I bought a new home here in Waco in May of 2008. One of the things that caused me to fall in weakness with the town was a lush lawn of St. Augustine grass. Im something of a lawn junkie. I enjoy working guise and tending to it. Now, two and a half years later, I fully understand the ramifications for Texas water conservation of having that lawn. If I had built that house instead of buying it, I would not have chosen St. Augustine.
Now dont get me wrong. There are few things more visually pleasing to me than that lawn, thick and freshly equable. If my home was in repeat, Beaumont, where I worked in television three decades ago, it would be condign fine. St. Augustine was developed in Florida for Gulf Coast climates and the rainfall that goes with it. Its perfect for those areas. Waco? Not so much. Our annual rainfall is about 20 inches per year less than what falls in Beaumont.
The Texas Legislature will, in the session that begins in January, tackle the issue of water. It will be a difficult and contentious process. Water conservation is something that every Texan must take seriously. Time is running out for us to deal with our water problems. Native Texans, and those getting here as fast as they can, will nearly double our population by 2050. Our current rate of water usage cannot deal with that many Texans.
Here at the Texas Farm Bureau, we are gearing up for that session with the knowledge that agriculture has both a need for water to produce food and fiber and a responsibility to use it wisely.
The latter point has led to a variety of methods by which agriculture conserves water. The systems that have been developed toward that end include low elevation and low pressure delivery systems in irrigation that minimize the opportunity for evaporation.
Theres also the now widespread use of conservation tillage. In conservation tillage, including minimum till and no till, the breaking up of the soil is held to a minimum. The moisture that lies near but below the surface does not evaporate as easily. This method can improve water conservation significantly.
But, water conservation is not something that can be left strictly to the big users like farmers and industry. Taken together, the amount of water used by homeowners on lawns is staggering.
If I were starting a lawn today, Id do it very differently. Id plant a less thirsty species of grass and Id consider xeriscape. This is a combination of low water use turf grass, native plants adapted to the drier parts of Texas and even rock and gravel.
Of course, many other water saving ideas are easy to implement. Dont let that drippy faucet go on another day. Put water savers on those shower heads. Modern toilets work as well as the older models while using less water.
Im not a farmer and I dont play one on TV. I do, however, work for farmers and Ive seen first - hand the steps that are being taken to conserve water. Conservation tillage and new irrigation technology is only a part of that.
As a homeowner, I keep up with water leaks and try to avoid wasting any. I have long range plans to replace that elegant lawn. Water conservation is everyones job today.
