This week, rain returned to Pagosa Country, bringing some relief from the dry heat that dominated June and early July and heralding the start of the summer monsoon season.
Weather modeling by the National Integrated Drought Information Center (NIDIS) suggests that the summer monsoon season is likely to bring average or above average precipitation to the region — a bounty compared to the approximately 25 to 50 percent of average precipitation Archuleta County received in last month.
The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center forecasts that drought conditions in the area will improve by Sept. 30, although it suggests that current severe and extreme drought levels calculated by the U.S. Drought Monitor will persist through July.
The upcoming rains and declining drought are good news for gardens and landscaping, offering them some relief from the heat and dryness. However, they don’t mean that the challenges of drought are over or that the limitations on watering times and the need for water conservation established by the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District’s (PAWSD’s) drought management plan are likely to go away soon.
So, how do you make the most of the limited water you have available and maximize its benefits for your plants? The SUN talked to a diverse group of local experts to get the best advice on using limited water to get plants through the present drought and on planning more drought-resilient landscapes for the future.
Rain, water conservation and you
PAWSD is currently in drought stage two, which includes a number of restrictions on outdoor irrigation, as well as additional fees for high water use.
In stage two, irrigation is allowed only between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. every other weekday, with even-numbered addresses able to irrigate on even-numbered days and odd-numbered addresses on odd-numbered days. Weekend irrigation is prohibited.
However, drip irrigation and hand watering edible or ornamental gardens is allowed at all times.
Residential water use above 4,000 gallons per month is subject to a two times rate multiplier.
PAWSD District Manager Andrew Connor explained that, while the rains associated with the monsoons might eventually impact the district’s drought restrictions, changes would require a large amount of rain and would not be immediate.
In the summer, the drought stage is primarily driven by the water level in Hatcher Reservoir, flows in the San Juan River and the date.
Both Hatcher and the San Juan supply the district’s water treatment plants, and an increase in the water levels in these sources, such as rainwater flowing into the San Juan and falling on Hatcher can positively impact water supply.
Connor indicated that the date impacts how much change in water levels in the San Juan or Hatcher is needed to move the district from one drought stage to another, with smaller amounts of change causing stage shifts early in the season compared to later in the year.
He explained that the drought plan is more sensitive to small fluctuations early in the season because there are more unknowns at that point about how the year may progress and what water may be available.
“It’s all anticipation for what the next year is going to look like,” he said, adding that the ultimate goal of the drought restrictions is to ensure that the district has water available for later in the year and into the next year.
Connor commented that while he’s heard predictions of a strong monsoon this year and there’s some rain in the forecast, it’s mid-July and it’s “not a lot of rain.”
He stated that his current focus is on “conserving every drop of water in Hatcher Lake” and preparing for what might come, with a strong monsoon and a decrease in the drought conditions being a positive possibility, but not a certainty.
PAWSD District Engineer Justin Ramsey explained that the district’s drought management plan focuses on irrigation since it composes a large portion of the district’s water use in the summer and because losing green lawn grass or other plants has a smaller impact on people’s lives than restrictions on showering, dish washing or other indoor water uses.
The drought stages in the district’s drought management plan align with this goal, imposing progressively tightening restrictions on when irrigation can occur while placing no restrictions on indoor water use except increasing fees for high water consumption.
However, for all but the most severe drought stage, these restrictions only cover irrigation done with sprinklers and other automated devices, with the use of drip irrigation devices and hand watering allowed at all times.
“Really, all we’re saying is you can’t automatically irrigate,” Ramsey said. “People tend to use a lot more water when it’s automatic.”
Manual and drip irrigation encourage people to be more conscious about how they use water by involving them more deeply in the process and requiring more hands-on time, he added.
Another way to increase the water available for gardens and landscaping without paying more fees is to reduce water waste in your home, Connor and Ramsey highlighted.
Things like a leaking toilet can add up to thousands of gallons a month in additional water use without any benefits, Connor pointed out.
Water savings can also happen by capturing normally wasted water, such as the water that runs while heating up a shower, and putting it to other uses, like watering a garden.
Although these are individually small steps, they can add up to significant increases in water efficiency, Connor commented.
PAWSD’s Dropcountr service offers another tool to track water usage and detect issues like leaks, Connor stated.
This third-party service takes its data from PAWSD’s advanced meter infrastructure system, Connor stated, which records when and how much water is used at an individual water meter and is used by PAWSD for customer billing.
Dropcountr allows customers to monitor this data and set alerts that will notify them about things like when they have used a certain amount of water that month, when their bill reaches a certain dollar value or times when they use a specific amount of water per hour.
