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CA 20. San Joaquin Marsh. Acreage: 149. 



Location: Orange County; Tustin Quadrangle; between Santa Ana and Newport 

 Beach. 



Description: Historically, the marsh was an extension of Newport Bay, but the 

 present form is a result of operations by the owners, the lessees (San Joaquin 

 Gun Club), and the local Flood Control District. The marsh contains two large 

 water areas covering 94 acres and a number of smaller pools. A great variety of 

 plant and animal life occurs in the marsh. The northern end supports a mosaic 

 of Salix trees and thickets, interspersed with Arundo donax and Baccharis 

 viminea. Shallow water areas are characterized by thickets of J uncus spp., Scir- 

 pus spp., and Typha spp. which form islands in the larger ponds. Planktonic 

 algae and aquatic invertebrates are extremely rich. Mosquito fish (Gambusia af- 

 fmis) have been introduced by the local mosquito abatement district and are 

 now present in large numbers; other fish appear to be few in both numbers and 

 species. Large numbers of birds can be seen in and around the marsh, both re- 

 sident and migratory species. A population of White-tailed Kite, containing at 

 least 50 specimens at the last count, is probably the most important of these. 



Encroachments: Presently leased to the San Joaquin Gun Club; the University 

 of California is negotiating with the Irvine Company to purchase the marsh area 

 in order to establish a reserve. There is risk of conversion to a golf course if this 

 fails. 



Ownership: Irvine Company, the Irvine Ranch, 13042 SW Myford Rd., Tustin, 

 Cal. 92680. 



Data source: Dr. Peter S. Dixon, Department of Organismic Biology, University 

 of California, Irvine, Cal. 92664. 



Other knowledgeable persons: Dr. A. Boughey, Department of Population and 

 Organismic Biology, University of California, Irvine, Cal. 92664. 



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