34° 10.78 North, 118° 28.35 West, Elevation: 220 m

Field Site:C		Protocols:
Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Preserve		This is a list of protocols that can be done at this community field site. GLOBE in the City summarized protocols are in hypertext. In parentheses are the learning activities that you may consider doing at this site.
Contact Info: Mr. Kevin Regan Acting Superintendent, City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, Valley Service Area 6335 Woodley Avenue Van Nuys, California 91406 (310) 756-8190 *Additional Outreach Programs that support Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Preserve* California Native Plant Society http://www.reachout.org/losangeles/environment/enviro02.htm Canada Goose Project (818) 769-1521 City of Los Angeles Horticulture Centers http://www.cityofla.org/RAP/dos/horticulture/sepulvedabasin.htm Friends of the Los Angeles River (323) 223-0585 Los Angeles Audubon Society (818) 344-8531 Pasadena Audubon Society http://www.audubon.org/chapter/ca/pasadena/sepulveda.html San Fernando Valley Audubon Society (818) 783-4293 The Sierra Club, San Fernando Valley Group of the Angeles Chapter (818) 884-6210		No GLOBE weather station available, but the following protocols can still be performed throughout the Reserve. Cloud Type, Cloud Cover It should be noted that all soil of the Reserve has been completely disturbed in 1993. While each of these protocols can be done with ease at this location you must first seek written permission from Mr. Regan before digging the pit for a soil profile. The use of soil probes also needs the preapproval of Mr. Regan as there are buried low voltage lines in the grounds of the Reserve. Gravimetric Soil Moisture Protocol, Infiltration, Soil Temperature There are two bodies of water each receiving treated reclaimed water from the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant. They are the Sepulveda Basin Lake and Haskell Creek. The reclaimed water is introduced to the lake in the North and flows out into Haskell creek to the South. The entire water content of the lake is refreshed every 3 days in this fashion. Lake access is most convenient for testing at the boat ramp location 34 10.66N, 118 28.41 W, 210 m elevation. Alkalinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Electrical Conductivity, Nitrate, pH, Water Sampling, Water Transparency, Water Temperature There are innumerable sites suitable for these protocols throughout the Reserve. No special permissions are required to perform these protocols. Qualitative Land Cover, Quantitative Land Cover, Biometry Protocols, MUC System Protocol
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Click on film frame for a QuickTime Panorama of the site!
Ringed by mountains, rivers and streams, the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve is a haven of rest for wildlife and humans alike, a welcome oasis within an urban setting. It is here where the visitor of today can get a sense of what this part of the San Fernando Valley might have been like before agriculture and urban settlement forever changed the Valley floor: the leaves of willows, cottonwoods, and sycamores glistening in the breeze; the calls of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds such as ducks, Canada geese, herons, and egrets penetrating the stillness as they take flight after resting and foraging at the wildlife lake; the musty scent of mulefat, sages, and mugwort heavy in the air after a winter's rain; and the activity of small birds such as the goldfinch, woodpecker, and oriole as they search for food and shelter amongst the oak savannah. The Los Angeles River drains the vast watershed of the San Fernando Valley and surrounding mountains--finally emptying into the Pacific Ocean at Long Beach. In years of heavy rainfall, this normally tame watercourse becomes a mighty force. Consequently, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers channelized the river and built the Sepulveda Dam to capture and hold floodwaters for later gradual release down the river. The Reserve is a part of this watershed and flood control system.
Hours open: From dawn to dusk. Cost of admission: Free, but there is a donation box. Handicap access: Yes, dirt trails are level, spacious and well maintained, though not paved. May be a problem if wet, because they will become muddy. Restrooms: Fine quality restrooms with lockable doors for individual privacy are well maintained. Telephones: None. Food availability: None, but there are ample places to eat sack lunches from picnic benches to cool boulders, to shaded amphitheater seating. Water: There is a set of drinking fountains at site. Equipment needed at site: None provided at site. All equipment must be procured by your school or checked out first from the Van Nuys Math, Science and Technology Center. Check each protocol for a specific list of necessary equipment. What you should know before you go: Teachers should adequately familiarize their students with the protocols in class and teach the ecological big picture for each protocol attempted. Pitfalls: There is no hazardous chemical dump at the site so be prepared to take your chemical waste back to your school to dispose of in the appropriate manner (use a polyethylene bottle to store your liquid waste that is clearly marked WASTE). This is a popular park and as such experiences a high volume of users throughout the week. There is no way to guarantee that there will be free park benches available when you get there. Also, only children who understand the dangers of drowning and can be trusted to take the appropriate precautions near the lakeshore should be allowed to approach the lakeshore, and then only with proper adult supervision, there is no lifeguard on duty. Safety precautions: There exists a drowning hazard around the lakeshore and chemical hazards associated with almost all the hydrology protocols. Examine each protocol carefully to ensure that you bring all the necessary safety equipment and are comfortable with all the safety and emergency procedures. Egret in Balboa Lake Partial Map of Site (above) & Balboa Lake (left) Site profile by Kurt Stenzel 8/00
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