These alerts are customizable, he stated, and can help customers budget their water use over a month or detect periods of high water use which might correlate with an unknown leak.
Connor recommended that customers using Dropcountr set an alert for when their water use reaches 3,500 or 4,000 gallons in a month to help them budget their water use and avoid extra water use charges due to drought, although he noted that many other kinds of alerts can be helpful depending on the situation.
PAWSD customers can register for Dropcountr on the PAWSD website at www.pawsd.org/customer-care/water-monitoring-dropcountr/ and can also get assistance with registering by calling the PAWSD offices at (970) 731-2691.
Connor noted that having proper contact information is critical to successfully using Dropcountr as you will not receive alerts if your email or other information is incorrect in PAWSD’s records.
Water later and smarter
Watering at the right time is key to maximizing the impact of the water you use, several experts stated.
Ramsey emphasized that watering during the evening or early morning helps ensure that more of the water gets to the plants by reducing water loss to evaporation.
When using a sprinkler during the heat of the day, approximately 20 percent of the water is lost to evaporation before it hits the ground, according to Ramsey — losses which are largely avoided when the sun is not strong.
Ramsey also noted that, in periods of strong sunlight, the watering during the day can burn plants as the water accumulated on their leaves works like a magnifying glass for the sun’s rays.
Connor noted the importance of checking the self timers on your irrigation system to make sure it has working batteries, that it is functioning properly and that it is set to the irrigation times you want, such as during the evening.
This is especially important for people who do not live here year-round and are more likely to not see errors in the irrigation system, Connor stated.
Checking these timers both helps make sure you are complying with PAWSD’s drought restrictions and maximizing the value of your water, he noted.
Cindi Galabota, Colorado State University (CSU) Extension agent for Archuleta County, concurred with Ramsey’s and Connor’s recommendations about watering at night.
In addition to heat, the middle of the day tends to be the most windy, increasing the amount of water lost to evaporation, she noted.
Evaporation also continues when the water hits the ground, Galabota stated, meaning that a portion of the water that reaches the soil during daytime watering will be lost before it can be absorbed by the plants it is supposed to benefit.
The way you irrigate your lawn is also critical for getting the most impact from your water, Galabota commented.
She stated that irrigation methods like soaker hoses — perforated hoses which slowly seep water into the soil — are much more water efficient than a traditional sprinkler since they minimize the loss of water from airborne evaporation and their slow drip of water gives it time to sink in, reducing losses to runoff.
When using a sprinkler, Galabota emphasized the importance of making sure it is calibrated to avoid waste by spraying water on sidewalks and driveways.
Galabota shared that there are also simple tests you can do to help estimate how much water your irrigation system delivers to your yard or garden, allowing you to precisely calibrate how long you need to water for based on your watering goals.
One such test she shared is placing a set of small cans, like tuna cans, across your yard before turning on your irrigation for 20 minutes.
Afterward, you can measure how much water is in the cans and calculate how much water your irrigation system delivers per minute or hour, letting you precisely time how long you need to irrigate based on how much water you want to apply.
Galabota explained that this test can also help you detect areas in your lawn that are receiving more or less water, allowing you to calibrate your irrigation system to ensure equal coverage.
How much water is needed varies on the type of plants being irrigated and the conditions, she stated, although trees need substantially more water than grass or other plants, especially given the long period of drought they have been exposed to over recent years.
Galabota noted that the CSU Extension provides a variety of resources for helping determine a plant’s water needs, including articles on watering shade trees (https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/watering-mature-shade-trees/), landscapes (https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/watering-a-home-landscape-during-drought/) and perennial gardens (https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/perennial-gardening/).
She added that inserting your finger into the ground to see if the top 1-2 inches are damp can be an effective way to test whether more water is needed, with dryness suggesting more watering is necessary.
When calibrating your irrigation, Galabota advised focusing on watering a larger amount less frequently since this encourages deeper root growth for plants and helps them access nutrients.
Is it dead?
Plants facing limited water and high heat are under stress, Galabota explained, and, like people, they deal with that stress in different ways. Faced with drought, some plants go brown and dormant, a state where they may appear to be dead. Others lose leaves as a response to drought stress.
Although these changes can look alarming, Galabota emphasized that they are normal responses and are not necessarily indications that your plants are dead or dying.
These are indications though that the plants likely need support, such as watering, she stated, especially if these are non-native plants that are not adapted to the local conditions.
However, even if they receive more water or other help, plants may not immediately recover or turn green, Galabota stated.
