Action 1
Strategically Cut Back on Irrigation
Significantly reducing outdoor water use is our biggest opportunity to conserve our community's shared water supply, especially when the supply is low. More than 80% of the water used on outdoor irrigation does not return to local rivers or streams, while 95% of the water used indoors is treated and returned to the Eagle River.
Most systems can reduce water use and improve efficiency from simple schedule adjustments, like using the cycle and soak method or the seasonal adjust function. Refer to Beyond Lawn Efficient Irrigation Guide for complete information about how to maximize your property's water efficiency.
As always, make sure you're following local watering restrictions.
Action 2
Run an Early Spring Test Cycle
Run a test cycle to check every zone for broken heads, leaks, and overspray BEFORE running your regular schedule. A single broken head can waste dozens of gallons per cycle and thousands of gallons per month. This is something every homeowner can do themselves before the season starts.
For a guide on how to run a test cycle on common irrigation controllers, click here.
Action 3
Add Mulch to Trees and Shrubs
Applying 2–4 inches of mulch to drip-irrigated trees and shrubs can reduce soil evaporation by up to 70%. Mulching around trees and shrubs (keeping it a few inches away from trunks!) dramatically reduces how often you need to water. This is especially critical in Eagle County's dry, sunny, high-altitude conditions.
Action 4
Separate your irrigation zones mentally (and ideally physically)
Trees and shrubs have a greatly reduced benefit when watered on the same schedule as your lawn—their roots may even crowd the top few inches of soil trying to access the limited runoff, impacting turf health and appearance. Lawn irrigation is calibrated to far more frequent, shorter cycles than woody plants need. If you can't separate zones, consider hand-watering your trees and shrubs on their own schedule while pulling back on lawn irrigation.
Action 5
5. Water deeply and infrequently, not shallowly and often
Deep, infrequent watering builds deeper roots that are more drought-resilient, as roots must grow farther in search of water, increasing the overall root mass that supports growth above the surface. Shallow, frequent watering produces shallow roots that suffer more in drought. This applies to everything — lawn, shrubs, and trees. Cool season turfgrasses have shallow roots that are unable to take advantage of deeper water, so they should be watered for shorter periods more frequently than other plants.
DROUGHT WATERING — WHAT TO WATER FIRST
Priority 1 — Protect at all costs: Young trees
Trees take money, resources, and years to replace and should receive the greatest water consideration during drought. Young or newly transplanted trees (1–4 inch trunk diameter) have limited root systems and are the top priority — they need supplemental irrigation even when drought conditions don't exist.
Priority 2 — Protect where you can: Established trees and shrubs
Large, mature shade trees and shrubs are a high priority during drought. Established shrubs tend to be more resilient than trees but are still worth protecting. Shrubs and perennials need roughly half as much water as lawns.
Priority 3 — Protect recent investments: New perennials planted within the last 1–2 years
Drought-tolerant plants are not drought-tolerant until their roots are established. That newly planted native you put in last fall? It still needs water this summer. Once established, most natives can largely fend for themselves with minimal supplemental watering.
Priority 4 — Let established natives and perennials go semi-dormant
Well-established native perennials and grasses are built for this. They may look rough mid-summer, but they will come back. Native perennials generally will be okay without heavy summer watering — they're adapted to Colorado's dry cycles.
Priority 5 — Minimal turf watering
During drought or restricted watering periods, most lawns, including bluegrass, will withstand reduced watering by going dormant, and can be revived with good management after drought breaks. A dormant lawn is not a dead lawn. If you want to keep it barely alive, dormant lawns should still be watered periodically to keep roots alive.