Climate Appropriate Plantings — Land Resilience Partnership

IRRIGATION EFFICIENCIES

IRRIGATION EFFICIENCIES CAN REDUCE CONSUMPTIVE USE WHILE MAINTAINING THE SAME AMOUNT OF PLANTS

Implementing irrigation efficiencies is an option for any landscape; when landscapes are redesigned or when climate appropriate plantings are added is a particularly good time to implement these measures.

Irrigation efficiencies are strategies aimed at minimizing the loss of water due to evaporation, leaks, & runoff.

Strategies are grouped into three categories, including Mulching &:

Efficient water delivery: Irrigation systems can be designed so that water delivered meets plant demand with minimal losses. Efficient water delivery reduces consumptive use while maintaining the same amount of healthy & attractive landscaping. (Inefficient water delivery systems can cause soil damage, erosion, & can result in an increase in contaminated stormwater runoff.)

Irrigation dose timing: Irrigation dose timing refers to changes to the timing & quantity of water delivered in an irrigation system to maximize efficiency & reduce water demand. Maintaining soil moisture & reducing evaporative losses are primary factors affecting irrigation dose timing. A simple change that many homeowners have already adopted is switching to irrigating landscapes in the morning or the evening when temperatures are lower, & less water is lost to evaporation.