Landscape Management, September 2009

WATER WISE 2009 patines and tcr districts h we a responsibility for water Illanagement How aggressi c they are with end users in urban In 3S is up to them Vlhcn it comcs to restricting water use landscape is one of the first b lUSC its nOI a health or human safety issue Bcnnen says Its considered a llLUl ry and will make a sacrifice before orner industries do he says adding that about 75 of all the water from the Colorado River goes to agriculture lnere arc man nlles and rcbllbrions that dict ltc who gelS what and when in uroon areas Agencies C l 1l shutoff W lle r if there are chronic iobmTS The property owner is responsible Unlike Las Vegas and Phoenix Gland Junction CO in t Ics County is lucky to halc two major drnina bTC systems flow through il the Gunnison and Colomdo rivers Fe do h lIc an incredible water supply Komlo 5 IYS Vere blessed Denver envies us Our alUlUal r linfall if lI e can bCt 9 in a year its a wet season vVithout l ri er flowing through here wed ha C unusable landscape could pull in revenue by fining I ople who misusc water Many p Ople lIl y still think of xeriscaping as just cacrus and rock but thats nOt so l scnbt rg says w lnats the biggest hunile for us he says Ve usually say xeriscaping isnt II style its a meric an approach For example our xeriscaping awani project sec photos is a super modem chic landscape with concrete glass and steel It didnt fillhe typical model of xeriscaping You can apply xeriscaping tenets to any landscape The key is that the wat er conscn Irion effortS and IandSI 1lI C cant be bohemian he adds I t has to C approachable and appropriate II needs to h le sex appeal Technologv Then s a lotof smart H chnology th In save homeowners money on their water bills and prmeL t meir landSl lI C irwesmlent Eiscnl Crg says Enlirorr mspir ltion El clocks with in ground sensors in which soil moisture diet dtes watering is an example Ve need to divert water to where its neL led and Lapture water to 51 C it for later use he says 1nere are other sources of water other man me Colorndo Ri Cr in Mesa County of course Illere an huge a luifers in me Front RanbC and 005 of me water in the countycolllcs from wells which are c l cnsi e to drill DESIGN IS THE FIRST IMPORTANT Komlo cites match precipi tation drip irriglltion slIIart clocks and twowire systellls for better COmp lter control as c llImplcs of technology that lill help bl lide the Green Indusay towanl the future of water conservation 6ffslrR Ta Contractors step in Jason Isenberg aNOef landscape deslgnef Realm lleres always innovation lith turf and shnlbs and plants fol drought tOlerance he adds j lore homeowners and commercial properties will Ix con Cning to desI ert Ia ndSl Iping bec ause of I Jte r use concerns and thats a boon to landSC3l C contrncrors Johnson says Sorne bndsClipes were designed 30 or 40 years abO and ne 1 to be rcdcsib 1led Bennett recommends Ontr Jctors work wim water a uthoritic to make it easier for LIlstomcrs to gCt rcbates and understand bws and policies Isenberg Igrees From a design standpoint we cons ider water with e el step we make he says Dt sign is the first important step in II Iter conservation The use of invasive and non im 1lsivc plants how to make space usable how water rnm CS through a space lIIinimiring erosion and jXlOling these are the things we think about In the commcrcial sector lhere are standalds for new construction in Tucson and similar standards are in the works for the residential sector Isenberg says OVater is a central issue Ct IltOple dont take a conscn 1l00n approach to water because its been taken for I The river ahead Most cities in the Southwest will continue to grow so there wi ll be more pressure on water sources In addition to the Colol l lo Ri ver other water SOllrL CS exist Aquifers arc an example but they tend to be loc 3ted in unpopula t 1 areas and arc distant from demand j llany predict that water willix come more expensive too Vater r tcs in Veg Is ha e incrcased 500 since 1990 Iknnett S 1YS LandSCII C contr Jctors need to understand their customers I Iter sources and rates oVater OOI1 eTV ltion nL ls to be a national effort Komlo says adding that drip irrigation which has been use 1 since the 198Os h ls been a big turnaround for the Green Industry Before thaI we were I 3tering flower and shrub beds like lawns he says It startcd ill California Rain Bini Toro Ewing and Hunter worked to help contractors conscnc I 1Iter and makc moncy UI ntcd for so long lIe says Now we dont have a choice WALSH is 1 Ckvt IIId btfsrd frrtlllllct Unlt C lltIIt 1 him People are resistllnt to limit water use The city of Tucson lit illfiliiJilflll sClfpe1I fIlIIgrmrllt llrt SEPTEMBER 2009 LANDSCAPEMANAGEMENT NET 21