Home Depot - Water Conservation Workshops

On Saturday, April 26, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m, The Home Depot will host free Water Conservation Workshops at all of its 1,977 U.S. stores. This is a nationwide effort to educate and empower residents across the country to improve water efficiency inside and outside the home.  The announcement of the workshops is one of several measures the company is taking to assist homeowners where many face water restrictions due to current dry conditions.

Workshops will cover water-saving home improvement projects which help conserve the most water, including replacing fixtures with more efficient U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense labeled toilets, showerheads, and faucets. Workshops will also include outdoor water-saving options, such as installing drip irrigation, rotary nozzle or dual-spray sprinklers, and WaterSense labeled irrigation controllers.  In 2013, customers of The Home Depot saved 42.5 billion gallons of water through the purchase of WaterSense labeled products. 

Local community organizations are invited to call their local stores to get involved. Residents are encouraged to attend and learn more about water-efficient solutions they can implement at home. Details and registration information can be found http://workshops.homedepot.com/workshops/home

TexasET Network Landscape Watering Recommendations - "Cougar Central Austin"

Thunderstorms came through this morning in Central Austin dropping anywhere from .6 to .9 inches of rain. Almost perfect like clockwork.  Hopefully the high winds will not evaporate all the rain. Should see a good bit of plant and grass response to this rainfall.

Watering recommendation for "Cougar Central Austin" for the past 7 days:0.50 inches* Date ETo Max Temperature Min Temperature Min Humidity Total Rainfall 04-07-2014 0.13 69 52 48 0.31 04-08-2014 0.26 74 51 18 0.01 04-09-2014 0.23 82 46 23 0 04-10-2014 0.26 84 55 28 0 04-11-2014 0.21 83 59 41 0 04-12-2014 0.21 82 66 48 0 04-13-2014 0.09 78 67 70 0 NOTE: These reported values are hourly averages, not absolute highs and lows. *Recommendations based on the following parameters (assuming no rainfall): Adjust this watering recommendation for any rainfall that you have received during this time period. TexasET Weather Station : Austin (Morris Williams) Plant Coefficient : Warm Season Adjustment factor : Normal

This information is provided by the "Irrigation Technology Program" under the direction of Dr. Guy Fipps. If you would like to discontinue service please click on the link above to log into your TexasET profile. To discontinue service for only this station select "modify" from your site list and delete the site. To discontinue all TexasET emails select "Modify your user profile" and uncheck "Receive watering recommendations by email".

This email was sent to cougar.irrigation@gmail.com by Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension

Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension 600 John Kimbrough BLVD, Suite 509 7101 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-7101

TexasET Network Landscape Watering Recommendations - "Cougar Central Austin"

Remember, this watereing recommendation from TAMU Agrilife is based on NO RAINFALL. Since rainfall patterns are so spotty in Central Texas, we have see NO RAIN on my property, and water running in the gutters only 4 blocks away. It is important to adjust your watering based on the amount of rainfall your property receives.  Simple cylinder raingauges are the best and easiest way to calculate rainfall.

Depending on your part of town, last night we received .25 to 1" ( Redbud Island Rain gauge ), if you have a gauge on you property and measured 1/2" since Saturdays rain event and Mondays, I would turn my controller to OFF. If you have a rain gauge attached to your irrigation controller, it probably is reading OFF already. All my clients I visited SUNDAY and MONDAY had their controllers reading OFF due to the rain gauge in various parts of town ( Circle C south all the way to Steiner Ranch.) 

Best way to automate the SHUT OFF and adjustment of  Watering percentage is with a Hunter Solar Sync or a Rainbird Weather Station ( with tipping bucket ). Weathermatic, Toro, and all brands have some kind of add on for automated runtime adjustment. They all connect directly to your controller and all consider rainfall in their runtime calculations.

Watering recommendation for "Cougar Central Austin" for the past 7 days:0.41 inches* Date ETo Max Temperature Min Temperature Min Humidity Total Rainfall 03-31-2014 0.21 82 59 42 0 04-01-2014 0.19 84 66 49 0 04-02-2014 0.13 81 70 60 0 04-03-2014 0.12 81 71 64 0 04-04-2014 0.29 73 54 20 0 04-05-2014 0.12 63 53 41 0 04-06-2014 0.07 60 52 63 0.26 NOTE: These reported values are hourly averages, not absolute highs and lows. *Recommendations based on the following parameters (assuming no rainfall): Adjust this watering recommendation for any rainfall that you have received during this time period. TexasET Weather Station : Austin (Morris Williams) Plant Coefficient : Warm Season Adjustment factor : Normal

This information is provided by the "Irrigation Technology Program" under the direction of Dr. Guy Fipps. If you would like to discontinue service please click on the link above to log into your TexasET profile. To discontinue service for only this station select "modify" from your site list and delete the site. To discontinue all TexasET emails select "Modify your user profile" and uncheck "Receive watering recommendations by email".

