THE Waterline August 2004 Sustainable Water Use for Utah's Future Utah Water Conservation Forum P.O. 1255 Salt Lake City, UT 84110 Newsletter of the Utah Water Conservation Forum Contents Still available for distribution: “It’s Easy to Save Water” videos contact Molly Waters Utah DWRe I ought to go on a diet. Losing pounds and inches is the only scheme I can come up with to turn back the clock and help me feel 17 (or maybe even 37?) again. There have been times in my adult life when a diet might have helped my finances, if only in theory–the cost of diet foods tends to be inversely proportional to their calories (and hence, their appeal). My flirting with diets has never really had anything to do with the relative availability or cost of food. It’s always been about activity and metabolism and just plain eating too much. We in Utah are long overdue for a water diet. Our yards are over-watered (you might say FAT), we waste water on foolishness such as inappropriate plants (think junk food), and we “avoid exercise” by carelessly tolerating leaks and thoughtlessly letting the water run on to our sidewalks and streets. None of these communal bad habits seem dimin- ished much by drought, and all of them ought to be exterminated whether or not the drought persists. Raising water rates continues to be a popular suggestion for “encouraging” conservation, but raising the cost of potato chips would not take them off our menus, and I doubt that more expensive water will trim our water waste either (and yes, the pun was intended). Just as a successful dieter has to change his or her mindset and “think thin,” so a prudent water user needs to develop an appetite for beautiful Utah landscapes, trimmed watering schedules, and vigilant maintenance (fix those leaks!). In order to lose pounds and keep them off, I’m going to have to commit myself to certain permanent changes in behavior. Deciding to not buy any more ice cream and doughnuts may be a good start. Training our Utah public to go easy on the water is also going to require some permanent changes in attitude, as well as behavior, and like most diets, results may not be immediately apparent. Still, fighting the “battle of the bulge” can and should start with the simple act of eating right, or, in the case of water, taking simple, permanent steps to curb our wasteful appetites. Those steps include learning to water our yards correctly, landscaping with Utah-adapted plants, and avoiding runoff down our streets and gutters like the plague it is . Just a thought n Readers are invited to share their thoughts on current water conservation issues in Utah. Submit essays to Nancy Hardman, [email protected]. Nancy Hardman Conservation Programs Coordinator CUWCD Fall Tour Scheduled September 8, Forum members, guests, and friends will have the opportunity to visit a variety of great examples of waterwise landscap- ing sponsored by Utah State University. Starting at the Utah House of the State Botanical Center in Kaysville, participants will view first-hand the remarkable water efficient innova- tions at the House. After a presentation on the current status of the Botanical Garden, the group will board tour busses for the ride to the USU Logan campus. Lunch will be provided at USU’s Skyroom, and the Tour will resume afterwards with a look at waterwise landscaping conversions on campus, the campus central irrigation controller system, and the dem- onstration and research gardens at Greenville Farm. The Tour will conclude back at the Utah House between 5:00 and 5:30 pm. Important Tour Details: Date: September 8, 2004 Cost: $35 per Forum member, $65 Non-members (includes tour and membership through calendar 2005), $20 Students - tour only (see Registration form insert) Registration: by check or online by September 2. Limited to 47 participants (see Registration form insert). Sign-in: 8:15 am, Utah House, State Botanical Center, Kaysville (I-15 exit 331) Leave Kaysville for Logan: 10:15 am Lunch: USU Skyroom, noon Arrival at Utah House: 5:00-5:30 pm Use Wisely Utah Water Utah Water Model Ordinances Online . . . . . . . . . . . 2 House Bill 71 Passes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Choosing Waterwise Plants . . . . . . . . . 3 Free Community Ed at JVWCD . . . . . 3 Just a Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Tour Registration Form . . . . . . . . . Insert
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THEWaterlineAugust 2004
Sustainable Water Use for Utah's Future
Utah Water Conservation ForumP.O. 1255Salt Lake City, UT 84110
Newsletter of the Utah Water Conservation Forum
Contents
Still available for distribution:“It’s Easy to Save Water” videos
contact Molly WatersUtah DWRe
I ought to go on a diet. Losing pounds and inches is the only scheme I can come up with to turn back the clock and help me feel 17 (or maybe even 37?) again. There have been times in my adult life when a diet might have helped my finances, if only in theory–the cost of diet foods tends to be inversely proportional to their calories (and hence, their appeal). My flirting with diets has never really had anything to do with the relative availability or cost of food. It’s always been about activity and metabolism and just plain eating too much. We in Utah are long overdue for a water diet. Our yards are over-watered (you might say FAT), we waste water on foolishness such as inappropriate plants (think junk food), and we “avoid exercise” by carelessly tolerating leaks and thoughtlessly letting the water run on to our sidewalks and streets. None of these communal bad habits seem dimin-ished much by drought, and all of them ought to be exterminated whether or not the drought persists. Raising water rates continues to be a popular suggestion for “encouraging” conservation, but raising the cost of potato chips would not take them off our menus, and I doubt that more expensive water will trim our water waste either (and yes, the pun was intended). Just as a successful dieter has to change his or her mindset and “think thin,” so a prudent water user needs to develop an appetite for beautiful Utah landscapes, trimmed watering schedules, and vigilant maintenance (fix those leaks!). In order to lose pounds and keep them off, I’m going to have to commit myself to certain permanent changes in behavior. Deciding to not buy any more ice cream and doughnuts may be a good start. Training our Utah public to go easy on the water is also going to require some permanent changes in attitude, as well as behavior, and like most diets, results may not be immediately apparent. Still, fighting the “battle of the bulge” can and should start with the simple act of eating right, or, in the case of water, taking simple, permanent steps to curb our wasteful appetites. Those steps include learning to water our yards correctly, landscaping with Utah-adapted plants, and avoiding runoff down our streets and gutters like the plague it is .
