YOUNGSTERS WASH THEIR HORSES IN UPPER NEWPORT BAY IN ORANGE COUNTY

The Upper Newport Bay (known locally as "The Back Bay") is a large

coastal wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The p ...

(an estuary) in

Newport Beach Newport Beach is a coastal city in South Orange County, California. Newport Beach is known for swimming and sandy beaches. Newport Harbor once supported maritime industries however today, it is used mostly for recreation. Balboa Island draws ...

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban ...

and a major stopover for birds on the

Pacific Flyway The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south flyway for migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading ...

. Dozens of species, including endangered ones, can be observed here. Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve represent approximately 1,000 acres (4 km²) of open space. The Upper Newport Bay was purchased by the state in 1975 for its Fish and Wildlife Department's Ecological Reserve System. In 1985 the upper west bluffs and lands surrounding the bay became part of an Orange County regional park, which offers outdoor activities such as bird-watching, jogging, bicycling, hiking, and kayaking. The Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, located at 2301 University Drive, is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. An organization known as th
Newport Bay Conservancy
(NBC) provides volunteers to answer visitors' questions and guide them through the various activities. The bay is recognized for protection by the

California Bays and Estuaries Policy The Water Quality Control Policy for the Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California is published by the California State Water Resources Control Board as guidelines to prevent water quality degradation. The policy is revised as needed.State Water ...

.State Water Resources Control Board ''Water Quality Control Policy for the Enclosed Bays and Estuaries of California'' (1974) State of California The main tributary of the Upper Newport Bay is

San Diego Creek San Diego Creek is a urban waterway flowing into Upper Newport Bay in Orange County, California in the United States. Its watershed covers in parts of eight cities, including Irvine, Tustin, and Costa Mesa. From its headwaters in Laguna W ...

, which flows past the

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary The San Joaquin Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary is a constructed wetland in Irvine, California, in the flood plain of San Diego Creek just above its outlet into the Upper Newport Bay. History The site is owned by the Irvine Ranch Water District; i ...

before entering the bay. The bay is connected to the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the conti ...

through the lower Newport Bay, the harbor of Newport Beach.

References

External links

Archival collections

Guide to the Frank and Frances Robinson Files on Upper Newport Bay Preservation.
Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
Guide to the Collection on Upper Newport Bay, circa 1949-1997.
Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.
Guide to the Ray E. Williams Files on Newport Bay Environmental Issues.
Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California.

Other

OCParks.com: Upper Newport Bay

Newport Bay Conservancy

Backbay Science Center

- California Department of Fish and Wildlife {{coord, 33.641419, -117.885532, type:landmark_region:US, format=dms, display=title Newport Beach, California Landforms of Orange County, California Watersheds of California Estuaries of California