Off the Beaten Path of San Joaquin Marsh
The Roads Less Traveled
Most visitors to the Irvine Ranch Water District San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary are familiar with the Riparian View entrance because many trails begin behind the Duck Club and Audubon House. There are lesser-known trails – one off Campus Drive and the other on Carlson Avenue.
“This is a nice time to walk out there and visit the restored San Diego Creek bed,” said IRWD Supervising Wetlands/Wildlife Biologist Ian Swift.
The Carlson Avenue entry contains a 600-foot trail completed in 2005 through the Carlson Marsh. The completion of this portion of the trail added to the overall 12-mile trail network within the wildlife sanctuary. The trail offers a different perspective of the Marsh and even more opportunities for viewing a variety of wildlife.
Visitors must park on the west side of Carlson Avenue when using the Carlson entrance. Viewing platforms on Campus Drive offer an interesting overview of the Marsh. Parking is available on the north side of Campus Drive.
The Marsh is located on the Pacific flyway and is home to more than 200 species of birds throughout the year. There are kiosks throughout the Marsh, where hikers may pick up trail maps and other interesting tidbits. More information on the Marsh is located on our website.
The Irvine Ranch Water District Website Has the Answers
Save Time, Look Online
Do you have questions about your balance, water bill or need to start or stop your service? You can save time by going online.
At www.irwd.com, it’s easy to complete many of these tasks in seconds:
- Check Your Balance – you can check your account balance, view your payment history, and compare your water usage to a year ago by clicking on “Account Access.”
- Pay Your Bill Online – save a stamp, save gas and save a tree: Pay your bill online. Pay with your checking or money market account through eBill, IRWD’s safe and secure electronic billing system. By signing up, you will no longer receive a paper bill in the mail, but will receive email notifications informing you that your bill is ready.
- Questions About Your Bill? Not sure how to calculate your bill? Click on “Understanding Your Bill” and use our rate calculator to estimate your next bill and get answers to the most frequently asked billing questions. There is also a PDF of “Your Bill Explained” to help you.
- Start, Stop Service – New customer? Moving? You can start or stop your service by filling out the online form after clicking on “Start/Stop Service.” All services will be performed the next business day.
- Why is My Bill So High? Want to know why your water bill is higher than it should be? You may have a leak or may have been overwatering your yard. Get tips and tricks on how to fix these common issues by clicking on “Water Leaks.” This page also features helpful videos such as “How to Check Your Home for Leaks,” “How to Fix a Toilet Leak in 90 Seconds,” and “Top Three Reasons for a High Water Bill.”
IRWD Adds More Convenience for Customers
Additional Parking
Customers visiting the Irvine Ranch Water District administrative offices during regular business hours now have even more parking options, with the addition of five dedicated short-term parking spots.
“We appreciate customers’ patience as we re-organize our parking,” said Customer Service Manager Gina Jackson.
The parking lot at the IRWD Sand Canyon facility was expanded a year ago. The constant ebb and flow of customers coming in to pay bills, or conduct business at the engineering counter made it necessary to add the additional spaces.
Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Engineering counter hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More information about IRWD is available on our website.
Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500
Irvine Ranch Water District Wants to Help You Conserve
Send a Pic, Get a Kit
Submit a photo showing how you save water by fixing a leak, replacing you’re thirsty grass with climate-appropriate plants, taking your car to a car wash, or other innovative ways, and we will send you an Always Water Smart conservation kit.
These kits include a water nozzle, a shower timer, an aerator, leak detection tablets to check for toilet leaks and more.
After you post your photos to our Facebook page, you will be contacted for your mailing address, also through Facebook.
Photos may be featured in our monthly newsletter, Pipelines, on Face book, or our website, www.irwd.com. Participants must be IRWD customers. Photos become property of IRWD. Supplies of conservation kits are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
IRWD and Shadetree Help Beautify UCI Housing
88 Trees Planted
When freezing temperatures and blizzards were making headlines in the East, students in the West were planting trees at UC Irvine on a warm winter day. The 88 trees were furnished to the Mesa Court housing complex by the Shadetree Partnership and Irvine Ranch Water District. Shadetree’s nursery is located on the campus.
“Mesa Court is one of UCI’s original housing complexes, so many of these plantings date back to 1965,” said Tim Guesman, associate director of operations for Mesa Court. “The goal is to replace them as needed.”
The 16-acre complex has 29 resident halls and is now used primarily for freshman housing. Students volunteered to learn the finer points of tree planting, and then worked hard to give the trees their new home.
Dave Asman, landscape contracts administrator for IRWD and Shadetree representative, gathered with students and instructed them how to plant the Chinese flame trees, California peppers, Canary Island pines, red buds, toyons, crepe myrtles, California sycamores, and Chinese elms. Then the students took over.
“This is a great way to make a difference,” said student Olivia Carbonero. “What better way than to plant trees?”
The California friendly trees were selected from Shadetree’s vast inventory. Information on IRWD’s environmental programs is available on our website.
