Tag Archive for: Drought

Free online landscape design classes-webinar-water conservation

Free Online WaterSmart Landscape Design Workshops

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As California enters a fourth straight year of drought, more residents are taking advantage of free, online webinars helping them create a beautiful, water-efficient outdoor landscape. New three-hour workshops are now scheduled through December, funded in part by the County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program.

Taught by local landscape professionals, upcoming webinars focus on specific landscape topics with a “do-it-yourself” approach. From plant choices and irrigation to design and maintenance, the webinars offer timely help on upgrading landscapes with low water use plants and other design touches.

“The workshops give people the skills and knowledge to create an outdoor space that is sustainable and water-efficient,” said Joni German, a water resources specialist for the San Diego County Water Authority. “Residents can also take advantage of other free WaterSmart resources, including rebates for replacing grass and other outdoor and indoor incentives.”

Registration is required for the online workshops. Weekday workshops are held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday workshops from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Register here.

Create a drought-tolerant landscape

Outdoor watering accounts for more than half of a typical household’s water use in California. The online classes can help residents create a drought-tolerant, water-efficient landscape with a design that maximizes enjoyment of the outdoor space.

Yank thirsty grass, create a beautiful, water-efficient landscape

Homeowners and businesses in San Diego County can receive between $2 and $4 per square foot to remove turf and replace it with low water-use plants suited to the hot and dry conditions that are common in our region. All customers are eligible for the base rebate of $2 per square foot; some agencies offer additional funding, including the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego.

Rebates, classes and incentives available to all residents and businesses in San Diego County. Residents in unincorporated San Diego County, may be eligible for additional incentives through the Waterscape Rebate Program.  

WaterSmart Resources

  • Commercial and residential rebates
  • Landscape makeover classes
  • Indoor and outdoor incentives
  • Grass replacement
  • Free on-site irrigation system evaluations

While San Diego County’s investments in supply reliability continue to protect the region, national weather models suggest drought will continue to strain water resources across the West and make water conservation a priority in 2023. Additional free, online WaterSmart landscape workshops are planned for 2023.

(Editor’s Note: The San Diego County Water Authority sustains a $240 billion regional economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million residents through a multi-decade water supply diversification plan, major infrastructure investments and forward-thinking policies that promote fiscal and environmental responsibility. A public agency created in 1944, the Water Authority delivers wholesale water supplies to 24 retail water providers, including cities, special districts and a military base.)

To encourage water conservation as drought conditions persist, North County water district offer discounted rain barrels to area residents. Photo: Solana Center

Water Districts Offer Discounted Rain Barrels

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Due to the persistence of California’s unprecedented megadrought, capturing rainfall when it occurs is a conservation priority. Several water districts in North San Diego County are offering discounted rain barrels.

To encourage water conservation as drought conditions persist, the Olivenhain Municipal Water District, Carlsbad Municipal Water District, San Dieguito Water District, and Santa Fe Irrigation District, are offering discounted rain barrels to area residents.

Collecting rainwater for future use saves both potable water and consumer costs. Capturing rainwater also reduces irrigation runoff that can carry pollutants into local waterways and beaches. This is especially true in the “first flush” of the rain season currently underway.

Capture the rain

Fifty-gallon barrels are on sale for $97, with a final cost of $62 after a $35 rebate from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Rebates on rain barrels and other water-saving measures are available at www.SoCalWaterSmart.com.

Rain barrels ordered through November 30 will be available for pick up at the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation at 137 North El Camino Real in Encinitas. Visit the Solana Center’s website for more information and to place your order.

Rain barrels conserve water for Watersmart landscape maintenance

Although San Diego County’s average rainfall in normal seasons is just under ten inches annually, even light rain can provide enough water for later use. A roof with a 2,000-square-foot surface area can capture 300 gallons from only a quarter inch of rain.

Rain Barrels-Drought-Water Conservation

Stored water can be released gradually into Watersmart landscaping between winter rainstorms, building up the soil sponge and ensuring that native plants get adequate water during the winter months when they need it most. If you need additional water in the summer and capture enough of it during the winter, you may be able to use your stored water for supplemental irrigation.