This email was sent to cougar.irrigation@gmail.com by Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension

Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension 600 John Kimbrough BLVD, Suite 509 7101 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-7101

How Full are the Lakes 37%

As of 4/8/14, the lakes are 37% full. Irrigation season typically starts in April and we use  1% of lake levels , typically, this time of year, each week.  That means without substatinal increase in inflows we will hit 30% lake levels and stage 3 watering restrictions in the June 1st-July 4th timeframe. City of Austin that means reduction of the watering window from 10 hours to 6 hours and increased fines. Let's do all we can to conserve during this critical time period.

How full are the lakes?

37%

Lakes Travis and Buchanan are our region’s water supply reservoirs and currently hold about 751,462 acre-feet of water.

TexasET Network Landscape Watering Recommendations - "Cougar Central Austin"

TexasET Network no-reply@texaset.tamu.edu	8:00 AM (23 minutes ago)
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Watering recommendation for "Cougar Central Austin" for the past 7 days:0.43 inches* Date ETo Max Temperature Min Temperature Min Humidity Total Rainfall 03-24-2014 0.11 64 49 48 0 03-25-2014 0.17 65 47 28 0 03-26-2014 0.12 64 54 44 0 03-27-2014 0.12 79 61 60 0 03-28-2014 0.21 84 65 31 0 03-29-2014 0.25 74 53 14 0 03-30-2014 0.22 77 47 29 0 NOTE: These reported values are hourly averages, not absolute highs and lows. *Recommendations based on the following parameters (assuming no rainfall): Adjust this watering recommendation for any rainfall that you have received during this time period. TexasET Weather Station : Austin (Morris Williams) Plant Coefficient : Warm Season Adjustment factor : Normal

This information is provided by the "Irrigation Technology Program" under the direction of Dr. Guy Fipps. If you would like to discontinue service please click on the link above to log into your TexasET profile. To discontinue service for only this station select "modify" from your site list and delete the site. To discontinue all TexasET emails select "Modify your user profile" and uncheck "Receive watering recommendations by email".

This email was sent to cougar.irrigation@gmail.com by Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension

Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension 600 John Kimbrough BLVD, Suite 509 7101 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-7101

Austin water - Drought Survival Tools for Your Yard Pilot Program

I am super stoked about this new city of Austin program. We have been preaching the benefits of aeration and top dressing lawns for years as a water conservation and organic approach to building the soil structure and increasing the water holding capacity of our heavy clay soils in Austin. The city and Austin Water are spending enormous amounts of time on education and program development and now with the rebate for aeration, compost, and mulch, they have just stepped it up to another level.

Austin Water and The City of Austin are offering up to $180 in rebates for composting, mulching and aerating yards in preparation for the long, hot summer to come (like we needed to be reminded!) These important techniques ensure that water will be used efficiently and will reduce the need for supplemental irrigation. The weather's nice most days now, so start planning some advance projects to save water and some money. 

Rebates Available

• Compost – 1.5 cubic yards or 40 cubic feet--rebate $30
• Mulch – 3 cubic yards or 80 cubic feet--rebate $40
• Core aeration service for entire front and/or back lawn area (equipment rental is acceptable) --rebate $50
• The rebate for doing all three --$180 ($60 bonus)

See answers to frequently asked questionshttp://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Water/Conservation/droughttoolfaq.pdf?utm_source=Austin+EcoNewsletter&utm_campaign=b88af53551-EN32714_EA_Dang_reb8_EthHr_FCCT_VolACA_CAMPO_SFC&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e376911220-b88af53551-171068149 .

See the guidelines/application http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Water/Conservation/droughtsurvival_tools.pdf?utm_source=Austin+EcoNewsletter&utm_campaign=b88af53551-EN32714_EA_Dang_reb8_EthHr_FCCT_VolACA_CAMPO_SFC&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e376911220-b88af53551-171068149 for more details about this pilot program.

TexasET Network Landscape Watering Recommendations - "Cougar Central Austin"

TexasET Network no-reply@texaset.tamu.edu	8:00 AM (7 hours ago)
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Watering recommendation for "Cougar Central Austin" for the past 7 days:0.42 inches* Date ETo Max Temperature Min Temperature Min Humidity Total Rainfall 03-17-2014 0.21 66 43 18 0 03-18-2014 0.25 81 44 26 0 03-19-2014 0.19 68 53 28 0 03-20-2014 0.16 73 46 24 0 03-21-2014 0.15 77 52 48 0 03-22-2014 0.09 76 60 67 0 03-23-2014 0.12 60 47 56 0 NOTE: These reported values are hourly averages, not absolute highs and lows. *Recommendations based on the following parameters (assuming no rainfall): Adjust this watering recommendation for any rainfall that you have received during this time period. TexasET Weather Station : Austin (Morris Williams) Plant Coefficient : Warm Season Adjustment factor : Normal

This information is provided by the "Irrigation Technology Program" under the direction of Dr. Guy Fipps. If you would like to discontinue service please click on the link above to log into your TexasET profile. To discontinue service for only this station select "modify" from your site list and delete the site. To discontinue all TexasET emails select "Modify your user profile" and uncheck "Receive watering recommendations by email".

This email was sent to cougar.irrigation@gmail.com by Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension

Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension 600 John Kimbrough BLVD, Suite 509 7101 TAMU College Station, TX 77843-7101