I sent this on to my daughter. Her two newly planted trees will not be happy. Thanks for the heads-up.

Lawn request from Californians or anybody?

From Californians, obviously. Thar's why this was posted to the CA Gardening forum

It's also posted under landscape design.

I reminded my deughter in LA that we used to siphon bath water from the second story with a hose during a NJ drought. Very easy with a light flexible hose and a good physics lesson for the kids!

Californians DO post in the Landscape Design forum as well.......just saying :-) In fact, a lot of questions there derive from the southwest and the drought is not restricted to just CA, although the watering restrictions may be at this point in time.

Apologies, but I disagree. I think it is fine to have a small lawn, as long as you are careful with water - and in fact, I expect to see gray water systems gain popularity. It's better than having a fake lawn with runoff in the winter, imo.

We are just going to have to get better at recycling, and possibly build a pipeline someday. It is too late now to tell millions of people not to live here anymore, or to try to make radical changes. I believe humans have a right to live around plants. I know this may upset some people, but I don't think it's fair to try to rip up the rug now.

Anyhow, our leaders are still trying to push more and more people to live here, and they give the stink-eye to farmers who feed millions of people. (Although, admittedly, we could use some innovations there too.) They need to get their heads right.

Climate change is the real problem, imo. It is where we should be putting our focus. I think we can and should put the temperatures right back where they were, and that should be the goal. It's clearly not going to work to try to adapt to more heat.

Can someone help calculate the amount of graywater that will sustain a square yard of lawn? Le’s translate into bathtub,washer loads/spaghetti pots. i think it would be helpful for people planning their landscaping.

I think that's a great idea, kitasei2. For me, I am worried the issue will be more about the $$. I am not very handy. And you can't fool around with water leaks. Very few people around where I am have these systems. It's going to be a big steep, expensive curve. Boy I'd love to be wrong about that!

I live in Australia, a country known for limited water supplies and frequent drought.  We do have a miniscule buffalo lawn.  We also have water tanks that collect rain water (mandated for new construction in some states) which is used for the garden.  That, for me, is where efficient water use starts.

Need2See- hooking up a washer or sjower to a barrel to collect gray water will require a plumber but the bathtub siphon is easy. Just use a hose to draw the wster down to a lower level. There are such compact flexible hoses available now that it should be much leas cumbersome than it was.

The latest is that Las Vegas has just instituted a ban on "non-functional" lawns after a law that was enacted last year. By "non-functional", they mean lawns that serve only an aesthetic function - boulevard plantings, commercial sites, condo and apartment complex entries, etc. And by ban, they mean removal of existing laws and replacement with gravel and drought tolerant plantings. Private residential lawns are exempt but they have been under a "money for grass" program for a number of years to encourage homeowners to ditch water thirsty lawns in favor of more drought tolerant landscaping.

I agree it makes sense to minimize lawns in some situations, and sometimes remove them. And there are a lot of exciting new clumpy grasses coming out, which use less water - or maybe they were always there and I just heard about them. I like that bumpy looking one a lot. I also like the whole meadow look, that you can do with native plants.

As long as it doesn't make more heat islands, and is nice to look at, I hope I am not too picky. Out here, we are all going to try to make sure our trees live, at a minimum. It is a tough situation for sure. I hope we get some rain this year.

Yes, prioritize trees. It’s like putting your own oxygen mask first before helping your children. Trees are not only the bigger investment they provide the shade to reduce the need for water.

Nobody wants to do without something they like but So Cal depends on Colorado river water for a portion of its water and Lake mead is in trouble. It is at the lowest level since 1937 the year after Hoover Dam was completed. Every part of the southwest that depends on this water needs to be making sacrifices.

we haven't had a lawn in over twenty years and have had attractive low water use landscapes at two houses. Like recycling and reusable grocery bags I hope we can do the environmentally correct thing without needing to be legally forced.

Here in So Ca I'm not getting much but lip service from our water company. its going to be a long tough summer. yet the state is forcing cities to allow building of supplemental secondary housing, on single family properties. CA population declining too.

Las Vegas banning lawns is kind of stupid considering how many acres of lake and millions of gallons of watershows are allowed on the main strip. Trying to be water wise for the residents while being water stupid for the tourists.

What would Vegas be like without the tourists?

I hear you, socks.

Just to reiterate - we aren't monsters, we already conserve. Without going into a lot of gross detail! (Ha. Drought humor!)

Anyhow, the good thing is, there are some decent options for additional recycling on a social basis, going forward. And, maybe it will rain this year. And, maybe a pipeline, some day.

They want to plant these trees anyway. Is it possible to get a varience from the County just to water these trees extra?

A pipeline from where? There's already a water diversion from norther to southern CA!

Newly planted trees can be watered by hand if you capture the water that goes around you in the shower. Just put a bucket in there with you. Over several days, you'd have plenty to properly water the trees.

It's kind of funny but its Trump like for me to say that those restrictive shower heads and water heater not on blazing hot? Means it takes awhile for the shower water to get hot..so I save pre shower water with my handy dandy Home Depot orange bucket. Adds up...everyday. It goes to plants or to top off my aquarium.

Here its don't water more than 3x a week and that's easy for me to do in summer with the dry plants. Its more than I thought they would allow. No complaints.

nancyjane, yes, that would be the question. Maybe it will turn out we don't need a pipeline. (Again, I am not sure that it made sense for this many people to live down here - but, that train has gone ... I also doubt people up north want us all to move there, either. Either, north, or, like, Oregon north. And maybe, someday we will send you-all some of our solar energy, and then it won't seem so lop-sided.)

I certainly don't think a bucket system would hurt. This time of year I usually use the water cold. But, the suggestion is duly noted!

CA Kate, yes - it is my understanding too that tree watering will be allowed - however, it will probably vary by area. I move around a lot, and one of the places I often am, somebody else does all the tree watering (that is in MFH), and in the other, they haven't restricted us yet. But, I think most plants will probably be able to roll with it. Like, at the MFH place, I have an umbrella and that will help a lot.

And I pray, too. We've got to get a handle on this CC thing. I am against it. ; ) I think we are able to do it, but there is a time crunch. And, we need to all get on the same page, or as close as we can get, imho.