landscape to a patch of grass when there are an abundance of water-efficient plants with lots of textures and colors. Native plants are well-suited to southern California’s mild winters and warm, dry summers. They’re less maintenance, use little water and don’t need soil preparation or fertilizing.

If you’re ready to make this transition but are uncertain about what types of plants to use and how to design an Always Water Smart landscape, we are here to help. IRWD has assembled a comprehensive online landscape and plant resource guide. At www.irwdcalscape.org, visitors can create their own water-efficient landscape by selecting plants based on season, color, height range and other options. Visitors can also receive information on design, landscape rebates, irrigation schedules and much more.

Here are some general design recommendations to assist in transforming your landscape:

• Less is more in planting design. Complex designs require more maintenance. Limit the number of plant species and create well-defined planted areas by not scattering plants throughout open areas.
• Consider how much lawn you would like or need. Plant lawn where it will be enjoyed, or forego it altogether and consider lawn alternatives, such as ground covers, decks or patios. Grass is the highest water-consuming plant in the garden.
• If you enjoy seasonal color, consider container gardens with lush and low-maintenance ornamentals, grasses or succulents.
• Look for plants with the same water needs and group these together to maximize water use and allow for better plant health.
• A year-round evergreen garden can be achieved with low-maintenance ground covers such as dymondia, rosemary or star jasmine.

Show Features IRWD 2012 Poster Winner

The 2013 Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Student Art Exhibit is making its way to the Irvine Ranch Water District headquarters office at 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue in Irvine and will  feature the winning art work of Ben Zolner, a Lake Forest Elementary School sixth grader.

Ben’s art work and the other 35 winning posters will be displayed in the IRWD lobby and available for public viewing April 2-9 during regular business hours:  8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“Art work from schools all over the region was entered into the 2012 ‘Water is Life’ poster contest sponsored by Metropolitan,” said Shannon Reed, IRWD Public Affairs Manager. “Ben was one of the finalists whose art work was chosen for honors.”

The students, their parents and teachers were invited to a ceremony at Metropolitan’s Los Angeles office in December. The winning art work was framed and on display in the building’s rotunda. Winning posters were published in the 2013 Water is Life calendar.

The traveling art show began in January at the Inland Empire Utilities Agency in Riverside County and will conclude in July in Ventura County. Ben will be honored at a future IRWD board meeting and be presented with his winning art work.

More information about IRWD education programs is available on our website.

IRWD Presents for 17th Consecutive Year

More than 400 third through fifth grade students were able to “Get the Groundwater Picture” at the Irvine Ranch Water District’s activity during the annual Children’s Water Education Festival.

“Because of the larger venue this year at UC Irvine, more students than ever were able to experience this fun and educational event,” said Shannon Reed, IRWD Public Affairs Manager.

A total of 782 students from the IRWD service area attended the two-day event held March 27-28.  More than 7,000 students from all over Orange County participated. This was the first time this event has been held at UCI. The Aldrich Park setting provided a “back to nature” ambience.

The event had been held at the Nixon Library and Birthplace for the previous four years and previously, at the Hidden Valley Event Center in Irvine behind the former Wild Rivers location.

For more information on IRWD educational programs, please visit our website.

Next Stop, Metropolitan Water District

Five student artists in the Irvine Ranch Water District service area have had their posters selected for judging in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s “Water is Life” poster contest.

The posters were selected from several hundred received from schools in the Irvine Unified, Tustin and Saddleback Unified school districts.

The five finalists will be sent to Metropolitan, where they will compete with posters submitted by water agencies all over Southern California. IRWD has had at least one winner every year for the past 20 years.

Once Metropolitan makes its selection, students will be notified in the fall if their posters will be published in the 2014 Water is Life calendar.

The five finalists for 2013 are:

• Matthew Diep, third grade, Plaza Vista Elementary School
• Rhea Chhagan, fifth grade, Tustin Ranch Elementary
• Grace Jung, third grade, Stonegate Elementary School
• Yoon Seong Roh, fourth grade, Deerfield Elementary School
• Juliette Dumont, fifth grade, Oak Creek Elementary School

Posters from last year’s contest have been on display in the IRWD lobby this week. These posters from the 2012 contest feature last year’s winner from IRWD, Ben Zolner, who was a fifth grader at Lake Forest Elementary. His poster was published in the 2013 Water is Life calendar.