Wally's Water Wisdom—The month of August is Water Quality Month

WALLY’S WATER WISDOM

Hello everyone, it’s Wally! I hope everyone has been having a fun-tastic summer break so far! I’m coming back to you all with some important news for the month of August. The month of August is Water Quality Month which helps to remind us how important it is to take care of our resources by being educated, aware and responsible. Although the Clean Water Act was put into effect in 1972, many people are still unaware of little factors that contribute to water contamination. Water is an extremely valuable resource to everyone here on Earth. While one person alone may not produce enough pollution to shut down a beach, our actions combined may produce a more prominent and negative effect on our environment.

Here are a few simple steps you can follow to conserve our valuable resources:

• Do not flush expired or unused medications down the toilet or drain.
• Do not pour cooking oil down the drain.
• Do not pour cooking oil down the drain.
• Do not dump anything but water down storm drains.
• Choose nontoxic household products when possible.
• Avoid using pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
• Pick up after your pets.

Take a stand and do your part! Be my water-wise friend by helping me spread this message. It is our responsibility to do everything we can to keep our water clean. The more people that are aware, the easier water conservation becomes. Keep up the great work, and I’ll see you next time friends!

With love,

Wally 

Water Discovery Field Trip

Don't miss out on the Water Discovery Field Trip

It’s never too early to start planning your class’s FREE Water Discovery Field Trip! This program aligns with California State Curriculum Standards in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), and even covers Next Generation Science Standards as well. Personalize a timeline of activities for your field trip to match any grade level between K-12.

Students will learn about the basics of water conservation, wetlands, and wildlife habitats. All students will have the opportunity to observe a variety of different plants and animals throughout the Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park on a private nature walk tour led by a facilitator.

California state schools and organizations are eligible for transportation funding through mini-grants from IEUA. Each school can qualify for $500-$1000 through this application process.

Have a fun-tastic summer break and hope to see you in the fall!

To schedule a FREE Water Discovery Field Trip, visit: www.ieua.org/facilities/chino-creek-wetlands-educational-park/water-discovery-program/ and click "Schedule a Field Trip" to fill out the field trip request form.

For more information on activities, curriculum alignment, scheduling calendar, and busing grant application, visit: www.ieua.org/facilities/chino-creek-wetlands-educational-park/water-discovery-program/

Wally’s Water Wisdom- Smart Irrigation for the Month of July

WALLY’S WATER WISDOM

Hello friends!

It’s Wally , and I’m here to help you all prepare for July’s Smart Irrigation Month! Irrigation is the supply of water for land and plants to help their growth. This is typically done through channels such as, rivers, ditches, pipes, etc. Though there are many benefits of efficient irrigation, smart irrigation is essential because it helps us conserve the scarce amount of water we have available to us.

A smart irrigation trick you can try is watering your lawn for a few minutes at a time while looking out for any run off from your lawn. This method will help to save water and prevents soil from being washed away. Smart controllers are an excellent tool to use as well because they allow control over how much water is being used for plants and can assist by creating a watering schedule that fits your city’s requirements as well. Rebates for these devices can be obtained through this link: http://www.socalwatersmart.com/?page_id=2956

If you want to take the extra step to conserving water from your plants, there are many drought tolerant plants that will provide an additional pop of color to your lawn as well. California’s hot and dry climate is perfect for drought tolerant plants that require minimal water. For example, the verbena is one of the most colorful and easy to grow plants that blooms in late spring, tolerates drought conditions, and thrives in the heat.

What do you and your family have planned for Smart Irrigation Month? Message my friends on the IEUA Instagram account to share your own tips and tricks! Have fun conserving and I’ll see you all next time!

Your friend,

Wally