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Using Waterwise Landscape
Principles to Address Increasing
Water Demand
Courtney BrownConservation Programs Manager
Where Does Our
Water Come From?
Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
Most water supplies are imported to Salt Lake Valley
2009 Municipal Water Supplies :
Source Yield (AF) Portion of Total
Salt Lake Valley
groundwater and streams15,664 19%
Weber River 9,588 12%
Provo River 49,131 60%
Duchesne River 6,992 9%
TOTALS 81,375 AF
Conservation Goals and Programs
Statewide Goal
◦ 25% gpcd reduction by 2050
JVWCD Goal
◦ 25% gpcd reduction by 2025
Programs
◦ Water Checks
◦ Classes and Fairs
◦ Demonstration Gardens
◦ Member Agency Assistance
“…3.2 percent increase from 2006 represents a record increase of
84,425 persons, approximately the population of Ogden, Utah.”
-Utah Population Estimates Committee, Nov 15, 2007
Population Growth is the Primary
Reason to Conserve Water
Population Projections for Utah
Year
Salt Lake County JVWCD
Population Growth Population Growth
2010 1,053,258 652,814
2030 1,131,519 42% 891,201 72%
2050 1,663,994 72% 1,102,977 112%
DROUGHT CYCLES
Sources: Gray et al (JAWRA) and Gray et al (Ecology)
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Th
ou
san
d A
cre
-Feet
Year
Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District Drought Year Water Supply Plan
(With 25% Conservation by 2025)
Bear River
Waste Water Recycling Phase 2
Jordan River / Utah Lake M & I Treatment Phase 1
ULS
Central Water Project (CWP)
Waste Water Recycling Phase 1
Southwest Jordan Valley Groundwater Project
Existing JVWCD Water Supplies,
JVWCD Demand w/ 25% Conservation by 2025
Est. Demand Assuming 2000 Usage Rates
Historical Demand
JVWCD – How Much Water Does the
Average person Use Per Day?
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Acre-f
eet
JVWCD Service Area Water Deliveries 2009
Outdoor
Indoor
Groundbreaking for
WaterSmart Education Center
April 27, 2010
WaterSmart Education Center
Waterwise Landscapes
Sometimes referred to as “Xeriscapes”
◦ Not “Zeroscapes”
◦ We use waterwise
Waterwise landscapes:
◦ Vary by region
Use native and drought adapted plants
◦ Require little input
◦ Are beautiful
Waterwise Landscape Principles
1) Planning and Design
2) Soil Analysis
3) Practical Turf Areas
4) Appropriate Plant Selection
5) Efficient Irrigation
6) Use Mulches
7) Appropriate Maintenance
50.00
25.82
18.60
15.27
18.10
5.64
0.00 0.00 0.00
19.47
12.68 13.3314.74
8.32
0.02
32.76
7.51
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
35.00
40.00
45.00
50.00W
ate
r A
pp
lied
in
In
ch
es
2009 Water Use Comparison
Neighborhood Landscapes
2006-2008 Avg. 2009
*3 year average (1998-Present) for residential sites in Salt Lake County Water Check Program
Planning and Design
Master Plan
◦ Creates design
cohesiveness
◦ Helps to determine
order of importance
Steps:
◦ Site Analysis
◦ Concept Plan
◦ Planting Plan
Hydrozones
Group plants
according to water
needs
◦ Irrigation needs based
on most water
consumptive plants
Don’t mix:
◦ Trees and lawn
◦ Annuals and perennials
◦ Shrubs and vegetables
Soil Analysis and Amendment
Benefits
◦ Helps when scheduling
irrigation/fertilization
◦ Useful during plant
selection
Know your soil
◦ Lab test
www.usual.usu.edu
Amend your soil?
Practical Turf Areas
Benefits
◦ Decreased water and
chemical needs
Water waste is a
behavioral problem
◦ Many benefits to
limited areas of grass
Removing grass
◦ Focus on non-essential
areas
Appropriate Plant Selection
Match plants to
location, not location
to plants
◦ Decreases maintenance
◦ Increases plant health
Things to consider
◦ Mature size
◦ Preferred conditions
◦ Bloom colors
◦ Seasonal changes
◦ Hardiness
Plant Information Sources
Local nurseries
◦ www.utahschoice.org
Catalogs and Internet Databases
◦ www.highcountrygardens.com
◦ www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Alp
ha.asp
◦ www.conservationgardenpark.org
◦ http://hort.ufl.edu/trees
Efficient Irrigation
Benefits
◦ Water savings
◦ Healthier plants
Irrigation Tips
◦ Proper design
Head to head coverage
Same irrigation in each
zone
◦ Adjust irrigation
seasonally
◦ Test system regularly
Use Mulches
Benefits:◦ Moisture retention
◦ Weed reduction
◦ Addition of organic matter
Organic◦ Shredded bark
◦ Chipped wood
◦ Pine needles
◦ Cocoa mulch
Inorganic◦ Gravel and colored rocks
◦ Tumbled glass
◦ Chat
Appropriate Maintenance
Design to reduce maintenance
◦ Avoid placing objects in lawn areas
◦ Contain spreading plants
◦ Provide easy access
Timely maintenance
◦ Weed and pest control
◦ Pruning and deadheading
Resources Internet
◦ www.ConservationGardenPark.org
◦ www.SlowtheFlow.org
◦ www.conservewater.utah.gov
Books◦ Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs
Michael A. Dirr, Timber Press
◦ Waterwise: Native Plants for Intermountain Landscapes
USU Press
◦ Landscaping on the New Frontier
USU Press
◦ Xeriscape Plant Guide
Denver Water
◦ The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses
Rick Darke
Questions
