Published: Jun 28, 2013 | 21:09 PM

Students Come from Near and Far to Water Education Festival

Approximately 400 students in third through fifth grade visited the Irvine Ranch Water District booth during the annual Children’s Water Education Festival held at the Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda on March 28 and 29. Overall, the 36 presenters saw more than 6,000 students from schools all over Orange County.

“This event is the largest field trip of its kind in the nation to education Orange County students about water and the environment,” said IRWD Public Affairs Manager Shannon Reed.

IRWD has participated in the festival since inception 16 years ago. Students visiting the IRWD booth learned about groundwater, how wells are drilled, the value of safeguarding the groundwater basin against pollution and groundwater as a viable local water source.

The activity, “Get the Groundwater Picture,” not only informed students about the water beneath them, they were able to “become” the various medium of the aquifer – gavel, sand and clay – while students portraying “water molecules” traveled through the “aquifer.”

The mission of the festival is to educate students about water-related and conservation issues that correspond to California Science Standards. Since its inception, the festival has hosted more than 85,000 Orange County students.

For more information about the IRWD education programs, please visit our website.