Water-Saving

Landscaping
Low-maintenance solutions for
intermountain regions
 December 21, 2012

Challenges
 Hot temperatures
 Cold temperatures
 Shorter growing season
 Drying winds
 Deluge/drought
 Poor soil
 December 21, 2012

Solutions
 Windbreaks
 Xeriscaping
 Soilamendment
 Native plants
 December 21, 2012

Windbreaks
 Structures
 Fences
 Walls
 December 21, 2012

Windbreaks
 Plants
 Tree lines
 Hedges
 December 21, 2012

Cloud
Water Cycle s
Evaporation
Evaporation
and
and
Transpiration
Transpiration

Condensation
Condensation
and
and
Precipitation
Precipitation

Runoff
and
Percolation
 December 21, 2012

Water Consumption
200
175
150
125
100
75 Average
50 Conservative
25
0
eth nds ush ing in.) ath her and her in.)
te ha t fl hav m B as h a s m
g g ile ( 8 w by w 0
s hin hin To S
e r ish es hes n (2
u
Br Wa
s
how D sh
i lot Law
S D C
 December 21, 2012

Xeriscaping
 Planting strategies that conserve water
 December 21, 2012

Xeriscaping
 No additional watering
 December 21, 2012

Xeriscaping
 Drip irrigation
 December 21, 2012

Soil Amendment
 Eastern Washington loses more than
10 tons of soil per acre per year
to rainfall runoff
Source: Atlas of U.S. Environmental Issues, Mason & Mason, 1990
 December 21, 2012

Native Plants
 Tolerate temperature range
 Tolerate drought
 Prevent erosion
 Support natural ecosystem
 Attract pollinators
 Need little or no maintenance
 Sustainable
 December 21, 2012

Temperature by Season
Seasonal Temperatures
Winter Spring Summer Fall
Minimum 18 41 73 43
Average 29 57 89 54
Maximum 40 72 105 65

  To convert to Celsius: x 5
 December 21, 2012

Temperature by Month
120 Hot periods can last several days

100
80
60
40
20
0
Ja
n e b
rc h pr i l ay une July u g
e pt Oct o v e c
F a A M J A S N D
M Minimum Average Maximum
 December 21, 2012

Native Plants

Photos courtesy of Rugged Country Plants