One hundred percent of the state of California is in some level of drought today. HOAs contain many acres of irrigated landscape assets. So how can one be the best steward of water resources in order to maintain the health of these assets? Answer: With active involvement in site water use.
Sure, systems need upgrades. Irrigation technology has advanced substantially in the last few decades. But let’s back up and start with the basics.
MAPS AND SCHEDULES
Irrigation zone maps show which areas are station waters. These are critical for managing water. Each irrigation controller in the community should have one. It is a plan view map of all the landscape areas covered by that specific controller. Each landscape area is identified by the irrigation station number that controls it.
Irrigation schedules are printed spreadsheets that identify the following for each controller:
• Station number
• Type of irrigation
• Type of plant irrigated
• Start time
• Run time
• Run days
The irrigation schedule is noted for the peak irrigation month (July) and adjusted downward manually or by a weather-based smart controller. When an adjustment to the schedule is made, it is noted, dated and initialed. The landscape committee should keep copies of these and also place them in each controller.
Now it is clear what is watered where and when.
WATER METER AND BILLS
Locate and note on the irrigation zone map each water meter servicing landscape area. Note whether it reads in gallons or cubic feet. Learn how to read the consumption on the dial. There are videos and articles on how to do this. Water service providers will help too.
Take meter readings before and after an irrigation run cycle. It could be an evening with the entire controller running, or just one station. Subtract the before reading from the after reading; this is the consumption for a watering event.
Organize water bills for the last five years. Note consumption for each billing cycle and any trends, upward or downward.
Now it is clear what the historical consumption was and what is currently being used during a watering event. Look for any increase in use and find out why. Were new plants installed? Are there broken pipes or sprinklers? Any irrigation schedule adjustments, or lack of adjusting downward?
BASIC COVERAGE
Run each station with your landscape service provider for a visual inspection and tune-up. Overhead and drip systems need to cover the root zones of plant material. Create a punch list of items to improve coverage.
Some common issues that affect coverage are easily remedied:
• Overspray onto hardscape or non-plant areas:
Adjust nozzle arc and/or radius.
• Plants blocking sprinkler heads:
Prune or remove plants or raise heads.
• Missing drip emitters or nicks in the tubing:
Plug holes or cut out and recouple tubing.
• Uneven precipitation overhead:
Ensure that nozzles are of the same size and type and that they are applying the same amount of water over the entire zone/station.
• Uneven precipitation drip:
Ensure that drip emitters are of the same gallon per hour and type and are placed within the root zone of the plants and trees. The root zone is out past the drip line (an imaginary line from the edge of the canopy down to the soil).
• Runoff:
Do not run the system any longer than the soil can absorb it. Use multiple start times to allow water to be absorbed into the soil if more watering is required. Do this less frequently.
Now the existing systems in place are being run as efficiently as possible, with easy remedies at little to no cost.
MULCH
Always keep exposed soil covered in a blanket of mulch. Three to four inches of mulch reduces evaporation and keeps applied water in the root zone longer. There are at least a dozen other benefits as well.
Keep the mulch in place; it should not be raked or blown away over time. Arborist wood chips from a local source are easily accessible, cheap or free, and are perfectly suited for irrigated landscape areas. No need to purchase mulch, just the labor to spread it.
Now watering events can be less frequent. The spring startup of the controller can be delayed because soil moisture levels are maintained longer.
IRRIGATION UPGRADES
Identify and prioritize areas on which to spend money and time in order to deliver the best returns on investment (water consumption decrease). Which parts of the community are high profile? Have the worst irrigation coverage? The oldest valves and sprinklers? The tiniest patches of unused turf? Which zones have the highest consumption? Areas for landscape plant upgrades?
Irrigation products and technology have become amazingly efficient. Some of these upgrades even have rebates available:
• High-efficiency rotating nozzles:
These retrofit right onto an overhead spray sprinkler body. No digging required.
• In-line drip emitter tubing:
Emitters are already in the tubing, and precise, matched amounts of water are delivered from each emitter. No more spaghetti tubing and emitters popping off.
• Flow sensors:
These devices learn the normal flow of each station and shut off the system when they sense consumption outside of the normal flow. No more breaks in the middle of the night causing loss of thousands of gallons.
• Weather-based irrigation controllers:
These adjust the watering schedule daily based on actual weather data. No more overwatering due to lack of frequent schedule adjustments.
Conserving landscape water is a priority. It is an expensive and dwindling resource. Communities will likely need plant and irrigation renovations to sustain themselves in the future. Once the basics are covered, those decisions can be made more effectively to gain the long-term benefits of a beautiful and water-efficient property.
By Tiffany Faulstich
Tiffany Faulstich is president of Botanicon Inc., an independent, third-party horticultural and landscape consulting firm. www.botaniconsd.com