Are you interested in cutting down on water use in your garden by installing native plants? Would you even recognize a native plant if you saw one? Join the California Native Plant Society of Orange County for “California in My Garden,” a one-day, self-guided tour of gardens featuring all or mostly native plants all over Orange County.

The date of this year’s garden tour is April 8, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. This is a great opportunity to visit 18 private gardens.

These gardens’ unique designs not only save water, they also attract native birds and butterflies – and are living proof that California native plants can be successfully integrated into the home landscape.

There is no cost for the tour, but registration for the free guidebook is required. The guidebook will be mailed on or after March 15. Guidebooks will also be available at various locations.

You can also check out the IRWD website for information on the latest workshops and for tips on saving money on outdoor water use.

The California Native Plant Society meets on the third Thursday, at the IRWD Duck Club, 6:45 p.m.

Have you been putting off adjusting those sprinklers, repairing that leaky toilet, drippy faucet?

Here is some incentive to spring into action and fix those leaks! The 2017 Fix a Leak Week event is March 20-26, which rewards customers for taking charge of their water usage.

Irvine Ranch Water District will host a contest and customers can win one of five $100 Home Depot gift card for their efforts.

To enter, use this checklist:

1. Check for broken sprinklers or overspray. Fix and adjust your sprinklers if you find these problems.
2. Check your sprinkler controller to ensure it remains off during periods of rain, and adjusted for seasonal low-water use.
3. Check for common bathroom leaks like continually running toilets or dripping showerheads and fix them.
4. Other places you might find leaks in your home are hose bibs, irrigation valves and lines, bathtub/shower diverters, water heaters and swimming pools and spas.

Submit a photo taken of you checking for leaks through March 31 to irwd.com/fisaleak. submit the photos online through March 31, at irwd.com/fixaleak.

For each photo submitted, participants will receive an entry to win a $100 gift card to Home Depot.

Fix a Leak Week is sponsored in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program. Full contest details are available at irwd.com/fixaleak.

College and university students working towards a career in water may apply for a scholarship from the Association of California Water Agencies by March 1.

Irvine Ranch Water District encourages students in our service area to apply.

Graduate students with an eye toward water resources may be eligible for the Stephen K. Hall ACWA Water Law & Policy Scholarship created in 2007 to honor former ACWA Executive Director Steve Hall upon his retirement. The $7,000 scholarship is presented annually to a qualified graduate student majoring in law, policy or public administration with a focus or concentration in California water resources.

Undergraduate students majoring in engineering, irrigation technology, environmental sciences, public administration and other water-resources related fields may be eligible for one of two $3,500 ACWA Scholarships, or the $5,000 Clair Hill Scholarship.  These scholarships are awarded to California residents attending a four-year, publicly funded college or university full-time as a junior or senior during the year the scholarship is awarded.

For more information go to http://www.acwa.com/content/scholarships/scholarships.

All scholarship applications must be postmarked by March. 1. Contact ACWA Outreach and Social Media Specialist Marie Meade at 916-441-4545, ext. 2329 with questions.

Weather experts have been talking about atmospheric rivers as the cause of the early January storms that have filled reservoirs and bolstered the Sierra snowpack.

During those rains, did you wonder if there was a way to catch and save all of that precious water instead of allowing it to course down the storm drains?

There is a way – install rain barrels underneath your downspouts, then use the water to irrigate your plants during dry times. Water collected from rain is good for your plants and keeps money in your pocket by reducing the amount of water you need to use from the spigot.

IRWD sweetens that pot with $75 rebates per rain barrel purchased (limit of two), and $250 to $350 per cistern (based on the storage capacity of the cistern). Visit rightscapenow.com/rebates for more details.

Another effective method for keeping water on your property instead of running off is the use of permeable surfaces. There is a way to make impermeable surfaces, such as driveways and walkways, into a permeable, water-saving surface. Just break up hard-paced surfaces for water to seep through.

On the other hand, you can remove and replace hard-paved surfaces with permeable ones. Walkways that use materials such as gravel or bark are permeable. Stepping-stones can be surrounded by gravel, mulch or plant material. Permeable pavers are available at any garden supply store.

Any of these methods allows water to soak into the soil, reducing runoff.