Summer in Nebraska means it's time to water those gardens, lawns, and farms more often, so let’s make every drop count and learn how to irrigate smarter and conserve water this summer!
According to the EPA, the average American family uses 320 gallons of water per day with about 30% being used outdoors. Additionally, more than half of that outdoor water is used for watering lawns and gardens. Nationwide, landscape irrigation accounts for nearly one-third of all residential water use, totaling nearly 9 billion gallons per day.
In Nebraska, and around the world, a lot of water goes to irrigation for lawns, gardens, and agriculture. Unfortunately, the water doesn’t always serve the purpose it was intended for, especially under hot, sunny, dry, windy conditions, such as a typical summer in Nebraska. According to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Turfgrass Science Program, an acre of turfgrass can lose more than 10,000 gallons of water a day to the atmosphere. There are a variety of methods and technologies to optimize irrigation, especially in the summer.
According to Oklahoma State University, smart watering is an advanced irrigation method developed to reduce outdoor water use. It replaces traditional systems that rely on fixed, user-set schedules. Smart irrigation technology uses weather data or soil moisture levels to determine when and how much to water. It improves efficiency by minimizing water waste while maintaining plant health for both small residential yards and large managed landscapes.
12 Ways to Irrigate Smarter in the Summer: all information from the City of Lincoln Water.
- Less watering means healthier lawns and lower water bills.
- Create a designated irrigation schedule, the City of Lincoln, encourages watering 1-2 times per week and has a schedule depending on your household so not everyone waters at once.
- Use drought tolerant plants and turf by planting native species.
- Water during the cool part of the day since approximately ⅓ of all water applied after sunrise is lost to evaporation.
- Don’t water in windy conditions in order to maintain moisture well.
- Only use automatic sprinklers when necessary.
- Install a rain sensor device to adapt to the amount of rainfall.
- Minimize watering times on automatic sprinkler systems.
- Water in several short cycles rather than one long cycle to allow for the soil to absorb the water.
- Check your sprinklers to make sure they are not watering the sidewalk or street, and are focused on the designated area.
- Help retain moisture and nutrients by using mulch or cover crops, especially between planting seasons.
- Raise your mower height to increase root depth and minimize water usage. The City of Lincoln recommends a mower height of 3.5 inches.
According to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, Nebraska was the top state of total irrigated acres in 2013. Water is essential for a variety of resources and industries, but water conservation is equally important. Nebraska’s water supply is a limited resource that must be carefully monitored and managed to protect future supplies for water uses. Start conserving water today and this summer and what better time to start than the next time you water your garden, yard, or farm.
