Before starting your WaterSmart landscaping makeover, there are significant decisions to make about improving your water efficiency, including plant and irrigation choices. First, determine what type of landscape will meet your needs and maximize your water savings potential.
Every WaterSmart landscape added by a homeowner becomes a key part of the San Diego region’s water efficiency goals.
By converting a turf-focused yard to a WaterSmart landscape, you have the potential to beautify your property, save money, and reduce maintenance. You also play a critical role in protecting and improving the health of our natural environment by cultivating native plants, retaining and minimizing stormwater runoff, and conserving water.
There are six distinct steps to successfully plan and create a WaterSmart landscape.
Before starting your WaterSmart landscaping makeover, there are significant decisions to make about improving your water efficiency, including plant and irrigation choices. First, determine what type of landscape will meet your needs and maximize your water savings potential.
Why is turf the main target for saving water? Grass requires more water to keep it green than most other plants. Turf needs four times the amount of rain our region gets annually.
But saving water isn’t the only reason to get rid of your lawn. If you aren’t using your lawn as outdoor living space or a safe place for your children and animals, it’s going to waste. Consider instead an attractive type of substitute such as groundcovers or more interesting plant groups along pathways. There are many alternate choices – including limited turf.
A low to moderate water use garden has some moderate water use accent plants and up to 10% high water use plants.
A low water use garden has no more than 10% high water use plants.
A very low water use garden has a mix of very low and low water use plants.
Take time to learn about your possible irrigation choices. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
This is not a WaterSmart method.
Whether you want to create space for entertaining, limit landscape maintenance or maintain some turf for children and pets, you can reach your water-saving goals and create an outdoor space to live in.
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(Editor’s Note: The San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies offer programs, resources, and incentives to improve water-use efficiency for residential, commercial, and agricultural users. WaterSmart Living is a way of life in the region. Stay WaterSmart San Diego! For more water-use efficiency resources, go to WaterSmart.SD.org.)
San Diego’s top brass offered on Thursday to pony up more than $33 million to resolve a hotly disputed pipeline deal between the city and East County concerning two large water recycling projects.
The move comes as the parties inch closer to what could become a protracted legal battle, with serious implications for the East County Advanced Water Purification Project and the city’s massive $5 billion Pure Water sewage recycling venture.
Twelve talented photographers from South Bay schools won honors for their work creatively showcasing the importance and beauty of water in the Sweetwater Authority annual High School Photo Contest. The winners were selected from 65 students who submitted more than 150 entries in two categories: black and white and color photography.
With the rainy season come and gone, drought’s withered hand remained firmly fixed on California this month, as it has been, with few exceptions, for the last decade.
Woes pile up. Rain didn’t save us, the snowpack is all but gone, the Coastal Commission says no desalinating sea water, and urban-interface fires have already begun.
It’s almost summer in the Golden State.
For some time, California seemed well on its way toward a water future made more secure by desalination plants up and down the coast. A dozen are currently in operation, including the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, which upon opening in 2015 became the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Ten more plants are being planned.
Twelve talented photographers from South Bay schools won honors for their work creatively showcasing the importance and beauty of water in the Sweetwater Authority annual High School Photo Contest.
The winners were selected from 65 students who submitted more than 150 entries in two categories: black and white and color photography.
In each photo, water plays a central part in favorite activities and quality of life.
“The Board is proud to support this annual contest, which helps draw attention to water as an essential and precious resource,” said Sweetwater Authority Board Chair Alejandra Sotelo-Solis. “We are continually amazed by the talent and photography skills of students in our service area.”
1st Place: Ashley Monroy, Hilltop High School, Grade 12 – “Summer Day.” Photo: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
Ashley Monroy, Hilltop High School, Grade 12 – “Summer Day”
First place winner Ashley Monroy, a senior at Hilltop High School, described her winning entry “Summer Day.”
“I wanted to show how two best friends are playing with water on a sunny summer day,” said Monroy. “These two girls are playing with water balloons. This is something you do for fun with your friends and family.”
2nd Place: Huynh Hoang, Bonita Vista High School, Grade 12 – “Drip Drip.” Photo: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
Huynh Hoang, Bonita Vista High School, Grade 12 – “Drip Drip”
Bonita Vista High School senior Huynh Hoang portrayed the value of groundwater in “Drip Drip.”
“The repercussions of over-using fresh water are vast: future generations will struggle for water supply, the cost of drilling and pumping water will rise,” said Hoang. “Being a responsible water user is to look at daily habits and use of water and make changes that will minimize or eliminate water waste.”