Rain barrels are inexpensive to purchase and easy to install. Practice pest management and use screens to prevent mosquito breeding. With minimum maintenance and common sense, the water can be kept safe.

(Editor’s note: The Olivenhain Municipal Water District, City of Carlsbad, San Dieguito Water District, and Santa Fe Irrigation District, are four of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)

Third Consecutive Dry, Warm Winter Projected for San Diego Amid Statewide Drought

/in , , /by /KPBS-FM/TVby Jacob Aere Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Even with the recent wet weather in San Diego County, climate change is rapidly accelerating in California, according to a new state report.

Alex Tardy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained how that can affect the state’s water supply.

“Our long term deficits are still significant in Southern California and especially in Northern California. And the overall water supply being at its lowest state on record for the Colorado system and near record lows even for California,” Tardy said.

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Wednesday’s Rain Has Little Impact on California Drought Conditions

/in , , /by /FOX 5 San Diegoby Zara Barker

While any amount of rain is beneficial for the Southern California region, experts said the small amount that rained in San Diego will not make an impact in drought levels, especially because the ground was so dry. Current conditions show a moderate drought in San Diego. The rain caused slow-moving traffic across several areas in San Diego and a mess for Tracy Hanson, who woke up to a downed tree in her front yard in the Lemon Grove neighborhood.

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San Diego County Water Authority And its 24 Member Agencies

Fall Back and Adjust Irrigation Systems to Save Water

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November 3, 2022 – The end of daylight saving time on Sunday offers residents a reminder to assess their outdoor watering needs and adjust their irrigation systems to reduce water waste – an especially important step as California enters a fourth straight year of drought. Plants simply don’t need as much water during cooler months, and they typically don’t need irrigation for several days after heavy rains.

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Free ‘Drought-Proof Your Garden’ Webinars Start Nov. 2

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribune Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority and waterwise garden guru Nan Sterman have teamed up to offer a series of free public webinars designed to help San Diego County residents care for their gardens during a fourth straight year of severe drought.

Starting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 2, Sterman will host periodic webinars during the fall and winter called “How to Drought-Proof Your Garden.”

The next webinar will be Nov. 21, starting at 5 p.m.; to register for that date, click here.

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Climate Change is Rapidly Accelerating in California, State Report Says

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

Wildfires, drought, extreme heat and other effects of climate change are rapidly accelerating and compounding in California, according to a report from state scientists.

The fourth edition of “Indicators of Climate Change in California,” released Tuesday, paints a stark picture of the escalating climate crisis and documents how global reliance on fossil fuels has had wide-ranging effects on the state’s weather, water and residents.

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Supervisors Join Statewide Effort to Push for Solutions to Water Shortages

/in , , /by /NBC Palm Springs

The Board of Supervisors Tuesday officially added Riverside County to a statewide coalition of interests promulgating steps by the state to expand water infrastructure and take other actions to prevent water shortages during cyclical droughts, including the current one. “Different (local) water companies are getting together on the same page,” board Chairman Jeff Hewitt said. “It gives me hope they’ll find solutions sooner than later.”

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Certain North County Communities Under Water Restrictions Amid Drought

/in , , /by /NBC San Diegoby Melissa Adan

Californians are living in the state’s driest period on record and residents are being asked to conserve water as reservoirs run low and demand exceeds a supply stressed by climate change. The Vallecitos Water District is moving San Marcos and surrounding areas to restrict outdoor irrigation to two days a week. A large share of the state’s water is used for agriculture, and growers have seen water deliveries slashed during the drought.

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Ripon Cuts Watering to Once a Week Thru Feb. 28 Due to Drought

/in , /by /Manteca Bulletinby Vince Rembulat

The City of Ripon’s new watering schedule went into effect on Tuesday. The winter schedule calls for a once-a-week schedule, from Nov. 1 to Feb. 28. Manteca, by contrast, still allows watering twice a week in the winter as California enters its fourth year of drought.

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