Home › News › Boulder & County News
Boulder watering not limited this year
With a healthy snowpack in the mountains, the city of Boulder announced Thursday it will not be implementing water restrictions this summer.
STORY TOOLS
More Boulder & County News
- Fewer travelers expected for Thanksgiving
- Nude priest gets probation, will register as sex offender
- Burned building to be demolished
Share and Enjoy [?]
This year's water supply appears solid, officials said, with water levels at 90 percent to 96 percent of average in the Boulder Creek watershed areas that supply much of the city's water.
But the city is still encouraging residents to conserve water. Ned Williams, director of public works for utilities, said it's important to use water wisely to protect Boulder streams, creeks and wildlife.
"It just makes good sense to be good stewards today when we're not in crisis," Williams said. "Then whenever we do have the next drought, we'll be better prepared."
There have not been water restrictions in Boulder since 2003.
How to use water wisely
Water your lawn in the evenings or early mornings, after 6 p.m. or before 10 a.m.
Water your lawn every three days. Your lawn doesn't need more than that.
Do not water when it's raining or when the soil is already wet.
Water trees, shrubs and vegetable gardens with a hand-held hose or low-volume non-spray irrigation.
Make sure your sprinkler system is working properly and not watering surrounding areas such as streets or sidewalks.
Source: city of Boulder
Contact Camera Staff Writer Jennifer Bronson at JEBronson@gmail.com.
Posted by Songbird1 on May 9, 2008 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You have to be kidding? In a city so well known for conservationists, it escapes me how anyone could think that there is no need to oversee conservation. Good stewards... seriously? Just giving tips for smart watering doesn't do it... you have to hit most people in their pocket books as they just don't care. Re-think this Boulder... minor restrictions are better than no restrictions when it comes to our most precious resource!
Posted by JakPott on May 9, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why ? Think its gunna be around next year if you dont use it this year ?
Doesnt work that way.
Posted by springerwannab on May 9, 2008 at 10:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No restrictions means we can see water running down the streets at 24/7.
Restrictions should be in place every year.
Posted by JakPott on May 9, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
" Then whenever we do have the next drought, we'll be better prepared "
if the city stops increasing density, we will be even more prepared. Conservation is only necessary because planners irresponsibly increased density without increasing water storage.
Posted by barney on May 9, 2008 at 4:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
'tis sidewalk watering season...
Posted by vicky.green on May 10, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Limitatons are built into the utility dept.'s water pricing structure, at least for some of us. But if you've got the money, water away!
Posted by fatdove on May 11, 2008 at 12:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hi folks,
The comments posted by the previous folks missed some important info in the article itself. mainly the guides headed by "How to use water wisely". If these "tips" offered by "city of Boulder" were driving directions to Louisville, we'd all end up lost in Florida. As a professional landscaper, I know that following these "tips" to water conservation will not get anywhere near to water conservation.
Let's break each "tip" down for examination :
First ; Do not water your lawn at night, wet,dark lawns are home to harmful fungal growth. Water your lawn between about 6:30AM and about 8:30AM, for about 8 to 12 minutes per zone. early morning watering will seep into turf roots before mid-morning solar evaporation.
Second ; I'd go along with, "Water your lawn every 3 days.", if residential and commercial properties in Boulder had any turf lawn other than the ever popular "Kentucky" or "Colorado" bluegrass. Bluegrass lawns require high maintenance, are very thirsty, the grass eats a lot of $$$ and produces weeds well, then in spring and fall the sprinkler system needs maintenance, then there's the mowers, trimmers, and the like needing maintenance to make noise.
Why not consider other turf grasses that rally do need less car and feeding ? Tall fesque or blue fesque really can go 3 days between waterings if planted in proper conditions of sun and shade. Buffalo grass is a native of prairie and foothills, does well in less than favorable soils, needs little water, prefers full sun, and thrives in drought. Or consider a seeded mix of rye and gramma as an alternate lawn.
Third ; " Do not water your lawn when it's raining.", well, yeah. Duh.
Fourth ; Water trees and tall shrubs in winter while sap is down directly at the root system, using a "tree needle" to inject a mix of a hose trickle of water and fertilizer. An efficient irrigation system of some kind in a vegetable or flower garden may or may not be an improvement over standing in one place holding a trickling garden hose for long periods.
Fifth ; By all means, maintain your sprinkler system regularly. Replace or adjust sprinkler heads that don't spray enough or that over spray. We don't want to water sidewalk and street as the City of Boulder does in summer.
As mentioned above, I'm a professional landscaper. I install water efficient landscapes and remodel existing landscapes to xeriscape with an eye to water conservation for my clients. My comments here do not constitute a cheap advertising plug for my services.
fatdove
Boulder, Co.
Posted by Songbird1 on May 11, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
JakPott... no, it doesn't work that way. But watering concrete and soaking lawns each day is pointless as well. There are great sources out there about why we should conserve... based on your comment, you might want to read a few; conservation is important at all times. Everybody has a complaint about density in every city; the reality is that ALL of our natural recourses need to be used wisely and conservatively.
(Requires free registration.)
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.
Camera staff does not actively monitor comments. If you believe a comment breaks the user agreement, please flag the comment and someone will take a look at it.