Coachella Valley Water District's conservation coordinator answers your community's questions

Ask Dave... How can my business conserve water? What is the easiest way to reduce our water use? What is an irrigation evaluation? What do we do after removing turf and adding water-efficient plants? How do we begin a landscape conversion? What is the Landscape Ordinance? How do we qualify for a landscape rebate? How can we be water efficient when overseeding? How can we eliminate water run-off? Will a smart irrigation controller really help us save water? What do we do if our association's water budget is too small?

What is the Landscape Ordinance?

By David Koller, CVWD conservation coordinator

In response to a local population boom and its impact on groundwater levels, in 2003 the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) developed and adopted ordinance 1302.1 – Landscape and Irrigation System Design Criteria ( 1.4mb). This landscape design ordinance applies to all new developments and rehabilitated landscapes within CVWD’s service area.

The ordinance conserves more water than the model landscape ordinance recommended by the state. By promoting a more realistic ordinance, valley leaders are proving their commitment to ensuring the long-term reliability of our local water supply.

The ordinance sets forth a number of guidelines for new developments. One of those guidelines is a maximum applied water allowance for new developments. This is an upper limit of annual applied water for established landscapes. It is based on an area’s evapotranspiration adjustment factor and the size of the landscaped area.

Irrigation efficiency is another requirement. It is the measurement of the amount of water beneficially used by the landscape, divided by the amount of water applied. The minimum irrigation efficiency within the ordinance is 75 percent.

Other requirements of the ordinance include using locally approved plant materials and placing them in hydrozones where plants with similar water requirements are grouped to assure appropriate irrigation for the area. Eliminating water runoff and overspray from turf areas can be accomplished by providing a 24-inch spray-irrigated turf setback from curbs. Landscaped area must be graded to prevent overflow to adjacent properties and public streets.

These guidelines are but a few set forth in the ordinance that continues to ensure all new landscapes are water efficient.

There have already been significant visible changes to landscape designs throughout the valley since the ordinance was originally passed. However, the most significant change will be reduced groundwater overdraft.