How to Conserve Water Outdoors

Using water efficiently is important in the high desert, particularly during our hot and dry summers. Currently, Prineville uses more than twice as much water in the summer than in the winter. The cause? Irrigation. By irrigating more efficiently and using water-wise landscaping, you can help our community conserve water.

Outdoor Water Conservation Tips

• Avoid watering pavement or other man-made surfaces where water can be lost to evaporation. Redirect your sprinklers, if necessary.
• Regularly check your irrigation system for leaks, including sprinkler nozzles and valves.
• Apply mulch around plants to help retain soil moisture. Bark, rocks, stones, and wood chips are all good options.
• Use a higher mowing height setting. The longer the grass, the deeper the roots. This helps the grass to absorb and store water, making your lawn healthier and more weed-resistant.
• Leave your grass clippings behind when you mow. They add nutrients to the soil. 

How to Irrigate Efficiently

How should I water perennials and shrubs? Water perennials, trees, and shrubs deeply every 3 to 4 days instead of more frequent shallow watering. This encourages deeper roots, making the plants more drought-tolerant.

How do I check my soil to see if it has the right amount of moisture? Before watering, check soil moisture by digging down 8 to 10 inches by the drip line of the plant (the drip line is where water drips to the ground from the outermost branches and leaves). The soil should be moist enough that you can form it into a ball in your hand. If the soil is soggy, you can water less often or for a shorter period of time. If the soil is crumbly and dry, then you can increase irrigation time or frequency.

This rule of thumb applies to most plants—but not all. Remember that some native plants do not require the soil to be very moist!

If I want to water my grass, how should I do it? Grass typically needs to be watered to a depth of 6 to 8 inches and may require as much as 1½ inches of water per week during the hottest summer months. Here are some tips for watering efficiently:

1. Make sure you are not overwatering. If the ground feels water-logged or spongy, or you notice runoff or puddles, you may be overwatering.
2. Avoid frequent, quick watering. This results in shallow roots. It is better to water less often for a longer period of time.
3. Make sure your sprinklers are not over-spraying onto man-made surfaces. Adjust the sprinklers if they are.
4. Prevent a buildup of thatch. Thatch consists of dead stems, roots, and leaf tissue (excluding lawn mower clippings) that accumulates because native soils in Central Oregon lack the microorganisms needed to break it down. When thatch builds up, it reduces water movement to the soil. You can reduce the amount of thatch by aerating the lawn then adding a thin layer of compost.

How do I know how much water I am using on my lawn? To measure water use, you will need two lawn watering gauges, such as those available for free from the City, or two empty cans (tuna cans work well). Then follow these instructions in this how-to video from conserveh2o.org.

Irrigation Equipment

Here are some ways to water your yard more efficiently:

Weather-based or smart irrigation controllers are irrigation system controllers that automatically adjust irrigation amounts based on weather conditions, such as temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind. Using the weather data, the irrigation controller calculates evapotranspiration (evaporation from the soil surface plus transpiration from plants) values for the landscape. These evapotranspiration values tell the irrigation controller how much to irrigate.

Rain sensors can be added on to existing irrigation controllers. They automatically shut off the irrigation system when it rains.

Soil moisture sensors can be added on to existing irrigation controllers. They use sensors embedded in the soil to determine the moisture level and transmit that information to the irrigation controller. The irrigation controller automatically stops or begins irrigation based on the soil moisture information.

Drip irrigation systems slowly drip water into the soil near the roots of plants, reducing evaporation and overwatering. Each drip emitter typically releases ½ to 2 gallons of water per hour.

Don't have a sprinkler system or drip irrigation lines? These hand-watering tools can help:

Garden hose nozzles or sprayers allow you to easily turn the water on and off as you move around your yard. That way you won’t waste water as you go from plant to plant.

Soaker hoses slowly release water to plants through tiny pores in a tube. They are relatively inexpensive and good for watering small areas.

Water-wise Landscaping

Water-wise landscaping, also called xeriscaping, emphasizes plants with low water needs, groups plants with similar water requirements together, and uses efficient irrigation practices. Grass can be part of a water-wise landscape depending on the amount of grass, type of grass, site preparation, and irrigation practice used.

Tips for practicing water-wise landscaping:

Use native plants and plants with low water needs. Native plants are adapted to the local soil and weather conditions. Native plants are low-maintenance and some require very little water.

Create hydrozones.Organize your landscape into different zones that have plants with the same water, soil, and sunlight requirements. This helps avoid over- or under-watering. 

Reduce grass. Plant grass only in high-use or play areas that are large and relatively flat. Avoid planting grass along narrow paths and foundations where use of the grass is minimal but the water needs remain high. Instead, save water by choosing water-wise plants for these low-use areas. Also, avoid planting grass on steep slopes where water can run off before being absorbed by the soil.

Irrigate efficiently. Use irrigation equipment and a watering schedule that maximize water conservation while providing sufficient water for plants.

Amend the soil. When planting non-native plants, add soil amendments (organic matter) to areas you are planting to improve initial root establishment, which improves the drought tolerance of the plantings.

Use mulch around plants. Mulch helps to reduce evaporation, reduce weeds, moderate soil temperature, and prevent erosion.

Practice regular maintenance. Maintenance includes checking soil moisture, inspecting your irrigation systems for leaks, and mulching.

Additional water-wise landscaping tips:

• Plant trees along lawns. Partial shading from the trees saves irrigation water.
• Get to know your soil. Soils have unique nutrient and moisture needs.
• Plant low water-use plants in dry spots, windy or exposed areas, and against the sunny (south) side of buildings.