Resources

Improve your water resource management with tools and tips we find and share here. Learn how to trouble shoot problems in your irrigation system and identify overwatering issues. Also hear from our water resource management experts on tips for proper lawn management, picking drought tolerant plants, low water-use landscape designs and more


  • Tuf Conversion for Smart Water Mangement
    03.18.15

    Turf Conversion & Smart Water Management in Times of Drought

    We’ve all seen it—the brown, scraggly patches that were once lush, green grass. With the drought now almost four years into its fury, that sight is becoming all too common and if current projections are correct, there isn’t much relief in sight for much of the western United States. So, it’s time to bid drought-battered turf good-bye and ideally, replace it with drought-tolerant plantings (xeriscaping and/or hardscaping) with water management in mind. Below we’ve rounded up seven alternatives, listed in... MORE >

  • VCTO - Oynx - #1
    12.03.14

    The Growing Attraction to Turf Conversion Rebate Programs

    There’s a lot more than just the severe water shortage changing landscapes in California. Public works rebate programs, many of which went into effect in 2009, are gaining in popularity due to commercial and residential real estate owners who are quickly realizing that replacing turf with drought-tolerant landscaping can be as financially rewarding and beautiful as it is good for the environment. Case in point: Oynx, a high-end apartment community in southern California’s Warner Center. When Updating Means Saving &... MORE >

  • Painting Turf
    10.07.14

    Four Tips For Painting Your Lawn Green

    If you still want a green lawn but don’t want to pay the high cost for water ,  or have water restrictions that don’t allow for you to keep it green or maybe you just want to do your part for water conservation, painting your lawn green is an option.  Aesthetically I believe having your lawn all one color is important.  I don’t think it matters much if that color is all brown or all green.  When we discuss brown... MORE >

  • Fall Tree
    09.30.14

    Fall Back for Water Conservation

    Fall is in the air and the trees are beginning to show their fall colors. We know when the time comes to change our clocks we will “Fall back an hour”. Now is also the time to “Fall back” on the irrigation run times to minimize water use in the landscape. Fall Means Shorter Days Shorter days means less sun and less time for plants to grow. Less plant growth means most plants need less water. The exception to the... MORE >

  • Contracts can establish water management procedure.
    09.23.14

    Homeowner Associations – Water Management Starts With The Contract

    Equity Management held a symposium concerning the drought in California and what homeowner associations should be focused on for excellent water management. There were several great presentations including one from Jon Epsten, an attorney at Epsten Grinnell & Howell.  Jon’s presentation focused on how the scope of work and contract can make a significant difference in water management. He explained how the HOA contract can be a road map for the landscape contractor by identifying the key elements of saving... MORE >

  • Smother the lawn
    08.12.14

    4 Ways To Kill Your Lawn

    Everyday I read about the benefits of killing your lawn and converting turf to a more drought tolerant landscape.  However, even my friends  who claim to have no green thumb at all still have a hard time killing turf.  So if you are ready to channel your inner Norman Bates and kill your lawn,  this post provides four ways to help you.  Just remember it might resist more than you expect, and what we need is turf reduction not turf... MORE >

  • DIG, Orbit and RainBird manifolds
    07.29.14

    Are You Using The Best Point Source Emitter Manifold?

    Recently I had the “pleasure” of seeing multiple point source emitter manifolds blow out on a property, all from the same manufacturer and under ideal pressure. Considering so many properties are converting spray irrigation to drip irrigation I thought this would be a good opportunity to try out a couple manufacturers’ products and see which offers the best flow options, installation ease and withstands the overall test of time. Typically I try and stay away from ¼” tubing as an... MORE >

  • smartirr
    07.08.14

    How To Make Smart Irrigation Month Work For You

    For those of us who subscribe to the blog, every month is Smart Irrigation Month.  The good news for us is the Irrigation Association created Smart Irrigation Month as an initiative to increase public awareness of the value of water-use efficiency and grow demand for water-saving products, practices and services.   July is the selected month because it is typically the month water requirements are highest for landscapes, it’s typically the hottest month of the year, and a great time to... MORE >

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