as a new homeowner, water rationing?
 

i cant sleep. listing to the (bad)news on TV. looks like we are about to do mandatory water rationing here in the east bay. i have been through it before, but never as a homeowner. do i just just let my lawn die? when it dies, that is it right? i cant start watering again, and it just springs back to life, will it? if/when we get enough water, and we are allowed a lawn, i have to re-sod?

personally, i hate lawns, and would love to do some great landscaping that gives me more parking and less mowing, at the same time gives me some great curb appeal. but my personal economy is in the padding up stage.

Well, sod isn't really expensive first off but you can water less and still maintain a nice lawn. It is unlikely that they will cut you off completely but instead give you days and times which you are allowed to water.

I realize there may be come controversy on this but it is my understanding that watering in pre-dawn hours is best. It allows the water time to soak in without being evaporated by the mid-day heat. I water ~2 times a week at 20 minutes per sector. I used to water every other day and had a very lush lawn (which I liked) but before we have any rationing down here I have cut down to 2 days per week. The lawn has suffered but not greatly.

I may change the schedule to 2 days one week and 3 days the next though, try to find that happy medium. You lawn will be come more dry but that does not mean it is dead or dying.

The lawn doesnt die unless you dont water for a really long time, the lawn just goes dormant. It will come back when you can apply water again. However when the grass isnt green and thick, the weeds find a hold..

Here in NY we have some sort of rationing, though not as strict as out where you guys are though. Even street numered houses can water on even days, odd numbers on odd days, and not between 10am-4pm. Silly how I remember that

My neighbors with sprinkler systems have the timers set to water very early in the day... say starting a 4am

My lawn is very low on my list of priorities, I just remember the how to's since my dad was somewhat a lawn feak...

It's likely that they will just put you on a "twice a week" schedule. They've done it here in Denver before, and it's not that bad.

Like Mikester said, if you have a sprinkler system and can set it up to water in the pre-dawn hours, you'll get a lot more water into the ground.

Can you just do some basic rockscaping? That shouldn't be all that expensive. . .

I have a bunch of plastic 55 gal drums set up to catch rainwater from my downspouts. Basically a cistern system. I have a hose bib on the bottom of them. Thats what I use for my lawn and garden watering. Works out great. You'd be amazed how fast they fill up with a little rain.

Pretty much looks like this:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1210680392.jpg

You could also re-landscape using appropriate low-water-needing stuff...

A cistern system won't work since it doesn't rain at all for 6 months. During the last rationing episode in 1976, most people replaced lawns with herb gardens and such.

But I'd like to know why are they proposing water rationing? Last winter was only slightly below normal rainfall and snow pack. Should be enough water, based on past experience. Too many houses now? If so, what will they do when there's a real drought?

I have never watered my lawn and we've had several VERY dry summers in recent years. Damn grass keeps "coming back" over and over again :). I don't fight mother nature in that regard, and from my experineces, the grass will be just fine once the drought is over.

Snow pack was pretty good until there was so little precipitation after Feb. Now it is around 75% of normal water content, if I recall correctly. Too many people, not enough water, and too much water being shipped South because SoCal is getting less of Colorado River.

It could be worse for you, you could live somewhere that has plenty of water because it is on two large rivers, but sends too much south and west, like Sacramento.

Lawn is not as big a deal as trees. Deep water any trees you have. Will use less water because of decreased evaporation, and roots will tend to stay deep. You can get your lawn back quickly, but a big shade tree, not so much.

That might be true with the grass you have in NC but in Florida we have St Augustine grass and when it dies it dies - end of story!!! It then has to be removed and new sod put down. Someone above said it wasnt expensive but that stuff cost me $235 a pallet installed X 15 pallets. Maybe thats cheap but it sure cuts into my hobby.

Your grass can survive on twice a week and in the mornings only but it will show signs of stress. When you water everyday, the roots dont have any incentive to dig deep for water so when you stop suddenly, it hurts it. When you cut back, the roots will dig deeper for water and will be able to withstand the drought better.