3rd Place: Guadalupe Estrada, Chula Vista High School, Grade 11 – “Kissing Reflection.” Photo: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
Guadalupe Estrada, Chula Vista High School, Grade 11 – “Kissing Reflection”
Guadalupe Estrada, a junior at Chula Vista High School, called his photo “Kissing Reflection,” writing, “A bird is digging through the water, finding and eating any insects swimming around, creating a perfect mirrored reflection of it at the same time. This goes to show how not only is this resource valuable, but is also a gateway to hidden beauty and serenity.”
1st Place: Skyler Yowakim, Bonita Vista High School, Grade 9 – “Making A Wave.” Photo: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
Skyler Yowakim, Bonita Vista High School, Grade 9 – “Making A Wave”
In her entry essay, Freshman Skylar Yowakim of Bonita Vista High School described her winning photo: “Drainpipes allow wastewater to be disposed of from buildings. The wastewater is then conserved by flowing through our community’s sterilized sewer system and then transferred to a wastewater treatment facility. Wastewater treatment facilities are beneficial because they protect people and our ecosystem from the toxic elements that are found in wastewater.”
2nd place: Andres Cornejo, Chula Vista High School, Grade 11 – “Eleutheromaniac.” Photo: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
Andres Cornejo, Chula Vista High School, Grade 11 – “Eleutheromaniac”
Second Place winner Andres Cornejo, a junior at Chula Vista High School, came up with the unique title “Eleutheromaniac” for his photo, providing this definition: “Eleutheromaniac: one who seeks freedom beyond reach. He notices that the water has overcome this freedom and can course freely anywhere with no halt or hesitation. A constant freedom that fills the subject with jealousy at fault. A constant search that humans try to achieve this natural state of water.”
3rd Place: Joaquin Angulo, Hilltop High School, Grade 12 – “Showers.” Photo: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
Joaquin Angulo, Hilltop High School, Grade 12 – “Showers”
Joaquin Angulo, a senior at Hilltop High School, won third place for his photo “Showers,” which described his experience. “Having access to clean, fresh water is something that people often take for granted. I am thankful that I have access to water because it is essential for one’s wellbeing.”
Honorable Mention winners, Color Category: (L) Carlee Gregg, 11th Grade, Hilltop High School, “Refreshing Life,” (R) Nathan Isaac C. Colmenares, 12th Grade, Chula Vista High School, “Simple Joy.” Photos: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
Color Category: Carlee Gregg, 11th Grade, Hilltop High School, “Refreshing Life;” Skyler Yowakim, 9th Grade, Bonita Vista High School, “Stepping Into The Future;” Sebastian Pimentel Lugo, 9th Grade, Sweetwater High School “Solin Bath;” Nathan Isaac C. Colmenares, 12th Grade, Chula Vista High School, “Simple Joy.”
Honorable Mention winners in the Color Category: (L) Skyler Yowakim, 9th Grade, Bonita Vista High School, “Stepping Into The Future;” (R) Sebastian Pimentel Lugo, 9th Grade, Sweetwater High School “Solin Bath.” Photos: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
Black and White Category: Joaquin Angulo, 12th Grade, Hilltop High School, “Leaf Droplets;” Esteban Robledo, 12th Grade, Hilltop High School, “Handwashing Against The Virus;” Janet Mendoza, 11th Grade, Hilltop High School, “Backyard Beauty;” Noah Kitcher, 10th Grade, Bonita Vista High School, “Misty.”
Honorable Mentions, Black and White Category: (L) Joaquin Angulo, 12th Grade, Hilltop High School, “Leaf Droplets;” (R) Noah Kitcher, 10th Grade, Bonita Vista High School, “Misty.” Photos: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
Judging was done through a blind selection process by Sweetwater Authority staff members and Bonita Museum & Cultural Center Director Wendy Wilson. First-place winners in each category were awarded $400; second place, $300; third place, $200; and $50 for Honorable Mention.
Honorable Mention, Black and White category: (L) Esteban Robledo, 12th Grade, Hilltop High School, “Handwashing Against The Virus;” (R) Janet Mendoza, 11th Grade, Hilltop High School, “Backyard Beauty.” Photos: Courtesy Sweetwater Authority
The winning photos can be viewed in a slideshow on the Sweetwater Authority website. A special exhibit at the Bonita Museum & Cultural Center will showcase the winning photographs through June 30.
(Editor’s note: The Sweetwater Authority is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
Adoptable dogs and even a few cats found new homes and called attention to new water conservation measures at five San Marcos parks at the first “Wags and Water Festival.” The event was organized by the Vallecitos Water District and the City of San Marcos.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised budget proposal would set aside $75 million to aid small agricultural businesses as the drought deepens. The one-time assistance would provide grants ranging from $30,000 to $50,000, depending on the amount of lost revenue.
