Utah municipalities are deploying localized water conservation strategies to combat insufficient water supplies, including the installation of water-wise demonstration landscapes in Cedar City and the implementation of specialized low-water turfgrass programs in Salt Lake City.
Cedar City Landscape Demonstrations
In Cedar City, located 250 miles south of the state capital, officials and educators have worked to bring water-wise landscape inspiration directly to suburban neighborhoods. Although the Cedar Valley sits atop a natural aquifer, the City of Cedar City does not have access to sufficient water supplies to meet current levels of use.
Bringing Inspiration to Suburbs
To address the distance between rural communities and the water conservation gardens typically found along the Wasatch Front, Candace Schaible, the Water Conservation Coordinator for the Utah Division of Water Resources and an Iron County Extension Assistant Professor, launched an initiative in 2019. Schaible collaborated with Jake Powell, a Utah State University Extension Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Specialist, to design and install a water-wise demonstration street in a new suburban neighborhood using an Extension Water Initiative grant.
Model Home Partnerships
The project involved a partnership with the Iron County Home Builders Association and local real estate developer Alex Meisner Construction. The team developed a series of front yard designs based on water-wise landscape principles and installed them at nine different model home sites. These landscapes serve to provide homebuyers with practical construction ideas that can be applied to their own properties. The initiative also includes a website to share design details and water use data, alongside planned educational courses.
Salt Lake City Conservation Goals
In Salt Lake City, the state's largest metropolitan area, the Department of Public Utilities has implemented a multi-faceted approach to outdoor water conservation. Following a 2020 utility master plan update, the city identified a need to reduce the city-wide average of annual outdoor irrigation from 38 inches to 24 inches to meet specific conservation goals.
Addressing Overwatering Trends
Data from the WaterMAPS and Water Check programs indicated that 68% of households in Salt Lake City were overwatering their landscapes. To assist residents who desired to reduce water use while maintaining functional turfgrass areas, the city launched the SLC Turf Trade program in 2021.
Innovative Turfgrass Solutions
The SLC Turf Trade program was developed in cooperation with the Utah State University Center for Water Efficient Landscaping and the Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance. This collaboration resulted in a customized blend of turfgrass seed that uses 30-40% less water than standard varieties while maintaining the color and quality of Kentucky bluegrass and offering resistance to pests and disease.
Educational Resources and Rebates
The city also utilizes various other conservation tools, such as the Flip Your Strip program, which provides a $1.25 per square foot rebate for removing grass from park strips. Educational materials for the Turf Trade program include videos filmed at the city Concord Lift Station, which was planted with the specialized seed in the fall of 2021 and continues to serve as a demonstration site.