That might be true with the grass you have in NC but in Florida we have St Augustine grass and when it dies it dies - end of story!!! It then has to be removed and new sod put down. Someone above said it wasnt expensive but that stuff cost me $235 a pallet installed X 15 pallets. Maybe thats cheap but it sure cuts into my hobby.

Your grass can survive on twice a week and in the mornings only but it will show signs of stress. When you water everyday, the roots dont have any incentive to dig deep for water so when you stop suddenly, it hurts it. When you cut back, the roots will dig deeper for water and will be able to withstand the drought better.

I hate lawns. Currently have a teeny lawn and plotting to make it a teeny weeny lawn. All I want is enough grass to lay down on, want the rest to be interesting plants.

OK, when I lived in SoCal we had droughts and water restrictions. Get a timer, water 3X week, deeply, at night. Don't cut lawn too short. If you know what part of lawn you will want to keep when you re-landscape, make sure to keep that part healthy at the expense of the rest. Use soaker hose on trees, give them deep watering as said.

Oh, if your soil is hard you might aerate it to let water soak deeper. I've never done this, ask someone who knows, but kinda makes sense.

When I plant a tree, I bury a 3 foot piece of PVC pipe, with a cap on one end, holes drilled in the end with the cap and 6 inches of the open end above the ground. Fill with gravel to help keep the dirt out. Put a hose so it drips into the thing over night. Can make a hole using one of those deep watering devices, then stick your piece of PVC in after tree is in the ground. You water grass long enough for water to soak in, 30 minutes say, and it promotes deep roots. If you have clay soil, there are services that will aerate it, removing plugs of soil. Lay down sand, or just pour it into the holes, and it will help water get into the ground. I like the soaker hose for bushes. Water in morning rather than evening, more effecient and healthier for grass.

we have low resivors now,
http://www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/

Washington Water Supply Outlook Report - May 2008
Same story different month, below average temperatures and below average precipitation prevented normal snowmelt from occurring at all but the lowest elevation areas. Record snowpack is still being recorded at many stations across the state. April streamflow and reservoir levels reflect the lack of runoff as well. Some reservoir levels are so low that opening day of fishing season was delayed since the boats could not get in the water. Below average temperatures continue to be the mantra of weather forecasters through May-June. However a short warming spell with temperatures 10-15 degrees above normal is expected next week which should help get the runoff season started. With the lack of April runoff forecasted streamflows for May-September have increased in most basins from past months reports.

but once it finally warms up watch out.
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/cgibin/newbor2.pl?state=wa&year=2008&month=5&basin=30

Washington Basin Outlook Report for
CENTRAL PUGET SOUND RIVER BASINS as of May 1, 2008

Forecast for spring and summer flows are: 166% for Cedar River near
Cedar Falls; 165% for Rex River; 167% for South Fork of the Tolt
River; and 165% for Cedar River at Cedar Falls. Basin-wide
precipitation for April was 102% of average, bringing water-year-to-
date to 108% of average. May 1 average snow cover in Cedar River Basin
was 454%, Tolt River Basin was 275%, Snoqualmie River Basin was 199%,
and Skykomish River Basin was 152%. Rex River SNOTEL site, at 3960
feet, had 90 inches of water content. Average May 1 water content is
19 inches at Rex River. Temperatures were 3 degrees below average for
April and 1 degree below normal for the water-year.

I have Desert Landscaping ona Drip System.....we to have Water Rationing in LV...however $18.00 a month for water.

Oh yeah I use 3000 to 11,000 gallons a month.

Dust your car more, wash less, good for car.

I see too many sprinklers on every day even if it's actually raining. Well, that doesn't happen much, but most folks don't adjust watering for the seasons. One cheap timer going all year with the same settings. Since i have worked at people's home's almost exclusively for the last quarter century, I know of what I speak.