The Yampa Valley is dry; the river has dropped, and our soil is thirsty. This is a great time to address the irrigation of lawns and landscapes in our urban areas and to be reminded of the community outdoor watering schedule.

Since 2020, a watering schedule has been required in Steamboat Springs to reduce water loss to evaporation when watering outdoors. The schedule was an outcome of the 2020 Water Conservation Plan adopted by the City of Steamboat Springs and Mount Werner Water and Sanitation District. The plan outlines a goal of achieving 10% savings in potable water use in Steamboat Springs by 2030.

The watering days are based on the last number (even or odd) of a customer’s address, and you can find your watering days by checking out this image below.

The time of day when you apply water to your lawn matters as well. Watering before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. reduces the amount of water lost to evaporation and leads to a more efficient application of water for your landscape. Watering in the early morning hours is particularly ideal for our semi-arid region, with the cool temperatures allowing the moisture time to infiltrate and soak plant roots as well as limiting the amount of evaporative loss. Less wind in the morning also allows for better water distribution. Watering in the evening is less beneficial as the increased humidity and the amount of time the grass is wet can lead to fungal disease.

To maximize water conservation savings, try reducing the amount of time each irrigation zone is set to run. For spray heads, 5-10 minutes per zone may be sufficient, while rotor or drip zones may need 20-30 minutes. One inch of water per week is sufficient for most lawns. To find out how much water your irrigation system is delivering in each zone, set out containers in various places on your landscape to catch the water for the duration of one cycle and measure the amount captured.

It is important to avoid running sprinklers when it is raining, when it has recently rained, or when rain is in the forecast. Smart irrigation systems and controllers with automated rain shutoffs can do this for you while traditional timers cannot. Consider upgrading your in-ground irrigation system by installing a smart controller for a cost of around $200. The controller can be monitored from your phone and has the capability to incorporate weather forecasts.

The City of Steamboat Springs and Mount Werner Water & Sanitation District will be offering an expanded joint rebate program to encourage water users to improve the efficiency of their outdoor irrigation systems. The program will offer rebates to help pay for the purchase and installation of smart controllers, rain and soil moisture sensors, and high-efficiency nozzles and toward irrigation system audits. Look for more information from the City and the District on the program, rebate amounts, and application requirements in June. More information on City water conservation can be found on their webpage: steamboatsprings.net/251/Water-Conservation.

Since 2021, the Yampa Valley Sustainability Council (YVSC) has been partnering with the City of Steamboat Springs and Mount Werner Water and Sanitation District on water conservation education and outreach programming. For more information on other programming, please visit our webpage: yvsc.org/water-conservation/.

Sally Cariveau is Yampa Valley Sustainability Council’s Resilient Water Program Manager