Water Conservation: Information Resources for Landscape Professionals

by : Jennifer Kujawski

As snow and cold weather still envelope the region, many professionals are using their down time to further their education and investigate current concerns for the landscape industry. One area of interest is water conservation. The Massachusetts Water Conservation Standards (http://www.mass.gov/envir/mwrc//pdf/Conservation_Standards.pdf ), a set of guidelines issued by the state to encourage greater water use efficiency, are currently undergoing revision. New sections have been drafted that specifically address water use in landscape and agricultural settings. However, water conservation in the landscape means more than efficient irrigation; it also encompasses such topics as soil improvement, plant selection and cultural practices, and pollution prevention. Numerous resources are available online (and elsewhere) to explain these concepts and to assist landscape professionals in making water conservation commonplace in their operations.

A good place to start online investigation is at the Massachusetts Water Resources Commission's web site. The commission has compiled a Guide to Lawn and Landscape Water Conservation (http://www.mass.gov/envir/mwrc/pdf/LawnGuide.pdf ), a downloadable document that outlines ways to use water more efficiently for lawn and landscape maintenance. Sections III and IV of the guide contain bullet lists of water-wise practices, e.g. soil amendment, plant selection, proper mowing and irrigation techniques. Individuals may want to 'self-test' against these bullets to see what practices they are or could be following.

SOILS

Improving the quality of landscape soils undoubtedly conserves water, since well-formed soils retain moisture, provide plants with plenty of nutrients, and lessen the chances of erosion leading to sediment pollution. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has some excellent web resources for those wanting to better understand soil quality. Their online soil glossaries (http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/glossary.html ) define basic soil properties and biological elements as well as soil quality indicators such as soil organic matter and water holding capacity. NRCS also offers a downloadable Urban Soil Compaction Technical Note (http://www.soils.usda.gov/sqi/files/u02d.pdf ), which addresses prevention and management of compacted, degraded soils.

PLANTS

Xeriscape* is a buzz word often affiliated with water conservation, but exactly what is it? A UMass Landscape and Urban Forestry (LNUF) online fact sheet (http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/plant_culture/xeriscaping.pdf ) gives a good overview of the concept, and the web site of Denver Water (http://www.denverwater.org/cons_xeriscape/xeriscape/xeriscape_index.html ), the Colorado agency that coined the term Xeriscape, takes an in-depth look. The Denver Water site thoroughly explains what Xeriscape is and perhaps even better, explains what it isn't. In fact, the section on Xeriscape myth busters might be a reference to print out and hand to clients who think Xeriscaping equals sand-scaping.

A host of drought tolerant ornamentals are listed on the UMass LNUF web page (http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/plantculture.html ), and an 'offline' regional resource that deserves notice is A Pocket Guide to Native and Low Maintenance Woody Plants For the Massachusetts Landscape. This photo-filled booklet contains short descriptions, cultural requirements, and suggested uses for a variety of trees and shrubs. Species listed are not necessarily drought tolerant but are water-wise nonetheless since they require fewer inputs of pesticides, water, fertilizer, and other maintenance components once established. The guide is available from the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association (http://www.mnla.com/publications.html ).

IRRIGATION

Irrigation may be what immediately comes to mind when water conservation is at stake, and the UMass Landscape, Nursery an Urban Forestry Program's online irrigation and drought fact sheets (http://www.umassgreeninfo.org/fact_sheets/plantculture.html ) are a ready resource, with tips on efficient watering strategies and irrigation systems.

Another excellent irrigation web site to bookmark is http://www.irrigation.org. This National Irrigation Association site contains a glossary that explains irrigation-related terms in great detail. The glossary covers general concepts such as types of irrigation systems and provides definitions of system components, including backflow preventers, trickle system emitters, and flow-control valves.

POLLUTION

Preventing pollution in landscape operations is critical to conserving water quality. Although techniques such as Plant Health Care and Integrated Pest Management have helped many professionals reduce their use of chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers can still impact the environment unless used properly. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has put out two basic fact sheets on preventing groundwater contamination by pesticides and fertilizers (http://www.mass.gov/agr/programs/aeep/factsheet_fertilizer.pdf , http://www.mass.gov/agr/programs/aeep/groundwater_factsheet.pdf ). The sheets, written in brief, straightforward terms, remind individuals how to correctly apply and store landscape chemicals.

While this compendium of water conservation references is by no means exhaustive, it is intended to highlight some of the resources relevant to the landscape industry. Drawing on these resources for ideas, landscape professionals can make water conservation an integral part of their operations. This will help them cope with limited water situations and protect the quality of a vital natural resource.

* Xeriscape is a registered trademark of Denver Water, Denver, CO and is used here with permission.

Jennifer Kujawski
2/06

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