by Watershed Stewardship Assistant, Rachel Morris.
Residential water use of the average Lethbridgian is 232 litres per person per day, third-highest of all municipalities in Alberta. At its peak, Lethbridge’s water use in the summer is double its winter use, with over 3 billion litres used in July 2023 compared to 1.5 billion in December (see the graph below). This increase is mainly because of outdoor water use in the summer, such as watering of lawns and trees. Luckily, this means if you’re looking to reduce your water bill, you can make a big difference by being water-wise outside.
The volume of treated water used per month in 2018 and 2023 in Lethbridge, showing an increase in summer months (May-September) peaking in July. This graph is from the City of Lethbridge 2024 Water Conservation Plan & Strategy.
Let’s explore the WXYZs of using less water outdoors: watering wisely, xeriscaping your yard so it’s suited to dry conditions, and optimizing your yardwork so you get more Zzz’s!
The WXYZs of reducing outdoor water use
Watering Wisely
Strategically watering your lawn less frequently can encourage your grass’ roots to grow deeper, increasing your lawn’s resilience to water shortage. You can achieve this by watering one time per week, allowing your lawn time to dry out in between waterings. This will cause your grass to grow roots downwards in search of water, so that when dry and hot weather arrives, your lawn can already access more water from deeper underground.
Additionally, lawns only need one inch of water per week. This can be tough to eyeball, but easy to measure if you place an empty tuna can or upside-down frisbee on your grass while your sprinkler is running. Once it is full, you can stop watering. Although lawns planted with non-native grasses might require extra water in our semi-arid climate, they are often overwatered, which actually reduces their resilience to periods of drought.
If you water with a sprinkler or spray hose, keep track of how much water you’ve put on your grass with a one-inch-deep container. An empty tuna can or upside-down frisbee work well.
Timing your weekly watering so the most water possible ends up in your soil will also help your grass: watering in the late evening or early morning, when it’s cooler outside, will give your grass a chance to soak up water before it evaporates. Additionally, if you are using a sprinkler, position it so no water is sprayed onto the road or sidewalk.
When it comes to vegetable and flower gardens, use a watering can or soaker hose when watering to maximise water supply to the plant’s roots and minimize water loss through evaporation. A rain barrel can help you capture and store water for your vegetables.
Xeriscaping
A beautiful Lethbridge xeriscape featuring drought-tolerant plants, strategic use of decorative rocks, and some mulch between plants to help shade their roots. Photo by Connie Simmons.
“Xeriscape” comes from Greek and means ‘dry landscape’. It’s a style of landscaping that centers around optimizing your yard so it requires as little watering as possible. This is achieved through the use of drought-tolerant plants, strategic use of shade and wet spots, and copious use of mulch.
Drought-tolerant plants, especially native prairie plants adapted to local rainfall patterns, will require less water and, once established, survive periods of drought. Strategically grouping plants by their water needs, and placing less drought-tolerant plants in partial shade or close to a downspout, will allow them to thrive. Mulch, the glue that holds it all together, shades the roots and keeps soil moist, preventing evaporation in the hot sun. Use four inches of wood mulch (sometimes available for free in city parks) between groups of flowers, shrubs, or vegetables to keep their roots moist and prevent weeds from springing up.
Our prairie urban garden project goes into detail about establishing a xeriscape.
Less Yardwork… more Zzzs!
Less yardwork = more time to soak up the sun, enjoy your garden, and catch some Zzzzs! Photo by Sofie Forsström.
Water-wise gardening can save you time as well as money. To help your lawn overcome water stress, mow it less frequently. This will allow it to maintain root systems and reduce stress on the plant so it requires less water. Mulching your grass clippings back into your lawn will give it the nutrients it needs to grow, eliminating any need for fertilizer application. Leaving grass clippings on your lawn will also help shade the soil, reducing evaporation and watering needs.
Maintaining a healthy layer of wood mulch in your non-lawn areas will cut back on work required in both weeding and watering. Now that you’ve cut back on your yard maintenance, you have plenty of time to enjoy it in the sun… or maybe take some well-earned rest!
