Wasting away in Reno-will-regret-it-ville

Watering on a hot and windy afternoon wastes 30% of the water

With apologies to Jimmy Buffett, it appears that some Renoites have few qualms about watering during hot afternoons.  Not a good idea now with Truckee River flows soon to reach pitifully small levels.  But it isn’t a good idea ever.  Why?

Never mind that the local water purveyor, the Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA), says to “Shut your sprinklers off between noon and 6 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day”.  A better reason to water early in the morning (4 am – 11 am) is because it is cheaper and better for your lawn, too.  Watering in the afternoon costs you money because you’re wasting at least 20-30 percent of the water coming out of your sprinklers.  During our warm and frequently windy afternoons a significant portion of your irrigation water goes directly into the air or gets blown off course onto sidewalks and driveways.  Many sprinkler systems already have way too much pressure and spray out fine mists of water that’s even more susceptible to immediate evaporation into the air.  [Click here for some tips on watering lawns.]

So keep the Truckee River flowing through town this summer – and next – by using less water, using it efficiently (no leaks or broken irrigation sprayers or floods down the gutter), and not watering in the afternoon.  You’ll save a little money, and the river and all its critters will thank you.  Really.

Watering on a hot and windy afternoon wastes 30% of the water

Watering on a hot and windy afternoon wastes 30% of the water

This entry was posted in Conserve, Fish and Wildlife, Keep it flowing, Recreate on by .

About Dennis Ghiglieri

My concern for the Truckee River grew over the years. It started with picking up trash and supporting better water quality. I helped create the "living river"plan with other citizens on the Community Flood Coalition; a plan to reduce flood impacts to infrastructure through river restoration and protection of the floodplain. I understand how critical the Truckee River is to the environment – and economy – of our entire region. I'm hoping that through these pages we can all understand our connection to the Truckee River and why we need to protect it.