Just a thought n
Readers are invited to share their thoughts on current water conservation issues in Utah. Submit essays to Nancy Hardman, [email protected].
Nancy HardmanConservation Programs CoordinatorCUWCD
Fall Tour Scheduled September 8, Forum members, guests, and friends will have the opportunity to visit a variety of great examples of waterwise landscap-ing sponsored by Utah State University. Starting at the Utah House of the State Botanical Center in Kaysville, participants will view first-hand the remarkable water efficient innova-tions at the House. After a presentation on the current status of the Botanical Garden, the group will board tour busses for the ride to the USU Logan campus. Lunch will be provided at USU’s Skyroom, and the Tour will resume afterwards with a look at waterwise landscaping conversions on campus, the campus central irrigation controller system, and the dem-onstration and research gardens at Greenville Farm. The Tour will conclude back at the Utah House between 5:00 and 5:30 pm.
Important Tour Details:Date: September 8, 2004Cost: $35 per Forum member, $65 Non-members (includes tour and membership through calendar 2005), $20 Students - tour only (see Registration form insert)Registration: by check or online by September 2. Limited to 47 participants (see Registration form insert).Sign-in: 8:15 am, Utah House, State Botanical Center, Kaysville (I-15 exit 331)Leave Kaysville for Logan: 10:15 amLunch: USU Skyroom, noonArrival at Utah House: 5:00-5:30 pm
Use
Wisely
UtahWater UtahWater
Model Ordinances Online . . . . . . . . . . .2House Bill 71 Passes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Choosing Waterwise Plants . . . . . . . . .3Free Community Ed at JVWCD . . . . . 3Just a Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Tour Registration Form . . . . . . . . .Insert
Board of DirectorsKelly Kopp - PresidentUtah State University
Molly Waters - Vice PresidentUtah DNR Water Resources
Greg Graves - TreasurerBingham Engineering
Cathy Myers-Roche - Exec SecretaryUtah State University
Thomas Ward - Past PresidentSalt Lake City Public Utilities
Board MembersJoe WhittakerUS Bureau of Reclamation
Franci DeLongXeriscape Design
Paula MohadjerJordan Valley Water Conservancy District
Alan LongSprinkler World
Diane JonesUtah Nursery & Landscape Assn.
