Greening Lawn Irrigation: A Resilient Communities Project–GreenStep Cities Guide

Abstract

Water conservation is becoming an increasingly urgent concern for communities throughout Minnesota. Natural replenishment of aquifers may not keep up with the rate of use seen in Minnesota. The loss of groundwater reserves can result in increased pumping costs, and impact local lakes, streams and wetlands. Local municipalities can help to address this problem by engaging local homeowners in conversations to educate them about water conservation and motivate them to make simple changes in their homes to conserve this precious resource. This resource provides a toolkit for cities seeking to engage homeowners in water conservation through improved lawn care practices.

This document has been prepared by the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (RCP) for the Minnesota GreenStep Cities Program. This resource was adapted from student work completed in partnership with RCP and the City of Rosemount during the 2014–2015 academic year. Although the original report was developed for a specific community, students’ findings and recommendations have been synthesized and generalized, and additional research has been conducted where necessary, to produce a resource that is relevant to communities throughout Minnesota. The original student reports can be found at https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/180444 and https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/180446.