Fri Apr 10, 2015, 01:14 AM

nilesobek (1,423 posts)

California water crisis and some thoughts

In light of the water crisis in California and the restrictions imposed on citizens, I have to tell my wonderful fellow DUers that having a nice lawn made of various grasses that is so beautiful and lush that we can lie down on during a summer afternoon is unsustainable.

I work in the landscape and hardscape industry, which is exploding up here in Idaho, a semi-arid climate, in this location. How long will it be before this arid part of Idaho is in the same shape as California? I work big jobs for former California expatriots who have given up California and have come here because of the love of big lawns, big grass, available water, (for now) and cheap land. This might be a tipping point, where the wealthy goes where the water is.

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8 replies	Author	Time	Post
California water crisis and some thoughts (Original post)	nilesobek	Apr 2015	OP
Interesting thought re a tipping point	Sienna86	Apr 2015	#1
I agree that the water situation is ludicrous here.	IDemo	Apr 2015	#2
I'm in the Lewis-Clark valley	nilesobek	Apr 2015	#8
A lot of people here in CA are turning to drought	upaloopa	Apr 2015	#3
American lawns, dogs and driveways are all holdovers from our emulation of British	GreatGazoo	Apr 2015	#4
Just got home	nilesobek	Apr 2015	#7
I'll never forget the lawn I saw down in Arkansas about 30 years ago. The guy	B Calm	Apr 2015	#5
Well you won't believe they lengths some will go through to get around the water bans...	Phentex	Apr 2015	#6

Response to nilesobek (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 07:13 AM

Sienna86 (2,141 posts)

1. Interesting thought re a tipping point

My guess is that the wealthy will be able to afford water rates and fines for a while, maybe a long time, before deciding to move elsewhere.

We have all been conditioned to feel that lush green lawn is a part of GE perfect homescape. I live in the Midwest and hope more people start gardening. If the cost of vegetables and fruit goes up, perhaps gardening will increase and the use of harmful lawn chemicals will decrease if folks don't want to poison their own food.

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Response to nilesobek (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 08:16 AM

IDemo (16,926 posts)

2. I agree that the water situation is ludicrous here.

We're in Idaho, and considering a xeriscaped front yard with just one area of lawn in back for the dogs.

The view of completely snow-free Shafer Butte/Deer Point (the local ski area) mountaintops from Boise should serve as stark graphic reminder of the drought, yet you'll see water waste that should be a crime.

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Response to IDemo (Reply #2)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 08:59 PM

nilesobek (1,423 posts)

8. I'm in the Lewis-Clark valley

and we have 2 of the greatest rivers in the US right here but have begun to ration water. People thought the resources were unlimited.

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Response to nilesobek (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 08:39 AM

upaloopa (11,417 posts)

3. A lot of people here in CA are turning to drought

tolerant landscaping. Really though the majority do not have lush green lawns. They live in apartments or just don't water their lawns or let weeds grow.
I think they will start to raise water rates to discourage useage.
A long time ago we use to say " save water shower with a friend." Many of us still do.
I think our water problem looks worse to those outside our state.

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Response to nilesobek (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 10:03 AM

GreatGazoo (3,937 posts)

4. American lawns, dogs and driveways are all holdovers from our emulation of British

manor houses. We seem to be stuck with this nonsense since many local ordinances demand that home owners be told what to do with their property -- eg. plant ONLY grass and mow it regularly (most likely at 7AM on Sunday when the neighbors are trying to sleep in).

I love the overgrown look of an English cottage garden but HOA's and local busibodies would never let me do that to, what is in theory, my own property.

They make you plant a lawn and now tell you you can't water it. Maybe it is time to stop this 19th century obsession with monoculture lawns.

Also, they make you emulate British manor houses and then bust you when your kid wants a castle:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/salvadorhernandez/this-dads-awesome-cardboard-fort-for-his-kids-violates-city#.sokk5EAx9

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Response to GreatGazoo (Reply #4)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 08:54 PM

nilesobek (1,423 posts)

7. Just got home

from a 14hr day thatching and grooming soil for a brand new mega lawn. I think I might have fell into a gaggle of workaholics.

At any rate I'm back for discussion. Thanks for the great comments. I had no idea of the English origins of the manicured lawn.

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Response to nilesobek (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 10:09 AM

B Calm (28,762 posts)

5. I'll never forget the lawn I saw down in Arkansas about 30 years ago. The guy

graveled his entire lawn and had a sign posted keep off the grass.

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Response to nilesobek (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 10:10 AM

Phentex (16,281 posts)

6. Well you won't believe they lengths some will go through to get around the water bans...

we had drought a few years ago and the restrictions started small and got more serious. Watering on odd/even days. Then total bans.

But there were some strange loopholes. I'm not sure of all of them but one was new landscape or overseeding a lawn or what have you. Well, people were installing new sod so they could water. People watered in the middle of the night. They started reporting offenders even though they themselves were watering illegally. They just could not stand not having the big lush lawns.

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