Walking the Talk
Our staff are hard at work across the watershed, busy with planning, meeting, educating, stewarding, and much more. When we come home, we all like to enjoy a little peace and quiet. Here’s how we’re implementing water-wise principles at home so we have some extra time to relax!
Shannon
My priority for creating a Prairie Urban Garden in my yard was low maintenance. Watering, weeding, and mowing are not my favourite activities so I chose drought tolerant, pollinator friendly plants that I only need to water twice per week. I hold the hose at the roots for 10-15 seconds per plant; watering each plant individually rather than using a sprinkler. I tried landscaping fabric with mulch and stone, and do not recommend it as it forms a layer of soil on top where weeds grow. Better to use none but make sure you have 4 inches of mulch.
Sofie
I spent two summers converting my front lawn into my own Prairie Urban Garden oasis. Opting for a low-budget (and therefore high-labour) approach, I dug up the sod with a small spade, which was hard work but very satisfying when completed. At the local greenhouses, I specifically selected cold-hardy and drought-tolerant plants that attract pollinators (and not deer!), and tried to include a variety of plant structures (height, shape, spread), colours, textures, and flowering times. I was also gifted a couple of perennials from neighbouring prairie urban gardeners. It has been a lot of trial and error, and as with any garden, it’s an ongoing work in progress, but I’m so pleased by how it is coming along! Mulch between the plants shades the soil, and a rain barrel installed at the front of my house supplies water in the summer (in the winter I empty & remove the rain barrel and reconnect the downspout to direct water away from my house). I have installed additional rain barrels in my backyard for watering my vegetable garden.
Sofie’s front yard before (June 2022) and 2 years later (July 2024)
Kallie
In 2023 we converted our front yard from a very sun-scorched lawn into a lovely, large sitting area and a garden. The garden is currently covered in mulch, and slowly over the next few years we will be adding native, drought-resistant plants to create our very own prairie urban garden! The mulch is approximately 4 inches deep, and I will be adding extra to the parts where it wasn't quite level or where weeds want to poke through. We worked with a concrete company to create the sitting area, and I think they did a great job. They also were kind enough to remove the lawn for us across the whole front yard with their machinery, so we didn't have to do a ton of manual labor. So for us, piling on the mulch was the hardest part! To get the mulch, we both bought mulch and also got free mulch from a local arborist. I love sitting in the sun in front of my house watching the world pass by, and am enjoying planning what plants will go in the garden.
Maria
As a renter, I maintain my landlord's lawn and trees by watering them after 9 pm once every one or two weeks, depending on the weather conditions. I water the yard using a soaker hose so the water is not lost through evaporation. To water the trees, I use a hose and water all the areas where the trees provide shade, we call the drip line. The other way I keep a low water use outside is by using a tuna can when I am watering the lawn. When it is full of water, I have 1 inch of water covering the soil, which is recommended for common grass.
Rachel
I’m renting here in Lethbridge and luckily my roommate Sarah is in charge of the yard work. To do my part, I make sure to provide helpful tips and tricks. To reduce evaporation, she waters flowers and vegetables with a hose rather than a sprinkler, and strategically waters only when needed. Our front yard is xeriscaped and doesn’t need more maintenance!
Debra
I began “No Mow May” a few years ago as a large portion of how my household reduces our water consumption. Allowing the grasses in my yard to grow during the early spring reduces the need to water my lawn, increases water retention in the soil, and as a bonus, increases the survival rate for any pollinators and bugs living in the vegetation until the weather increases and stabilizes. I have also added native flowers and shrubs to my garden to increase pollinator food sources while limiting the amount of water needed, as native plants are climatized to drought and more arid conditions. The final change I have made is rain water collection, which I use to water my greenhouse plants. Currently I am operating off of 1 barrel which is enough for the size of the greenhouse I currently have. With plans to double the greenhouse size, I will need to add another rain barrel and will install a gravity fed drip system. This summer I am also beginning my venture to turn my lawn into a xeriscape garden to further reduce my water consumption.
