Drought in the Desert – Go Figure

 I am what most people term a skeptic. When Al Gore told us the sky was falling, I looked for tangible evidence. After all, this is the same Al Gore who claimed to have invented the Internet. Okay, I’m still not convinced, but scientists on both sides of the issue make some very good points. That only adds to the confusion.

When Jerry Brown said we are in a drought, my initial reaction was, “humph, it’s dry but just how dry.” That’s when they started inundating us with data – the snowpack depth, annual rainfall numbers, and weather predictions. Again, “that doesn’t sound good, but I still get water when I turn on the tap. Don’t we have reservoirs to get us through dry years? ”

Then they cut the agricultural water to next to nothing. At that point, I began to take notice. Then they showed pictures of our reservoirs, or what might have been reservoirs at one time – pictures of small mud holes.

This week we were warned about the fines for water misuse. Okay, I’m convinced. We are in a drought.

Apparently, many are not yet convinced, though. I see water running in city streets, yards being flooded in the heat of the day, and driveways and sidewalks being watered like they are expected to die if not irrigated. Many of the offenders are government agencies and businesses.

On its website, Western Municipal Water District (WMWD) says that 60% of residential water use is for outdoors. Wow, think about it. Sixty percent of your water bill goes to keep your grass green and your exotic trees growing.

At our house, you won’t find grass – never wanted any – but we do have trees and bushes that we drip irrigate. The few flowers we have are drought tolerant and drip irrigated. Even with only that, our water bill is an outrage. I shudder to imagine what people with big lawns and exotic plants are paying each month for water.

For those of us living within the Western Municipal Water District service area, there is an opportunity to not only help the drought situation and save on your water bill, but you can even make money doing so. WMWD has a program that will pay you $2 per square foot to rip out all that nasty grass and replace it with “climate-appropriate landscaping.” Check it out at http://www.westernturfreplacement.com/.

Think about it. No more sweltering under the hot sun while mowing the lawn each week; no more fertilizing and worrying about crabgrass, dandelions, mustard or tumbleweeds; no more being tied down to your yard, while being held up on your water bill. You could be saving some 60% of your bill, AND get paid $2 per square foot to do it! Can you beat that?

An offer like that almost makes me wish I had grass to rip out. Nah, I hate mowing the lawn. Dirt, rocks and desert landscaping is more my thing. After all, we do live in a desert.