Chino Creek Wetlands & Educational Park
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Chino Creek Wetlands & Educational Park The Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park opened in 2007 The Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) staff maintains the Chino and was partially funded by a grant from the State Water Resources Creek Wetlands and Educational Park and conducts field trips and Control Board. The park is a natural treatment wetlands, which was tours of the park. IEUA is commited to meeting the needs of the designed to direct flows through the park. These flows end up in the region by providing essential services in a regionally planned and Chino Creek before traveling to the Santa Ana River. cost effective manner while safegaurding public health, promoting economic development and protecting the environment. The Park consists of 22 acres and 1.7 miles of trails landscaped with a wide variety of climate appropriate and low water-use plants, and features a state-of-the-art irrigation management system. The park is open to the public throughout the year to enjoy at their Water Discovery Program leisure during daylight hours. The Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park offers free environmental education programs focusing on water conservation, wetlands and watershed issues. The program consists of various Purpose hands-on stations encouraging observation, imagination and critical thinking. The education programs surround the mission of The Park serves as a demonstration area for the community to empowering students with knowledge of water preservation and showcase the value of water conservation and the importance of environmental stewardship while encouraging motivation to take wetlands in the structure of our environment: improving water action in school and at home. supply, stormwater treatment and water efficiency. To book a field trip or for more information visit ieua.org. The Park also provides an educational experience to students through the Water Discovery Field Trip Program. Educational awareness is facilitated through a series of programs, which Stay Connected include tours and activities that promote environmental stewardship and resource awareness. Additional park features include wetlands and riparian habitat, trails, sampling stations, picnic area, education center, parking, @IEUAwater bridges, and an amphitheater. @ChinoCreekWetlands e k r e W e C t o l a e e k W n n r e i C t d o l a h n n s i C d h s C a n k a r n k d r a d a E P d E P u a l d u a l c a o n c a t i o n t i species is particularly special grows no more than 6 feet tall. It since it is a form of biocontrol. is beneficial to native bees, k r e e W e This means that this species butterflies and hummingbirds C t o l a helps us control the mosquito because of its delicious nectar. n n i d h population because they are their s C natural predator. 18. Outlet One million gallons of recycled a 12. Toyon water travels through all six ponds n k r d This small tree grows bunches of every day before leaving through a E P tiny white flowers that eventually this outlet. The water flows to the d u a l c a t i o n become small red berries. It Chino Creek and Santa Ana River. flowers June – August and doesn’t usually grow any higher 19. Purple Sage than 30 feet. It helps sustain local This shrub has small wildlife, especially birds and deer. grayish-green, fuzzy leaves and Restrooms grows clusters of lavender flowers 13. Western Sycamore around the stem. It flowers April – This beautiful tree develops little July. This plant can grow up to 4.5 balls of red flowers and fuzzy feet tall and attracts a variety of leaves. It blooms February – May visitors like local bees, butterflies and can grow up to 105 feet tall. It and hummingbirds. Since it is in acts as a host to multiple species the mint family, it has a very of butterfly. attractive mint-like scent. 1. Boat Clarifier/Mammoth Tusk 3. California Black Walnut photosynthesize. Duckweed is flows through each one until it 14. Pipe Garden 20. Golden Currant This clarifier was once used at a This tree grows round female also an excellent source of reaches the outlet located next to The pipe garden is sponsored by This shrub develops small, Regional Water Recycling Plant. flowers that develop into large nutrients for the various ducks pond six. Make sure to keep an the Chino Basin Water trumpet-like yellow flowers with Clarifiers are one of the tools walnuts. It blooms March - June. and birds that live here. eye out! A lot of wildlife can be Conservation District. It’s a great hints of red. It flowers April – May used to clean water so that it can As the tree ages, the trunk can found near these ponds. spot to learn how to use water and stands at no more than 9 feet be reused for irrigation or grow up to 30 feet in 6. Observation Tower more responsibly both indoors tall. Its flowers supply pollen and groundwater recharge. Attached circumference and stand 150 This structure was a sludge basin 9. California Rose and outdoors. nectar to local bees as well as to the top of the Boat Clarifier is a feet tall. Some of the large nuts once used at a Regional Water This shrub or thicket-like plant some species of butterfly. replica of a mammoth tusk. The are consumed by people and Recycling Plant. Instead of grows pink flowers with virbant 15. Storm Drain Pipe original tusk was found 40-60 feet local wildlife. discarding it, we recycled it into yellow centers. Common garden There are two storm drain pipes 21. Coast Live Oak undergound during the an observation tower. It offers roses look very different. The on the trail. These were once used This tree grows separate male construction of IEUA’s Regional 4. Watershed Bridge great views of the Park, flowers can be seen May - underground to help transport and female flowers. You’ll see Water Recycling Plant No. 5. It This bridge depicts how in a surrounding areas and is an August. water. them between February and April. was found along with a hip and watershed, rainwater runs off the excellent bird watching location. Since this tree can live for a very 10. Bird Guide 16. Willow Bridge molar. The original fossils are mountains, connects to streams long time, it can get up to 75 feet 7. California Blackberry The Park is filled with many There’s groundwater below the now at the San Bernardino County and rivers and flows out to a tall. It helps maintain the This shrub grows long, vine-like different species. We have several surface providing the surrounding Museum. body of water. populations of different butterfly branches February – May. It residents as well as migratory Willows with water and nutrients species and instead of growing 2. California Sagebrush 5. Duckweed forms many white flowers all over birds. If you’re interested in birds, to survive. Three different species fleshy fruit, the oaks grow acorns. Also known as Cowboy Cologne, If you’re lucky enough, you may the stem and helps maintain a please feel free to grab a bird of Willow share this underground this shrub grows small yellow have a chance to see Duckweed variety of populations. Be careful guide to learn more about the water resource: black, yellow and flowers, alternating up the stem floating on the surface of the as this plant has thorns. birds in the Park. red. between April and October. This water. This plant goes dormant For more information 8. Surface Ponds 11. Birdhouses 17. White Sage plant is fragrant and earned its during fall and winter and sinks There are a total of six ponds in The birdhouses seen throughout This perennial subshrub grows about the park, visit nickname when cowboys would to the bottom of the ponds. the park that patrons can enjoy the park were built for Tree beautiful white flowers all over its www.ieua.org rub the nice-smelling plant on During spring and summer, it as they walk the trails. The water Swallos by an Eagle Scout. This stem. It blooms April – July and themselves. floats back up to the surface to .