Lawns provide many benefits — both aesthetic and practical — but they also require a lot of water. In fact, lawns use two to three times more water than do other plants in the landscape. Improper lawn watering can waste up to 50% of the water coming out of your sprinkler through evaporation, runoff, over-spraying, and over-watering.
How can you make sure you’re watering your lawn the right amount and not wasting a valuable resource? Use a couple of watering gauges and the “weekly watering number,” both available this summer from the Regional Water Providers Consortium.
Let the Weekly Watering Number be Your Guide
Lawns generally need about 1” of water a week to stay healthy. Spring through summer, the Consortium posts the weekly watering number on its website, www.conserveh2o.org. The number accounts for current weather conditions and shows how much additional water you need to water your lawn that week so it gets its 1” dose. Use the number to calculate how much to water your trees, shrubs, and vegetables, too. You can even sign up to receive the number every week by email.
Free Watering Gauges to Measure Your Sprinkler Output
Before you can use the weekly watering number, you need to find out how much water is coming out of your sprinkler over a given period of time. Watering gauges help you do this. You can request free watering gauges — while supplies last — directly from the Consortium by calling 503-823-7528, or sending an email to RWPCinfo@water.ci.portland.or.us. You can also get gauges from your local water provider and at local nursery events held in June and July.
Once you know how much water is coming out of your sprinkler over a set period of time, you can use the weekly watering number to help you estimate how long to run your sprinkler so that your lawn, plants, and shrubs get the right amount of water.
About the Consortium
The Regional Water Providers Consortium is a group of 24 water providers and Metro that serves Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties. The Consortium is committed to developing and implementing regional water conservation programs that help educate the public about water-related issues.
Five Easy Watering Tips to Help You Conserve H2o
1. Water lawns and gardens before 10 am or after 6 pm to slow evaporation — it can save as much as 300 gallons of water per month.
2. Fertilizers increase water consumption, so apply the minimum amount of fertilizer necessary.
3. Aerate! It prevents runoff and gives water easier access to the root systems.
4. Mow your lawn high and often. Mowing when your grass is between 2” to 3” tall encourages a stronger root system and reduces evaporation.
5. Select a sprinkler that releases water slowly and close to the ground rather than one that releases a mist, which tends to evaporate quickly.
Talk to the Water-Conservation Experts and Get a Free Watering Gauge
Water-conservation experts from the Regional Water Providers Consortium will be at local garden centers this summer, offering free watering gauges, printed information about water-efficient plants, and other information about outdoor water conservation. Get more information, tips for conserving water, plant guides and other resources at www.conserveh2o.org.
