Oh yeah, the drought is REAL

By Cindy Poore

Our governor has sent out a proclamation throughout the land to conserve water in this drought. While final rules are not yet determined, there are some things we can all do to “make it better” and do our part.

As much as we would like to avoid thinking about it we ARE in a drought. Since this planet is the one place we all have in common, I guess we should really pay attention.  There are so many questions about the drought. Why me? How long will it last? What can little ole ME do about it?? What is the first things we can do?

Drought Control for Dummies

Ok having questions doesn’t make you a dummie. We all have questions. Problem is, we often get conflicting answers. Drought has more to do with the snowpack than the rainfall here.

Snowpack is our water storage system. Some of it melts into reservoirs to be piped to Los Angeles area and some of it melts and replenishes the underground aquifers were most of us in the desert get our water.

No or low snow = drought.

How long will it take before we will be out of drought conditions. Tell me when and how much it will snow and I can answer that for you.

For the present, we will have to have an attitude change towards water use in order to keep things going along smoothly.

Here in the high desert, most of us have already been working hard to minimize our water use. Some of us would loose a lot of landscaping  if we cut back by 25%. So what are the first steps?

#1 is to review where we are today in water use compared to say… last year  or the year before same time. Are we up or down? If down, great!! If we are up, great also!! Why? Because there is always room for fine tuning and that is the next step.

Audit your water use. Of course, your landscape uses the most of your water use and that is the first place to start, especially if you have a lawn. The desert is a great place to live, but it is nicer with a bit of green.

Can you live with less? If so, think about the cash for grass program. 50cents per square foot rebates for converting your lawn to a drought tolerant landscape. You do not have to put rock or gravel down.

There are lots of plants and groundcover that will bring the feeling of cool green that won’t require a ton of water (or labor)

to maintain. Keep dirt wells around your plants so that the water from the system or a random storm stays near their roots.  Fertilize with a slow-release fertilizer to keep your lawn green but discourage excessive growth. Cut your lawn with a mulching mower that leaves clippings on your lawn to keep lawn moister and the clippings will decompose and become a mini fertilization each time your lawn is cut.

Some of you have already converted your lawns. What now?  Check your water system for leaks. Start with the valves and look for moisture around them BEFORE they have run for the day or week to see if there is any leaks on the main line. Look for emitters or sprinkler heads that are constantly wet even when they are off. This could mean a seeping valve that needs repair. Check your schedule. Could your plants get by with less water and still remain healthy and look good. Most of the time, the answer is yes. Start conservatively and reduce water by 10% and see how your plants look and respond.

And for all you water-saving nerds out there, you can see the proper water needs for many plants at this link from the University of California at Riverside: http://ucanr.edu/sites/WUCOLS/

Don’t forget the inside of the house.  Leaks and drips use a lot of water. Look for this.  Don’t run the water unnecessarily  while  rinsing dishes, brushing your  teeth or waiting for the hot water to come out the tap. Capture the water you are not using while waiting for it to come to temperature in a bucket or bowl and use it to water your trees, fill the dog bowl or scrub the car.

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