For many brown plants, it will only be clear next spring whether they survived the drought, she stated.
If they are receiving some water, Galabota stated that most brown native plants are likely dormant, but non-native plants are more difficult to discern since they often lack the drought adaptations of native plants.
For turf grass, Galabota stated that watering it with a quarter inch of water a week or half an inch every two weeks will keep it alive in a dormant state.
“Your grass won’t be luscious and green … but it’s not going to die,” she said. “It’s going to be brown, but you’re going to bring it back next year.”
Stemming losses and flames
Mulching is another key tool for maximizing the impact of your water, Galabota explained.
A layer of mulch up to 4 inches thick helps reduce evaporation of any moisture that is already in the soil in addition to the water you add, she stated.
Mulch also helps reduce the growth of weeds, which leach away water from desirable plants, by blocking them from germinating and reaching the sun.
However, Galabota explained, evaporation and weeds are not the only threat that should be considered when mulching.
The drought also comes with increased fire danger, meaning that mulch must be used carefully to ensure that it is not putting your home at an increased risk of catching fire.
Within 5 feet of a home, Galabota recommended not using any type of woody mulch and minimizing plants unless they are fire resistant.
For plants in this zone that need mulch, she suggested using small rocks.
Beyond 5 feet, Galabota recommended using bark chips, pine needles or leaves as a mulch.
She noted that many of these mulch materials can be obtained locally without having to buy them.
For gardens, Galabota indicated that shade coverings can be useful for protecting plants from high heat and winds, as well as from cold nighttime temperatures.
However, she cautioned that shade covers should be used carefully to avoid blocking too much sunlight from the plants under them or overheating them by creating a greenhouse with the coverings.
Planting for a dry future
With the drought, you might be thinking of reimagining your lawn or garden to require less water in the future.
While Galabota encouraged starting planning a more drought-tolerant landscape this year, she stated that you should likely wait to implement it.
New plantings are more fragile and take a larger amount of water in the years it takes them to get established, she stated, which means that it’s best to plant in a less stressful and water restricted time.
However, there are many ways to get started with planning a more water-efficient yard, Galabota indicated.
She advised that those who are interested in changing their landscaping observe the current conditions in their yards, detecting what microclimates might exist in different areas and what plants are flourishing where.
Then, Galabota recommended that you start researching what plants you might want to use and designing a landscape layout to guide your plant efforts.
This might also be a good time to take classes on landscaping or gardening, she commented, such as the Landscape for Life online courses offered by the CSU Extension in partnership with the U.S. Botanic Gardens or the master gardener certification offered locally by the Extension.
Galabota suggested a wide range of books and resources to help with researching potential plants.
For books, she recommended “Pretty Tough Plants” by The Experts at Plant Select, “The Undaunted Garden” by Lauren Springer Ogden, “The Colorado Gardener’s Companion” by Jodi Torpey, “Garden with Less Water” by David Bainbridge and “Xeriscape Colorado” by Connie Lockhart and David Winger, among others.
She noted that many books on gardening and landscaping in Colorado are available at the Ruby Sisson Library.
Visiting the native plant garden at the Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership domes in Centennial Park can also be useful, Galabota commented, since this provides a place to look at plants that flourish in the area with minimal water.
It can also provide helpful ideas for creating a pollinator-friendly garden, she explained, which can help support insects and wildlife during difficult times like the current drought.
Galabota noted that it is also critical to think about the elevation of your home when considering plants since the area has a wide range of elevations and which plants do well is highly dependent on elevation.
She also offered several recommendations for potential drought-tolerant plants that she has observed growing well in the area.
For flowering perennials, she highlighted the blue-colored Rocky Mountain penstemon (Penstemon strictus) and the red-colored firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii), both of which grow wild in Archuleta County; red and yellow prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera); and chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata), a yellow daisy with a brown center.
In terms of grasses, Galabota recommended Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides) and blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) as potential native grass options that require less water than conventional turf grass.
She also recommended considering prickly pear cactus or yucca species for dry areas, as well as various sages and wildflowers for your overall landscape.
Galabota noted that the Natural Resource Conservation Service in Archuleta County offers seeds for many native plants and that many seeds and plants are also available at garden centers in Pagosa Springs.
She also commented that the CSU Extension in Archuleta County can help residents learn more about drought-friendly landscaping and answer questions about effective water use.
The CSU Extension office is located at 344 U.S. 84 and can also be contacted by phone at (970) 264-5931.
More information is also available at https://extension.colostate.edu/archuleta/.
josh@pagosasun.com
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