The San Joaquin Marsh Reserve protects some of the last remnants of wetlands that once covered much of Orange County’s floodplain Located in an ancient river-cut channel at the head of Newport Bay, the reserve supports 202 acres with a variety of wetland habitats, including marshlands, shallow ponds, and channels confined by earthen dikes. Dry upland habitats with a remnant coastal sage scrub community rise on the margins of the reserve. The marsh is a critical stopping place for 100 migratory bird species using the Pacific Flyway. Altogether, more than 200 bird species (20 nesting) have been sighted in the reserve, including two resident endangered bird species: the light-footed clapper rail and the California gnatcatcher. The marsh is located within a ten-minute walk from UC Irvine, making it convenient for day use by faculty and numerous students.
Reserve Facts
Location
City of Irvine, Orange County; 75 km (45 mi.) southeast of Los Angeles, 30 km (20 mi.) west of the Santa Ana Mountains; 2 km (1.25 mi.) upstream from Upper Newport Bay, adjacent to the Irvine campus.
Facilities
No on-site housing or laboratory facilities, but the reserve is adjacent to the UC Irvine campus.
Databases
Plant List: herbarium and vascular plant collections vouchering the plant checklist; publications of reserve-based research.
Personnel
Staff reserve manager on campus. See our staff page.
Size
82 hectares (202 acres)
Elevation
2 to 3 m (7 to 10 ft.)
Average Precipitation
30 cm (12 in.) per year.
Average Temperatures
September maximum: 29 ºC (86 ºF)
January minimum: 4 ºC (40 ºF)
Annual mean: 17 ºC (62 ºF)