Where Does the Water Go?

Landscape soaks up less water than municipalities might expect, and the benefits plants deliver can actually save the valuable resource in drought-ridden areas.

In fact, the California State Water Resources Department found that outdoor lawn and plant watering accounted for less than 4 percent of the state’s total water consumption, according to a June 3 Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) press release in which president Debra Holder announced recommended guidelines for states and municipalities issuing water restrictions.

“We feel strongly that conservation of our natural resources needs to be at the forefront of our priorities,” Holder said, noting the importance of living plants as a natural resource. “Homeowners and commercial properties invest millions of dollars each year in new landscapes and plant materials. These landscape protect areas from erosion, clean the air and provide wildlife habitats while increasing property values. Newly installed plant materials need one inch of water per week to root properly and survive.”

Before setting water restrictions, municipalities should identify areas that require significant water usage, the release advised. For example, compare California’s 4-percent landscape water use with the 90 percent of water the state uses on commercial and industrial needs and the 5 percent dedicated to personal purposes, like washing and drinking. Furthermore, authorities might keep in mind the role plants play in conserving water, as one well-placed, drought-tolerant tree will keep a home cool and can save up to 300 kilowatt hours per year in electricity and conserve up to 180 gallons of water that would have been used to produce that power

“Consumers and municipalities need to consider the valuable role that plants play in our environment,” Holder emphasized. Irrigation systems provide efficient water conservation while delivering needed resources to landscapes, and homeowners can watch water use by mulching around trees to retain moisture and watering plants early morning or in the evening to reduce water loss through evaporation.

As more states and municipalities consider water restrictions, they might develop certain strategies to deal with drought, depending on the severity of the situation. According to a report by the National Drought Mitigation Center, Lincoln, Neb., restriction choices can range from early warning systems to emergency response actions. Here is a list of actions some municipalities might consider (see http://enso.unl.edu/ndmc/mitigate/policy/mitig.htm#analysis):

• Assessment Tools – Early warning systems; inventories and surveys of resources, needs and feasible actions; data collection network
• Legislation and Public Policy Tools – Legislation protecting water resources and providing loans to farmers; water plans; water banks
• Increasing/Augmenting Water Supply – Water recycling projects, reservoir rehabilitation, pumps and pipes to distribute water, emergency permits for water use
• Public Education – Drought information meetings, water conservation awareness programs and pamphlets, workshops on drought-related topics, drought information centers
• Technical Assistance – Advice and information to people and organizations on water quantity/quality, drought planning, water conservation; technologies and software for irrigators and water suppliers
• Conservation/Demand Reduction – Economic incentives for water conservation; water metering and leak detection programs
• Emergency Response – Water hauling programs for livestock, hay hotlines and emergency hay shipments, water system improvements/creation, emergency irrigation permits, low-interest agricultural loan and aid programs
• Conflict Resolution – Resolving/negotiating water use conflicts, investigating water use complaints, clarifying state water-related laws

Story compiled by Kristen Hampshire, Managing Editor – Special Projects for Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at khampshire@lawnandlandscape.com.