Julie BreckenridgeWashington County Water Conservancy District
Duane DeveyJordan School District
Gene Shawcroft/Nancy HardmanCentral Utah Water Conservancy District
Kevin PaceLDS Church Facilities Management
Scott PaxmanWeber Basin Water ConservancyDistrict
Board of DirectorsMolly Waters - PresidentUtah DNR Water Resources
Joe Whittaker - Vice PresidentUS Bureau of Reclamation
Greg Graves - TreasurerBingham Engineering
Cathy Myers-Roche - Exec SecretaryUtah State University
Kelly Kopp - Past PresidentUtah State University
Board MembersFranci DeLongXeriscape Design
Paula MohadjerJordan Valley Water Conservancy District
Travis WilsonSprinkler World
Julie BreckenridgeWashington County Water Conservancy District
Duane DeveyJordan School District
Nancy HardmanCentral Utah Water Conservancy District
Kevin PaceLDS Church Facilities Management
Scott PaxmanWeber Basin Water Conservancy District
Mark BertelsonUtah DEQ Drinking Water
Kimberly PickettSandy City Public Utilities
Paul SnyderSouthern Utah University
Stephanie DuerSLC Public Utilities
Mike WilsonMetro Water District SLS
Darrel EvensenForsgren & Associates
UTAH WATERCONSERVATION FORUMP.O. Box 1255Salt Lake City, UT 84110www.utahwaterforum.org
Stephanie DuerSLC Public Utilities
Mike WilsonMetro Water District SLS
Jamie TsandesPsomas
UTAH WATERCONSERVATION FORUMP.O. Box 1255Salt Lake City, UT 84110www.utahwaterforum.org
Throughout the Intermountain West, gardeners are switching to waterwise landscaping. The ongoing drought is raising consumer consciousness and changing the trend in the market place to reflect a western landscape appeal. Because most native plants are drought tolerant and are adapted to our alkaline soils, they have been increasing in popularity over the last five years. Utah’s Choice is a new tagging and educational program designed to increase the accep-tance and use of waterwise Intermountain native plants in home and public landscapes. Forty native plants, including trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennial wildflowers, were selected by members of the Utah State University Center for Water Efficient Landscap-ing, the Utah Botanical Center, the Utah Native Plant Society and the Intermountain Native Plant Growers Association. These plants were selected because they are easy to grow, conserve water, provide habitat for wildlife and are beautiful!
The Intermountain Native Plant Growers Association is a newly-founded nonprofit organization that has primary responsibility for the Utah's Choice program. Our partners in this effort include the Utah Botanical Center, the USU Center for Water Efficient Landscaping, the Utah Native Plant Society, Utah State University Extension, Utah State Department of Water Resources, Central Utah Water Conservancy District and Utah Public Radio. We have produced Utah's Choice materials, including a brochure, booklet, full color promotional poster, and plant tags and signs with descriptive and cultural information for 40 key plants. More information on the Utah’s Choice program and the Inter-mountain Native Plant Grower’s Association is available at http://www.utahschoice.org or by calling 801-582-1350.
courtesy Pat Bagley,The Salt Lake Tribune
Free Community Education at Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
WATER-WISE LANDSCAPING CLASSESThursday, August 19, 6-8 p.m. A Wander with Joy in the Garden - Joy Bossi, radio host of “Joy in the Garden" Get answers to questions on all aspects of water-wise gardening. Saturday, August 28, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Bold and Beautiful Low-Water Perennials for Every Garden - Barney Barnett, of Willard Bay Gardens Learn which water-wise perennials provide lasting color and beauty for any site.Thursday, September 2, 6-8 p.m. Ornamental Grasses for Water-Wise Gardens - Susie Kohler and Katy Nicolich, Blue Sky Perennials Learn all about hardy, easy to grow ornamental grasses that add texture, color, movement, and seasonal interest to any garden.
GARDEN FAIRSaturday, September 18th, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Learn easy, practical, innovative ways to conserve water and still have a lush, green lawn and garden. You will also have the opportunity to purchase plants directly from the people who grow them and question experts in the fields of landscaping and water conservation. There will be water-wise demonstrations and much more. The fair’s focus is fall gardening.
All events will take place at JVWCD located at 8215 S. 1300 West in West Jordan and are free to the public.To register, or for more information, call 1-877-728-3420.
By Molly Waters, Water Conservation Coordinator, DWRe The 2004 legislative session was a good one for water conservation planning! House Bill 153 (1999) was revised and renamed House Bill 71. However, it’s still basically the same Water Conservation Plan Act we all know and love.Additions to the bill included the following: P Statement of an overall water use reduction goalStatement of methods of achieving those goals P Plan for monitoring and evaluation of conservation progress P DWRe gets to publicly humiliate non-compliant agencies by publishing their names in a statewide newspaper. A new template has been developed at DWRe that will hopefully aid you in the preparation of a great Water Conservation Plan. To find a copy of the bill, download the new template, or to check on your compliance status please visit www.conservewater.utah.gov/agency.
We all know that coming up with acceptable water ordinances can be a tricky process. To help in that process, the Division of Water Resources has provided a list of model ordinances for you on their website. The following ordinances are currently available: N Time-of-Day Watering Ordinance N Water Pricing Ordinance N Commercial Landscape Ordinance N Water Waste Ordinance Each ordinance can be modified to meet your community’s specific goals and interests, and can save you a lot of time in the ordinance-making process! Please visit www.conservewater.utah.gov/agency to find these ordinances!House Bill 71 Passes
Model OrdinancesNow Online
N N N N N N N N N N N
Choosing Appropriate Waterwise Plants
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