Water Conservation in Southwest Colorado
In 2009 the average daily water use in Mancos was 210 gallons which is over double the national average of 80-100 gallons. Given the lack of water in the Mancos Valley, conserving water inside and outside of your home is imperative. The following information outlines the importance of water conservation in the region and easy steps to help reduce your usage.
Irrigation techniques to reduce water usage
Water use increases in the summer as residents begin to water lawns, plants, and spend more time outside. There are several changes you can implement to make a different in water usage.
Check your sprinkler system every year for leaks and breaks to reduce water waste.
Change out spray heads for more efficient rotary sprinkler heads. These heads produce larger droplets and reduce runoff. Use drip irrigation to water plants and shrubs. This results in water going directly to the soil and roots and increasing the efficiency.
Implement Cycle & Soak for your watering schedule. This allows the water to be applied more slowly allowing for the water to soak into the soil slowly and preventing run off. Cycle and soak promotes deeper roots into cooler soil and results in healthier plants.
Only water in the evening or early in the morning. This reduces the amount of water evaporated during high heat and increases the water reaching deeper into the soil during cooler temperatures.
Add a smart controller or rain gauge to your system. This allows for automatic delays in sprinklers when it rains and prevents water waste during wet months.
Xeriscaping
Grass uses twice as much water as most other plants in your yard. Grass also requires frequent maintenance to stay lush and healthy. Fortunately, it is possible to have a beautiful blooming garden without having a high water bill to maintain it. In fact, one of the most effective ways to conserve water at home is with water wise landscaping.
You can start small with flower and produce swaps to drought resistant varieties. Drought resistant veggies include Swiss chard, zucchini, tomatoes, okra, cowbells and pole beans. Native plant species recommended for Southwest Colorado can be found through Four Seasons Greenhouse and Nursery in Dolores, CO.
If you want to renovate your entire outdoor space there are great instructions from Resource Central and High Country Gardens to help you out.
Plant Select also has a fun interactive guide to choose what water wise landscaping is best for your yard.
Rain Barrels
Rain barrels capture water from a roof and hold it for later use. Collecting roof runoff in rain barrels reduces the amount of water that flows from your property. It's a great way to conserve water and it's free water for use in your landscape. The Durango Herald has a great article outlining local water collection.
You can use the calculator from Build-Sow-Grow to calculate your estimated runoff based on roof surface area.
However, there are some restrictions for Colorado residents.
Single-Family residence or a multi-family residence with four or fewer units are allow use rain barrels to collect rainwater.
A maximum of two rain barrels with a combined storage of 110 gallons or less are allowed at each household.
Barrels must have sealable lids to deter bugs and pests.
Collected rainwater may be used to irrigate outdoor lawns, plants or gardens.
Indoor Tips for Water Conservation
Using water-saving techniques can save you money and diverts less water from our rivers and result in a healthier environment. There are many easy changes that you can make that will drastically reduce the amount of water that you use.
Install faucet aerators, which are inexpensive devices that can reduce water usage by up to 60%.
Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth or shaving. Fill the sink to shave instead of letting the water run.
Check toilets for leaks. Add about 12 drops of food coloring, or a leak-detection tablet, into the tank. If color appears in the bowl an hour later, then there is a leak.
When getting new appliances, opt for more efficient models that will use less water.
Save yourself up to 20 gallons of water by scraping food off your dishes instead of pre-rinsing them.
Install a water-saving showerhead, which can cut water usage in the shower from 5–7 gallons per minute to just 3 gallons per minute.
Water Cycle and The Mancos River
The Southwest is in a mega-drought (NOAA, NIDIS). Meaning drought conditions have lasted over two decades. This is important to know because all of the water used in the Town of Mancos comes from the Mancos River. Decreased rain and snow as well as increasing temperatures mean less water is in the River, meaning less water for use.