IRRIGATION: The cheapest water is the water you don’t use

Thanks to the weather effects of La Nina, we have had one of the driest winters since the Gold Rush. We have a good reserve of water from last year’s bumper winter, but it is probably worth considering the possibility that this is not an anomaly.

Texas might prepare us for what is in store. The summer of 2011 was a record breaker in Texas, with the longest stretch of record high daily temperatures and the least amount of rain in weather history. Everything’s big in Texas, including their droughts. Some communities passed water restrictions. Based on articles I have been reading, the biggest lesson they’ve learned is the value of a good irrigation system.

Experts estimate half of residential outdoor water usage is wasted due to evaporation, wind and improperly scheduled irrigation routines. Here are a few tips that will save you money in the long run:

• Water in the early morning, before 9 a.m., to reduce evaporation and scorching of leaves from the sun.
• Water on calm days to prevent wind drift and evaporation.
• For planting beds - water less frequently but for longer duration to establish deep root systems
• Grass - shallow root systems means it can be watered more frequently for less time.
• Aerate your lawn once a year in the early spring or fall to improve water penetration.
• Make it a habit to adjust your sprinklers and check for leaks at least monthly
• Take the time to check coverage on your landscaping and make adjustments.
• Consider drip or trickle irrigation when appropriate.

Drip or trickle irrigation systems are highly efficient because they deliver water slowly and directly to the roots under the soil surface. This promotes deeper roots, which improve a plant's drought resiliency.

For the techno-savvy consumers, you might consider a Weather-Based control irrigation system that uses real-time local climate data to schedule irrigation. Once installed, these controllers do the thinking for you. Add-on devices include Smart Water Application Technologies (SWAT) that includes performance measures of irrigation adequacy and irrigation excess, which measure how well the system meets plant water needs know as WaterSense controllers.