Potential
impacts on Yorba Linda's landscaping from state-mandated cuts in
water use in areas maintained by the budget-challenged landscape
assessment district and the public works and parks departments were
reviewed recently by City Council members.
A
report from Public Works Director Mike Wolfe noted that specifics
won't be available until the actual regulations and restrictions are
formulated by the State Water Resources Control Board, the state
Department of Water Resources and the Yorba Linda Water District.
But
he stated the initial directives “will certainly impact the
aesthetics of the landscaping maintained by the city. Some places
that have already seen a significant impact...due to the drought
conditions over the past several years will be impacted even more.”
And,
Wolfe reported, “In some cases, the existing landscaping will not
be able to survive with the anticipated...restrictions” and
“strategies to preserve established trees” will be needed because
they “will not be irrigated once the automated irrigation systems
are deactivated.”
A
priority, noted Wolfe, will be for parks officials to “attempt to
maintain the sports turf fields at their current condition....”
Athletic fields are now watered three days per week, and further
reductions will have “significant impacts to playability and
long-term health of the turf.”
The
parks staff, if allowed under new restrictions, “would be more
aggressive with water reductions in non-essential turf areas, slopes
and planter areas to balance out the overall water needs and maintain
the current conditions of the athletic fields,” Wolfe added.
One
anticipated restriction will be a “specific directive to prohibit
watering of ornamental turf in street medians with potable water,”
which can be accomplished by turning off a valve for most cases, but
sometimes minor re-piping or re-routing could be required, according
to Wolfe.
And
despite cost savings from using less water and rebates for turf
removal, “based on past analysis, the dollars saved combined with
the refund amounts do not offset the cost to demolish and install a
new drought-tolerant plant palette with irrigation and/or artificial
turf,” Wolfe noted.
Interestingly,
irrigation at the city-owned Black Gold Golf Club won't be impacted
because restrictions deal with potable water and the golf course uses
non-potable water for grass areas.
Wolfe
stated Black Gold already has employed conservation measures, such as
converting fairways and roughs to drought-tolerant Kikuyu grass,
applying wetting agents for water retention and using computerized
irrigation with individual head controls.
“However,”
added Wolfe, “should the golf course be subject to watering
restrictions for non-potable water, there could be significant
impacts to both maintenance operations and loss of revenue due to
reductions in golf rounds.”
Rules for landscaping in new developments also will be revised.