Texas Water Restrictions and Consecutive Extreme Heat Days

Attention All Clients,

As we anticipate escalating temperatures and imminent water restrictions from water purveyors in your area, the KW Team is taking proactive measures to address potential challenges associated with live material and turf, both before and after establishment. The reality is that drought resistant does not mean drought proof. A majority of the plant pallet used in Texas still needs supplemental irrigation to survive extended periods without rain. We have observed a decline in various areas featuring both established and recently planted live material, prompting us to provide you with valuable recommendations to mitigate these concerns. Restrictions will vary by jurisdiction so check with your water providers for current restrictions, and what the implications are if the next stage is enacted.

KW recommends the following:

1. Speak with your Landscape Contractor/Maintenance team to ensure an action plan is in place for the upcoming water restrictions and elevated temperatures, as they should be knowledgeable of water restrictions in your area. For example, many areas allow drip irrigation any time and any day, but above ground spray and rotor irrigation is only allowed once a week.
2. Contact your Water provider for possible variances that may be issued for recent or pending plant installs. For new construction, ask if the landscape install can be delayed, and a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued in the interim.
3. Work with Landscape Sub-Contractor or Maintenance team to verify the necessary adjustments to scheduling in accordance with the designated restriction times and days, as these parameters can differ across various municipalities.
4. Landscape Contractor/Maintenance team may need to hand water plant material. Hand watering is often allowed with no restrictions, this can be a last resort if a Certificate of Occupancy is contingent upon revegetation being established.
5. Landscape Contractor/Maintenance team may find it beneficial to incorporate Gator Bags, along with irrigation, for providing additional water as needed for both newly planted and established trees.

Austin Based Residents

As of August 15th, Austin’s Drought Contingency Plan is in Stage 2. In our efforts to provide accurate information, KW reached out to the City of Austin to clarify the current restrictions. While several news outlets have shared general watering guidelines, the city assured us that they are permitting running automatic drip/tree bubblers any day or time, so all trees and shrubs can be watered as usual. For transplanted trees, they suggest using temporary irrigation using drip or bubblers so the tree can be watered sufficiently. However, the sod and turf areas using rotors fall under the publicized restrictions, so they will be limited substantially on the frequency of watering. We hope this information will help your trees and overall planting stand a better chance of surviving through this challenging time.

KW is constantly working on ways to stay ahead of future water demand issues.

• We are designing more irrigation systems to use drip irrigation for trees, shrubs, and groundcovers to allow for these items to be watered more reliably under water restrictions.
• We are utilizing more drought resistant plant materials; however, no plant material is drought proof. This is especially true of commercially grown nursery crops who utilize a potting mix that is designed to be lightweight and well-draining.
• We are always looking to utilize reclaimed water that is typically exempt from water restrictions.